The Flip Side Part 2 & a Recipe

When I first started photo showing in 1971, my dad, ever supportive of my horsey side, offered to take the photos for me. He was a photographer with a darkroom in our basement, and so we went downstairs and set up my models on the pool table using old drapes to mask the shoe boxes and background.

Unfortunately, I didn't think to ask him to use photograph film; he used slide film instead!

Luckily (and rather expensively), Dad was able to turn the slides into pictures. And... I didn't think to tell him that I wanted  3x5 pictures! But the small photos showed just fine and I am still grateful to my father who helped me take my first show photos.

Believe it or not, this costume won a lot of ribbons for me. It was made from my parakeet's feathers. Whenever my bird, Buttons, molted, I would save his feathers for costumes. 

Me with my parakeet, Buttons, back in 1969.

Scojeadon wearing an early halter I made by cutting up a necklace and using some leather scraps and Elmer's glue.

The back of Scoj's show photo. You can see that I pasted a new sheet of paper on the back of the photo when it got full of writing and was all messy.

The next photos I took myself with the camera that Buttons is perching on above.

Equitabar, an early Hartland and made of tenite plastic like a Breyer, strutting across our horse pasture. That's the Wabash in the background.

My first Hagen Renaker. I love how they used to put the date on photos; for documentation purposes, I can document that I have had this piece since August, 1972.

All these pieces are still with me. While I would not say that I am a black hole collector, I did and still do love my carpet herd and just about every one of them are still with me.

Now, on to my absolute FAVORITE sugar cookie recipe. I just made these with Lukie for Halloween!

Lynn & Lukie's Favorite Sugar Cookie Recipe

Cream together 1 & 1/2 cups powdered sugar (not granulated!), 1 cup butter, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon almond extract. (I use the full teaspoon, but then, I love almond flavoring in holiday baked goods. You can also omit the almond extract.)

Mix in 2 & 1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon of soda, and 1 teaspoon cream of tartar. Chill a few hours. (You can skip that step and be fine. The dough also freezes well. Often I make a few batches and freeze them during the holidays. Grands come to visit? We just thaw the dough and bake together!)

Roll dough out and cut into shapes. Place on parchment paper or greased cookie sheet and bake 7-8 minutes at 350 degrees. 

Easy Creamy Frosting

1 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 1-2 tablespoons of milk, and a couple of drops of food coloring. Stir with a spoon. To make a thinner frosting, add a little more milk; to make a thicker frosting, add less milk.

Decorate those yummy cookies with your favorite folks and then eat 'em up!

You can bet I will make this recipe several times between now and New Year's Day!