Tickled Pink!

I'm just tickled pink over what I finally got in the mail today! Three little metal lacy looking pedestals for showing off pretty things. Take a look at what I selected to put in them in the first picture, my sweet little chickadees. Plus they were on sale for an absolute "steal"!

Plus I walked over to a neighbor's garage sale this weekend and she gave me those little salt and pepper shakers on the right side! We'd given her a big "pine-type" tree; at least, I think it's pine. Something like a Scotch pine only the needles aren't quite as long. Anyway, it was too close to our house and couldn't find any place else to put it and I wasn't too keen on that tree anyway - not much shade. So we asked them and they were thrilled to put it in their back yard. So she brought down a "pink" lily a few days ago and then these salt and pepper shakers. I've painted them pink and just may put them in my store. They are very pretty and elegant looking but I truly don't need any more!

Then I just wanted to show you the little tag tree with some pretty silk roses in it. I might do something else also, just not quite sure yet.

Plus I gotta tell you chickadees that I finally couldn't stand it any more!! I finally told hubby to look at the LR window and see if he noticed anything different. I knew from the look on that face that it was one of "let's not play this game again" looks, so I told him I liked him better when he drank! Puzzled, he looked at me. I said "you were more chuckly when you had a scotch and water." I guess it kind of sobered him a bit because he then chuckled. I'm just a wild and craaazzzzy gal!!!! Anyway, he didn't notice so I told him about the curtains. He just doesn't notice and I think I'd better give up before he tosses me out into the front fountain or I "toss my cookies" from suspense! Oh, we gave up the little alcohol we DID drink when we joined the church. Nuuuuuu, we're not alcoholics and never were unless you consider 3 drinks a year for me and 1 drink a month for him.

Recipe Swap - Cooked Cucumbers

You might say "cooked cucumbers? yuck" but non non, mes amis, il est magnifique and will be a hit with just about anybody. An easy gourmet recipe. I sometimes do NOT measure anything because I just go by what feels right for the 2 of us. But this recipe should be enough for 4 people. Besides, use your imagination and experiment with your creativity, my little french chefs!! A little of this, a pinch of that and voilà, a masterpiece!
***
Ingredients

Cucumbers
Scallions
Butter about 1-2 Tblsp
Heavy whipping cream
Salt and pepper to taste
***

Peel 2 or 3 cucumbers. With a spoon, scoop out the seeds and cut into slices about 1/4 of an inch and then cut those in half. Then macerate the cucumbers in a bowl of water with about a tblsp of vinegar for about 1/2 hour. (I use red wine vinegar because that's the only kind of vinegar I buy and it works just fine.) After the hour drain cukes and pat dry with paper towels. Proceed after the hour with the next part.


Chop up some scallions including some of the green part for color. Put some butter in a skillet and add the scallions. Fry slowly until golden and then add the cucumbers. Then add in some heavy whipping cream. Heat a few minutes slowly and serve immediately. Add salt and/or pepper to taste.

Bedroom Redo of the Redo!

Sorry, but I've changed my mind again! While going through some things today I found this scarf I bought about 2 years ago. Got to thinkin'! A beautiful scarf with some of the colors in the vintage looking french postcard border on the wall, it just seemed to scream at me. So I put it up there and it truly looks better than anything I've tried so far. I have so much fabric and "stuff" that I truly don't know all I have!

Into our 4th day of hubs being back from trip and still hasn't noticed the new LR curtains! LOL

My Patio Redo & Sale Finds Today!

I scheduled my "Pink Saturday" a few days ago so I wouldn't have to post today. Actually, I schedule several posts in advance in case something comes up. I LOVE doing it this way. Anyhooooo, here I am at the end of a fast-paced day telling you my drama!! No, not really...... I am SOOOOOO not a drama queen!!!! I say in my best "Valley Girl Voice"!! Hah. Plus I want to show you all my best finds today at "yard sailing"! Ooooh, you are going to be sooooo jealous, my chittering chimps, soooo envious..........

I see some bloggers sharing their renovations: kitchens, houses, decks, baths and so on, so I've decided to share with you all the pathetic back yard we have. We moved in to this new construction 3 years ago next month. We sodded the front yard and it's lush, green and luxurious. The back yard - not so much! We hydroseeded that. I'm not sorry because it was a lot cheaper but the difference in the grass is a big difference. We've been extremely busy with the rest of the house and you chicks who have moved will follow me on this one! It's never finished, right?!?! Nuuuuuu, takes us a looooooooong time to get it the way we want.

I bought these sheer voile panels for $7.50 a piece and Love Bunny put up the brackets, purchased the pipe and here we have it for tonight. I love the romantic feel. Ooooh, noooooooo, my sweet cherubs, I'm definitely not done. The bike goes! The bird poo gets cleaned off the patio. The table will be replaced with a square one and I intend to find new pretty chairs for just the 2 of us. If more people come for dinner we'll grab a couple of folding chairs out of the storage shed! This patio is going to be our romantic spot for just US!

Above pix as seen from the fence.

Hubs grape vine. Can you see the panels billowing in the breeze? Aaaaah, love it, my sweets.

My little star jasmine I insisted on having. Actually, there wasn't any "insisting"; hubs loves them too and it reminds us of our home in California. Can you imagine the breeze drifting in through our patio door bringing the scent of that jasmine??? Ummmmm

The grill will have to be moved onto some stones I plan on putting down at the end of the patio.
~*~

Now for the big deal of the century.

Look at that oil painting I purchased today for $1.99!!! Yes, you read that right - $1.99! I love, LOVE, LoVe it! Isn't it exquisite?!?! I'm not going to frame the canvas, just hang it on the wall when we're through with the renovation. Ooooh, I didn't mention that either. Well, we're changing a half wall into a full wall in the LR area but that's for another time and down the line a few months. I'll have more WALL SPACE to hang more pictures, my love bugs!! Ooooh, be still my heart............. You do KNOW it was the hat with roses that clutched my heart, right?!?!

And this little "tree" for $1.99 also! I was very lucky today. The pot part is clay and was that pottery color but I immediately painted it white. It is going to be hung with something exquisite but I'm not sure yet. Maybe my hang tags people send me??? Don't know exactly for sure yet. But the top is as it was - haven't done a thing to that. I've never seen one like this!

"Pink Saturday" June 28th!

I guess by now I don't have to tell you that PINK is my favorite color. I thought for today we'd go through some of the things in my home up close and personal! Explanations will be below each photo.

Decals I made and put on my kitchen pantry.

My fridge doesn't contain inane stuff; I don't allow it. I want only the things that are pleasing to the eye. I made these little magnets for the fridge door except for the Joann one. I use that because it's PINK and because it is the most "magnetic" magnet I've ever had - very strong! I have that one and a purple one and can't find them at Joanns any more. But the calendar is essential for keeping track of my Love Bunny/hubs schedule. Do NOT believe that when kids leave home it improves. They lied; it doesn't!!

Pink petal cake I made that graces my family room, a pink box I store things in and a glimpse of a sweet pillow in there also.

A bouquet of pink, yellow and white roses with the most unusual texture and feel I've ever felt. They almost feel like rubber and are NOT fragile at all. I purchased them a long time ago and have not been able to find any more of them, but they are NICE.

A little pink Christmas or Holiday tree I made that never sold. I love it and it has my first attempt at HP roses on an old piece of wood. Can you imagine someone NOT buying this adorable little creation from me???? *Smile*................. ;-)

This is a little wreath I found in Oregon years ago. Another lovely texture - I'm a very tactile person, little chickadees, and need to touch anything that doesn't say "Hands Off"! But I love it and won't ever part with it.

This is an original painting by a sweet friend of mine in my ebay group - Lorena - and it's a hand painted holiday stocking in the shabby chic style! She has lovely paintings and has even done a "special order" for me with a bathroom shelf. I know you would never be disappointed in her items. They are fantastic. So go take a look at her.

A tabletop vignette I have. I just pizzazzed up the round coffee table by putting on a vintage Wilendur tablecloth in pink clover and lime ribbons! I am an adventurous women, I tell ya. But it just "perks" up that room so much. I have it so might as well use it instead of sticking it back in a cupboard or shelf somewhere.

A lovely down filled Scandia pillow I purchased years ago in California at the Valley Fair Mall in San Jose - absolutely, unequivocally my favorite mall in the world! I miss it and will probably request that my daughter take me to it when we're down there next week. It has a Crabtree & Evelyn store and I LOVE their fragrances! Plus many "upscale" stores in the mall. Just delightful. But this pillow is among my favorites.

This toile is among the top 5 of my all time favorite fabrics. It's very hard to find but I manage! :-) I've ordered some more to make the LR curtains a bit fuller than they are because I used every single bit of this fabric I had to make them tuesday night!

I have 2 little hangers that are similar that I have taken with me whenever we've moved. They just bring joy to me when I hang a coat or shirt on them. One is this rose and the other one is a fan. I'll show that one next week perhaps. I've said I only have things of beauty in my home and I stick to that pretty much 99.9% of the time. But for me it's pretty hard to find "beauty" in power tools! Hubby insists though.....what's a chick to do?!?!?!

A little ceramic container I decoupaged last week, a Putz house purchased at an antique store and a bell I decoupaged also. Just sweet visual effects - "eye candy" - around my home. Makes my heart happy and puts a smile on my face.

A sign I made from a piece of virgin redwood we saved from our prior home. It just means a lot to me and it hang on my trellis divider in LR/DR.

These are just some tags and creations people who love and adore me sent to me. ;-) I am truly blessed to have women who think so much of me that they help adorn my home with their lovely creations!

A little clothespin bag I made today and put on my selling blog - La Maison Rose (The Pink House) to sell and added a little surprise to go along with it for the celebration of my 300th post this week! You might want to check it out, my little pink cupcakes.