4th of July Decorations

Good morning! I hope you all had a great weekend. I spent some time putting out my 4th of July decorations. I will leave most of them up through the summer.


I found this door hanger at Hobby Lobby (patriotic decorations are 30% off!). I filled it with greenery, daisies and small flags.


Small pail lanterns line our walkway.


Flags in the flower pots.


I made this table runner last year and my anniversary roses match perfectly. They probably won't last until Friday though, so I'll get some fresh daisies.


For the table runner I cut a strip of fabric with pinking shears and hot glued some pom-pom trim to the ends.

Some of you will remember this patriotic banner I made last week.


I put the leftover table runner fabric on the back patio table.


The centerpiece is a silver tray with various jars filled white beans. The "sparkers" are actually straws with the tops cut off.


Star confetti.


Thank you for looking at my patriotic decorations! We are having a 4th of July cook-out with Phillip's family and some friends from church. We will be busy this week getting ready for all the fun. I hope you have a great start to your week!

Weekend Chit~Chat

Good morning! Thank you for stopping by yesterday and for your comments on my wedding treasures show and tell. Several of you asked for a picture of Phillip and I.


I shared this one in last year's anniversary post. Phillip refers to his look as "wolf man." ;0)


Phillip surprised me with these beautiful red roses.


I found the latest Victoria when we went on our bookstore date.


It's a wonderful issue and I especially love the summer pie pictures and recipes.




Phillip also gave me a new coffee maker that has a programmable timer. Since I've been up at 6:00am with puppy duty for the last few weeks, it's nice to wake up to an already made pot of coffee.


Speaking of the puppy, Daisy is on her second round of medicine for an intestinal problem, but it doesn't seem to be slowing her down at all. She loves her daily swim with Grace.


The summer heat has arrived. It was 100F yesterday and will stay around there until late September. Not much is blooming in the garden, although this pink geranium doesn't mind the sun.


This is supposed to be my Sunflower House, but the morning glories have taken over.


My wisteria is also growing like crazy.


This is a "surprise" Sunflower in Emily's garden.


It's going to bloom any day now.

We don't have any major plans for the weekend. We are having friends over tonight for a cookout. Phillip will grill burgers and I'm making Crash Hot Potatoes, corn on the cob and broccoli salad.

I hope you all have a great weekend!

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.

Thank you so much for the wonderful anniversary wishes earlier this week! Today I'm sharing a few of my wedding treasures.


This is a picture of my wedding dress that I found in a magazine shortly after our wedding. My veil was very similar, but I wore my hair up.


Our ivory embossed wedding invitation.


I kept all of the cards we received and put them in a photo album after our honeymoon.


I also have our guest book.


It's interesting to read all the names and wonder about the friends we haven't heard from in years.


My mom and dad gave me these fresh water pearls for my high school graduation and I wore them on our wedding day. I also wore pearl earrings, but lost one of them a few years ago. They are resting on Phillip's tux handkerchief.


And this is the little house that we lived in. Oh, how I loved it! It was built in the 20's and had all of the original woodwork, a built in hutch in the dining room and a dresser in one of the bedrooms. It would be fun to go back to Sioux Falls, SD someday and see it again!

Thank you for looking at my wedding treasures!


Please read the Show and Tell Guidelines for step-by-step instructions on how to participate.

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

4th of July banner

I normally post a homemade card project on Thursday, but this week I am sharing a different paper craft.


A patriotic banner in honor of the upcoming holiday of Independence Day.


You will need:
Cardstock
Patterned scrapbook paper
Star Template
Embellishments (stickers, star confetti, beads, glitter etc.)
Ribbon
Scissors
Glue
Hole punch
Pencil


Cut out star template (outside the black line) and trace three stars onto cardstock.


Cut out.


Cut black line off star template, so you have a slightly smaller star.


Trace three times onto patterned scrapbook paper.


Cut out and glue to the front of cardstock stars.


Glue a strip of scrapbook paper across front of star.


Turn star over and trim off excess paper.


You should end up with this.


Print "Let Freedom Ring" (or saying of your choice) on white paper. Cut out and glue on slightly larger rectangles of cardstock.


Glue to front of stars.


Add embellishments.


Punch holes on both sides of stars.


Thread long length of ribbon through.


Hang and enjoy! I hope you have enjoyed this week's project!

Wedding Anniversary

Phillip and I are celebrating our 14th wedding anniversary today! We got married in Sioux Falls, SD in 1994.


Happy Anniversary, Phillip! Thank you for putting up with me all these years. ;0)


The girls and Benjamin are going to VBS this evening, so we get to go out on an actual date! I took a trip down memory lane while looking through my photo albums and I also found a few wedding treasures that I will share with you this coming Friday!

Strawberry Lovers Pie

We are celebrating An Old-Fashioned Summer at Seasonal Delights for the next 10 weeks.  To start things off, I made a Strawberry Lovers Pie that Mrs. T from Across My Kitchen Table shared with me.


Lots of strawberries, chocolate and a cream cheese filling.  Come on over to Seasonal Delights for the recipe!

Birthday Pictures

Good Morning! I hope you all had a great weekend. We had a fun time celebrating Emily's 9th birthday.


At our house the birthday girl or boy gets to pick out a special box of cereal for breakfast. Grace decorated Emily's chair with red streamers.


One of Emily's favorite gifts was a Koala Webkinz.


She also loved her new Polly Pockets.


Phillip came home for lunch and we had a brownie cake and ice cream for dessert. Then Emily and I got to spend the whole afternoon and evening together. Phillip and Benjamin had a Boy Scout day camp all week and Grace joined them on the last day. Emily and I went to the movie store and stopped for pizza on the way home. We watched Milo and Otis and then Emily went swimming in our small wading pool.


Saturday evening we went to Nana and Papa's house for a cookout.


My friend Heather recently shared a recipe for Refreshing Peach Fizzy, which is perfect for the summer.


I couldn't find white grape and peach frozen juice, so I just used plain white grape. It was very good!


Opening more gifts.


And enjoying *another* cake! Thank you for taking a look at Emily's birthday pictures!

Adventures with a Golden Retriever Puppy!

Hello everyone! Thank you for the birthday wishes for Emily! We had a fun day and plan to have a get-together with Phillip's family this evening. My family went home this past Wednesday and I'm still getting used to the quiet. It's always hard when a fun vacation is over.

I have been spending all of my free time with our new puppy, Daisy. She certainly keeping us on our toes and seems to be getting bigger every day.


One of my favorite things is a rainy morning.


I love to sit on my patio with a cup of coffee and listen to the rain fall.


With a new puppy that has all changed though. Instead, I chase her out of the vegetable garden, over and over again.


No, you can't chew on the plant stakes.


Pouting in the grass.


She's not down for long though. The rain picks up and she races around the yard. Did I mention she also likes to jump in my water garden several times a day?


And then jump on the patio couch? Repeat all the above at least three times and that is how a usual morning goes around here. It's a good thing she's so cute! :0)

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

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 is Emily's 9th birthday! I asked her to pick out a few special things to share with you today.


Emily was born in 1999, so for her 1st birthday we had a Time Capsule themed party. All the guests brought small items to put inside: money, advertisements, letters, receipts, etc.


It will be fun to open in another 9 years!


My Nana gave Emily this tiny bracelet when she was born. Her name is etched on one side.


The other side says, "Nana."


A first teddy bear from Grandpa and Grandma.


And finally, a pretty butterfly teacup.


Thank you for looking at my birthday girl's special things! I'll be back to share birthday pictures soon!


Please read the Show and Tell Guidelines for step-by-step instructions on how to participate.

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

Garden Home Tour

Notes from a Cottage Industry is hosting a Summer Garden Tour and I'm joining in the fun!


Welcome to our cozy back patio. The days are heating up here in Texas, but we can still enjoy early mornings and late evenings out here. My favorite thing to do is to relax with a cup of coffee.

I wonder what it would be like to live in a world where it was always June.
~L. M. Montgomery


I have a great view of our water garden from my comfy chair.

The air is like a butterfly
With frail blue wings.
The happy earth looks at the sky
And sings.
~Joyce Kilmer, Spring


A birdbath hangs near an ivy covered wall in my herb garden.

It is the month of June,
The month of leaves and roses,
When pleasant sights salute the eyes
And pleasant scents the noses.
~Nathaniel Parker Willis, The Month of June


My herb garden is also home to several friendly fairies.

Tiny woods below whose boughs
Shady fairies weave a house;
Tiny tree-tops, rose or thyme,
Where the braver fairies climb!
~Robert Louis Stevenson


Won't you stay for some iced tea and a cookie?

So sweet, so sweet the roses in their blowing,
So sweet the daffodils, so fair to see;
So blithe and gay the humming-bird a going
From flower to flower, a-hunting with the bee.
~Nora Perry, In June


I call this little area between the side of the house and fence our Secret Garden. Wisteria climbs up the wall and there are ferns, columbine, bleeding hearts and roses.

Summer afternoon - summer afternoon;
to me those have always
been the two most beautiful
words in the English language.
~Henry James


Once the sun begins to set, I light candles around the water garden.

That beautiful season the Summer!
Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light;
and the landscape
Lay as if new created in all
the freshness of childhood.
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow



Peacefully
The quiet stars came out, one after one;
The holy twilight fell upon the sea,
The summer day was done.
~Celia Thaxter


There is also a floating mirror among the lilypads.

If a June night could talk,
it would probably boast it invented romance.
~Bern Williams



Thank you so much for stopping by and visiting! I hope you have enjoyed the tour!

Homemade Card

Here is this week's homemade card project. You can use any kind of paper and stickers for your card.

What you will need:
Cardstock
Patterned scrapbook paper
Stickers
Button
Ribbon
Glue
Hot Glue


Make a 5 x7" notecard from the cardstock and cut a 4 1/2 x 6 1/2" rectangle from the scrapbook paper.


Glue paper to front of card.


Cut a 1 1/2 x 6 1/2" strip of cardstock and glue in the center of card, lengthwise.


Cut a 3" square from cardstock, using decorative scissors if desired and a 2 1/2 square from scrapbook paper. Add stickers.


Glue scrapbook paper to cardstock.


Cut a 2 1/4 x 1" rectangle from cardstock and a slightly smaller rectangle from scrapbook paper. Glue scrapbook paper to cardstock and add stickers or writing.


Hot glue a short ribbon handle to the back of paper.


Glue scrapbook square and small sign to front of card, tucking the ribbon under square.


Using hot glue, add a button to top of ribbon.



Send to a friend! Let me know if you make one, too!

I Remember Laura~Family Recipes

Happy Monday! Today I am participating in Miss Sandy's Laura Ingalls Wilder Blog-a-thon. If you would like to join in the fun or visit the other participants, please visit her at Quill Cottage.


This week's theme is special family recipes and I have two favorites to share.


The first one is called Honey-Eyed Chicken and my mom used to make it for us quite often. It was also one of the first dinners I made for Phillip after we got married.


You don't need a lot of ingredients and it is perfect for a quick dinner.

Honey-eyed Chicken

4 chicken breasts
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup mustard
4 teaspoons curry powder

Preheat oven to 350F. Place chicken in baking dish. Place butter, honey, mustard and curry powder in small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until butter is melted. Pour sauce over chicken. Bake 45-60 minutes, basting 3-4 times. Serve over rice.






In 1995, my Nana and Papa came to visit us in Sioux Falls, SD. Afterwards, I rode with them back to their home in Canada for a two week visit. On my return flight, I ran into immigration trouble at the airport. Phillip had to mail them a particular document, so I ended up staying an extra week. The whole family went over to my Great Aunt Barb's house for dinner and she made Chocolate Peanut Butter Marshmallow Squares for dessert.



Aunt Barb’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Marshmallow Squares

1/2 cup butter
1 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1 bag mini marshmallows

Melt butter, peanut butter and chocolate chips in saucepan over low heat or in microwave. Blend well. Stir in marshmallows. Pour into buttered 8 x 8 pan and chill for 1/2 hour. Cut into small squares.



I hope you have enjoyed taking a peek at two of my special recipes! My family is still in town and we are having a great time together. I miss visiting you all, but will catch up on your latest news soon!

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 am sharing one of my favorite vintage table runners.


My mom found it in an antique store in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and gave it to me a few years ago.


It has beautiful embroidered flowers.


Along with a colorful crocheted scallop all around the edges.


And last but not least, some peonies that my mom picked up at the store yesterday. I have never seen peonies before, so I was very excited. The scent is amazing and fills the whole kitchen!

Thank you for looking at my show and tell and have a wonderful weekend!


Please read the Show and Tell Guidelines for step-by-step instructions on how to participate.

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

Father's Day Pocket Coupon Card

Since Father's Day is just around the corner, I have one more card idea to share.


You will need:
5 x 7" notecard
4 1/2 x 6 1/2" patterned scrapbook paper


Glue the scrapbook rectangle to the front of notecard.


Cut out pocket from cardstock. This is the pattern I used: Pocket Template


Glue the sides and bottom to front of card. Add decorative pen markings along edges.


Print out or write approx. 5 coupons. Ideas:
-Uninterrupted Nap
-1 batch homemade cookies
-1 Lawn mowing
-1 Breakfast in bed
-1 Back scratch


Cut coupon card stock 2x3" with the coupon slightly smaller. Glue to cardstock.




Slip coupons into pocket.


You can also decorate the front of the pocket with any leftover scrapbook paper.


This pattern is great for other occasions, too. This is a new baby card.


Instead of coupons, I used a short poem, a few lines on each rectangle.


Punch a hole in the top of the cards and tie a ribbon bow.


I dabbed the edges with a pink stamp pad.

I hope you have enjoyed this week's project!

Corners of my Kitchen

Good Morning! Our new puppy is doing what I thought was impossible: I'm becoming a morning person. I've been getting up at 6:00am to take her outside, which I know isn't all that early for some, but is a huge accomplishment for me. Thank you for your wonderful comments about the oatmeal bars and Morning Glories. You wouldn't believe how much they've grown since I took those pictures!

We are having a great visiting with my family. There are 11 of us in my small house, so we are keeping busy. The week before everyone arrived I deep cleaned and organized my kitchen and I thought I would share a few pictures with you.


This area is actually for a microwave, but I painted it the same color as my kitchen walls and put all of my baking canisters inside.


My mom got me the ivy plate many years ago for my birthday and the cow, bunny and are Grace and Emily's small collection of creamers.


Everything on top of the fridge is a resale store or yard sale find, collected over the past 8 years or so.


Phillip's mom gave me this beautiful china, and many of the pieces belonged to Phillip's Grandma.






A little pitcher filled with ferns from the garden.



Thank you for looking at at a few corners of my kitchen and I hope your week is going well.

A Morning Glory Monday

Good Morning! Sometimes road trips take longer than expected, so my family will be arriving this morning instead of last night. I guess I don't have an excuse not to fold the clothes in the dryer now. ;0)


Today I am thinking about Morning Glories. The seeds I planted last month are doing really well and I added some more stakes for them to climb up this weekend.


I found this pretty plate at the resale store several weeks ago.


There was also this matching primrose plate. I found out that there are two more plates in the set, but I didn't see them at the store.


They are the perfect size for holding a snack, so I baked some Fruit Filled Oatmeal Bars.


Hot out of the oven. Here is the recipe...

Fruit Filled Oatmeal Bars

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup quick oats
2/3 cup brown sugr
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter
1 cup of your favorite jam

In a mixing bowl combine flour, oats, brown sugar and baking soda. Cut in butter till mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1 cup of the flour mixture. Press remaining flour mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 8x8 pan. Spread with desired jam. Sprinkle with reserved flour mixture. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until the top is golden. Cut into squares.


I actually doubled the recipe, used a 9 x 13 pan and spread strawberry jam on one half and blueberry jam on the other. They took closer to 40 minutes to bake.




This is how my morning glories are coming along so far. I have also planted sunflowers along the three rows to hopefully create a "Sunflower House" later this summer.


They are very fast climbers and each day there are new leaves.


Morning Glories from last year. I can't wait for a repeat!

I hope you all have a wonderful Monday!

Weekend Chit~Chat

Happy weekend! I just finished a little weeding and I also planted some begonias. It is 93F (feels like 97F) and I really need to be better about gardening in the early morning, since summer has definitely arrived.


This is my first ever Nasturium bloom! I have tried growing them for years and have finally had success.


I promised more pictures of our new Golden Retriever puppy, Daisy. As you can see she's a fan of water!


We are crate training her and after two long nights, she is finally getting the hang of it. She slept all the way until 6:00am this morning. Then I took her outside where she played for two hours.


She loves to go for walks down our street.


But she especially enjoys her afternoon nap. And what puppy wouldn't when a snuggle and warm blanket is involved!





My family will be arriving for a 2 week visit tomorrow, so I'm off to finish up some things on my to-do list. I hope you all have a great weekend!

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 am going to show you some special things on the bookshelf in our schoolroom.


We have several friends who are missionaries and they have given us neat things from the countries they serve in.


One of our friends just got back from Central Asia and brought us this stocking.


All the stitches are hand done and cover the front and back.


This is a Piola (pronounced Pee-ola) teacup . It is used for a weak black tea and then milk and either vegetable oil or butter are added to it. It is sweetened with sugar, unless they are having a large party and then it is unsweetened.


My friend also sent me these sweet little dolls this past Christmas. I keep them in the teacup.


A musical instrument very much like a tamborine. The top is most likely goat skin.


Metal rings along the inside rim. It's noisy!


These little egg shaped boxes are from Egypt.


Perfect for holding tiny things.


And finally a beautiful plaque that has The Lord's Prayer written in Arabic.


The words begin in the middle and go all around the edges.

Thank you for looking at my show and tell and have a wonderful weekend!

~*~*~Show and Tell idea for next week: Vintage or favorite linens. ~*~*~


Please read the Show and Tell Guidelines for step-by-step instructions on how to participate.

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

Seasonal Delights Summer Issue~It's Here!

This post will stay at the top for the week. Please scroll down for new posts!



Happy June! Phillip and I are excited to announce that the Seasonal Delights Summer Issue is available! It is filled with fun summer ideas, recipes and projects and we hope you enjoy it! Come on over to Seasonal Delights for all the information.

Paper Napkin Notecards

Hello! I would like to start by saying thank you for all your wonderful feedback about Seasonal Delights! I hope you will share pictures of the projects and recipes you make. Also, the puppy tips were very helpful. Daisy is doing really well and not getting into too much trouble since we aren't letting her out of our sight. :0) I will post an update and pictures over the weekend.


I'm really excited about this week's card making project. My friend Cathy told me all about a new technique and I made several cards last night in about 20 minutes. We won't be using any scrapbook paper today.


Instead, get out all your paper napkins! You can also use gift-wrap tissue or paper guest towels.


You will also need:
-Blank notecards
-Saran wrap (the cheapest brand will be the thinnest and works best)
-Scissors
-Iron and ironing board


Take a blank card and cut a piece of saran wrap just a bit larger than your card. Lay saran wrap on top of card. I would do this on the ironing board, so you don't have to move it later.


Take a napkin and cut it just a big larger than the saran wrap. Be sure to remove all the "plies" or layers or it won't work properly. Most napkins have two plies but some have 3 or 4.


Lay the napkin right side up on top of saran wrap.


Take one of the plies and put that over the card sandwich . This will protect your iron from getting glue on it.


Use a dry iron (no steam) with it set on a 5 or 6. I used the "silk" setting and with an up and down motion press the iron down for 6-8 seconds all over the card. You are literally melting the saran wrap which makes the glue.


Gently lift off the protective layer, being careful because it will be hot.



Trim the edges with scissors. If you see a spot that didn't adhere correctly, take a toothpick with a tiny amount of glue and put it under the lifted area.


Finished card.


Here is another card I made.


I added a decorated cardstock square.


And lastly, a summer seashell card with a small bow.

I hope you enjoyed the project and let me know if you make some too!

A New Member of the Family

Golden Retriever puppies are cute and cuddly aren't they? The love playing in the water...


and chewing on flip-flops.

Grace has loved Golden Retrievers since she was old enough to know what a dog was. She has even had her dream dog named for the past three years. Phillip and I have been talking things over for the last month and today was Grace's lucky day.


Pick me, pick me!


This one looks perfect.


Meet Daisy!

This is our first family dog, so if you have any tips for me, I'd love to hear them! :0)

"I Remember Laura"~My Special Quilts

Hello everyone! Today I am participating in Miss Sandy's Laura Ingalls Wilder Blog-a-thon. If you would like to join in the fun or visit the other participants, please visit her at Quill Cottage.


This week's theme is on one of my favorite things: Quilts!


I started collecting quilts about 6 years ago and keep them on a rack in my bedroom.


I got my first quilt when visiting family in Tennessee. Sunbonnet Sue is my favorite block pattern.


This is a Southern Bell Sue.


I got this "bonnet" quilt in 2004 when I went home to Ontario, Canada. I found it in a little antique shop near the town I grew up in.


The back is made from old sugar sacks and is very soft.


This is my favorite quilt of all. Several years ago my sister and I went yardsaling together. At one of the stops we saw some quilts lying on the grass. The lady that was having the sale told me that her husband's aunt had made it about 20 years earlier. Her name was Audrey but she went by "Aud" and she lived in the Appalachian Mountains, in a cabin with no running water or electricity.


There are endless rows of tiny triangles, many of the fabrics are from the depression era.


I love the borders on the top and bottom of the quilt, too.




The same lady also made this sweet yellow and white baby quilt. Both quilts are completely done by hand.


This pretty quilt was made my my great grandmother, and was also done by hand.


Beautiful blue tulips.


My great grandmother also made my sister and I dolls when we were young and they each came with their own mini patchwork quilt. I will show the dolls later on in the blog-a-thon.

Thank you for looking at my special quilts and I hope you have a great start to your week!