Happy New Year! (almost)

Just a quick check in! Christmas was just wonderful this year! I got the best gift in the entire world, maybe the best gift in the entire universe this year! My Very, Very Dear Husband and my incredibly wonderful son got me a GREENHOUSE!!!!

I haven't gotten it put up yet, but it looks like this one:

So I am wishing for spring to hurry so I can get growing! I have already received a seed catalog from Baker Creek Heirloom seeds http://rareseeds.com. Check them out, they have all organic and heirloom seeds and the selection is incredible. Best of all their prices are fantastic and they don't burn you on shipping.

I also start haunting Lowes and Wal*Mart around this time of year to see if they have their seeds in. Every year I tell myself "buy in moderation, you do not need every single kind of flower seed they sell". But, every year I buy way too many anyway. I can't help it. The packages are so pretty and colorful. It's a sickness. I hope they will never find a cure!

Since I absolutely loathe winter, the thing that gets me through is dreaming of the wonderful weed-free garden that I will be planting in the spring. The one where every seed or plant I sow growns wonderfully and I get bushels of vegetables. Don't laugh, I said it was a dream! By August my garden generally looks like a jungle.

This is "teardown" week at my house. By January 1st I like to have all the Christmas decorations and trees taken down and put away. I feel like I get a "fresh" start if everything is cleaned and put away at the end of the year.

Wishing you a Very Happy 2010!

Blessings

Linda

Vintage Christmas Monday

Good Monday morning everyone! Only 4 more days 'til Christmas!!!!

I am so excited to show you what I found a couple of weeks ago at a local antique store. Anyone who knows me, knows that I love elves and pixies, especially the Christmas ones. So I was practically quivering when I found these, praying that they would be affordable.

How cute is this??!!! It is a candle holder with elves on the sides. This was only $2.00! The two elves on top are just visiting, but they came in a baggie with a reindeer and a couple of vintage light bulbs for $1.00!

These are my favorite! One is a little deeper green, so he may not actually belong to the set, but he matches pretty good. In the background is a little plastic, vintage Christmas card holder. Of course this is an angel not an elf, but I fell in love with her sweet face and for only $2.00 I couldn't resist! When I was little we had a pixie just like this one. Exactly! I have no idea what happened to ours, but I was thrilled to get this one! These are a little newer than the others, but I liked them anyway and decided they needed to live with me too.

And then this weekend, my son insisted that I open one of my gifts, because I needed it right now. He didn't have to twist my arm, I was more than ready to start ripping the paper off and inside a toilet paper tube I found this adorable little fellow to add to my Christmas collection: He is only about two and a half inches tall and I just love him!

For more vintage Christmas decorations head over to http://thepottingshed-anythinggoeshere.blogspot.com

Hope everyone has a wonderful Monday!

Blessings

Linda

It's Me!

I have had a couple of people inquire about the header of my blog. Well, that would be yours truly on Christmas day, December 1966. They photo has a date of January of 1967, but that is when the film was developed. (back when film took forever to get developed).

That photo just screams 1960's doesn't it?

My pink kitchen set (that a few years later I found some purple paint in my dad's shop and repainted it with latex wall paint! It looked hideous), my new Barbie and some clothes for her (I still have that Barbie!), The purple snake lasted until I was a teenager then started falling apart. I would give anything to have those Barbie and Midge dishes again! I'm quite sure I took them outside and made "mud" pies on them.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Tuesday!

Linda

Vintage Christmas Monday

Good Monday morning!

For todays Vintage Christmas post, I would like to show you the sweetest little Angel that I bought at a yard sale this past weekend. Doesn't she have the most peaceful and sweet face. She even came in her original box dated 1967!

I also have this adorable little planter that I got at an estate sale earlier this year and I decorated it w ith some Santa heads that were also thrifted! And while we are talking about vintage, how about a vintage recipe from my mothers 1959 Better Homes and Gardens book. Last night my family made homemade popcorn balls. They are so delicious!

Popcorn Balls:

5 quarts of popcorn (remove the "old maids"

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 tea salt

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1 tea. vinegar

1 tea. vanilla

Keep popcorn warm by setting it in a warm oven. In a saucepan combine sugar, water, salt, corn syrup and vinegar. Boil until it reaches 250 degrees on your candy thermometer or soft ball stage. Add vanilla and remove from heat. Slowly pour mixture over your popped corn making sure that every piece is coated.

Once mixture has cooled down enough to touch, butter your hands and start forming popcorn into balls. If they are a little soft, don't worry, they will set up.

We stuck little candy canes in ours for "handles".

They are delicious!

You can see more cool vintage Chrismas decor over at http://thepottingshed-anythinggoeshere.blogspot.com

Vintage Christmas Monday

Sorry these are such rotten photos, but I took them this morning on the way out the door to work! I found this adorable Kutie Karacter this past summer at an estate sale. I guess he/she technically isn't a Christmas decoration but since she is dressed as an Eskimo I am using her/him as a Christmas decoration.

This little angel was bought at the same sale. I think she is from around the late 1960's or early 1970's. She is a treetop angel and has a very stiff spring inside her dress that is supposed to go over the top part of the tree. I couldn't get her to stay on my tree so she is going to grace one of my end tables.

For more vintage goodies head over to http://thepottingshed-anythinggoeshere.blogspot.com

Linda

Estate Sale Goodies!

Last Friday during lunch I decided to head over to an Estate sale that was advertised in the local paper and boy am I glad that I did!

Look at all the wonderful things I found!

See that pitcher? It is Longaberger and we know how expensive they are!

The blue candy dish is Fenton and the sugar bowl is a beautiful cut glass that has just a slight tinge on purple on it.
I love this santa candy dish! It is a music box and Santa has 3 different expressions on his face.

And these adorable Christmas ornaments were the first thing in my bastket! And I love the little "bunny" girl. I will put her up for Easter.
And check out these pixies!!! I was in heaven when I saw these. That little tiny pixie dish in just too cute! And a knee hugger!


And these vintage chenille spun head snow men pipe cleaners will definitely being working their way into some of my handmade Christmas ornaments.

Do you see why I was so excited. And the best part is all the above was only $20!!!
Hope everyone has a terrific Tuesday!
Blessings

Linda

Still Mixing !

I find that I am looking through cookbooks specifically for recipes that can be used with my new mixer!

Wednesday was a cold and rainy day and I thought it was perfect weather for chili beans and corn bread.


So I pulled out the 1951 Recipes of Old Virginia cookbook and looked for a cornbread recipe. The one that I thought sounded good, different, but more importantly one I could use my mixer with was Dixie Corn Bread Waffles. They were really good and different. You always think of waffles as being sweet, but they taste just like a crisp cornbread. Delicious and definitely a keeper. Serve hot with butter!


Dixie Corn Bread Waffles:

1 1/2 cups cornmeal
3/4 cups of bread flour (I used self rising)
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 eggs-separated
4 tbls. melted shortening
1 tea salt
2 tbls sugar (I didn't use this much)

Sift all dry ingredients 2-3 times. Beat egg yolks well. Alternate dry ingredients with milk, folding in melted shortening and egg whites that have been beaten until stiff (where my new kitchenaid came in YAY!). Bake in a preheated waffle iron and serve hot.

Easy peasy!

I have gotten alot of decorating and crafting done this week. Hopefully next week I will have some photos!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!
Blessings
Linda

My Early Christmas Gift!!!!!!!!!!

I am sooooo excited!!! (You can tell by the !!!!!!!!!!!!)

I have been wanting a Kitchenaid mixer for years and I finally got one this past weekend.

It is the Professional series and came with a whisk, bread hook and beater. I love it!

I put it to good use yesterday evening when I made some homemade cinnamon rolls. YUM! These cinnamon rolls are so good and gooey and I use the Cinn*abon icing recipe to frost them. I baked 12 of them last night for our family, put another dozen in the fridge, then baked them this morning to take to work. My house smells heavenly!

Here is the recipe:

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Rolls
2 pkgs dry yeast
1 cup warm water (105-110)
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup boiling water
2 eggs well beaten
about 6 cups self rising flour (I actually used 7)
1/4 cup butter softened (I used 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (I didn't use any nuts)
1 teaspoon cinnamon (I'm sure I used more)

Dissolve yeast in warm water, and set mixture aside.
Cream shortening and 1/2 cup butter; gradually add sugar and boiling water, beating well. Cool mixture to lukewarm. Add the yeast mixture, eggs and 2 cups of flour; beat at low speed with electric mixter until smooth. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and refrigerate over night. (I didn't do this as I wanted the cinnamon rolls last night so I let it rise until doubled in bulk and proceed with the recipe)
Roll dough to a 24x18 rectangle on a lightly floured surface, (again I changed the reicpe by dividing dough in half and working with 1/2 at a time). Spread with 1/4 cup butter evenly over the dough. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over the dough. Roll jelly roll fashion starting with a long end. Pinch edges to seal. Cut roll into 1" slices, place slices cut side down on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Cover and let rise 1 hour or until doubled. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes. Spread glaze over while warm. Yield 2 dozen.

Cinn*bon glaze recipe: ( I only made 1/2 of this recipe and had a ton leftover!!)

1 lb. butter
1 lb. cream cheese
2 lbs. powdered sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Allow butter and cream cheese to come to room temperature. Beat together in a bowl with a mixer. Gradually added the sugar. Beat the mixture for 12 minutes (I'm not kidding, this is what the recipe said. Again, I improvised and just beat it for about 6 minutes). When done add the lemon juice and vanilla extract and mix well.


Hope everyone has a great Wednesday!
Linda

Christmas Happy Shelves!

I always say first things first, so when I am decorating for each season the first thing to be decorated is my "happy shelves" and Christmas has some of my very favorite decorations! PIXIES and ELVES!
I love all of the red, green and white on my shelves!

Isn't this such a feast for the eyes???

It's so much fun unwrapping all these "friends" after a years time.

Every time I spot a pixie or elf at yard sales, estate sales, etc.. if it's at all affordable, it's mine!

Several of the things in this cabinet I've had since I was a child. But, that doesn't make them antiques, does it!


Is anyone else having a problem with blogger posting code instead of the photos when you are composing a new post? It's kind of annoying!
Anyway, hope you have a great day!

There's a Mouse in the House!

Actually there are two mice in the house!

Back last spring I bought a huge stack of old craft magazines from the 1960's and 1970's. I do have an issue with anyone who says that they are old magazines, because they were around when I was a kid so they really aren't old, are they?

Anyway, I decided to make these little mice from a 1974 Holiday Crafts magazine. The picture of the mice was in black and white and the instructions were kind of vague but I muddled through and here is the result:


And yes!!! That is a Christmas tree beside them! I put up my beautifully tacky aluminum tree this past weekend! I only have red and green balls on it with multi colored lights. I wish I had a color wheel like the one we had when I was little, but alas, they have proven too expensive to purchase.

Do you see what my little mice are sitting on? That would be my trip back into my childhood with the purchase on the minature kitchen set! There is the stove with the door that opens, the refrigerator that has a painting of "fake" food inside the door and a washing machine that agitates and spins!


I am still pulling out Christmas decorations and working about to make the house all festive and Christmasy!

Hope everyone has a great day!

Linda

Haul Out The Holly!!!

It's that time of the year again!!!

Last night Yngwie and I stuffed all the Halloween decorations into the attic, then pulled all the Christmas decorations out!!

I know it's early, but I love Christmas so much that I like to see my home decorated as long as I can. So now my house is upside down with all the boxes and trimmings and decorations!! I have already started putting my figurines, pixies and elves into my "happy" cabinet and it is looking so good!!! I hope to have it completed this weekend.
All of the photos you see are of "new" decorations, that I have bought over the past year. YIKES! I had no idea I had gotten so many cool things. All bought at yard sales, estate sales, some at antique stores. That big headed Santa belonged to my grandmother. But I had put it away last year and couldn't find it. Finally found it this summer in with some dishes that I had.See that little striped pencil with the doll head on it?? I had one of those when I was a kid that had a elf head on it. I was so proud of that pencil! But, the teacher took it away from me because the elf's hat had a bell on it and it made noise when I wrote. She never gave it back!
And see that handsome young man below??? That is our son Yngwie who turned 18 last night at 7:10! I have taken a picture of him every single year at 7:10 p.m. He's the light of my life! I am so proud to have him as my son!

I have a busy, busy weekend ahead with all the decorating to do. I can't wait. Hope everyone has a great weekend

Blessings

Linda

Halloween Fun!

Hello Everyone!

Hope y'all had a safe and fun Halloween!

Yngwie and friends had a Halloween party at our house Saturday and they had so much fun. Everyone came dressed up. Here is Yngwie, who is dressed as "Hugh Hefner" with three of his friends, a strawberry, a referee, and a lady bug.

Here is the winner of our costume contest.

Of course there was plenty of food:

So, this week we will be De-Halloweening the house and getting ready for Thanksgiving and getting down our Christmas decorations!

Hope everyone has a great week!

Blessings

Linda

Hello Again!

I have a terrible habit of disappearing! Well this post is going to be long so pull up a chair, get you some hot chocolate or coffee, and grab a couple of the chocolate chips cookies that I made today, and get comfy.

We have spent almost ever spare minute this fall out on the lake. The trees are so pretty reflecting in the water.

Yngwie has been very busy with his Senior year in high school. I didn't realize how much went into applying to colleges, SAT'S, ACT's, etc... We have had senior photos (that I need to upload), we have gone to several meetings at school explaining tuition (ouch!) etc. This past weekend we headed east to Williamsburg, VA to visit The College of William and Mary.

The college is just beautiful! It was founded in 1693 and is the second oldest college in the country. This is Wrenn Hall that was built in 1693. Unfortunately, it was drizzling rain, breezy and about 40 degrees outside and the tour was two hours long, mostly outdoors. While Yngwie liked the curriculum and the campus, he didn't exactly like the location. What I thought would be really cool, to be in Colonial Williamsburg's backyard, is really what we didn't like about it. The traffic is maddening! There is no parking, tourists are every where! On campus and off. Colonial Williamsburg is truly, just over the fence! Also, to get from SW VA to Williamsburg you have to either go through Richmond, the state capital, or bypass it and get caught up in the traffic heading to Washington DC. And it's 4 1/2 hours from home. So, while he is still leaving it open as a maybe, we will be looking at other colleges. Next on our list is University of Virginia in Charlottesville. That is only 2 hours from home and Momma likes that!

After our tour of the school, we visited several of the shops right outside of the school. I was freezing and chilled to the bone so we decided to eat at the Trellis Restaurant. Let me say if you are ever in Williamsburg, you really need to eat at the Trellis! It was so good! After 5 cups of coffee, I was finally warm enough to enjoy my meal.

For dessert we had the restaurants signature dessert....Death by chocolate! Oh my heavens!!! Words cannot even begin to tell how delicious this was!!! I wasn't able to eat even 1/4 of mine. DH and Yngwie got through about 1/2, but they kindly boxed up the rest and we dined on it the rest of the weekend. I forgot to take a photo of our dessert, but here is a photo I found online: Can you believe that!!!! Absolutely delicious!

Saturday morning I saw an ad in the paper for an estate sale that sounded pretty good and since we were going to Lowes anyway, we swung by. It really wasn't much of a sale but I got his beautiful deviled egg dish. I love teal glassware, it looks so lovely with the light from the window shining through.

Of course I had to put it to use and made deviled eggs today!!

I promised last month to show some more of my Halloween decorations and finally made some pictures today.

For those of you who read my blog, you know that in my kitchen I have a bookcase/whatnot case that I call my "Happy Shelves". I decorate them for every season and Halloween is one of my very favorites!

I really don't think I can squeeze one more item in here!

The two Kelly dolls are new for this year.

The glittered silver skulls are a Dollar Tree find this year. I bought my sisters Mary Moo's at her yard sale and you can spot one of the little fellows over on the left.

I also have put up my Halloween tree:

I got it last year at Michaels and it is PURPLE GLITTERED!!! You really can't improve on that in my opinion! Purple and glitter!!!

My dear friend Nancy from "more than enough" sent me this beautiful fairy lady that for some reason I keep calling a witch. She is not a witch!! She just have a hat that reminds me of a witch, so I hung her on my tree. However, she is going to stay out all year, because I really like her!

I picked up these adorable Peanuts figures at the thrift store a couple of weeks ago, and I know there isn't anything remotely "Halloweeny" about them, they are under the tree too! There is no rhyme or reason to some of the things I use to decorate under my tree. You might also spot one owl salt shaker, a turkey, and a little squirrel.

Other than that, we have been busy doing this:

Why oh why did I ever tell Yngwie he could have an aquarium?? We had an old one up in the attic and he drug that down and set it up and put a few fish in it. Then his friend told him that his grandma had a bigger tank that she wanted to get rid of, (I wonder why!) and that he could have it. So now we have this monstrosity in the den! He has a loche (that came with the tank!!), a few sharks, a pacu (not the biting kind), some tetra and some bright yellow fish. This thing has so much maintenance! Fortunately, he has taken care of it since he has had it and the fish are kind of fun to watch.

So, have I bored you to tears yet??? I'm not promising I will post more often, but hopefully since we aren't out on the lake so much, I will get around to it more often!

Blessings

Linda