Do you ever wonder what to do with your art work that doesn't always go with your holiday theme? I do! I have some beautiful canvas prints that are a little beachy.  At work one day I was talking to one of our new teachers, you know the young, energetic type? Well she gave me the idea to wrap those big prints. I couldn't find wrapping paper that was less loud so I went with letting the ribbon be the star of the piece! 

Something different and holiday decorating, I'll give it a try!

The more decorating on the inside will help with the lack of snow on the outside :(    I hope!
Still dreaming of a white Christmas!

In the beginning of December it felt like Christmas! The family cut down the tree and it was snowing in Vermont, really it was! Today it was sunny and 50! While some Vermonters I talked to today said things like...

"I'll take it," "fine by me, I'm not ready." I on the other hand longed for this...

So I took action and decided to come right home after work to make ornaments with my kids.
Knowing that I had driftwood collected and saved from the warm sunny days on the lake, I decided to take those warm weather memories and use them for creating hopefully cold weather memories... Christmas Memories!

While Christmas music was playing, arose a tiny reindeer...

Red ribbon, glue guns and such a clatter....

And then creative thoughts danced in Riley's head...

Leading to all of us hoping for SNOW!!!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! My chalkboard is finished and ready to display for Thanksgiving day!

I am looking forward to having my family join me for the feast this year. I love everything about Thanksgiving...the cooking, the parade, the great food and wine, and of course most of all spending the day with my family.

Here are two of my favorite recipes that I will be making along with a few others ;0)

Creamed pearl onions:

• 12 ounces pearl onions
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 garlic clove, smashed
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup goose stock or 
• chicken broth

• Directions

  Blanch the pearl onions by placing them into a large pot of rapidly boiling water. Cook them for about 1 minute. Remove the onions from the water with a strainer, then plunge into an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Drain them, then remove the skins.

  Put the onions in a 3-quart saucepan and place over low-medium heat. Add the cream, bay leaves, parsley, garlic and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Then, remove the cover and add stock. Season again. Allow to cook down for 5 minutes to tighten up the cream sauce. Discard the garlic clove and bay leaves before serving.

and from Southern Living, Black bottom

pumpkin pie

 

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped pecans

• 1 cup cinnamon graham cracker crumbs
• 1 cup crushed gingersnaps
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
• 2 cups whipping cream, divided
• 2 (1.4-oz.) chocolate-covered toffee candy bars, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste*
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• Garnish: semisweet chocolate shavings

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Cool 10 minutes.
2. 2. Stir together graham cracker crumbs, next 2 ingredients, and toasted pecans until blended. Press crumb mixture on bottom, up sides, and onto lip of a lightly greased 10-inch pie plate.
3. 3. Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack, and cool completely (about 30 minutes).
4. 4. Microwave 1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels and 1/2 cup whipping cream in a small microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 minute or until melted, stirring at 30-second intervals. Spoon chocolate mixture over bottom of pie crust; sprinkle candy bars over chocolate mixture. Cover and chill 1 hour or until chocolate mixture is set.
5. 5. Meanwhile, whisk together sugar and flour in a heavy 3-qt. saucepan; add eggs, egg yolks, and milk, and whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, 8 to 10 minutes or until a pudding-like thickness. (Mixture will just begin to bubble and will hold soft peaks when whisk is lifted.) Remove from heat, and whisk in pumpkin and vanilla bean paste. Transfer to a bowl. Place heavy-duty plastic wrap directly on warm filling (to prevent a film from forming); chill 30 minutes. Spoon pumpkin mixture over chocolate; cover and chill 8 to 24 hours or until filling is firm.
6. 6. Beat remaining 1 1/2 cups cream at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy; gradually add syrup, beating until soft peaks form. Spread or pipe over pie.
7. *Vanilla extract may be substituted.

Weekend warriors, we try to be. After reading some magazines over coffee, I had an idea. My husband knew trouble was brewing when I showed him a picture and I said I'd like to make "this" sometime. So after the gym, we were on a mission! He is very supportive and loves a good project! It all started with a Thanksgiving post! ~ And these...

 and first of all this...

So then at 2 minutes to closing, Sticks and Stuff had this...

and these...

And after running around... to finally Ace really is the place these...

Busy at home with a saw and some glue we had this...

And finally at the end of the weekend approaching we had THIS!!!

At almost 9 PM, I wanted a harvest quote, I wanted to surround the masterpiece with pumpkins and garland made of leaves....

Then upon reading the chalk board paint directions? Do not write on for 36 hours... :(

Stay tuned, the weekend warriors just ran out of time! However, we were thankful for the journey! 

I absolutely love this time of year. I love sitting at my kitchen counter with a cup of coffee thumbing through my favorite magazines planning for the big meal. My mother and I usually work together to cook. I love searching for new decorating ideas too! This year a chalk board where my family can write what they are Thankful for when they arrive. 
Something like this:

Beautiful centerpieces too...

Have fun and enjoy creating your shopping list!

Today's post is about an older couple that I met when I went to their yard sale. I was leaving my graduate course one Saturday feeling completely overwhelmed by life and the speed of it all. It was one of those times when I finally got to my car and the tears just started flowing. Ever have one of those?? I decided to get off the main road wondering if the on coming traffic could see. I pulled off on a dirt road and pulled over. Needless to say I just had a good cry. When I finally let it all out, I looked up and saw a yard sale sign. I love yard sales so I thought... what the heck.
It was there that I met the sweetest older couple.
They showed me around their yard sale like they were showing me around a fancy showroom. Somewhere in the conversation I told the couple how much I loved the forties and everything about it..... especially the music.
The woman then showed me these:

When I think of the forties I think that times were more simple back then. Women weren't expected to wear so many hats. After all they vacuumed in dresses and in the advertisements they made it look good! ( completely realize it wasn't really that way back then.) 

Take a look from my magazine

Really? pumps...a dress....and an apron?? Cleaning Toilets? Glamorous.

I told the couple that I would definitely take the magazines. Then the woman brought me to the corner of her garage and opened up a plastic container. She pulled out this....

A hostess set! A hostess set! Including a beautiful apron. She said it was her mother's, that she received as a wedding gift and that she was giving it to me because she knew I would appreciate it. 

I thanked the woman for everything, especially the conversation and I let her know that she completely turned my day around. Then, more tears.....

She then sold me a chair too.....

Which I painted and decided that every time I sit in it I will remember that nice couple who showed me around their yard sale. I'll probably listen to Ella Fitzgerald and think of a time that was more simple... and of course glamorous.... in my eyes anyway.

I still have some leftover burlap!!! Look at some of these other ideas. 

Burlap reminds me of a big sack of potatoes from a french kitchen from the 1920's. Burlap just coincides with charm and white bead board... to me anyway. So I decided to see what my local Joanne Fabrics had available. Friday afternoon I felt like I hit the jackpot! It's versatile and really inexpensive. This weekend I tried a few things......

This is the first time I have used this stuff (amateur!!!) but I think it's my new favorite texture!!!

of course there were pillows!!!

and more pillows...

Thanks to my husband for repairing my sewing machine... more pillows!!

And placemats 

or whatever else I can use this stuff for.

Stay tuned for burlap picture frame mats and table runners. I love the weekend!!!

“How beautifully leaves grow old. How full of light and color are their last days.”

John Burroughs

Despite our drought, Vermont is as beautiful as ever. There are moments on my way to and from school that the landscape looks like a scene from the Wizard of Oz.  It's so hard to believe that it is real!!! This past weekend we were out and about enjoying every bit of it!!!!

First the apple picking....to fill a box......

Lots of apples!!!! And Pumpkins too!!!

Of course Mums :)

Bringing it home......

Also, Bringing more of the fall inside because...

"Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn."

Elizabeth Lawrence

road side flowers and leaves, bringing the beauty inside.

Enjoy!!!