Any Steelers Fans Out There? A Give-Away!

**Give-Away now closed-winner is Sandy. Thank you for your participation!**

More specifically... Any Steelers fans out there that like to wear an apron? If you've been around Pig In Mud for a while you know I love football season and follow the E~A~G~L~E~S!!! So, how'd I end up making a Steelers apron? Walmart had the fabric, and I wanted to bling-up the logo, yep, I made it because I wanted to see how it would look:@) And it's cute folks!

I added a sequin and glass bead to the center of every large Steelers logo on this half apron. 

It's reversible and the other side (same fabric) does not have the bling.

How about a give-away! 

If you, or someone you know, would like this apron leave me a comment saying so.

That's it, we'll keep it easy. Just make sure I can contact you via e-mail.

You'll have the apron in plenty of time for the start of Football Season.

Have a happy day:@)

I'm Joining:
Mix It Up Monday
Whimsy Wednesday

Homemade Mulberry Jelly-A Give Away!

**Give-Away Closed-thank you for your participation! The winner is #2 Lorraine!**

I found out in my previous post that lots of folks have never tried mulberries, that sounds like a good reason for a Mulberry Jelly Give-Away:@) So let's have one... Whether this would be your first jar or your 100th, simply leave me a comment letting me know you'd like to try it. Please make sure I can get a hold of you via e-mail and I'll pick a winner on Thursday, June 27th!

Then prepare to treat yourself to some yummy bagels:@)

Good luck and have a happy day:@)

Personalized Etched Glass Candy Dish Give-Away!

*Give-away now closed, the winner is #11, Sandy. Thanks for your participation!

Hearts, Kisses and Chocolate… Sounds like Valentine’s Day to me:@) I was contacted by Eric, an etched glass artist and he asked if I’d like to do a give-away, of course I said yes-thank you! 

We’re offering this 6" heart shaped candy dish and a package of Hershey Kisses to the winner.

You can choose between:

• One that says Happy Valentine’s Day and the other side can be customized with a few words of your choice: Bobby & Sue 1993, Holiday calories don’t count, anything...
• Or get the heart dish without the Valentine’s Day reference and maybe have it etched for an extra little wedding gift, or to say I love chocolate, Grammy Loves You, etc. You could also add a little design… Personalize it to say what you’d like. I’ll give Eric the winner’s e-mail and you can work the details out directly with the artist.

If you’re interested in etching or are curious about how it’s done Eric has a free tutorial HERE and you can check out some artwork and detailed technical information on his blog HERE.

To enter simply leave a comment making sure I can reach you via e-mail. For an additional entry stop by Eric’s tutorial or blog and leave a separate comment letting me know you did. The winner will be picked Tuesday. This is available for shipping within the continental United States.

Good luck and have a happy day:@)

Christmas Music Give-Away!

Give-Away now closed-the winner was #7 - Barbara F. Thanks for participating!

Happy Christmastime Everyone! I have the Andrea Bocelli My Christmas CD for a give-away.

A little late for Christmas day but still nice to add to your collection.

Simply leave a comment and random.org will pick a winner.

Have a great day:@)

Christmas In July Give-Away!

Give-Away now closed, the winner was #4, Sherri! Thank you for participating!

I've always liked these quilted Christmas balls and decided to learn to make them this summer. In the spirit of  Christmas In July I'd like to offer this cute little 3" Santa ball as a Give-Away!

Santa has a bit of a vintage feel while the colorful dots make it bright and cheerful.

I used jumbo rick-rack for the edge where the fabrics meet. 

If you'd like to be in the drawing simply leave a comment.
Random.org will pick a winner on Saturday the 28th.

There are many great tutorials on-line, I found this one very helpful, and there are some good videos as well. It's also a fun way to use up some favorite scraps from the fabric stash.

Have a happy day:@)

Joining the following  Christmas In July  parties:

Mix It Up Monday
Cowgirl Up
Christmas In July Blog Hop

Rhubarb Butter

*Give-Away closed, thank you for participating! The winner is Donna of Conghaile Cottage.

A mature rhubarb plant can be... prolific. After pies, cakes, crisps and jam, what's left? Rhubarb Butter! Is everyone familiar with fruit butters or is that a Pennsylvania Dutch treat? They're called "butter" because they're smooth and spreadable. While fruit butters won't be the most colorful "spread" on the breakfast buffet, they are tasty! This one's sweet and tangy and my favorite way to enjoy rhubarb.

Who Hoo-A Give-Away!

If you'd like to try some Rhubarb Butter simply leave me a comment saying so and I'll pick a winner on 5/18/12. Make sure I can contact you via e-mail and I'll send this jar to you:@)

Rhubarb Butter
5 C chopped rhubarb, cut stalks no thicker than 1/4"
1 C water
Up to 2 C sugar-I used 1/2 C white and 3/4 C dark brown, tasted it and added 2 Tblsp more white
1/2 tsp cinnamon

1. Add rhubarb and 1 C water to large heavy bottom pot and bring to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes breaking down the rhubarb with back of spoon/spatula as you stir.
2. Add sugars and cinnamon and bring back to a simmer, reduce heat to a low bubble. You can use all white or any combo of sugar you'd like.
3. I chose to stir constantly (you just want to make sure it doesn't scorch on the bottom), it took about one hour total. You'll know you're getting close when you run the spatula across the bottom of the pan and the mixture separates and you can see the bottom of the pan, see below. 
4. Ladle into sterilized jars and process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. 
5. Place on kitchen towel to cool, count the pops and love life!

Notes:

• As a point of reference, 6 big hearty 14"-16"stalks gave me 5 cups of cut rhubarb. If you end up with more, just add it to the pot.
• The sugar is a matter of personal preference, taste it and add a little more at a time if you think it's not sweet enough.
• This gave me 3 half pint jars, if you get more just put it in a ramekin covered with plastic wrap in the fridge and use it first.
• Fruit butters are traditionally brown folks, but how many times have we heard chefs say "brown=flavor":@)
• What to do with it? It's amazing with cream cheese or peanut butter on toast or a bagel. How about topping cheddar on a cracker. And stay tuned, there may be a coffee cake recipe using butters coming soon...
• Fresh rhubarb freezes beautifully, especially if you use a Food Saver. So if you have some left over in the garden chop it, measure for your favorite recipes and freeze it to enjoy in cakes, pies, etc. later in the year. 
• Here's the Wikipedia definition of Fruit Butter and a pic of butter that's ready to come off the heat:

A fruit butter is a sweet spread made of fruit cooked to a paste, then lightly sweetened. 

It falls into the same category as jelly and jam. 

Have a happy day:@)

I'm joining:
Sweets For A Saturday
Seasonal Sunday
On The Menu Monday
Cowgirl Up!
Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday
Carnival Of Home Preserving

Renuzit Holiday Scents Give-Away!

Give-Away now closed, the winners were 3, 14 and 39. Thanks everyone!

Hey everyone! It's never too early for the holidays when there's a give-away involved! Right? Right:@)
We all like for our home to smell fresh and welcoming. Renuzit Fresh Accents has two beautiful new air fresheners this season and they're giving three folks their choice of one free!

• Stylish two-sided snowflake design. 
• Freshens up to 30 days.
• No plugs, batteries or flames-love that!

Festive Snow (green): A nice light evergreen scent.
Winter Berry (red): A sweet red berry scent.

To enter the give-away simply leave a comment.

Winners will be determined by random.org on October 18th and I will mail you a coupon.

Good luck and have a happy day:@)

I am a Purex Insider. While I do receive complimentary sample products from the Purex brand,

my opinions are my own.

Herbs de Provence-Give Away!

***Give-Away now closed-the winner was #58 Jean. Thanks everyone!***

Hey everyone! Back in June I wrote about harvesting my lavender, it has dried out nicely and I decided to make some Herbs de Provence. It's great on chicken, potatoes and many other things.

I have a bottle to share, simply leave a comment letting me know you'd like it and I'll 

pick a winner on Monday, August 8th! 

Earl says "ooh la la, I feel so French!"

Good luck and Bon Appetit:@)

Herbs de Provence

1 tsp thyme
1 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp lavender
1 tsp marjoram
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp sage
1/2 tsp oregano
Mix all and store in an air tight jar.

I'm joining:

Alphabe Thursday-"P" is for Provence
It's A Keeper
Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday

Purex Complete Crystals Softener Give-Away!

Hey everyone! Do you use fabric softener and have you tried Purex Complete Crystals Softener yet?
I recently received a sample and love the way it smells so I was looking forward to trying it out!

Did you know:

1. Most liquid fabric softeners are oil-based and coat your fabrics in oil. This means that an oily residue builds up which allows dirt to stick to fabrics and causes discoloration.
2. Most fabric softeners shouldn't be used on towels since the oily coating interferes with absorbency.
3. Flame retardant children's clothing can be impaired by oil based softeners.
4. Purex Complete Crystals are 92% pure and not oil based! It's also added at the beginning of the wash cycle with your detergent.

After one load, everything out of the dryer was soft and fluffy, no static!
I line dry a lot of my clothes, and yes, it's all about them shrinking and not me expanding:@)

Line dried clothes are a little softer and smell great! 

I tried the blue one and I think the fragrance is very guy friendly too.

Simply leave a comment to be eligible for a 28oz bottle of Purex Complete Crystals Softener,
I'll send you a coupon to get a free bottle at the store.
Random.com will pick the winner on July 13th.

Good luck and have a happy day:@)

**Give-Away now closed, winner was 31. Sue at I Need Mom.

I am a Purex Insider. While I do receive complimentary sample products from the Purex brand,

my opinions are my own.

A Give-Away and Bobby Flay Cook-Along Reminder!

Hey everyone, Bloggy Buddies are the best! In conjunction with the Bobby Flay Cook-Along our friend Jo at LazyonLoblolly has a great cookbook to give-away Bobby Flay's Grilling For Life.

Bobby's moto with this cookbook is "it's easy to make grilled food healthy".

The link to one of the recipes Garlic-Mustard Grilled Beef Skewers can be found HERE. 

This sounds like a fantastic recipe using pretty common pantry items. 

I look forward to seeing you for the Cook-Along details HERE, linky will be up on July 14th, 

and then make sure you swing by Jo's to enter for a chance to win this fun book!

So let's fire up those grills, and yep, pork is allowed:@)

Have a happy day!

PS- You can enter with any recipe by Bobby, it doesn't need to be grilled-it's hot out there!

Woo Hoo! Have You Heard of the Fairy Hobmother?

Hey everyone! I had the neatest surprise today, when I checked my e-mail I had a visit from The Appliances On-Line Fairy Hobmother! Have you heard of the Fairy Hobmother before? She visits different blogs from her site HERE and grants folks a wish if they believe! I first heard of her from Amy's blog.

So she generously sent me an Amazon Gift Card and I have a fun new apron on the way and the best news is, The Fairy Hobmother will visit this post and grant a wish to one lucky person that comments! All you have to do is wish for it to happen!

Have a happy day and good luck:@)

Celebrity Cook-Along, The Pioneer Woman!

Hey everyone, welcome to the Celebrity Cook-Along! I invited you to join me in making the
Pioneer Woman's Twice Baked Potatoes or any other PW recipe.

The recipe for the potatoes can be found HERE.

These are some hearty potatoes! 

I grew up on what G-Mom-B called Potatoes In The Half Shell, they were basically mashed potatoes added back to the shells and baked till brown. I'd pick the whole thing up and eat it, several of them!

PW version-bacon, sour cream, extra butter and cheese-this little piggy could only eat one.

It was VERY good, but only one.

What I did differently: 

I used chives from the garden instead of scallions and I did cut back a touch on the butter. 

After 15 mins in the oven I turned the broiler on and finished browning the top.

Did you make them, what did you think?

Did you make something different? Link up and let's see! Older posts are welcome.

I'm having a little give-away this month. This cute candle holder and some other goodies.

Everyone that links up will have two chances and followers that comment will have one chance to win.

Have a happy day!

A Pink Give-Away Coming Up!

Hi everyone-Happy Pink Saturday! I've been extremely lucky recently and won a few give-aways! To say thanks I thought I'd put together a little give-away for my Pioneer Woman Cook-Along on the 15th.

So far I have this pretty pink votive candle holder I found thrifting one day.

 

It stands about 5" tall by 4" wide.

Lovin' the roses and the base could be used by itself with a taper candle.

The Cook-Along idea is easy, I'm making the PW's Twice Baked Potatoes and

I hope you'll join me and make them or any Pioneer Woman recipe!

The give-away will be open to participants (2 entries) and followers that leave a comment (1 entry). 

I'll put the rest of the package together over the weekend, stay tuned...

Have a happy day:@)

I'm joining:

Thrifty Things Friday

Favorite Things

It's The I ♥ My Favorite Kitchen Gadget Party!

Thank you to everyone that entered or stopped by, the winner is Kaye Swain SandwichINK. I've e-mailed you for your address Kaye.

Hey everyone I'm so glad you're here! Happy Valentine's Day and WOO HOO it's time for the...

I ♥ My Favorite Kitchen Gadget Party!

As any guy will tell you, it's best to have the right tool for the job, 

and I say that goes for the kitchen too-I love them all:@)

I consider a gadget anything that we use to make kitchen life easier or food prettier.

I'm especially fond of cookie cutters, they can be used for so many things!

 
Homemade ravioli using my KA pasta roller, shaped with cookie cutters.
Is it just me or does it still feel like you need three hands to make pasta even with the roller?

Strawberry/Rhubarb pie for dessert today-
Cookie cutters make everything fun, there is no end to the possibilities!

It dawned on me as I was putting this post together that I don't really have any vintage gadgets.
The closest I could come is this Bakelite cake server that my lovely assistant Earl is modeling.
I think he was really just looking for the cake!

And remember these Tupperware goodies? Gold and brown, must be early 80's!

I have to laugh because I cooked for 20 years with the same set of stainless steel pots and pans and then I discovered... QVC. Oh boy, I never knew there were so many things you needed for the kitchen:@)
Like this 4 quart electronic pressure cooker, love it!

It has a browning function and works as a 180 degree slow cooker too.
...and it's true, the new ones do not blow up:@)

This was the first pig item I bought for my kitchen

It's a 3 quart ceramic casserole dish that can be used in the oven, on the stove or on the grill.
Looks mighty fine with watermelon wedges in it too!

Eugina says, 

I have a million dollars invested in kitchen toys, what I really need is to sign up for a cooking class!

Ok folks, picking an absolute favorite would be as hard as choosing between my kids, 

and truthfully, my favorite is the gadget I need at the moment!

Link up to be entered to win the cupcake corer from Williams-Sonoma.
You'll be able to add fillings and goodies to the center of your cupcakes with ease.
Pictured: jelly, marshmallow and cherries, and I just saw THIS... Oh Momma, gonna have to try it!

Linky will be up until noon EST on Tuesday.

Thanks for stopping by and remember...

Have a happy day:@)

I ♥ My Favorite Kitchen Gadget Party!

Hey everyone! It's February and the weather here in Philly has been... challenging. I think I have cabin fever, how about you? Thought we'd shake things up a bit with a party!

I ♥ My Favorite Kitchen Gadget Party!

You know I love my kitchen toys... er, tools:@)

and every cook has her/his favorites...

Let's hear about yours! 

Functional, fun or sentimental, antique or brand new, 

anything from Granny's rolling pin to your shiny new pasta maker! 

Share the item or something you made with it.

We'll have this on Valentine's Day and I'll show a little ♥bloggy love♥ by giving away 

my current favorite toy the Cupcake Corer from Williams-Sonoma!

All you have to do is link up to be entered in the drawing!

I might even make cupcakes for the occasion:@)

I'd appreciate it if you'd post this on your sidebar to help spread the word!

Linky will be up Sunday night, February 13th-Hope to see you there!

Welcome to "The Reason For The Season" Party!

The winner is Mary of Sailing Simply! 

My sincerest thanks to everyone that participated and left such nice comments:@)

Hi everyone! Thanks so much for stopping by! I wanted to give everyone a chance to share their nativity or Holy Family decorations. All are welcome large or small! If you'd like to re-post or re-link a previous post please do! I'm also joining Marty for Table Top Tuesday and Joni for It's A Wonderful Life!

I'm German and do love things that lean toward that heritage. I found this beautiful wooden spinning nativity and enjoy bringing it out every year! Three tiers, the wise men, the Holy Family, and a Shepard. Love the detail and the heat of the candles makes it turn.

Truthfully I've learned to use tea lights, they are not as messy!

One last pic of the Shepard, love the little sheep!

Many years ago I started making a nativity set for Ma in ceramics. I'd add 3-4 pieces a year, there are 12 pieces total. They have the slightest light blue under color and a beautiful mother of pearl over coat. The last year I made them the light blue had been discontinued and it was quite a scramble to find enough to finish the set!

Ma gifted them to me for my birthday this year, they are very special to me and I love them-thanks Ma!

They stand about 9" tall, I haven't found a manger yet, but I have visions of that and a crystal star!

Ok folks, link up and let's have some fun:@)
Join the party for a chance to win an original piece of stained glass!

It's easy to play along!

1. Everyone that joins will be entered.

3. For a second chance leave a comment letting me know that you follow.

(This is available to ship within the US. I hope my friends outside of the US will understand, and still participate if they'd like to:@)

The winner will be picked on December 15th at 6PM Eastern time.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

The Reason For The Season-Give Away!

Hi everyone! I'm happy to be joining Table Top Tuesday with my give-away for folks that join
The Reason For The Season linky party on December 14th!

I'm pleased to offer a one of a kind original piece of stained glass, designed and created by me:@)

I've used both traditional stained glass and fused glass techniques. The holly and berries have been shaped and fired in a kiln to create a tile, then soldered to the background and border.

This piece is approximately 7 3/4" x 7 3/4".

(against a white background)

To enter the party share your Nativity or Holy Family decorations-small or large!

For more information click HERE!

I'm joining TTT because I generally photograph my glass sitting on the window sill
(very low light in this house).

Also because Marty's a good bloggy buddy:@)

Hope to see you there!