Today's Project

A special guest room needs special finishing touches. Instead of buying new towels for our guest room, I thought I would gussy up a couple of towels that I already had. I took a pair of lavender towels and added antique crochet lace.My first chance to sew beneath my twinkle lights....
Placed the newly embellished towels in the nightside stand.....With a cute fairy tin of lavender soap on top.Now, I am ready for your visit! We are going to have such a wonderful time!!

What's On Your Kitchen Windowsill?

I always try to keep something very cheerful on the windowsill above my kitchen sink. In the summertime, it is my collection of antique aqua glass bottles. I started this collection when my children were very small. My first bottles came from my daughter's friend's father, who had the hobby of excavating backyard trash pits. Many years ago, long before Waste Management came into existence, people would dig a pit in their back yard and bury their old household items, such as used bottles, old dishes, etc. Excavating these pits, especially here in the East, can be a lucrative hobby. From that point on, I found them on occasion in antique markets.

The object in the farm right corner is an antique bottle capper.

Keeping blossoms in these bottles reminds me of how I would pick violets or dandelions when I was a child and bring bouquets home for my Mother. She would always find some little vase to place them in and up on the kitchen windowsill they would go. This same scenario was played out again when I had my own children...memories of a truly sweet time.

Come Fall, I will put these bottles away and bring out something for Halloween. For Winter....some of my snowman collection. For Spring.....who knows!

What is on your kitchen windowsill?

More Craft Room Views

Stand in the doorway of my craft room and this is what you see. Above the window hangs an old barn ladder woven with branches, ivy, paper wasp nest, birds nests and the word IMAGINE. I will add small twinkle lights to this for a touch of magic.To the right of the window is an antique pie safe that is home to some of my fabric collection. On top of the pie safe is a picture painted by a friend many years ago and a cloche covering a bird's nest with eggs.

Fabric is neatly arranged and held in antique gym locker baskets. Remember them? Buttons and other small notions have found a home in old glass jars decorated with vintage pictures.
To the left of the window is one of my treadle machines (yes, it works). Blue pottery vases hold scissors, markers and paintbrushes. Another wire school locker hangs above the treadle and holds more fabric and trims.

An old glove form hold a horsehair nest that I found on the ground in our barn and an egg that I found on the ground outside. Behind that hand is another wire rack that is home to vintage salt shakers filled with glitter.

Yes, here I am taking a little break on the day bed...a bit bedraggled from life on the farm!

Out of the Heat and Into the .......Oven??

Yesterday was just too hot and humid to do much of anything outside. After the necessary farm chores were complete, I took the opportunity to run to our little local town to visit the bank, post office, glass repair shop, feed store and farm market. It was at our adorable little farm market that I found the yummiest, freshest local peaches.

All the way home, I thought about what I could make with those juicy, ripe peaches.

How about Peach Praline Crisp? Yummmmmm....with ice cream on the top, too!

So, here is what I came up with.....

First I peeled the skin off five peaches (those peels will make a yummy treat for my chickens) and sliced them into a 9 X 9 baking dish. I topped the peaches with 1/2 cup chopped pecans.

Then, to the pantry to look for something to use for the "crisp"...

I mixed 3/4 cup organic, white, whole wheat flour, 3/4 cup rolled oats, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp cinnamon. With a pastry cutter I mixed 1 stick of butter into the flour mixture until it became crumbly.

Poured the crumbs on top of the peaches.....And, into the oven at 375 for 30 - 40 minutes....removing it when the peaches are bubbly and the topping is golden brown.Mmmmm, Mmmmmmm, my mouth is watering just thinking about it! Don't you just love the fresh fruit of summer?

Finished Painting

Due to a couple of nasty storms, I actually had time to finish painting my sewing room wall. Here is the final result:I just love wisteria. More to come....stay tuned!

Today's Project

I have been working on the one painted wall in my sewing room....adding a wisteria vine and a few birds. Here is a sneak peak at what I am doing......I will share more when I am finished painting.
Remember, the theme of my sewing room is "Feathering Your Nest".

Sneak Peak

Finally a bit of time for creativity. My current project is my sewing room. I thought I would give you a sneak peak.....I have a bit more work to do unpacking and a bit of faux painting....

When I am finished feathering my nest, I will share lots more pictures with you. For now, though, here is a sneak peak.....

Decorating Fun

A couple of weeks ago, on my farm blog, I published a few pictures from my favorite room. This is the first floor guest room in our log home. I have spent years collecting antiques and now they have the perfect home. I thought I would share this room with you...as it seems that I have different readers on this blog than on my farm blog. If you had seen my previous post on this room...there are a few additions. The room is finally finished.

I would love to have you come to visit our farm. And when you get here, this room is for you...Your bed is dressed with vintage linens. Fresh lavender on your nightstand.

Take your hat and gloves off and make yourself comfortable. Feel free to put a record on the old victrola. Tea is served at 3 o'clock.Each morning, when you awaken, you will be greeted by a chorus of birds and the sun rising over our surrounding woodlands.Our Edison victrola still plays....just crank her up. Her cabinet is home to a good collection of music from the turn of the century.Would you like a little tea? A cupcake? Just let us know what you like, we will be sure to have a treat ready for you.One of my most treasured possessions is this Victorian house that was carved by my Mother's uncle for her as a child. It is hand made entirely of old cigar boxes. Beautiful lace curtains hang at the windows. The house is inhabited by a family of antique porcelain children.Take a closer look.....Your room has its very own commode....complete with reading material.

Or, if you would prefer something a bit more modern, a bathroom is located right next door...

We love to have guests come and share the peace and tranquility of life in the country. Our door is always open............Do stop by!

Pink Saturday

It seems that I have the best intentions, but invariably something knocks me a bit off schedule. I am so happy to participate in Pink Satuday once again, but am a bit tardy in getting this post up and running.

I thought I would share my pink zinnias with you this Saturday...as it is now the only pink thing blooming in my garden. Because we have spent the entire last year building out farm house, my landscaping is not yet done, and the only place I have flowers is in my vegetable garden. Each year I plant a cutting bed of zinnias....they are so cheery to cut and bring in the house! So here they are in all their pinkness, from pale to brilliant....

Aren't they cheery and welcoming in my kitchen??

Here is one of the reasons I was late in posting this post.....He's not pink, but he sure is a cutie!!

For a complete list of Pink Saturday participants....visit Bev at How Sweet the Sound.