New for Spring!

New purse for spring!

I'll give you a beter idea of what is being made in the near feature.

I have a limited amount of banana fabric and most of the items have already sold to retailers.

There are a few bags left that are not spoken for, so , If you're interested, get your name in the pot early.

The bag will be represented on my Etsy site as a gorilla. Prepaid orders will be reserved for you.

This item is going to be too cute for words!

Ruth Ann
http://www.r2swanger.etsy.com
http://www.raggbaggs.blogspot.com

Sweet Irish Scones Recipe

SWEET IRISH SCONES

6 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sugar
3 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 sticks cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup currants
3 eggs
2 cups milk

Preheat oven to 475 F/ 220 C degrees. Sift the dry ingredients together.

Cut the butter pieces into the dry ingredients with 2 knives.
Add the currants or raisins and stir with a fork.

Mix eggs and milk in a separate bowl. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the eggs and milk. Working with 1/2 of the dough at a time, shape into a ball and pat out to about 1 inch thickness, onto a lightly-floured board. Cut as desired.

Brush the top of each scone with a little milk to glaze. Sprinkle a teaspoon or two of Demerara sugar on top of each scone.

Bake on a lightly greased cookie sheet for 12 to 15 minutes, until the scones are golden brown.

Makes 10 - 12 scones.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/recipe_group_connection/ Additional Information: Version 2.1

Happy St. Patrick's Day - A Little Late

Our plans to go to Chattanooga and party last night were thwarted by my
hapless and hopeless back.

My lovely large leprechaun treated me to
Irish Soda Bread
Shepherd's Pie
and
Guinness Stout
served on
Shamrock Plates.

We watched
"The Quiet Man"
and
"Darby O'Gill and the Little People"
for the umpteenth time.
Tonight we will watch
"The Waking of Ned Devine".
These movies are always a treat!

I hope that my back allows me to get back to posting more often.
Jewelry making is always in progress,
albeit slowly these days.

God Bless All Here!

Ruth Ann
http://www.raggbaggs.blogspot.com
http://www.r2swanger.etsy.com

Lavender Sachets

These fabulous lavender sachets were made by
Ragged Roses
in
Sussex By The Sea, UK

This lady is a fabulous
seamstress
flea marketer (marketress?)
and
gardener.

She even grows her own lavender to fill her sachets.

You can find her blog at
http://www.raggedroses.blogspot.com

It will lead you to her Etsy shop.
I am proud to have been one of her
first customers
several years ago.

Have a fabulous day!
Ruth Ann
http://www.raggbaggs.blogspot.com
http://www.r2swanger.etsy.com

Designs By Swanger

The Asylum

Irish Proverb

May you always have walls for the winds, a roof for the rain, tea beside the fire, laughter to cheer you, those you love near you, and all that your heart desires.

- Irish Proverb

Helping Others

"In helping others, we shall help ourselves, for whatever good we give out completes the circle and comes back to us." ~ Flora Edwards

Our Most Famous Artist

Bledsoe County is proud to be the home of artist
John Hargis and his lovely wife, Melba.

John is a photographer of wide notoriety,
having done photo shoots all over the world.
We are, of course, most proud of his works featuring
Bledsoe County
and
Fall Creek Falls State Park.

John and Melba are the former owners of
Perfect Light Gallery in Pikeville, TN
which also features the works of
local wildlife photographer
and occasionally the painted works of
Pikeville's much loved former doctor,
Dr. Rufus M. Morgan.
Doctor Morgan has lost most of the use of his hands
and now paints with his brush attached to his
trusty fishing pole.

Mr. and Mrs. Hargis are active members of the
Bethel Church of Christ
in Bledsoe County.

Tea and Tidings!
Ruth Ann
http://www.r2swanger.etsy.com

Beware of PayPal downloads

My main computer is in the hospital. I downloaded a button from PayPal's website and along with the button came a bug. According to my computer doctor, this bug works it's way into your anti virus software and will eventually wipe out your whole computer. Fortunately I took the computer to him quickly enough that he thinks he can debug it and restore the access I have lost. I have had lots of trouble with PayPal, but never thought about getting a bug from them.

Anyhow, new products will be added to my Etsy site as soon as my favorite computer comes home.

Have a great day!
Ruth Ann
http://r2swanger.etsy.com/

Kit - New Purple Shadow Ring Kit

Purple Shadow Ring Kit

We are now offering our
Purple Shadow Ring
as a kit.

Look for it on our Etsy site -
http://www.r2swanger.etsy.com

Now you can say
'I made it myself!".

Have a fabulous day!
Ruth Ann
http://www.r2swanger.etsy.com

Kit - New Bracelet Kit

Our beautiful teapot bracelet is now available as a kit from
http://www.r2swanger.etsy.com

The kit consists of
Full Instructions
Swarovski Pearls
Sterling Teapot Charm
Sterling Spoon and Teapot Toggle
Crimps
Stringing Material

You can proudly say
"I made it myself!"

Kit - New Bracelet Kit

Les Petit Papillons Bracelet Kit

I have now added the
Les Petit Papillons Bracelet Kit
to my Etsy site.

The kit includes:
Instructions
Swarovski Crystal Bicones
Swarovski Crystal Butterflies
Sterling Beads and Findings
Fireline or Tiger Tail

Now you can say
"I Made It Myself"!

Have a great day!
Ruth Ann
http://www.r2swanger.etsy.com
beads@bledsoe.com

Have springtime on your wrist all year 'round!

Are We Frozen Yet?

It is currently 36 degrees and sunny. No snow since yesterday. It made the air look pretty, but it didn't lay. The temperature is supposed to be down to 18 tonight, so Ray is splitting wood for the fireplace in the drawing room. I miss the gas logs in there, but I certainly don't miss the bills! We still have 6 gas fireplaces, but we use them conservatively. We find it romantic to sleep in front of the fire and Poppett loves it!

We are blessed with 5 acres of trees that we can cut and 5 acres that we can farm. We are also blessed with plenty of time since Ray has been permanently 'down sized' from his job. Now, if we were just blessed with plenty of money...... ;o)

God bless all of us during this distressing time!

Ruth Ann
http://www.raggbaggs.blogspot.com
http://www.r2swanger.etsy.com

Pound Cake Recipe

Always Moist Pound Cake

1 (18.25-ounce) box Duncan Hines all butter cake mix
4 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
8 ounces (1 cup) sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

All ingredients should be at room temperature.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Combine cake mix, oil, sour cream and sugar. Add eggs one at a time
until thoroughly mixed. Stir in vanilla extract.

Spray (or grease) Bundt pan and sugar coat the inside of pan (this
creates the crisp crust found on the old fashioned pound cakes). Pour
batter into prepared pan and bake for approximately 45 minutes or
until cake test is done.

Serves 12.