Toffee. Because I care.

Many of you might already be familiar with the recipe.
But it's so yummy and so darn easy that I wanted to share.

Perfect for a quick dessert, on a Christmas cookie/candy platter, or when your kids need to bring 2 dozen treats to school and they tell you about it 10:30 pm the night before... *ahem*

~ Line a jelly roll pan with nonstick foil or parchment paper. Do not skip this step.

~ Place graham crackers to fill the entire pan. (You can use saltines as well, but I believe salty and sweet should never mingle. I know. Don't hate me.)


~ In a saucepan, bring 1 cup butter and 3/4 cup brown sugar to a boil. Simmer for 5-6 minutes, only stirring once or twice. Pour that over your cracker crust.


~ Bake at 350 degrees for 7-8 minutes. Remove and sprinkle with chocolate chips. I like Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate. And strangely I think this is better with just a skim layer of chocolate. Too much chocolate hides the toffee and I like the toffee to shine. Pop it back in the oven for 3 or 4 minutes until the chips start to get glossy and melt.


~ Spread the chocolate with a rubber spatula. Let your toffee cool in the fridge and then break into pieces. You can add seasonal sprinkles before it's cooled if you like. In this case a certain 3 year old insisted that we add green sugar. And who am I to argue?


Cracker Toffee
Graham crackers
1 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 cups (or less) chocolate chips

Place crackers in a single layer in a lined 15-in. x -10-in. x 1-in. pan. In a saucepan, bring butter and sugar to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5-6 minutes or until mixture is thickened and sugar is completely dissolved. Spread over crackers.

Bake at 350 degrees for 7-8 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with chips. Bake 3-5 minutes longer or until chips begin to melt; spread chocolate evenly over top. Chill for 15-20 minutes or until set; break into pieces. Store in the refrigerator.



*****
Happy Fall weekend to you!
p.s. There's still lots of time to enter the current jewelry giveaway if you haven't already! Click here.

Fingerprint Friday

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of God
So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join.

1. Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints. Be sure to link back here so others can find the entire list of participants.
2. After you've posted your blog, sign the Linky below. Have fun exploring the other links as well! Please sign in only if you're participating. Hopefully this will make us look at things through fresh eyes throughout the week.
-------------------
(computer problems = late start. Sorry.)

This is one of the hottest looks going right now. Women want this print in their shoes, purses, dresses, sweaters, and more.

And for this beauty, it's all natural! God was the original designer of all things fabulous!


Happy Friday to you!

Over the Rainbow. { giveaway }

I never thought I'd be a Kansas girl.
And I surely never thought I'd be a farm girl.
Okay, The Man still insists that it's not a farm because we don't have a combine or livestock.

But it's a big chunk of land, surrounded by fields of wheat, milo, sunflowers and soybeans. And the only roads we have are dirt.
I call it a farm.

Regardless, I'm amazed daily at the beauty around us.
Who knew Kansas had something beautiful to offer?!
Not me. Not until 13 or so years ago.

I'm quickly falling in love with my new life here. The dust, the tractors, the mud, the four wheeler, the sounds, the scenery, the laid back pace.


Just for fun, let's do a giveaway.
Two winners will receive a $25 gift certificate to TheRustedChain.com.

And because I love you more than my coffee, I'll give you lots of ways to enter.

1. Leave a comment telling me a beautiful thing about where you live.
(The following are optional. Please leave seperate comments for each.)
2. FB about it.
3. Grab our button from the right sidebar and add it to your blog.
4. Follow us on Facebook.
5. Follow us on Twitter.
6. Tweet about it. (@TheRustedChain is having another great jewelry giveaway! http://tinyurl.com/2bhlk9l)


Whoa. That's a lot of ways to enter! Have fun.
Enjoy the beauty around you. And 2 random winners will be chosen in a week.

Magical.

That's what the last 10 days were.

We've been gone. Here.




Hippo butt, lizard butt, baby gorilla butt, rhino butt, big gorilla butt, elephant butt.
I'm not normal.




When I was a little girl, my biggest dream was to play Alice in the Disney parade.
I still want to work for Disney.
Maybe I should be a jewelry designer for them.


So we're home now. I have so much to do it's a bit overwhelming.
I need a vacation.

Flavors of Fall, part 2.

Lately we're baking more and more often.
It's just the right thing to do when the weather gets cool.

Banana Cake with cinnamon and cloves in it.
Sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar before it's baked to make a crunchy topping.
Along with a cup of coffee.
Yes please.
YUM.
Click here to find the recipe.


Have you been baking lately? What are you making?

Fingerprint Friday

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of God
So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join.

1. Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints. Be sure to link back here so others can find the entire list of participants.
2. After you've posted your blog, sign the Linky below. Have fun exploring the other links as well! Please sign in only if you're participating. Hopefully this will make us look at things through fresh eyes throughout the week.
-------------------

Today's Fingerprint Friday is a guest post by Sarah at Cooper, Party of 4.



This week's Fingerprint Friday is very dear to my heart.
Sweet Bella Ringgold got her angel wings on October 11.
The news left me numb. I yelled. I cried. I wanted to climb into bed with my babies.


But, something changed.
I read of her last moments on their blog.
It was peaceful. Her parents finally got to hold her as she left. They were able to take off her bandages, and wires, and tubes.
They bathed their sweet baby, dressed her, and tucked her in bed.
Her family is the best example of faith I have ever seen.


In their moments, before saying goodbye, they were able to make molds of Bella's feet and hands, something that her skin could never handle while she was with them.


I am honored to know this family, to have a connection with such an inspirational little girl.
Her fingerprints are forever in my heart.

A little Happy.

Just a few bright spots in my day.


1. L.O.V.E.
2. Sparkly necklace
3. Clothespins
4. vintage spoons


1. Colorful pillow made for me by a friend
2. bright polka dots
3. Bandana and a glass doorknob
4. vintage fan

* * *

What's your bright spot today?

It's Monday.

And it's going to require coffee.

Lots of strong coffee.


How's your day starting so far?

Grasshoppa...

Recently I was editing one of my photo sessions and I noticed something next to the little boy's hand.

I zoomed in and saw this. LOOK!
It's a grasshopper in mid air!
How funny is that!?

It's not very clear because the focus was on the boy and I cropped him out.
Look at those little feet!
If I actually tried to capture a grasshopper in mid-flight it would never happen.

But this photo just cracks me up.


What's making you giggle lately?

Fingerprint Friday

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of God

So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join.

1. Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints. Be sure to link back here so others can find the entire list of participants.
2. After you've posted your blog, sign the Linky below. Have fun exploring the other links as well! Please sign in only if you're participating. Hopefully this will make us look at things through fresh eyes throughout the week.
-------------------
Yesterday morning I saw movement outside my office window.
As I looked out I saw 3 deer. A mommy and two babies.




They're so pretty and I'm just so grateful for these little moments God gives us when we least expect it.

Faith and sleeping.

What would it be like to have so much faith that you can fall asleep bridged between a chair and sofa?
No worries about falling.
No concern in the world.


That happened recently on a rainy day here at Badger Creek.
Faith like a child. So special!
****
We listed these two new items for sale today.

Simply Stated Bracelet. (can say anything you want)


Have Faith and Fly necklace (it says "to have faith is to have wings")


****
How's your day? Sunny? Rainy? Faithful? Shaky? Sleepy? Bashful? (wait, that's something different...) I want to hear.

DJ Tanner

Remember her?
She was on Full House. With Uncle Jesse.
And Kimmy.
And a little set of girls known as the Olsen Twins.
Gosh that show had a lot of hair going on! Hey, it was the 80's.

DJ was played by Candace Cameron.
I mentioned her a while back here on the blog.

Now we're BFF's. We're like *this*.
Okay, not really.
Don't tell her I said that. She'll think I'm a crazy psycho stalker or something and I wouldn't want that.

But Candace Cameron Bure is now married, a mother of ridiculously gorgeous children, wife of a hockey player, starring in a show called Make It Or Break It, co-author of a new book called Reshaping It All, and a fan of The Rusted Chain jewelry.

Recently she tweeted me: "Look what I'm wearing today!"


It's our I Have Decided necklace, designed just for her.

The day her package arrived she sent me a message: "Wow!! I got the necklaces today!!! I absolutely LOVE them. Thank you so much."

If I could pick a celebrity to wear our jewelry (and there are quite a few that do), I'd pick someone who represents the things I stand for.
Family. Christian values. Hard working. Loyalty. Motherhood.

Candace does exactly that!

Thanks Candace for being my imaginary BFF!

It's that time of year...

The time when my brain goes on full overload.
Time for random.

To many of you, it's barely Fall.
But because of my jewelry and photography businesses, I'm in full holiday mode already.
Lots of Fall photo sessions lately. (Although it would be more if the leaves would change colors! They still haven't.)
Lots of early Christmas shoppers buying jewelry.
Good for them.

I tend to wait until the week of a holiday or event before planning for it.
I'm efficient like that.

It's the time of year when weeks fly by. One day it's Monday, the next day it's Friday.
And I've no clue where the days in between went.

~ Recently we had "Donuts With Mom" at The Boy's school. He reminded me at 6:55am and it started at 7:15. And we have a 15 minute drive to his school.
I figured the other moms would look similar to me.
But no. They didn't have bed head and puffy eyes. They were dressed in cute capris, kitten heels, long drapey necklaces, short spikey hair perfectly in place.
*sigh* Every event at his school is a full fashion show.
I don't fit in. At all. But that's okay.


~ Yesterday I told The Boy to do his chores. His response: "Fine. You may have won this round. But in the end, I WILL prevail."

~ I have a stinking adorable idea in my head for Christmas cards.
I even bought the supplies to make them.
Last year the kids and I made Christmas cards. Really cute ones.
And I never mailed them. Once again, I'm efficient.
So maybe I should skip the card making this year and just mail last year's?

~ Recently we went to an air show. The day was absolutely beautiful and the Thunderbirds were flying right over us. And I was reminded that I love my camera.
Others around me were struggling with a delayed point and shoot, and I just snapped away. Easy peasy.
Everyone should get an easy SLR camera, even an inexpensive one. Start with a Canon Rebel. You'll love it.
I got to wear a Fall outfit this day. Cute cardigan, adorable jewelry, tall boots.
I don't get out much...




~ My neighbors want to say hi.



~ This child is "goodlicious". That's his word. And I love it.
He is. Yummy, sweet, rotten, hilarious.
Several people recognized him at the Barn Sale. Just strangers that read this blog.
Crazy.


~ Speaking of the Barn Sale, here are a couple other blog posts about it with better photos than mine. I was sort of stuck behind my table the whole time and couldn't get out to shoot the whole thing.

Click here and here.

~ How are things going in your world? Anything random you'd like to share?
I'll listen, I promise.

Fingerprint Friday

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of God
So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join.

1. Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints. Be sure to link back here so others can find the entire list of participants.
2. After you've posted your blog, sign the Linky below. Have fun exploring the other links as well! Please sign in only if you're participating. Hopefully this will make us look at things through fresh eyes throughout the week.
-------------------
Busy morning. Late start.
I have no Fingerprint Friday ready, I'm sorry!

Happy Friday though! I'll try to check your links this weekend.

Flavors of Fall

Earlier this year we had an abundance of apricots. (remember this?)

We jammed and jammed and jammed some more.
And in some of the batches of jam, I mixed in cinnamon, ginger, and ground cloves.
Oh.My.Goodness. It is so delicious!

Spiced Apricot jam on whole wheat toast has been my breakfast and snack of choice the past few days.


Every morning with my coffee I'm having this.
I also have Apricot Amaretto that's begging to be opened.
Let's just ignore those jeans that are tightening up each day.

What's your favorite snack?

{p.s. The winners of the last giveaway are Tonya and Blue Eyed Night Owl. Congrats! Please email us at TheRustedChainInfo AT yahoo please.}

Barn Sale!

I told you the other day that we'd be selling The Rusted Chain jewelry at a barn sale this weekend.
But what I didn't tell you was that I was the host! It was at our barn.


I've been planning this for months and it was a lot of work.
And yesterday was finally the day. We had such a great time!

There were local vendors pouring into my yard at 7:00am.
We got everyone set up and at 9:00 the shoppers came in droves!
The Man and I made signs to put up to direct people here. Aren't they cute?




The weather was perfect. A bit cold, but still very nice and crisp and fall-ish.
We should've had a cider/hot chocolate/coffee stand. We'll know for next year.

{Adorable booth called Minky and Me. She made me the cutest apron that I got compliments on all day!}


My vendors were so amazingly kind to me!
One left me a bundle of candles on my table.
One gave me a jar of black bean salsa.
One brought me chocolate covered nuts from a local nut house.
One gave me a bag of Pumpkin Pie Chex Mix. YUM. (people must know I love food.)
One left a sign on my table that says "Would a bad witch wear shoes this fabulous?" Ha! It also had a sweet note handwritten on the back.
You made me cry again, Trasie. Well done.

One gave me a chippy wood sign with a bird on it, a black and orange Halloween wreath, and toilet paper.
Yeah really. Toilet paper.
She's been telling me for weeks that I needed to have plenty of tp on hand for when all the vendors have to go in my house and use the restroom.
And at 10:00 the night before the sale, I realized we had one roll and it was half gone!
So I emailed her and begged for her to bring some tp the next day. (We're out in the sticks, remember? I can't just run get some.)
That's what good friends do. Bring each other toilet paper when they run out.
Thank you T for saving the day!

We had shoppers from Oregon, Oklahoma, Nebraska, and even New Jersey. Those are just the ones I know of. There could've been more.



It wouldn't be a barn sale if a big ol' John Deere tractor didn't drive down the road.


I was so touched and humbled by the amount of people that came out to shop and support the sale.
Amy, Amy, Jody, Jess... Thank you girls! It meant so much that you guys came out and supported me.
{hair bow holders from Darling Doo Dads}


I got to meet possibly my favorite buyer of all time, Suzanne. How fun!
Thank you Suzanne for driving all the way out here!! I'm sorry I didn't get to spend more time talking with you.




Wish you all could've been here! Maybe next year, right?
Start thinking and planning it now... Gather up your girlfriends.
Convince them they need to take a trip to Kansas.


How was your Saturday?

Fingerprint Friday

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of God
So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join.

1. Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints. Be sure to link back here so others can find the entire list of participants.
2. After you've posted your blog, sign the Linky below. Have fun exploring the other links as well! Please sign in only if you're participating. Hopefully this will make us look at things through fresh eyes throughout the week.
-------------------

I don't have anything particularly deep or meaningful to say this week. (not that I ever do...)
But I just keep being touched by the idea of the rest and peace that only God can provide.
In my deepest darkest moments, I've felt a peace that passes all understanding.
And at my most weary and exhausted, I've felt a rest that only He can give.

Matthew 11:28
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."