Oatmeal Monster Cookies

These are by far the favorite cookies in this house and they are so versatile that I am sure they will soon become the favorite in yours too.  It does make a large batch and the dough is hard to mix towards the end so if you have a Kitchenaid mixer then you may want to pull it out.  Save your muscles for eating these delicious cookies.  :)

2 cups flour
1.5 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 sticks butter
1 1/3 cups light brown sugar
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 eggs
1.5 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups quick cook oats
2/3 cups chopped pecans
2/3 cup chocolate chips
2/3 cup shredded coconut
2/3 cup M&M
2/3 cup raisens

combine 1st 3 ingredients in a bowl and set aside
in large mixing bowl cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, add eggs and vanilla and beat until well blended.  Next add flour mixture to creamed mixture in 4 additions, beat on speed 2 until well mixed.  Add in oats in 4 additions.  add rest of the ingredients, 1 at a time on low until blended. 
drop by rounded tablespoons onto greased cookie sheet. 
Bake at 350* for 10-12 minutes. remove from cookie sheet and cool on wire rack.
ENJOY!

Vintage Jewelry

Vintage Jewelry.

It's all the rage.

But where to start and what to get are a mystery to those who've never collected it before. One place to start is with a style you love. 50's, 60's, 70's or even Victorian. There are so many options. Also gold, silver, brass, rhinestone, gemstone, filigree, etc. Which ever you choose you do need to make sure it is good quality and a good investment, which is pretty easy with the internet right at your fingertips. You can also feel the difference, a good quality piece will be heavier and feel more solid by touch, the cheap stuff feels - well cheap!. Also if it has a stamp of 925 on it that means it is silver (even if it has a gold overlay), good to know when looking at costume jewelry from around the 50's because it puts it at a higher value than similar pieces done in pot metal or brass. Those older costume pieces are just far superior than costume pieces of today. And they have maintained or gone up in value over the years. This is by no means all there is to know about vintage pieces, just a few little hints to help you get started. Just know that once you get into it, you'll find that all this new jewelry just "loses it's luster". haha. bad joke, I know. Well here are a few of my favorites along with some of the ways I use them. And some of these pieces will soon be available at thecoralfish.etsy.com

Enjoy!

Vintage Brooches, not just for sweater sets!

You can find such a wide variety of brooches in so many places now and they make a great and inexpensive way to liven up just about anything! You can use them on purses, bags, clutches, jackets, blazers, pillows, in your hair -with a rubber band or clip to hold in place, or even apllied to a picture frame. The possibilites are endless.

When shopping for these wonderful pieces keep in mind what you will be using it for so as to make sure you get a quality to match it's use. For example, on a purse you will want one that is sturdy and has a strong clasp. For a frame you can get by with inexpensive one.

And don't be afraid to haggle over the price. Make an offer! Often they won't turn you down. And newer doesn't usually mean better quality. I have found that costume jewelry from around the 50's is made of silver (stamped 925) and has a gold overlay. The stones are sometimes real gemstones. So have fun, get informed, and know what you're looking for. It's easy with the help of the internet. Learn to read the stamps and you'll be amazed at what you might find!

the holiday table

there's a chill in the air and the leaves are on the ground. company usually follows. this year set your table using your favorite things. I was always finding chips in my plates from years of hand washing and from training little ones to clean up after themselves. So instead of tracking down miscellaneous pieces to try and recomplete my set, I turned to antiques and consignment stores to find pieces that I loved and could work into my everyday table setting as well as coordinate with my special occasions china. I chose to go with all white dishes which makes my table great for year round entertaining and allows me to go wild with table cloths, napkins, etc. and seasonal decorations. My sister is now doing the same using transferware in her favorite colors. It also makes for a fun collection and is easy and fun for friends and family to add to your collection. Here are some photos of my table along with some pieces available for purchase at thecoralfish.etsy.com

What are some of your favorite table decorating ideas?

Valentine Sugar Cookies

These are the best sugar cookies and so easy to make.

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp almond extract

3 cups flour

1/8 tsp salt
add food coloring to dough as desired

Beat butter until creamy, gradually add sugar. Add egg and vanilla, beat well. Add flour and salt, beat well. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Roll 1/4 inch thick, cut into shapes and bake at 350* for 6-8 minutes. Cool on pans 1 minute then move to wire racks. Decorate!

Toys in the Living Room

My children are still young and of course want to be in the same room as me, and with ALL of their toys. My compromise is this...

Find for them toys that you don't mind having in your living room (all others can stay in their rooms). This dollhouse is one that I had made for my daughter by my brother (cost me $3o) and I painted it. The inside is a mix of nice dollhouse furniture (from the one I had as a child) and plastic dolls. When not in use it sits in the corner of our living room and adds some character to our home. It cost quite a bit less than the large plastic fancy houses and this is one that my daughter will have for years to come and will one day be able to pass down to her children. The house is very simply made with 2 floors inside and no windows or doors, they're just painted on. So next time you are in search of that perfect toy for both you and your child - look to your friends and family for a little help, or search out what is hidden in your attic from your childhood - clean it up and make it their own. Children love any and all toys and it doesn't have to cost a fortune or mess up the look of your home.

For my daughter's next birthday she is receiving the old baby doll highchair from her aunt with a fresh coat of paint and the doll cradle my aunt made for me as a child - all cleaned up and with new "linens" I made from fabric she picked out at a local fabric store.

As for boys: I am still working on that one as I step over the pile of 30+ Hot Wheels in the middle of the floor. :)

Simple Remedies

These are some simple, natural remedies that I use and work wonders for me and my family.

Indigestion/heartburn: Peppermint tea with a little honey

indigestion/upset stomach/food poisoning: Acidopholus - I use a chewable form that tastes great, followed with a glass of water

burns (1st, 2nd or small 3rd degree): Soak the burned area in 3 parts cold water with 1 part apple cider vinegar. The pain goes away almost imediately and it heals much quicker. Keep it soaked until it doesn't hurt when you take it out - length of time depends on severity of burn so possibly 30 min. to a couple hours. You may need to add an ice cube occasionally to keep the water cold. If you can't soak it then saturate a towel and place on the burn, just keep resoaking the towel. I've had a really bad 2-3 degree burn on my thumb (took skin off almost to bone) and within 3 days you couldn't tell where I had burned it.

nerve damage/inflamation: Drink aloe vera gel. Does wonders and I don't know why. Stumbled upon this one quite by accident. I had some nerve damage in my back from my first pregnancy and the doctors I saw said there wasn't anything I could really do for it so I lived with it for several months. I had some intestinal problems as well and they flared up so I started up drinking aloe vera daily and not only did my stomach issues clear up but my back pain did too. Whenever it flairs up I reach for the aloe and it works! It is also antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal so it has many uses!

nail fungus: Soak in apple cider vinegar mixed 1/2 with water for 15 min. twice a day for up to 1 week. Works great. My 2 yr old son had horrible nails (later we discovered they were due to a milk allergy) and we tried this and they cleared right up. Bad cracked and thick parts had to grow out but the yellow was gone very soon

Diaper Rash: Use straight zinc oxide. No need for anything fancy which alot of the times the perfumes and dyes make it worse.

I'll add more as I think of them. If you know of any that work for you, please add your comments