Cutting Corners Fabric Sale

I am ready for new curtains in the dining room and kitchen.  So I made a quick stop at my favorite fabric store in Dallas.  Cutting Corners.  

Hmmm... maybe I am nesting for my new grandbabies a bit too.

JOY - they were having a half off their already rock bottom prices.  For you Dallas girls, the sale ends Monday at 5:30.  

Eye candy below.

I started sending pictures from my phone (wonderful technology!) to my decorator daughter. And began getting back a few negative comments.  So guess what, I cut swatches and she is going back with me today.  I also was grabbing white and cream swatches for my daughter that is expecting twins.  A nursery to decorate how fun.  

I wish I could think of something to do with the black and white above.  Love it!

The green and brown came home with me for the kitchen.  I got the OK from my decorator. wink, wink.  Anybody want the palm tree valance let me know.  

Before and after coming soon.

Update: ended up using a different fabric here.  See the finished kitchen eating area here.
And how hubby said no to black shutters.

Bibs, booties, babies and blessings

We get to join the club!  Ann Marie and Michael are going to be parents and that makes us Grand-parents.  I have heard it is the most wonderful thing to have grandchildren.  We are thrilled beyond thrilled.

And wait it gets better, they are having TWINS!

When they first told us, none of us knew the twin part.  They surprised us at our house with this box full of baby booties and an adorable little, soft baby cap.  It came along with a request to pray for Baby T.   

Then during a sonogram they found out it will be TWO.  Double blessings for all those prayers. 

A good friend at work had these two little bibs below monogrammed for me.  

LaLa and Papa couldn't be more thrilled.  Our twin daughter is having twins (I can't wait for them to get to experience all that goes with two)! 

Now your best tips on grand-parenting, please.  We will be new at this so any pointers send them our way!  Did I mention how thrilled we are!  

Christmas in April

No, not a late post.  We really went to a Christmas Party on April 21st.  Everyone should have a friend like my friend Diane.  And no these decorations were not put away and then brought back out, they have been up since Christmas.  They did take the tree down and the yard art came back out for the party.  But, everything else has been in place since December.  

Here is Diane in her I believe Christmas T with me.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care in hope that her friends would soon all be there.  

A vintage jolly old elf.  

The halls were decked and the table set.

The yard art and wreath did come back out from storage.

There was a gift exchange of course.  No snow,  just fresh green grass. 

Party food of course! 

Christmas punch

And yes we were entertained with Christmas carols by Carol in her Christmas sweater and complete with a monkey on her shoulder.  His tin cup has fallen behind the accordian.  

Merry Christmas to all and we all had a good, GREAT night.

Napkins that are just plain fun!

Napkins I'm using now.

"My liquid diet is going well.  So far I've lost 2 days."

And she doesn't look happy about it at all!

So which one of your Aunts does she look like?

Italian Brunch Torte

I make this heavenly treat once a year.  It is easy, a bit time consuming to put together, (twenty minutes maybe)  But the once a year thing keeps it special and it is my signature Easter treat.

Source - Taste of Home

Find my pin here with recipe included.

Ingredients list might be a little long.  But my best tips are ~ Tip one:  have the deli slice meats and provolone cheese thin (to save on calories)  flavor is still there.  Tip two: I used half what they called for on the roasted red peppers ( one of the pricier ingredients ) Tip three:  Find a buy crescent baking sheets!  You don't have to mush the perforations together ever again!  I found mine at Kroger.

While your bottom crust in your spring pan is browning you saute your spinach and mushrooms.

You layer everything as the direction instruct and about an hour and twenty minutes later, your baked yumminess is done.  

Slice and serve.  Recipe said it makes twelve slices.  I cut into 16 since there were many other side dishes.  

In case the recipe link above does not work for you:

Ingredients

• 2 tubes (8 ounces each) refrigerated crescent rolls, divided
• 1 package (6 ounces) fresh baby spinach
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 7 eggs
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 pound thinly sliced deli ham
• 1/2 pound thinly sliced hard salami
• 1/2 pound sliced provolone cheese
• 2 jars (12 ounces each) roasted sweet red peppers, drained, sliced and patted dry

Directions

• Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan. Separate one tube crescent dough into eight triangles; press onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes or until set.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, cook spinach and mushrooms in oil until spinach is wilted. Place between two paper towels and blot to remove excess liquid. In a large bowl, whisk six eggs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and pepper.
• Layer prepared crust with half of the ham, salami, provolone cheese, red peppers, spinach mixture and egg mixture. Repeat layers.
• Separate remaining crescent dough; press triangles together to form a top crust. Place over casserole. Whisk remaining egg; brush over dough.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 1 to 1-1/4 hours or until a thermometer reads 160°. Cover loosely with foil if top browns too quickly. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; remove sides of pan. Let stand for 20 minutes before slicing. Yield: 12 servings.

Nutritional Facts1 slice equals 403 calories, 24 g fat (10 g saturated fat), 167 mg cholesterol, 1,360 mg sodium, 19 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 23 g protein.

Originally published as Italian Brunch Torte in Taste of Home 

Mrs. Honey Bunny

That is my name for her.  I love her, but I think she scares the rest of the family.

Maybe it is the fact that she wears shoes...

Maybe it is her real looking hands holding her umbrella...

I don't care, she makes me smile in her bonnet and bows and holding onto her basket of flowers.  

Happy Easter Everyone!

Flowers such a splurge

I can't wait for these lilies to open and they will last for well over a week, maybe two.

Tiny little orchids, I get to look at them every time I step into the master bath.

Calla Lillies and more orchids, pretty from any direction.

Sharing with:
Fresh Cut Friday
Show and Tell Friday

Spa Pillow Clean up tip

My terry cloth spa pillow has been used a lot and needed a serious cleaning.  Never enough bubble baths!

Here is a way to clean the pillow and the jets in your spa tub at the same time.

Fill your tub with warm water and about a cup of bleach.

Plop your pillow in the water and turn on the whirlpool jets. Flip the pillow a couple times.  

The bleach is surging through the plumbing and cleaning the pillow.

I turned off the jets and let the pillow soak and flipped a few more times to make sure both sides got lots of bleach on them.  

Before...

Drain tub and dry.  Voila, clean tub and bright white pillow.  

and after...

We have become such a throwaway society. I think a few years ago I would have tossed the pillow in the trash for a new one.  I try and think twice nowadays.  

Easter Chick and Bunny napkins

Fun and festive Easter napkins I'm using now.  Almost don't want to use these cuties.

They are sharing their space with a tiny basket of mini eggs and these candy form chicks, rooster and bunnies.

Teacups and bunnies

Some of my teacup collection and just a few of my Easter bunnies are hanging out on the dining room table.

I filled the tea cups with little speckled eggs.  I try to only buy white bunnies now.

I layered the table first with yellow and green patterned fabric and a sheer pastel runner.

Don't look close, I think the red and white teacup and saucer is a hold over from Christmas.  But she matched the tea pot so well, so it stayed.

A full shot down the table. I found the pink and white dishes in the foreground at Round Top last year.

I tossed some twine and raffia scraps up the middle too.  If you look closey at the bottom teacup below you can see Calvary imprinted on the saucer, my husbands church used these for their Wednesday night suppers when he was a child.  

My cups runneth over with Easter eggs!

For those of you that collect teacups here are some of the patterns below:

in order of photo's first to last

Churchill (red)

Royal Worchester - Dunrobin (white with berries)

Mark of M inside of a circle - pattern ? ( Green border and flowers ) 

ANYONE KNOW MORE?

Old Chelsea - Johnson Brothers  (yellow)

Mikasa -  Island Flair    (white with palm )

Taylor Smith - Calvary cup

 Little dishes 

C. Anrenfeldt - Limoges - oval finger bowl

Haviland - Limoges - saucer

You can see more of my teacup collection here.

sharing with:
Tabletop Tuesday over with Marty
Bunny Hop at the Picket Fence
Between Naps on the Porch
Spring Fling with Kaleigh and Friends
Cowgirl UP
Wow us Wednesday
Ivy and Elephants
Between Naps on the Porch