WHEN IT'S 95 DEGREES OUTSIDE

It has been plenty hot in Missouri - 

so what do I do when it gets 

too hot to be in the garden?

I was never one to sit on my thumbs, or

watch television in the daytime or

sit around.  So this summer I have

kept busy doing several things

and one of them is something from

the "good ole days" of the 1970's 

and before that - decoupage:

I won't drive you crazy with too many

but here is one I think Beatrix

Potter would approve of:

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS for "Tea In The Garden"

Yesterday I had a couple of friends

over for lunch.  We had a fun time

as we are all bloggers and "kindred

 spirits" as Anne of Green Gables
would say. I had some leftover Blueberry

Muffins so we have a treat!

I am also sharing one of my clipboards

I decoupaged with Edith Holden's artwork.

I have shared some of the decoupage
things I have done.

We will sit here:

I was hoping to have a more thrilling

garden this year.

Looking back, I now know that I should

have planted seeds directly in the dirt
late last summer. I goofed. 
 I think next year will be better.

Please enjoy one of these blueberry muffins:

Here are the ingredients to

 make 12 nice ones:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees

 and spray a muffin

tin (larger size) with pam.  Combine: 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 1/2 tsp baking powder, 6 oz sour cream, 2 large eggs and 1/2 cup vegetable oil till smooth.

Fold in 1 cup blueberries.  Spoon into muffin tin and

sprinkle sugar on top....bake 20 minutes

ALICE SAYS IT'S TIME for "Tea In The Garden"

You really shouldn't be late for this tea -

 but if you are,

I don't mind!  Since I retired 

I don't like to hurry

anymore!

I set up tea for us under the

 deck on the patio area.  This
was one of the toppers I created by
layering vintage linens and 
stitching them down.

You get the idea of the

 area in this photo:

And yes, I am still doing
 decoupage and have been
 doing old vintage picnic baskets

by staining them first
inside and out and then
applying decoupage in
various themes.

Please help yourself to tea and Apricot Scones.
(scone recipe)

I hope you can join my tea time blog
party today and post something
tea related from your blog.
  A special thank you to 
everyone who participates.

DECOUPAGING IS FUN

This post will be brief......just wanted to share

one of the clipboards I recently decoupaged

on the front and back.

This one is mine:

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY for "Tea In The Garden"

It's a beautiful day and right now 
 the shade is on this north side

of the house - so let's sit and 

chat over a nice

cup of tea!

I thought I'd share the picnic basket I stained and decoupaged with Edith Holden's art work from the "The

 Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady". 

 I have really enjoyed revisiting

 this old craft of decoupage.

A bouquet made with

 flowers from my garden:

It is so thrilling having some of my

foxgloves come up that I planted last

year.  They would never come back
 in Colorado so this is wonderful.

I love old vintage linens - 

but most of you know that.

There is a work table for decoupage set

 up just inside this sliding glass door

 and I can sit with the door open

and hear the pond and enjoy the garden.

It's hard to believe it is almost June!

IN CELEBRATION OF MAY for "Tea In The Garden"

I am so happy that May finally arrived.

Happy spring days are here again.

Almost every birdhouse in our yard

is occupied and unavailable.

We don't have to depend on the 

market for  flowers for our bouquets - that's

always nice isn't it?

It is so wonderful to see the sunshine too.

Today I am using my Bavarian

 tea set

with wildflowers on it.

 A little collage showing what's blooming:

I recently have enjoyed reviving

an old interest in decoupage and this

was an old hat box I did with Edith

Holden's art by cutting up one of her books.