Pallet for Home

It all started from the purchase of a mini bone cookie cutter and transitioned to a 4 hour round trip adventure  to Bucyrus Ohio, with Moose as my co pilot. I make all of his meals & treats from scratch. No store bought edibles ever again. So far, I have perfected 3 grain free treat recipes. There was a lot of baking and taste testing. He could care less he was on the fast track of Fat boy-hood, laying at my feet in the kitchen. 

The bone shape cookie cutter is cute but was feeling too "normal" for my tastes. Inspired by his border line insane love/hate relationship with our squirrels, his taunting nemesis has inspired my next quest.  Mini Squirrel cookie cutters.

 You would think finding the cutters is simple enough, right? Wrong. I called & searched everywhere local. No dice! When I did find them online, they were all cheaply made in China or just not the look/size  I was after. Then, I discovered this little Artisan company *The Little Fox Factory* . For over 40 years, they have been making Cookie cutters by hand in their basement. They have been featured in many magazines including Better Homes & Gardens, Southern Living, Midwestern Living, Ladies Home Journal, Successful Farmer, Taste of Home, Country Woman, Western Horseman, Ohio Magazine, Sugarbaker's Cookbook, Woman's Day, and Family Circle. Also Seen in Martha Stewart Kids and have exclusive custom cutters sold through *www.FancyFlours.com {scroll down in the link to see the Partridge in a pear & the 3D peacock!}*. PLUS they were spotted at the White house in 2005! * Read their "about me" over here*  for more on The Little Fox Factory.

 No, I did not place an order for shipment. I called and had a wonderful chat with Kevin Kohls, the second generation Artisan. He indeed did have the mini squirrel available and when I inquired of a mini fox, which he at first said they do not have. But the cookie cutter gods intervened during our conversation, when he indeed discovered an old template of a sitting mini fox. He so kindly pulled this mini fox from the archives and made me 2. Just for me! {hush now child. Let me feel special for a minute}. Perfect excuse for Road trip! I didn't even bother changing from my house cleaning clothes... 

So I loaded Moose up, leaned the passenger seat back & popped in some road trip music. Bucyrus, here we come! Between the time of our call & my arrival, he had them done and made the squirrel while I waited at his Mom's kitchen table.

Whom by the way was an absolute doll! We chatted about our cookie baking craziness for the season and why in the world would I drive from so far to get just 3 cookie cutters. {You had me at mini squirrel...} Oh trust me, You'll be seeing me again. or at least my name on an order form.

Not sure where this new intrigue may lead.  Maybe Stay a 1 dog benefit operation. With holiday baskets occasionally containing our exclusive Canine bites.

 Maybe I'll be at the farmer Market. Or found in local Mom & Pop pet service shops.  I enjoy entertaining the idea and unlike so many of my "hobbies", this one has not been met with an abundance of "Mommy-ographers". I may or may not make just enough to buy back to school clothes or that Kitchen Aide Mixer I have coveted for over a decade.

 But then again... I like adventure. The Spice of Life. I'm in it for the Dance. 

Sweetest dreams,

~Tammie