DOES THE THOUGHT OF THIS HURT YOU.

Can you stand the idea. Can you do it with out a hesitant hand.

Can you paint over oak.

I value yellow golden oak. So I ask even more pointedly.
Can you paint over golden oak?

I just don't know if I can. I read one of my favorite blogs tonight and saw a woman ready to do so. It was so beautiful too.
I am still deciding on this one.

For fall interest how about a blog from Acorn Cottage

http://homeatacorncottage.blogspot.com/2009/06/u-pickem-farm.html

At this time of year, do you get the urge to browse for fall ideas?

Well I do.

So Yesterday, I treated myself to a little Sunday blog cruising.

And it's even better a cruise, if I can stumble on some new to me blogs. So I think the next few days, I will share some I found from my armchair with my cups of Mint Tea.

Yesterday after viewing a few fall blogs, I went outdoors to my pine trees to get a few pine cones before I would be left picking in the bitter cold snow if I left the job too long. I eventually ventured over to the park with the idea that those cones would be larger. They weren't. but easier picking, I think. I came home with a small sack full due to a half an hours work. Not bad.

But amongst the pine cones are some acorns I picked up as I happened to see them laying there. "Pick me, Pick me up " they seemed so say. Some were still in the shell. It occurred to me how much they resembled a minature candle in a holder. [I may have to do some painting soon. ]

I had been wondering how I could paint the pine cones and the acorns, so I guess today at the start of blogging, the Acorn Cottage was still in my mind. I browsed it for some fall ideas. I found it such a pleasant relaxing blog. So I thought I would share that blog with you. Nancy has been at it barely a year with nearly eight hundred visitors. it was so new that I wasn't able to go to last years fall for her ideas. I am sure there are many more good fall posts to look forward to seeing. It should be fun keeping track of her and her blogs.

Another cottage blogger to rave about - An Enchanted Cottage

I naturally would love a fellow blogger who also loves these pumpkins. And she says she does.

I especially love that she says she was once in Modern decor, but moved to a shabby chic mode. From there I am not sure, I was off looking at her pictures. This blogger evidently belongs to a circle which means further blogs to investigate as the time occurs. She has almost two hundred followers. There was also a magazine which you click on. Which I intend to do soon. So I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

She has a nice stream of ideas, of not just fabric pumpkins, but other interesting takes. I wonder if those are the old white doves back in my day that dissolved at a drop of a hat. Now isn't that a great idea. And these are a gift free to the lucky winner if you do it all right and your lucky, of course. [Just follow my link and or if it works click the picture.]

I have found this to be a fitting blog for viewing at the beginning of the fall season. I see here her cute fabric pumpkins one could create no matter what the material one wanted to use.

I hope you enjoy it as much as you want.

Good luck if you enter her contest!

just me jo

Not been around lately, sorry. I have been at wor.

My Shabby cottage roses.

Nasty Bug war.

They are winning too.

I will see if I can do better later with more pictures.

Hows that for nearly wordless Wednesday.

Featuring Anita's blogspot ....My Country Cottage Garden.

Do you love cottage gardens. I do. But then
I love gardens. From experience it seems anything
European English or French just rings my bells.


If your like me, and if you love those kind of gardens, you will love this charming cottage garden blog. The blogger is in Germany and has her special German charm that I love. Although first glance you would swear it was an English garden. For some reason it kind of make ME think of Monet. So I absolutely couldn't pass up giving you a link to her site. I didn't borrow any of her gorgeous photos today. You'll just have to click the link and see them for yourself.

The picture at the left from my garden appears to me like a Claude Monet painting. Got that and Impression of Impressionism.
Enjoy




My Country Cottage Garden: "Friday, May 29, 2009
Sweet days & roses in my May garden

Hello everybody and welcome back to my sunny May garden!
There are lots of exciting news around here this week: new garden pottery made by me, more allium pictures, my very first clematis and last but not least, the first blooming roses of the season!"
A blog By Anita.
~~~~~~~~~~

Aaaa hhh, You came back!
Did I not say it was great. Inspiring, Enchanting. Now you know why I speak of Monet. I think the colors brings Monet garden to mind.

Welcome to Peg's topiary living room

Peg's topiary creations are rather fitting for my cottage blog. I thought they were cute. So if you'd like you can check her link to see the topiary and read the article.

Welcome to Peg's topiary living room: "Peg and Ken were newlyweds, full of hopes and dreams of the future when Peg was injured at work from lugging tree-sized plants. Three herniated disks and blood clots in her legs resulted in back surgery and surgery to repair an aorta. She had a total of three clots: one in each leg the first time and one a year later in her left leg. After the surgery to install an aorta stent, pain woke Peg in the morning and kept her awake at night; it became her constant companion. She loved gardening but now her dreams of even decorating her new back yard were dashed. The pain medications were too strong and the pain was too severe. Peg never gave up on her recovery but often her injuries and pain were not addressed, exacerbating both.
Peg's answer came through a winning attitude, an understanding spouse"

I have been using a few victorian pictures thanks to a new friend

My new friend on facebook, Mary Dailey gave me permission to use a few of these victorian pictures that she was sharing at face book. She has collected many old cards like these. I went for them and now I have a few of them making my blog a little prettier. I selected a few in the colors that I love.

I suppose you have noticed that I have been sliding in my posting and I blame it on Facebook. About a month or so ago, I joined it to try it out. I have to admit I like all the groups. So far I have mostly stuck to Genealogy and Gardening groups. I haven't posted nearly as much as I would like. I admit I had a few programing problems with the new computer.

Actually, I feel like I have posted a lot. lol. I must be, because I am getting less done. I think they have great garden groups. There are a lot of fun people there.

Also, at this time of year, I enjoy reading the posting at Hgtv gardening message boards. They have some fantastic photographers over there too.

I'm just very grateful to have a computer running the way I need it to be. So I vow to be a little bit more regular. I am slacking in my blog reading, too. That's the worst thing.!!

With that little note, I know what has yet to be done today. So much to do. I love warm weather. I had better get crackin.

A cottage wannabe - Cottage Cemetery -Historic Cemetery in Augusta GA

Now there is a new kind of imput of cottage wannabe into the Cottage Industry. Read about it here Online first.
Cottage Cemetery -Historic Cemetery in Augusta GA:

"Contact Cottage Cemetery
Dear Friends, Cousins and Wanna Be's,
Please
join our effort to protect and preserve Cottage Cemetery. And be generous in
every way !!
To offer history, genealogy, stories, pictures, help with
cleanup days and if you have questions contact:
Anne Eve Carmichael Sherman
PO Box 700
Edisto Island, SC 29438
tidesofmarsh@bellsouth.net
To
contribute financially.......
Historic Augusta, Inc
- ear marked for Cottage Cemetery and mail to:
Historic Augusta, Inc For
Cottage Cemetery
...... Augusta, GA 30903 0037"

We have found A cottage wannabe again. A cottage cemetery, what will be next?

I have to admit it is a charming picture of woods and lane. A historic passage.

I just have to share this Blog I found --Coffee Pot People: With Cracked Pots

What's this?

Are you wondering what this is. I can't tell you. You'll have to find out for yourself at Anitra Cameron's etsy/ blog site. I do like those as well as the main items that draws one to her site and keeps you browsing for more.

I am especially crazy about her eye for good creative totems. Like the one I have here. She calls them coffee pot people. That is what first drew me to her site.

I am so excited to share her blog and her talent in her craft with the unusual.
You have got to visit her site and see these amazing crafty well done totems. It is glass totems with an addition to the usual. She has added a coffee pot in various forms and a face is painted on. I shall try a couple here and then you must see them at her site.

She can take ordinary household stuff and make it the neatest coffee pot person or some other kind of art. She has an eye for art. That is all I can say.

I like her title cracked pots. Mom used to say [crack pot meaning off person].

Anitra Cameron features other kinds of art and other peoples talents as well as her own.
This is the link where she discusses Megan's art. Since, I kind of like bowling ball art, I couldn't help myself, I had to include it here. I had to include this in. I do like mosaics!!
Coffee Pot People: Cracked Pots: "Megan covers things, mostly orbs, with old marbles. I love the ones she does that have things springing from the top the most, but they're all great fun. It's quite a process to make them. I asked her how she kept all the marbles from sliding down the balls as she worked and she was kind enough to explain it, but (I'm chuckling while I type, here) it isn't something I'd have the patience for myself!"

I don't know how Anitra came up with her coffee pot people. I find them creative and unique. That is what is fun about her site, to see what she makes next. Out of what other material? And what kind of coffee pot will she use with it?

Was It A Rednecked Easter at Cottage Wannabe?

Yes. Cheeap, Cheap with my peeps.

Orange u Rednecked at Easter? As we were at Cottage Wannabe? Bananas and Oranges. it might disappoint a few people! I didn't resist the unfunny pun. Sorry.

I wish I could lighten this up, but I have editing problems these days. This is one version of my Healthy red necked offering for Easter.

Again another version. Cream filled cupcakes. Not so Healthy of course, if it's Hostess cupcakes with red Ribbons. Or a copy cat version as you find in recipe below from Family Circle magazine. That's my little cotton bunny in the background.

A larger view of chocolate vanilla creamed cupcake.

I found a great recipe of a copycat cup cake In the April 17th Issue of Family Circle pp. 125 under Double Take heading. There are several good recipes and pictures of the copy cats.

The per servings for Hostess cup cake... 2 cakes = 1 serving. 99 g.;

350 calories; calories from fat 100; Calories per cake 100. calories per fat 50.

For two cake serving--

Total fat 11 g.; Sat. fat 6g.; Transfat 9.5 g.;

Cholest. 10.mg; Sodium 580 mg.;

Total carb 61 g.; Dietary fiber 2 g. ; Sugars 44g.; Protein 3 g.

WELL, SEE IT IS NOT NOT EMPTY CALORIES!

Takes twenty minutes of prep time. makes 24. Bake 350 for 20 minutes.

Per cupcakes. 256 calories; 12 g. fat [7 g. sat.]; 4 g. protein; 37 g. carb.; 2 g. fiber; 156. mg. sodium; 49 mg. cholesterol.

- Cream filled cupcakes.
_________________

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsps. baking soda.
1/2 tsp. salt1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup stick butter [unsalted]
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs

Filling and Swirl-
4 tbsp. Unsalted butter softened.
1 1/2 cups confectioner sugar.
2- 3 tbsp milk.

Glaze -
1/2/ cup heavy cream
1 tbsp light corn syrup
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips.

How to do it:

1. Heat oven to 350 line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.

2. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt in a medium bowl. Whisk to blend. Combine the buttermilk and vanilla in a measuring cup.

3. Beat the butter and sugar in a medium mixing bowl with an electric mixer at medium mixing speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Add the flour mixture alternating with the buttermilk mixture, starting and ending with the flour mixture.

4. Divide the batter between the prepared muffin pans, Bake until tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. 18 - 20 minutes. Transfer and cool on rack.

5. Filling and swirl. Beat butter in a medium size bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually add confectioner's sugar. add 2 tbsp. of milk and beat five minutes until almost white and light and fluffy. Add additional milk if mixture is too thick. spoon mixture into a pastry bag fitted with plain round tip. Remove cake from pan insert tip of pastry bag into top of cake about i1/2 inch deep and squeeze.

6. Meanwhile, make the Glaze. Heat the cream and corn syrup in a small sauce pan over medium heat until it just comes to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate chips. Cover and let stand five minutes. Whisk until smooth. Dip the tops of the cake in the glaze and let cool on cake rack ten minutes. change the piping tip on the pastry bag to a smaller round tip and make swirls on the top of the glazed cupcake. Note: I think one could experiment with the creamy marshmallow and the frosting for filling!

You don't like chocolate!!

You could do some large pretzel sticks as shown on page 108. The pretzels were dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with colorful sprinkles. I was going to use almond bark and pretty pastel sprinkles. But I didn't get it done. It is Easily done in microwave and dipped in chocolate or almond bark, then rolling in crushed cookies, toffee bits, or even m&m's after.

There is a recipe in the magazine for the popular coconut cakes sold in packages of two. With creme filling.
Surely it would be more economical than purchased bags of well known brands of candy and Hostess cakes..


It's more special as it is made with love.