Fireplace Makeover

We've begun a family room makeover at our house. We moved into our Arizona stucco house 14 years ago and the family room has gone through several changes over the years. However, I have never been happy with the fireplace. It's a gas fireplace set in  stucco with a stucco bump out mantle and  another big hole for the television. Yuk!

This picture was taken shortly after we moved in. Look at our tiny TV in the niche!

Later I faux finished the "mantle" to look like wood. 

Better, but not great. And then we got a new television to fit the space. It weighed a ton!

It was finally time for an upgrade! 
Here's the work in progress...

We did stacked stone around the fireplace capped by an oak mantle. 

We had someone rebuild the wall flat to accomodate the new HD TV.

 Next week the floors are getting refinished and the club chairs are currently at the upholsterers getting redone.

More photos to come!
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Honey Bee Napkins

I found some lovely linen napkins at the thrift store last week. There was set of six ecru hemstitched napkins that appeared to be brand new. They were so inexpensive ($2.39 for all!) so I decided to have a little fun with them. I added a little Honey Bee graphic courtesy of the The Graphics Fairy.

I think they turned out very sweet!

This transfer method is the easiest of all. I just used the iron on transfers by Avery, ran it through my printer, cut them out and ironed on. Easy peasy!

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Pink Candy Buffet

It continues to be wedding season here in Arizona. I have three friends with children getting married within the next two weeks. My friend Andie's daughter got married today. Andie loved the candy buffet I did for Megan's wedding and she asked me to do one for Taylor and Seth. The color scheme was ivory and pink, so soft and pretty! I used heart mints, Good and Plenty, strawberry taffy, yogurt raisins and yogurt pretzels, grapefruit sour balls, champagne flavored gumdrops, and pink sixlets (basically an m&m but cheaper!) 

I made personalized candy bags and had pink and tan baker's twine to tie the bags with. I wanted a little glow to the table so I used the little electric tea lights in tall glass candleholders. I also labeled each candy jar with an identifying tag. 

To see how I put together a similar candy buffet for my daughter's reception but with a different color scheme click HERE. These are really fun to do and are a big hit with the wedding guests!

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A Bushel of Cherries

I hadn't planned on making jam today. But I heard that someone had brought a truckload of cherries from Utah and was selling them at a great price. I couldn't resist. I got up at 7 this morning and met Morrie about a half a mile from my house selling 20 pound crates of cherries from the back of his refrigerated semi-truck.  He was down to the last of his crates and let me have 2 for the price of one. Great! Only what was I going to do with  40 pounds of cherries?

I was busy by 8 a.m.washing and pitting.

I use the basic recipe on the box of pectin. I like using pectin because it ensures that the jam will set.  It took 4 cups of cherries finely chopped, 7 cups of sugar ( which I divided using half sugar and half Splenda) and a couple of teaspoons of fresh lemon juice. 

Bring to a full rolling boil and add 1 pouch of liquid pectin. Boil for 1 minute stirring constantly. Fill hot sterilized canning jars, screw on sterilized lids and immediately invert onto a dishtowel. After 5 minutes turn rightside up and listen for the POP of the jar sealing.

This made 6 cups of cherry jam. Yum!

I also made some fruit leather. Yes, in my car. Put trays in the dashboard  and the car acts like a giant oven!

I put more pitted cherries on cookie sheets to freeze. Then I bagged them  in 4 cup batches to use for future pies and cobblers.  

I had enough of my cherry bounty to share as well, so a few neighbors got bags of cherries. Cherry season is short, you have to enjoy it while you can!
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Seashell Tablescape

Have you been to the beach this summer? Unfortunately we haven't, but to remind me of past summers at Cape Cod I put together a simple table setting using shells we've gathered through the years.Instead of using the traditional blues and greens of the ocean I wanted to focus on the warm beiges and browns of the sand and shells. I placed my shell collection into three apothecary jars and then made "vintage" tags to hang from the lids. I featured my brown and black dishes made by Arabia of Finland. I love the concentric circles when the bread and butter plates are layered on the dinners. It's all placed on a shawl I found while out thrifting.

Maybe we'll make it to the beach next year!

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Potpourri Friday

Mango Pineapple Sorbet

Yesterday in line at the market I noticed the young lady in front of me had several mangoes."Oh, I missed the mangoes!" I said. She pointed me over to the next aisle and saved my place while I grabbed one large, ripe fruit. "Have you ever made mango sorbet?" she asked. "It's so easy, go home and Google it." So I did. The recipe I found called for 4 mangoes,  but since I had only purchased one I needed to improvise. I had some leftover pineapple from the day before and decided to combine the two for a frozen tropical treat. 

She was right, it was so easy!

Here is what I did

Mango Pineapple Sorbet

Make a simple syrup of 

1 cup water and 

1 cup sugar (bring to boil to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat to cool.)

1 large mango, peeled and cubed

1 cup canned pineapple chunks, drained

Juice of  1 lime

In a blender or food processor combine the mango,  pineapple and lime juice. Process until fully pureed. While blending add the syrup and blend another minute.  The original recipe said to freeze using a traditional ice cream freezer, but it's too hot outside and I was too lazy. I simply poured the puree into a plastic container and placed in the freezer. Every hour or so I stirred it up a bit to make it frothy and light. This will make 6 generous servings.

Perfect for a hot Summer night!
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Faux French Grainsack Tablecloth

Many of us are loving the way burlap and vintage grain, coffee and feed sacks have worked their way into home decor. They have a nice earthy feel to them and are being used as pillows, drapery, upholstery and table linens. I have purchased just a couple of authentic pieces and 

they can be very pricey!

 So I came up with this alternative...

Do you know that you can buy large pieces of burlap at Home Depot in the gardening department? That's right, and less than $5  for a 80"x80" yard cloth! The first thing I did was spread it out on my lawn and hosed it off to remove excess dust. Then I put it in my dryer with a fabric softener sheet. Yes, it did fill up the lint tray!

Next I used painters tape to mark off lines,

 and then simply filled in with a red Sharpie. I thought about using paint but this was so easy and 

no bleeding under the tape.

I first used my new "vintage" tablecloth out on my patio for a barbecue with friends. Perfect for Summertime!

 And now I'm experimenting with a Christmas look for my women's club Christmas Idea House 

(yes, we're already busy at work on this year's event!)

This was so easy and inexpensive I plan on making several!
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10th Anniversary!

This weekend marks the 10th Anniversary of the antique store Merchant Square in Chandler Arizona. I have had a space there for two years. Coincidentally I celebrated 10 years of being in the antique business in May! I have had such a good time scouring flea markets, estate sales, thrift shops and auctions to find treasures from around the world.

I have a particular fondness for silver, ironstone, vintage linens and French furniture.

Here is just a sample of a few items I currently have for sale.

Come say hi and celebrate with us July 13, 14 and 15th! 

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