Monday, March 28, 2011

Made soap again last night. I made Country Apple and I am puzzled that my green mica looks black and my black mica looks green. I also tried some more cupcakes and failed miserably. But the soap looks and smells nice.

The picture doesn't really do it justice because there is glitter on the top that looks really pretty.

This morning was a Madison/Meghan day.  Madison has her hat on because she is planning on going home.  LOL!  Eventually she did. Harold reminded me of a trick that Kelli used on Meghan the last time we were over there.  When she fusses, the sound of the hair dryer quiets her.  I have no idea why that works or how someone would have discovered it, but it quiets her right down. 

Because the girls were coming today, I went out running this morning and was home and showered before they got here at 8:00.  I love getting out early in the morning, but I have to prepare myself mentally the night before.


Word of the day:
Monday of the Third week of Lent
Saint(s) of the day : St Gontran, King (545-592)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 4:24-30.

Jesus said to the people in the synagogue at Nazareth: «Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place.
Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land.
It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon.
Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian."
When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury.
They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong.
But he passed through the midst of them and went away.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Barbara asked me to post of picture of Clayton with one of his drawings. As a matter of fact he was here yesterday and we took some pics.

 Later, he was in a pirate kind of mood so he devised pirate attire.

Then we noticed the cookie jar was empty and Grandma needed to get busy.

After Clay went home I decided to make some soap.  The loaf cutting video is below, but I hadn't unmolded the pie and cupcake yet.  Claire wanted me to take a picture of her with the cupcake.  It looks like a princess cupcake.  Claire is a princess.  I think this would be a great gift for her birthday.

I also took a couple pics of the unmolded pastries.

Word of the day:

Third Sunday of Lent
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 4:5-42.

Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.
Jacob's well was there. Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well. It was about noon.
A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink."
His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.
The Samaritan woman said to him, "How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?" (For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.)
Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."
(The woman) said to him, "Sir, you do not even have a bucket and the cistern is deep; where then can you get this living water?
Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this cistern and drank from it himself with his children and his flocks?"
Jesus answered and said to her, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again;
but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water."
Jesus said to her, "Go call your husband and come back."
The woman answered and said to him, "I do not have a husband." Jesus answered her, "You are right in saying, 'I do not have a husband.'
For you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true."
The woman said to him, "Sir, I can see that you are a prophet.
Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain; but you people say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem."
Jesus said to her, "Believe me, woman, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.
You people worship what you do not understand; we worship what we understand, because salvation is from the Jews.
But the hour is coming, and is now here, when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth; and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him.
God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth."
The woman said to him, "I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called the Anointed; when he comes, he will tell us everything."
Jesus said to her, "I am he, the one who is speaking with you."
At that moment his disciples returned, and were amazed that he was talking with a woman, but still no one said, "What are you looking for?" or "Why are you talking with her?"
The woman left her water jar and went into the town and said to the people,
Come see a man who told me everything I have done. Could he possibly be the Messiah?
They went out of the town and came to him.
Meanwhile, the disciples urged him, "Rabbi, eat."
But he said to them, "I have food to eat of which you do not know."
So the disciples said to one another, "Could someone have brought him something to eat?"
Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to finish his work.
Do you not say, 'In four months the harvest will be here'? I tell you, look up and see the fields ripe for the harvest.
The reaper is already receiving his payment and gathering crops for eternal life, so that the sower and reaper can rejoice together.
For here the saying is verified that 'One sows and another reaps.'
I sent you to reap what you have not worked for; others have done the work, and you are sharing the fruits of their work."
Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him because of the word of the woman who testified, "He told me everything I have done."
When the Samaritans came to him, they invited him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days.
Many more began to believe in him because of his word,
and they said to the woman, "We no longer believe because of your word; for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the savior of the world."

Saturday, March 27, 2011

I made soap yesterday with a scent I've had quite a while. It's an apple pie scent and normally those are not soap safe and it was too expensive for candles so I haven't used it. Someone on YouTube did an apple pie soap so I went back to the website and saw that my bottle was, indeed, safe to use in soap. Sooooo, I made a loaf, several cupcakes, and a heart-shaped pie. I absolutely can't wait for this soap to cure.  It smells so wonderful.  We will be calling it Cider Mill.  One of my fondest childhood memories is our annual trip to Yates Cider Mill.  I don't even know where that cider mill is, or if it is still in operation. I'll post video when I cut the loaf. I'll be doing a lot of soap this week because there is just enough time left before the Syrup Festival for all of the soap to cure. After this week I have to get busy on the little soaps we are making for the Girls on the Run goodie bags.

Word of the day:
Saturday of the Second week of Lent
Saint(s) of the day : St Ludger, Bishop (c. 743-809)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 15,1-3.11-32.
Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,
but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
So to them he addressed this parable.
Then he said, "A man had two sons,
and the younger son said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.' So the father divided the property between them.
After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation.
When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need.
So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine.
And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any.
Coming to his senses he thought, 'How many of my father's hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger.
I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers."'
So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.
His son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.'
But his father ordered his servants, 'Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast,
because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.' Then the celebration began.
Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing.
He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean.
The servant said to him, 'Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'
He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him.
He said to his father in reply, 'Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends.
But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.'
He said to him, 'My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours.
But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.'"

Friday, March 25, 2011

Yesterday I spent the day in the basement. I made some headway. The key for me is to block out the basement and concentrate on just one thing at a time. That's hard for me because I am easily distracted. But I got a lot done and I am looking forward to getting that place organized.

Clay is here this morning. Spring break. He made me an ABC book of animals. Clay is an amazing artist.

Oh, I am in the mood to make soap! The problem is I have so many ideas - I need to pick one and block out the others. (Do you sense a pattern here?) But the first order of business this morning is to fill the empty cookie can.

Word of the day:
The Annunciation of the Lord - Solemnity
Saint(s) of the day : Bl. Omeljan Kovč, Priest and Martyr (1884-1944)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 1,26-38.

The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said, "Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you."
But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."
But Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?"
And the angel said to her in reply, "The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God."
Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her.

Tuesday, March 23, 2011

 
Word of the day:
Tuesday of the Second week of Lent
Saint(s) of the day : Bl. Cardinal august von Galen, Bishop (1933-1946)
image Other saints of the day
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 23:1-12.

Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples,
saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses.
Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice.
They tie up heavy burdens (hard to carry) and lay them on people's shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them.
All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues,
greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation 'Rabbi.'
As for you, do not be called 'Rabbi.' You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.
Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven.
Do not be called 'Master'; you have but one master, the Messiah.
The greatest among you must be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Monday, March 21, 2011

I just looked in my planner and I see that any soap I plan to sell at the Maple Syrup Festival has to be on the curing rack this week!!  Spring popped in when I wasn't looking.  We boiled sap again this morning.  We were worried that the season would be cut short, but the freeze-thaw has been happening.  Yayyyyy!!  I uploaded a new video to YouTube.  I really need to work on my video skills.




Word of the day:
Monday of the Second week of Lent
Saint(s) of the day : St Euda, St Benedetta Cambiagio Frassinello (1791-1858)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 6,36-38.

Jesus said to his disciples: «Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you."

Saturday, March 19, 2011

I've been experimenting with some of our packaging.  I wanted something a little more "cutesy" but something that would work with the labels that Anna designed.  I think I've hit on what I want to do for our fancy soap slices.  I did a bunch this afternoon and they look sooooooo pretty!!

Saturday, 19 March 2011
Saint Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Solemnity
Saint(s) of the day : Bl. Marcel Callo (1921-1945)
Saint José Maria Escriva de Balaguer : Saint Joseph's vocation
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 1,16.18-21.24.

Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.
Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.

Monday, March 14, 2011

I really, really wanted to make a batch of soap today, but I started putting together the choir folders for Palm Sunday and the Triduum.  I started at 10:00 and finally quit (notice I didn't say "finished") at 8:30 pm.  I try really hard to get the folders right, but I always seem to make some kind of mistake or leave out a piece of music.  I guess we'll find out on Wednesday since that will be our first rehearsal of the season.  I still have to do the weekly folders for the weekend Mass and the folders for the kids for Friday.  Tomorrow I will have Madison and Meghan so I have to make sure the cameras are loaded and ready to go. 

I made a batch of soap last Friday, I think.  It's enchanted apple. I have a pic of it in the mold, but it's on the desktop of the other computer.  Below is the video I uploaded to You Tube.  I have 22 followers now!





Word of the day:
Monday of the First week of Lent
Today the Church celebrates : St Maud (or Matilde), Queen (c. 875-968)
Mt 25,31-46.

Jesus said to his disciples: «When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne,
and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me,
naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.'
Then the righteous will answer him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?
When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?
When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?'
And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'
Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.'
Then they will answer and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?'
He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.'
And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."


 

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Last night I went to the Science Fair at the Shepherd Elementary school. Clayton was quite excited about his project.

Here is the soap loaf I did yesterday. Ahhhhhhh, nothing like a good batch of soap in the mold to make your day!!

Word of the day:
Tuesday of the Ninth week in Ordinary Time
Today the Church celebrates : St. John of God, religious (1495-1550)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 12:13-17.

Some Pharisees and Herodians were sent to Jesus to ensnare him in his speech. They came and said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you are not concerned with anyone's opinion. You do not regard a person's status but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or should we not pay?" Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them, "Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius to look at." They brought one to him and he said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" They replied to him, "Caesar's." So Jesus said to them, "Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.' They were utterly amazed at him.

Monday, March 7, 2011

My glitter came today and since Monday is my traditional soaping day (although I have been doing a lot of soapmaking on other days) I just had to make a loaf and try it out. In addition to the glitter, there are also lavender jojoba beads on it. I am really excited. Can you tell? This is cosmetic glitter, by the way.





Word of the day:
Monday of the Ninth week in Ordinary Time
Today the Church celebrates : Ss Perpetua and Felicity, Martyr - Mémorial
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 12:1-12.

Jesus began to speak to the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders in parables. «A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and left on a journey. At the proper time he sent a servant to the tenants to obtain from them some of the produce of the vineyard. But they seized him, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. Again he sent them another servant. And that one they beat over the head and treated shamefully. He sent yet another whom they killed. So, too, many others; some they beat, others they killed. He had one other to send, a beloved son. He sent him to them last of all, thinking, 'They will respect my son.' But those tenants said to one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' So they seized him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. What (then) will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come, put the tenants to death, and give the vineyard to others. Have you not read this scripture passage: 'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes'?" They were seeking to arrest him, but they feared the crowd, for they realized that he had addressed the parable to them. So they left him and went away.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Our little sweetie, Meghan Mae was baptized today and I would post a picture, except that somehow I managed to lose every single one that Anna took today.  Hopefully, Kelli will send me pics that she has and I'll post one then. I am just sick about it.  I have never done that before.  Thank goodness there were a lot of people taking pictures, and I still have the videos I took.  Oh, Sam just sent me some.  Here is a pic of little Meggie in the dress and bonnet I made her!

Word of the day:
Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today the Church celebrates : St. Colette, Virgin (+ 1447)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 7:21-27.

Jesus said to his disciples: «Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?' Then I will declare to them solemnly, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.' Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined."

Saturday, March 5, 2011

I am still waiting for my molds and my glitter. The molds, I can wait for, but they are coming with a cutter that I ordered. I am really challenged when it comes to cutting my soap. The glitter is the real hold up because every new idea I have involves the glitter.
I wanted to try the Mardi Gras fragrance, though so I made a candle.  The yellow should be gold and the green should be darker, but it smells really, really good.

I put up another YouTube video showing some of the things I've been making



Now if only my glitter would come!!!

Word of the day:
Saturday of the Eighth week in Ordinary Time
Today the Church celebrates : Sts Adrian and Eubulus, Martyrs (+ 309)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 11:27-33.

Jesus and his disciples returned once more to Jerusalem. As he was walking in the temple area, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders approached him and said to him, "By what authority are you doing these things? Or who gave you this authority to do them?" Jesus said to them, "I shall ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was John's baptism of heavenly or of human origin? Answer me." They discussed this among themselves and said, "If we say, 'Of heavenly origin,' he will say, '(Then) why did you not believe him?' But shall we say, 'Of human origin'?"--they feared the crowd, for they all thought John really was a prophet. So they said to Jesus in reply, "We do not know." Then Jesus said to them, "Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things."

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

I made soap last night. I have been wanting to try something new with the Maple Syrup Festival soap. The loaf batches take less soap than the bar batches so with the leftover soap I made some cupcakes and a smaller loaf which was supposed to be in John Deere colors.

Here is the Syrup loaf:

The scent is not as strong as I would like and I can smell some of the apple scent from the other soap clinging to it.  Hopefully that will go away.

Here are the cupcakes and the "John Deere" loaf.  The yellow looks more like butter.  I think I'll give it to Howard for his birthday.  He really like handmade soap.

Cupcakes are a new thing for me.  I need to let the soap for the "frosting" set up a little longer so that I can pipe it onto the soapcake.  I can't wait for my glitter to get here!!!

 Word of the day:

Tuesday of the Eighth week in Ordinary Time
Today the Church celebrates : St. Albinus, Bishop (+ 550), St David,
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 10:28-31.

Peter began to say to him, "We have given up everything and followed you." Jesus said, "Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come. But many that are first will be last, and (the) last will be first."