Hide and Seek Valentines

Valentine's Day is still more than a couple of weeks away, but I thought I'd get out my few "Valentiney" decorations. Hmm, now where are my hearts? I've always kept them in a certain chest, in a certain drawer, but they were not there. Am I getting old? Where could they be? I must have checked the same chest 3 or 4 times, nothing. 

In with the Christmas things? Easter? 

 I finally realized 2 days later that last year in an organizing frenzy I had cleaned out the chest where these used to reside and boxed them up and put them in the garage. How was my little brain supposed to remember that after some 12 years of being kept in the same place my Valentines were in a totally different part of the house? 

Moral: sometimes reorganizing doesn't pay off!

More to follow!
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Pretty Perfume Bottles

Ooh la la! Look what I found at the thrift store last week, a pair of vintage perfume bottles. And for only $1 each!

They have a fun metal stopper embossed with a lion's head and crown.

I already had a few vintage perfume bottles that had belonged to my grandmother.

 Now I actually have a collection!

I also found an old hydrocloric acid bottle. Hmm, do I keep it with the perfume bottles?

I love old bottles and usually have an assortment at my shop. Come take a look!


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Remarkable Ramekins!

I adore ramekins! Here are some of the ramekins I've collected over the years. As you can see I lean toward red, white and blue. 

Aren't these heart shaped ramekins charming? Perfect for Valentine's Day!

I find most of these little baking dishes at thrift stores, usually for 50 cents 

to a dollar apiece.

 Why do I like ramekins so much? I find them to be extremely versatile. Here are some of the things I use ramekins for:

baking all kinds of individual desserts, such as: fruit crisps, mini pies and cobblers,

 chocolate pudding cake, or bread puddings (recipe to follow)

mini pot pies - great for kids!

mini meatloaves

I keep one filled with Kosher salt next to the stove

fill with candy or nuts

ice cream or gelato dishes-great portion control!

individual salsa or dip bowls

serving melted butter for artichokes

mini prep bowls

applesauce or fruit cups

baking popovers

mixing and serving herbed butters

scrambling eggs in the microwave

holding paper clips

votive holders

and of course, the classic creme brulee

 What do you use ramekins for?

This is my favorite bread pudding recipe:

Individual Bread Puddings
4-5 slices day old French bread cut into cubes
1/3 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cinnamon
2 cups milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
ground nutmeg


Divide bread among 6 greased ramekins. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and cranberries. In a medium sized bowl  beat eggs lightly with whisk. Beat in sugar, salt, cinnamon, milk and vanilla. Pour over bread. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Place in shallow baking dish, add hot water  to dish to come 1/2 inch up sides of ramekins. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven 40 minutes or until knife inserted in centers comes out clean. Remove from water bath to cool slightly. Serve warm with whipped cream.


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Bread Boards

I found a few unfinished bread boards at the thrift store a couple of weeks ago and decided to have a little fun with them courtesy of The Graphics Fairy .

 You can check out the technique I used HERE .

I figured I 'd better dress up the basket too! 

Bon Appetit!
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Brag Monday at the Graphics Fairy
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One Year of Blogging

I started my blog a year ago and I was pretty clueless. In fact it took me a good six months to feel like I knew what I was doing, but I'm still such a novice compared to many of you fabulous bloggers out there. So I was especially surprised to be nominated for a    

award by my new friend Maureen over at It's all Connected. Be sure to check out her blog which has some great DIY projects including how to age a galvanized bucket.

Now I get to recommend 5 other new bloggers for you to check out!

1-A Thrifted Market

This gal knows how to shop! She shares wonderful treasures and clever ways to use them.

2-Patty A Pearce

Patty has great decorating tips and furniture makeovers. I love her dresser turned into a kitchen sideboard!

3-Pondered Primed Perfected

Sherry and her husband take on some pretty amazing renovation projects. Check them out!

4-Cottage-Wishes

Di features thrifted items repurposed into wonderful home decor items.

5-Beaux R'eves

Cindy has created some of my favorite tablescapes ever! 

Please visit these great bloggers, and tell them I sent you!

Hopefully, I'll continue to get better at taking photos, writing, creating and sharing my projects with you. Thanks for visiting!

Toile Table Runner

Happy New Year!

 I don't know how so many of my favorite bloggers managed to continue posting fun pictures all through the holidays. I simply needed a break for a week or so. And then, instead of putting the rest of Christmas away I felt the urge to get crafty and made this table runner a couple of days ago. 

 I already had the black and white toile  from awhile back. Then I found this black ticking stripe at the thrift store a few weeks ago and I knew they were destined for each other!

 I covered the seam with some black and white checked ribbon from my stash.

 I love the way the pewter plates look with it.(Also found at a thrift store.)

Then I added a few potted geraniums.Very fresh for the new year!


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Metamorphosis Monday

Surrounded by Santas

"Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound!

He was dressed all in fur from his head to his foot

and his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back

 and he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses his nose like a cherry.

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow

and the beard on his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth

and the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.

 He had a broad face and a little round belly

that shook when he laughed like a bowl full of jelly.

 He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, 

and I laughed when I saw him in spite of myself.

A wink of his eye and twist of his head 

soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread...

...and I heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight

Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"

-Clement C. Moore


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Darling Dishtowels

Do you have time to go thrift shopping during the holiday season? No? I don't really either, nevertheless I zipped into my closest Goodwill after running errands to see if they had any fun Christmas decor left.

See what I found? Four holiday dishtowels, and yes, brand new with the price tags from a local boutique still attached!

 The toile towels are made by Waverly and the red ones are from TAG one of my favorite vendors. I also happen to have two bowls in the same Winterberry pattern to coordinate with the towels.

 Do you love dishtowels as much as I do?

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Christmas Pudding

While thrift shopping recently, I came across this charming vintage tin. It's in beautiful condition. Since I love to cook I also love collecting kitchen cookware and gadgets. 

Can you guess what it's for?

 It's an old pudding mold. Not the kind of pudding that Americans think of. But old fashioned English pudding that's full of fruits, nuts and spices that gets steamed for hours filling the kitchen with 

holiday fragrance. 

My mother used to make a traditional carrot pudding for the holidays so I dug out the old recipe and gave it a try. Didn't it come out beautifully? I filled the center with whipped cream and served it with warm lemon sauce 

for my book club today.

The Recipe

Carrot Pudding

1 cup butter                                                                                                                  

1 cup brown sugar                                                            

2 eggs beaten                                                                   

1 cup grated carrots                                                          

1 cup peeled and grated apple                                           

1 cup raisins                                                              
1 cup flour 

1 cup fine bread crumbs
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda 
 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat, then add carrots, raisins and apples. Stir in dry ingredients. Fill greased mold 2/3 full and cover with lid or foil and simmer 3 hours in large covered kettle filled with 1-2 inches of water. Remove mold from water, take off lid and turn upside down to unmold pudding onto large plate. Serve with whipped cream and lemon sauce.

Lemon Sauce

3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 1/4 cups hot water

3 1/2 teaspoons butter

4 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

In a saucepan mix sugar, cornstarch and salt. Add water, butter, lemon and vanilla. Simmer until thick.  

Happy Holidays! 
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                                            Tuesday's Treasures                                                  

Christmas Jars

This is a fun Christmas gift idea that some of my friends will be receiving. I recently read Christmas Jars, a novel by Jason F. Wright. It's a wonderful story about a family that "pays it forward" each year by collecting loose change and sharing it with others in need.  Rather than giving my friends a jar of cash (!), I got them each a copy of the book and made some 

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie mix in a Jar.

I'm sure most of you have made these cookie mixes before. 

They are easy to make and fun to receive!

 Here is my version:

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix in a Jar

• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cups quick or old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup Craisins

• COMBINE flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in small bowl. Place flour mixture in 1-quart jar. Layer remaining ingredients in order listed above, pressing firmly after each layer. Seal with lid .
• RECIPE TO ATTACH:
  Beat 1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter or margarine, 1 large egg and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until blended. Add cookie mix; mix well, breaking up any clumps. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake in preheated 375° F. oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks. Makes about 2 dozen cookies. 

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An Abundance of Ornaments

I had three major events that I was involved in this past week! Nevertheless I have spent every spare minute decorating the house for Christmas. We have a large tree in the living room and after filling every branch with baubles, bangles and beads I still had boxes of ornaments! I know I need to "weed out" some, but honestly, how can I let any of these go? So I started filling platters, bowls and jars. 

I decided trying to chose your favorite Christmas ornament is like trying to chose your favorite child,

 you simply love them all!

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