Snow Globes

Does it seem too early for a Christmas post? Well, I can assure you, the ladies of my service club are in the thick of Christmas crafts in preparation of our annual Christmas Idea House. I am chairing the Living Room committee this year and I want to share my new favorite craft- 

Winter snow globes.

 Aren't these fun? And so simple to make.

 You can make large scenes from glass canisters,

or tiny scenes from mason jars.

 We've used vintage looking ornaments and embellished with ribbon and a chalkboard tag. 

 Make sure your jars have a wide opening. You can use the jar right side up if it has a cute lid or 

upside down if it has  a flat lid. 

 Glue your ornament to the base with a dab of hot glue.

 Then sprinkle in either faux snow flakes, 

 or rock salt. I add a bit of glitter to the rock salt 

to make it sparkle!

All of these darling snow scenes will be for sale at our big event which supports local charities here in Arizona.

For  more information go to Christmas Idea House.

Have you been working on Christmas crafts yet?

I like to join these parties

Amaze Me Monday @ Dwellings

Masterpiece Monday @ Boogieboard Cottage

Tuesday Treasure @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

What's It Wednesday @ Ivy and Elephants

Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Be Inspired @ Common Ground

Share Your Style @ No Minimalist Here

Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home

The Scoop @ Cedar Hill Ranch

Home and Garden Thursday @ Delightsome Life

Pumpkin Collection

I look forward every September to getting out my collection of pumpkins. It's a random assortment of all shapes and sizes, and I also try to find new ways to display them.

I've put pumpkins in crates, 

 pumpkins scattered across the table,

 pumpkins in tureens, 

pumpkins in ironstone pots, 

 pumpkins on candlesticks, 

and pumpkins on pedestals.

 This summer while thrift shopping I found several glass hurricanes. I though they would be perfect filled with my odd collection! 

 How do you like to display pumpkins?

I like to join these parties

Amaze Me Monday @ Dwellings

Masterpiece Monday @ Boogieboard Cottage

Tuesday Treasure @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

What's It Wednesday @ Ivy and Elephants

Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Be Inspired @ Common Ground

Share Your Style @ No Minimalist Here

Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home

The Scoop @ Cedar Hill Ranch

Home and Garden Thursday @ Delightsome Life

Zucchini Brownies

Are you busy harvesting from your summer gardens? I've been travelling most of the summer so I didn't plant a garden this year. Instead, I've been taking advantage of some wonderful farmer's markets. Here in Utah the markets are full of fresh local tomatoes, corn and zucchini. While I love to eat these fresh or grilled I've been tying out some new recipes.  This is my new favorite - Zucchini Brownies. They are  chocolatey, rich, moist and super easy! 

Aside from the zucchini you probably have all of these ingredients in your pantry. Flour , sugar, oil, cocoa, vanilla, baking soda, salt and chocolate chips.

First, shred your zucchini. You will need 2 cups, or about one medium zucchini. Set it aside. Dump everything else except the chocolate chips into a large mixing bowl. You do not need a mixer, this is easy to stir by hand.

After stirring a couple of minutes the mixture will appear dry and crumbly. I was tempted to add some liquid but don't worry. The zucchini will moisten things up.

 See? After thoroughly stirring in the shredded zucchini the batter becomes moist and fudgy.

 Lastly, stir in some chocolate chips.

Now spread it in a pre greased 9 x 13 pan.

 Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

 Cool completely and cut into squares.

 I like to dust these with a bit of powdered sugar.

 (I actually cut into these a bit too soon so they are a bit messy - but so good!)

I've already shared these with several friends and one said it was her favorite brownie ever!

Zucchini Brownies

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2/3 cup coconut oil (or other cooking oil)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup cocoa

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoons baking soda

2 packed cups shredded zucchini

1 cup chocolate chips

Place first 7 ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Stir until well combined. Mixture will be dry and crumbly. Add shredded zucchini and combine thoroughly. Add chocolate chips. Spread in greased 9 x 13 baking pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Cool and cut into squares. Makes 24.

I like to join these parties

Amaze Me Monday @ Dwellings

Masterpiece Monday @ Boogieboard Cottage

Tuesday Treasure @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

What's It Wednesday @ Ivy and Elephants

Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Be Inspired @ Common Ground

Share Your Style @ No Minimalist Here

Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home

The Scoop @ Cedar Hill Ranch

Home and Garden Thursday @ Delightsome Life

Time Travel Thursday @ Brambleberry Cottage

Vintage Blog of the Week

Vintage Blog of the Week!

When I started blogging about 4 years ago I thought it might help my antique business by highlighting some of my things for sale. I had no idea that I would make friendships across the internet by sharing a love of similar interests. I have discovered that bloggers are the nicest people who are there to help and encourage each other!

 My newest blog friend is Diana over at Adirondack Girl at Heart. I discovered her when I saw her post on ironstone and knew we were kindred spirits!  Diana has chosen to feature me as her Vintage Blog of the Week. 

I am flattered with her lovely write up.

Pay Diana a visit and check out her beautiful photography and helpful price guides.

I like to join these parties

Amaze Me Monday @ Dwellings

Masterpiece Monday @ Boogieboard Cottage

Tuesday Treasure @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

What's It Wednesday @ Ivy and Elephants

Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Be Inspired @ Common Ground

Share Your Style @ No Minimalist Here

Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home

The Scoop @ Cedar Hill Ranch

Home and Garden Thursday @ Delightsome Life

Danish Dishes

Are you familiar with Royal Copenhagen of Denmark? They make some of the most beautiful porcelain and earthenware dish sets. I can't call myself a true collector because I only have a very few pieces. I recently spied four of these plates while  out thrifting, for only a few dollars each, so of course I had to have them! This is the Blue Tranquebar pattern.

 No, I have no idea how to pronounce it!

The company was founded in 1775 and is well known for it's annual Christmas collectors plates, charming figurines and exceptional Fine China.

The plates have wonderful detail with it's basket weave border and hand painted cross hatch design.The blue flower in the center is also hand painted so each dish is truly unique.

 You know if it is authentic Royal Copenhagen by the distinctive maker's mark.

There are  three wavy lines above each other, symbolizing Denmark’s three straits: Øresund, the Great Belt and the Little Belt.

Denmark is a seafaring country so many of the motifs in their china reflect the colors and themes of the ocean.

I bought this lovely salad bowl many years ago for only $3. I'm so happy now to have plates to go with it! 

I have a couple of other random pieces of 

Royal Copenhagen-  a large rimmed soup bowl, a candlestick and a beautiful tureen lid,  alas with no tureen to go under it! These are in the Blue fluted pattern which is perhaps Royal Copenhagen's most popular pattern. My grandmother had a full set of this and I loved it when she would  pull it out for family dinners.

I've set it all on a clean white matelasse coverlet  to show off the crisp blue and white pattern.

There are many, many serving pieces to go with Tranquebar so I'll keep looking! 

I like to join these parties

Amaze Me Monday @ Dwellings

Masterpiece Monday @ Boogieboard Cottage

Tuesday Treasure @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

What's It Wednesday @ Ivy and Elephants

Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Be Inspired @ Common Ground

Show and Share@Coastal Charm

Share Your Style @ No Minimalist Here

Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home

The Scoop @ Cedar Hill Ranch

Home and Garden Thursday @ Delightsome Life

Time Travel Thursday @ Brambleberry Cottage

Silver Tip Trays

Do you know what these tiny silver trays are for? 

They are lovely little pieces of history - hotel silver tip trays. Tip trays like these were used in finer hotels, restaurants,  and long distance railroads to leave a gratuity for the waiter or housekeeping staff.

 Here is a tray from the Arlington Hotel made by the Reed and Barton silver company.

Hotel silver is usually heavy for it's size.

A small tip tray on your nightstand is the perfect place to keep pocket change or jewelry.

They are not very expensive, maybe $5-15, if you are lucky enough to find one!

I like to join these parties

Amaze Me Monday @ Dwellings

Masterpiece Monday @ Boogieboard Cottage

Tuesday Treasure @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

What's It Wednesday @ Ivy and Elephants

Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Be Inspired @ Common Ground

Open House @ No Minimalist Here

Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home

The Scoop @ Cedar Hill Ranch

Home and Garden Thursday @ Delightsome Life

Glittered Sugar Pine Pinecones

A couple of weeks ago my husband and I vacationed in the San Bernadino mountains. The charming  town of Lake Arrowhead is nestled up in the California hills about an hour and a half from Los Angeles. The air was cooler and the forests were full of Redwood trees, Sequoias and Giant Sugar Pines. Have you ever seen the pinecone from a Giant Sugar Pine? Well, they are ENORMOUS! Seriously, they are 12-17 inches in length. 
And up in Lake Arrowhead the ground is littered with them!

 So every morning on my morning walk I would pick a bagful to bring home. 

Are you a pinecone collector like me?

 I  honestly can't resist them.

I thought these would be great all glittered up and hanging from a large Christmas tree. 

So here's how you turn these into frosty, glittery pinecones.

 First, be aware that sugar pinecones are covered with sticky sap. To remove the sap you have to bake the pinecones. That's right. Line your cookie sheets with foil and layer the pinecones on top. Bake at 250 degrees for 20 minutes. The sap will drip down  onto the sheet. Plus if there are any stray critters living in the cones this will take care of that too.

Next I screwed a small eye hook into the top of the pinecone.

Then I brushed the pinecones with Elmer's glue and sprinkled them with German glass glitter. It has a wonderful sparkle to it. But be careful handling this kind of glitter, it  is sharp! 

To finish it off I tied a satin ribbon  through the eye hook and a loop to hang it with.

My first Christmas craft project of the season completed!

I like to join these parties

Amaze Me Monday @ Dwellings

Masterpiece Monday @ Boogieboard Cottage

Tuesday Treasure @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

What's It Wednesday @ Ivy and Elephants

Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Be Inspired @ Common Ground

Share Your Style @ No Minimalist Here

Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home

The Scoop @ Cedar Hill Ranch

Home and Garden Thursday @ Delightsome Life

Time Travel Thursday @ Brambleberry Cottage