Vintage Day with (almost) Vintage Friends!

My friends Debi and Carmelle joined me

on this beautiful Summer day

to browse the special sales at

Vintage Gathering and

Barn House.

Everything was arranged beautifully

and the vendors really put their best into

both sales. It was a pleasure to browse!

We are starting to feel kind of vintage ourselves 

when we see things from our cupboards

in this kind of a sale

or remember using them in our childhood!

Farmstand Ingredients Salad

This salad is a fave of mine, that I make every summer

when the beets appear at the farm stands. 

I eat it a lot for lunch with a side of fresh green beans

and (if I have the right ingredients) Fried Green Tomatoes.

Gigi Barbina Salad

(not sure why it's named this)

4 fresh beets, 

washed and ends cut off

wrap in foil and roast for 45 min @ 400*

Open foil and allow to cool, peel and slice.

 Baby Greens

1/3c. walnuts toasted

goat cheese

Layer beets, walnuts and crumbled goat cheese

over lettuce on plate and

drizzle with vinaigrette.

Vinaigrette

2 T. Mayonnaise

2 T. Sherry vinegar

1 tsp. dijon mustard

1 small shallot, coarsely chopped (or chives)

3 T. canola or olive oil

Mix together mayo, vinegar, mustard

and shallot. While whisking

rapidly add oil in a steady thin stream,

season with salt and pepper if desired.

Bye Bye Birdie Tunic

I finally got one thing done from my stack of

sewing projects!

The fabric was one I just love because it

has birds and flowers on it,

however when I put it on it looked a 

little like an old lady house coat...

Oh well, I can wear it around the house then,

and no one will mistakenly think I

am pregnant...it has that kind of feel to it, but

very comfy and covers up all the Grandma-ish 

lumps and bumps:)

Southern Style Onion Rings

2 Large onions, (I used Walla Walla Sweets)

cut into 1/4 inch slices, and 

separated into rings. 

Mix

2 c. buttermilk

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

Put onion rings into buttermilk mixture and let set

for several hours in refrig.

Mix together

1 1/2 c. flour (I used GF flour and it works fine)

1/4 c. cornmeal

1 T. salt

2 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/4. tsp pepper

1 T. chopped chives 

Dredge onion rings in flour mixture and lay out

on wax paper.

Heat 1 inch oil in pan until hot.

Fry the rings a few at a time, until golden brown.

Drain on paper towel and then place on

baking sheet in 200* oven to stay warm until

all are cooked. Salt and serve hot.

Blueberry Lemon Bars

Blueberries...

"little blue sacks full of swampy nectar

and ambrosia commingled"

Thoreau

1 1/8 c. flour (GF flour works fine)

1/4 c. powdered sugar

1/2 c. butter

mix until crumbly and pat into 8x8 pan

Bake at 350* for 15 min.

Beat together until frothy

2 eggs

1/2 c. sugar

1/4 c. lemon juice

1/4 tsp baking powder

dash salt

mix in 1 c. fresh blueberries

and pour over hot crust.

Bake for 15 minutes.

cool and cut into squares

Summer Evening Bike Ride

Soft wind in my hair,

warm air scented with roses and raspberries,

farms and barns lying quiet in the light.

Country evening,

summer sky,

day at it's sweet close...

Summer Lunch for Special Friends

 We had a chance to entertain visitors from South Carolina

today. My son's girlfriend Marrisa, her mom and brother.

You know how once in awhile you meet someone for the 

first time but you feel like you've known them forever?

Well that's how I felt with Maria!

( cupcakes are from The Sugar Mama's Cupcakery)

Summer BBQ Ranch Pasta Salad

8 oz. cooked and cooled pasta

2 c. cut up, cooked chicken

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 c. frozen corn thawed

1/2c. chopped jicama

1 red pepper, cut into chunks

1 orange pepper, cut up

1 c. halved cherry tomatoes

1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro

mix with ranch dressing until moist and coated.

( I used Uncle Dans)

Just before serving

cut up 1 avocado, place on top and

drizzle with BBQ sauce.

You could also add crumbled tortilla chips

on top also for more crunch.

Layered Fresh Berry Dessert

Layer in canning jar for individual servings 

graham cracker crumbs

(8 oz cream cheese beaten together with

1 c.powdered sugar and 1.c cool whip)

cool whip

blueberries

vanilla pudding

raspberries

cool whip

graham cracker crumbs

a tasty and easy summer dessert

Let's Go Fly a Kite!

 The simple joys of childhood!

Great with Child

"For You created my inmost being;

You knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise You because I am fearfully

and wonderfully made:"

Psalm 139:13-14

How to Create a Vintage Look

The 50's style outfits that we 

modeled on our beach trip were

ideas taken directly from 50's sewing 

patterns that I found on Etsy.

I didn't buy the patterns but it's

a great way to get a look that's authentic

because that is what ordinary people were 

sewing and wearing in that era.

 

The only real vintage thing is the middle dress 

all the rest were thrift shop finds, or from

items I already had available.

I figured they could be used in the dress up

box later so it wouldn't be a total

waste of money:)

Beach Weekend

Our Mom and Daughters weekend was

the most fun ever! The weather was stunningly

beautiful and the time relaxing and fun.

For the invites I used a clip board so that I 

could put all the info in one spot...

The house was so cute and just a short walk to 

the beach.

It was plenty nice enough to read and sleep

in the sun.

So great to have time away with my girls, 

who as adults are really more like 

friends then just daughters.

We had PLENTY of snacks!

and good food:)

And some time to be silly and dress up 

in 50's style and to model,

including some very hysterical 

moments in thrift store wedding clothes, 

(which pictures my pregnant daughter 

forbade me to post on my blog!)

I'm Going to the Beach!

My 2 daughters and I are heading to the beach

this weekend for a last "girls" weekend

before Shana gets married.

I have a lot of fun things planned and the

weather sounds like it should be nice...

Time to hit the road:)

The Glorious 4th of July

 Below is the BBQ set up.

Thanks to Celebrations at Home

and Paper and Pigtails I got lots of great ideas

and the free printables!

The wooden painted USA in the background

is something I did a long time ago 

and haven't had the heart to get rid of yet

because it was so much work...:)

 I used old jeans pockets for napkin and flatware

holders, paper cones for chips,

and galvanized buckets for the salads.

And of course my trusty little canning jars for 

the baked beans topped with the free circle printables.

 For dessert we had a shortcake bar,

also an idea from Celebrations at home.

Hope you enjoyed your Independence Day,

God Bless the USA!

Getting my Groove On

I found this great pattern for PJ

bottoms and decided that I would go

with a kind of groovy mix of fabric.

Sewing pajamas gives me a chance

to go for a look

that I wouldn't do on any 

other item of clothing:)

Super comfy too!

Wedding Inspiration Board

This is the inspiration board that I put 

together for my daughters wedding which

is coming up in October.

Did you know the average wedding these

days costs & 25,000!!!

Sorry to say that is NOT happening here!

I can't imagine how parents can afford it...

I love my girls, but...

we're doing a DIY budget version

and it will still be lovely:)

Fish Tacos (trying a new recipe)

This recipe is from All Recipes

 "Fish Tacos with Chipotle Lime sauce".

I added avocado and Monterey Jack cheese 

to mine along with 

the recommended toppings.

The rice is Texamati/wild/brown rice blend

made with juice of a fresh lime, chopped cilantro,

salt and pepper added in with the water and 

cooked as normal.

It was extremely filling and definitely different!

You would either really like it or not at all 

as it has a flavor all it's own