New Colors for Thursday Parties!

Welcome to my new colors!  I'm linking to Tablescape Thursday and Thrifty Thursday!   Make sure you click through their buttons on the left of my posts ... so you can see all the other posts.  As always, special thanks to our hostesses.

Here's a peek at the new color on our old house!  Our little brick ranch is 50 years old this year!  We've owned it over half that time and the shutters have always been blue ... some shade of blue!  Butterschotch gold is a vintage color ... and a big change for me, but I love it.  It is clearly a perfect autumn color ... but I already know what I'm going to do for Christmas, spring and summer decor on the porch!  Thought that through before I chose the color!  I know I'm goofy, but we have to be prepared!

You're about to view a collage of a cake and coffee tablescape on the front porch!  The sunflower plates and mugs came from GW and they were just $3 ... can you believe that?   The green glasses came from a garage sale, but they were free!  I bought a doll collection, which you will see in future tablescapes and the gal threw the glasses in for free!  You know by now that I don't need the things that I buy at GW or junking ...  and chances are they will go back to GW in a year for somebody else to buy and enjoy.  I enjoy the hunt.

The forks are from a set of flatware from Pier1 and the rust napkins came from Old Time Pottery.  When I have the cute decorative boxes from sets of tableware, I frequently use them on the tables.   I'll be setting a cake in an old avacado green platter on top of the boxes!  Hope you enjoy!  Make sure you click through to the party hostesses and click through to visit my website and see the details about my Autumn Affairs Cookbook ... I can ship it anyplace ... just $18 includes the shipping.



Heart of the Home Party! Yeah!

I'm so excited about the Heart of the Home party ... not to show you my kitchen, but to see yours!   I'm planning a giant "rip out" for next spring and still haven't decided what kind of new cabinets I want.   Maybe I'll find just the right style in one of your posts!

Thanks to our hostess, Sheila ... for coming up with this great idea.   Make sure you jump over to her site to visit all the party-goers.   You can click right through her button on the left of my post.

I decided to show you my little kitchen table ... not for the table but for the shelves above it.  Truth is, we eat in the sunroom, in front of the television and on the back deck almost all the time.   Empty nesters that we are ... we don't have those rules about "no meals in front of the television" for ourselves!   But our kitchen spot is pretty special.   The little octogon table (that has 2 leaves to make it 90 inches long) was a game table in our first house, so we've had it 35 years!  It has hosted lots of card parties, held every board game that was popular in those 35 years, handled lots of homework ... craft projects ... and cooking projects.   It gets used for photo shoots ... we do eat on it sometimes ... and Miss Phoebe loves to open up her giant coloring books on it!  It is the one place where we can scribble crayola, spill glue and sprinkle extra glitter!  It has handled everything!

Nomatter what is going on on this table, Phoebe's red snack can is always there ... filled with something her mother probably wouldn't like for her to eat!  I love being the grandmother.  The next collage is our Autumn 2009 shelf decor ... you'll see this year in a future post!



The next collage is the old table dressed up for some photo shoots for my tourism magazine.  Hope you've all subscribed to our free magazine, Food, Fun & Folks.  All you have to do is call 800-526-1500 and tell the girls you'd like to be on the list.   Leave us your mailing address ... or email Devon at cctb2@neondsl.com

There are no strings attached ... It is a free tourism promotional piece and I know you'd love it.



Sometimes our table is all cluttered ... sometimes it is set for company!  Three things remain constant on the shelves ... the pig picture that my sister gave to me ... the washboard that was in my mother-in-law's bathroom (she would be 100 this year ... she washed all her undies in the bathroom sink by hand ... on that board!)  ... and the camel back clock you see in this post.   That clock is not antique ... but my house is filled with antique clocks from my daddy's collection!   He loved to hear them chime.

Here we are all dressed up for Christmas last year ... with the putz houses on the shelves!  I hosted the appetizer course for the Women's Club  progressive dinner ... This was the first table they stopped at ... for shrimp cocktail.  Like the way I used the old cocktail shaker and glasses on the stand.  Truth is ... the lid is stuck on the shaker ... so I can't really use it for cocktails! 

Big Daddy and I want everybody to feel as comfortable in our home ... as they  do in their own ... so we try to make several "heart" spots in our home ... but the old kitchen table and the shelves above it could really tell some stories!  Hope you enjoy!

Tabletop Tuesday on the Freshly Painted Porch!

We've had a little makeover!  You'll see a little more of the new color on our little brick ranch in upcoming posts, but since the porch is finished I've been putting the wicker furniture back and dressed them up with some autumn decor!  You're seeing the shelf under my round glass-top wicker table ... looking through the glass complete with reflections of the trees above!   Miss Phoebe decorated the little table with the rabbits.   The rabbits are her favorite things we keep on the porch.   She loves moving them around the yard ... I find them all over the place.   They've enjoyed living in the rose bed ... and inside one of my glass lanterns!  You probably can't tell ... but Phoebe decorates with real leaves and acorns!  She's quite a gal.

Special thanks to our hostess for Tabletop Tuesday ... make sure you click thru to visit the party and the other posts.  You'll find her button on the left of my post!

You'll see more of this round table on Thrifty Thursday and Tablescape Thursday!  Stay tuned! 

From ... almost trash to treasures!

This is my first Met Monday post ... but I couldn't resist showing some neat things I've made in the last month!   I cleaned out our hobby room a couple months ago and found so much stuff to work with ... a box of beads ... lots of beads;  wiggling eyeballs;  all kinds of ribbon and trim scraps ... Take a look at the "afters" ... just imagine the "before" picture of a giant box filled with what could have been trash!  As always, thanks to our hostess ... and don't forget to click through to visit the party!  http://www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

I made several sets of napkin rings because I unearthed a giant box of glass beads!  ... several are from natural stones ...others from glass or plastic beads.  They couldn't be easier to do ... all you need is pliable wire.  Put a loop on one end, string the beads and hook the other end in the loop and curl the raw end under so you don't prick your finger with it.  You can make a double length and twist it like the red ring ... or just string beads like the yellow one!  Even if you have to buy the beads, you'll make these for about 20% of the cost of ready-made ones.

I needed a grape wreath for a weekend dinner party and I had all the stuff to make one ... so here it is!  I took it apart when I was done ... so I could use the grapes for other things.

When I make tassels,  I use wooden flower pot shapes and string them with wire that I string beads on.  I've made lots of these and find it a great way to use scraps of ribbon, etc.  Like the painted metal tray? 

I'm sure you've all made ghosts from cheese cloth and Elmer's glue!  I've started making mine on styro balls, so I can insert a hook and hang them!  This year I found some neat Christmas ornament hooks with glass beads on them ... All you have to do is uncurl the bottom of the wire hook and turn it into a spiral .. kind of like those spiral things you put in the ground to chain a dog to ... Then it will stay in the styro ball ... will pull out easily (no glue) ... so you can use all the supplies for something else.  I also sprayed my ghosts with silver  glitter paint.   My daughter sets hers on tall clear wine glasses instead of hanging them! 

Mr. Owl Has Lived with Us for 35 Years!

I recently made a run to one of my favorite places ... a collectible shop that supports a small community museum.   I donate a few things to the shop from time to time ... but generally buy more to bring home!  My daughter and I loaded up on lots of things to use in our autumn decorating.   Then we decided that we should take lots of pictures that can be posted to let people know how neat the shop is!  So, this Shannon crystal candle holder in the Dublin pattern was a good buy!  I filled it with faux pumpkins.  In the middle picture, the little "cage" came from the shop and cost me a whole dollar!  It looks equally cute with faux pumpkins!

I have finally found the beaded fringe I want to glue to my little lampshades on my antique lamps.  The next time you see them, they'll be "adorned" with some glitz!  Mr. Owl will like them better!

This is my first post to Seasonal Sundays!  Make sure you click through to visit http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com/ so you can see all the other neat posts!  I'm also posting with Tablescape Tuesday and you can click through thefavicon on the left to see all those participants.  I hope you'll also click through to visit my website and take a look at the cookbooks I have for sale.  I can ship them worldwide.  Enjoy!

It's Time for the Barnyard Bash!

My pigs and I are happy to accept the invitation to party in the barnyard!  Special thanks to our hostess.  Make sure you click through her icon to visit all the other posts.  I hope you visit my website and take a look at my neat new cookbook.  I'll ship them anywhere ... pament is secure with Paypal.   Oink, oink!  Hope you enjoy!

Foodie Friday! - Ripe Tomato Cake

Here's a great cake recipe ... and a cooked icing recipe ... that is so good.  It uses ripe tomatoes ... not green ones and not tomato soup.  Don't overbake it ... watch it closely!  I bake mine in an 8 inch square pan and just pile the icing on top ... but you could split it into two layers and the icing is enough to frost both layers.  You'll love it!  Don't forget to click through the Foodie Friday icon to see all the other posts!

Tablescape Thursday - Apples are Ready!

It's time to pick apples in Southern Illinois, so that makes it time to set the apple tables!  Make sure you click through to our Tablescape Thursday hostess ... the icon is on the left of this post.   I hope you'll click through to my website and take a look at my newest cookbook.  I'll ship them anyplace, so don't hesitate to buy!  Leave me a note ... I love to hear from you!

Tablescape Thursday - Marilyn Monroe and Artichokes!

Here we are again ... Tablescape Thursday!  Thanks so much to Susan for hosting.   Make sure you click through the icon on the left to visit our host site.  I hope you'll also click through to my website and look at my most recent cookbook.   Autumn is upon us and if you need some new entertaining ideas, this  book is a great one! It's worth the purchase, just to find out who got the first bite of my wedding cake!  Hope you enjoy my artichoke scape ... and a little history lesson to boot!

Victoria's Trifle

The first time I ever made a trifle, I used a recipe that was in Victoria Magazine!  Since then,  I've made it scores of times ... especially at Christmastime as shown in this picture ... and many times during the summer with fruits in season.  One year we gave trifle kits as Christmas gifts to our friends.  I filled trifle bowls with the ingredients for a quick/instant pudding style trifle ... and made a cute giant recipe card that also had the history of trifle on it.

Trifle comes from English Renaissance times ... but was popularized by Queen Victoria.   Did you know that she started keeping a journal of recipes and menus when she was just a child?  She truly planned and supervised the preparation of both family and State dinners in her court ... using her own recipes.   Sponge cake was a favorite of hers ... and it was frequently used in trifle.  Trifle was also made as an effort to use stale cakes.

If you are in the mood for trifle ... go online ... you'll find hundreds of recipes!  One more tip ... don't hesitate to use that trifle bowl for other things.  I especially enjoy layering lettuce/vegetable salads in it.  

As always, thanks to our hostess!  Make sure you click through the icon on the left to visit other Victoria posts.

Tablescape Thursday - Egyptian Fusion

It's that time of the week again!   Special thanks to Susan for hosting our tablescaping event.  Make sure you click through her icon on the left to visit all the other posts.  I hope you'll click through to my website and look at the information about my newest cookbook.   If you are planning fall parties, it could be a big help.  If you like my writing style ... you'll enjoy the short stories about the crazy things I do!  Happy Tablescape Thursday!

Poppies for Victoria ... and Phoebe!

I should post this on one of the "got it for almost nothing" blog parties!  The story behind this tea set is kind of interesting!  The pot came from TJM in one city ... then 100 miles away, I found the creamer in another TJM ... then farther east, I found the sugar bowl!  All three pieces were on the clearance aisles, so I paid less than $5 for all three pieces!  The little basket and the  baby quilt came from GW ... two different trips ... and each cost me fifty cents!  You'll have to read my rooster party post to get the story on the cups/saucers! 

All that said, Victoria magazine instilled my love of tea time and my tea parties are quite unusual.  I trained two Labrador puppies to drink tea from china cups ... just for fun!  My friends were amazed.  One of my favorite memories is of my daddy playing "tea party" with his two great grand daughters.  He was 78 at the time (they were 3) ... and he was sitting in the floor of my sunroom playing with the little dishes and "taking tea"!  Priceless ... and captured on video!  Those girls are grown now, with children of their own!  ...and lastly, I hosted a garden tea party for 50 little children and their moms and grandmoms!  What a hoot!  My staff did the work, but I sured enjoyed the results!  We did this in association with a garden and hobby trade show ... and the local newspaper published a picture of my friends little great nephew!  He was sitting on the floor, under a table.  He didn't want to go to a tea party!   He grown considerably, too ... and attended our Christmas open house a couple years ago.   He quite the mannerly young man, now!

Oh, the stories!  This little tea party is just waiting to happen!   I think the setting might be perfect for Phoebe (3 1/2) to try her hand at tea!  We're about to unveil a new bedroom for her ... at Gwamma and Papa Joe's house ... so we might celebrate with a little tea party.  She'd outgrown her toddler bed, so we've spent the last two weeks moving furniture, etc ... to turn her Mama's old bedroom ... from the hobby room it had become in the last ten years ... to a bedroom for Phoebe!   Enjoy!