CELEBRATE AUTUMN

My Celebrate Autumn page is posted on our web site http://www.ofclothandhand.com/
It can also be viewed on my Picture Trail www.picturtrail.com/olderaggsusa
I hope you enjoy it!!!
Fondly, Angela

Our Web Site Has Been updated. Check out Angela Page 4. I hope you enjoy your visit!

St Nicholas

Just wanted to let you know that my St. Nicholas Was CHOSEN for the Directory Of Traditional American Crafts For Early American Life Magazine ..Holiday 2011...The issue will be out at the end of August or beginning of September. A TRUE honor for me!!

Thinking of Autumn

I am thinking of cool crisp breezes...no humidity...a nice sweater and my cozy socks..pumpkins in all shapes and sizes...hay bales...Indian corn...a evening walk with a chill in the air...makes one feel so alive...so inspired...wonderful scents...pumpkin spice...cloves...a fire in the hearth...a good book,,,and fresh bittersweet...the berries just turning red...I love pomegranates and crisp juicy MacIntosh apples...candy apples and caramel apples. I am NOT a fan of Summer...I was born in July...I wish it had been September. I love the color changes in the oak and maple leaves...the fall foliage is BREATHTAKING here in Tennessee. I want to start creating for fall and decorating my favorite room for Autumn  to share with you...CELEBRATE  AUTUMN!!! Is anyone else ready????

Early American Life Entry* Christmas 2011

A peek at my entry for the Early American Life Holiday Directory

This is the first time that I have entered the Holiday Directory for Early American Life magazine. I did a "St. Nicholas" with a "mouse" helper and companion and a lovely rag doll that some lucky little girl will receive for Christmas! I started with a doll dated to the early part of 1900..restored it and added a very detailed head. His suit is handsewn from 19th. Century homespun wool and lined with early chocolate brown "book muslin" ( used in the 1800's for skirt linings) and trimmed it in early turkey red and brown calico. There is so much detail that it would take way too long to describe...BUT...I thought that some of you who love Holiday folk art, might appreciate a little peek! He will be offered for sale at some point. I do hope you enjoy him!!!

Fondly, Angela

New Items On Web Site

Hope you will visit our web site http://www.ofclothandhand.com/   NEW ITEMS ADDED WEEKLY !!

Quack Quack Here And A Quack Quack There

Spring is officially here.....it just is not really spring until the baby chicks hatch and our baby goats arrive AND TODAY OUR BABY DUCKS ARE HATCHING !!!! YEAH
Our momma duck has been sitting on her nest for 31 days now.  The usual hatching time is 28 days but she has faithfully stuck to her nest through 6 thunder storms...rain, thunder, lightening and hail.  Last Wednesday we had tornado force wind and flash flooding!!  She just sat there knowing the time was near.  I had about given up....I checked her nest yesterday, day 30 and nothing and the eggs were two days late...I almost gave up hope....but today I was over joyed to find small cracks in the duck eggs!

Simple pleasures are what life is all about.  My friend, Angela reminded me today AND IT IS TRUE...A special SMILE....A Hug....The words "I Love You" (say them often) sharing a photo that brings back a flood of memories....New Life...new grand baby, new goat kids, new chicks, new baby ducks.  The joy is there..... search for it every day !!!

Easter What It means to Me

Easter is around the corner...I am planning my dinner menu and grocery list.... And truthfully, generally feeling the burden of another holiday meal without my Momma and our oldest son far away in the US Navy...
I have been in a mud puddle for many weeks now. I have gotten out every now and then but then before I know it... I am in the mud puddle again. I have asked myself why God allows this to happen or that to happen to me/ us....My Granny Lamb was such a wonderful soul. She was strong, yet gave her all to others.  My Mom told me that she had often seen Granny make supper, feed her family and she herself ate only what the others left on thier plate...this was in the late 30's when food was not plentiful.  So, what makes a person so unselfish?  Granny was always happy and when something did happen that upset her she never let it show. Life happens to each and everyone of us and not one of us will get out alive. We can choose how we will react to the events of our life.  See, that is what I have ignored.  It is a choice! I can be miserable or joyful...I don't have to be joyful about a certain event but there is still joy in my life! So.... I have decided to get OUT OF THE MUD PUDDLE  !!
I hope that each of you will feel blessed that you CAN grocery shop for your family, that you will hug your family close this Easter Sunday for we have so much to be grateful for.  Let me leave you with the words from this beloved hymn:

                                       On a hill far away,  stood an old rugged cross;
                                       the emblem of suffering and shame
                                       And I love that old cross, where the dearest and best,
                                      For a world of lost sinners was slain
                                      So I'll cherish the old rugged cross
                                      Till my trophies at last I lay down
                                      I will cling to the old rugged cross
                                      And exchange it one day for a crown 

The Journal Speaks

Reading through Mrs Egger's recipe/journal has been a lot of fun.  She started gluing in newspaper clipping in 1915 ...probably about the time she and Fred married. There is so much information in there...What to do in case of an accident like wounds, snake bite, stroke or paralysis (heaven forbid) lightening strike, fainting, burns and foreign bodies in the eye....oh, and drowning....that about covers it....YIKES.
There are kitchen weights and measures.   How to cure bacon and ham. How to color ones hair at home and so on.....after a while she just cut out info she wanted to save and used a straight pin or safety pin to hold the slips of paper together....it worked.
                                        Mrs Eggers Carmel Cookie Recipe
                         1/2 cup butter or lard
                         2 cups brown sugar
                         2 well beaten eggs
                         1 teaspoon soda dissolved in tablespoon water
                         3/4 cup coconut
                         1 teaspoon vanilla
                         Pinch of salt
                         1 teaspoon cream of tarter
                         3 cups of flour
Cream shortening and sugar.  Add eggs the the soda dissolved in water.  Sift cream of tarter with flour,  add to first four ingredients.  Then add coconut, salt and vanilla. Knead smooth, make into a neat roll.  Let stand in a cold place over night.  Next day slice rather thin and bake in medium oven. Do not try to shape the second day.
* I would bake at 350 o
* Mrs Egger made a note that recipe was 25 yrs old in approx 1915 (maybe her mother's ??)
I have not made these yet but I plan to try the recipe soon.  

Good Morning~New Items Listed on Web Site

Good Morning,

First there are new items added on our Web Site http://www.ofclothandhand.com/ 

Second....please take time to see all photos of Mr. Lincoln created by Angela Hillstrom...he is just beyond words.  I wish you could all see him in person!  Angela is soooo talented and it is a pleasure to site and sew with her and discuss antique fabric, sewing and new ideas for our web site.  ********VISIT OFTEN*******

Of Cloth And Hand: Mr Abraham Lincoln.Angela M Hillstrom.Olde Raggs USA

Of Cloth And Hand: Mr Abraham Lincoln www.picturetrail.com/olderaggsusa

Mr Abraham Lincoln

I thought that you might like to see my Mr Lincoln doll that has been selected for the Directory of Traditional American Crafts for Early American Life magazine for 2011.  He took about 2 weeks of  at least 10 hours per day to create. I show the different stages of his creation on my picture trail, but I just wanted to show a few pictures here. Being picked for the Directory is a great honor for me..This is the 3rd year that my work has been chosen. I hope you like Mr Abraham Lincoln.

My New Treasure

SPRING IS HERE !! Tennessee is so beautiful...the iris are blooming...trees are filled with tiny new leaves....I even had a slight sunburn last Saturday (where is my sunscreen?). I hope you are planning a new herb garden or vegetable garden or just a few miniature tomato plants....
I HAVE to share my new book.  It is an old journal that some industrious homemaker  cut, pasted or pinned recipes into with old safety pins....yep, safety pins! 

I will be sharing some of the contents with ya'll.....the collection in the journal are saved over many, many years and there is a date in the front of March 11, 1915...so it just turned 96 years old.  I hope you will enjoy the entries I list......Please let me know!

                                                                  Baby Chick Feed
                      Upon arrival(from hatchery) their first feed consists of whole sweet milk and dry mash composed of the following ingredients
                                    80 lbs. Yellow Corn Meal or Corn-chop
                                    20 lbs. Wheat Middlings
                                     5 lbs. Raw or Steamed Bone meal (50% calcium phosphate)
                                     3 lbs Old Processed Linseed Oil Meal
                                     5 lbs  Pearl grits (calcium carbonate or lime stone)
                                     1 lb. Common Salt
                                                                                The milk is fed.

Ok...obviously this makes over 100 lbs of chick feed and if you where raising 30-40 biddies (baby chicks) you would use this much or more.  There was no Tractor Supply so if you wanted your baby chicks to be fed and grow....HERE YA GO!  
Probably a healthier recipe than was is available commercially....so I am going to investigate and see if these ingredients are available today and let you know....where to buy, cost and compare to the commercial junk.  Healthy chicks turn into fat hens which lay perfect fresh eggs !!!

My Trip To Blowing Rock, North Carolina

This is the majestice mansion known as the Moses Cone House. The mansion sits atop Flat Top Mountain and retains is 3,600 acres of trails, carriage roads and an awesome view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Now owned by the Park Service you are able to tour the second floor during late spring and summer months.  Inside are handmade crafts by local Appalachian Artist. Mansion is located close by Blowing Rock, NC.
Here is another view. Mansion built around 1890.....approx 13,900 sq. feet. Stunning views!  I encourage you to visit Blowing Rock, NC sometime.  It is about 2.5-3.0 hrs from Knoxville, TN.

Of Cloth And Hand: A Thought As I work

Of Cloth And Hand: A Thought As I work

A Thought As I work

As I work on some new items for our web site, I am thinking about how the Americans of the 19th Century lived. They seemed to be so well educated, they spoke several languages, read with a passion, did immaculate stitching and spoke so eloquantly!  They did not have our modern interferences, no television, no computer, no facebook, no emails, no radio and the list goes on! Time hasn't changed but how we use our time has changed drastically! However, I don't have any desire to live that life BUT I am so fortunate that through the work that I do I have become familiar with how our friends in the past lived day to day...it is truly fascinating!!!Any Thoughts....Fondly, Angela

Of Cloth And Hand: NEW SURPRISES

Of Cloth And Hand: NEW SURPRISES
www.ofclothandhand.com

NEW SURPRISES

Who doesn't love a surprise ??  Let's face it....life is difficult.  People, events and circumstances happen that we can not control.  Boy, do I know this to be true!!  Just when you begin to convince yourself that maybe God is not listening or has forgotten you....BAM....He does someting that blesses you....something you can see and touch and feel...that makes your heart sing and creates a smile that just won't stop.  This is what happen to me this weekend.  I had purchased two yearling does,  both Saanen's (dairy goats) about 6 weeks ago.  They are poorly, their hair is falling out and need lots of love and attention and good food to get them where they need to be. But I saw potential for these sisters...Well, I was in town grocery shopping and buying feed, minerals, alfalfa and medication (many errands, get the picture) and my dear hubby calls me to say that Nellie had just kidded (had a baby) AND it is a DOE.  I was so thrilled and excited.  Nabby is perfectly healthy and beautiful. I am posting a photo. I hope you think she is beautiful too.

Psalms 139:14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;your works are wonderful I know that so well.

~Welcome To Cloth And Hand~

Good Day Everyone!  It is gorgeous here in Middle Tennessee.  I want to invite each of you to our new web site http://www.ofclothandhand.com/  I opened the site last Ssunday with my dear friend and talented folk artist Angela Hillstrom. Hurry over and view our hand sewn creations.  Fondly,Bobbette