shopping on a monday

Well, I may be out of town, but what would Monday be if I didn't get my Etsy shopping fix. So grab your cup of tea and let's shop.

Don't forget to click on the price to see the item and the shop name to see more pretties from the seller.

$132 by jennyndesign

$75 from Captain Cat

$17 by  Hello Violeta

$75 from OceanSwept

$550 from RhapsodyAttic

$125 by  MossyBurr

Have a wonderful Monday and a Happy Halloween.

marshmallow dreams

When I looked out my bedroom window the other day, I saw all of these sweet little marshmallow clouds drifting by. As I was sort of daydreaming at the time about my impending trip to Atlanta I thought they were fitting. Maybe my angels were telling me that daydreams are a good thing.


I am now here in Atlanta this weekend visiting with my daughters and two grandchildren. Halloween is my granddaughter's sixth birthday and a party is planned for tomorrow. With 13 children, dressed in costumes, present I expect chaos to reign. I plan to take a bunch of photos this weekend and will share some when I return home, including, hopefully, my little sweet pea modeling her surprise I made for her. 


Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

four season porch

As I sit here on this cloudy, rainy October day, I am reminded of the things I miss most during the cold weather months. Primarily, those would be light and the feel of being outdoors. I don't mind the snow so much, if I have a light filled, warm, toasty place to sit and look out. 


So, if you, like me, covet just such a space, put on your warm bunny slippers, grab that second cup of coffee, and enjoy these lovely four season porches. 

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I love these windows

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a cozy spot with some wonderful willow furniture

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How nice to have so much greenery all year long. I would love a really sunny spot to keep my herbs going.

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a place to sit and visit.

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What would your four season porch look like? I would have to say the cozy porch with the willow furniture is my favorite. Add a fireplace and some potted plants and I'm good to go.

 

front page feature

I just discovered that I was on the front page of Etsy yesterday. I seemed to have missed it once again. Etsy used to post it to your Facebook page when it happened, but for some reason they stopped doing that. Also, it was on at midnight and I was tucked into my bed in my jammies by then.


It was such a beautiful treasury, and I of course am always up for blatantly advertising myself, so I thought it would be the perfect share for White Wednesday. Be sure and check it out, because there are always some great blogs linking up.

Those are my pretty knives. 


I have a busy day planned. I am heading out on Friday for a long weekend in Atlanta, so have lots to do before I leave. Have a great day.

 

Kentucky Backroad

Central Kentucky is an amazingly beautiful place to live. This past weekend, the weather was warm and the skies were blue. A perfect time to steal away, with family, for a few hours and enjoy one of our lovely back roads. We don't have to travel far to find a country road bordered by an old stacked stone fence and filled with promises of beautiful things to come.

Who knew that our area had so many up and coming wineries. Places to sample the local product or grab a bite to eat. 

But this day the road is beckoning, so that will have to wait for another day. The road I am on is named Grimes Mill Road, and what could be more fitting than an old mill stone propped by the side of the road.

I live in horse country, so even though I don't see any horses grazing in the fields on this road today, I know the old hunt club is just down the road. I am not disappointed when I find it nestled down at the bottom of a ravine,decked out for Halloween.

This is where the drive gets really interesting. The hunt club backs up to a rocky bed creek surrounded by limestone cliffs.

and the road begins to narrow

and narrow more

until we are on a one lane bridge that will lead us up and out of the ravine.

but, before the road ends, we pass hideaways and I wonder what is behind this beautiful closed gate

maybe an old log home like this one down the road.

I guess I'll have to wait for my invitation to arrive in the mail in order to find out.


In the meantime, all that driving made us hungry, so we headed back to town to enjoy some good old Kentucky cooking. I was thinking a Hot Brown sounded good.

The Legendary Hot Brown Recipe

from The Brown Hotel

Ingredients (Makes Two Hot Browns):

• 2 oz. Whole Butter
• 2 oz. All Purpose Flour
• 1 Qt. Heavy Cream
• 1/2 Cup Pecorino Romano Cheese, Plus 1 Tablespoon for Garnish
• Salt & Pepper to Taste
• 14 oz. Sliced Roasted Turkey Breast
• 2 Slices of Texas Toast (Crust Trimmed)
• 4 slices of Crispy Bacon
• 2 Roma Tomatoes, Sliced in Half
• Paprika, Parsley

 Add salt and pepper to taste.

In a two-quart saucepan, melt butter and slowly whisk in flour until combined and forms a thick paste (roux). Continue to cook roux for two minutes over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Whisk whipping cream into the roux and cook over medium heat until the cream begins to simmer, about 2-3 minutes. Remove sauce from heat and slowly whisk in Pecorino Romano cheese until the Mornay sauce is smooth. 

For each Hot Brown, place one slice of toast in an oven safe dish and cover with 7 ounces of turkey. Take the two halves of Roma tomato and set them alongside the base of turkey and toast. Next, pour one half of the Mornay sauce to completely cover the dish. Sprinkle with additional Pecorino Romano cheese. Place entire dish under a broiler until cheese begins to brown and bubble. Remove from broiler, cross two pieces of crispy bacon on top, sprinkle with paprika and parsley, and serve immediately.

Linking up today with:

 

shopping for lovelies

I had such a lovely weekend and I hope everyone else did too. Yesterday I drove out into the country and took some photos of the beautiful areas that surround my city. I will share those later this week. In the meantime, it's Monday, the kids are back in school, and that means it is time to curl up by the fire with a cup of tea and shop on Etsy. Here are some of the lovelies I found today.


Please click on the price to view the item and the shop name to see more pretties from the seller. 

$48 from Andersen Studio

$28 from Scottie in a Canoe

$9.99 from Jennas Beach Retreat

$2000 from Name Design Studio

$15 from Regular Home

$68 from  One Black Bird

$25 from  Andie Specialty Sweets

Enjoy.

 

cozy kitchens

I believe that the kitchen is the heart of the home. It is the place where families meet at the end of the day, where yummy smells and delicious foods are created, where homework is done, and games are played. This is especially true during the cooler months of the year, when darkness descends early and more time is spent indoors. 


Now that cooler weather has arrived, let's cozy up with some warm farmhouse kitchen ideas.


A large harvest table and big old gas range help to create a warm feel and a place to gather the family.

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A deep sink in front of a sunny window is the perfect spot to wash dishes with a little one, while sharing their day.

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A wood stove helps to take the chill out of the early morning, before everyone heads out for the day.

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Lots of old pots and jars for storage serve double duty, not only utilitarian, but lovely for display.

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The beauty of a farmhouse kitchen is in its simplicity. In a world where so many people are caught up with having the newest and sleekest appliances, stainless steel, and marble counter tops, the farmhouse kitchen brings back the meaning of the kitchen. So, make your kitchen your own and love it for the memories it will bring. The smells, the shared meals, and the family times are what will linger for years to come.

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Linking up this weekend with:

 

farm fresh aprons

Today I decided to let nepotism run rampant on my blog. After all, what is the point of being a mother if you can't crow a little. I mean, really, when kids are little they do their best to stay in your hair and drive you crazy. Once they grow up they do their best to get on with their own lives, ignore your eccentricities, and drive you crazy. That is the whole purpose of grandchildren. They absolutely love you no matter how goofy you are. My grandson paid me the ultimate compliment when he said he thought he got his goofiness from me. Well of course he did and someone has to carry on the tradition.

However, I digress. The point of today's post is to share the wonderful aprons my two daughters are busily sewing up and adding to their Prairie Seed shop, which specializes in handmade and vintage weddings. They also have really fabby cameras and take great photos. I think I'll be them when I grow up.

black and white gingham

trailing arbor

linen with doily pocket

feedsack floral

So, the holidays are coming and there's nothing like wearing a spiffy new apron while preparing wonderful treats for your mother friends and family.


It's Thursday. So I am off in the pouring rain to find some goodies at the auction.