My Cozy Home

matilda...

She looks way better in my jewelry than I do.

 

 

....this year's august is the new april

Usually Minnesota Augusts are hot, sticky, and in general one of my least favorite months of the year.  It's the month I spend thinking about how glad I'll be when it's September - see here for proof.  It's the month when my plants take a big nose dive - looking dry, faded, and gangly, and the grass is usually a sad shade of brown for lack of rain.  This August however is quite a deviation from Augusts of the past.  We have had rain, rain, rain.  It looks more like spring around here.  I took a couple more pictures of the outside to show how the flowers have been doing.  I'm quite pleased by their color, and have to say that as a result of this mild weather I'm actually enjoying August (even though I'm still thinking about autumn - as exemplified by the picture at the bottom of this post - I can't help it).

I realize there's nothing overly amazing about this display, but believe me, if you saw what they normally look like in August you'd think me a gardening wizard right now - maybe even a botanical genius :o)

I also took a few pictures of the kitchen because I enjoy the lighting during the middle of the day.

I'm sitting at the island right now as I write this post.  Seems to be one of my favorite places to sit - whether I'm on the computer, reading, looking at magazines, eating - I just like it here.

These are some roses I picked up the other day and liked how they started to look droopy and sort of hang dog.  I like the creamy pitcher paired with the creamy roses.

This is my little shelf of Ironstone pitchers - something I tend to look for when I'm antiquing.  I like seeing similar things all grouped together.

And, as I mentioned, despite being very satisfied with the pleasant, mild August weather we've been having I still get excited about autumn.  As I've mentioned in the past, I drag out all my fall and Halloween stuff on September 1st.  Yes, it's true, in August I'm dreaming about the October gatherings we'll have, cups of cocoa, warm sweaters, jeans, boots, picking pumpkins and apples, and of course going antiquing - all good stuff.  Be well my friends.

gnomes, car trips, back yard paths, and bits & pieces of the past...

Just got back from North Dakota again - sadly there were no fun antiques accompanying me home with this trip.  Evy and I drove out to my grandpa's for a family reunion - lordy that was a long drive - took me 9 hours.  I was so tired on the way out there and had to make numerous stops to wake myself up.  According to my meticulously planned calculations I should have been in a chemically induced state of insomnia.  That was definitely not the case.  The coffee, two Rock Stars, and two "5 Hour Energy" shots I consumed during the drive really had a poor showing - very disappointing.  Falling down on the job they were.  I really kicked it up a notch on the way back though - made it in 8.5 hours.  I know.  Driving and sleepiness aside, the reunion was fun and we had a really good time visiting my family, hanging out at the family farm, and playing Cribbage and Rummy.

Wanted to share a few pictures of the back yard - and one random vignette picture from the Family Room.  Also, just got my Moo cards - they are so fun and cute.  Oh and I'm totally loving the picture editing site Picnik.  Not sure if others have used it through Flickr, but it's pretty fun.

Anyone see a lurking gnome?

A rose from my back yard - I have no idea what kind.  I'm sure someone looking at this knows what it is.

  Mostly I just think it's pretty, but it would be nice to know its name.

I'm sure it looks like this path goes some where, but it doesn't.  I like that it looks like it has a destination - it really should lead to something fun.  Some day maybe it will.  For now it just sort of meanders its way to the back of the property.

I planted a peony bush last year and was so excited this summer when it produced a number of beautiful blooms.  Just love those peonies.

And, like I said, a random picture of a little vignette in our Family Room. The post cards, pictures, and receipts are all over 100 years old.  They all relate to my great grandma and grandpa in some way.  A receipt for material and for music school, tickets to a play in Minneapolis, pictures of my great grandma, and post cards written to her or by her.  I love that I have these little bits from their lives.  Just every day things they touched and used.

I hope you all are well and having a good week.  Can't wait for the new "Psych" and "Monk" on Friday. 

family, home, and rhubarb berry crisp...

Steve, Evy, and me in North Dakota on my mom's 60th birthday

.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My cousin Kelly on the left, my Aunt Claire, me, and my mom - Lynn on her birthday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Silver collection in the kitchen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Family room view from the kitchen - the living room is on the other side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Old Ledger Paper from Queen of Tarte

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My trip to the farmers market - needed rhubarb for the crisp!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The rhubarb berry crisp before we dug in....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I ended up using rhubarb, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries - it was a really great combination.  If you have "The Farm Chicks in the Kitchen" cookbook the recipe is on p 112.  It's called "Blackberry Crisp", but you really can use any combination of berries and fruit that you like.  I've included the recipe below for anyone who needs it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rhubarb berry crisp

Ingredients:

·         2 cups fresh or frozen fruit (that one 16 oz bag if you get it in the freezer section)

o   (I used 1 cup of chopped rhubarb and 1 cup frozen mixed berries)

·         ¾ cup all-purpose flour

o   (I used whole wheat flour)

·         ¾ cup packed brown sugar

·         ¾ cup old-fashioned rolled oats

·         ½ tsp ground cinnamon

·         ½ cup cold unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into small pieces

·         ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Instructions:

·         Heat the oven to 375 degrees

·         Place fruit in the bottom of an 8-inch square (or round) baking dish

·         Combine the flour, brown sugar, oats, and cinnamon in a medium-size mixing bowl

·         Cut the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or your clean fingers until the mixture forms large crumbs.

·         Stir in the walnuts if you wanted them (which I left out :o)

·         Sprinkle the mixture over the berries in the baking dish

·         Bake until the topping is browned and berries are bubbly – about 40 min’s (you can carefully poke a fork in to make sure the fruit is soft (especially if you are using rhubarb)

·         Serve warm with vanilla ice cream

 

birthday wishes and new arrivals...

  Happy Birthday to my mom, who just turned 60 on July 7th.  We were able to be together to celebrate her special day.  I love you mom!! 

Mom loaded her car with all of the treasures that I couldn't bring back with me on the plane in June.  I'm very excited about my new chair (also pictured here), which made it's way from Washington to Idaho, Idaho to North Dakota, and finally, North Dakota to Minnesota.  It's now in the entry of my house - making me smile every time I see it.  I love it and am so glad that I got it from JuneBug at The Farm Chicks show in June.  And once again, the bag that I got at the JuneBug booth is also in the picture.  I love it so!

Just brought these flowers home from the farmer's market this morning.  I enjoy arranging flowers in a no frills, relaxed sort of way.  Nothing too fancy.

In addition to the chair from JuneBug, I also got this great chalk board.  I'm enjoying having a new focal point on that dining room wall - I had the Ironstone platters and liked how they looked together.  Me thinks I need more Ironstone platters though....

 

There's my big boy - K.C., laying next to my new pillow (which also made the trek in my mom's car with many other treasures).  It's a wonderful heavy linen ticking. 

 I have to say, I hate polishing silver, but it sure looks nice when it's done. 




 

A growing collection of starfish and my new "Cottages on the Coast" book that Steven got for me.

I hope you're all having a nice weekend.  We are grilling tonight and I'll be making some strawberry rhubarb crisp for dessert.  It's so good and will hopefully be picture-worthy so that I can share it with you.

picture bonanza...

I wish I had some inspiring 4th of July-related decorations to share with you, but I have not but one.  Seems like a decorating dilemma for me doesn't it.  An untapped decorating opportunity one might even say.  The above is a platter in my foyer on a chest of drawers.  I love that little nest - it's from Junebug Furniture & Designs.

This is a great urn that I found at Haupt Antiek Market in May.  I added a picture of my grandma Lillian in uniform. 

I got this great burlap bag from Junebug Furniture & Design at The Farm Chicks.  It's lined and is so cute!  i love the ruffles.

My very cluttered looking vanity.

A few favorites all in one place.

I love these books, if not for their content, then most certainly for their appearance.  I can't help judge these books by their covers :o)  The content is good too...but again, it's kind of about the covers.

I got this box of matches from Queen of Tarte.  It's so cute and is simply wrapped with pretty paper, and painted on the bottom and sides with silver paint.  I liked the way it looked with my silver and rhinestone collection in a mercury votive holder. 

The reading/TV watching nook in our bedroom.

 

One of the fun books Steven got me for Mother's Day.  "Charmed Bracelets" by Tracey Zabar.  I do love books!  Especially if it has to do with decorating, mysteries, or both.

There are more pictures, but I realize I'm being a bit overzealous ;o)  Happy 4th!!!

sunday at home....

When things are so busy it really is nice just to have a day at home.  I enjoy not having to be anywhere, mixed in with some relaxation as well as getting things done. 

 

Raspberry Chocolate candle from  Stephen's Candlrey in Hayden Lake, ID (just down the street from my mom).  My favorite candles that they have are the Pumpkin and the Candy Corn (seasonal).  Both are outstanding.

Family Room

 

 

 

One of my new pillows from The Farm Chicks sits in the Family Room. I should have done a close up of it - has a great faded French looking pattern.  The fabric is from Shabby Chic.

I really enjoy dog figurines made in Occupied Japan.  I have quite a few now and still don't tire of looking for them.  I also have a couple of dog show trophies and ribbon. 

This old wire filing basket work great for corralling magazines.

I've had this old tray for a couple of years now.  I use it in so many different ways - for now it holds books that I often look at while sitting on the couch.

These are all finds from my trip to my mom's.  All but the "A" are from The Farm Chicks show - the "A" is from a little antique store in Coeur d' Alene, ID called Forget-Me-Not.

I have more pictures, but I'll post those in my next entry.

fantastic fun at the farm chicks

This is a cautionary tale of what happens when a girl from Minnesota visits her mom in Idaho on the same weekend of The Farm Chicks show in nearby Washington.  I warn you, this post isn't for the faint of heart.  Once Mom established that she could and would in fact drive any and all bulky purchases to North Dakota so that we could pick them up to take back to Minneapolis....well, understandably, it was "Game On" from that point forward.  This bit of news led to the procurement of a chair, old suitcases, a stool, a framed chalk board, a huge pillow, a doll house, a basket....you get the idea.  Everything else that could be squeezed, rammed, folded, pushed, prodded, or otherwise placed somewhere on my person or baggage came back with me on the plane...yah, it was pure, unadulterated goodness.  Everyone should have a weekend like that.  Here are a few pictures of Evy, me, and my mom.  Steve stayed a safe distance back in Minnesota....really, it was better that way ; )

My mom brought her Farm Chicks cookbook to get signed, as you'll see below.  This is us with our excited faces on.  We were definitely excited.

 

We had so much fun in the Duchess booth.  This is where I got my fun suitcases.

Evy posing with her new doll house from Unexpected Necessities.  We'll have fun decorating it.

The Barn House Boys had such a great display - I wish I could have gotten more home with me - good thing I didn't live closer or I would have had to make an emergency trip to a U-Haul store to rent a trailer.

My new chair from Gladys at JuneBug Furniture Designs.  I could have bought out their whole booth.  Below is the back of the chair.

Look at those cute buttons!

Just a few of the fun things I got - this is at my mom's where they still sit until July 4th weekend!  The pillow on the chair was also from JuneBug and is made from Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic fabric.  JuneBug also made the cute ruffled burlap bag hanging from the chair.

A few of the other fun things I got - pictures, books, lotion, a paper flower....who doesn't need a sparkly paper flower?

Mom and Evy with Serena and Teri from The Farm Chicks.

Yep, a great weekend. 

** Also wanted to say hi to Cathy from Red Wing, MN who I saw at Haupt Antiek Market way back in January.  She recognized me from my blog - I was shocked.  Hope you are well Cathy!!

london & a crown

  Hello my friends.  I hope you are all doing well!  At the end of September Steven, Evy, and I traveled to London for vacation.  As some of you know, I have a bit of an obsession with all things English - so I felt completely in my element whilst holidaying there ;o)  I even got to meet the beautiful, sweet, and funny Sophie from Sophie Honeysuckle.  Meeting Sophie really was a dream come true for me - we had such a great time.  My only complaint is that I wish we could have gotten to spend more time together.  We had an excellent time at Cath Kidston, Cabbages & Roses, having coffee, doing some clothes shopping, and above all - getting a chance to talk face to face.  What an excellent way to spend a day in London.  Below is a picture of Steve, Evy, and me at Stonehenge.

 

Evy and I standing in front of the Sherlock Holmes Museum at 221B Baker Street (and me with the ubiquitous cup of coffee - I realized later that I am holding coffee in about 75% of the pictures - yah, drank a lot of coffee over there)

 

 

Here we are in Bath - it was so beautiful there - and so very commercial.  It was a strange combination of the very old and well preserved buildings, churches, and cobblestone streets, paired with oddities like the Disney store, and Starbucks.  True story.

 

Little Evy turned 5 while we were in London.  We had so much fun that day.  We went to Hamley's Toy Store where she picked out the Paddington Bear and pink kitty with her birthday money.  We had brought the Emily American Girl doll with us to give to her (the Emily character is from England and went to stay with Molly in America during WWII).  We thought it would be fun to give her a doll who was from England.  She was ecstatic and likes to tell people that Emily is from England.  By the way, we have and American Girl store that is opening right by us at the Mall of America on Friday so we are pretty excited.

 

I will post more pictures of England - I just realized my picture of Sophie is on our other computer so I need to pull it off of there (as well as my pictures in Cath Kidston).  I'll also take a picture of the fun spotted green bags that both Sophie and I got at CK. 

My last picture is one of me in the crown that lovely Rosemary made for me a while back.  I meant to get updates to you sooner.  I've also got loads of house pictures to show you - I've gotten so backed up and now theres so much to share!! : )

Talk to you shortly my friends.

berry pie & my hometown featured in country living mag

     I was so excited when I opened my new Country Living magazine (September issue) on Thursday and found that my hometown of Rathdrum, ID was featured on page 52.  The Vintage Barn Antiques show is a twice-yearly event held in Rathdrum by Rolane Hopper.  I lived and went to school in Rathdrum (go Hawks!).  Anyway, I'm sure you can see why I would be excited to see my little hometown in one of my favorite magazines.  It's a beautiful place and is also home to Juanita Carmack - The Salsa Chick who has also been in Country Living as a featured entrepreneur.  Yay Rathdrum, and yay Vintage Barn Antiques!  My mom goes to their shows and tells me how great they are - I'm so envious!

     In other exciting news, Evy and I made a berry pie together using The Farm Chick's recipe for both the pie and the crust.  I highly recommend it if you don't have a favorite crust recipe already.  The recipe is for strawberry rhubarb, but we couldn't find rhubarb anywhere - not frozen, not fresh.  Instead I decide to do a strawberry blueberry pie using the exact same recipe.  It was wonderful!  I also really love strawberry rhubarb so as soon as I can get my hands on some rhubarb I will try that one as well.  If you want to do the berry pie that I did, just do equal parts of each fruit.

     Check out some of the recipes at The Farm Chicks.  I've made their blackberry crisp recipe and it's very good and so easy.  You can us what ever fruit you like if you're not a blackberry fan.  I've used peaches and blackberries - both are excellent with vanilla ice cream.

 

                                                                                                                                                                  

The apron is one I got at The Farm Chicks - not made by them, but one of the vendors who was at the show - I don't remember who made it and there is no label on it.  I'd love to be able to pass along the name of the person who created it.    Evy's apron was made by my very talented mom.  It's a vintage pattern.  I have one as well that she made for me.

                                                                                                                                                                  

I was trying to do little cut outs on the top of my pie, but I didn't have a cutter that was small enough.  I was trying to do something that looked like the crust that The Farm Chicks did for their strawberry rhubarb pie.  Does anyone know where I can find some little cut outs like the one used below? Their pie recipe was also featured in Country Living magazine.

 

Strawberry rhubarb pie - INGREDIENTS:

• 2 disks Grandma's Pie Dough (1/2 recipe) see recipe
• 1 1/3 pounds rhubarb, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/3 pound strawberries, hulled and halved
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS

• Heat the oven to 375°F. Roll out one disk of dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness, and transfer to a 9-inch pie pan. Set aside and keep chilled. Roll the remaining dough to 1/8-inch thickness and cut slits or use a miniature star cutter to create vents. Combine the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, and flour in a large bowl, and transfer to the prepared pie pan; drape the rolled-out dough over the pie. Trim the edges of both crusts, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold the dough under, lightly pinching to seal the top and bottom crusts. Crimp around the rim and chill for 10 minutes. Bake on the center shelf of the oven until golden brown — 45 to 55 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

*****************

Pie Dough -INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 3/4 cups cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 egg (extra large)

DIRECTIONS

• Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk the vinegar, egg, and 1/2 cup of ice water together and mix into the flour mixture with your hands until just combined. Transfer to a clean work surface, and gently press to form a dough. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts. Shape each into a ball, flatten slightly to form a disk, and wrap in plastic. Chill for at least 1 hour.

So, would I be obsessing if I pointed out that my face looks distorted due to a shadow on the fridge?  Okay, yes, obsessing - any way, it's a shadow...just saying ;o)

                                                                                                                                                                                                

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

On deck for my next post will be pictures of the wonderful crown and witch's hat that I purchased from the very talented Rosemary.