My Tasha Tudor friend Linnie encouraged us to celebrate Laura Ingalls Wilder's 150th birthday today! As it is Tea with Tasha on Tuesdays, it was the perfect day to have some fun and brighten up this long winter. I don't need much encouragement to have a tea party! Thanks Linnie, this was really fun.
Happy Birthday Laura Ingalls Wilder! Thank you for all the wonderful books about your life's journey.
I decided to follow Laura's Ma's advise...."Ma liked everything on her table to be pretty". So this is a tribute to Laura today and a chance to use some of my pretty things.
I don't have a Laura doll, so this little miss with her bonnet and red and white outfit has to do! She was pretty happy joining in the fun. I made little cut out brown paper heart garland as Laura did in one of her stories.
I ordered this DVD about Laura's life and Jimmy and I are planning to watch it tonight. So many of us read the books and watched the TV series, but I would like to learn more about her life.
A few goodies to grace the table. The pressed glass lantern was our first anniversary gift to each other 40 plus years ago!
With my health issues, I have been doing a lot of cooking from scratch. I wanted to make something from the Little House Cookbook. It's quite fun to read and study the recipes. I actually decided to make a gingerbread recipe that is not in the book but I found it on the internet.
Here's a copy of the recipe in Laura's handwriting. It's pretty much the one that I used. I did use butter instead of shortening and I used whole wheat pastry flour.
I have never made gingerbread from scratch, so it was a new adventure for me.
It was totally a different sequence of combining the ingredients. Adding baking soda to a cup of boiling water was an experience! If you make this recipe, use a Pyrex bowl with the baking soda. I actually had a bowl break on me.
Here it is ready for the oven...yummy. I did increase the spices from 1 t. to 1 1/2 t. after I read some of the reviews. Oh, it did smell so good when it was baking.
Here's the finished gingerbread. It was delicious and baked well. I did have one little piece...not diet food, but had to have a treat today.
Jimmy is such a good sport to join me for tea and he always supports my tea time adventures.
Of course, I had to have the paper doll book! I haven't cut out the dolls or clothes yet and I'm not sure I can use my scissors! I may just have to enjoy the book.
I had to add a few Valentine crafts to honor Laura and her life. The quilt in the photo above was made by Laura and her daughter. I'm sharing a few red and white crafts that are favorites of mine.
This is one of the hearts I made from the cutter quilt that I shared a few weeks ago.
I adore little pin keeps. This is a vintage bonnet pin keep that I have had for some time. It even has a little thimble inside.
I found the directions and pattern for making one. You can find it on Tipnut if you are interested.
I have never read the complete set of Little House on the Prairie, but I would like to go back and read them all.
I had a fun time with all of this today. I'd like to leave you with this quote. Have some fun and pick up the books again.
