Bierrocks Buns

My Aunt use to make buns filled with cabbage and ground beef... I remember LOVING them. They have now made it into my familys menu! The filling I make tastes REALLY peppery when you eat it on its own but in the bun with sour cream it totally combs it down : )

Bierrocks

1 package ground pork
2-3 strips of bacon finely chopped (optional)
1/2 head of finely shredded cabbage
2-3 cloves garlic
a couple dashes of Worcestershire Sauce
a dash of Cayenne Pepper
Salt and lots of Pepper to taste

If you make bread just use your bread dough or you can also use frozen buns from the freezer section!
Roll out the dough, cut into squares or circles.
Put in one to two spoonfuls of filling.
Wrap dough around the filling and then pinch dough together.
Place pinched side of dough down on your cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 until golden brown.

Eat with sour cream with salt and pepper on top or sour cream and hot sauce : ) 

Cinnamon Buns

     If there is one thing I remember my mom baking growing up it was cinnamon buns. I can remember so vividly the way the butter felt on my hands as I spread it onto the rolled out dough. The sweet smell that came from the oven while they were baking filled our home with warmth and love. And there is nothing like the taste of a fresh bun right out of the oven... YUM! 

     There is a lot of different doughs that can be used to make cinnamon buns. Most of the time to be honest, I use my bread dough. That way I can make cinnamon buns AND 3 loafs of bread at the same time! But for this recipe, I'll give you the dough recipe I use just for cinnamon buns. It's my Grandma Thomas's recipe!

DOUGH

1/2 cup sugar

3 cups warm water

2 tsp yeast (heaping)

2 eggs

1/2 cup oil

1 tsp salt

9 cups flour (or until dough pulls away from sides of mixer)

1. In your mixer add water, sugar and yeast. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes or until bubbles form. 

2. Add eggs, oil and salt. Mix.

3. Add about 3 cups of flour to the mixture or enough to thicken the mixer into a batter. (right before it turns into a dough) Mix well for about 2-4 minutes. 

4. Slowly add flour to your mixture until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl or until dough is not sticky to touch. (when you touch the dough it shouldn't come off on your hands, if it does you need more flour. 

5. Roll dough out onto a lightly flour surface and kneed. Add extra flour if you find that the dough is too sticky. 

6. Form into a ball and place into a lightly grease large bowl. Pat the top of the dough with a little bit of butter and cover with plastic wrap. 

7. Let rise in a warm place until dough becomes approximately double the size of what you started with. This usually takes about an hour.

While dough is rising make your Caramel Sauce!

CARAMEL SAUCE

1 cup butter

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup cream

1 TBsp cinnamon 

1. Place all ingredients in a sauce pan on low heat until all ingredients are melted together. Take off heat and set aside.

ROLLING OUT THE DOUGH

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

When the dough has risen to approximately double it's size, dump it out onto a clean, greased surface. Pull out your rolling pin and roll the dough into a rectangle shape.  Make sure the dough is an even thickness and a little less than a half an inch thick. 

Now here comes the messy part!! 

Use your hands to spread out a good amount of butter onto the surface of your dough. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. I usually add a little more cinnamon then I think would be enough. Starting on one of the long sides of your rectangle, start to roll the dough until its almost all the way rolled up. Pull the end of the dough up and around the rolled portion and then pinch it together. You should have a long roll with the end pinched off so it's nicely put together.

I like to place the caramel sauce in the pan and put the buns on top but you can also place the buns in the pan and put the caramel on top. Either way they are delicious! I just find it harder to tell when the buns are done with the sauce on the top because they don't brown as well. Place your caramel sauce in 2, 9x13 pans. Don't use a glass pan because it doesn't brown on the bottom as well. With a serrated knife cut your roll into 2 inch pieces and place them into the baking dishes. Cover with a tea towel and let rise in a warm place for about 20 minutes or until slightly risen.

Place pans into the oven and bake for approximately 25-30 minutes or until lightly golden on top. Over baking cinnamon buns makes the caramel chewy and hard when cooled. Don't worry, if you end up over baking them they taste great warmed up in a microwave!

Place wax paper underneath a cooling rack to catch all of the drippings. When cinnamon buns are done, take them out of the oven and let them cool for about 3-5 minutes in the pan. This allows the caramel to cool slightly and then it will stick to the buns better! Turn them out onto the cooling racks and scrape out any remaining caramel out onto the buns. 

YOU DID IT!!  

Enjoy the fruits of your labour!! 

     Oh and remember...  the more you make them the BETTER and EASIER they are going to be!! Cinnamon Buns are one of those things that takes practice to get good at. They don't always turn out exactly how you hope. But when you get it JUST right, they are better then anything you'll ever eat : ) At least thats what I think!      

Log Cabin Euro Shams

A log cabin pattern is a good way to use up scraps or just be able to add a lot of pattern into a project! The front of the pillows are quilted with a light weight batting and backing. The backs of the pillows I added a Home Dec fabric because I just wanted the weight and durability of it. And then for ease of use and cleaning I added an invisible zipper. 

I've had the tops of these pillows done for a while but thought that I might add some piping. WELL... piping isn't my favourite to do so I decided instead of having the project sit around unfinished and unused; that I would finish them up without piping.

SO glad I did!

They add some much needed colour to my room and every time I look at them they make me smile : ) Who wouldn't looking at all those beautiful fabrics!

crepe cake

CREPES

3 cups flour

3 Tbsp sugar

1 1/2 tsps salt

9 eggs

3 cups milk

1. Mix together dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Add wet and mix until smooth consistency.

2. Place a nonstick or crepe pan on medium heat. Cover the surface of the pan with melted butter.

3. Put 4-6 Tbsp of batter in the heated pan and swirl around to cover the surface and make a nice size crepe.

4. Cook until golden brown on each side.

5. Repeat until you have 20 perfect... or slightly imperfect crepes!!

Vanilla Cream Filling

2 cups milk

1 Tbsp vanilla

6 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup cornstarch

3 1/2 Tbsp butter

1. Bring the milk to a boil.

2. Take off of heat and add vanilla. Let stand for 5-10 minutes in a bowl.

3. Using the pot that you used for the milk. whisk together sugar, corn starch and egg yolks. Gradually add the hot milk.

4. Place on the stove and bring mixture to a boil whisking vigorously for 1-2 minutes.

5. Place the mixture in a small bowl. Get a larger bowl and add ice to it. Place the bowl with cream into the larger bowl with ice.

6. Let cool slightly and then add the butter to your cream mixer.

7. Let cool on counter.

Whip Cream

3 cups whip cream

1/4 cup sugar

1-2 tsp extract (i used coconut but it would also be tasty with a cherrie or almond or lemon depending on what you feel like!)

1. Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl and whip till soft peaks form.

Cream Cheese Whip (optional)

1/2 block of cream cheese (room temp)

1/2 cup icing sugar

1/2 to 1/4 of the whipping cream

1. Mix the cream cheese in a small bowl until smooth.

2. Add icing sugar. Mix till smooth.

3. Add whipping cream mixture to the cream cheese. Mix till smooth.

Putting the Cake Together!!

When the Vanilla Cream is cooled to room temperature or a little cooler fold in 1/2 to 3/4 of the whipping cream. I had to whip them together to get the cream and whipping cream to mix well. Now keeping your best crepe for the top, layer crepe then cream until you have used all 20 of your crepes. Place the Cream Cheese Whip on top. Place in a refrigerator for 1-2 hours before serving. Add your favourite fruit and ENJOY!

original recipe found here!

keepsake quilt for a teenage boy

it was really fun to take on the challenge of designing a teenage boys keepsake quilt!

his clothes were fun to work with and it was exciting to see it come together!
since the clothes were all very different color ways, i wanted to add bold prints to it for interest and continuity.
each print i added reference's at least one piece of clothing and adds variety and punches of color!

perfect for a TEENAGER!

the backing fabric is one of my all-time favourite prints by Anna Maria Horner! i love the pattern. and for some extra interest i added a strip of the left over fabrics from the front.

hope it inspires you!

xo sandra

baby keepsake quilt

i had the privilege of making a keepsake quilt out of a babies old clothes! it was difficult at first to decide how i was going to use such small clothes on a quilt, but this is what i came up with!

i was able to use some of the clothes as a full piece, which i think REALLY gives you a sense of how little that little man really was!
it was hard to cut up baby clothes... i guess that's why i haven't yet made my kids one. all of their clothes are in their keepsake bins waiting for a time when i can finally get myself to cut them.
i guess that's why it would be easier to get someone else to make it for you : )

i LOVE the free hand piecing in this one! my inspiration was a collage picture wall. i wanted each one to look like it was framed and important!

hope you like it!

xo me

P.S. i have a keepsake quilt pattern available in my etsy shop! it's not this exact pattern but it will give you the tips you need to get creating your own keepsake quilt!!

sunshiny day!

i found this print and HAD to have it for my laundry room!

this frame just happened to fit the print perfectly!

i knew i wanted to paint the frame yellow, but after seeing this side table painted and glazed by the talented Alysha!

i had to have some glaze!

+

=

i LOVE how it turned out!

picture frame

i picked up this frame for free at a garage sale!

i have BIG plans for it... hopefully it works. i have a print that i bought off of etsy (it fits perfect!) now i just have to paint, glaze and add glass.

here's hope'n it works!

t-shirt keepsake quilts

i'm working on some custom t-shirt quilts at the moment!

a baby boy

teen boy &

little girl

here's just a peek at one of the blocks that will be in the baby boy quilt!

i don't want to wreck the surprise for the ladies that i am making these for so i probably won't post any more pictures until they are done...

i REALLY like creating these keepsake quilt's. i find that you have to be REALLY creative when your adding fabrics to the clothes and cutting the clothes in a way that will show the BEST! i just hope it all comes together how i have envisioned... sometimes i can be my biggest critic.

TUTORIAL: Decorative Sham

my friend needed some help decorating her daughters room before her twins arrive, so i dusted off my sewing machine ; ) i've had my eye on this sham from pottery barn kids for a while now. this was my chance to make my own version. my kids have already put in their orders for one. so i decided, why not make it into a tutorial!

there are 3 different ways you can choose to finish the back.

1. use a zipper (thats what i did on my back)

2. do a envelope opening on the back

3. leave a space at the bottom of the pillow that is left unstitched. stuff and stitch up the hole.

depending on which one you choose, the instructions will vary slightly

*1. cut 2 pieces of fabric 13"x17".

1 for the front

1 for the back (you can see from the pic that i've already sewn in the zipper)

*2. print desired letter off on the computer. place on window so that the letter is backwards.

*3. trace the letter using heat n bond lite paper. (or your favourite iron on adhesive)

*4. ruffly cut out letter and iron onto desired fabric.

*5. trim around letter

*6. remove paper backing.

*7. place letter in desired location. iron into place.

*8. add a decorative stitch around the outer edge.

*9. using the same technique as you did for the letter (steps 4-8). add any decorative pieces to the sham. i decided to cut out designs from the fabric that i was using for this sham.

*10. lay the top of the sham and the bottom of the sham facing each other. to round the corners use a round edge (i used a bowl) and trace around each corner with a pencil. trim around the corners with scissors. (make sure both layers stay in place while you cut)

*11. cut ric rac to size.

*12. place the ric rac inside the 2 layers. make sure the ric rac is slightly in from the edge and evenly placed. PIN all three layers together. allow a little excess ric rac in the corners so that they don't pull when turned rightside out. i pleated mine slightly.

*13. stitch around the sham. turn inside right and stuff!

any way you do it, it'll look FABULOUS!

it was a fun project to make! if you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.

my little helper*

i hope you had a FABULOUS easter!

i know we did!

there's nothing like a weekend get away...

i always feel refreshed and ready to go

when we return.

this little man is growing like a weed!

literally...

i can't keep up with his clothes size : )

he's been helping me with my next project!

i'm currently working on 3 custom keepsake

t-shirt quilts.

* one for a girl

* one for a pre-teen boy

and

* one for a baby boy!

it was a little difficult cutting up those

baby boy clothes.

they were so TINY and CUTE!

i've made a similar quilt for my niece,

the only difference is that these

are all made with t-shirts.

they are all going to have a

different pattern and fabrics!

i'm excited to see them come together!

now if i can just shake this

head cold...

*closet organizer DIY

what do you do when it's spring break and you have no plans...

you tackle a DIY project of course ; )

my 2 older boys share a room. it's a decent size but it always seemed like there wasn't anywhere to put anything. they have a large closet but there was only 1 shelf. it was time to add some shelving so that HOPEFULLY their room will be less of a disaster zone!

BEFORE

(toothless annie!)

AFTER

we've never built anything like this before but found the actual building of the unit the easiest part. it was the figuring out the measurements and PAINTING the shelves that took the most time.

we used:

16" pre-cut MDF shelving

1x2" primed pine for the supports

wood glue

finishing nails (brad nailer)

dap

paint

when i do this again, i'll definitely try to at least prime the shelves before they go in. painting them after is a BIG pain!

doesn't it look FABULOUS! (hopefully it stays this way)

if you need help and would like to try this yourself go over to Ana White's blog and it'll give you plans to get you on your way. we didn't end up using the plans but it was definitely my inspiration! it also helps to have a handy brother to call when your standing in the wood isle in home depot not knowing what to buy! (thanks corey)

"dad's shirts" a keepsake quilt

my husband likes himself a good plaid shirt. so over the years i have collected the ones that no longer are worn with this project in mind.

one of the shirts he wore when we were dating. the red plaid one he wore when we had our first 3 babies. they all remind me of different events in our life.i guess in a way it's a bit of a time line.
i also decided to add a shirt of his fathers and of his grandfathers. and because his grandfather has passed it was only fitting to leave his piece whole. you can see his shirt piece second in and one up from the bottom.
i really like the straight line quilting although it was a process to get finished. with minky on the back it's sure to get some good use and hopefully be a treasure for years to come!

office reno on a budget

a room opened up at my husbands office but before he could work in there we needed to give it some TLC. we added bead board, ripped out the baseboard heater, added baseboard and trim and of course a lot of paint.

here's the BEFORE

and the AFTER

what an improvement!! it needs some pictures and things to jazz it up a bit but i think we did pretty good.

i think this little man approves!

she's done!

or should i say he. i think if this console table was a sex, it would defiantly be

male ; ) here's the before pictures.

and here's the AFTER.

after 4 coats of red, some sanding, some staining and varnishing it's finally finished. i really love the legs and the red...

i'm not quite sure how i feel about the doors being stained... i thought it would give the piece a retro vibe but now i'm seeing a country one...

what do you think? i'm hoping in my husbands office it has more of a contemporary feel to it. fingers crossed because i REALLY don't want to paint the doors.

p.s. still working on the quilt... did you get what you wanted to get done this weekend ladies?