A Weekend in the Garden

Hello everyone! I was able to spend quite a bit of time getting my gardens ready for spring this weekend. I thought I would share some pictures with you...


The first bloom of columbine.




A fern pushing its way up.


There are a few tiny lily pads in my watergarden, but they haven't turned green yet.


The beginnings of a wisteria bloom.


I can't help but share another picture of my bleeding hearts. :0)


Since the weather is warming up, the pansies won't last much longer. I picked the best ones to press.


I also pressed fern, columbine and ivy leaves.


The easiest way is to put them between napkins or paper towel and place in the pages of a phone book for a few weeks.

Thank you for looking at my spring flowers! I hope you all have a wonderful Monday. It's the last day of March, is it coming in like a lion or lamb at your house?

"Show and Tell Friday!"

Welcome to “Show and Tell Friday!” Do you have something special to share with us? It could be a trinket from grade school, a piece of jewelry, or a treasured collection. Look around your home for something to share; dig through those boxes in your closet if you have to! Share photos and the story that goes with your special item.

Hello everyone! A few weeks ago when Grace and I were on our way to get some groceries, we saw a yard sale sign. Of course, we did the right thing and stopped. :0)


We found eight of these Magnolia teacup luncheon sets!


I love the little bud inside the cups.


They are in perfect condition and we got all eight for $10.00.


I also found this huge tablecloth, just lying on the driveway. I will have to put in my extra table leaf for it to fit properly. It is covered with embroidery, cutwork and crocheted lace, all hand done!


Here is a close-up of the back. As you can see the stitches are very neat.


Beautiful roses and cutwork.


Even the sides have embroidered roses.




The lady who was selling it said a relative made it sometime in the 50's, but she wasn't too eager to share any more information. She actually seemed embarrassed to be getting rid of it, but I happily gave her $5.00 and will be sure to treasure it!

Thank you for looking at my show and tell!



The Show and Tell Guidelines have been recently updated, please read them before participating for step-by-step instructions.

If you would like to join in, please leave your *permalink* below, along with your *first name*. If your link has been removed from Mr. Linky, please re-read over the guidelines before re-posting. Have fun!

A Garden Visitor

*If you aren't a fan of snakes, you may want to skip this post. :0)


Yesterday, I did some cleaning up in my vegetable garden box, and noticed that one of the boards needed nailed back together.


While moving some of the dirt around, I found this really neat snake skin. Benjamin thought it should to be on something soft, so he brought out his big teddy bear.


So, who does the skin belong to? Click on the picture and see if you can tell me!


I'm not much of a snake person, but Benjamin kept him safe while I put the boards back together. Then we put him back in his home. We actually saw another snake too, but she disappeared under the dirt. I did a little research and I think they are either Texas Brown Snakes or Earth Snakes.


My garden has a lavender plant, a red and yellow pepper plant, a tomato plant and two basil plants. So, are these two snakes good for my garden?

Ham and White Bean Soup

Raise your hand if you made a ham this Easter! I've been making this soup for many years and not only is it yummy, it very quick to throw together, which is nice after all that Easter kitchen work.


It's even better the next day!

Come on over to Seasonal Delights for the recipe and have a wonderful day!

Oh, Happy Day!

My favorite flower is the Bleeding Heart. I've tired growing them for the past 5 years, but other than pictures, I have never seen an actual bloom. I bought a few more bulbs last week and went out to plant them today.


Many of you know how much I love the book, The Secret Garden. I have my own secret garden that I've been working on for the past three years. It's in a little corner between by house and backyard fence, but there's not too much to see right now. Phillip trimmed up my overgrown climbing rose this weekend and this morning was the first time I've been in the garden since last fall.


Imagine my shock and surprise when I looked down and spotted a little pink.


My dream of seeing a Bleeding Heart has finally come true!


They are more beautiful and delicate than I imagined.


Benjamin said "I wish we could stay out here all day." I feel the same way! It doesn't take much to make me happy. :0)

~An Easter Blessing~

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said." Matthew 28:5-6

May Easter bring you a happy heart,
and may your spirit rejoice in the risen Lord.

Decorating Easter Eggs

We've been going a little egg crazy around here! Crafting, eating, watching...

I first saw these decoupaged eggs on Dawn's 4:53 am blog. All you need are those cheap plastic eggs, paper (we used sheet music and various scrapbook paper), mod podge, glitter and ribbon.


I used white, pink, purple and blue glitter with matching ribbon.


I think I like the white ones the best. Amy from Inspireco has a great tutorial if you would like to make some too.


The girls had a friend over yesterday and ended up making about 20 of them. The glitter was a big hit!




I also made a couple of moss covered eggs that I heard about from Katie at Harrington House.


I just hot glued moss onto a styrofoam eggs and added a bow.


We ate some egg shaped biscuits with our dinner last night.


The leftovers are great for breakfast the next day and I added a few surprise sprinkles for the girls and Benjamin.




We are watching the mama Mourning dove on her nest. They were having trouble building the nest on the top of our electric meter last year, so I attached an empty kleenex box up there, which them seem to like.


And finally, a card making project. These decorated paper eggs are actually little pockets for holding a note card or letter.


The card slips right inside...


And is hidden away. I'm putting one in each of the Easter baskets this year. Scroll down or go HERE for the instructions.

~Happy first day of Spring!~

Easter Egg Pocket Cards

These colorful Easter eggs are actually pockets to hold a small letter or note.


The note card slips right inside...


And is hidden away. Here's how to make them:


Materials:
~12x12 patterned scrapbook paper (One sheet per egg)
~Coordinating stickers
~Coordinating ribbon


Tools:
~Scissors
~Decorative scissors (optional)
~Glue
~Hot glue (optional)
~Pencil
~Colored pens


Optional decorations:
~Glitter
~Small beads


1. Trace template on back of scrapbook paper.

Template can be found here: Template (16KB)


2. Cut out two egg shapes.


3. Apply glue around the edges of the back of one egg, stopping two-thirds of the way up.


4. Place the other egg shape on top and let dry.


Now you are ready to decorate your egg pocket however you like. Here are a few ideas...


~Ribbon and tiny beads.


~Coordinating paper on the top and bottom.


For this technique, you cut out another egg shape, then cut three strips with decorative scissors. Discard the middle section.


Glue the top and bottom pieces onto egg.


~Stickers and ribbon.


Once the glue is dry, it is ready for the note card.


Take your leftover strip of scrapbook paper and cut into a square. Write your note or letter on the back side of it.


Fold it up and place inside pocket.



Let me know if you make some!

Easter Chit~Chat

Wednesday Evening Update: The Ginger Pear Cake that I mentioned earlier was *delicious!*


The cake had a delicate lemon-buttermilk flavor.


And the brown sugar-pear topping was amazing! Thank you for the wonderful recipe, Tracy. I'll definitely be making it again!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Hello everyone! First of all, I want to say that blogger has been giving me trouble when I try to comment, but it appears to be fixed now, and I will be around soon.

Several of you asked about our Easter plans, so I will share them with you. We are taking this week off from school and I had plans for a lot of gardening projects, but it has rained non-stop. I guess that will make weed pulling easier next week!

I am having a friend and her daughter over for a visit tomorrow. We went to Michaels this afternoon for some egg decoupage supplies and I will be sure to share pictures of the finished creations. I'm going to make Tracy's Ginger Pear Cake for our snack.

The girls and Benjamin have new outfits and shoes for Easter. I still need to get their Easter baskets put together. They know the Easter bunny isn't real, but we still like to pretend. I want at least some of the credit for the goodies. :0) On Sunday, we will attend our church's beautiful Easter service and then go to Nana and Papa's house for dinner. We are still working on the menu details, but we usually have ham and scalloped potatoes, plus all the trimmings. The girls like to help me make a bunny shaped cake and I'd like to come up with another "lemon" dessert. Maybe lemon meringue pie.

Well, there's a bit of Easter chit~chat for you! How are your plans coming along?

Deviled Eggs and Spinach Salad

Good Morning everyone! Thank you for the Happy St. Patrick's Day wishes. The girls and I had fun in the kitchen together and we had a wonderful time with our company. It is dark and rainy today, so after a cup of tea and a slice of leftover Irish soda bread, we'll finish tidying up and maybe even reward ourselves with a trip to Michaels. :0)

The following two recipes will be on our table this coming Easter:

There are lots of Deviled Egg recipes, but this is the one I've been using for years.


We will also enjoy a Spinach Salad with a sweet balsamic dressing.



Come on over to Seasonal Delights for the recipes and have a wonderful day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Photo: art.com

~Happy St. Patrick's Day to all my friends!~


Our celebration began last night when Grace suggested we have a "goodbye to hot chocolate" treat. Spring is only 3 days away, so we won't be drinking hot chocolate until the fall.


We used these cute little mugs that we found at Joanns for 50% off.


We also snacked on some peanut butter cookies. I added green sprinkles just before baking.


In other news, I'm happy to report that I have actually finished a project! Some of you will remember these Irish linen napkins that I found at the resale store recently.


I appliqued a shamrock on a corner of each napkin.


They match my very pale green teacups.

Finally, we are having company over tonight, and I thought I would share my menu:

-Corned Beef
-Colcannon (Mashed potatoes and cabbage)
-Spinach Salad
-Homemade Soda Bread
-Clarice's Chocolate Mousse
-Chocolate cupcakes

As you can see, we will be busy in the kitchen today. I'd love to hear your St. Patrick's Day plans too! Have a wonderful Monday!

"Show and Tell Friday!"

Welcome to “Show and Tell Friday!” Do you have something special to share with us? It could be a trinket from grade school, a piece of jewelry, or a treasured collection. Look around your home for something to share; dig through those boxes in your closet if you have to! Share photos and the story that goes with your special item.

Note: Show and Tell Friday will be taking a break next week, so I can celebrate Easter weekend with my family.


I hope you all aren't tired of my decorating pictures because I have few more to show you! :0) These two shelves are in my dining room and hold a some of my special teacups.


I have mentioned my issues with things having to be symmetrical, and I'm trying to work through them! Last week I decided to experiment a little. I had ivy garlands, hankies, and quite a few spring knick-knacks that needed a place to go. Here is what I ended up with...




The top shelf.


The bottom shelf.


I used the hankies that my dear friend, Anita sent me all the way from Germany under the various brass teacup holders.


I wrapped ivy around this miniature grapevine twig wreath and added a few daffodils as well. There is a nest by the teapot.


A pink bunnies hidden in the ivy.


A dish full of Robin's eggs and two garden keys.


A small birdcage candle holder and another nest.


Hopefully I have overcome my symmetrical issues! Thank you for looking at my show and tell!


The Show and Tell Guidelines have been updated since last week, please read them before participating for step-by-step instructions.

If you would like to join in, please leave your *permalink* below, along with your *first name*. If your link has been removed from Mr. Linky, please re-read over the guidelines before re-posting. Have fun!

~A Spring Dining Room~

Thank you for joining me on my home tour this week! The last room I have to show is the dining room.


I have several spring decorations on my hutch.


Two silver compotes and my mini bunny tea set are on the left side.


One of the silver compotes holds this nest of robin's eggs.


On the right side, I have a miniature bunny tea pot on a stack of vintage cookbooks.


This is the spring banner that I made this year.


Little pink birds announce the arrival of the season.


And lastly, my centerpiece. It is a wooden tray covered with a lace cloth, and it is holding an assortment of vintage bottles that are filled with flowers.


I was told these bottles can be found at "junk" or antique stores for very cheap. I was shocked to find them more like $5.00-$10.00 each! I ended up getting a lot of 12 on Ebay for just under $20.00.



Thank you looking at my spring dining room! I will be back soon for Show and Tell Friday. The guidelines have been updated, so please take a look before participating.

~A Spring Kitchen~

Thank you for all your sweet comments about my spring decorations! Today I'm going to show you the kitchen.


Spring chick and bunny towels on the rack.


On my butcher block I have a teapot, candle and a basket of more spring towels.


On the counter I have a "nature" plaque, a spring bouquet and a rose candle.


Two tiny salt and pepper shakers.


I have two new visitors in my kitchen window...


A girl bunny sitting in the sun and...


her husband, taking a gardening break!


And finally, my kitchen hutch. It's more pink that I'm used to, but I'm getting used to it.


Of course, the cookies are pink too. :0)

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

~A Spring Bathroom~

Today I would like to show you our main bathroom. We had tile put down about two years ago, before that it was the original carpet from 1986. Ew! So, while we were having the floor redone, I also redecorated with a lavender theme.




I looked everyone for some lavender prints and finally found three I liked on Ebay.


The third one is here above the toilet.


The opposite wall holds a towel rack and decorative hooks. The wreaths are recent additions. I saw some small lavender wreaths at Michaels, but wasn't about to pay $9.99 for each one.


The rosemary in my herb garden got quite long during the winter, it usually dies back.


I cut some long stems and formed a mini wreath.


A also added a lavender bow.


This shabby chic dish and cup was also an Ebay find.


This little lamp works as a night light.


Here are a few spring touches that I just added: a lavender bunny figurine by the bath soaps.


A cotton tail bunny hand towel.


And finally, a little pedestal dish holding a bird's nest.

Thank you for looking at my bathroom!

~A Spring Porch, Entryway, and Living Room~

Welcome! Today I'm going to show you the spring decorations on my front porch and in my entryway and living room.


I used this metal hanger last 4th of July, but changed it up a bit by adding different scrapbook paper to the front, a green bow, and filling it with daisies.


I also added a bow and daisies to the pillow on my front porch rocking chair.


More pink and green in my front door wreath.


Just inside the front door is the entryway.


I have a small white table and mirror against one of the walls.


A special thank you to Mrs. Wilt for the idea of placing robin's eggs in my moss wreath.


A fern and flower arrangement that I plan on using all the way through summer.


Two little birds stand on both sides of the flowers.


And last of all, my living room.


Each coffee table has a box filled with ivy, and birdhouse coasters close by.


On one side of my hearth I have a few poetry books and my "Secret Garden" display that I shared last week.


On the other side, a candle lantern with a bird's nest at the base, and a bunny pull toy by the fireplace tools.

Thank you for looking at some of my spring decorations!

~Spring Decorating~

I mentioned this past Saturday that I would be sharing some spring decorations this week, and I thought it would be fun if others could join in, too! If you would like to share any of your spring or Easter decorations, post them on your blog and then come sign Mr. Linky, so we can all take a look!

Mr. Linky will stay up through Thursday evening. Feel free to use the following button in your post. Just copy and paste this code:

<a href="http://kellishouse.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/2448/springdecoratingsmallxs0.jpg" alt="Spring Decorating @ http://kellishouse.blogspot.com/" height="100" width="150" /></a>



Please scroll down to see my daily spring decorating posts! I can't wait to see what you have to share too!

Weekend Chit~Chat

Hello everyone! As you can see, we ended up with enough snow to build a snowman! The craft drawers were raided for the eyes, nose and mouth and everyone had lots of fun. It was a warm and sunny day today though, so we had to say goodbye to Mr. Snowman.


Our weekend began with a spaghetti dinner and I also tried out a new recipe called Italian Cheese Bread.


It was very easy to make and everyone loved it, definitely a repeat recipe. Thank you, Tammy!


Grace finally got her haircut this afternoon. Here she is last month on her birthday.


Here she is now, modeling her Kit (American Girl) inspired cut. I think it's so cute!


And finally, a little Show & Tell Friday chit~chat. The one year anniversary is coming up next month, I have enjoyed meeting many friends and seeing all of your treasures and keepsakes.

We started out with around 30 participants, and have recently grown to around 70! I would like to welcome all the new faces and also take this time to let everyone know that the Show & Tell Guidelines have been updated.

Many of you visit and comment on every Show & Tell that is shared and I want to especially thank you. I know how much time this takes and I think it is one of the things that makes Show & Tell so special. With that in mind, the time has come to refocus on what exactly "Show & Tell Friday is. Please read the guidelines listed down below this post or click HERE before joining in next week.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! I have quite a few spring decorations to show you, so next week I'll take you on a tour of my home!

Show and Tell Friday Guidelines~*Updated!*

Show & Tell Friday Guidelines

What:For Show & Tell Friday, you show something to an audience, and then tell them about it. Your Show & Tell Friday item must be something that you own, and in your home or garden. Put thought and care into choosing your item. Is it something you would take to show a group of friends in real life?

Why: Many of us have special things that we may have forgotten about over time. Show & Tell Friday is a great reason to look around your home or even dig through those boxes in your closet. Of course, it's always more fun to share our treasures with friends, and that is what Show & Tell Friday is all about!

Here are a few ideas to get you started:
-Family heirlooms
-A special collection
-A piece of jewelry
-A new (or old!) gift
-A project or craft you are working on
-Decorative items

What doesn't work well:
-Posts with no photos: They have no "Show." Please don't use them.
-Recipes or pictures of food
-Photos of events (trips, vacations, celebrations, etc.)
-Photos of things you are selling, planning to sell or that anyone else is selling.
-Giveaway posts: The idea is to share something from your life, not something you are no longer keeping.
-Photos found on the internet, graphics or screenshots: Please use only photos you take yourself.

Where: There Is No Place Like Home is the original home of Show & Tell Friday.

1. Do not host your own Show & Tell "Mr. Linky" on your blog. Readers use the list here at There Is No Place Like Home to visit each blog that participates.
2. If you are participating in other themed blog carnivals or memes, do not sign Mr. Linky. Use a separate post to participate here.

When: Show & Tell Friday takes place each Friday. I usually post Mr. Linky at 12:00am EST.

How: It's easy as 1-2-3:

1. Publish your Show & Tell Friday post on your blog.

~Offer a link back to the main page of my blog. This is a courtesy to me, as well as your readers--they will know where to join in the fun, too.

~You are welcome to use the Show & Tell Friday picture. For the linking code go HERE.

2. Copy the "permalink" from from your Show & Tell Friday post, not the link to the front page of your blog.

~People will be looking through these links all week long. It you link to your main page, it will be harder to find your Show & Tell Friday post. For instructions on how to do this, go HERE.

3. Add your permalink to Mr. Linky.

~Do not sign Mr. Linky until you have your Show & Tell Friday post published on your blog. This is only fair to the other participants.

Inappropriate links will be removed at my discretion.

"Show and Tell Friday!"

Welcome to “Show and Tell Friday!” Do you have something special to share with us? It could be a trinket from grade school, a piece of jewelry, or a treasured collection. Look around your home for something to share; dig through those boxes in your closet if you have to! Share photos and the story that goes with your special item.

Today, I would like to show you my special Princess Diana books...


My mom got these books in the early 80's, and I spent many hours looking at them when I was a little girl.


I was only five when Diana got married, but when I was around nine or 10, we went over to a friend's house and their grandma had a VHS tape of her wedding. I thought it was so magical and watched every second of it.


Of course, I didn't know about her struggles and sad times, she was just a beautiful princess, married to her Prince Charming.










I also have a couple of magazines and a newspaper article from when the world said goodbye to her, on August 31, 1997. I remember it was a Sunday morning, I was pregnant with Grace and Phillip was sound asleep, so I just sat and stared at the television for hours.


Anyways, I didn't mean for this to be a sad show and tell! When I was little, some of my favorite pictures were of Diana's beautiful sapphire and diamond ring. My love of jewelry began early. :0)


Seeing these pictures again reminded me of the ring that Phillip gave me a few years ago.


It's a special keepsake of our 10th wedding anniversary! Thank you for looking at my show and tell!


Show and Tell Guidelines

What is Show and Tell Friday?
Show and Tell involves showing something to an audience, and then telling them about it. Your show and tell must be something that you own, and is in your home or garden.

What items work well for Show and Tell Friday?
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
-Family heirlooms
-A collection you may have
-A piece of jewelry
-A special gift
-Gardening pictures

What doesn't work well for Show and Tell Friday?
-Posts with no photos have no "Show." Please don't use them.
-Photos of events (trips, vacations, celebrations, etc.)
-Photos of things you are selling or planning to sell.
-Photos found on the internet, graphics or screenshots. Please use photos you take yourself.
-Photos of just people instead of things.

There is no place like home is the original home of Show and Tell Friday. Please do not host your own. Also, do not put an additional Show and Tell Mr. Linky in your post.

How can I participate?
Once you've got your photo(s) and your story, it's easy as 1-2-3!

1 - Publish your "Show and Tell" on your blog, including a link back to There is No Place Like Home. Go HERE for the "Show and Tell" picture code to copy and paste into your post.

2 - Copy the link (or "permalink") from your post.

3 - Add it to Mr. Linky, along with your first name only. (This will make the list easier to read.) I usually put Mr. Linky up on Friday at 12:00am Eastern time.

*If your name has been removed from Mr. Linky, please read over the guidelines before re-posting.

Another Snow Day!

3:30pm Update:


It's really snowing now!


The snowflakes are the size of cotton balls and snowman are being built as I type this.


I love the look of my water garden when it snows.


We've got pretty white blossoms at the top of our tree.


And cold icy snow at the bottom! We are having some really crazy weather here in Texas, and it's supposed to continue into tomorrow.


I made a quick pot of noodle soup for lunch. Chicken broth, frozen veggies, heart shaped pasta (leftover from Valentine's day) and seasonings.


I also made another batch of Cheesy Corn Muffins.

Grace's haircut plans will have to change, since I don't like driving in this weather. I'm also thinking about changing my plans of cleaning the kitchen cupboards and mopping the floor. :0)

I'll be back soon for Show and Tell Friday!

St. Patrick's Day Note Cards

Hello everyone! St. Patrick's Day is less that 2 weeks away, so last night I made a few notecards to send my friends. The design is a four leaf clover made from tiny hearts.


You will need 5 different patterns of scrapbook paper, solid cardstock and blank notecards.


Cut out a large oval from cardstock.


Place on the front of your notecard.


Cut out four tiny hearts from scrapbook paper.


Glue onto oval.


I also added a decorative border with a black pen, around each heart.


Add a stem.


Cut out a tiny circle from scrapbook paper.


Glue in center of hearts. Hot glue a small bow on the stem.


I wrote "I'm lucky..." on the front.


And "to have a friend like you!" on the inside.


There are a lot of possible variations, so have fun and use your imagination!

I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday. After our schoolwork is done, I'm going to clean and oil the kitchen cabinets, mop the kitchen floor, and somewhere in there, Grace would like to go get a hair cut. I'll talk to you soon!

Snow in March?

Wasn't I just talking about spring?! We had a surprise snowfall last night, and it was beautiful!


Big fluffy flakes that covered everything.


It's a good thing pansies don't mind the cold! It snowed for about 30 minutes and was melted by morning, but it was still fun.


We took advantage of the cold weather and heated up the oven for some of Heather's Chewy Oatmeal Cookies.


This is my favorite oatmeal cookie recipe. Today, I left off the powdered sugar and snuck in butterscotch chips.


We also had a special dessert for our family night dinner. Pea had just shared her recipe for Snow Tunnel Cake and I knew it would be a fun treat.


It's an angle food cake, filled with chocolate pudding and covered with cool whip. Grace made it all by herself!

Thank you for reading about our surprise snow celebration!

Seasonal Delights~Spring Issue!

This post will stay at the top until the weekend, please scroll down for more recent posts!



Hello everyone! The spring issue is finally here! We are especially excited to announce that individual issues are now available, as well as yearly subscriptions. Please come on over to Seasonal Delights for all the details and I would love to have you visit us at the forums, too!

~Happy Spring!~

Seasonal Delights~Spring Issue!

"Springtime is the land awakening.
The March winds are the morning yawn."





Phillip and I are happy to announce that the Spring issue of Seasonal Delights will be available Monday evening, March 3, 08! I hope you are ready to welcome in this upcoming season!