20 February 2010
“Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me and know my anxious thoughts;
And see if there be any hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.”
Psalm 139:23-24
13 February 2010
They’re small. They’re pies. And they’re oh-so-sweet! Just in time for Valentine’s day, you can make these delicious pastries for your family!
All it takes is pie dough, jam, and a little bit of powdered sugar (for extra beauty).
Begin by flouring the counter and rolling pin and flatten out the pie dough.
Using a cookie cutter, cut out hearts in the dough.
Lay out the cut pie dough on parchment paper lined baking sheet. Spoon strawberry jam onto the centers, being careful not to fill them too full.
Wet the edges of the dough with water and place a second piece of dough on top.
Use a fork to crimp and seal the edges.
Poke a fork into the middle of each little pie so that the heat can escape.
Bake at 425° F for 13-15 minutes, or until golden.
Perfectly golden on the bottom!
Sprinkle with powered sugar for extra beauty.
They are delicious and will probably disappear quickly!
The pie dough was extra flaky, making the perfect texture.
We decided that these are the cutest little desserts that we have ever made!
This idea can be easily adjusted for any holiday or celebration by changing the shape of the cookie cutter and type of jam/jelly/preserves used for the filling.
{Original idea from here.}
9 February 2010
“In the same way that God designed all of creation in its undeniable perfection and beauty, He handcrafted each girl’s situation with exquisite precision. He chose the exact parents, position, and opportunities that would best fulfill His purposes for her life and bring Him glory. . . continue reading.”
—Anna Sofia & Elizabeth Botkin at Visionary Daughters
“I don’t think that any woman could prepare long enough to perfectly execute this list [in Titus 2:3-5]. But it is my duty to aim to follow this standard that God has set. . . . And what better way to practice being a keeper at home than to learn the ins and outs from my mother, who has wells of wisdom on the subject! And who could think of a better way to prepare to submit to a husband, whether he’s right or wrong, than to practice in a daughters relationship to her father? . . . continue reading.”
—Stephanie at In His Time
“It is when we create things for God’s sake that our work most clearly promotes His glory, rather than threatening to compete with it. Thus the true purpose of art is the same as the true purpose of anything: it is not for ourselves or for our own self-expression, but for the service of others and the glory of God.”
—Philip Graham Ryken in Art for God’s Sake
6 February 2010
Yes, stuffed French Toast. As if French toast wasn’t good enough—it just got better!
This morning my dear mother prepared this delightful dish! We ate it while listening to Mr. Botkin’s Saturday Morning Online Mentoring.
Stuffed French Toast
1 loaf French bread, cut into 8 diagonal slices (making very large slices)
1 cup homemade cream cheese (recipe below)
1/2 cup fruit preserves (we used peach)
5 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Cut a each thick bread slice almost in half by cutting from the top crust almost to the bottom crust, making a pocket. Be careful to not slice completely through the bread. Mix cream cheese and preserves in small bowl. Spoon cream mixture evenly into each pocket.
Beat eggs, milk, vanilla and cinnamon in a small bowl, until well mixed. Dip stuffed bread slices in egg mixture, making sure to let the excess drip off.
Spray griddle (our favorite!) or skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Cook bread slices over medium heat until golden brown, flip, and cook on other side.
For extra beauty, sprinkle each slice with powdered sugar. Serve with maple syrup, fruits, and/or whipped cream, if desired. Makes 8 slices of delicious Stuffed French Toast!
Homemade Cream Cheese
(it’s as easy as can be!)
1 1/2 cups nonfat plain yogurt
Line strainer with cheese cloth. Place strainer in bowl, large enough to hold the drained liquid without touching the strainer. Let strain in refrigerator for 4-8 hours. Discard the liquid in the bottom of the bowl.
The homemade cream cheese is what is left in the strainer! You can do this the day before it is needed, and store the cream cheese in a container after being drained.
We all thought it tasted delicious! The filling was great, but I think we put a little too much in the pocket. Next time we’ll put in less, and it will be perfect!
27 January 2010
“Out of the south comes the storm,
And out of the north the cold.
From the breath of God ice is made,
And the expanse of the waters is frozen.”
Job 37:9-10
26 January 2010
Where has the bird of time flown off to? Why does it seem that whenever we look for it, we find that it has fluttered off into the distance? One moment it is here right beside us, and the next it is flying off into the horizon never to return again.
Time fades more quickly than we would like it to. We would love to stop time and savor the special moments when the joy around us seems as though it can be no happier.
It seems as though every day there is something that we wish could last longer.
Yet time cannot be stopped, it keeps on going. Life is a gift from our Lord. It is as a vapor that lasts only for a moment (James 4:14). We are given only a time, only a season on this earth in which things come and go.
That is why every moment is important: it is a gift of God. Every hour is important. Every day is important. We are responsible for how we use our time. Are we using these blessed moments in a fruitful way?
I can always see areas in which I can and need to improve the way I spend my time. I am far from perfect. But I do know the One who is perfect, and in Him, with His strength, I can do all things (Philippians 4:13).
At all times our focus must be on our Creator. God is in control, and it is because of Him that we must be faithful with the time He has given us on this beautiful earth. We must use our time wisely.
In this culture fascinated with entertainment, it is easy to become distracted. That is where regret may come into play. We can find ourselves caught up in the moment and forget the most important things around us when we loose our focus and misplace our priorities.
Looking back we see how the Lord has worked in our lives. We can see the many changes in our lives and in the lives of those around us. We may miss those past days, but hopefully we will not look back with regrets. That would be a terrible end of the story.
It is up to us how we use our time and, by God’s grace, we can use it for His honor and glory.
Will we waste it or spend it wisely with no regrets?
18 January 2010
There was a crisp breeze and it was very cold outside, but we decided it was time for a photo shoot. There was a heavy fog, creating the field to fade into gray skies. Thanks goes to my dearest sister who was a wonderful model for these shots!
16 January 2010
Simply Vintagegirl has changed her outfit to one a bit more fashionable to her title. The new layout is soft and gentle, incorporating a few vintage accents.
The new design has been in the workings for quite some time now. It began just as an idea (as most things do), and then formulated into what it is today (after a couple major changes in the blueprints).
A few changes include:
• The Home page and Photography blog retiring,
• The Archives have moved to their own page,
• A Frequently Asked Questions (f.a.q.) page is in the works, and
• The Categories are now located at the top of the blog.
The before and after:
The vintage texture in the background I created from a scan of an old book. The words you can see in the image are from this lovely poem my dear cousin wrote.
There are a couple more things I’m going to do to the design, but I wanted to go ahead and surprise you all with it now. In the meantime, please pretend you do not see the dust.
P.S. New posts are on their way, so stay tuned to keep updated!
