cowgirl cornbread muffins

When I was 18, my dad offered me my first dip of Copenhagen tobacco in a can. I was perched on the fence over looking the pasture that was home to his black Angus cows and he was leaning against the fence post beside me. We had just solved all local and national problems related to politics, economics and morality and I suppose I measured up because, suddenly, an odoriferous mound of spicy sweet grounds were floating beneath my nose. I looked from the can in his massive hand to his twinkling blue eyes and, desperate to prove my grit to the man I admired above any one on earth, took a pinch and plopped it between cheek and gum. Oh merciful heavens, it was nasty. My dad had the decency to keep his gaze directed forward as my eyes began to run, my complexion turned to shades of moss and my facial expressions morphed between brave smile and a highly unlady-like gag. That summer I was home from college marked the first and last time that I got to be a real cowgirl. I was my dads right hand gal. I helped mend fence, went to rodeos, rode a horse, drank coffee that would curl chest hair and blissfully rode on the tailgate of his Ford pickup truck shaking a coffee can full of sweet feed to entice errant cows to mosey on home from feasting in the neighbor's watermelon patch. His favorite dinner was b-b-q brisket, red beans and corn bread dripping with butter. That, of course, was my favorite dinner too.

I lost my dad earlier this year and I sure miss him. I do still have his recipe for red beans and I continue to have a great fondness for cornbread. Cornbread is good with chili, red beans, steak, brisket ---just about anything. Sometimes I make it from scratch and bake it in a cast iron skillet but one of my favorite recipes is Cowgirl Cornbread Muffins. When you've been busy all day roping, branding, herding little dogies or, in my case, crafting, there is no time to fuss over made-from-scratch anything. These muffins are so easy to make and taste so good that you could serve them with a bowl of microwave heated spaghetti-O's and still win the admiration of the folks sitting at your table!
Cowgirl Cornbread Muffins:
1 box jiffy cornbread mix
1 egg ( or egg whites from 2 eggs)
1/3 cup milk 
1/3 cup frozen sweet corn
1/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 4oz. can diced green chilies, drained
Mix batter and pour into a greased 6 count muffin pan. Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes.

How to make a repurposed scrubby

This is not a craft, but I wanted to share with you how you can repurpose the plastic mesh bags that fruit and veggies sometimes are packaged in. Go green and make a scrubby that works really well on cleaning up dishes or stuck-on particles that have taken up residence on your counters or floor.
Here is how you do it:

1. Retrieve the plastic mesh bag you put in the re-cycle bin

 

2. Cut out the label. If you skip this step you will find that the label becomes gummy once it is wet.

3. Fold the mesh into a desirable size and zig zag around the edges. I use whatever color of thread that is my sewing machine at the time. Trim the edges and you are done!

And there you go---you have saved some money and been friendly to the environment in about 5 minutes!

"Alis volat Propiis" T-shirts

Arts and crafts summer is still in full swing and I thought it would be fun to design a t-shirt.

Meet my daughter, Kristyn. Isn't she a sweetheart?

 My 3 daughters and I have been so excited about our new  Fe++  Butterfly "We are stronger than we look" attitude that we wanted a t-shirt to remind us that, not only are we strong, but we must strive to live authentic lives that we create from our own passions and dreams---"alis volat propiis"which is Latin for "she flies with her own wings". We like Latin because it is different and sounds intelligent  and we think that being different and intelligent is beautiful.

We are loving the shirts so much that we want to share them with all of you! We want women everywhere to remember how strong, beautiful and unique they are. T-shirts are now available in my Etsy store. Sizes are L, M, S and XS. You can directly access Fe++  Butterfly Creations by clicking the Etsy store badge at the top of the left side bar. I am offering my blog readers a 15% discount if you use the COUPON CODE: BUTTERFLY at the time of your purchase.
I drew out the iron butterfly image and then collaborated with silkscreen artist, Gabe Taxman of ARTEE (website coming soon) to print it onto super soft 55% cotton/45% polyester burn out t-shirts. Boy, are they ever comfy and cute to wear. I like that I don't look like a cardboard cereal box when I wear it and yet the shirt is not so form fitting that I look like an over-stuffed pillow, if you know what I mean. T-shirts are made in the USA by Bella, a company that is committed to social and ecological responsible manufacturing.
You, too can create a t-shirt.You can create original art work and transfer the image onto just about any fabric wearable or home decor. You don't have to have access to a silkscreen artist. You can scan your own design onto your computer and print it onto an iron-on transfer. Iron-on transfer sheets that are made for computer use can be found at most hobby and craft stores. Iron your creation, using manufacturer's suggestions, onto t-shirts, aprons, tote bags, pillows and anything else you dream up. I hope you are all enjoying a lovely summer and are remembering how beautiful, authentic and strong you are!