Sunday, August 31, 2014

My Favorite August Snack….

One of my favorite "end of the summer" snacks is simply Marinated Tomatoes and Cucumbers:


I chop up the veggies, add a little bit of Balsamic Vinaigrette, sea salt, lots of Florida seasoned pepper and ribbons of basil:


I like to keep a bowl of this in the fridge and snack on it in the afternoon.


And,  although I do not have much of a green thumb, my basil is still growing strong!


If I had a green thumb, I would have an abundance of tomatoes and cukes, but I don't, so it's off to the market for me!

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Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Caitlin's Backyard….

Caitlin has a tree in her backyard that was being strangled by the grapevines that are growing on the nearby fence.  I pulled out over 20 vines  and now the tree looks like it might have a chance to  blossom!


And theres no reason let those vines go to waste!  So I made 7 wreaths and left them to dry out on their own:


I wonder what Caitlin will do with them all?  

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Monday, August 25, 2014

Black and white checked chandelier….

I bought an old chandelier….


…and I took out the electrical guts and sprayed it white...


I added a few checks...


I adhered 5 dessert plates to each wing:


I also bought some battery operated votives... 


...and covered them with checked duct tape...


…one for each plate:


Here is the finished chandelier…ready to be sold at the shop:



The tag reads: 


Use this chandelier: 

  • outside as a bird feeder
  • indoors as a candle chandelier
  • on a table top for appetizers
  • as a holiday decoration     (display: small pumpkins, bird’s nests, Christmas ornaments)

The ways to use this are endless!
Sharing with Sizzle into Summer

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Friday, August 22, 2014

Caitlin's Kitchen

I like wine….


…..I also like collecting corks.


(click on the ideas above to go to original post)


My daughter, Caitlin, just bought a home and wants a "wine-themed kitchen"….


…so I dove into my stash of corks…. 


...and created a cornice for her kitchen window….


I also found "wine themed fabric" and made the curtains….


She still has a lot to do, but is having fun decorating her new home!


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Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Zucchini, Pineapple, Carrot Bread….

I have said it before, but I will again: 

"I love quick breads"!!

This is one of my favorite recipes that I have adapted over the years.


Zucchini-pineapple-carrot bread is so moist, tasty and very colorful!


This recipe makes 2 loaves (or 6 small).


Directions:
Beat together in a large bowl:
3 eggs 
1 C oil
2 C sugar
1 T vanilla
In a small bowl mix together:
3 C flour
1 t baking powder
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
1 T cinnamon
Add dry mixture to wet and stir together.  Add:
2 C grated zucchini
1/2 C grated carrot
1 8oz can crushed pineapple, drained
Grease 2 loaf pans and bake breads for 1 hour at 350'



Enjoy!


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Monday, August 18, 2014

2014 Blogland Tour


A few weeks ago, Deb, from Mountain Breaths invited me to participate in the Blogland Tour.  Last week she highlighted 2 bloggers and shared some tidbits about her life and asked me to do the same.  Somewhat like a chain letter, I invited 2 bloggers that are new to me: Poppy from With a Dash of Color and Jennifer from Beeutiful By Design.  On August 25th they will answer the same questions I have answered below, so stop by to meet some new friends!

Poppy has a flair for creating lovely vignettes and blending elements from nature with every day items. Her tablescapes are so beautiful and inviting, my favorite being the "Autumn Table for Two".  Jennifer can set a beautiful table, too.  A table that would make you want to sit and chat with friends at for hours!  She has a wonderful collection of milk glass (I would like to swipe a few pieces, especially the water pitcher!)  Please visit their blogs and stop by next Monday to see who they will introduce us to!



What am I working on right now?
 I am painting a few pieces of furniture to sell at a local gift shop. I have just discovered a new type of paint, similar to Annie Sloan Chalk paint, that can be purchased in 8 oz jars.  The colors are similar and the paint adheres in the same manner.  I plan to "blog" about it soon!  I am also beginning to gather ideas for Christmas gifts I can make for friends and neighbors.  I am working on a small redecorating project in my living room and also helping my daughter with decorating and furnishing her new home.  I stop in the local thrift shops once a week to hunt for small pieces of furniture that need a "new life"!

How does my work differ from others in this genre?

    My work differs a bit in that I like to add a little black and white to most of the items I paint.  Most artists in my area are using chalk paint to makeover old pieces of furniture, but do not add any more embellishments to the piece.  I like to take it a step further by adding harlequin diamonds, checks, flowers, etc.  I like to pay attention to detail in all aspects of life and that carries over in my work.

Why do I write / create what I do?

 Blogging began as a journal activity for me.  I wanted a way to record happenings in my life, my ideas, vacations, craft and decorating ventures and a little about my family.   I have always been a creative person and it has been a great personal outlet for me.  Creating takes me into my own "little world" and can help me to relax, think, and reflect.  Writing my blog has given me the opportunity to meet some wonderful people from all around the world.  I love the fact that we all share our ideas, projects, travels, and we even get to peek into each other's homes and lives!  I don't have a lot of "creative" friends around me and this outlet of blogging keeps me inspired all the time!

How does your writing process actually work?

  Often my photographs lead my writing.  I love to take photos of everything, they are not great photos, but it is a way to document my life and memories.  I have a laptop and each evening it is on my lap!!  While watching TV I am searching blogs, writing my posts, hunting for recipes and "pinning".  I am a multi-tasker at its best.  I rarely can be found doing ONE thing at a time.  I often write numerous posts at a time and pre-schedule them for publication.  I don't consider my writing to be exceptional by any means and my personal blogging rule is to make it "short and sweet".  


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Sunday, August 17, 2014

Cool Weather



So I made stuffed peppers….


…and boy, were they good!



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Friday, August 15, 2014

Wineries in the Finger Lakes, NY

Today my husband and I, and our friends, Joni and Ray, spent the day at a few local wineries!


We started at Glenora Winery, which is located in Dundee, on Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes Region of Central NY.


Their restaurant overlooks the vineyards and Seneca Lake:


Unfortunately it was a cloudy, cool day, but we still enjoyed lunch on the patio.


I ordered the Triple Bacon Grilled Cheese but I am not sure if it was the best choice on the menu.  It was described as: House made bacon jam, scallion onion bacon cheddar, crispy back on butter toasted brioche, with home made chips.  It was sweet, had very little cheese, and I could not taste the bacon, BUT the chips were excellent!


The dessert was very unique:  This was called a profiterole, but was certainly quite different!  It was a homemade donut, with cannoli ice cream, coated with dark chocolate, sprinkled with pistachios.  I had no problem finishing it :-)


The upside strawberry cake also looked scrumptious!


One of my favorite things to see at this winery are the bottle trees:




There are so many wineries in the Finger Lakes that you can't drive all the way out there without visiting a few more.  I like to try different ones, so today we stopped at:
And the drove over to Cayuga Lake to:


We bought enough wine to fill up our wine rack!


The views were breathtaking, the flowers were in full bloom, and the wine tasting was fun!


My favorite photo of the day:


Do you live near any wineries?

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