Grocery Store Flower Inspiration

I had to get up early this morning (before the kids) to get ready for a doctor's appointment. After getting the kids on the bus I left for my appointment. They took me in right away....so...I stopped at the Safeway on the way home. They had a great deal on flowers (3 bunches for $12.00).

The sun is shining...the flowers are now in their containers...and I am hoping they will inspire me to get going on a number of projects I have waiting in the wings.

Oh...and check out these two white pitchers I found at the church sale on Sunday. The large one was $2.00 and the small one was $1.00!

Aren't they sweet? The little one has a crack--but, hey that's not a problem for girl like me : )

Now check out these bright and vivid colors! I'm not usually attracted to the "unnatural color" flowers, but these just struck me today! They have inspired me to create a new banner (I'll show you in another post).

I'm feeling inspired....flowers have that power over me.

Hope this Friday finds you inspired and just happy to be alive...

xoxo

A Few Bags of Cookies

My brother Mark headed back to Portland yesterday to fly home to the San Francisco Bay Area. I sent him home with some of these super yummy S'Mores Cookies that he loves.

If you've never made these, you've just gotta give them a try. Here's the recipe:




S'Mores Cookies (as in: please give me some more!)

1-1/2 cups butter softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp real vanilla
2-1/2 cups flour
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 - 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips (depending on how chocolatey you want them)
1 Large Hershey Bar or 3 regular size bars
about 1-1/2 cups small marshmallows

Preheat over to 350 degrees.

Cream your butter and sugar together in a stand mixer. Add eggs one at a time and blend. Add vanilla and blend until smooth.
Combine flour, graham cracker crumbs, salt and baking soda in a separate bowl and mix together.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture. Once blended (it will be a thick dough), stir in chocolate chips.

Drop cookies by rounded tablespoons onto a cookie sheet (I always use my silpat so there is no sticking). Bake them for 8 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and press in a couple small pieces of the Hershey bar (broken up) and three marshmallows.

Put the cookies back in the over for 4-5 minutes. Let cool on the cookie sheet for about 8-10 minutes before transferring them to the cooling rack.



It was so much fun having my brother here for the first time. We had a wonderful visit with lots of time to just relax and talk.
Here's a couple pics of us....We have made a pact to talk and see each other more often.

After all, isn't family what really matters most?

Looking So Forward....

to my brother Mark's visit!

He will be here tomorrow for dinner. This will be his first visit to our home here in Walla Walla.

I was excited to cut some tulips from the garden....

moved this picture to a new location in the cottage....

added a little color to the table in the bedroom with a scarf I found at TJ Maxx when I was in California...

put some placemats I just made on the table...

Side note: I printed out this great French label on transfer paper and forgot to "mirror image" it. You've gotta do that when you have words, otherwised they are backwards.

Oh well....I figured I could still use them, just couldn't put them in my retail space.

That's what happens when you are trying to rush to get things done. I love the colors with the tulips and the season's last daffodils.

I moved some flowerpots up here...

and I made these really fun dishtowels. These carrots look just like the little fat ones I grew in my garden last year....

So cute!

Hope you are having a great spring weekend.
Here's to family and having a wonderful time with my brother over the next fedw days (he's driving in from Portland tomorrow).

Just Crazy For Plates

As long as I can remember, I've had a love affair with dinnerware and especially plates.

Well....a few weeks ago I found out about this great Sunday Sale at a local church. This past Sunday I found these treasures!

These plates have a handmade quality to them and the most gorgeous shades of autumn that I love.

Get this.....a set of 6 of them was taped up and makred $3.00!

The best part?

I think they work really well as a mix and match with my square plates that I already have...

Check it out.

And now for these special plates...


There were 9 of these taped up for $5!

There were absolutely no chips or crazing on these at all.

What I love about these is that I can put them over my fun art placemats and the designs can show through. Like my chandeliers with the birds...

or this great teacup art I'm about to put on some placemats for my shop today...

So...for the price of a couple of non-fat lattes, I now have 15 new plates that will bring a smile to my face every time I use them.

Frugal, and oh so much fun!

New Venture...New Projects

In a couple weeks I will begin renting a small space in a Country Store that is re-opening under new management here.

I am excited! I will be selling vintage items, a little jewelry and handmade projects from my "studio".

Here's a few bird frames I just finished. Now they just need some price tags!

I'm trying to focus on affordable and different gift item and Mother's Day gifts for the grand opening.

I will start moving display tables in as early as next week. An antique mall space should be a lot of fun. I have been inspired by so many of my fellow b loggers to follow my creative heart and take this next step.

Wish me luck and send any ideas or stories of success my way...

Life IS good and I really have always done my best work under pressure.

Here's to selling enough to cover my rent and continue to fuel my passions.

A Most Magical Spot

It's hard to believe we have been back from California for over a week...where does the time go?

I wanted to share these photos of the Multnomah Falls. Diane and I stopped here with the kids on our drive home. The falls are located right off the Columbia Gorge which runs between Oregon and Washington.

We were so glad we took the time to pause here on our two day drive home.

Getting my kids to stand next to each other for a photo after "too much togetherness" of spring break was impossible! Gotta love sibling relationships.

We didn't make the climb up to the bridge on this stop since we were not dressed properly, but will make a point of doing it next time.

I couldn't help but think of the movie "Avatar" while we were here. It seemed as if the landscape in Avatar was all "make-believe"....but, after visiting this place, I think it may have been the inspiration for the landscape and scenery.

Hope your week is going well so far...Can't you just hear tyhe water rushing?

Beautiful.

Imagining The Possibilites...

Look at all these beautiful linens!

Wait until you hear his. My friend Diane was helping her Mom clear out some closets several weeks ago. She had all these beautiful doilies that were handmade by her mother and aunts. They had been there for years and years.

Diane know I have a fierce appreciation for vintage handwork....so, her Mom generously packed up all these beauties and sent them my way.

Every single one is so beautiful. Talk about Christmas morning in April!

I have so many ideas to display these in my crafts and my new little retail space.

What a wonderful gift!

For all you super creative women out there--If you have projects that you've done with this type of handwork, send some inspiration my way.

Happy Friday : )