Thursday, April 27, 2017

PLAYING WITH AUTO COLLAGE

Last night I stayed up way too late.
  I never do that! I was playing.
As usual I had a hard time doing this
but I am persistent so I got the Microsoft
Research Auto Collage feature put
on my computer:


This is a pretty cool feature.  I wish
it would let me pick the 7-8 pictures I
want to use like the old auto collage
that came with Windows 8.  It
does not let you pick the specific
ones out - just the whole folder and then
it decides but
today I figured out a way to
get around that: just create a new
folder with only the photos you want
to use (minimum 7) and choose that folder!


Also I had trouble with some of the
pictures turning sideways but I read
a comment that 
someone on the "help" thing said that
if you crop the picture it will quit turning
sideways and
that worked for me!


If any of you are interested - it is just $19.95 in
the Microsoft Shop on line!  This last one
is our Grand Daughter and Grand Son
 that I refer to as "The Grands":


Wednesday, April 26, 2017

RASPBERRY CREAM SCONES for "Tea In The Garden"


Yesterday was a lovely day to spend in the
garden planting my seedlings and also seeds
directly in the ground.
But first I set up a little tea for us to
 enjoy one of my Raspberry Scones
 I had baked.  Enjoy more than one if you like!



We all seem to be on different spring weather
 schedules.  Not that I  even had that many 
tulips, but mine are almost done  blooming
 and I know many of you have your's just getting started.




This is the one year anniversary for my
 Missouri garden so I have been inspecting
 "what made it" and what didn't after the winter.  




I saw a lovely pair of bright yellow finch out
earlier but after I got my camera - they were
no where to be found! 
 There was a sweet robin though:






The Raspberry Cream Scones are real easy to make:  First preheat your oven to 425 degrees

Ingredients: 2 1/4 cup flour, 1 Tb baking powder, 1/4 cup granulated sugar.  Mix those together and then cut in 6 Tb cold butter using a scone kneader, then stir in 1 cup heavy cream and lastly 2/3 cup chopped fresh raspberries.


Once you form a nice dough I like to roll mine out on a floured pastry cloth and use a scone cutter.  I sprinkled granulated sugar on top of them after I put them on the baking sheet.  Bake around 10 minutes.

I got 12 little ones and 5 larger using 2 size cutters.



Monday, April 24, 2017

SEWING COTTAGE STYLE TOPPERS

Since I have so many old vintage linens,
last Saturday I decided to make some table
 toppers by embellishing vintage toppers.
The base on this one was a 40 x 45" 
pink topper which I put a smaller
topper and 2 runners over. 
 Everything
is pinned and then sewn down using the
sewing machine:



A little closer up:


Here was the second one and by
the way - these make up fast because
each piece is already done by other
sweet ladies of the past!  That's where
the real work was done!

This one below has
 a bluebird
theme:


I used a variety of bird pieces on the sides
but I am just showing you one of them:


#3 has a tea kettle on the
corners of a small topper over
 a larger
one and of course other
runners sewn on it:



A little closeup here of the Crinoline Ladies
and Sunbonnet Ladies:


And this last one shows you how I use a large
table to just pin it up - this one is not sewn yet:


If you are a perfectionist - try to control yourself as
many of these pieces are already not totally even!
This is a great way to stretch the life of a topper that
has started  getting little holes in it - don't throw it away - just embellish it!  As you can see above there are little pieces of a round crochet doily tucked under the runners - it was a round cut into 4 pieces.  I see
a small doily in the middle too!

Friday, April 21, 2017

GARDEN COLOR OF THE DAY: PURPLE


After my silly post yesterday, I figured
I better redeem myself so
I am sharing some of the purple flowers
in my yard today!




I am fond of outdoor flags:









Thursday, April 20, 2017

MISSOURI CHORUS FROGS

Today's post is dedicated to the 
tenacious, consistent fervor of
the Missouri Chorus Frogs!

As some of you know, we
have a Koi pond with 13
goldfish and 4 Koi:


It has a small water feature which
helps create interest and brings
oxygen to the pond plus a
filter system that the water
circulates through to keep it clean.


Unfortunately the frogs down in the creek at
the woods hear it and like it and come!


Recently, the Chorus Frogs have sounded
more like "Screaming Frogs" and I just
couldn't take it anymore.  So.....I caught them
each day in a net and took them down to
the creek and let them loose - way back there
in the creek where water stands:


However, after a day or so they
hop back up the sloping yard and
 hop right back into the pond.

So I asked a few "others" for advice:


I asked Mr. Josiah too:


One particular frog always shows back up -
 I think I have thrown him in the creek
 repeatedly!  He hides in these rocks
 when I open the patio door to
 come out to 
try and catch him!



I blew this picture up so you could look
 carefully at this photo to see his face:




You would not believe how loud he screams -
that is "sings" all night long!!!!


Well....the party is over as I went to Walmart
yesterday and bought a lidded bucket.  It isn't
just any bucket - it is an Emergency Evacuation
Bucket - to evacuate FROGS of course!


From now on - all frogs get taken
 down the road to Gillespie Creek. 


 I wish them a happy life
 making "music" there calling
for girlfriends!


Wednesday, April 19, 2017

VIOLETS for "Tea In The Garden"

Don't we love spring violets!
Welcome to "Tea In The Garden"
and a violet tea time.


I always look forward 
to the arrival
of violets.




Come along - we can sit on the arbor
 bench and
enjoy a chat with our tea time:




Things are turning greener
 each
day in Missouri:


Before we know it,  you will need
to tell me to quit complaining
about how hot it is!






I hope you can join me today for
my tea themed blog party by linking
a post from your blog!


I am sharing at:
Tuesday Cuppa Tea