Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Since this is their first holiday photo shoot since coming to our house, it was a bit "eventful" capturing these Labor Day photos. 😉 With the use of treats and frequent breaks, we got through it!

Have a blessed Labor Day weekend!

A Collaborative Project

I am intrigued by quilts. I love the combinations of color and with older pieces, I am fascinated by the accompanying story. A friend has been teaching me the art of quilting and this is most recent endeavor. 

I really enjoy selecting and putting together the fabrics and colors. I am being taught design ideas, assembling techniques and finish work as I move through the process. 

I had fun taking the eagle panel to the fabric store so that I could coordinate complementary materials.

I even found this cute star print for the back of the hanging. Off and on, over the months, we have gotten together a few times to work on this wall hanging. My friend did some of the more complex portions for me and, naturally, she guided me through the rest. Since learning to quilt has been a goal of mine, it's rewarding to dabble in this art and it was fun to make this eagle piece.  🦅

Labor Day Salad Ideas

Perhaps you're looking for a salad recipe to serve this holiday weekend. Here are a few ideas. Although all of these recipes have appeared in posts at some point over the past several years, they're easily prepared and are perfect for summer meals. 

Boathouse Bleu Cheese Slaw

3/4 cup mayonnaise

2 T. balsamic vinegar (I use a splash more)

1 tsp. chopped garlic

1 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. ground black pepper

1/2 cup crumbled bleu cheese

1 bag shredded cabbage

In a large bowl, mix together mayonnaise, vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper and cheese. Fold in cabbage.

(I often make another half-recipe of the mayo, vinegar, salt and pepper to add for a moister salad.)

For a printable version, click here.

Watermelon Salad

torn greens

watermelon balls

thinly-sliced cucumbers

crumbled feta cheese

oil and vinaigrette dressing of your choice (raspberry is tasty on it, but I used Italian last night)

Combine all ingredients and toss with the dressing.
Serve right away.

For a printable version of this one, click here.

Grape Salad

1    (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1    cup sour cream

1/3 cup sugar

2     teaspoons vanilla extract

2     pounds green seedless grapes

2     pounds red seedless grapes

3     tablespoons brown sugar

3     tablespoons chopped pecans

Cream together softened cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Add grapes  (which have been washed and allowed to dry on towels) and toss to coat. Just before serving, remove from refrigerator and sprinkle brown sugar and pecans on top.

This recipe is said to serve up to 20. It can easily be halved for fewer people.

For a printable version, click here.

What are some of your favorite summer salads?🥗

Tuesday's Tablescape

I decided to squeeze in one last summery tablescape before Labor Day. After this weekend, people will begin gearing-up for early autumn. For now, let's think of a relaxed time with this coastal table.

My favorite seashell placemats work well with this tablescape and have been around forever! They were actually a birthday gift the year I spent my sweet 16th in Florida with family and friends.

My blue fish plates were a yard sale find a few summers ago and my sister and brother-in-law gave me the seashell napkin rings.

We bought Mr. Seagull many years ago from a little shop in a port city along Lake Michigan. The scattered seashells are souvenirs from one of our many Florida trips.

Smell the sea.

Feel the breeze.

Hear the seagulls.

Be at ease! 

National Dog Day

Happy National Dog Day! Each year on August 26, dogs are celebrated no matter their breed, age or role (pets or work force canines). Since childhood, dogs have always been an important part of my family and it's still the case today. I decided to take this opportunity to share a few lessons we can learn from dogs. 🐾

Eat a proper diet and drink water to keep your body fueled.

Play each day!

Be sure to get enough rest.

It's important to get fresh air! Enjoy outside time.

Offer a hand (paw) of help to others.

Show affection to those you love.

Listen to others and offer kindness.

I also happened to pick-up something related to National Dog Day today at Hobby Lobby. In their new Christmas merchandise line, they carry this adorable Boston terrier cookie jar. Since it was on sale, I had to buy one!

Dogs aren't our whole lives,

but they make our lives whole.

Late Summer

It's time for late summer/early fall décor and while I really haven't had a chance to put out anything, I do have one vignette. A group of friends and I recently gathered and one of the gals brought me this beautiful sunflower plate as a surprise. 

I like the rich colors and shape of the plate. Putting it with my antique scale and faux late summer fruit seemed to do the trick!

Don't you agree that sunflowers are

so bright and cheery? 🌻

Tuesday's Tablescape

Our Tardiva hydrangea is so spectacular this year that I just had to gather some blossoms for today's centerpiece.

In my opinion, cobalt and white is always a good combination! 

I love these oversized paper napkins. My mother picked them up for me because she knew they'd appeal to me. I think they were from Walmart.

It's late in the day for a tablescape, isn't it?!

Roasted Root Vegetables

I was inspired to try roasting root vegetables after our recent vacation. While we were in Michigan, my cousin and her husband took us out to dinner in honor of my husband's birthday and his steak was served with a side of roasted roots. There are lots of variations in concocting this colorful, healthy dish because you can select the vegetables of your choice. Even though this is not really a "recipe", I wanted to share it today.

Root vegetables, of course, grow underground and include potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turnips, radishes, beets, yams, onions, garlic, etc. Considered to be rich in vitamins and minerals, these vegetables are high in antioxidants and blend together nicely for this nutritious side dish. I have seen the vegetables both diced and sliced and since I prefer uniform cubes, I used my chopper (see below) to prepare my sweet potatoes, Yukon gold potatoes and fresh beets. I then dumped my cubes in a gallon food bag and combined two tablespoons of oil, some salt, pepper, dried onion flakes and garlic powder. Fresh thyme would be a good addition which I will try in the future.  I poured that mixture into the bag and gently shook it so that everything would be coated. I lined a jelly roll pan with two layers of aluminum foil before pouring out the veggies, evenly spreading them and placing in a 375 degree oven. Cook until everything is golden and test potatoes for doneness. I think mine was in for about 45 minutes.

As a side note, I must add how much I love this kitchen tool. I am not a gadget person since I believe that they don't always perform as well as advertised. My chopper, however, is something I would really miss having. I use it often and it has held up perfectly over the years. Mine is Progressive brand and they are still available.

Blessings to you!

Tuesday's Tablescape

It's fair time! My mother and I were able to visit the IL State Fair and the floral exhibit was one of the things we especially enjoyed seeing. Judging had already occured, so we read the reviews as we strolled. A portion of the hall showed fresh floral arrangements with dishware so I am sharing some of those pictures for Tablescape Tuesday.

Some of the pictures were tough to capture since everything was set-up in a large hall with several windows and close quarters. Of particular interest to me were the tea sets coupled with the fresh florals.

Three years ago I set our own "fair" table. You can click here to revisit that previous post.

I hope your day was more than "fair";

 I hope it was wonderful! 

Summer Vegetable Casserole

With plentiful fresh produce this time of year, I have a recipe which may be of interest to you. It's a good way to blend your favorite seasonal vegetables and, best of all, you can use what sounds good! 

Fresh Vegetable Casserole

1 medium zucchini, shredded/grated (or you could chop)
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 cup fresh spinach, stems removed and torn into smaller pieces
1 fresh tomato, chopped
1 pound bulk sausage (I really like Jimmy Dean All Natural as it's lean, has no MSG, etc.)
8 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheddar (I have used feta instead

**You could also add fresh mushrooms and/or broccoli or whatever sounds good!

Instructions:
*Cook and drain sausage.

*Sauté the zucchini and bell pepper in a tablespoon of olive oil. When vegetables start to soften, stir into the cooked sausage and then transfer all into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.

*Lay spinach on top of warm mixture.

*Spread a cup of cheese over all.

*Beat eggs, milk and salt and pepper to your taste. Evenly pour over everything.

*Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes, or until eggs are fully baked and top is golden brown.

For a printable version, click here.

When I prepared the casserole this time, I used fresh broccoli (sautéed with the other veggies) rather than the spinach and shredded cheddar instead of feta. 

I added hot bread and fresh fruit salad.

Bon Appetit!

A Family Treasure

My aunt recently gave me this sweet little sewing box which belonged to my paternal grandmother. 

Sewing boxes were made of wood in her day, of course, and often had hinged lids. I like the decorative lady painted on the end. 

My aunt doesn't know how Grandmother acquired the box, but it has been around since she and my dad were children. Can't you envision scissors, needles, spools of thread and buttons nestled inside with pins secured in the cushioned flaps? Imagine all the times Grandmother grabbed this little kit so she could hem Granddad's slacks or mend her children's clothes. 

I treasure family pieces like this and I am sew happy to have it to display in my home!