Wednesday, March 29, 2017

SPRING INSPIRATION for "Friends Sharing Tea"

This week I was ready
 for some Springtime
 inspiration at my house:


Last year, I found this pretty 
napkin (above) over in a little
shop in Boonville.



Pansies, daffodils, bunnies, chicks
and tulips - just naming a few
things that speak of Spring!







Although we had a very mild winter,
we are very ready to see green outdoors
again. Even though it was cool out
yesterday, my husband went out 
and mowed the front lawn.



I hope you can join me below  for my
 "Friends Sharing Tea" Blog Party.

Monday, March 27, 2017

SPRING IS HERE AND MR. RABBIT IS BACK

Last Monday was the first official
 day
of spring and we'll take it!


Here in Columbia, Missouri, the Bradford
Pears bloomed about a week earlier than
last year!  They were beautiful all over
town about 2 weeks ago - 
it's just to bad the tree bares no pears.
These Forget Me Nots will be blooming soon:


Forsythia was another one
that that I have seen that came early
 Ours was quite modest because 
we gave it a severe haircut last year.



We have so many birds here now that
the backyard sounds like a birdfest!
I keep the feeders full to make
them happy.  Last Friday was the
first time I saw the bunnies on
the ground beneath the feeder
eating what the birds spill.

Mr. Rabbit is already eating
 things
in the yard - NOT good.



Missouri had a very mild winter and
at least one lady told me the bugs will
be bad because of that.



We have had about 3 days of rain -
yes - rain.  I know too much isn't good
and some are experiencing that but
we needed it.

Saturday, March 25, 2017

ANTIQUING IN PARIS

Today I went antiquing in Paris....that is
Paris, Missouri - not Paris, France.


 These are the dishes I got today that I
am displaying with other cottage
items I already had:




In the little town of Paris there was an annual
antique show at the rural high school.  I
thought some of the displays were really nice.
There were many quilts, etc.  I bought some
75 year old cottage dishes that came 
from the Burslem, 
England Crownford Pottery. 
The pattern is called "Surrey".


Most of the pieces are pretty stained and I
could not get the stains out but just picked out
a few of the best to keep.  They were
 inexpensive as they all have a ton
 of crazing so I need to think of a craft
 project with the  remaining ones - 
would be cute on 
some birdhouses for sure.








And lastly I am sharing what the creek out 
back looks like with 2 days of rain
and see how things have turned green:


Wednesday, March 22, 2017

ANOTHER VERSION OF LEMON CREAM CHEESE SCONES

I imagine that many of you are like me and
change recipes  after baking something 
quite a few times!


I have baked these scones many times and shared them on this blog and always seem
 to change something. I purchased the
 little American Beauty 
cream and sugar below from another blogger.



This time when I baked these scones
(click above to see recipe)
I used buttermilk instead of heavy cream
and I added 1/4 cup of lemon juice
 in them along with the lemon zest.


I also recently found this little 
hand painted tray above!
I put some strawberry
jam on your scone for you:


Things are starting to pop up here
in our Missouri yard - I know that
 it's going to be a fun year in the garden.
Last year the "foundation" was dug out
but this year I can move on to the plants so
I have 20 flats of seeds growing in the
 basement now...... and so much to learn!!!!






Friday, March 17, 2017

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY

One year ago today we left Colorado
on our second and last moving trip
to Missouri!  









Where has time gone?


Happy St. Patrick's Day!
I am so glad I don't have
to move today!

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

MARCH MOVES ON

March seems to be moving right along!


This winter I have kept busy doing various
 projects.  I am sharing this little ornament
 tag above that is Tasha Tudor's art
which I have enjoyed using to do some crafts!


Please enjoy a cup 
of tea this morning!


As you can see there are leaves
 appearing on the trees
and bushes over in the woods.
I brought in some of pussy willow
 branches to enjoy:


My heart is stirred for all the folks in
the north east enduring snow now!
I saw a few flakes earlier but they
melted in the air.






Have you been keeping busy this winter
trying to "get through"?



Monday, March 13, 2017

DECOUPAGE - JUST LIKE IN THE 70'S

I have been doing something like we did in the late 60's and 1970's. 
 Do you remember decoupage?

These are from Tasha Tudor's
 artwork from her books:



And these are Beatrix Potter: