Meet Dixie the Rocking Horse

Introducing DIXIE, the sweetest little rocking horse we've ever met!  She's just had a makeover, and she's raring to go meet her new best friend!

When we first saw this poor little gem, she had been put on the shelf in critical condition.  She was cracked, dirty, sad and blue.  She called from her stall, and we heard her cry!

Since our newest Grandson will be arriving soon, we just knew Dixie would love to become his best friend!  So we took her home, gave her a bath with Dixie Belle Paint's White Lightening cleaner, and sanded out some rough spots.  Her body was dry and cracked, so we filled in the holes with Dixie Belle's Mud in white.  It took lots more sanding, a bit of glue, and a fresh coat of paint in Drop Cloth to see her sweet spirit begin to emerge.  We darkened her mane and her rails with Manatee Gray then drew in some details with Caviar (both by Dixie Belle - of course)!

She was looking so sweet and innocent, and feeling excited.  She whispered that she'd always wanted to be a Paint Horse....so we happily complied!  A blend of 5 or 6 forgotten colors gave us the perfect Paint Pony shade, and Dixie was off to the races!  She couldn't be happier, and neither could we!  She will meet her little sidekick sometime in May.  No doubt we will share that news with you all then!

So, if you'd like to make your own painted dreams come true, just ask us about Dixie Bell Paint!  We would love to help you enjoy the rewards of restoration.

It's been ages, my friends!  Life got in the way, but we are ready to return!  Watch this space for news, ideas and projects, and all things creative from Texas Eagle Gallery!

Here are a few photos of our latest projects, available for purchase at Jefferson Antique  Mall in Jefferson, Texas!

Flower Boxes

What a lucky gal I am!  Look at what my sweet hubby built and surprised me with this week!

Yes, a gorgeous flower box full of colorful blooms!  He certainly knows well my love of these gorgeous ornamental plantings...and if you know me at all, you probably know it too.  You see, my dear Irish Isle is just covered with colorful blooming flower boxes, and I've longed to recreate that charm here in hot, dry Texas.  Being a pragmatist, dear hubby has continued to point out how bad they look when all the flowers are dry and dead.  But, being a problem solver of the finest degree, he obviously found a solution!  And an inexpensive and easy one at that!

Look closely at the photo...yes, indeed!  That is simply a section of vinyl gutter transforming my little fence into a glorious garden!  A quick coat of spray paint, a few drain holes drilled in the bottom, and voila!  Beautiful!

Here's his instructions:  Cut vinyl gutter to desired length if needed.  Spray paint all white vinyl pieces as desired.  Assemble per instructions for gutter.  Drill drain holes in bottom approximately 12 inches apart.  Hang with cable ties (see detail in photo below).  Lay landscape fabric (or coffee filters) in bottom of entire planter, then fill with potting soil and flowers!  The vinyl makes this very light and easy to handle!

 

Dear Hubby hung this on our low fence where normal lawn watering will keep them moist.  He also selected heat & drought resistant plants (portulaca) which thrive in our hot and humid climate.  I'm thrilled with this surprise, so I'll repeat....what a Lucky Gal I am!!

Handmade Soap Challenge

Who knew that I'd fall head over heels in love with SOAP?  It was "Love at First Try" when I received a sample of Fresh Snow from RWest Designs.   I couldn't believe the difference I felt over commercial bars and body washes!  They either left me feeling oily or dry, with no in between that just felt Clean.  I knew I'd never go back, so I started a quest to try as many handmade soaps as possible.  I promised a review of my favorites in October, so here we go:

My mission was to fully explore each bar, not just do a quick hand wash test.  I quickly discovered that these long lasting soap bars would take me months to enjoy, so family members from ages 2 to 80 were engaged in my challenge.  My Dad enjoyed washing his hair with one; my little granddaughter needed some skin soothing softness.  I adored the long soaks in the tub with soothing lather and scents.

Bars were sliced into pieces so a full range of opinions could be gathered.  That said, there were NO losers.  Every single bar of soap was a delight to use.  Soap qualities were graded on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest standard.  So here we are to share all our winners with you.  We hope you will try some of these amazing products and find your own favorites.  (Please visit these fine shops by clicking the embedded links)

As you can see, the highest rated soap of all was the aptly named "True Love" by Uber Dreamer Concepts.  The lather is luxurious and leaves the most amazing silky smoothness to your skin.  The scent is simple and clean.  Check out Uber Dreamer, as the research and insight into each product's ingredients is obviously well done.  Additionally, all Uber Dreamer soaps scored highest among Men, so there's a fine gift idea for the Males on your list!

On the subject of gift giving, it's a great idea to keep some extra bars around for last minute gifts.  Who wouldn't love these sweet handmade treasures?  My favorite packaging reflects the simple goodness of all things Handmade.  Tierra Verde won the highest marks for packaging, and her soaps are lovely and diverse.

Our other recommended shops are Soaps that make Scents and Tenth Avenue Soapworks.  I hope you'll check out all of these fine handmade soap shops.  Every single bar was a delight to use and far superior in every way to commercial products.  There are still dozens of soaps in the cabinet to discover, so join us for another edition of our Soap Challenge soon!

Just one more thing...check out that fantastic washcloth in the photos...you can find them at The Needle House!  They are super!

Ireland, a Land of Beauty

Howdy!  It's been a long while since we've posted here, but I think the wait was worthwhile!  Dear Hubby and I took a nice long trip across the pond during the month of September.  We shared good food and good times with dear friends, and came home with another 20,000 photos of the lovely Emerald Isle!  Many of them are in a charming watercolor or illustration style.  As you can imagine, it will take some time to get the best of them edited and listed for sale, but here's a preview!  Hope you enjoy them as much as we loved taking them!

Available for sale in the Wee Irish Gallery section of our Zibbet shop!

 

We're adding new pics daily, so stop on by for a look...and a virtual cuppa!  Slan!

Homemade Egg Rolls

Everyone loves eggrolls, right?  Whether fried, steamed, or baked - they are a family favorite!  And you can feed a crowd with only a few ingredients!  Win/win!  So, here's my take on homemade Egg Rolls.

1 pkg prepared egg roll wrappers
2 or 3 lg carrots, shredded
2 or 3 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 lg onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, seeded and chopped (I used red)
1/2 head of cabbage, shredded
1 can bean sprouts, drained
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp cumin
cooking oil
optional - 1 can chicken (or 1 cup any other cooked and finely chopped meat or fish)

Shred and chop the veggies and mix in a large bowl.  Add soy sauce and spices and stir in meat if desired.  You can add other spices and adjust the taste as you like.  Let set 10 minutes.
              

Remove wrappers from packaging and cover with a damp cloth or paper towel.

Fill the center of each wrapper with a large spoonful of the vegetable mixture, taking care to drain any excess liquid from each spoonful.

Fold the corners to meet as shown,

then fold over and roll from the other side.

Seal with a bit of water and set aside - use a pastry brush or just dip your finger and run along the side like moistening an envelope.  Just press it gently down and it's sealed.

These cook quickly, so it's best to make them up first and cover with damp towel (or have another set of hands to help roll them as they fry) 

In a deep fryer, or large deep skillet, add at least 1 inch of cooking oil.  Heat to med/high.  Drop rolls carefully into hot oil and cook until bottom side is brown, approximately 3 minutes on my stove.  Turn and cook other side until done (approximately 1 1/2 minutes).  Remove with a slotted spoon or spatula and drain on paper towels. Continue until all are done.  Makes approximately 20 large egg rolls. 

You can keep them crispy in a warm oven for half an hour or so until ready to serve. 

Serve with soy sauce, hot mustard, or sweet and sour sauce.   Great appetizer or meal!  Yummmy!

These can be frozen and reheated in the oven to retain the crunch.  You can also steam or bake your eggrolls for a more healthy alternative.

Wordless Wednesday again

Golden Gate - Purple Sky

Wordless Wednesday

Hot in Texas

Did I mention it was HOT in Texas? Seriously hot, as in 105 to 108 for the last few days. The doggies won't even head outdoors to do their business without a shove out the door. The birdbath needs refilling 2 times per day, and the birds are flying holding patterns round the lawn waiting their turn at the fountain.

So, I'm indoors, sweltering as the air conditioner tries it's darnedest to keep up....singing carols and making Christmas ornaments! This is actually very wise (she says in her sage grandmotherly voice). It allows me to "think" cool. It allows me to prepare my crafts for the upcoming rush. And, last but not least, it means I'm way too busy to do any errands or chores outside!

I'm excited about my new line of JunkMail Jewels ornaments. Can't unveil them just yet, but soon....very soon. Now I'm off to water the garden plants - it's dark and the air can finally be breathed without scorching your lungs. And still I'm "dreaming of a white Christmas".

My husband thinks I'm "Blooming" Crazy!

Yep, my dear husband's an engineer, and a very fine photographer too.  Everything he makes is done with a precision that is agonizing for me to watch.  His work is fantastic, and was the origin of our online gallery. 

...and then, there's ME!  His polar opposite!  He just shakes his head when he enters my workshop.  Take my flame fashioned organza flowers for instance.  I like to purchase fabric because it "calls me", not because I have a project in mind.  It sits and ages until we get to know each other well enough to become creative partners.  This beautiful rainbow organza decided to take on a new life as beautiful blossoms. 

I assisted by cutting and applying the heat.  I allow each petal to mold itself, holding it gently near the flame as it twists and curls into a petal or leaf.  Then I mix and match the petals until we are all happy with each other and I have a bouquet! 

I'll add beads or button centers as they come into full bloom.  I'll sew or glue each blossom into a pin, hairclip, pillow accent, or bookmark so that it can find it's useful place in society.  After all this interaction, I'm sad each time one of my babies leaves me for it's new home. .... and once again, Dear Husband just shakes his head.

Wordless Wednesday