Pluie Pluie Rain hat Giveaway!

Hats Hats and more Hats!!

We love Pluie Pluie prints for boys and girls. New to AClassicTale.com are these adorable rain hats. One lucky winner will win a hat of their choice...boys or girls. Let's play in the rain with this sweet rain hat. Made of 100% cotton which is waterproofed with a polyurethane exterior. PVC and Lead Free. Several prints are already out of stock so take a peak and get ready to choose!

Our newest hats just arrived....Daylee Design hats in over 15 styles. These hats are hand crocheted with 100% cool cotton. Perfect for Spring and Summer! Check out the 2nd way to enter this drawing and let us know your favorite Spring and Summer hat.

• Post about the giveaway on your blog with a link back to this post - get 2 entries!

• In your giveaway post, include a picture of your favorite Daylee Designs Spring/Summer hat from our store here- get 3 additional entries!

• Want more entries....Help us Grow! We are wanting to share our store and promos with others who may not know about A Classic Tale. You can get one entry per email you send to friends/family you know. CC us at info at AClassicTale dot com (no spaces) and include the link to this promo. - get 1 entry per referral!

AND FINALLY- The easiest way to enter....leave a comment or a link and get 1 entry. Please leave us a way to contact you and tell us which of the above you've completed through our secure email form.

Winners have 3 days to respond once they are notified or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway ends 1/28 at midnight. Open to US residents only

Congratulations to Cindy who won a free Pluie Pluie Hat of her choice! During hard financial times in the US, you can't beat FREE!! :)

Chocolate Pecan Pie

Another week has passed....way too fast! But great for you, Megs as you count down your treatment days. Here's a terrific Chocolate Pecan Pie from one of our favorite restaurants in Montesano. I've been making it for years. A very easy easy but impressive dessert.

8" pie crust - from scratch or the freezer
1 1/2 c pecans, crushed
6 oz choc chips
3/4 c sugar
3/4 c corn syrup
3 eggs
1/4 c melted butter

Sprinkle pecans over the bottom of the pie shell. Top with the choc chips. Mix in a separate bowl the sugar, corn syrup, eggs and melted butter until blended. Pour this mixture on top of nuts and chocolate. Bake 325 degree for 1 hour. Dust each serving with a bit of powdered sugar. I suggest cutting the pieces small as this is a rich one....yummy!

The Business of Motherhood

To the moms of Knowing Pains:
We love your website, blog, book and TV interview. I can relate. I also became a mom in 1997, will turn 40 next year, have three kids ages 11 years to age 1, drive a mini van (that is full of crumbs half the time...ok 90 percent of the time, one of my children has a disability which is why I left career land, recently launched my "creative dream" AClassicTale.com and began a blog as well.

As if I'm not busy enough!! As I approached 40, I began thinking that even if I returned back to the banking world to continue my career....it wasn't what I'd love to do. I've lived, loved, lost and survived so much....when will it be my time? So I started my journey towards making my dreams come true. I'm learning as you have, haven't made a fortune yet?, don't really plan on it! But it's been so great to wake up each morning and touch someone else in the world. Others caring or loving a child. It's my creative outlet, my technical challenge, my therapy, my friend.

Good luck. I'll be stopping by often. For those in or near your 40's...check out BusinessOfMotherhood.com and enjoy a great read, "Knowing Pains".

Cheers to your journey,
Janelle...mom of 3, approaching 40
Owner
AClassicTale.com

Sweet Shoes - Sweet.Edgy.Fun!

Ballet Flats Update For Todays Child!

Metallic Sweet Shoes are soon to come. Fun, Magical, Metallic shoes in an array of colors. Sure to be your little girls favorite pair of shoes. Sweet Shoes are hand made genuine leather, including the suede sole. These shoes are developmentally appropriate for your child's growing foot. The shoes feature an extra foam layer in the sole for cushion and comfort. Machine washable and great for indoors and out. This new metallic design has skid resistant traction beads on the sole. Check back in a few weeks to see the entire line.

Homemade Wheat Bread - Easy

Ok Megs....here's the yummy bread that goes with the previous posted soup recipe. It's Molly's favorite bread. A very simple recipe that starts in the bread machine. I know you have a nanny helping you out. Maybe she cooks too???

You'll be entering week 2 since treatment started. Counting down toward wellness. Hope you're feeling ok. Keep up the exercise.....for your sanity and soul not for weight loss :) Love ya, Nellie

1 cup warm water
1 tbl milk
2 tbls oil
4 tbl brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup whole-wheat flour
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp dry yeast

Put all ingredients in the bread machine in the order listed. Set on dough cycle. When dough cycle is finished, take dough out and shape into a loaf. Place in a greased bread pan or shape on a baking stone or cookie sheet. Cover and let rise 20 min. Sometimes I skip the 2nd rise. Just depends on how much time you have. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 min or until golden brown. Serve warm, sliced with butter. Smells yummy and taste better than any store bought bread!

Note: This recipe was from MoneySavingMom.com. A great blog on saving money and becoming a better home economist.

We wear our Pluie Pluie boots inside and out!

Our Classic Tale Kids are so in love with their Pluie Pluie that they wear them inside and out.....morning, noon and night! The boots shown are the blue truck pattern. Check out the matching coats and umbrellas here.

We are your one stop shop for all Pluie Pluie sizes and patterns. Good luck selecting your favorite print.

Classic Tale Promo: Save $10 on a $75 purchase. Raincoats and Boots SHIP FREE!

$10 off your $75.00 purchase

For a limited time, get $10 off your $75.00 purchase AND Free shipping over $50. Sale items can be combined with this special offer. Use the coupon code of MY10 at checkout. One coupon per customer.

Fall & Winter On Sale

We are making room for our Spring/Summer arrivals. Selected Fall & Winter items are on sale....up to 50% off on Kidkraft, L'Amour, and San Diego Hats. Limited quantity available. Shop now and save.

Recipes for a dear friend....

A close friend of mine has just been faced with the challenge of overcoming breast cancer. Her prognosis looks great but she still has to complete the next few months of treatment. She is a loving warm intelligent woman, a wonderful wife and one terrific mommy to three beautiful children. We are separated by distance and I want so much to be there to help her out. I've promised her personal updates and at her request tried and true yummy recipes.

So, Megan, here's the first of many wonderful family recipes that I make for my kids and husband. Most of them are recipes shared from generation to generation. This particular soup is amazing. We serve it with warm bread and is great to take to someone when sharing a meal. The recipe makes enough for two families. I'd be making it for you if I were closer :) Enjoy!

Sicilian Minnestroni Soup
2 tbl olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup diced carrots
2 cloves minced garlic
2 can of tomato basil soup (campbells or any other brand)
4 cups beef broth
4 oz prosciutto finely chopped
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 lb extra lean ground beef or use ground turkey
1-14.5 ox canned diced tomatoes with juices
1 cup red wine
1 tsp pepper
1-20 oz can small white beans
1/3c orzo pasta in box
garnish parm cheese

In a large stock pot heat olive oil, add onion, carrots, garlic, prosciutto, rosemary. Cook stirring until vegies soften about 5-7 min. Add meat, cook until brown, drain off fat. Add tomatoes, wine and pepper cook 5 min. Add soup mix, beef broth and beans. Bring soup to a boil and reduce to med low and simmer 45 minutes. Sprinkle orzo in soup and simmer 15 minutes more.
P.s. Sharing this recipe at A Grocery Cart Challenge were other ladies are sharing their tried and true!