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Saturday, September 15, 2012

My Glass Block Paint Project

 
Welcome to another tea party.
 I'm so pleased you could come. 
Today I've brought along this glass block which I've painted with Plaid Gallery Glass.

For several months leading up to November, there is a group of women in our church that meet to assemble Christmas crafts, etc. in preparation for the annual church bazaar.
 
There were some glass blocks left over from
a past project and one of the women
asked if I had any ideas...



 
Searching online I came across many stained glass suncatchers.
I thought mini lights inside the glass block would be the same effect as a suncatcher hanging in a window with the sunlight shining through it.
  I had some Gallery Glass paint in my craft closest and was eager to give it a try.
There were so many beautiful quilt square suncatchers online, but I decided on a Cardinal as my first project.
 
I found a free pattern here.

 
 
I'm pleased with the result so far.
I plan to fill the glass block with clear mini lights and decorate the block with
christmas greenery and ribbon.
 
Come back to see the finished project (may need to wait until closer to  Christmas to find the little lights).
 
 
 
Warm Hugs,
 

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Burlap Wreath for Fall

click photo to enlarge
So glad you could stop by for a cup of tea today. I want to share with you a wreath I created this weekend.
 
It seems Burlap is the trend in decorating these days, so when I wanted to change up the decor in my office for the Fall season I decided on Burlap.  It was so easy to work with and I'm very happy with the result.
 
I stumbled upon this post awhile back and remembered the pool noodle trick, I thought it was Genious!!!
 
So this is how my wreath started out....
 
 
 
click photo to enlarge
 
 Next I wrapped with burlap,
 
and fashioned some burlap roses,
 

click photo to enlarge
 
Thinking it needed a little "something" I came upon a stem of some sort of wildflower & twig that I most likely purchased at a dollar store...a leftover from another project.


click photo to enlarge


It added that little hint of Fall color I needed.

Today is a perfect Fall day here in central Illinois....blue skies, temperatures in the 70s, gorgeous!

I'm sharing at these parties, click on the button to stop on over and see all the other great "Homa Style"  "Stuff"!








Warm Hugs,



 

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Blue Moon Occurance



When you enter my kitchen, you will notice four casement windows that look out to a row of pine trees at the back of our property. Above which ,approx. 10 years ago when we moved into the house, we installed this shelving that spans the length of the four windows.

click to enlarge photo
 
I've collected vintagey items to display and
 


 
decorative pieces that go along with the country colors and  farmhouse theme of my kitchen and those featured in the pattern of the window topper fabric....roosters, bee hives, apples, etc.
 
 
 And see that milk bottle?...it's the rarest one in a collection belonging to my husband
 
 
 
 
Sunday about 2:00 AM we were awakened with a loud thunderous rumble and a tremendous crash......was it a storm?  had a tree fallen on the house?  was someone breaking into the house?
 
 
Upon investigation, this is what we found ....



 
 
 
 
The shelving had somehow just fallen off the wall
 



 
 
two of the three support brackets  had pulled apart,
although the part screwed to the wall was still securely attached to the wall,
the rest just fell away






crashing to the floor....including the very rare milk bottle!!
My husband was devastated. :(
 
 

my apple cookie jar...
 
 
 
One tin was left stuck to the ceiling  LOL!!!!!
 
 
 

 
 
After 10 years it just suddenly decided to let go????
 
I chalked it up to a Once in a Blue Moon event.
 
The moon doesn't actually appear blue.
The term Blue Moon is used when there is a 2nd full moon within the same 30 days.
Or, when there is a rare occurance.
 
Did you experience any Blue Moon events?
 
The next Blue Moon will be in 2015!!!
 
 
Warm Hugs, 
 



Sunday, August 26, 2012

Mumford & Sons Festival was AWESOME!!

click photo for larger image
 
click photo for larger image
 
 
click photo for larger image
 
See video  here   from Sauk Valley Media, the local newspaper site.
 
THANKS MUMFORD & SONS, stop again soon!!!


Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Mumford & Sons is Coming this weekend




Are you a Mumford & Sons fan? 
The Gentlemen Of The Road tour is making a stopover here this weekend. 
 See more information at Gentlemen of the Road 



Sunday, July 15, 2012

Crop Dusting in the Midwest



Out doing a little shopping on Saturday



encountered a crop duster



dropping insecticide on a field of corn



along side the highway we were traveling


The corn looks healthy from a distance

although high temps and sooo very dry this summer.



This should keep the insects from completely destroying the crop.





How are things in your part of the country?


Warm Hugs,




Wednesday, July 11, 2012

National Pecan Pie Day is July 12


It seems there is a National Day for just about everything
and 
Pecan Pie is no exception.

google image

No matter how you serve it or slice it, 
Pecan Pie is one of my very favorites!

You can find my recipes below.






By baking in a 9x13 inch baking dish.
I can get a few more servings by cutting into
 fun eye-appealing triangles
and,  eliminate the thick outer crust
that most people leave on the plate.


Just press the crust dough up along the
sides of the baking pan about 1/2 inch or so to hold the filling.
After cooked and cooled,
cut off the uneven edge all the way around.
Cut into large squares
then cut corner to corner creating triangles


google image


You can find phyllo dessert shells in the freezer section of the grocer.
Be sure to use chopped pecans in your filling when making
these bite-sized pies for your next tea party.

google image

In my google search for images
(since I haven't actually baked a pie today as yet)
I came across these Pie Pops in a 2010 post at
Aren't they wonderful!    I just had to share! 
Click to visit her site for the how-to.



BettyJean's  Pie Crust Recipe:  (for 2-crust 9 or 10 inch pie)

2 cups all-purpose or unbleached bread flour
1/2 to 1 teaspoon iodized salt
2/3 cup Crisco solid white shortening
slightly more than 1/4 cup (under 1/3 cup) cold water from the tap


Distribute salt in flour by sifting or stirring with a fork.
Cut in shortening with fork or pastry blender 'til pieces are peasize or large oatmeal-like flakes and flour coated.
Stir in water with fork then knead several minutes with hands til dough is well blended.
Let rest in the bowl, covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator at least 20 minutes or overnight.


Lightly dust countertop with flour, turn out dough and knead til smooth.
Divide dough in half.
Dust dough ball and rolling pin very lightly with flour so as not to stick.
(There have been times I haven't even needed flour when rolling out crust, so don't over do it, you'll just dry out your dough causing it to crack which will be difficult to patch and transfer to the baking dish.)
Roll dough out from the center to the edges all the way around, turning and dusting with flour as needed.
Wrap dough around rolling pin and hold over the baking dish unrolling it letting it fit loosely in the dish.  You don't want to Stretch the dough. It just naturally always shrinks some during baking, stretching will cause it to bake very unevenly.
Fold under and crimp/pinch or fork around the edge. Cut off any excess.
Fill and bake.

My Tried and True Pecan Pie Filling:  (for one 9 inch pie) 
I copied this recipe out of Sphere magazine 20 some years ago and have made it more times that I can remember, always very pleased with the results.

1   9inch unbaked pie crust 
    (Extra dough can be frozen for use later.)

1/4 cup butter   -Melt butter in saucepan over low heat.
                             Remove from heat.
1 cup granulated white sugar  
3/4 cup Light Karo corn syrup   -Stir sugar and syrup into
                                                            melted butter.
3 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon good vanilla extract   -Stir beaten eggs and vanilla
                                                               into above.
3/4 - 1 cup pecan halves/pieces   -Add to above.


Pour into 9 inch unbaked pie shell.
Bake pie at 350 degrees  35 - 40 minutes.
Knife inserted into custard should come out clean.
Remove from oven, allow to cool on wire rack.
May be runny if cut/served before allowing to cool to room temperature to set filling.  Refrigerate.

Enjoy!