I painted a table!

At my house, if you stand still long enough, I will paint you! I love to paint! I will paint walls, vintage items, shelves, anything... This weekend I painted my grandfather's old wooden table that hangs out in my kitchen. This table was dark brown when I brought it in from the garage several years ago. Its first coat of Wendi Paint was a nice sea foam green but the greens had to go away now that the kitchen has been remodeled. Red is such a festive color and I'm surprised that the reds and pinks actually go quite well together.

The fours twisted legs are my favorite features of the table. I feel that my grandmother would be pleased that this table, which used to stand next to her old Roper stove, has continued to have a place in my home. So what are YOU painting these days? 

Hallelujah Sunday No. 10 - Dresden Flowers

Spring is still a long ways off here in the Rocky Mountains but hopefully you'll enjoy seeing some spring colors in my FINALLY COMPLETE Dresden Quilt. I am thrilled to have this project wrapped up and displayed on my bed (my new refurbished bedroom)! This quilt is very special, I started the flowers when my mother was living and I would sit by her bed hand stitching each flower to a muslin square. 

 I had planned to stitch more than twenty blocks but I only had enough of the treasured vintage purple fabric for the center circle for twenty. The Dresden squares were stitched together in 2004. This Fall when I was painting my bedroom, the colors inspired by the Fall 2011 issue of the on-line magazine House of Fifty, I knew I just had to finish the quilt, to add to all the new bedding. 

Now before you get too excited, I have to confess, I enjoy piecing quilts but not necessarily quilting quilts. I had help from a friend of my step-mother's who did a wonderful job with the long arm quilting. I did do the scalloped edge, sewed on the binding (bias binding - I should mention) and of course, I did all of the embroidery, which is my signature style. I hope you enjoy the snapshots and I'm so glad you stopped by to see these colorful "flowers'. 

How did your year MEASURE up?

The end of 2011 has come and I want to leave you with a wonderful portion of scripture that stirs up excitement in my heart for the New Year. If you have time, read the entire 15th Chapter of the Gospel of John; the following words are Christ himself speaking (Amplified Version). 

John 15:9-11

⁹I have loved you, [just] as the Father has loved Me; abide in My love [continue in His love with Me].

    ¹⁰If you keep My commandments [if you continue to obey My instructions], you will abide in My love and live on in it, just as I have obeyed My Father's commandments and live on in His love.

    ¹¹I have told you these things, that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy and gladness may be of full measure and complete and overflowing.

Happy New Year!

Christmas Quilts in a Enamelware Kettle

The day after Christmas 2011...
I have the week off of work and so I am playing around by capturing some new snapshots and mixing up the different effects to make an interesting display. When photographing handmade quilts, it is so challenging to get the colors to show up, so I think the photo can become more interesting by letting go and having fun. 


I have a passion for enamelware and this large white kettle is one of my favorites. I rolled up some of my mother's Christmas Quilted Wall Hangings and placed the display in front yard where this is an abundance of fluffy white snow.


These are some on my Lovely Things... 

Christmas Pyramid and Russian Wooden Santa

I received a wonderful gift from a co-worker who recently traveled abroad and brought me an authentic German Christmas Pyramid. At least that is what I think this item is called. She specifically selected a design that had a shepherd and some sheep because she is very familiar of my fondness of these woolly creatures. In the spirit of foreign delights, I added a snapshot of a lovely wooden Santa that came to me from Russia. These beautiful items are lovely tokens that remind me of the kindness of those who gave them to me. What I forgot to mention earlier is that the small Christmas wall hanging behind the pyramid is one of my mother's creations. She was such a wonderful quilter and I love bringing out her Christmas quilts each holiday season. 

I was so tickled to receive such a lovely gifts and I hope you enjoy the following snapshots. 

Merry Christmas to all my blog friends. I look forward to the upcoming posts in 2012. 

Old Fashioned Soft Sugar Cookies

The following recipe is for the best sugar cookie you'll ever taste...
I hunkered in at home today to bake some of my Christmas favorites. I grew up frosting sugar cookies with my grandmother but the recipe I use now came for a church cookbook, compiled by our youth group back in the 90's. I did not create the sugar cookie recipe but in the spirit of sharing what is good, I hope the original author won't mind. I also baked some peppermint/white chocolate cookies from a 2005 Better Homes and Garden Christmas Cookies Magazine.

3 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
1 egg, unbeaten
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream
Sift flour, salt and soda together. Beat butter, egg, sugar and vanilla. Add sour cream and dry ingredients. Beat one minute. Roll out 1/4 inch thick. Cut out with cookie cutters. Bake at 425 degrees for about 6-10 minutes or until golden brown.


Now I do use my own cream cheese frosting made from butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk and vanilla. I always add a splash of lemon juice to my yellow frosting. I hope someday you'll try these because I know you will think they are the best ever!

Vintage Mailbox "Decked" Out for Christmas

Earlier this summer, I found a red vintage mailbox in an antique shop in Estes Park. I had so much fun decorating it this past weekend for the holidays. You'll also see one of my favorite ornaments featured in this post. After nearly 20 years of having a pink and gold Victorian themed Christmas tree, I switched over to red and white last year. Hope you enjoy the festive snapshots. 


Christmas Sharing...
What is your favorite vintage items that get "Decked" out for Christmas? 
Do you have a particular theme for your Christmas Tree?