BV Colonial Crafts

Last evening my 10 year old neighbor girl came to my house to experiment with a new recipe. Actually this recipe is an old favorite of my family. It is a tricky but interesting candy recipe!

As we started she said, “with my family of 12 I am used to making BIG recipes.”

As we were working she said, “Oh, this is making more than I thought it might!”

Recipe of the Month – May 1, 2010

OLD FASHIONED MASHED POTATO CANDY

1/2 cup of cold mashed potatoes with no butter or milk added.

Slowly add 1 cup of powdered sugar. Stir well. Yes it will get very runny!

Add 3 more cups of powdered sugar  – 1 cup at a time.

Stir until it needs to be kneaded a bit. You may need to add a bit more powdered sugar. Put this ‘dough’ between 2 layers of wax paper. Gently press it down with your hand.till it is slightly flattened.

Then roll it with a rolling pin to 1/4 inch thick.

Remove the top layer of wax paper. If it sticks you will need to add a bit more powdered sugar.

When the top paper is removed – spread a generous layer of smooth peanut butter over the dough.

While holding the edge of the bottom wax paper slowly roll the dough and peanut butter together while removing the wax paper!

Place the finished roll in the refrigerator to chill.

Slice and eat!! – ( sometimes we dip this in chocolate too!)

What an interesting combination!!

I have always enjoyed working with yeast dough. Here is a basic Homemade White Bread Recipe that I use. Of course I make changes to it depending on what we or our friends are hungry for!!

I mix this in my 5 quart kitchen aid mixer. Or for a double batch I mix it by hand.

3 cup lukewarm water

2 Tablespoons dry yeast ( or 2 1/2 packets)

1/3 cup white sugar —  mix these three items together and let set for about 10 minutes or until the yeast is working and it is all bubbly.

Then add – 1/3 cup shortening

1 1/2 Tablespoons salt

Then keep adding approx. 2 1/2 pounds of all purpose flour.

Use the dough hook that comes with your mixer or if mixing by hand stir well. Do not add all the flour at one time … after adding the first 2 pounds of flour,  just add about 1/2 cup at a time … as you don’t want to add too much flour. You will want the dough to not be too sticky when you touch it… neither do you want it to be tough feeling. Knead it for 5 minutes if making by hand or at least 3 minutes by mixer.

Put it in a well greased bowl and set it in a draft free warm place to raise until doubled in size.  Divide the dough into 4 dough hunks. Work with your hands until a nice loaf is formed. Then put your bread dough in greased bread pans. Let it rise again until doubled and the bread pan feels lighter when you lift it. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Bake your bread for 20 to 25 minutes until it is golden brown. Remove it from the oven. Remove it from the pans. Place the loaves on a wire rack. Brush butter on the tops. And let cool!

Now here comes the fun part!!

Other Suggestions:

Instead of water use cooked potato water, coffee, tomato juice or whey

Instead of white sugar use: brown sugar or honey or molasses

For the shortening use: butter, crisco,  margarine, oil, chicken grease, lard,

For the white flour use up to 2 cups of : whole wheat flour, wheat bran, cornmeal, buckwheat flour, oatmeal softened in water(precooked), rye flour, flax seed meal, whole flax seed, caraway seeds, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, cocoa, cooked brown rice.

I have found my own concoction of the above that we like the best!!

For wheat and flax bread  – 1 Tablespoon of flax seed, 1 heaping teaspoon of flax meal, and whole wheat flour.

For raisin bread add cooked raisins – ground or whole and cinnamon.

For poppy seed bread one Tablespoon of poppy seeds.

For cheddar cheese bread add 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese.

For tomato bread use tomato juice for instead of water and add italian seasoning and parmesan cheese.

For rye bread use rye flour,cocoa, coffee, and caraway seeds.

My Cast Iron Lamb Cake Mold

It has been a family tradition to have a Lamb Cake Mold to bake a Lamb Cake for special occasions in our family. But growing up with four sisters , well not all of us could inherit Moms Lamb Cake Mold. So when my hubby and I decided to stop in at an antique mall in Missouri … Guess what I found! You guessed right! I could hardly believe my eyes! A Cast Iron Lamb Cake Mold in very good condition! Well, since I had a little bit of $$ burning a hole in my pocket, I decided to remedy it! So I  bought it!

Spice Lamb Cake

3/4 cup shortening

1 1/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

3 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

3/4 tsp nutmeg

3/4 tsp cloves

Mix altogether very well. Pour 1/2 of the batter into a very well greased and floured mold in the face side down . Put the other half on top for a lid.  Bake it in a preheated 375 degree oven for 25 minute.  Flip the mold over and continue baking for 25 more minutes. Take it out of the oven and let set for 10 minutes. Very carefully remove the back of the lamb mold. Let it set for 10 more minutes. Gently dump the lamb cake out of the mold. Set it up on its ‘feet’ . You may need to prop it so it won’t fall over. Let it cool completely then put icing on it and sprinkle it with coconut to look all woolly! Add chocolate chips for its eyes. Add a red strip of licorice for its mouth.  Enjoy!

1 1/2 package yeast (or 1 1/2 Tablespoons)

1/2 cup warm water

2 cup mashed potatoes

1 cup sugar – Mix the above 4 ingredients and let stand for 1 hour

Add 3/4 cup shortening

1 egg

1 cup of potato water

1 teaspoon salt

7 cups of bread flour – mix altogether well.

Let the dough rise until it doubles.

Then roll the dough out to 1/2 inch thick on a floured surface.

Cut the dough with a round cutter.

Put the cut out dough on a greased cookie sheets to rise until doubled again.

Bake the donuts at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until nice and brown!

When you remove the donuts from oven. spray the tops of the donuts with a butter spray, or grease lightly with butter.

Place the donuts on a rack to cool.

When the donuts are cooled cut them in half and put your favorite icing  in the center.

Place the other half on for a lid.

Roll the donut in powdered sugar right before you serve them!

This recipe is another ‘keeper’ ! I also use it for dinner rolls or cinnamon buns!

Steve likes his hamburgers with thin sliced dill pickles.  And we both like whole pickles at any picnic.  As I had grown up on a truck farm where we raised lots of fresh produce I never did see any sense in buying dill pickles. My most favorite and easiest pickle recipe I got from my home where my mother got it from her mother.

This recipe is called Saccharin  Pickles

Saccharin Pickles

Prepare your cucumbers by washing and trimming your cucumbers

You can thin slice your cucumbers in a food processor, spear cut the cucumbers, chunk your cucumbers, or leave the thumb size cucumbers whole.

Now don’t get excited as it is hard to find the saccharin tablets on the store shelves.

So I substitute the saccharin with the packs of sugar substitute.

3 cups of 5% vinegar

6 cups of water

Bring the brine to a boil.

Add the washed and cleaned cucumbers to the boiling brine.

Watch the cucumbers change their bright green color to a dull green.

The larger the cucumbers the longer it will take for the cucumbers to change color.

Have your pint jars clean and sterile. I place my clean jars in a 170 degree oven.

OPTIONAL – Into the clean jar place 1/2 teaspoon of dill seed or a sprig of dill weed and a clove of garlic.

Pack  the hot cucumbers into the hot jar. Be careful so you don’t burn yourself.

Add 1 heaping teaspoon of salt

Add 1 packet of sugar substitute.

Then fill jar with the hot brine.

Place a clean hot lid on the jar and screw on the ring.

(This kind of canning is called open kettle cooking. No hot water bath is needed.)

Let the canned pickles set for 24 hours so the seal can set.

Check the lid to make sure it is sealed.

If the jar is not sealed refrigerate the jar of pickles.

I like to let the pickles set in the brine for several days before we eat them so the flavor can get thru the pickles.

The sealed pickles it will keep safely in a cool dark place for a year or longer.

Enjoy!

Sugarless  Cheese Cake

In a mixing bowl place all of the ingredients:

2  packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese

12 packets  Nutra Sweet or Stevia

3 large eggs

3 Tablespoons lemon juice or maple flavoring

1  1/2  teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 cups fat free sour cream

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

Beat all the ingredients together well.

Pour the batter into a nine inch graham cracker crust or a greased 9 inch pie pan if you prefer a crust less cheesecake.

Bake the cheesecake for 45 minutes.

Do Not Open The Oven Door While The Cheese Cake Is Baking or Cooling.

Turn off the oven and let the cheese cake in the oven to cool for 1 hour.

After one hour of cooling in the oven, remove the cheesecake from the oven and let the cheese cake cool to room temperature for about another hour.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Serve with a thickened fruit sauce, or maple walnuts drizzled on the top, or cool whip.

The braided rugs are made by a 85+ year old local Pa. Amish lady.
With the very large rugs she started the rugs then I finished them.
The largest braided rugs are very heavy.
When I was lacing the last rounds of braids onto the large wool rug it would take me two to three hours to lace the last rounds.
We also have a few braided denim rugs made from recycled denim jeans.
There are no two rugs alike as they are made from recycled wool coats or used denim jeans.
These braided rugs come from a pet free and a smoke free home.
The rugs cannot be especially ordered by a certain color.
Please contact me on the availability of these rugs that are pictured.
Shipping will be extra.
I will hand deliver any rug or any quilt to any of the market fairs that we attend as listed in Links above

Steps for Cleaning and Repairing Braided Wool Rugs

1. Vacuum your rug well, on both sides. Never use a beater brush on your vacuum, but always use a gentle-suction hardwood floor attachment.
2. Wool rugs are usually very self-cleaning though sometimes wool rugs needs deeper cleaning.
3. Lay your rug in freshly-fallen snow. A few inches of very lightly packed snow works the best. If the snow is too deep, or too icy, it will then be difficult or ineffective for cleaning. Encourage snow to seep up into the weaves of your rug by walking on your rug in the snow or hitting your rug with a broom while on the snow. Sweep the snow onto the rug and sweep the snow off of your rug. Turn your rug over and repeat multiple times, until the imprint of dirt left in the snow is very faint.
4. Shake off the excess snow and lay your rug out to dry. I then hung my rugs over a wash line and beat the rug gently to get as much snow off as possible. Then stretch your rugs over stools or over clothes racks to dry completely. It doesn’t take long for the rug to dry.
5. If you live in an area where there is no snow, wool rugs can be washed in a washing machine on a very gentle cycle, with cool or cold water, with wool-lite, in a front loading machine.
6. To repair braided rugs you can use fish line as thread to reweave the braid together.

Steps for Cleaning  and Repairing Braided Denim Rugs

1. Vacuum your rug well, on both sides.
2. Hand wash your rug in the bathtub or use a front loading wash machine on gentle.
3. Spin your rug in the washer and hang your rug out to dry on a clothes rack or the wash line.
4. To repair braided rugs, you can use fish line as thread to reweave the braid together.
   
   

Our contact information:
Stephen and Sarah Miller
9018 Glades Pike
Berlin, Pa 15530
Phone: 814-267-5887
e-mail: millersroxburystore2011@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/millersolderoxburystore
Please contact us by either telephone, e-mail, or on facebook messenger with your complete order, address, and telephone number.
As our items are handmade there may be a waiting time until we get an item/items completed. 
Thank-you for your patience!
Shipping will be calculated at the time of sale.
Pa. Sales tax will be added for all Pa. sales.
I will then contact you with your total amount of your purchase.
All sales and info will be kept confidential.
We accept cash, checks, money orders, Visa, or Mastercard. 
All credit card sales will have a 4 % convenience fee added.
We do not keep any credit card info on file for repeat orders.
We will ship your item/items after we receive payment.
Thank-you for your business!

These Handmade Quilts were made by Miriam Tucker, Sarah’s Mom.
Miriam was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in 2018.
She has outlived her doctors prognosis in 2018 of only living 3 month to 3 years.
She was living alone for quite a few years after my Dad passed away.
By 2019 with her health deteriorating fast she wanted to go to the nursing home of her church community.
At this nursing home the residents are encouraged to keep doing their handcrafts as they can.
They gave her space for her sewing machine and serger.
My four sisters and I try to find sewing projects to keep her busy’
In 2021 a neighbor asked me to clean out her mother’s sewing room.
This gave us ample fabric to give mom projects.
My one sister who lives close to the nursing home supervises the projects although we all pitch in to give advise and see there is projects on hand!
All of these quilts are available.
We have resorted to machine quilting as that is what is available in our area. Also Mom admits the machine sewing will hold everything together better.
Some of these quilts are hand tied or knotted with yarn or crochet cotton.
Shipping will be added. I can hand deliver any quilt to any of the shows listed in the links above.
If you would like any more pictures of any quilt please contact us.
Thank you!

So here is the current list of large quilts. We have plenty of smaller quilts on hand also.

Hunters Star Quilt and is machine quilted and in beautiful shades of blues.

Here is the story behind a Chinese Coin Quilt.
In fact, many quilt historians believe that the Chinese coin pattern originates from traditional Chinese currency having been stacked and tied together with a string after counting.
Others believe this design is a nod to an old Chinese motif usually found on decorative baskets.
The Chinese coins’ round form represents heaven, while the square hole in the center represents earth.
Bundles of three, six, or nine Feng Shui coins are typically strung along with a red or yellow ribbon.
So the quilt looks like coins stacked from the side and tied with a cloth.

The next quilt is a gorgeous Log Cabin Quilt which is machine quilted.

The next quilt is a Friendship Quilt where the patches came from a friend in western South Dakota.
There is a name hand embroidered in the center of each patch.
Mom Pieced the sash work between the patches.
The embroidered names are in pastel colors.
This quilt was machine quilted.

This was another stack of patches that were started from feed sack fabrics.
Mom then bordered the blocks with blue borders.
This quilt is machine quilted.

92″x114″ Machine Quilted Patriotic

Trip Around the World Quilt $550.00

This Crazy Work Quilt or Comforter was made by one of Mom’s friends years ago.
According to the knotted yarn we do not believe this crazy work vintage quilt or comforter was ever used or laundered.

The next quilt is A Puzzle Quilt
It is machine quilted

94″x110″ Puzzle Quilt

Machine Quilted $600.00

90″x110″ Four Patch Variation Quilt

Machine Quilted $400.00

75″x98″ Trip Around Town Quilt with Yellow Borders
Machine Quilted $400.00

76″x84″ Crazy Work Log Cabin

Machine Quilted $500.00

57″x71″ Lighter weight

Hand tied quilt with Olive Green Borders $106.00

60″x90″ Very Heavy Hand Tied Quilt

Hunters Special $200.00

Our contact information:
Stephen and Sarah Miller
9018 Glades Pike
Berlin, Pa 15530
Phone: 814-267-5887
e-mail: millersroxburystore2011@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/millersolderoxburystore
Please contact us by either telephone, e-mail, or on facebook messenger with your complete order, address, and telephone number.
As our items are handmade there may be a waiting time until we get an item/items completed. 
Thank-you for your patience!
Shipping will be calculated at the time of sale.
Pa. Sales tax will be added for all Pa. sales.
I will then contact you with your total amount of your purchase.
All sales and info will be kept confidential.
We accept cash, checks, money orders, Visa, or Mastercard. 
All credit card will have a 4 % convenience fee added.
We do not keep any credit card info on file for repeat orders.
We will ship your item/items after we receive payment.
Thank-you for your business!

My Mother, Miriam Tucker not only has been making quilts for many years, but she has been making Pillowcase Dolls for over 30 years.
The first Pillowcase Doll that Mom made was for one of her granddaughters.

Here is a little history lesson about the Pillowcase Dolls:
“This vintage style Pillowcase Doll goes back to earlier times when after a diligent home sewing session, a loving mother would take the material scraps and make a new doll for a well deserving child. Making do with what was available at hand, in this case a no longer needed pillowcase.
Pillowcase Dolls goes back to pioneer days, and again in the Great Depression when folks had to “make do” with what was available.
Decorative ribbon trim would frequently be pink or blue, depending on whether the doll was being made for a girl or boy.
By tradition, these dolls are faceless, in an Amish style.”

Mom’s Pillowcase Dolls are each handmade and one of a kind.
Mom’s Pillowcase Doll’s body and dress have been fashioned from a pillowcase, or in Moms case sometimes, a yard of fabric, or the embroidered part of a bureau scarf.
Mom’s Pillowcase Dolls have a sunbonnet with ribbon ties and ribbon trim on the sleeves.
The bottom of the Pillowcase Doll dress features the embroidered or decorated part of the pillowcase, or the embroidered part of a bureau scarf.
The Pillowcase Doll is 20″ long, and would be perfectly displayed on a bed, couch, dresser or in an old antique chair or rocker.

Mom’s Pillowcase Dolls come from a smoke free home.
Mom’s Pillowcase Dolls can be used as toys and is washable.
Mom’s Pillowcase Dolls are often used by an adult collector for display purposes.

Mom has also made custom Pillowcase Dolls from someone’s personal vintage pillowcase.
Depending on the condition of the vintage pillowcase the vintage Pillowcase Dolls are not recommended to be washed or played with by children.

For Mom to use your vintage pillowcase to make a custom Pillowcase Doll, the pillowcase must be freshly laundered in scent free laundry detergent.
Please contact me for mailing instructions.  
Please contact me for availability of any of these handmade pillowcase dolls. Thank you!

These Pillowcase Dolls are $33.25
Shipping will be added.
I ship after I receive payment.

Our contact information:
Stephen and Sarah Miller
9018 Glades Pike
Berlin, Pa 15530
Phone: 814-267-5887
e-mail: millersroxburystore2011@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/millersolderoxburystore
Please contact us by either telephone, e-mail, or on facebook messenger with your complete order, address, and telephone number.
As our items are handmade there may be a waiting time until we get an item/items completed. 
Thank-you for your patience!
Shipping will be calculated at the time of sale.
Pa. Sales tax will be added for all Pa. sales.
I will then contact you with your total amount of your purchase.
All sales and info will be kept confidential.
We accept cash, checks, money orders, Visa, or Mastercard. 
All credit card sales will have a 4 % convenience fee added.
We do not keep any credit card info on file for repeat orders.
We will ship your item/items after we receive payment.
Thank-you for your business!

Becky Eshleman from Hagerstown, Md. is continuing the tradition of the making of Prune People.

Sarah Miller, formerly from Mifflinburg Pa., now of Berlin, Pa. made the Prune People for 20 years for the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market years in the years 1997 – 2016, using the traditional German, as well as American folk life and folklore figures.

Becky who is Sarah’s niece, has been involved with the Prune People at Mifflinburg’s Christkindl Market since Becky came with her parents to the 2005 Mifflinburg Christkindl Market at 11 years of age.

When Sarah was asked to make the Prune People for the Mifflinburg, Pa Christkindl Market, she wasn’t too sure how it was to be done.

With a bit of research and lots of crafting, Sarah has designed and crafted quit a collection of Prune People.

The tradition of the Prune People stems from an old German story of an old man who was very sick. His neighbor children came to help him. As he was very poor he could not pay them. So the man made little people out of dried fruits and nuts and gave them as gifts.

To this day it is a real treasure to have a Prune Person in your possession – especially a Chimney Sweep. The Chimney Sweep is to bring you good luck when you touch one.

Becky also enjoys letting her imagination run as she crafts the different occupations of the Prune People.

The Prune People are all handcrafted so there no two Prune People exactly alike. We also try to craft custom Prune People to meet your wishes, if at all possible.

Sarah and Becky  have designed different Prune People to go with the theme of the yearly Mifflinburg Pa Christkindl Market.

A transition time of passing the torch of crafting the Prune People is occurring from 2012 -2019 from Sarah to Becky.

You may contact either Becky or Sarah and your order will get to Becky.

Below is a few pictures of their booth at the Mifflinburg Christkindl Market and of a few pictures of a close up view of some of the Prune People. 

Becky and Sarah have designed several different sizes of the Prune People, a do-it-yourself-kit, and a Find The Prune Man Game.

As the years roll by the children are still in awe of the Prune People at the Mifflinburg Pa  Christkindl Market.

Call or e-mail for the current prices and availability .

The prices for the Prune People Items range from $8.00 – $20.00 plus sales tax and shipping.

As our items are handmade there maybe a waiting time till we get an item/items completed. 

Thank-you for your patience!

 

Kervin and Becky Eshleman
695 Wallops Hill Road, Stevens, Pa. 17578
1-717-226-1196
knb4ever2014@gmail.com 

Stephen and Sarah Miller
9018 Glades Pike, Berlin, Pa. 15530
1-814-267-5887
millersroxburystore2011@gmail.com 

And you can find us on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/prunepeople