Friday, December 21, 2012

SNOWLADY'S TINY CHRISTMAS BOOKS

The Snowlady would like to invite you to see her Tiny Little Christmas Books!!!




These are really handy when she needs to find a special Christmas recipe and receive "inspiration" for some project. 


Snowlady has been baking up a storm with this Christmas Cookies Cookbook.  She is getting ready for 2 special grandkids - Pete and Lily who will be arriving for Christmas!


The Snowlady and I  wish
 you a Merry Christmas!

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

A SOFTER BUFFET WITH ROSES


It's time to share our
Holiday decorating.


I love the look of
 Baby's Breathe
with roses.




I made some yummy
fruitcake for us too.




I hope you have
a wonderful
Christmas!



Tuesday, December 4, 2012

CHRISTMAS DECORATING TIME

Welcome to the Holidays and time for decorating,
baking, serving tea and all sorts of wonderful things....


For us Christmas is all about
the celebration of the birth
of Jesus.

Luke 2:VS 8-9  And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 

VS 10-11  And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.




I would love to just stay home today and do some baking, however, I own a shop - so this is a very busy time of the year.  I so look forward to retirement when I can be a homemaker again.  I love to sew and have so many projects running around in my brain.





I hope all my blogging friends have a wonderful holiday season, take time for tea and family and friends.

Friday, November 30, 2012

FRESH GREENERY TO DECORATE

This year I decided to keep things simple and really inexpensive.....by using local fresh greenery, pine cones and found items!  I have an old sled I pulled out from the garage, old ice skates and did some simple floral work....









Out in the greenbelt behind my house I had noticed some different evergreens and trimmed some branches off the bottoms being careful to not do any "ugly" trimming.






Metal frames for greenery wreaths only cost a couple dollars (mine was 99 cents) or less....

Store bought greenery wreaths are expensive - but inexpensive to make.  You need wire and I recommend using baling wire as it is very pliable but very strong.  I even used it for the pine cones. You can buy a large coil of it  at Home Depot.

The greenery I found on my early walk was added to Colorado Spruce from my backyard, California Pinecones from my shop and some dried hydrangeas my sister in law had given me from her home in Des Moines, Iowa almost 2 years ago.


I had also inserted pepperberries in the florals....

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

ANGELS ON THE BUFFET



Doesn't it thrill your heart to have fresh
flowers in your home.  I really love them.



This mirror was a gift from
 my Mother In Law.




I love the softer colors of
these angels too.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

DRIED ROSES IN THE KITCHEN




One of my favorite things is to
come out into the kitchen
and see my drying rack.




You may or may not like this idea but 
here in Colorado we get amazing
color because our air is so dry.

Sunday, October 21, 2012

THE FALLING LEAVES IN THE "OLD NORTH END" DOWNTOWN COLORADO SPRINGS


It's a beautiful fall day perfect for a drive and a few photos of some of the older homes located near downtown Colorado Springs - known as the Old North End.













THIS HOUSE BELOW is actually in Old Colorado City and was used for the filming of "The Incident" with Harry Morgan and Walter Mathau......as was my store building which was then Rogers Bar and Grill back in 1989.


I am always drawn to the little 
English Tudor Style houses: 





I love them all.



Friday, October 19, 2012

COLLECTING CUPS AND SAUCERS

What's not to love about collecting
 cups and saucers?  That's what
 I want to share today.




  I have been collecting cups and saucers since I was a child....just a few years....ha.  Most all of my childhood pieces were from Japan and mostly demitasse sized. 



I have been playing with my new camera and have so much to learn.  People come in my store every day with cameras so I have been asking them lots of questions and I find that people are very helpful.  







I have another tip - stay away from ceramic dishes as they chip very easily. Porcelain and bone china are so much stronger.  Lastly, always run your finger around the rim of the cup and the saucer.  Last year I bought some German pieces  for resale at my store from an  antique dealer in Kansas. He had stuck a price sticker over a chip on the saucer.  That wasn't so nice!  Be careful!

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

A FALL HARVEST CAKE

I hope you are ready for
 some lovely
 "Fall Harvest Cake".  


I have seen this recipe several places on different food blogs on line (like www.food.com) and in the Gooseberry Patch "Flavors of Fall" Cookbook.  It is a perfect bundt pan cake and frankly - I skipped the cream cheese icing.  It has chopped apple, pecans and I also added some walnuts, plus spices and pumpkin...




I set up a little table by the window for our tea and cake.  A bouquet of crab apples makes a festive arrangement.





 To bake the FALL HARVEST CAKE - preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  You will need: 1 1/2 cups of sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 Tsp cinnamon, 2 Tsp baking soda, 1/2 Tsp salt, 1/4 Tsp nutmeg, 1/4 Tsp ginger, 1 cup oil, 1/2 Tsp vanilla, 4 eggs, 16 oz pumpkin, 2 cups flour, 1 large peeled and chopped apple, 1/2 cup chopped pecans, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS:  
1.  Mix together sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, spices, oil, vanilla and eggs
2.  Add pumpkin and stir well
3.  Stir in flour - 1/2 cup at a time
4. Stir in apple and nuts

Pour into a well greased and floured bundt pan.

Bake 60 minutes at 350 degrees - let cool till only slightly warm

IF YOU LIKE - ICE WITH A CREAM CHEESE ICING OF YOUR CHOICE. 

Monday, October 15, 2012

TIME FOR FALL- BACKYARD SCENES


I am trying to practice with my new camera but have so much to learn.  I was flipping through some old Victoria Magazines and as I pointed to a lovely page I told my husband "I want to learn to take pictures like these".  It suddenly occurred to me (head light bulb on) that the photographer probably had a $5,000.00 camera.






The colors of fall 
are so vibrant.





I am sure you can tell the aperture photos here.