Patchwork Beauties

Color, pattern,and shape can be found in every aspect of our lives. This almost sounds like a lead in for a lecture on the basic elements of art. But instead it is an introduction to the two lap quilts I found on our holiday road trip.

This is going to go over the back of my chair to insure I am cozy while reading.

I just love anything patchwork and even though these are not antiques they are pretty. This one may be used as a table runner. It was quilted but there is no batting between the layers.

Patchwork pieces in

Red and Blue and another hue

Sewn and fastened together patiently

With faith, hope, and love.

 

 I'm in my chair under my quilt, a pumpkin muffin and a fresh cup of coffee...

And a book that's sure to make me smile and laugh.

Enjoy your evening.

Think Antique Mall



As we traveled the highways of the Mid-West we stopped at a number of antique malls and here are a few of our finds...

Treasure No. 1- Notre Dame University Memorabilia
Limited edition Collectible Pop bottle
Anything "Fighting Irish" is a find for Hubby!



This cookie cutter was a dollar and will definitely be used for next Christmas.

I'm thinking cinnamon ornaments for gifts.

Not an antique but only $3.99 will add the wonderful scent of spearmint throughout the apartment.

Do you remember Edith Ann? Lily Tomlin's beloved character from the OLD show "Laugh-In"

offers thoughts on life. this was $1.00 and worth every penny. I'll share bits of her wisdom in a later post.

 Another book for $1.00 holds fixes for anything that ails you!

I'll share more on this later also.

This is a horrible picture but I was able to purchase two amber glass canisters that I paid $8.00 for and plan to use them in our bathroom.

I was really excited to find this piece of Polish pottery. Being a first generation Polish-American these

pieces are really special to me.

These were the find of the trip for me! Two Vintage Dooney and Burke all weather purses.

I purchased the two for $18.00. 

Hope you enjoyed the tour more treasures to come...

Recipes and Reminiscences with Mrs.Tudor

The Tasha Tudor Cookbook

Recipes and Reminiscences from Corgi Cottage

I have decided to prepare one Tasha Tudor recipe a week.  The cookbook is a beautiful collection of recipes, reminiscences, and artwork.  She was a wife, a parent, a teacher and an artist. She was a woman I have grown to admire. I started at the beginning, Appetizers and Salads and will make one recipe a week and then post the results on the following Monday.  It's a kind of "Julie and Julia" process! Corny maybe but fun! The recipe for this week was "Nancy's Hot Cheese Rounds".  (Mine however, are rectangles!) Nancy was a friend of Tasha's.  She was a mathematics teacher at St. Paul's School.  Tasha'a grandfather was one of the first students at St. Paul's, in the 1860's.

1 loaf of Pepperidge farm or other good quality bread (I used whole grain bread)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 farm-fresh egg yolk, beaten well
1 cup Vermont sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper

Heat the broiler.
Cut rounds (or rectangles!), butter the bread well and fry them on both sides in a hot skillet
until browned
In a bowl, cream together the cream cheese and egg yolk, then add the grated cheese, garlic, and salt and pepper
spread the cheese mixture on the toast, place them an ungreased cookie sheet and broil until cheese is puffed and brown.

I left them in the broiler a minute too long but they were still delicious. The cheese was very creamy.  I served tortellini and chicken chowder and salad along with the toast points.  It was a rustic meal perfect on a cold winter evening.

Next Monday: Stuffed eggs and Fresh tomato salad with French dressing

May all your meals feed your body and the company you share them with feed your soul.

Cooking with Tasha Tudor

Welcome! I am home and relaxing for a moment. Help yourself to a cup of coffee or tea and join me.

This little treasure is in fact an artful creation done by my friend Judy.  It sits on the counter in our kitchen by our coffee pot.  It tickles me.  I keep encouraging her to create mini versions for dollls and dollhouses and am selfishly hoping she will be inspired to do so soon. :)

I have been thinking alot about my blog and the things I have been sharing.  I'd like to do something unique for me. This may not necessarily appear unique for others but inspired by the fim and book, Julie and Julia",  I have decided to cook my way through Tasha Tudor's Cookbook.  I am going to do one meal per week using her recipes one at a time.  I will do the meal for Sunday's dinner and share the results in a post on Sunday evenings.

This beautiful cookbook was a treasure I uncovered at the bottom of a box lot at an auction I attended this past summer.  The box had books, paper products and a few pieces of pottery.  I bid $4.00 and the box of goodies was mine! You can only imagine how excited I was to uncover her book.

I look forward to your visits and to cooking from Tasha Tudor's Cookbook.

What's cooking in your kitchen?

Queen for a Day Continues...

It is 7:30 and I am on my second cup of coffee.  I would normally be at the door of my classroom greeting students as we settle in to begin our day.  However, weather has made it impossible for the school buses to run safely.  The roads are all ice covered and extremely dangerous to navigate.  So, I am home and need to decide how I'm going to spend my day.

I could spend the day being creative.  I have sewing projects underway, new dollhouses to assemble, button jewelry designs to execute, and fairy dolls to take off the sketch book pages and bring to life.

Then there is the whole organization project I have planned.  What"s a girl to do?

I could skip all the other ideas and write.  I love to write annd am in the midst of a project.

I am currently writing a story about a young girl who has grown up on a farm, lost her parents, and has to cope with the loss of her parents and the home she has known, moving to the city, living with an aunt and uncle she barely knows, and all the pressures that teens are confronted with today.

Or...

I could play with the dog and just do nothing!  I'll let you know how my day unfolds later.

For now let me wish you a day filled with activity you can immerse yourself in having the best day ever!

Dollhouses Come in All Shapes and Sizes

I have become infatuated with the whole idea of creating dollhouses.  I have just about completed my second house and am waiting for two one room house kits to arrive.  A surprise from Hubby John the other day.  He was watching me explore the net for a new project and low and behold he ordered not one but two!  I had showed him pictures of the kit done up and mentioned how it would be fun to create a mercantile and maybe a bakery. (It will have to be a fusion of French and Polish desserts and breads.I must honor both our heritages.)  The book pictured below is a find I picked up awhile back for 10 cents at our local Salvation Army.  I pulled it off the shelf last night to read a bit.  We are setting aside at least one evening each week where the TV is off and we read. (Loving it because I just don't get enough time to read for pleasure.)  Anyway, I was taken by the photo on the cover.  Transform a bookcase into a dollhouse; what a fabulous idea!  I will have to start hunting for just the right one.

I apologize for the picture quality my camera (or the operator) is just not working well.  The exposures just don't look focused and crisp. But you can at least get the idea.  Isn't it fun!  I can just imagine decorating for the changing seasons and holidays throughout the year.

This is another favorite.  Remember the old woman who lived in the shoe?  This is a permanent display but oh so cute! The entire scene is enclosed in a glass sided box that is a lamp base. I simply must go shoe shopping.

Hope you are having a day filled with discovery, creativity, and fun!

Comfy Little Treasures...

This was the first day of my Christmas break from school.  I had a relaxing day that included a little tidy up in the apartment, I wrote some cards to friends and family that I am (We are) late with.  Thank goodness there are twelve days of Christmas and it doesn't have to end on the 25th.  John and I are preparing for our family gathering.  I am so anxious to see the girls.  The presents are wrapped, the decorations are hung, we have delivered gifts and little treasures to friends and family, dinner done, and I am going to settle in to do some reading.  Yes, I said reading.  You see being an English Teacher I rarely have time to read for pleasure.
I read an average of 50 to 60 young adult novels a year in addition to staying on top of the profession and it's changes and developments.  So when I am able to slow down and read for pleasure I savor the moments.

I've made some tea, I'm in comfy clothes, and ready to relax.  The book I've chosen is...

I haven't read this book since I was a little girl and it feels like the perfect story to enjoy now.

"Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates (full title — Hans Brinker; or, the Silver Skates: A Story of Life in Holland) is a novel by American author Mary Mapes Dodge, first published in 1865. The novel takes place in the Netherlands, and is a very colorful fictional portrait of early nineteenth-century Dutch life, as well as an inspirational tale of youthful honor.

The title of the book refers to the beautiful silver skates to be awarded to winner of the ice-skating race Hans Brinker hopes to enter. The novel introduced the sport of Dutch speed skating to Americans, and in U.S. media Hans Brinker is still considered the prototypical speed skater.
The book is also notable for popularizing the story of the little Dutch boy who plugs a dike with his finger."
(Wikipedia)


I remember the inspiration I felt as a young girl having read this story and how I enjoy nostalgia...
So I'll  read on.

“If you have much, give of your wealth; If you have little, give of your heart”

Have a Wonderful Christmas season.

Be Your Own Travel Guide

You know how I love to travel. The idea of a new place, new people, culture, cuisine, and all the special things to be discovered has such a strong draw. But, alas I can not always hop a train or a plane and go. However, the images here can take you to anyplace you'd like to go!

The trolley car is beautiful. The seats comfortible and the scenery captivating.
Come on take a seat, relax, and enjoy the ride!

This beautiful trompe l'oeil trolley is the entrance to a unique little mall in Frankfurt, Illinois.
Since I'm on the topic of travel I'd like to move onto another opportunity for travel.

A good book is like taking passage on a fantastic trip.

Reading has taken me to England while absorbed in Pride and Prejudice, to any junior

high school in Zen and the Art of Faking It, or on a journey across America with the photography book by Jake Rajs.
There is nothing better than a cup of tea or fresh brewed coffee, a comfy quilt, and a book to get lost in.

Where will your travels take you? I'm on my way to a rural community in small town USA with Things I've Learned Lately, by Danae Jacobson.

Until later...read on and enjoy the journey.

Sunsets, Quiche, and a Little Creativity

As the sun begins to set, the night air feels a bit cooler. I can almost smell autumn in the distance. It is time to breathe a bit slower, walk, appreciate, and thank God for another day. We are moving on to day four of the first week of school. My classes are going well and the students I have this year are awesome! They really are poised for learning as they enter my classroom and I am amazed at what effort they put forth. I spent some time this evening looking over, reading, and commenting on writing pieces they did to illustrate their individual skills as writers. The usual suspects showed up: grammar issues, punctuation, spelling errors, etc. but, the voice they share as young writers is amazing! I am so excited to see how they and their writing develops as the school year progresses. It inspires me to write as well!With evening comes dinner, a time of preparation, conversation with John, and finally
eating!

I prepared two quiches. One with tomato, green pepper, onion, and of all things "Laughing Cow Cheese". It was really good. (If I do say so myself!) The two triangles of cheese I added gave the quiche a creamy texture. Yum!

The other is for Friday's supper. It has broccoli, finely diced onion, and Parmesan cheese.
This is John's favorite and I enjoy giving him meals he looks forward to.
Seems like a lot of eggs in one week but I only use four eggs per quiche and 2% milk instead of heavy cream. Since I am working on loosing weight it works out better calorie wise.

The other tidbit for today is a book I am excited about.
It is entitled, A Creative Companion...How to Free Your Creative Spirit.
It was written by a woman named Sark. She is described as a free spirit who lives in a cottage in San Francisco. Her purpose in life is to be a beacon of hope to others. And sometimes she just takes naps with her cat Jupiter! Included in the book is: How to be an artist, How to be fully alive, Just for Mom, How to really love a child, and How to treasure an old person.
I promise to share more as the interactive experience unfolds...

Question for the day:
What do you do with creative blocks?
Answer:
Build a castle!
Have a blast building!

A Kindred Spirit

This is Christina Katerina she is a character created by author Patricia Lee Gauch and illustrated by Doris Burn. The story book title is Christina Katerina & THE BOX. If you have not read this delightful little story I highly recommend it! It is a story of a little girl, her love of junk, a big box, and a lot of imagination! She is definitely a gal after my own heart.
Here is the excerpt that describes this little darling.

The book cover itself was scribbled with crayon
when I found it but the title and illustration reminded me of my childhood and of my girls.
They had such fun as little one's using boxes and a lot of imagination.

I was literally sitting on the floor at the second hand store reading, which made me smile, giggle, and attract the attention of two small children who were shopping with their mother.
I asked if they could join me and we finished the story together. One of life's spontaneous moments!
I was able to clean of most of the crayon from the cover and will proudly display this little treasure to share with other little one's in the future.
This wonderful book can be found at http://www.amazon.com/ and at http://www.barnesandnobles.com/.