Grasshopper Lane

Changes are a coming.....

Sorry folks!  I broke the website last week and it has taken until now to get it back up and running with updates.  On a positive note though....BIG changes are coming here at Grasshopper Lane.  You will notice that our Shop link is down......I am so excited!!  We are moving to a different platform that will make it easier to purchase our products as well as place custom orders.  I hope to have it up and running within the next week.  

In the meantime!!  Here's a picture of one of our new products!!

Who doesn't need a vintage leopard, cowhide, rodeo gal tumbler??  It will be available in the new shop soon!

Have a wonderful week!

Jen

New Listings in the Shop this morning -

These books bring back great memories!  When I was little, I would hang out under the big cedar tree and make up adventures with my Raggedy Ann and Andy Dolls and then tell them to Miss Ellie (Giant Pink Elephant) and Bunny.  These would be perfect to read to your little one or even start your own collection.  Both books are loved but still in good condition.  One has a few cuts similar to a box cutter inside the cover, the other is missing the inside title cover page.  Copyright 1961.  Adorable illlustrations.  Each book runs around 90 pages.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/963581071/raggedy-ann-and-the-golden-ring-johnny?ref=shop_home_active_1

or

https://www.etsy.com/listing/963578013/raggedy-ann-and-the-happy-meadow-johnny?ref=shop_home_active_2

 

A few more vintage items coming to the shop soon so make sure to check back.

Have a wonderful day Friends - 

jen

 

Imagine a piece of ooey-gooey caramel that just melts in your mouth....creamy, decadent....so good.  That sums up this recipe.  The hubs gave it a thumbs up and a "do-over"...as a matter of fact, we just had a discussion about not eat another piece before bedtime.  This does require a par-baked (1/2 baked) pie crust.  Just line your pie shell with aluminum foil and add in that bag of 6 bean soup you mistakenly bought at the discount grocery.  The hubby recommends the Super Flaky Pie Crust that I shared earlier in the week.  It is so good that Miss P (our fur baby) stole a piece of it of my plate and took off under the bed.  The gleam in her eye suggested that I was not getting it back.

1 Unbaked 9” Pie Crust (See Super Flaky Pie Crust Recipe below)
½ C Sugar (I used Organic Cane Sugar)
½ C Brown Sugar
¼ C Corn Starch
2 C Cream
1 T Vanilla (Get the good stuff!)
½ C Butter (cubed)

Preheat oven to 425*F. Roll out and fit pie crust into your favorite pie
plate. Lines the bottom of the crust with foil and fill with dried beans.
Bake for 8 minutes. Remove foil/beans and bake for an additional 4
minutes. Remove to rack and let cool.
Reduce oven temperature to 325*F.

In large saucepan, whisk together sugars and cornstarch. Slowly whisk in
cream. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently.
Upon boiling, reduce heat to simmer. Cook and stir for an additional 2
minutes – it will get very thick. Remove from heat and immediately add
butter and vanilla. Stir until butter melts and is mixed in.

Pour into half baked crust and sprinkle with a dusting of cinnamon. Bake
for 20 minutes or until crust is brown. Remove to rack. Cool completely.
Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. Should there be a piece or two left, store in refrigerator.

 

This is a perfect addition to your pie case.  A cold piece of pie...it's thick enough to carry around with you...and an ice cold glass of milk. Here's the printable link:  https://www.grasshopperlanedesigns.com/Sugar%20Cream%20Pie.pdf  or you can find it over in the right column.  Just a thought....Valentine's Day is Friday....this would make someone a perfect gift.  Try it and let me know what you think - 

Enjoy!

Jen

People Helping Paws Flealess Market

Join us this weekend out at the Pavilion in North Jefferson City for the People Helping Paws 1st Annual Flealess Market.  There will be tons of folks selling their handmade wares as well as flea market, vintage and just plain good ole' junk.  We will have a mix of vintage, paper crafting as well as goodies from our online store so if you need supplies, I can hook you up!  10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  And....I hear tell that Rebel Taco's will be there with all of their yummy goodness.  Which means...if I'm not under my pop-up....you might find me scarfing down an Avocado Street Taco.  Please - come join us.  It's a fabulous cause - all of the proceeds will go to help with the rescue and care of animals.

Have a great week!

enjoy!

Jen

My ABC's

 

What better to hold the school memories of your little one.  A vintage pull along wagon with even older alphabet blocks accompanied with a delightful mini album with lots of pockets to hold pictures and treasures.

The half pages have magnets to hold pages together.  There are four pockets, one per set of pages, for more photos and keepsakes.  Lots of journaling tags as well.

Here's a quick video with the details:

 

It will be up in the shop shortly -

enjoy!

jen

Seven

(7)

She heard a thump and then a crash behind her.  Turning quickly to see what had caused the ruckus, she noticed the tin bucket of soapy water she had been using to wash the wall’s down had been turned over.  There, just beyond a soapy sponge sat what appeared to be a cat. Pointy ears and a long tail could almost confirm that identity but the rest of its matted, wet body left a bit of doubt.  It gave her a long green-eyed scowl as if to say this was all her fault then proceeded to wash the bubbles off the top of its head, quick licks to its paw with a bright pink tongue after each pass.  She laughed out loud, she couldn’t help herself.  Another scowl…she had clearly offended the furry mess.  “Well, hello kitty….” Stepping a little closer and kneeling down.  The cat, clearly unimpressed by her attempt to communicate, turned its back to her and went about its bath.  “Ahh…poor baby…” she continued as she eased herself a bit closer.  It gave her a glance over its shoulder and leaned towards her just slightly and gave her a sniff or two, stood up and moved further across the path.  She smiled, “Ok kitty….let me know when you’re ready to visit…” 

Turning back to the task at hand, she busied herself with reading the concrete building for the first of many amenities she intended to offer the guests here at the campground.  This one would probably benefit her the most.  After the barbeque yesterday, she had stopped by a second hand store and purchased a washer and dryer.  Oh, the luxury of doing laundry at home rather than packing it up and driving into town.  While she appreciated the charm that the Wash-o-matic offered, there was something to be said about not airing your dirties in public.  The gentleman at the store had offered to run them out for her and help her set them when she was ready so today was purge, fluff and renew. Most of what had been left behind had been newspapers, magazines….trash.  But, while rummaging around, she had managed to unearth a few old wooden advertising signs.  She could tell where they had once hung, the paint faded around their spots leaving a shadow of their shapes.  It would be fun to get them scrubbed up and restored to their rightful places.  Wishing she had thought to pack a few from her previous collection, but space had been limited and she had had to let some things go including her favorite.  The giant sheep had hung on the front of the old garage for as long as she could remember it.  Its nickname had been Baaa.  Maybe someday she would go back for it but for now she might need to make a trip into antique store in town for a few more.

Dragging the last of the boxes to the old truck, she glanced around for her little guest.  It had weeded out a little spot under the old pine tree.  Seeing her watching, it stood up, flipped its front paws back and forth to fluff the needles, turned around and settled back down.  Stretching its front paws, one tucked over the other, towards her, it buried its little nose between them, just far enough tucked that it could still watch her with one eye. She dusted her hands off on the pockets of her jeans and moved towards the edge of the driveway.  She sat down leaning her back against the sun warmed concrete wall.  Fur baby had the right idea.  A break was in order.  As she watched kitty’s back rise and fall, she wandered back in time.  Growing up there had been a pine tree, much like this one, growing to the side of their house.  Given the size of it, she imaged that it had been there long before the little subdivision had been settled.  It was her special place.  A place to go when it grew too noisy in the house.  A place to get lost in her stories.  A place to hide from her big brother.  He always knew where she was but by mutual agreement, this was her spot and she should be left alone.  One of her favorite memories was the afternoon, close to time for her parents to return home, he had wanted to run across the backyard to the neighbor’s house.  Not wanting to drag her with him, partially because she had chosen to hide for the afternoon but mostly because it wasn’t cool to have your much younger sister tagging (or tattling) along with the boys.  He made her promise that she would stay in her little pine cave until he came back for her.  Because he was notorious for promising and forgetting (top of the refrigerator, basement, closet, you get the idea) she made him pinky promise that he really, really, really would return for her.  Winking, he promised and started off, not noticing that his prized G.I. Joe Caravan with accessories had joined her homemade, shoebox, Barbie house.  That had been pilfered payment for all of the other orneriness.  She’d heard her dad wandering the front yard, calling for her in for dinner, pretending he didn’t know where she was hiding later on.  Her brother, well, he was somewhere in the neighborhood.  She couldn’t remember what she had exacted for payment that time but she seemed to remember a few 45’s that turned up in her little red record player.  Think Hotel California playing over and over and over again.  It was funny how things triggered those long ago memories.

Using the wall to help her, she pushed herself back into standing position.  She thought about how much she had accomplished, on her own, in the short time she had been here at the little campground, just a little over two weeks.  She was incredibly proud of herself.  Once upon a time she would have waited for others to help or tell her what she should do.  It had been almost impossible to go anywhere on her own and she was consistently treated like a youth. While venturing into town alone still gave her a bit of anxiety, she was determined to overcome her past.  Some would say that age makes you wiser and less caring about what others think or say.  Maybe there was some truth to that.  Yesterday she had gone in to town for barbeque at Evvie Lou’s.  Just a few folks had attended and all had made her feel very welcome.  They had been very curious about how she had landed in their little town.  She had answered the questions politely but held back, not ready to put herself out there for public display yet.  All in all it had been a good afternoon.  Evvie-Lou had “put on the dog” as she put it.  Pulled pork, slow cooked all night in a brown sugar spice rub, stone ground wheat rolls fresh out of the oven, coleslaw with a bit of red onion and minced sweet pickle, and all the fixings.  It. Was. Amazing.  Evvie-Lou really had a talent for not just baking but cooking in general.  After a lot of prodding from Evvie-Lou, she had brought her Skillet Apple Pie, a favorite back home and homemade vanilla bean ice cream.  Several folks had commented that the two of them should go into business together.  She and Evvie-Lou had given each other a wink and giggled.  Something to think about, maybe.  They had visited together a little bit after every one left.  Nothing but silly bantering back and forth but they did make plans to meet at the little country church up the road next Sunday, something she was looking very much forward too. 

Enjoy!

jen

the recipe box - Coconut Creme Pie

The hubby pulled a good one out for this week's vintage recipe.  Coconut Creme Pie with Meringue.  We made it on Sunday, which just happened to be National Pi Day.  Coincidence?  I think not.

An old newspaper clipping, which, unfortunately was missing the name and date of the original article but judging by some cartoon's on the back page, probably 1960's.  But, I may be wrong.   I made this yummy deliciousness twice, seems to be a theme, but  when I made the meringue, two egg whites were not quite enough to seal the edges and....here's where I come clean, I used a pre-made crust....in one of those tin pans....oh, the horror!  In my defense, it was a pretty crust...one of those Marie what's her name's.

Pretty but not fluffy enough so.....we made it again...in my pie plate that we received as a wedding gift back in the 80's....so, it's pretty much considered vintage, right?

Since the original recipe called for a three egg yolk custard, we did a three egg white meringue....no waste.  Much fluffier and covered to the edges of the crust.  We also toasted a bit of coconut to go on the top.

Hubby couldn't wait to dig into it and has proclaimed it to be the "best pie ever."  It's a keeper.  The printable recipe is here or you can get it over on the right side under recipes.  There were a few other recipes listed on the same page such as peanut butter muffins and a molasses fudge cake so stay tuned.

enjoy!

jen

 

six

(6)

She woke with a start, confused by where she was.  Quickly sitting up in the bed, she looked around and breathed a sigh of relief. Sunlight streamed through the window above the bed and danced across the floor.  She glanced at her phone – 9:20 a.m.  Her first night in the cabin had provided some much needed rest.  A prayer of thanks passed through her lips.  She had worked until long past sundown the night before, determined to get the white slat board walls and old barn wood floor cleaned enough so she could put the bed together.   

Yesterday morning during a quick trip into town for some necessities, she had happened upon a charming little antiques shop.  Mentally declaring that a break would do her some good, she pulled the old truck over and parked.  The little shop was packed floor to ceiling with goodies that most would call junk but to her, priceless treasure. Even if you were unsure what you were looking for, you could find it here.  She smiled as she remembered the little incident that took place while she was there.  She had been in the back looking at aprons and as she headed back towards the front of the shop something flicked across her foot.  She pulled her foot back quickly and stifled a scream. There, sitting calm and pristine in front of a dish of water was a very regal and very handsome black cat.  His tail had flicked towards her about the time she went to step down and had, she was quite sure, purposely brushed her foot.  His green eyes gave her a look that both laughed at her discomfort and demanded a pat on his kingly head.  She smiled and breathed a sigh of relief thankful that she had taken time to read the little poster on the door that warned of the possibility of fur-baby greetings.  Giving him a small bow, she moved towards the counter to pay for her purchases that included a small Jadite bowl sporting a chip in the bottom, some gorgeous vintage sheets with tiny red roses and a beautiful white chenille bedspread.  The green-eyed shop owner, whom she was quite sure had been a cat just moments before, grinned at her and made a bit of small talk as he wrapped her purchases up, asking that she return soon.  She assured him that she would most certainly be back.

Her purchase of bedding gave her the excitement she needed to make the final push to get the cabin ready to move into.  On the way back to the campground, she stopped by the laundry mat.  The old sign out front proclaimed it to be the “Wash-O-Matic”.  It, like the antique shop, was pure vintage charm.  It reminded her of the one she had sort of worked in growing up.  The mother of her then best friend managed the laundry mat in town.  Fearing nothing short of us tearing the house down, we often ended up at work with her. For the nominal fee of an egg sandwich from the drive-thru next door, we would even consider working.  Goodness, the memories.  The old harvest gold washing machines holding their metal hands out for silver coins before they would churn the days dust from your clothes.  Walls lined with dryers, double stacked turquoise monsters that made a whirl and whip sound with each tumble.  She often got lost in her thoughts while she watched those clothes tumble in circles.  One dollar and twenty cents in dimes guaranteed your clothes to be dry in the first cycle.  She could still see the moms with their paper coffee cups filled with change jockeying for prime position – a four-plex of dryers directly in front of their chosen folding table, their toddlers climbing across the plastic waiting room chairs, hanging from the metal bars underneath the tables and when no one was looking riding the roll around metal baskets down the aisle.  Thinking about that made her smile.  She didn’t take the time to run the dryers today…..no, today, she would take the damp bedding home and hang it to blow in the breeze.  She couldn’t wait to slip between sheets that smelled of sunshine. 

Waiting for the wash to dry, she pulled the old iron bed out on the front concrete and gave it a good wire-brushing and then a quick coat of ivory paint.  Chastising herself for being too impatient to let the paint dry, she headed back into the little kitchen to fill up the mop bucket with sudsy water.  She had been cleaning the cobwebs out of a corner when an old memory came back to her.   Some close friends had pulled an old iron bed, much like the one she was working on, out of an old homestead up the road from them.  One had to look past the rust and grub to see the beauty it had once been.  In fact, there had been some talk about whether it was worth the time it would take to restore it.  She knew it would be.  Beautiful rosettes and leaves had been intertwined in the metal.  Not sure how the bed had ended up in the old homestead, probably a gift for work done.  The gentleman that had lived there did odd jobs around the neighborhood to earn his livelihood.  She imaged that it had once been ivory in color and fit for a small princess.  Hours were spent cleaning, sanding and painting and in the end it was beautiful.   She had envisioned painting those rosettes in water colored rose pink but in the end left it with the clean look.  It was hard to see it loaded up in the truck and carried away but it looked beautiful in the little girl’s room for which it had been purchased. 

Shaking her head to clear the memory, she went about putting the bed back together.  She was glad that it had been late in the evening and that any neighbors she had were far enough away to miss the dragging of the mattress and box springs from the storage trailer.  She was quite sure un-mentionable words might have been spoken.  Once inside though, she started dressing the old bed.  She put a red-fitted sheet on the box spring and then covered that in a lace bedskirt.  The red of the sheet underneath peeked thru the lace.  Next she added the white fitted sheet with the little red roses.  Very delicate.  Adding the top sheet to match and a white velour blanket, her one splurge, she smoothed her hand over the top to remove any wrinkles and gave the mattress hospital corners.  Next, she added the white chenille bedspread, much like one she had when she was growing up.  She dressed the pillows, two sets, one in red roses and the other in red.  Folding down the spread so everything peeked thru.  It needed something.  She quickly ran back up to the little camper and pulled the old red and white checked quilt from the bed in the back.  Once back in the cabin, she spread it out across the end.  Perfect!

It had been a good day and a restful night.  But, she’d layed in bed long enough.  Evvie-Lou had insisted that she come to her house this afternoon for a barbeque/meet & greet and she had been reminded….repeatedly…..that she owed her a skillet apple pie for cleaning the bathroom.

 

(as always....the memories may or may not be my own.....)

Enjoy!

jen

the recipe box - June Rose Cake

The first recipe we pulled out of the box was for a lucious looking cake topped with pink, fluffy icing.  The advertisng for the recipe touts it as being the perfect birthday cake for a girl or a bride-to-be.  The recipe, from Swans Down Flour, was printed in a magazine.  I wish I could tell you for sure what year but when researching this particular recipe, there was not much to be found.   If you can tell me more about it, I'd love for you to email me.

It took two tries to get this one made.  My kitchen is at the very end of the Purge, Fluff & Renew list so things are not quite back in order.  The first attempt was using my 9" professional pans.  They are a bit deeper and brushed aluminum.  Since the parchment paper was no where to be found, I opted to just grease the pan.  The hubby thought the cake was wonderful.....even though he had to dig it out of the pan with a spatula.

The second attempt was a success.  I splurged on new cake pans....non-stick.  The rounds popped right out of the pans onto the racks with no problem.  And my kitchen smelled amazing.  Now, the recipe called for butter or shortening.  Because I wanted to stay with a white cake, I used shortening.  I did, however, stay with the Swan's Down Cake Flour.  Yes, you really must use cake flour.  It will give you a lighter, fluffier cake.  I store my extra in the freezer to keep it fresh.  Just remember to let it warm up to room temperature the next time you want to use it.

The icing is amazing.  I believe I described as little pink clouds of fluff on Facebook.  Think marshmallow meets strawberry.  I don't recall ever making 7-minute nor 4-minute frosting before.  The directions though were clear enough that I knew I was basically making a heated meringue.  Now, I iced the cake the night before these pictures were taken.  (I apologize for the lightening....our weather....one second sun, the next clouds.)  The icing got sticky over-night.  I would wait to frost the cake til right before you served it.  I'm also thinking that rather than strawberries, which are not really in season right now, I might try some of my homemade strawberry jam next time. 

This one is definitely a keeper!  A printable copy is over on the right or you can click here:  http://www.grasshopperlanedesigns.com/June%20Rose%20Cake.pdf.  The table is set - who wants to come sit and chat over a steaming cup of rose tea and a huge slice of June Rose cake?

enjoy!

jen

 

the recipe box

Recently a sweet friend of mine decided, like me, to purge, fluff & renew.   She has been kind enough to gift me with some luscious vintage treasures that included paper dolls, old greeting cards and a wedding dress that she assures me that I can cut apart without anyone being upset.  So much that I can’t even begin to list it all.  I can’t thank her enough.   I’ve spent hours gazing at all the vintage goodness on my counter.   I can’t wait to start using it in upcoming projects.  Today though, I wanted to tell you about a special box that was nestled down under the embroidered pillow cases.  When I pulled it from the crate I was sure that the beautiful cardboard box would be filled, much like the one’s my mom has given me, with lace handkerchiefs.  When I opened the box I let loose a squeal that I’m sure was heard by my neighbors.  My hubby, who had been on a chair taping a wall in the bathroom, came running to make sure I hadn’t damaged anything.   Imagine my surprise –

 

 

A box filled with recipes, both handwritten and cut from magazines and newspapers, dating back to the 1930’s.   Recipe’s that I can remember my mom making.  Recipe’s that I remember David’s Grandma making.   Goosebumps people!!   The box has made a trip to the lake and my Mom’s house so we could look through each recipe.  It’s now resting in its special spot, under glass, in my workroom.   I asked Ms. Julie about the origin of these fabulous pieces of paper and here’s what she told me –

Her Grandmother, Mabel, came to live with them after being widowed in 1967.  She would have been about 75.  Julie’s family had transferred to Mid-Missouri shortly after that in 1968.  Like most families in that day it was common for grandparents to live with their children.   Ms. Julie’s mom was working outside of the home at that time so her grandmother helped with the chores and prepared the meals.  Unfortunately the recipe box didn’t originate with her grandmother.  A family friend spied them at an auction one day and thought that Grandma might want it to look through them.  So, while Grandma didn’t actually write them or cut them out, she did prepare yummy goodies from them.  In my book, that’s close enough to it being hers.   

By now, you know that I’m from another place in time….the older the better.  And I’m a true believer in learning something new every day so I thought it would be fun to share these recipes with you.  A couple of times a month, I’ll have hubby pull a recipe out of the box…..a main dish, side dish, jam, relish or dessert.  There were even some recipes for cleaning supplies.  Whatever he pulls, we’ll make and then post both a picture, how it all turned out and both the original recipe and then a printable recipe so you can try them.    Watch for the first recipe, a dessert, later this week –

 

Enjoy!

j