The E of Collecting: Ephemera

The E of Collecting:  Ephemera 

Merriam Webster's online dictionary defines Ephemera as:  1.) something of no lasting significance —usually used in plural OR 2.) ephemera plural : paper items (as posters, broadsides, and tickets) that were originally meant to be discarded after use but have since become collectibles.

In the collecting world, the word Ephemera usually applies to items made of PAPER, because paper ages and disintegrates over time.  There's lots of things that were originally not meant to be saved or collected and which have had lasting interest to collectors.    Things like menus, matches, invitations, diplomas, certificates, postcards, envelopes, advertising brochures and pamphlets (recipe booklets for one), and magazines can be considered ephemera.  Collecting ephemera can be fun, inexpensive and educational.

There are lots of items scattered all over OLA that fit into this category of collecting.   Here are a few that grabbed my attention this morning.

1939 World's Fair Menu autographed by Jack Dempsey

Squeaking Alligator Post Card

Paper Dolls

1927 Calendar Page

Fruit Crate Box Label

1952 Recipe Booklet

State Planter's Bank Christmas Carols Booklet

OLD Brer Rabbit Recipe Booklet

1912 Domino Sugar Recipes Booklet

Old Instruction Booklet for Maple Flooring

Collecting Ephemera can provide hours of recreation!  Collecting Ephemera can provide tons of knowledge.  Follow your interests.  Explore OLA's many categories for lots of ideas and collecting possibilities. 

Ephemera can make inexpensive and thoughtful gifts (often, a small ad item can fit into a birthday, congratulations or holiday card).

I hope you have enjoyed reading about the Ephemera category of collecting. 

Until next time, when I will write about the letter F and collecting, 

Happy OLA Shopping!

Classic_Chloe

Planning the New Year's Party

So, it's Christmas Eve...
the presents are wrapped, the tree is lit and sparkling, the cookies are baked, holiday tidings are sent, and do you know what I'm doing?

I am planning the New Year's Party!

It will be a fairly small event, with just family and a few friends, but no matter how big your celebration, festive food and drinks always help to make it memorable. This year my kids have requested a colorful theme. Thought I'd share a recipe or two with you, in case you need to brighten up your party, too!

These recipes come from Tablespoon.com, where you'll find not only inspiring recipes, but coupons, too, which will help keep your holiday budget under control! It's so easy to over-indulge, isn't it?

 

 

Double Rainbow Pudding

 

Ingredients

• 1 5.1 oz box vanilla instant pudding, prepared per package directions
• red, yellow, blue, green and purple liquid food coloring
• whipped topping and rainbow sprinkles, for garnish

Directions

1. Separate the prepared pudding into 6 individual bowls.
2. Add 2 drops of food coloring to each bowl to make the rainbow colors. For orange, use one drop yellow and one drop red.
3. Layer the pudding by adding 2 tbsp of the first pudding color into four small, thin parfait glasses (about 8 oz volume works well). Tap the bottom of your parfait glass gently on the counter after each layer to make the layer flatten. Repeat with remaining pudding colors.
4. Refrigerate per the pudding package directions, until fully set.
5. Immediately before serving, top with whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles.

And for the grown-ups...

 

Double Rainbow Cake Jelly Shot

 

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups prepared lemonade
• 4 envelopes plain gelatin
• 1 1/4 cups cake flavored vodka (or sub vanilla or whipped cream vodka and a touch of amaretto)
• 2 tsp sweetened condensed milk (up to 4 tbsp is okay - use to sweeten to taste!)
• 6 small bowls (one for each color)
• liquid food coloring
• frosting and sprinkles, for garnish, if desired
• flexible silicone mini muffin pan (cavity volume = 3 tablespoons)

Directions

1. Pour lemonade into a small saucepan and sprinkle with gelatin. Allow to soak for a minute or two.
2. Heat over low, stirring constantly, until the gelatin is dissolved (about 5 minutes).
3. Remove from heat, stir in the vodka and sweetened condensed milk.
4. Pour 1/2 cup portions into 6 bowls. Use liquid food coloring for rainbow colors (in this case: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet). (I wanted a very vibrant rainbow, so used 4 drops of liquid food coloring for each color.)
5. Prepare the mini muffin pans by spraying lightly with cooking spray and then wiping clean with a paper towel. (This will leave a slight residue which will assist in unmolding without effecting the taste or appearance of the jelly shots.)
6. Spoon 3/4 teaspoon of the red gelatin mixture into the muffin pan cavities. Refrigerate until set, but still sticky when touched. (The first layer will take 20 minutes or so, subsequent layers less.) Repeat with remaining colors.
7. Refrigerate overnight to allow the layers to fully bond.
8. To serve, loosen around the edges of each muffin cavity and pop out the jelly shots.
9. Immediately before serving, garnish with a small dollop of frosting and sprinkles if desired.

Now, I know these will be popular over in the OLA Chat Room Buy-A-Round Lounge! For a little holiday cheer, stop by for some free eggnog, too!

For those of you who do not have the silicone mini muffin pans, I intend on using the little clear plastic shot glasses that you can buy at almost any grocery store this time of year... just remember to coat them with some cooking spray, so they slide right out! (And yes, according to the comments section, these can be made non-alcoholic.)

However you plan to celebrate, FleaPirates and family wishes you all a Happy New Year!

Don't forget to shop OLA for all sorts of affordable holiday necessities... did you know there is quite an assortment of shot glasses on sale today?

Like these! (Click on the image to see how it could be yours!)

Just Look What I Made!!

OK, I must admit I was totally surprised!

A little history.

My father-in-law is gluten free and has been for about ten years. Ok, you find these flours that are gluten free and they have recipes or they say you can use them in place of regular wheat flour. Well, I gotta say . . . . NOT NECESSARILY!!

I found some 4 bean flour one time that the package said, "use just like regular flour". Well, I got some bread dough made and put it in my bread machine. I had the timer going and it smelled so good!!! Wow!! I was so excited!!

The dinger went off and I opened it up to find . . . . . a hard little ball, no bigger than a tennis ball, nicely baked!! That puppy was as hard as a croquet ball!!

My second attempt was making pie crust. How hard can that be?? Well, I figured the bread dough fiasco was because I was using a bread machine, so I tried again making pumpkin pies.

Have you ever set your oven on fire???? Well, I DID!! If there is no gluten, the shortning does not absorb and really makes a mess on the bottom!! After I got the oven cleaned up, I said never again!! Mixes or nothing!!

If you have ever shopped for gluten free mixes, you know how expensive they are!! Each year, I buy pie crust mixes to make him pies and on the holidays, frozen bread to make stuffing for him. The pie mix is over $4.00 and the frozen bread (very small loaf) is well over $5.00!! And this is rice bread so it really doesn't taste like "bread" as we know it! It's very dry and grainy. The pie crust is better but it isn't what Mom used to make!!

I wasn't too pleased with it but it was the best we had . . . . . . . until . . . . . .Sunflower Antics came to OLA.com and joined in the Terrific Tuesday Sales!! WELL, guess what I found in her store?
1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes by Carol Fenster, Diet Celiac Disease Nutrition!!

And just look at the Brioche French Bread that came out of my oven!!! WOW!! And the best thing is, it tastes LIKE BREAD!!!
I am just so excited!! I also made some Sourdough French Bread out of the book and it was wonderful, too, but I didn't get pictures of it!! But again, IT TASTES LIKE BREAD!!

So, ya gotta experiment sometimes and see what else is out there! (If you are like me, keep a fire extinguisher handy and the phone close to dial 911!!)

I am no cook. I HATE to cook! But this was so much more enjoyable than making a mix that didn't quite taste like food. Or setting the oven on fire!

So maybe I need to take a peek at what else is out there!! I feel pretty good about my ability now!! Wooohoooo!!

SilkandTreasures has this Confederate Era Southern Recipes Cook Book (oooh, sounds rich!)

Debsvarietyshop has this wonderful Rada Gifts in a Jar Cookie and Desser Recipe Cookbook (just think of the goodies you can give people!!)

Sunflowerantics has this Gooseberry Patch Christmas Holidays Book for Ideas Crafts and Recipes (just in time, too!!!)

And for your pets . . . . Uniqueboutique has this Dog Biscuit Recipe Book with Treat Cutters! (now you can spoil Fido!!!)

So, come on over to OLA.com and check it out!! Lots of great things to be found!! And, if you have time, check out our store, Korn Kountry Treasures!!

Thank you and Happy Holidays!!

It's Time To Plan Holiday Cookies!

You're just now licking the October Apple Crumbcake off your fingers and planning how many Pumpkin Pies to make for Thanksgiving in November, I know. Fall always brings the most scrumptious recipes to the table, but wait... peeking around the corner is Christmas! It's time to plan Holiday cookies! Are you ready?

Sites like Hershey's are ready! Go browsing and discover a wealth of holiday recipes already waiting for you to print and save. From cakes and cookies to pies and fudge, you can find ways to impress your family and guests all through this magical season! Below is one of my family's favorite recipes. I've been making them for years! Deliciously easy, these cookies are great for kids to join you in making, as well. They're the perfect size for little hands to work with. (And you need someone to unwrap all those kisses, don't ya?)

Kisses - Magical Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa or HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa
About 48 HERSHEY'S KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates or HERSHEY'S KISSES Brand SPECIAL    DARK Mildly Sweet Chocolates, unwrapped
Powdered sugar

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Beat butter, sugar and vanilla in large bowl until creamy. Stir together flour and cocoa; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Mold scant tablespoon dough around each chocolate piece, covering completely. Shape into balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

2. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool about 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Roll in powdered sugar. Roll in sugar again just before serving, if desired. About 4 dozen cookies.

Now to really set a memorable table, you need some dazzling serving pieces. Here are a couple of fantastic choices, priced just right, I might add, and available at OnlineAuction.com, of course!

Mikasa Crystal Christmas Tree Serving Platter

from FleaPirates

 

FITZ AND FLOYD SANTA,SANTA! CHRISTMAS SERVING DISH 

from Jenbana88

 

LTD Commodities Season's Greetings Christmas Serving Plate

from Spock100