Old Art From A Tough Period

Charming....

Old fashioned..

Nostalgic...

Sentimental...

....kind words....

....and practical.

I am drawn to art from the 1920's and '30's. Even through the difficult times of those days, you will find artwork that has a humble and gentle appeal to it. The Buzza and Gibson companies manufactured little motto prints to offer kind words of encouragement, love and appreciation. People made things to use in their homes, like this wooden napkin holder that was signed by the artist in 1937. Even though times were hard, people made the best of what they had and thought of ways to create and endure. They pulled up their boot straps and tightened the knot on their apron. Simply... they perservered.

There's a little cozy corner in my heart for my old things....

from a time in history that sometimes I wish I could have experienced first hand.

Farewell....

Peace be with you Michael and Farrah.

If Pieces Could Speak.....

....our homes would be full of stories.

How did the person feel when they received this old trophy for competing in The Hammer Throw? How many little shoes were made with this tiny little shoe form? Did the child love their new shoes and proudly show them off to their friends? Did they run around the playground laughing and singing as their shoes protected their little feet? How many miles did those shoes travel?

Did the gentleman who carved the Victorian picture frame have specific tools? Were his hands strong? What was his name? What was once inside the now empty frame?

Who's face, before mine, reflected in the old mirror? How did the roses get carved into the old soldered silver loving cup?

Perhaps those loving hands who carefully crafted their wares

smile on us as we display them in our homes. How many others

before us have touched these same objects and admired them

like us? Where did they come from and how far have they traveled?

Just curious, aren't you?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~ I found this saying that I thought I would share with you. It is from

the book The Shack (which I am almost done reading).

You can kiss your family and friends good-bye and put

miles between you, but at the same time you carry them with you

in your heart, your mind, your stomach, because you do not just live

in a world but a world lives in you.

--Frederick Buechner, Telling The Truth

~~~~~~ Treasure your day.....xx ~~~~~~

...I Dream Of Creamy Whites.....

...tone on tone..crisp, clean and simple. I dream of having a dining room with a big table with shabby white chairs and a toleware chandelier.....

For now here is a glimpse of the hutch that I painted a creamy white and placed my Ironstone pieces inside. It is a simple style that I have admired in other homes for a long time.

What do you think, Miss Fiona?
Do you like the room so far?

You know, the little chair you are napping on may have to be moved to another room.

She is thinking about that.......

...and dreaming of creamy whites, too.

I bought these wonderful white curtain panels at Ikea. They are called "Matilda" and were pretty inexpensive at 19.99 for a package of TWO 98" panels. I ironed them up and put them on the rods and draped them on top of the hutch till they could be hung up over the windows. However......I kind of like them on the hutch for a beachy cottage romantic look.

..but for now...they are over the windows.

Hmm...I feel another trip to Ikea coming up!!

What colors are YOU dreaming of these days?

I'm Beat!

...and so is Miss Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum! She requires much sleep in her growing spurt....and so do I after doing much 'round here. Note: our computer has been disconnected due to moving it to another spot...More later...but just wanted to check in to say "Howdy-do!!" and to wish you all a wonderful weekend. Hooray to all of the wonderful Dads, Pa-Pa's, Fathers,

Pops, Grandpa's and Faaaa-jaaaa's (a nick-name for my hubby from the boys...kinda like an Austin Powers thingy).

((hugs)))

In Miss Jean's Garden

Welcome to my dear friend's, Miss Jean, garden! Jean loves her yard and spends hours outside tending to it each day. With over 100 pots of flowers in her yard, there is always something that requires a little snip here and a little snip there.

First stop is this really cool old mailbox that was fashioned into a birdhouse.

Love the perch made out of an old bent spoon.

Jean brings the garden "up" by using hanging planters and flower pots mounted to stakes.

In the background a pretty little plate, simply hung on a patio post, shows of its pink flowers and vintage charm.

Little nooks and crannies, like this little brick patio, are throughout the yard. The white metal trellis brings your eye up to take notice of the delicate lavender stems.

Hmmmm...what time are the tours?

Jean has quite a vast collection of vintage textiles and quilts. This sweet little bear sits on a darling quilted pillow.

A perfect embroidered towel covers a wicker table.

An enchanting spot to have a cup of tea and lunch!

You could rock away the hours and read a good book in this shady little spot....

...while Mr. Rabbit stands guard over the yard.

Jean's latest project is this amazing stack of pots that remind me of something from Alice In Wonderland. It turned out just perfect!!! And she didn't even break any pots assembling it either.

I hope you enjoyed your little tour! Stop on over to Jean's blog (appropriately titled "In The Garden With Miss Jean") and see what else is going on in her neck of the woods! She's probably covered in potting soil and chasing Maggie out of the flower beds!!!

Phyllo Dough Triangles With Spinach & Feta

I began making these delectable little triangles years ago after having been tempted by my first Martha Stewart Cookbook. They are really easy and a perfect appetizer to serve...and your guests will be really impressed with your skills, too!

I like to serve them on a simple white plate - this one being my favorite Ironstone platter.
Every plate needs a little garnish for color....
....so I picked a bouquet of fresh parsley and oregano and some Queen Ann's lace from my garden.
Tie the bouquet with a little twine...
...and lay it next to whatever it is you are serving. It is sweet and fragrant, too!

Have any of you made these phyllo triangles before? You can use just about any filling you like, such as chicken with walnuts, crab, spinach and feta....let your imagination go wild. I don't suggest using a filling with sauce as it would leak out when baking.

For my filling I used:

2 boxes of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

5-6 ounces crumbled Feta cheese

1-2 tsp. fresh oregano - minced

2 gloves garlic - minced

1/4 cup of finely chopped red onion

salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together.

For the triangles:

Melt 1 stick of unsalted butter

You will need 1 box of thawed phyllo dough (you can leave it in your fridge overnight or let it sit on the counter for a few hours).

Open the package of dough and gently unroll the dough. Be sure to follow the instructions on the box in how to handle the dough.

I find that sometimes the sheets stick together, however that is not a big deal because you will be layering the dough and the little rips and imperfections will be ok after you have layered the pieces together.

When laying the sheets out, you will place them in a rectangle fashion.

Lay out one sheet and brush it very lightly with melted butter.

Lay another piece of the dough on top of the one that you just buttered. Lightly butter. Lay another piece on top. Lightly butter this one.

Now you have three sheets, one on top of each other.

Cut the sheet in 2 inch wide strips. You should have five strips.

Place 1 tsp of filling at the bottom of each strip, 1/2 inch from the edge.

Now begin folding the strip, with the filling, like a flag. When you get to the

end, just put a little butter on the seam to seal it.

Continue this till your filling is gone.

Place the triangles on a cooking sheet that is lined with parchment paper.

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Yields about 2 dozen.

Enjoy!

Another version of this recipe is from Sandra Lee (at Food Network).

You can find it by clicking here.

Wishing my sweet friend, Stephanie, a Happy Birthday! Steph, have fun in New York!!

Can......

The can.....

...the hutch that is meeting the can....

The reveal will be soon.
So....back to the can.

Y'all have a good weekend!

A Crowd Pleasing Dessert!!!

Need a quick recipe for a yummy dessert? It is a crowd pleaser - hands down!
Hot and gooey cherry filling topped with a sweet sugar icing.....

....and it looks like one of those delectable pastries from your favorite local bakery.

It will take no time at all and that should put a smile on your face!

Impressive AND fast!

But watch out....don't turn your back once you put it on the counter!

It will disappear in no time at all! These little chicks have no manners..... tisk...tisk...

....but the Scotties sure do! "May I have some.....PAW-LEEEEEZ!!!"

My "big sister" Miss Jean made this dessert and brought it over for all of us to enjoy.

(She is being quite the baking show off these days!!! Check out her Rhubarb recipe! DEE-LISH!))

Here is the recipe for her Cherry Almond Squares

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1 cup dairy sour cream

1/4 cup water

3 eggs

1 package Betty Crocker Super Moist Sour Cream White Cake Mix (or use whatever white cake mix you can find)

1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling

1/4 cup sliced almonds

Glaze (recipe below)

Generously grease and flour a jelly roll pan that is 15 1/2" x 10 1/2" and 1" deep.

Mix sour cream, water and eggs. Add the dry cake mix until it is moistened.

The batter will be slightly lumpy.

Spread in the pan.

Drop pie filling by generous spoon fulls on top of the batter.

Bake until cake springs back when touched, 25-30 minutes. Allow the cake to cool.

Srinkle with the almonds and drizzle with the glaze.

Glaze:

Mix 1 1/2 cups powder sugar with 2 TBLSP of milk. Stir in a few drops more of milk, if

necessary, to thin it to desired consistency. It should not be really runny.

Enjoy!

Note: This recipe would be fabulous with any fruit filling.

....ok.....I'm off to the can....

the paint can, that is! I am taking a wee bit o' a break for awhile. Toodles....

xx