Lemonade

Well, it's certainly not getting any cooler here in Arizona, we've been over 100 degrees for over a month now and it's looking like it will stay that way for a while longer. We had the hottest month on record (in 110 years of keeping records here in the valley) in July! We did have an unseasonably cool June though so I guess this is the price we pay. With the heat, we've been making homemade lemonade and orange-lemonade. Mom has the greatest citrus squeezer - it is a vintage Wearever aluminum juicer like the one my Grandma used to have and it is so much better than the juicers made today!

I'm amazed at how much juice this extracts!

The recipe we've been using is so easy, you'll be running out to buy lemons (and oranges and limes!).

Juice from 3 fresh lemons (if making orange-lemonade, use 2 oranges to each lemon - you'll end up with about 3/4 cup of juice. You can make limeade too - again - 3/4 cup of juice)

1 cup sugar (you may need more or less to taste - adjust to the tartness you prefer)

Water

Pour juice into a 1/2 gallon pitcher

Add sugar and mix well.

Add water to fill pitcher, stir until sugar is dissolved

Serve over ice.

Depending on the size of the lemons, you may need to add a little sugar or water - we had some this year that were REALLY juicy and that batch of lemonade was too tart! (Kind of like drinking those lemon-drop candies) We diluted it a bit and added a touch more sugar - cool and refreshing!

The new cross stitch design for the website launch is coming along nicely - it's so cute and I can't wait to get the site running so everyone can see it! It'll be the centerpiece to our new home page. We've also been busily making new frames for some very special designs that will be coming out soon through Attic Needlework. We're excited to get these done and see the finished pieces - and we'll be showcasing them here very soon! In the meantime, here's another sneak peek at one of our favorites:

This frame style is 'Cambridge' the color is 'Lichen' and the graining style is 'Leaf'. We weren't sure how it would turn out when we first started experimenting with the grain, but it has quickly become a favorite - and it photographed so well!

Well, back to the workbench!