STEADYING THE LADDER IS AN IMPORTANT JOB

Lately, I've been doing some really important things......boring.......but important.  I have

had the job of steadying the ladder while my

husband paints up high. 

 We have those 17' cathedral ceilings above walls 
being painted in 2 rooms in our house
 and 12' in the master bedroom. 
 I imagine many of you never knew we had one of these?

I don't usually photograph him with my teapots or teacups. We found him (actually maybe a her?) in Casper, Wyoming many years ago but he/her is also a Colorado thing for sure and

 will stay here in repose with the house ready for a 

new owner who surely will love him. (at least a man will)

Since their is no furniture left in this room -
 we temporarily put the television on top the wood stove.
We are waiting to hear from the carpet
 people and the kitchen people.

Houses and situations are so different from one another 
where ever you live.  Where we live

in Colorado everyone has a privacy fence,
 the houses are very close side by side 
and everyone has a sprinkler system
 to water their yard.  For example, if you live in
 Texas -

 every subdivision has a swimming pool!

Oh and I have had some more jobs: moving the lamp around the room following the paint job, washing the switch plates, plug in covers and heat vent covers that go in the floors.  How fun! 

 While doing this difficult task for hours Sunday afternoon,  I watched  a lot of  GAC (Great American Country) which is a channel that carries "Flea Market Flip" on Sunday afternoons .  Now here is a program that I adore!  Have you seen it? The program features Lara who introduces 2 groups of 2 people who are given $500.00 each group to spend at a huge flea market. They go out and find 3 assigned tasks to create 3 things which they then work on and try to sell at the same (?) flea market on another day.

If you haven't seen this and you love DIY I think you should as it is very interesting.

This post is being shared at:
Home and Garden Thursday
Share Your Cup Thursday
Home Sweet Home

LEMON BLUEBERRY CAKE

Hello dear blogging friends and welcome to my weekly blog party.

You might wonder how I am able to keep blogging as
 I am getting ready to move - 
well believe me it was definitely a challenge today!

The other night we wanted something sweet and I noticed I still had blueberries and lemons in the refrigerator.  Since all my cookbooks are already moved, I googled Lemon Blueberry Cake and found this recipe at the site "Sally's Baking Addiction".  This was really intended to be a layer cake but I had no cake pans that aren't packed so I used a bread pan.  The second half of the batter got baked in an oval casserole dish -
 yes, it worked too.

I didn't have any vases out either so I just

 tucked my paper whites in a glass!

I also hardly had anything to use as a "prop" but I had picked up a couple vintage linens earlier in the day. In between 2 denist appointments I had a few minutes to kill.  So I am sharing a sweet runner and little round crochet piece too which came from my friend Sharon Doughterty's booth at the local antique mall called Willowstone.  Sorry, no teacups here to include in the posting.  They have all gone bye bye.  In fact - that carpeted window shelf below AND another one just like it are now covered in wood.  I think the new owners of this house will like the wood seat/shelf so much more!

  Because we  are moving and putting this home up for sale, we are having our home recarpeted and granite counters installed in the kitchen, new sinks, etc.  My husband is currently painting the whole inside and staining the woodwork.  I am packing things up in the basement.  Anyway - lots of work.

As you can see, the cake turned out nice and moist!  I definitely recommend Sally's cake!

SCALLOPED PINEAPPLE AND COCONUT DRESSING

Looking for an easy casserole dish - here it is! The ingredients are simple and the process is easy! We like that...

You will need: 1cup of butter melted, 2 cups of sugar, 3 eggs, 1 can of crushed pineapple with the juice, 12 slices of fresh white bread shredded, 1/4 cup of milk, and 1 1/2 cups of shredded coconut

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Mix the melted butter, milk, sugar and beat in eggs. Add the pineapple and coconut and mix rest of ingredients. Place in buttered casserole.  A repost from 2009

ORANGE CREAM HORNS FOR A SPRING AFTERNOON TEA

This might be fun for your Easter/Spring Tea 

 and impressive item for your Afternoon Tea Tray. Bake some Orange Cream Horns.

You will need to purchase at least 12 metal "horns" at a specialty kitchen shop.

You need a box of Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry. Inside will be 2 sheets of dough folded into thirds. Take one sheet out and let it thaw out. It will open out into an 8 x 10 piece on a floured cloth which you will roll out into 12 x 10 " and cutting (12) 10" strips which you will wrap around and around the metal horn overlapping edges. Do not take it all the way to the top! Chill the horns 20 minutes before baking at 450 degrees until well puffed about 9 - 10 minutes. Brush with 1 egg white which has been blended with 1 tsp water. Return to oven reducing temperature to 350 degrees. Bake until glazed.

LET COOL COMPLETELY AND FILL WITH MY RECIPE FOR ORANGE CREAM FILLING: 1 1/2 cups squeezed orange juice, grated orange rind from 1 orange, 1 tsp lemon rind, 4 egg yolks, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/4 cup flour

In the top of a double boiler over hot water

 beat the egg yolks and add the sugar and flour and orange juice using a whisk to stir until thick (about 7 minutes) Stir in the orange and lemon rind. Let the pudding cool. Now whip 3/4 cup of whipping cream in a separate bowl. Blend with the pudding until thick. Fill the horns.......can dust with confectioners sugar too!

Last note: I also added a couple of drops of yellow and red food coloring to make a nice light orange color and 1 tsp orange extract for more flavor!  This is a repost from 2009.

FINDING VINTAGE LINENS AND LOVELIES

As many of you know we have been packing and working on our home to get it ready to be put up for sale.  We took a days break after my husband's arm was really hurting.  We had carried a heavy computer  desk to the garage - you know how this goes.  He had carried most of the weight.

We decided to go to a couple of antique malls

 in Denver "one last time" and relax and let my 

husband's arm take a rest.  These places were having

 annual sales.  Most booths were 10%-50%

off for the Valentines Day weekend. 

 I chatted in one booth with a lady name Fiona

 who was from England and had items in

 her booth that she brought back from there.  

I found some lovely linens (seen above) that

 she had gotten there and the prices were really inexpensive.

At the Hampden Street Market, I found

 this wonderful English chintz

 teapot by Lord Nelson Ware called "Briar Rose". (above)

  I also found a lovely red transferware sugar bowl by Meakin to the left below:

 At the Colorado Antique Gallery I found a wonderful Colough

Violet cup and saucer and an old "Alice In Wonderland Book". 

Would you believe I found a Sadler Valentine Teapot?  I never got to even get my Valentine things out this year because they were packed up.  I shall look forward to using this next year

Below are photos of two malls in Denver: the Colorado Antique Gallery on Broadway and the Hampden Street Market.  We also visited the Brass Armadillo which was absolutely packed because of a 20% off storewide sale.

I found one more treasure too.  For about a year I have been looking at some Taylor & Smith red transferware pieces in a booth at the Colorado Antique Gallery.  This is the pattern with the cream design with red transferware in the middle called "English Abbey".  It was made in the USA.  I already owned 1 large platter which I shared at Christmas.  I am not unpacking the pieces I found today but  I will share those later.  These were all 20% off an already good price for 51 pieces.  This is my February birthday gift.  The platter below in the top and bottom photo is one of the pieces in the set that  I am talking about.

THE LEGEND OF THE BLUE WILLOW CHINA

The Legend of the Blue Willow China is the story about

 2 "Love Doves" Koong and Chang....

This pattern was produced in England in the 1700's but probably was copied from a Chinese pattern. The legend about the china began around 1849 when it was printed in an English magazine as a very romantic story about a young couple.

A wealthy young woman named Koong fell in love with Chang who was just a poor secretary. She was forbidden to marry him or even see him. Her father demanded she stay at home and quickly made arrangements for her to marry a man of financial security.

Escaping from her home, she met up with Chang and the couple fled across a bridge to an island. In hot pursuit, Koong's father follows but suddenly the couple are transformed into love doves who fly away to safety.

No wonder we love this pattern so much - maybe your mother had it?

Reposted from 2009!

PACKING IT UP

A few weeks ago, I took some photos of teapots and cups and saucers lined up on my buffet in the kitchen a lot like this:  

                 

               

The truth is I had no choice because

Things were lined up for a reason

My husband has been packing them for weeks!

Yes, we are moving.

In fact, as you read this –

These items are waiting in Missouri to be “unpacked”.

Yes, my husband is the one who does the wrapping
 and packing into the boxes.  He is good at it.  I am terrible

 and obviously - these treasures are very breakable.  My job is to I type the labels for every box identifying what is in
 the box and what room

 it should be taken to in our Missouri home.

I wouldn't wish this job on anyone but

 let's face it, it doesn't do any good to gripe so we just have to 
"Keep Calm and Carry On"!

One of my jobs was to carry these things up from the basement.

  Yes, I will do whatever it takes!

I am excited to be moving to Missouri

to be near our son and family!

I think this quote says it well:

SUNDAY CELEBRATION

20" of FRESH SNOW IN COLORADO

Upon returning to Colorado we knew that we

 should expect fresh snow and yes we do have 20":

Just sharing a few photos!

CHILDHOOD TEACUPS

I grew up in the 50's when it was common for little girls to collect demitasse cups and saucers.  I remember most every dime store sold these. They were mostly from Japan because this was the post World War II Era.  These came from my Mom and I kept them in a an old cedar chest.  

Forget Me Nots were a popular pattern.  Sometimes a few got broken along the journey of life and some show signs of very old glue! 

Because we are in the transition

 of moving,

this was a repost from 2010!

CHOCOLATE FOR A WHIMSICAL VALENTINES TEA PARTY

These photos are from a few years back but I thought it would be fun to "reshare them" with Valentines Day coming up.

And a little later it looked like this.

I have had this little cupid man

 from back in the

 early 90's when painting on

 wood was very

popular!

 Why not plan a whimsical Valentine Friendship Tea Party for a few of your very best friends! 

Look around for "red stuff" and start your pile...this doesn't have to be "Valentine" related items...just look for red! (oops.......just not Christmas stuff!)

This is different than a dinner party where

 you go very elegant - this is about fun!

Here is my recipe for this great Ohh La La CHOCOLATE CAKE....

Here is what you need for your cake:

5 squares unsweetened chocolate, 2 1/3 cups sifted cake flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 stick of butter, 2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar, 3 eggs, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla, 1 cup sour cream, 1 cup plus 4 TB water-boiling

1. Melt chocolate in a small bowl over hot water -

2. grease and flour 2 size 9" cake pans either square or heart shaped

3. Sift flour, baking soda and salt into a bowl

4. Beat soft butter in lg bowl. Add brown sugar and eggs; beat with mixer at high speed til light and fluffy about 5 minutes

5. Stir in dry ingredients alternately with sour cream til batter is smooth.

Do not boil water too soon as it evaporates fast- stir in boiling water and batter will become thin Pour into cake pans

6. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes- check with toothpick

7. Let cool 10 minutes - cut around edge to loosen

Turn onto cake platter...I like to put Cherry pie filling between the layers before icing

Fudge icing: 4 squares unsweetened chocolate, 1 stick of butter, 7 1/2 cups of confectioners sugar, 3/4 cup of milk, 2 tsp vanilla

Melt chocolate in small saucepan with butter - remove from heat

Combine other ingredients in bowl and then add chocolate mix- beat till ready to ice cake!