This dessert has got to be one of my favorite ways to enjoy summer fruit! Supposedly the recipe makes 6 servings, but our family finds it's never quite enough! Double the recipe for a 9X13.
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups sliced peaches, fresh or canned 1 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen 1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen 1/2 cup blackberries, fresh or frozen 1/4 cup organic butter 1/2 cup oats (I use gluten-free) 1/4 tsp sea salt 3/4 cup raw cane sugar Directions: Gently stir fruit together. Pour into the bottom of a square baking dish (8x8 or 9x9). In a separate bowl, mix remaining ingredients together until crumbly. Sprinkle on top of fruit. Bake at 375F until top is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Serve warm with shipped cream. Makes 6 servings.
Alternatively, replace the peaches and berries with 4 cups of pears or sliced Granny Smith apples.
Cream puffs aren't nearly as intimidating as they seem. The trick to getting them nice and puffy is how you add your flour and the heat at which they bake. The cool thing about these delightful pastries as that you can make them any size, and fill them with whatever you please. Yesterday I posted about Strawberry sauce. Can Cream Puffs taste good without it? I'm really not sure. I don't think I've ever tried. They're awfully messy, but that just adds to the experience. :-) You'll need: 1 cup water1/2 cup butter1 cup all-purpose flour1/4 tsp salt4 eggs In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring water and butter to a boil. Add flour and salt all at once. This is very important. Stir together until you get a smooth ball. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until you get a smooth, shiny mixture that looks something like above.
Drop by round tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove to wire rack. Immediately slit puffs open. Remove tops and set aside. Discard any soft dough inside. Cool completely. Now the fun part! Fill them with whatever you please-from classic whip cream, strawberries and chocolate, to funky flavored lemon pudding, or mocha mousse. Either way, you've got the perfect shell to compliment your choice of filling!
It's time once again for Flea Market Finds!!! YAYYYY! WHOO HOOO! YIPPEE!! Seriously I really mean it this week because I had a fabulous tiquing extravaganza! So keep reading *winks* This past week the hubbs and I went for a day trip to Centralia Washington. I didn't expect to find much (rarely do) But it just goes to show ya... you never know when serendipity will strike! It seemed everywhere I turned there were amazing finds! I don't even know where to begin with my favorites because I have so many! So... I'll just start here with this beautiful small oil portrait of a girl on board. I can't stop looking at her. She's a little the worse for wear but I LOVEEEE HER!!
She was 49 well spent dollars *winks*
Then this 1920's twin bed was a MAJOR score at $45... Yes that's right 45 dollars! Can you believe someone would sell this bed for soooo little? It has paintings of nudes on both the head and footboard! I do NOT need another bed but I couldn't say no to this one.
Dancing nude ladies (The three muses?)... Love em!!
Do you see the little sheep in the background?... Perfect!!
Then... I found a fab Dresden-esque vanity mirror with cavorting (Don't you just love that word?Lol!) cherubs and had visions of it sitting on my vanity table. Problem was it only had a hook for hanging on the wall. Sooooo off to the Goodwill we ran, where we (And by "we" I mean my husband *winks*) found an old picture frame (99 cents) with the perfect sized back to convert the mirror to one that will stand on a dressing table. The hubby cut it to fit and applied some silicon glue so it could be removed if desired and... After applying the back piece.
VOILA!!!... After!
Hazy old glass.
I'm loving it so much I might just have to keep it + the same mirror is on ebay for $1500 (crack smoker!) but just sayin' *winks* What do you think? Doesn't it look good here? My hubby is the handiest darn guy! So if you're needing an inexpensive solution for how to stand up an old mirror? This did the trick nicely!
Then I hit the silver blessings button when I found a Victorian bun warmer and a HUGE butter dish! It's so large it's almost a server. The tea cup and saucer set with legs ($6.99) was what I scored at the Goodwill run for the mirror back solution while the hubby was digging through about a gazillion frames! Divide and conquer! *winks*
Open
Another cute but slightly tattered doll ($28) for my boudoir doll collection HERE
An antique celluloid box with a pretty girl for $20.
A large shabby rose painting on tin for $20. I'll be doing an arrangement of some rose paintings in my shabby guestroom so I hope you'll come back for a peek.
A 1940's body double dress form that came with it's original box and pamphlet for a steal from my new friend Jenny! I want to give her a shout out because she's such a lovely person to deal with and has the most wonderful shabby chic items in her booth space in Centralia at the Northwest Tub Company (Don't let the name fool you, it's actually a small antique mall that carries old tubs in addition to lots of other wonderful goodies. *winks* So if you ever find yourself there please stop in and say "hi!" She's booth space #10... and she'll wheel and deal with you too!
This aqua vase was $4.99 at the Goodwill.
A couple of jewel caskets (Both for $20) to go with my collection HERE
And finally this set of frenchy doll furniture for $10 with its original box. I paid too much, but I love that the little piano and bureau are trinket boxes.
Well those are my treasures for this week. To quote my friend Dawn from Bohemian Valhalla I'll be "adding some water to the beans" for awhile to make up for this wonderful bender! Lol! I hope you'll come back next week for more flea market finds! Though they might be a bit piddlin' *winks* Please leave me a comment and I'll do the same. I just love to hear from you! Vanna I'm joining my friend Sherry at No Minimalist Here for:
My sweet friend Courtney at French Country Cottage for:
This recipe is easy-peasy! And has zero nutritional value. But, oh is it ever good! Monkey Bread is a great hit with young people as well as a perfect recipe for little chefs. It's a fast, no-fail winner that everyone and their uncles will love.
You'll need: 1 (3.5 ounces) package of cook and serve butterscotch pudding mix1 Tbsp. Cinnamon3/4 cup Sugar1/2 cup Butter, melted3 (10 ounce) cans of refridgerated biscuts (I used Pilsbury)icing sugar & milk for glazeoptional: nuts of your choice Combine pudding mix, sugar, cinnamon and nuts (if you're using them) together in a bowl with a tight fitting lid. Pour melted butter into a seperate dish. Cut biscuts into quarters with kitchen shears. Dip each piece in butter and than place in cinnamon mixture. Seal lid and shake until each piece is evenly coated. Remove to a greased, 10-inch bundt or fluted pan. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. Dig in!
If you're on a mission to clean up your diet, getting your kids on board with the idea can seem impossible. If they're used to snacking on cookies, party-mix, Smarties, or packaged granola bars it can be frustrating for both of you to adopt healthier eating habits. Thankfully, there are many scrumptious, nutritious recipes available that'll appeal to the pallet the same way junk food does. But instead of artery-clogging fats, refined sugars and flours, MSG, and simple carbohydrates, you'll be serving your child snacks that are loaded with nutrition and energy to help build a growing body. Here are 10 snacks our kids love (and have no idea they're good for them!):
1. Gluten-Free Cinnamon Raisin Flax Muffins
2. "Just Like Wheat Thins" Crackers with Cheese from Trim Healthy Mama
3. Snicker Snackers
4. Apples or Bananas with Peanut or Almond Butter
5.Raw vegetables with natural, homemade salad dressing.
If you need to make an impression but are completely intimidated by the idea of baking a real cheesecake, this recipe will stop the show. I've made it many times and love the silky smooth texture, the way it slices perfectly, the combination of vanilla and chocolate, the richness of the cream, and how versatile it is for decorating. Not to mention that it can be whipped up the day before and stays good for a really long time.
That is, if you haven't eaten already.
You'll need:Crust: 1 1/2 cups of crumbled Oreo cookies 3-4 Tablespoons melted butter Chocolate Layer: 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin 2 Tablespoons cold water 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips Vanilla Layer: 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin 2 Tablespoons cold water 1 2/3 cups heavy whipping cream 1/4 cup sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Directions:Crust: Mix cookie crumbs and melted butter together. Pat into a 9" spring form pan. Set aside. Chocolate Layer: In a small saucepan, bring cream to a simmer. In a separate small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over cold water; let stand for 1 minute. Add to warm cream and stir until gelatin is completely dissolved. Stir chocolate chips into remaining warm cream until melted. Stir in gelatin mixture and remaining cream. Pour on top of crust. Cool in fridge for 45 minutes or until firm. Vanilla Layer: In a small saucepan, bring cream and sugar to a simmer. In another bowl, sprinkle gelatin over cold water; let stand for 1 minute. Stir into cream until gelatin is completely dissolved. Add vanilla. Carefully spoon over chocolate layer. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until firm. After removing the sides of the spring form, you can garnish this beautiful dessert any way you like. In the picture shown above, I simply rubbed some more Oreo cookie crumbs onto the sides. Using several thin strips of waxed paper, I created a lattice stencil on the top of the dessert, sprinkled on some more crumbs, and carefully removed the strips of paper. Then I added a "haystack" of chopped chocolate covered peppermint sticks. I've also served this with a fresh strawberry sauce made by pureeing strawberries and sugar in the blender for a fresher taste. Be creative-the possibilities are endless!
*GF Variation: Simply use Gluten-free cookie crumbs instead.
"Say: 'These are scrumptious'." My husband told me to write that when I asked him how I should describe these bars. He also wanted you to know that he cuts the grass straighter than anyone else he knows, and that he's wearing white socks today. Ha!
He also said I better not write that. ;-) Back to the bars. They are really yummy. We ate a whole recipe between the two of us in just four days. Pretend that isn't true. The cool thing about these bars is that not only are they a cinch to make, they can also be made very quickly, everyone loves them, and the possible variations are endless. More on that at the end.
You'll need:
1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup rolled oats 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 1/4 tsp baking soda 1/8 tsp salt 1/2 cup butter, softened 3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 inch square pan, line with parchment paper and then grease well.
Combine your dry ingredients together and mix in your butter until crumbly.
Press 2 cups of the mixture into the bottom of your prepared pan.
Spread jam on top...
... and then sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture. Press lightly so top coat sticks into jam.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned.
Cool, cut into bars and Enjoy! Now for the variations. The raspberry jam could be replaced with any jam or jelly. Think blackberry, strawberry, blueberry, peach, or maybe even a combo deal! Or try making the middle layer chocolate or date for an even richer taste. I skipped drizzling these bars with icing sugar or melted white chocolate, but that equals yummy too. I'm sure of it. I have a sweet tooth.
This is the perfect bread recipe for a beginning baker. If you're kinda like me and get a little intimidated by terms like "proofing yeast," "kneading dough," and the like, than this recipe is for you. I'm not one to measure ingredients exactly, which isn't always the best policy when it comes to sensitive baking situations where yeast is involved. This recipe leaves a large margin for error (probably why it's one of my favorites!), and you'll be walking away from it like you've been baking bread for years!
You'll need: 1 envelope (1/4 oz) active dry yeast 2 cups warm milk 6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour ( plus more for dusting ) 1/2 cup butter, room temperature, cut into pieces 1/2 cup sugar 2 large eggs, plus 1 large egg that's lighty beaten 2 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup raisins 1 tbsp cinnamon vegetable oil for bowl For filling: 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 tbsp cinnamon 2 tbsp water
In bowl of an electric mixer, sprinkle yeast over the warm milk and whisk to combine. Add flour, butter, sugar, 2 eggs, and salt. Attach the dough hook to your mixer. Mix on low speed until all ingredients are well combined (about 3 minutes). Increase speed to medium-low and mix until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl (about 3 more minutes).
Your dough should look soft-like something above.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Pat dough into a 9-inch round (about 1 1/4 inches thick) and sprinkle with raisins and cinnamon. Knead dough until incorporated. Place dough in lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place (I use my oven-warmed slightly by heating to the lowest degree for 50 seconds) until doubled in volume, about an hour.
Return dough to lightly floured work surface, and pat into a round again. Fold the bottom third up, and then top third down, and the right and left sides over, tapping dough to release excess flour and pressing down to seal. Return dough to the bowl, seam side down and cover with plastic wrap, and let rise again until doubled, about 40 minutes.
To make filling : Mix sugar and cinnamon with 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl.
Place dough on lightly floured surface and divide in half.
Roll out one half to a 12 x 10 inch rectangle. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with half the filling. Repeat with the other half of dough.
Grease two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans, set aside. Fold in both long sides of dough, about an inch. Then roll dough toward you with short side facing you, making a nice and tight log. Place in prepared pans with seam side down. Cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until dough is just above the rim of the pan, about 30 minutes. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Brush tops of loaves with beaten egg and place loaf pans on a baking sheet to catch drips.
Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until loaves are golden brown, about 40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before turning out to a wire rack.
These recipes are reprinted with permission from the authors.
Just Like Wheat Thins Crackers | Trim Healthy Mama, I had my doubts about this recipe. "Just Like Wheat Thins?!" Yeah, right. You need refined flour and sugar to achieve that kind of deliciousness, don't you? Apparently not. These crackers are amazing and taste like the real thing I can't seem to keep our house stocked though - they disappear quickly!
3/4 cup flax meal
3/4 cup almond flour
2 egg whites
2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp. parmeasan cheese
1/4 tsp sea salt
dash of black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder
1 Tbsp olive or coconut oil
1/2 tsp baking soda
Combine ingredients well and work into a dough ball with your hands. Place ball on parchment lined cookie sheet. Place another piece of parchment paper on top of dough ball and roll out into a slab the thickness of a cracker. Take off top piece and score into small squares. Bakes at 350 for 15-20 minutes.
Fooled Ya Pizza |Trim Healthy Mama, I've always felt bad for Brad who used to eat cardboard-like gluten-free pizza crusts while we enjoyed the gluten packed version! I had heard rave reviews about this cauliflower crust from other mamas on the Trim Healthy Mama plan and decided to give it a try even though it sounded pretty gross. Boy, was I wrong! Our entire family enjoys it just as much as the real thing! You'd never know cauliflower was the magic ingredient!
1 bag (16 oz.) frozen cauliflower (I used fresh)
3/4 cup egg whites
2 cups skim mozzarella cheese
sea salt and other seasonings (I used Epicure's Pizza seasoning blend)
pizza sauce and other pizza toppings (I used pepperoni, green pepper, red onion, cheddar and mozzarella cheese)
Lightly steam cauliflower and squeeze out all the excess water otherwise your crust won't get crispy (I skipped this step and used raw cauliflower with great results!). Put cauliflower in food processor and pulse a few times until you end up with rice sized pieces.
Add egg whites and pulse again. Add cheese and other seasonings (sea salt, Italian seasoning, onion and garlic powder). Mix ingredients together well with a spatula. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and grease well. Spread crust mixture evenly across cookie sheet. Bake at 450 for 20 minutes. Cool. Add pizza sauce and toppings and broil until toppings are done (I baked it at 400 for 8-10 minutes).
Peanut Squares | Trim Healthy Mama, These squares are so yummy! A combination of sweet and salty, we enjoy them as a snack and a dessert. They're gerat to give along with a meal to a new mom too.
1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped
1/4 cup melted butter
2 tsp Truvia
1 pkg cream cheese, softened
10 tsp Truvia
2/3 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup whipping cream
Mix almond flour, peanuts, melted butter, and 2 teaspoons of Truvia together in a bowl. Press into 8x8 baking dish and bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes.
While crust is baking, beat cream cheese and second measurement of Truvia together until light and fluffy. Add peanut butter and beat some more.
In a separate bowl, beat whipped cream. Fold into cream cheese mixture and spread over cooled crust.
Place in refrigerator to chill until set.
Cheeseburger Pie | Trim Healthy Mama, This is probably our #1 favorite supper on the plan. It's all the goodness of a cheeseburger without the bun. You would never miss it! This is so satisfying and delicious. I make once a week in place of burgers on the barbie.
2 lbs of ground beef
3 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. sea salt
6 oz. grated cheddar cheese
pickles, tomatoes, red onion
2 eggs
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup heavy cream
sea salt
ground pepper
6 oz. grated cheddar cheese
Brown ground beef and drain fat. Stir in onion powder, sea salt, and 6 oz. of grated cheese. Place beef mixture in casserole dish. Layer on any of your favorite burger toppings. Our family loves a combination of red onion, tomatoes, and pickles. In another bowl, beat eggs, mayo, cream, sea salt, and black pepper together. Pour on top of casserole and sprinkle on the remaining 6 oz. of cheese. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. We like it serve on a bed of chopped iceberg lettuce and drizzled with mustard and ketchup.
Chunky Cream Pops | Trim Healthy Mama, This frozen dessert reminds me of my favorite ice cream, President's Choice Chocolate Fudge Crackle... except it's waaaay healthier, made with good fats and no sugar. We love this treat. It's Brad's favorite of all the desserts I've made from Trim Healthy Mama so far.
1 batch of Skinny Chocolate
2 8oz. blocks of cream cheese
10 tsp. Truvia
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 heaped Tbsp. peanut butter
Make up a batch of Skinny Chocolate and put in the freezer to harden. Beat cream cheese, Truvia, and vanilla together. Cut up Skinny Chocolate into little bits and stir into cream cheese mixture along with peanut butter. Place wax paper on cookie sheet. Dump bite-sized spoonfuls of mixture onto paper. Insert a toothpick into center of cream pop and transfer to freezer. After an hour, pull pops off wax paper and transfer to a Ziploc bag for easy access. Here's a few more pictures of other Trim Healthy Mama recipes to satisfy the foodie in you:
Spicy Chicken Wings, pg. 323
Taco Salad, pg. 347
Special Agent Brownies, pg. 383
Trim Healthy Pancakes, pg. 223
In the interest of full disclosure, some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive an affiliate commission. I only recommend products I use personally. Your purchases through these links help support Growing Home. I humbly thank you for your support.
We learned how to make these raw energy bites in a Goodness Me! whole food cooking class. I still have a hard time believing they're good for you. Usually anything I get cravings for is unhealthy, but I find myself wanting these things all. the. time. They're right up there with chocolate. Charity fondly calls them "Timbits" (you might have to be Canadian to get that). If you've committed to eating healthy (good for you!), Snicker Snackers are a guilt-free indulgence for when the urge to eat something rich is just too strong.
Ingredients
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup seasame seeds
1/2 cup raw honey
1/2 cup almond butter
1/2 cup cocoa or carob powder
1/4 cup ground flax
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
Directions:
Combine ingredients in blender. Roll into small balls (refrigerate mixture for 1/2 an hour if it's too soft). Store in an air-tight container and keep refrigerated.
If you love whole food recipes, you'll love the Cottage Mama's eBooks written by Kristy Howard. The Cottage Mama Plans Her Menu is a favorite in our house with 29 healthy, tasty, budget-friendly recipes and a 2-week menu plan. You can download it here for $3.00.
We love this healthy, hearty winter squash soup! It's made even better when topped with grated cheddar, fried bacon, ham, or sausage, and served with a thickly buttered slice of crusty bread. Mmm! "Scrumdidilly," as my husband would say.
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp butter
1 large onion
4 cups water
4 cups chicken broth (I use a GF bouillon)
4 cups squash, peeled and cut into chunks
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup parsley flakes
1 tsp. thyme
sea salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Heat oil and butter in heavy pot.
Add onion and cook until soft.
Hey! How'd those little fingers get in there?! ;-) Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until veggies are soft. Carefully add small amounts to blender. Puree the entire batch, add to new pot and warm over low heat.
Optional: Stir in fried bacon or sausage and top with grated cheese. Enjoy!
The whole family will enjoy this dish for breakfast, lunch, or dinner and because it's loaded with fresh spinach, this breakfast bake is an ideal choice for pregnant mamas who need an extra boost of folic acid! Maximize the health benefits by using farm-fresh eggs, raw milk (almond milk works great too), grass-fed turkey bacon, and organic produce.
An excellent source of protein, folic acid, calcium, and fiber. Gluten-Free and Trim Healthy Mama friendly! Ingredients:
6 eggs
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
salt and pepper to taste
10 bacon strips, fried and crumbled
8 cups fresh spinach leaves, washed and dried
1/2 an onion, finely chopped
Directions: Beat eggs, milk, cheese, and salt and pepper together in large bowl. Fold in bacon, spinach, and onion. Lightly butter a 9"X13" baking pan. Spread mixture evenly inside pan and bake at 375F for 25-30 minutes or until knife comes out clean.
I'm joining my friend Chari at Happy To Design once again for Sunday Favorites. This post is from Feb of 2009. I hope you enjoy revisiting this shopping trip with me.
My hubbs took me out for some Valentines shopping this year. He knows how to make me happy! It's been a little while since I've been able to get oot-n-aboot lol! And I thought I'd share my little adventure with y'all!
I had to start with a stop at one of my favorite sellers in one of my local antique malls. She always has such an interesting way of putting things together. Very textural... and well... ODD.
It's really difficult to see, I know, but there's a little taxidermy bird under the cloche wearing a little gold crown! My hand reached for it straight away... only to discover that it wasn't for sale! Dont'cha just hate when sellers do that?! And why do I always want (and seem to find) the only items that they DON'T want to sell?!!
Anyhoo doesn't this vignette just draw you in? Makes me want to buy one of everything! Course I feel that way a lot! Lol!
I also loved these stacked platforms, but why oh why are they soooo expensive? At $95 and $115 respectively.
And this display in the same booth makes me long for a simple french lunch of baguettes fresh butter and of course wine! How about you?
Isn't this old stove top interesting? It would make for some interesting yard art me thinks. But at $125 it's a bit pricey.
Y'all know I'm an odd duck. So what better Valentines gift than an ODD DUCK!! And look it's a delusional duck that thinks it's royal!... PERFECT! He sure is ducky! And busy urn-ing a living! Lol! Hmmmm but again at $136 he's still a bit over budget... Durn it!
Maybe some cool giant concrete finials would be just the thing? I always love those. And at $32 and $28 I think I'm going to keep them on the short list...
But wait... what do I spy out of the corner of my eye? It's a victorian mirrored firescreen with hand painted flowers. It's $125 BUT there's 20% off. So a cool $100. More tempting for sure! But unfortunately I don't need another firescreen. Maybe I need to start looking for neato small things... yep that's the ticket!
So moving on to the next mall for smalls, I spotted this booth. And looky 15% off. Is your eye drawn to anything here? Can you guess knowing me as well as y'all do *winks* what I might be drawn to?
Did you guess this? I've been so drawn to these wonderful old pincushion ladies lately! And with the discount she's $23.80. She's not too large... I'm sure I could find room for her at my house... But my cousin D has a really similar one that she paid only $12 for. Do you ever find yourself saying no to something because you know someone else found one for less? So I'm probably gonna regret this but I'm walking away.
Then as I turned I spotted this. Hmmm couldn't this sweet little ladies frenchy style desk be a diamond in the rough? Can't you see it painted in cream with a luscious toile behind the chicken wire? And at slightly less than $120 with discount I might just have to go back for this little cutie! Maybe my hubby will FINALLY let me paint something! Lol!
Ok so what did I finally take home, you might ask? Or you might be so tired from eyestrain that you don't care... But I'm gonna show you anyway!! *winks* I took home this interesting little frenchy spelter girl thingy. I have no idea what she was once used for. Do you? Maybe an oil lamp base? Whatever the case may be, she works great as a candleholder or another home for one of my beloved moss balls *winks*
And I couldn't pass these up! Art nouveau bliss! Next week I'll be doing a giveaway for one of these cuties so please come back and see me!
Cherubs turned out to be my theme for the day. I found this sweet cherub compote/tazza at the Goodwill. My friend Chari from Happy To Design HERE has the most darling candelabra with this same cherub. So I'm thinkin' maybe I can make one too?
And just look at this cute little fella! He's working so hard on sharing good luck! Well I can NEVER have too much of that! So he HAD to come home with me!
I also spotted these pretty Dresden style candlesticks and my heart skipped a beat! They have the most beautiful pale mauvey pink roses! I'm addicted to roses... can you tell? Lol!
I also found two rolls of this cherub wallpaper. It reminds me of my dear friend Gloria/ Happy To Be's stairwell. It's featured in her pink Saturday post for Friday, November 21, 2008 HERE Isn't it gorgeous?!! And anytime I find anything that Gloria has... I'm doing GOOD!! She has the most fabulous antiques and taste!
I also brought home this victorian ewer. I loved the intricate metal work and time worn patina. Maybe I could send it to Jo-Ann Coletti and have her paint some of her beautiful roses on it? Doesn't she do beautiful work? here
Also at the Goodwill I found these two vintage petticoats as well as the champagne pink roses and queen anns lace. I love soft romantic ruffles!
And I thought this was such a cute find! (Also at the Goodwill) for $1.99! Some vintage embroidery that some talented person made into a pillow.
Even the back is darling!
And here it is in its new home in my shabby chic bedroom.
This old fence piece would make a great door topper. Maybe painted white? It was only $2.
And I found an ugly ole lamp with a very cool marble base (IMHO) I took the lamp apart to use the base as a platform for something special...
Maybe a french candelabra?
Naw.. I think I found the perfect piece! This little cherub compote looks just right!
And when I came home from my shopping adventure I found this little cutie waiting for me on my front porch from ebay.
As well as this darling set of 1920's/30's chalkware figures.
Well I hope you enjoyed my little shopping adventure. I'm very happy with my sweet finds. I couldn't love my Valentines gifts more if I picked em out myself! Hahaha!! *winks* Vanna Please take a moment (If you've got one) and stop by Chari's place and check out some of the other Sunday Favorites. Thanks for stopping by!
I'm joining Chari for her Sunday favorites. This was a post from Feb 8th 2009. My love for Louis Vuitton hasn't lessened one bit! But my buying of cases has certainly slowed down *winks* I hope you enjoy this encore.
Louis XV... Louis XVI... and of course Louis V!!... As in Vuitton of course! As a lover of all things french and antique *winks* Louis Vuitton is a perfect fit for me! Louis Vuitton was a hardworking thrifty young man from Anchay (a hamlet in the Jura, a region of mountains and forests) He left his home and job at his family's mill at the early age of 13. In 1854 he opened his own trunk making business at 4 Rue Neuve-des-capucines near the Place Vendome. Louis claim to fame was in the creation of the flat topped trunk which made them easy to stack. Up until then, trunks had been dome topped and extremely heavy. Louis created his trunks using poplar (a much lighter wood) and enforced them with metal banding. Making them far superior in strength, and a much more luxurious way to travel. He was a hit pretty much from the beginning. The empress Eugenie was his first royal customer and put him nicely on the map. Other wealthy people of the day followed suit and the rest as they say is history! I have been a lover and collector of Vuitton for over 20 years. I must admit this is the least "affordable" of my collections, requiring lots of searching for items that I COULD afford. Nearly all of my LV was purchased on the secondary market, helping my pocketbook greatly! And lots of trading with friends helped a lot as well. And lucky me, my DH is nearly as vuitton crazy as I am! *winks* So he understands that sometimes in order to afford a new (old) piece, we might have to eat peanut butter and jelly sammies for a month... or ten lol! The older trunks and traveling cases are really my passion! I can only dream of all the fabulous places they must have visited! And they work wonderfully *IMHO* as home decor... another real passion! Here is a picture of the Eiffel tower recreated using Louis Vuitton trunks and cases. I always dreamed of having enough pieces to do one of my own *winks*
This is my attempt so far. Maybe in another 20 years I'll have enough to finish it off!
I found this cool article in Traditional Home magazine featuring a designer in Arizona who has quite an extensive collection of LV and has used it beautifully in the decor of his amazing condo. Do you see the stack of suitcases tucked under his sofa table? Well I loved the look of this so much, I tried it in my own home. I apologize for the poor quality of the pictures. I don't have a scanner so they are just pictures of pictures *sighs*
Here's my interpretation found in my master bedroom. I hide all the wonderful cards and sweet little notes from my hubby in them *winks*
Back to the designers residence in Arizona. Here in his family room is a dream piece of mine. It's a LV suitcase that belonged to John F Kennedy. He's re purposed it as a coffee table. I'd be afraid to ever put anything on it!! But he seems to have no qualms whatsoever placing heavy objects on top. Which I must say, do look great! I love the pop of orange in his pillows also!
And here is a shot of part of his closet. Oh boy! If only my closet looked like this!! And all those orange hermes boxes add another wonderful pop of color!... *sigh* I can dream...
This room belongs to Tommy Hilfigger. Can you spot the louis ? He has some hermes going on here as well. See the cute little suitcase under Uncle Sam?
I used a beauty case on top of a buffet cabinet in my bedroom. Maybe not the best place for it but it'll do for now. Can you see it? Lol!
Here it is!
And here I've used some LV in hubby's office. The desk set was part of an exclusive from Neiman Marcus in the 80's. It's extremely rare, and finding as many pieces as I have has been a real adventure. Do you see the small waste basket at the end of my hubby's desk?
This one here! It's my "claim to fame" as they say in vuitton circles. This paper waste basket is the only one I or many of my fellow LV collectors have ever seen. Because of it's rarity I needed to take it to Louis Vuitton to have it authenticated. I tell ya it was the closest thing to a celebrity I've ever been! All the sales associates walked quickly away from their customers to converge on my waste basket!! I felt so sorry for everyone! Now I'm tellin ' ya LV sales associates can be notoriously snooty... and to have them gush all over a darn waste can??!! I'd a never thunk!! The manager even asked me if he could take some pictures of it!
Here is a shot to make any LV lovers heart go pitter pat! All those fabulous old trunks!! All the history!! All the MONEY!! YIKES!!! Do you see the trophy cups used for display in the center?
Well some of you might remember my "Craigslist do you love it?" post here where I found some old equestrian trophy/loving/cups? A few days ago I saw them listed again on craigslist, 5 for $50 and this time I jumped on them! Two of them are sterling! Here I was playing around in hubbys man cave *winks* and I created a tiny vignette (very tiny lol !) of the shot above. What do y'all think?
And if you are a serious lover of Vuitton you MUST have this book! Louis Vuitton The Birth Of Modern Luxury by Paul-Gerard Pasols It is the best ever! It tells the entire history of LV as well as showing incredible shots of extremely rare custom pieces...
Like this one! A custom traveling case in crocodile outfitted for all your perfumes colognes and beautifying essentials! *winks* I'll bet this one cost about half the price of an average house! But it certainly is wonderful!
And of course I love their handbags also!*winks* Here are most of mine displayed in one of my french armoires.
Well I hope you enjoyed my little tour de Vuitton. While they can be quite expensive, it's still possible to find them at antique stores, auctions and estate sales for fairly reasonable... and if you're really lucky, VERY reasonable prices, like the large trunk that I have featured in my Eiffel tower shot? Well my hubby (eagle eyed man that I love!) spotted it at a garage sale marked $60!! He asked if they could do a little better? And we took it home for $50!! I really had no idea what it was worth, and when I took a peek on ebay to see what it might possibly be worth? I nearly peed myself!!... Sorry to be crude... But I DID!! So if you're out there garage saleing keep your eyes and ears open... ya just never know!! *winks* Vanna
Thanks for stopping by! I hope you'll also stop by Chari's place and check out all the other Sunday Favorites.
I'm so excited to be joining my dear friend Marty for this cloche party... Ummmm I have to admit I'm taking liberties with the term "cloche" because alas (And it pains me to my soul) I do not have many cloches. So I'm sorry in advance if you're wondering "Where's all the darn cloches?" Sooo anything that can even remotely pass for a cloche (And I do mean REMOTELY *winks*) I'm throwing in here...
I'll start with my new birdcage. This is the larger one I was talking about in my earlier post. It's kinda clochey dont'cha think?
See there's even an actual little cloche with a butterfly! A $1.99 find at the Goodwill.
Here's a peeky poo inside the cage *winks*
I also have this sweet little Infant of Prague in a small cloche in my bedroom
Close up
This wire cloche counts doesn't it? Ok I admit it's actually an old light cover... but I'm desperate here! *winks*
These sweet little girls live in our office
I know y'all have seen this before but it's got a cloche in it so here it goes again!
Yep this one too!
Now I know that these aren't even close to being cloches but they are cloche shaped right? And kinda cute? Plus I wanted to show off my new pink paper roses and this is just a lame excuse to sneak them in somewhere. *winks* Sorry I didn't have more cloches to show you! I'll have to get right on that! Thanks for stopping by! I hope you'll leave me a comment because I'd LOVE to hear from you! Even if it is to tell me that I'm a cloche party cheater!*winks* Vanna
Please stop by and check out all the other wonderful cloches!
My hubbs took me out for some Valentines shopping this year. He knows how to make me happy! It's been a little while since I've been able to get oot-n-aboot lol! And I thought I'd share my little adventure with y'all!
I had to start with a stop at one of my favorite sellers in one of my local antique malls. She always has such an interesting way of putting things together. Very textural... and well... ODD.
You can click to enlarge the pics if you want
It's really difficult to see, I know, but there's a little taxidermy bird under the cloche wearing a little gold crown!
My hand reached for it straight away... only to discover that it wasn't for sale! Dont'cha just hate when sellers do that?! And why do I always want (and seem to find) the only items that they DON'T want to sell?!!
Anyhoo doesn't this vignette just draw you in? Makes me want to buy one of everything! Course I feel that way a lot! Lol!
I also loved these stacked platforms, but why oh why are they soooo expensive? At $95 and $115 respectively.
And this display in the same booth makes me long for a simple french lunch of baguettes fresh butter and of course wine! How about you?
Isn't this old stove top interesting? It would make for some interesting yard art me thinks. But at $125 it's a bit pricey.
Y'all know I'm an odd duck. So what better Valentines gift than an ODD DUCK!! And look it's a delusional duck that thinks it's royal!... PERFECT!
He sure is ducky! And busy urn-ing a living! Lol! Hmmmm but again at $136 he's still a bit over budget... Durn it!
Maybe some cool giant concrete finials would be just the thing? I always love those. And at $32 and $28 I think I'm going to keep them on the short list...
But wait... what do I spy out of the corner of my eye? It's a victorian mirrored firescreen with hand painted flowers. It's $125 BUT there's 20% off. So a cool $100. More tempting for sure! But unfortunately I don't need another firescreen. Maybe I need to start looking for neato small things... yep that's the ticket!
So moving on to the next mall for smalls, I spotted this booth. And looky 15% off. Is your eye drawn to anything here? Can you guess knowing me as well as y'all do *winks* what I might be drawn to?
Did you guess this? I've been so drawn to these wonderful old pincushion ladies lately! And with the discount she's $23.80. She's not too large... I'm sure I could find room for her at my house... But my cousin D has a really similar one that she paid only $12 for. Do you ever find yourself saying no to something because you know someone else found one for less? So I'm probably gonna regret this but I'm walking away.
Then as I turned I spotted this. Hmmm couldn't this sweet little ladies frenchy style desk be a diamond in the rough?
Can't you see it painted in cream with a luscious toile behind the chicken wire? And at slightly less than $120 with discount I might just have to go back for this little cutie! Maybe my hubby will FINALLY let me paint something! Lol!
Ok so what did I finally take home, you might ask? Or you might be so tired from eyestrain that you don't care... But I'm gonna show you anyway!! *winks*
I took home this interesting little frenchy spelter girl thingy. I have no idea what she was once used for. Do you? Maybe an oil lamp base? Whatever the case may be, she works great as a candleholder or another home for one of my beloved moss balls *winks*
And I couldn't pass these up! Art nouveau bliss! Next week I'll be doing a giveaway for one of these cuties so please come back and see me!
Cherubs turned out to be my theme for the day. I found this sweet cherub compote/tazza at the Goodwill. My friend Chari from Happy To Design here has the most darling candelabra with this same cherub. So I'm thinkin' maybe I can make one too?
And just look at this cute little fella! He's working so hard on sharing good luck! Well I can NEVER have too much of that! So he HAD to come home with me!
I also spotted these pretty Dresden style candlesticks and my heart skipped a beat! They have the most beautiful pale mauvey pink roses! I'm addicted to roses... can you tell? Lol!
I also found two rolls of this cherub wallpaper. It reminds me of my dear friend Gloria/ Happy To Be's stairwell. It's featured in her pink Saturday post for Friday, November 21, 2008 here Isn't it gorgeous?!! And anytime I find anything that Gloria has... I'm doing GOOD!! She has the most fabulous antiques and taste!
I also brought home this victorian ewer. I loved the intricate metal work and time worn patina. Maybe I could send it to Jo-Ann Coletti and have her paint some of her beautiful roses on it? Doesn't she do beautiful work? here
Also at the Goodwill I found these two vintage petticoats as well as the champagne pink roses and queen anns lace. I love soft romantic ruffles!
And I thought this was such a cute find! (Also at the Goodwill) for $1.99! Some vintage embroidery that some talented person made into a pillow.
Even the back is darling!
And here it is in its new home in my shabby chic bedroom.
This old fence piece would make a great door topper. Maybe painted white? It was only $2.
And I found an ugly ole lamp with a very cool marble base (IMHO) I took the lamp apart to use the base as a platform for something special...
Maybe a french candelabra?
Naw.. I think I found the perfect piece! This little cherub compote looks just right!
And when I came home from my shopping adventure I found this little cutie waiting for me on my front porch from ebay.
As well as this darling set of 1920's/30's chalkware figures.
Well I hope you enjoyed my little shopping adventure. I'm very happy with my sweet finds. I couldn't love my Valentines gifts more if I picked em out myself! Hahaha!! *winks* Vanna
