The Anderson's Soft Caramels Recipe

My neighbors gave us some caramels the other day for a Christmas present and my kids really liked them. So my daughter called and asked for the recipe so she could make them for her teacher.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup nuts (optional); the one she made didn't have this, and I am not fond of nuts in this type of food anyway
  

Directions:

1. Combine sugar, butter and corn syrup in 3 quart microwave safe bowl.
2. Microwave uncovered on high for 5 minuets or until butter is melted.
3. Stir to dissolve sugar.
4. Gradually stir in sweetened condensed milk.
5. Microwave on high uncovered for 15 to 17 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes (always using a clean spoon) or until 232 degrees is reached. Check temperature frequently during last few minuets.
6. Stir in vanilla and nuts.
7. Pour into buttered 12 x 8 inch pan.
   
8. Cool to lukewarm.
9. Cut into 1-inch squares and wrap each caramel in waxed paper or plastic wrap (cut these ahead of time for ease of use).
   

Makes 2 pounds.
DO NOT USE THIS TO MAKE THINGS TO SELL FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY!!!!

knitting video tube cast on

I am not much of a knitter; I really want to learn more so I can make socks and winter tights. Until some day when I get better at it (because I can cast on and knit and purl a little), I like to watch some videos to try and teach myself. I saw this one on You Tube (this video is not my work, but I thought other beginners might like it), it is really simple but looks like a good technique.

I should be able to get the rest of the cathedral windows tutorial up on Saturday. Sorry it isn't already up; most of it is typed, I just need to take the photos.

Blue Crochet Scarf

Decided to make a scarf this morning while I was waiting for my children to get ready for school. The thread I bought about 5 years ago it is made by Erdal ,a type of chainette cord that I don't think they make anymore. The color is called jewel; it is 100% rayon and colors in it are blue, violet and aqua. It is made in Turkey, dry clean only. I really like the drape of the thread, it is lovely. I held two strands together when I was crocheting and used a size H hook 5.00 mm and this pattern. PDF link

As to the collar, it is an antique and I plan to make a copy of it so that I can wear it. This one actually fits me, and I could fit it with new material to make it wearable, but I will never do that to it. I don't want to wreck the antique piece; it is very important to me and I want to leave it as is, but I would like to wear something similar. Whenever it is I get around to copying it, I think it will make a lovely summer top.

Letters to santa that made me cry

My daughters all wrote letters to Santa this morning. They are little children's letters with bad spelling and phonetic writing, but they are from the heart. I will type them in as they wrote them, miss-spellings and all. Then I will give a translation in case you can't read them. They are much cuter in little-kid handwriting, not typing. Oh, well. The reason they made me cry is that my children, not one of them, asked for just things for themselves; they wanted other people in the family to get special gifts. Two want to go to California so I and they can see my grandmother who is in her late 90's and may not live much longer. They also wanted pictures of Jesus and gifts for their sister's and father. I couldn't ask for greater children to be in my life.

From my littlest daughter's letter to Santa (the butterfly girl), 1st grade:

I bin good in scooll. i want from crissmiss. Is sissrs and fadric and a staftanml and a pichra of gessiss and a soegbox. hape crissmiss cata. and batrfliss. I lick you cata. I like gesis and a movee.

Translation:

I have been good in school. What I want for Christmas is a pair of scissors, fabric, a stuffed animal and a picture of Jesus and a sewing box (so she won't wreck the blue one from grandma) Happy Christmas Santa and I want butterflies. I like you Santa and I like Jesus oh and I want a movie, too.

From my middle daughter's letter to Santa (the ladybug girl), 3rd grade:

To: Santa
I wish I colde have thred, scissos and fabrek. what I have deen good about i got a bad grad in scienc and I have tried to make up for it I was wondering if you colde at lest grant this 1 wish that we can go to calaforna, plese tell my Vavo that I love her (then she drew a picture of herself crying that reads I miss vavo)

Translation:

To: Santa
I wish I could have thread, scissors, and fabric for Christmas. I have been good, but I got a bad grade in science I have tried to make up for it. I was wondering if you could at least grant this one wish that we can go to California for Christmas to see my Vavo. Please tell my Vavo that I love her.



The oldest daughter's letter to Santa (the fairy queen), 5th grade:

Dear Santa,
Thank you for the braclet, and ring you gave me when I was eight. I got a realy good report card, it was on the honor role.

1. pixe hallow books and movie
   
2. rainbow magic, weather, jewl etc.
   
3. my quilt done ( thats my job)
4. origaim books & paper
5. fabric
6. embader thread
7. scissors
8. embader paterus
9. a alam clock for butterfly girl
10. and any thing ladybug for ladybug girl
11. and a picture of his family for Pai
12. a nice vacation at California for Mae
13. if you want you could give me a puzzle

Translation not really needed, but here it is:


Dear Santa,
Thank you for the bracelet, and ring you gave me when I was eight. I got a really good report card, it was on the honor role.

1. Pixie Hallow books and movie (ie, fairy stuff)
2. Rainbow magic, Weather, Jewel, etc. (ie, more fairy stuff; these are a book series)
3. my quilt done (that's my job) (so Mae will be happy and have her best quilt frame back after 4 year's of waiting without her ever getting to use it, not even once. She is almost there; she is about 2 feet from the end of the twin size quilt. She has hand quilted the whole thing with sewing thread, not crochet yarn. She machine pieced it. She started it in first grade and is now in 5th grade.)
   
4. origami books & paper
5. fabric
6. embroidery thread
7. scissors
8. embroidery patterns
9. an alarm clock for butterfly girl so Mae (mom) doesn't have to wake her every morning anymore
   
10. and anything ladybug for ladybug girl
11. and a new picture of our family for Pai (dad)
    
12. a nice vacation at California for Mae (Mom)
    
13. if you want you could give me a puzzle