A..........pplesauce

One of my fellow Etsy Bloggers, Mystic Wynd, inspired me to create in a non-crafting way and blog about it today. You can find her shop at http://mysticwynd.etsy.com/ She is doing a series about our five senses and her post today was about smells. So off to the kitchen I went for some McIntosh apples, a paring knife, cutting board and our slow cooker. In about 20 minutes I had the apples pared, cored and chopped and into the water. After draining the apples, I added 1/4 cup of sugar (which for those of you with greater will power could omit), some cinnamon and 1/4 cup of water.

Then the slow cooking, (on low) began. Within a couple of hours, the most fabulous smell was emanating throughout the house, bringing back so many memories of my mom's and grandma's kitchens. After a couple more hours and a stirring or two, it was ready to make a great warm dessert for dinner.

Why not try some yourself? You won't be disappointed! It doesn't take long, and it's s.........ooo much better than store bought applesauce! Other types of apples, especially baking apples, work well too. This makes 4-6 servings and really doesn't take that much time to make. It's heart healthy as well...especially if you add very little or no sugar.

In the first picture, you might have noticed in the upper portion a small part of our wonderful lazy susan. This is from another wonderful Etsy shop: http://woodmosaics.etsy.com/ If you're in the market for one, you can't go wrong with Robin's intricate work!

A..........lmost Wordless Wednesday

If our neighbor's birdhouse and storage shed don't say "Wisconsin", I don't know what does!

F.........inally Finished!

Winter is a perfect time for crafting here in Wisconsin, and this year is better than ever because our new kitchen, which includes a craft area for me, was finished on January 14, exactly three months from the day they began to dig for the addition. When one of the bloggers' carnivals asked about our winter past times, I could not resist showing off the new area. The east wall of the new room is designed to give me lots of space for card making, packaging and storing completed projects, as well as some supplies. It even doubles as a bookkeeping area for David! Already, it is a great blessing for us.

The first picture shows that wonderful new area and the second and third photos show more of the whole kitchen area. The entire back wall of the house, which ended right where the island is now, was removed and even though the addition is only about 175 square feet, the entire ground floor of the house seems so much larger and brighter. Even the cats enjoy their perch in front of a sunny, south window.

The old, tiny kitchen is now a powder room, hallway and laundry area. It is certainly the best kitchen I have ever had and I am so grateful for it. If anyone is in the area, please pop over to see us.
There probably will be more fresh baked goods than ever, and the coffee pot is always on!

C.........REATEaTHOUGHT

Words, thoughts, and artistic expression are the fortes of this month's Etsy Blogger, CREATEaTHOUGHT. When you step into the world that is her shop, you're immediately struck by her sense of humor and the variety of her projects. She has items that you can send, wear, post, and write in. I was particularly pleased with her OOAK (one of a kind) refrigerator magnet and card that says, "Rise with the sun". As an early riser, I'm awakened by the sun at this time of year, and I love it! In fact, I think my next etsy treasury will feature the sun. Please take a moment to visit her shop at http://CREATEaTHOUGHT.etsy.com for a lovely eclectic experience.