Making Crunchy Peanut Butter Dog Treats!

Fall is in the air for sure! We are in the 50's at night and quite cool. We had a small fire in the wood stove after church on Sunday just to cut the chill in the house which was so very nice! That and watching the entire miniseries of the Thornbirds was our treat!

Along with happenings in September at the homestead is Abigail's birthday. She is four years old now!! I can't believe it actually.

Out with the rolling pin and making peanut butter dough for treats this morning early. Thought you would like to try them for your furbabies too!

This recipe is simple and if you click HERE you will find a great website from which it came as well as other simple dog treats to make. These put in a little treat tin would be a great little Christmas gift for a dog lover!

This is my crowd pleasers here. Staples at the homestead that we go through quite a bit!

You will need:

1 cup of milk
2 cups of flour, all purpose or wheat flour (either works)
1 cup of peanut butter, crunchy or creamy
1 tablespoon of baking powder
a rolling pin
some extra flour for your wood board
and your favorite cookie cutters that are small

So you measure out 2 cups of flour. I've been using White Lily flour since 19.................80 something.

Followed by the 1 tablespoon of baking powder (NOT baking soda)

Stir the 2 dry ingredients well.

Add the cup of peanut butter. You can use either crunchy or creamy. I only have creamy on hand.

Stir by hand until it makes a nice dough.

Flour your surface

Plop out the soft dough and knead once or twice.

Roll out to 1/4 inch thick

The dough is surprisingly not sticky but if so, put a little flour on your rolling pin again.

And cut the little tiny men, put in oven for 20 minutes. I always use parchment paper which prevents burning the bottoms and sticking to the cooking sheet.

If you want really hard treats, cut the oven off at 15 minutes and leave in oven overnight.

Since Abbie is a very small dog, at 5 lbs, I had these 2 little cutters for her. The one of the left I have made treats with in the past but decided to make the little men this time.

They are Abbie-approved! She has eaten 2 of them this morning and loves them.

The smaller treats are good also for rewarding your furbaby for being sweeeeeeeeeet!

And who can resist this face? Standing by the oven while the last batch is baking! 2 is her limit though right now. If she is a good girl, they will be in her treat tin.

Saves a trip to town for those store-bought ones!

I hope you have a great treat-filled day!

Jennifer

Junkin' and Jumpin'

First I went junkin'.

 

Then I went jumpin'.

 

 

I know it's that time of year for all kinds of things with many legs to appear out here but I literally got wrapped in a HUGE spider web and the spider ran across to the flowers but the web was stretched from the roof, to the table, to the birdfeeder and back to the front of the porch.

 

 

I had my camera outside to take a picture of the sweet sunset this evening but ran into this one that has definitely taken up the porch.

 

 

Oh yeah! Rounding the corner of the porch was "entangling".

 

 

I'm sorry to say it but he is not boarding here at the homestead any longer........

 

 

The day otherwise has been awesome! The sun is out for one!!  And I feel some change ever so slight back to the drier air and hopefully much cooler this weekend I hear.

 

I went junkin' today. I think I've adopted Thursday for junkin' day. I had something in mind I needed in the kitchen but instead found a gallon bag of  38 forks and 40 spoons for 8 bucks. Stainless steel.

 

 

Now I think I have enough for guests!

 

 

I even found a stitching frame for a large project still new in bag and all the hardware looks great......5 bucks.

 

 

and I couldn't resist this little Colonial Williamsburg piece for 3 bucks.

 

 

 

 

saw a sweet, heavy pewter angel frame in a pile for 2.00. I can't wait to stitch a small in this.

 

 

and finally a small bit of progress this morning, early with my coffee before I started the day.....

Battle Hymn of the Republic, by LHN, Lakeside Linen, DMC floss

 

 

I even played with a scrap piece of this Gingham linen I got a very long time ago to do one over one on a freebie by Liberty House Primitives "With God All Things Are Possible".

 

And for a nice evening it is, even with spiders.......I can't wait for the weather to change up this weekend!

 

Till later after I watch the show Hoarders,

 

Jennifer

 

Time Off---Priceless

Yep, so we decided on a very hot, humid, North Georgia day to go on a day trip.

For the first time myself, even living up in the moutains for a decade, finally made the trip inside the Gold Museum/ old courthouse in Dahlonega.  Very interesting tour and movie inside.

Didn't leave with any gold, but definitely know a little more about local history of it.

Wondering during the 1800's where those samplers and needlework treasures were in homes in the local area and how life was so much more simple~~~~~~~~ gentlemen were gentlemen, and ladies, were ladies.

Sometimes, I guess we all live in a place so long and forget to take in some fun things right in front of our eyes!

But, again, it's always better when taking adventures with a best friend!

Even the fudge shop was more fun.

  sharing good times.

And at the end of the day...............it's all good.

It's all good, the way it should be when you know you are doing the best you can with what is given. Those that don't understand haven't walked in your shoes. Just keep walkin'

God is still working in my life and showing me alot of life lessons.

He didn't promise us it would all be an easy road. However, trusting Him in His own time, to shape our lives with honest, patient, and loving friends is well worth the struggles we all go through.

~~~Honesty is still respected as the right thing to do.

~~~Every day is a gift. Even with aching joints in the morning when I wake up, I thank God I'm safe and have another day, a gift.

~~The basic fiber we have in ourselves is respect, friendship, love, and our faith.

~~Treasuring the times we have together is important with positive people, for life is way too short to surround ourselves with the negative people who just don't choose to be loving and honest.

~~Unconditional love, respect and honesty are priceless.

~~Remember not to question the One above that blesses us even in small things for it's in His time, not ours, and that prayers are answered when it's all said and done at the end of the day.

Hope your Summer is spent with positive, loving folks.

Makes a world of difference!  ;)

 

Enjoy!

Till later,

Jennifer

Thrifty Thursday~~a random thought

This keychain was in a really pretty box at a thrift store a couple of weeks ago and for 1.00 marked.

At first glance, it looked like a Brighton keychain but I know it's not, but does it ever look like it!

I had no clue what I was going to do as I have alot of keychains but then I remembered a special friend and my hands went to stitching :)

"We were given: Two hands to hold. Two legs to walk. Two eyes to see. Two ears to listen. But why only one heart? Because the other was given to someone else for us to find."

author unknown

Thankful Thursday--a freebie Christmas ornie and a great blog site

Peace in Your Heart

designed by Feathers in the Nest

copyright 2010

revisited 2011! ;)

I designed this last year and wanted to repost for new (or old) followers and visitors if you are collecting freebies for Christmas ornies!

colors suggested are :

Gentle Art--Freedom--darker blue

Gentle Art--Liberty--lighter blue

Gentle Art--Holly Berry--deep red

Gentle Art--Goldleaf--gold

Crescent colors cotton--Snowball---white

Just change the date to what you please, if this year or to prim it, a vintage one.

I have enjoyed catching up reading blogs after so long and soooooo many talented designers offering freebies. We are truly blessed as stitchers.

One of my favorite blogs and always the most beautiful sampler freebies are found at 

 Liberty House primitives.

If you like Quaker designs, you must click here

for the best and latest from Liberty House Primitives.

The sampler says "Doing Right is Never Wrong". AND it's FREE. I just love it and it's so inspirational~

Nancy is the sweetest designer I've ever met and I truly mean that. She has an awesome Ebay store as well and if you order from her, I promise she will add extras that will make your package special.

Hope your week is going well. Zipping by for me! I can't believe Thanksgiving is 1 week away!!

Woke today with a quite nippy day and feeling much more like Fall. A cozy fireplace today is a definite pleasure.

 I hope wherever you are, this finds you cozy, rested, and stitching with beautiful fibers.

Till later,

Jennifer

A Very Cool Stitching Site if you like tutorials and threads!

While I'm procrastinating this morning of the chores I NEED to be doing, and sipping my Earl Grey decaf tea, digesting my brunch and vitamins, I just want to show you a couple of eye candy sites. I haven't ordered from these, just wondered if you all have used this thread before?  What do you think about it?  Aren't the colors pretty?  Silk is always pretty to me!

click   HERE

Amy Mitten Designs website, the threads, Smooth Operator--silks


AND looks like she is going to be adding ONLINE TUTORIALS for stitchers!!! YEAH!!!!!!

I thought I favorited the scissors I liked yesterday but I guess I didn't ;(  when I find it I will share. They are beautiful. I think I went from a shoe addiction to a scissor addiction.

Miss Abigail has a hard life, doesn't she?  Yes, she watches TV?  Do your pets   furbabies watch TV?

She's really quite the character because she has her own little routine, thinks she needs to got to bed in the guest room at night, comes down stairs for her TREAT and then sits like this if the TV is on. Sits straight up and watches it. She does tend to fall asleep during the news though.......

Abbie is one little happy camper today.

What I been doing besides stitching

Home today and cleaning like it's Spring instead of Summer. I don't know who stitched this. I bought this already framed and stitched. While I was cleaning, I looked up and saw this and took a pic.

I think it's so true.

Also just out of the oven is Blueberry Cobbler.

It is very Yum!

Eazy, Peazy to make and puts smiles on faces  ;)

Last night and this morning, I finally finished sorting and bagging threads and linen. Honestly, I think I have enough for quite a while.

 I can't believe I just said that.

 I had to do some inventory to see what I really had and what I didn't have.

Oh, but the laundry area and the office are looking better, but still got lots of Spring/Summer cleaning to do in there.

Abbie today on a freshly, washed quilt.

She has a rough life........

She's really ignoring me while I eat some Blueberry Cobbler. ;)

Back to cleaning........hope your Thursday was happy and yummy.

Jennifer

Ok So What I brought back from a short trip to Williamsburg!!!!

Because I'm a bit spoiled like Miss Abbie, I brought back a few things I drooled over for stitching purposes.

This book has many of the colonial houses at Williamsburg that I can "visit" when I have the time and also tells the history, design, details, etc. that I couldn't fit in an 8 hour trip.

I still haven't read it yet but it's awesome full of pics. My designing mind wants to know!

I just can't wait to delve into this book and simmer into it's stories with a cup of Earl Grey tea.

isn't this beautiful?

Like I needed another sampler to stitch.....LOL  anyways, I wanted this one The Ann Hill sampler

the history of it.

included the floss and 35 ct linen

absolutely gorgeous colors which would go on our sampler wall in the master bedroom.

with 35 ct linen, antique ivory. I should have taken out of the plastic but this is fresh out of the suitcase!

I did a full happy dance when I saw this smaller floor cloth!  I LOVED IT!

The colors in our Dutch colonial home are sooooooo pretty! and I knew this was the spot to put it.

If you've never seen a floorcloth, it's actually like a piece of canvas and very durable. I have one in front of the fireplace, and it's withstood 2 winters so far without any scratches with walking on it and building fires.

They are gorgeous! This is actually a placemat size but I just got one because I knew exactly I wanted this on the sofa table.

and my most fave treat is this pincushion. I couldn't decide on which one to get as they had many ones to choose from. I almost chose the delft blues but decided I wanted this one better, besides it had pins in it!!!!

yep, this just fit with Feathers in the Nest very well.

I got a couple of other things as gifts for others but these are my favorite things from the Williamsburg short trip we took. I hope we go back one day and get to visit the other museums and buildings and I believe that we will in time.

Miss Abbie was so glad to see us. She dug right into a piece of pizza when we came back and slept soundly in the laundry pile all day.

she's a bit ready for play her on her snack mat, we call it, under my stitching chair. She has her fave treat, the sweet potato treat in her "paws".

brushed and groomed a bit today. She was pretty rough-looking when she came home...LOL

She loves to drag her blanket to the stitching chair.

But I haven't been in it today. Too much to do.

I tried to put bows on her after brushing but she doesn't like them and this was taken a few minutes before shaking and flinging them in mid-air.......

And praise the Lord, I found my "close up" glasses when we got home. OMG, I had to get readers again and what a difference as one eye is different than the other.  I was in a "tizzy" before I left and couldn't find them at the last minute, but finally did when we came back.....thank you, Lord!

and here is some progress on a design I'm making called "Follow Your Heart".

Methinks I have too many going on at one time.....stitching ADHD

I still have some pics from the Quilting section of the museum.....but later......

nite,

Jennifer