Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodle Cookies

 

Ingredients:

1 Cup Unsalted Butter

1 1/2 Cups Sugar

2 Eggs

2 3/4 Cups All-Purpose Flour

2 tsp. Cream of Tartar

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1/2 tsp. Salt

 

To Coat:

1/4 Cup Sugar

3 tsp. Ground Cinnamon

 

 

• Using a mixer with whisk attachment cream together softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy
• Add eggs, one at a time, beat well after each addition
• In a separate bowl combined Flour, Cream of Tartar, Baking Soda and Salt, give them a few turns of the whisk and then add to Sugar, Butter and Eggs mixture.
• you may want to refrigerate dough for 30 minutes or so for easier rolling

 

• In a small bowl combine the coating mixture of cinnamon and sugar, give it a few spins with a whisk
• Roll dough into 1 inch balls and roll in cinnamon and sugar mixture, use a spoon to help cover
•  Place dough on parchment paper on standard baking rack (12 should fit on one sheet)
• place cookie dough balls about 2" apart so they won't touch during baking

 

• Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned
• Let cool on  baking sheet for a few minutes before moving to wire rack to cool

 

DIY - Growth Chart

DIY - Growth Chart Tutorial

 

1. Pick your lumber

(the type of wood doesn't really matter)

I chose 6" X 7'

(My hardware store didn't have any 6' tall lumber)

2. Using a circular saw Cut it to 6' in length

(this will give me a total of 6' 6" because it will be mounted 6" from the ground to allow for base boards etc.)

 

3. Sand the rough edges

4. Use an old paint brush or clean cloth to wipe away saw dust

 5. Prepare you Chalk Paint

(see my Chalk Paint tutorial HERE)

 

6. Paint your lumber (2 coats)

7. Wait...it must be completely dry before beginning the stenciling

8. Use a Measuring Tape or Ruler to mark off the length of the board

and Stencil you Numbers

(I used graduating marks from inches to 6 inches to feet just as you would see on a ruler)

 

9. Once your project is dry you can hang it (remember 6" off the ground)

(You can get a picture hanging kit fairly inexpensive at any hardware store)

DIY - Chalk Paint

DIY Chalk Paint

 

Chalk paint is one of my all time favorite ways to refinish furniture or complete an art project. The chalk paint doesn't require sanding* prior to painting, you can use any color you want, it dries fairly quickly and it gives your piece a nice matte finish. 

*Unless you have a piece of furniture that has a lot of damage, then you may want to do some prep work, i.e. sanding and spackle.

 

You can use Plaster of Paris or dry, sand free tile Grout Mix

(if so be careful of colored grout)

 

 

What you'll need:

• A large bowl you won't want to cook with again
• A measuring cup
• A whisk or old hand mixer
• Plaster of Paris
• Water
• Latex Paint

Recipe:

1 Part Plaster of Paris

Water

3 Parts Latex Paint

 

Important Note:  

• Only make as much Chalk Paint as you will use in about a week, it will tend to get grainy and clumpy beyond the one week time frame.
• A little bit goes a long way about 2 cups of paint was enough to refinish a dresser and have a bit left over
• Chalk Paint has a liquid consistency and will tend to be a bit runny, never put a ton of paint on your brush and make sure you brush-out drips before they dry.

Directions: (example will be enough to cover a dresser with two coats)

• Measure out 1 Part - Plaster of Paris (2/3 Cup)

• Mix in enough water to give it a pancake mix consistency

• use an old hand mixer or whisk

• Add 3 Parts - Latex Paint (2 Cups)

• mix until you see bubbles but not clumps

FINISHING:
When finishing furniture you will want to use a wax paste for sealing and protecting your furniture from future damage like water stains, scuffs and scratches. I used Johnson Wax Paste, you may want to use the wax again in 6 months or so if the piece is in heavy use, like a coffee table.

Day 8 - Colonial Williamsburg

The Capitol - Where the House of Burgesses, elected by the people and the Executive Committee, selected by the Governor commenced their meetings. This is where the capitol crimes were tried and the phrase "Passing the bar" came from, in the Capital when a trial was in place the only people allowed to set foot in the front of the room, or "pass the bar" (a sort of fancy gate) were lawyers and the judge. (with the exception of the jury)




Crimes punished by death included: treason, murder, rape, horse thievery and swine thievery on the third attempt. (funny little factoid)


R. Charlton's Coffeehouse - The best place for many a gentlemen and politician to converse. The coffeehouse was the source for local gossip, politics and a stimulating good time, as the servers explained. Grab your friends and tour the coffeehouse ending with a delightful taste of coffee, tea or chocolate (right) served in revolutionary era cup and saucer.



Milliner - If you needed to make some adjustments to an old dress or your husband needed a new suit you would be visiting the milliner. They had everything from cushioned caps to protect a child's head to dolls for little girls. The Milliner always carrying the latest French fashions, since trade with England had stopped France was the best option.





Shoe Maker - Making shoes was lengthy process, many times you would have several shoe makers, each working on a different process of the shoe, measuring and cutting the leather, stitching and binding, adding the glue and nailing the sole. They made sure to always have the more common sizes in stock and custom orders could take a week to fulfill depending of their current work load. Completed shoes (left) and the foot molds use to shape the shoes. (right)

Your apprenticeship would last 7 years, whether you were a shoe maker, a silver smith or a cabinet maker. It was expensive and you would actually live and work with your master while you were an apprentice.

Silver Smith (Getty House) - They had many beautiful pieces in the house but there were no demonstrations because silver smithing had come to a screeching fault. During the time of the Revolution the colonist signed a pact that they would not do any business with England, therefore Mr. Getty had to give-up his business altogether. All of Mr. Getty's silver came from England and silver was yet to be found in this new land.

 

Apothecary - This is your modern day pharmacy, but you don't need a prescription, if you know what you need you just go down to the Apothecary and purchase it. Another one of Stephen's favorites, he loves seeing how medicine was practiced in the late 1700's.




Maze at the Governor's Palace - The maze was fun and pretty easy to get through because some of the hedge you could actually see through to the other side and know if you were heading in the right direction. Regardless, it was fun getting lost in the maze with my husband, I could see the appeal especially during a young couples' courtship how a few moments alone would seem so special.


Wheelwright - In this building they were making wheels of all sizes, for wheelbarrows, carriages etc. We were able to see them shape the wheel, after it had it's metal support they would scrape off an extra wood that would be beyond the support of the metal frame. Many of these shops had to work closely with the others, as this one did with the blacksmith.

DoG Street Pub - We had to enjoy our last night in Virginia by returning to one of our favorite places where good food was guaranteed. DoG Street Pub did not disappoint and the Sticky Toffee Pudding...Amazing!!!

Day 7 - Jamestown & Yorktown

Jamestown

 

Indian village - We toured a few on the teepees, saw women molding and shaping clay into pots. We could try our hand at scraping the fur off of stretched hides to be used in baskets for harvesting food or containing water for drinking/cooking. We also got to see some men making a canoe (right) from a large tree. They were actually burning the tree little by little and scraping out the ash to carve out a place for the men to sit.

The colonists - They did a musket demonstration and had weapons and armor to see and touch. They explained the challenges of arriving in a new country and the battles between the colonists and the Indians. We saw a man making fire using carbon rich cotton to ignite the spark made from striking two rock together. He used this fire to bake bread that some of us were able to taste.

The picture (left) shows the colonists homes consisted of stacked lumber and the cracks were filled with a combination of mud and straw to keep the extreme temperatures out.




The Ships - the colonists arrived on three different ship when entering the place that is now Jamestown. The Susan Constant (right): 71 Passenger, Discovery: 12 Passengers 9 Crew and the God Speed which still sails today for some of the local schools when they go on field trips.

Yorktown

A typical colonial period farm -When the colonists first arrived from England they were given 200 acres of land of which 30/40 were farmed. The colonists lived off of the land, it was the man's job to farm the land along with any slaves that they had. It was a woman's job to preserve the harvest, dry the meat by adding a bunch of salt and smoke the meat(left). They would soak the dried meat for up to a week for cooking preparation. After each day they would taste the water the meat soaking in and when the water was no longer too salty, it was ready to cook.

The largest and best meal of the day was typically lunch and you would eat variations of the same meal for supper (reheated leftovers) and sometimes breakfast the next morning, up to a week of left overs. There were no cold storage options at that time so you would have to really plan what you were going to be eating. Salted and smoked meat could be stored for upwards of one year!

The photo (left) is a wheel and pulley system used to turn the meat while it was on the spit.



Military Encampment - There were over a dozen small tents, each tent was meant to sleep six men. (Just like tents now, if it says "sleeps 6" its really meant to sleep two or three comfortably.) Inside the encampment they had a weapons display and musket demonstration (right). We saw everything from the holes that were dug with spikes pointing upward, flintlock pistols and the cannon used to demolished enemy forces.

Stephen's favorite part of the military encampment was the surgeon's tent where he got to play with revolutionary era medical supplies. We saw the hand held, hand turned drill they used to cut open peoples skulls! The braces they used for broken bones and the belts used as tourniquets and even their travel pharmacy. None of the surgical instruments were sharp and the most worn piece was the one a man would bite on while surgery was being performed! OUCH!! This part was very interesting but really grossed me out, I'm not a fan of blood and I have a vivid imagination...
(left: the surgeon's medical kit)





Huzzah! Restaurant for dinner, lots of yummy food and probably the least expensive of the whole trip! We shared some pizza and the brisket meal. (we aren't sure if it was Huzzah! that caused it but we both experienced the revenge of something we ate the next day...)

Tavern Ghost Walk - We heard stories of the ghosts that are said to haunt Williamsburg still to this day. From ghost showing up in the Randolph house a terrifying the maid, to appearing in windows far too high for any man to stand in, the witch trail and ghosts causing mischief in the local taverns. They were fun stories but we were never very scared because the William and Mary College was having a concert the same night and it's hard to get into the story when you can hear YMCA playing in the background. :)

Drinks and Games at Chownings - Our ghost walk ended in front of Chownings Tavern and they had just started seating for the evening of drinks and games so we decided to partake. We met a lovely couple, Karl & Ellen from Michigan and we all enjoyed great conversation, playing games, making our way through a basket of peanuts and few drinks.

Day 6 - Colonial Williamsburg

Peyton Randolph's House - Randolph was a farmer and public official, he served as speaker of the House of Burgesses at the Capitol. He and his family were wealthy and were also known to have had great influence over the colonists and persuaded them to follow him politically. Patrick Henry was one of the first men in Williamsburg to oppose Randolph when it came to a few of the resolutions being considered in the Stamp Act.



 The parlor (at right) where guests would be seen and served tea and pastries whilst they discuss politics with Mr. Randolph. The Randolph house was famous for preparing many different appetizers and entrées in order to please anyone that would dine at the Randolph House. Many guests would stay here at the Randolph house for many weeks. Winning friends and gaining influence was at the heart of all Mr. Randolph did.

  
 

Cabinet Maker - this shop was one of the most extraordinary in Colonial Williamsburg, it looks like all of the other shops and buildings in town until you approach the walk way. Upon entering the gate you can see that a portion of the building is actually above a small creek with beautiful greenery surrounding the building. From the interior of the shop you can look through the windows and see the gorgeous creek winding it's way towards the house and on the opposite side watch the stream flow through the river rocks and down towards the Capital.

This was one of the most crowded sites in Colonial Williamsburg so unfortunately we were not able to get a good look at all of the tool and demonstrations the cabinet maker was doing, just a glimpse from the door, but the skill and labor seemed tremendous! It took the cabinet maker almost a week to make a chair and of course each and every leg must look the same, down to the claw and ball foot! Not to mention chairs are rarely ordered in singles!

Bindery - This was a very interesting trade, one I would probably enjoy. I enjoy being consistent and precise. We were able to watch the man punch and bind, which looks like a simple form of sewing. (top left of the photo at right)

Once all of the pages were bound together they would then be pressed between two pieces of wood while you would slide a sharp blade across the rough edges on the pages and cut the folds. (photo below)

Tour of Wetherburn's Tavern - This is the only tavern in Williamsburg that does not serve food or drink, this establishment is for tours only. When touring the tavern you can see the original wood work and stair case. The furnishings were simple except for that of one particular room where guests could pay a substantial sum to have private meetings and use the silver dinnerware. All other rooms in the tavern were public, you would share a table for dinner or sometimes even a bed for the night. Four to six men would sleep in each of the rooms, if you paid extra you could have a room for just your family and your servant.








Court House and Trial- The court house in Williamsburg is where general court and civil trials would be held. When we toured the Court House we were actually able to sit in on three trials. Stephen was able to be one of the selected few to pass judgment on these poor souls. ;)

Magazine - The Magazine is where all of the military weapons and necessities were stored on a day to day basis. It is not a barracks as I had envisioned as a child but merely a storage facility. Regardless, the brickwork and long winding stair case are fun to look at, and who wouldn't love a virtually unlimited supply of gunpowder, muskets, swords and various other supplies.

 

 

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Black Smith - We were able to visit the blacksmith and see them making different kitchen tools, like a pan with legs or pot (right). They also had various things to touch; like locks, keys (above) and nails (left) that they would have to make regularly for the colonists.


The blacksmith would use a forge to get the coals nice and hot and put whatever metal they were using into the coals until it was red hot. Once the metal was red hot it was now ready to be shaped, they would place the metal against a large anvil and use a hammer to work the metal into whatever shape they were going for. This process would be repeated over and over until the desired shape was achieved them the blacksmith would dunk the metal in a bucket of water to keep the metal from continuing to change shape, to kind of solidify the shape they had created.

Goal (Prison) - This was not a prison as we see these days, this was a temporary "holding cell" where people that were a flight risk would be kept until their court hearing. I believe the maximum amount of time spent in the Goal was 3 weeks. Crime was judged and punished much more quickly in the 1700s. You would either be released of the charges, pay a fine or be hanged. If the judge decided to give you mercy you would be branded on your hand, near your thumb, so that other people would know you were a criminal.




DoG Street Pub - After a day of walking around Williamsburg we had worked up quiet an appetite. We walked down to Merchant Square and did a little shopping when we saw DoG Street Pub, the place was busy so we knew it had to be good. Dinner was delicious, we ordered fish and chips and a salmon salad, the portions were large and the service was great! The cost of the meal was actually significantly less expensive than that of the taverns in Colonial Williamsburg. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone traveling in the area.