tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88842810825369849222024-02-08T00:18:06.543-05:00On The FenceAren't we all On the Fence about something? Is it this job or the next one? This hobby or another one? This meal or an alternate one? My blog is about the choices that I make. Sometimes it's as simple as "what did I cook" & sometimes as complicated as "where am I going on my next trip".... Come along with me & see which side of the fence I'm on.Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11160724566385774288noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884281082536984922.post-67607338142689747092013-07-19T14:43:00.004-04:002013-07-19T14:43:57.277-04:00New Blog addressIf you'd like to follow my travel stories I've started a new blog. You can find it here -<br />
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<a href="http://travelposts-kim.blogspot.com/">http://travelposts-kim.blogspot.com/</a><br />
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Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11160724566385774288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884281082536984922.post-91838965352694951642013-05-20T20:27:00.001-04:002013-05-20T20:27:19.473-04:00My tablecloths for sale on eBay right nowThese are all for sale on eBay under my id: Ridgewood5. I'd like them to all find new homes ~<br />
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Every one of these is a vintage cloth that I've washed & ironed. I don't use any starch since I don't want them to yellow while they're folded. I have to stop myself from trying to match china to each cloth. </div>
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Which is your favorite?</div>
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Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11160724566385774288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884281082536984922.post-64904348098779815982013-05-07T13:50:00.000-04:002013-05-07T13:50:16.048-04:00Update - Suitcase Remake with contents<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here it is. I added a wonderful 50s tablecloth, cherry-patterned tin, plaid wool blanket, red thermos, cheese board & cutlery travel pack, white & green melamine plates, & cloth napkins. The good part - it all fits.</div>
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I still need to polish the hardware on the suitcase, but otherwise - ready for a picnic.</div>
<br />Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11160724566385774288noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884281082536984922.post-35940867265675631542013-05-04T08:47:00.000-04:002013-05-04T08:47:36.705-04:00Little Miss Muffet's Tuffet with a Talbot skirtI found this footstool at a recent estate sale for a good price & wanted to see if I could re-cover it. Bare bones - nothing but potential.<br />
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I had the frame, but I wanted to use what I had on hand to see if I could do this project without a trip to anywhere. I had a Talbot skirt that I would never fit into again. Hmm ...</div>
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I liked the pale mint color & the big flowers [reminds me of a tablecloth]. I deconstructed the skirt. Brought it out into the sunshine & thought about the insert. I had a pillow form that I was going to use with an upholstery remnant (not big enough for the footstool - I checked). It would be poofy, but I thought I'd like that look.</div>
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It took a lot of finagling, but I was on my way. I was thinking about adding a vintage doily that I had & since it was the right shape & shade I kept laying it on the top. Not quite done - I wanted a little bit of trim. I didn't want a big fringe, but wanted the edge to be finished. Upstairs to see what trims I had. I found a pretty golden/olive trim that I think is the perfect sclae. It doesn't fight with the busy pattern. I glued the trim on, tacked down the doily & voila - a tuffet has arrived. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXakkLhaziR2JUzofoKm4MGDV6PRu_EEPxoCnP07ND60vWZFL-6HQR6-3xq138Cn3UFB2s4ayWqJ2Zl6ghpeNbJA8g0NxYlD_yAaEJvPq_gg3CCE3foIs9JmOhgKJBbmEBM5-yLWoBYoE/s1600/Footstool+post3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXakkLhaziR2JUzofoKm4MGDV6PRu_EEPxoCnP07ND60vWZFL-6HQR6-3xq138Cn3UFB2s4ayWqJ2Zl6ghpeNbJA8g0NxYlD_yAaEJvPq_gg3CCE3foIs9JmOhgKJBbmEBM5-yLWoBYoE/s320/Footstool+post3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I think it needs a stuffed spider if I bring it to the flea market to sell. I wonder how many people would get the reference. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11160724566385774288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884281082536984922.post-35079120910098463042013-04-20T17:17:00.000-04:002013-04-20T17:17:17.848-04:00Card Catalog comes to our houseYesterday I went to an estate sale not too far from home. It wasn't being run by either of the 2 local estate sale women, so I wasn't sure if it was actually an estate sale or a tag sale, but thought I'd check it out. When I got to the house the early bird pros had already been in & taken what they wanted. The house belonged to a retired physician & his wife (I'm going to guess that she was a nurse since I saw a nurse's cap at the sale along with the physician's dress military uniform. I knew that there were stories waiting to be told, but didn't think there was anyone there to tell them. As I gathered up my treasures (a wooden ironing board, an old drafting table, a footstool that needed to be recovered & a few linens) I started talking to the man running the sale. He had actually worked for the woman of the house doing her gardening after her husband died (about 10 years ago). His last "job" for her was to sell the items from the house that there 2 sons didn't want. I was so surprised to see her wedding gown boxed up (but I didn't open it because I knew it would come home with me). When I went into the furthest room from the garage (all of the sale was held in the basement) I found a room that had been set up for a ham radio operator. Apparently - one of the doctor's hobbies. Built into the formica counter was (what appeard to be) an intact 15 drawer card catalog. I almost yelped out loud, but tried to stay calm. I asked the seller if it could be sold as a unit or if he was selling the drawers separately. He gave me a high price (at least I thought so) & told me I'd have to remove it from the counter. I talked to David about it (& even though he thought I was nuts), he agreed to go back with me today & (if the price was better & it wasn't sold & if we could get it out) it could come to our house with the plan to resell.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKnD-3NRnyFxmtDHBG2XFqrjcgXxj-5ZgbQIKEfE2QWTPiCqy4wNVoMww3cKBQFsEttYCTn1G8ENSt71YAdYLv_aTZ5vvkSiOSOznQyI0gDyvjy7UBZXPNXJgLgWdy9HFg4BE6MpfS9Qk/s1600/4.20.13+card+catalog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKnD-3NRnyFxmtDHBG2XFqrjcgXxj-5ZgbQIKEfE2QWTPiCqy4wNVoMww3cKBQFsEttYCTn1G8ENSt71YAdYLv_aTZ5vvkSiOSOznQyI0gDyvjy7UBZXPNXJgLgWdy9HFg4BE6MpfS9Qk/s320/4.20.13+card+catalog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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We did it & David was able to negotiate a better price, but the piece needs a top to complete it. It must have been removed to build it in under the counter. Now I need to figure out what the best thing is to do. Being the granddaughter of a librarian I suppose it was inevitable, but I don't need 15 drawers. I'm going to meander around Pinterest & the web & decide what to do with this new treasure. Any ideas?</div>
Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11160724566385774288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884281082536984922.post-48469436141227814912013-04-19T15:13:00.000-04:002013-04-19T15:13:08.920-04:00Recycled Suitcase using Vintage TableclothMy kids are both hunkering in their respective neighborhoods in Boston. Our son is about a mile away from the Cambridge home of the terrorist suspect. Our daughter is in her dorm & both are behind locked doors. I don't normally go to the office on Fridays & wanted to keep myself busy while I watch the progress on TV. I purchased this grey suitcase a couple of weeks ago & didn't open it before I bought it. When I did I was really discouraged, but wanted to save this case if I could find a way. I left the Greyhound bus tag of the lady that had previously owned it. It feels like a connection with her...<br />
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<strong>What do you think of the before & after photos?</strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi50AEJK2QyKt2UEpy48mX57cU9VfgZ-oAVtKWF2RjJadi9hWpWmtuVc1EANXrNLqb4U3D5dQxTs4jjq1B4CKzTMOpcfbIdR0OYfLha4hhApG0XQAqdNaGEt0rGrzZY0ZMeCczmV5XRjqQ/s1600/Suitcase+after+remake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi50AEJK2QyKt2UEpy48mX57cU9VfgZ-oAVtKWF2RjJadi9hWpWmtuVc1EANXrNLqb4U3D5dQxTs4jjq1B4CKzTMOpcfbIdR0OYfLha4hhApG0XQAqdNaGEt0rGrzZY0ZMeCczmV5XRjqQ/s200/Suitcase+after+remake.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
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The cloth lining the "after" photo is a vintage tablecloth. It had several large holes & yellow stains. I wanted to see if I could use this fabric to create a picnic hamper. I have a red Thermos that I think would be perfect. I've got a piece of the tablecloth soaking to see if I can make a small picnic cloth to take with us. Somehow I don't think that paper plates will be quite right for this set-up, but I can imagine some old plastic dishes that I could possibly find. This was a lot of fun to work on & only took a few hours from start to finish. I did use the old lining as a template & to figure out the order for reassembly.</div>
Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11160724566385774288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884281082536984922.post-26292445988113000172013-04-16T19:55:00.001-04:002013-04-16T19:55:29.977-04:00Vintage Tablecloths, Embroidered Runner, Old Buttons, Dried Lavender - all togetherI had purchased some tablecloths recently & they have quite the provenance. These tablecloths were purchased at an estate sale in Springfield, Mass. I had arrived bright & early before our daughter's Math competition (yup - she won - but I need to stay on the subject ---> tablecloths). When I arrived at this new house I knew that I was in an area of Springfield that had been hit hard by the tornado of June 1, 2011. The pros mulling around were talking trash to each other saying things like, "new house - nothing good - guess we'll have time for coffee". I was pretty sure that I wouldn't find any old furniture (not that I'm usually looking for any), but it seemed like there just might be some old linens that could come home with me. When we went in I found a few tea towels, some napkins, but I wasn't seeing any tablecloths. Where could they be? There were plenty of other items that screamed "older homeowner". I turned a corrner & there (hanging on hangers inside of dry cleaning bags) were some tablecloths. It all became clear - these tablecloths had lived through a tornado. The bags still had their July 2011 tags safety-pinned on the hems of the cloths.<br />
I love embroidered pieces. It doesn't matter if they're cloths, runners or handkerchiefs. I love the handwork of embroidery. I purchased a runner & when I got it home I found a hole & a large stain that didn't come out. I wanted to find a way to use the cloth. Here's my solution (hanging from a couple of the tornado cloths & another from my stash)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMN3KqPbFUYXr8FoPgF2q97uK0DxYg5rHcgB00vJAV-Leprgyy2KzVC1CUG8kwZzgcbhHaUtzBvWL-JI8FxrxijGdqyR1qBamJMvX3by7MhqGP3NkmeIvmGAFKjqh1hFZQdo5kN7Gdudk/s1600/Hearts+and+cloths1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMN3KqPbFUYXr8FoPgF2q97uK0DxYg5rHcgB00vJAV-Leprgyy2KzVC1CUG8kwZzgcbhHaUtzBvWL-JI8FxrxijGdqyR1qBamJMvX3by7MhqGP3NkmeIvmGAFKjqh1hFZQdo5kN7Gdudk/s320/Hearts+and+cloths1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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These hearts are stuffed with filler, a little dried lavender & have vintage buttons for some added visual interest. I have the tablecloths hanging from pant-hangers that I found at an estate sale. I think that they're a great way to store/display tablecloths. Each of these tablecloths (along with the hearts) will be looking for new homes at a local flea market sometime in the next month or so. The pant-hangers will not be for sale.</div>
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What have you upcycled lately?</div>
Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11160724566385774288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884281082536984922.post-290548333268650962013-04-14T08:06:00.001-04:002013-04-14T08:06:42.340-04:00Estate Sale TreasuresAfter our daughter's soccer game yesterday we made a stop at one estate sale & one multi-vendor flea market shop. Here are some of the treasures I brought home.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJvId_G1N9xc-boszsElfVyDh_evx2fvqhIX2nccyvOy-XQIKySgMqqzbRobEXLv-ONh80V5UpkODv6uT5_I8eC3VmkCbNeGQM0tWA5CewLTDtcvvHM6F1DGgLxFjEYayGZX4Q9WMkdmk/s1600/linens+and+scale+4.13.13+-+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJvId_G1N9xc-boszsElfVyDh_evx2fvqhIX2nccyvOy-XQIKySgMqqzbRobEXLv-ONh80V5UpkODv6uT5_I8eC3VmkCbNeGQM0tWA5CewLTDtcvvHM6F1DGgLxFjEYayGZX4Q9WMkdmk/s200/linens+and+scale+4.13.13+-+1.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
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There are 8 new tablecloths here. They're tucked into a big tote soaking & then they'll be hung out on the line. The 3rd cloth from the bottom is a sweet, sweet pink & magenta cloth with a lily of the valley pattern. At least some of these will find their way to Ebay. Did you notice that I found a new scale. The dishes in the front have a delicate magenta flower pattern. They are probably from the 50s but there's no name on the back for me to id them. I'm sure that they'll make an appearance on my table at some point since there are 6 of them. </div>
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I came home with 2 suitcases. One is a brown leather suitcase with the initials JWB in gold. It's a pretty good size & immaculate on the inside. I might have to make some repairs, but it won't go to waste. The other is a grey suitcase & I didn't open it before buying it (shame on me). The inside fabric is stained & I think it will have to be replaced. I'm not sure about that project, but we'll see what happens. I might post a before & after if I come up with something fun.</div>
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I think of things that I buy as part of a bigger picture. I don't look at them necessarily as "good price that I can resell". I see the pieces as coordinating with other things I have or even as just elements that I'm drawn to. My husband says that you can't be emotionally attached to things that you're reselling, but I think I have to buy what I like. Since I don't need 2 scales - 1 is going to leave. It's only a question of which one.</div>
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What did you do with this lovely Spring weekend. It's time to get ready for another soccer game. This one's an hour away. </div>
Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11160724566385774288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884281082536984922.post-39816922702901819472013-03-30T19:29:00.002-04:002013-03-30T19:29:58.815-04:00Easter Dinner Table Setting with Mikasa & Prints CharmingWe aren't usually home for Easter, but this year we went away the weekend before. David's brothers & their families are joining us. I thought it would be fun to fuss a little & I wanted to use some dishes I recently picked up. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq_vJ7zKUrS7DZ0_q1iRHvXSgRF7B0QlZMRvK8UOK69quH2dlAB8KuuOU_H2OvfHiIJQHSV-0mxMigLsbShHgpzSY4bMWDvqZBNsx193LgeXtVnwJjQFnFCFm-b1YVha-N_vuVpwXnrz8/s1600/Easter+Table+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq_vJ7zKUrS7DZ0_q1iRHvXSgRF7B0QlZMRvK8UOK69quH2dlAB8KuuOU_H2OvfHiIJQHSV-0mxMigLsbShHgpzSY4bMWDvqZBNsx193LgeXtVnwJjQFnFCFm-b1YVha-N_vuVpwXnrz8/s200/Easter+Table+3.jpg" width="200" /></a> </div>
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I only had a service for 4 of the Mikasa dishes so I thought I'd be a little creative with the place settings. I used the dinner plates with a transparent green salad plate alternating with a white dinner plate with the Mikasa salad plate. I think it works ~</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVVx7qav6Qf608B2w4DWLj4L4ueHzGJvBiyCjRjyXQ6ArMk8VZkaS4FmDoHp-f9X9G0GbocFQaOxqg8oxN1yFvokN_ERW3dyJ806cPQZ4hiig7DEGueygpTkTwzK9jylcVkkvvG6qMFbc/s1600/Easter+Table+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVVx7qav6Qf608B2w4DWLj4L4ueHzGJvBiyCjRjyXQ6ArMk8VZkaS4FmDoHp-f9X9G0GbocFQaOxqg8oxN1yFvokN_ERW3dyJ806cPQZ4hiig7DEGueygpTkTwzK9jylcVkkvvG6qMFbc/s200/Easter+Table+6.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjZCz6NNiQVZL2zPLJ3-SeLjnntXgTaQc6cNJfDv_GFgniqLwoKOtrBwvMNOtFfYHPGxc31Qsy5Uwm73TBNV3_qObYf5rF_n_ywsW-_S1F-arEHRxL89ynadvPH6In1dtX6Jt63CmbI0w/s1600/Easter+Table+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjZCz6NNiQVZL2zPLJ3-SeLjnntXgTaQc6cNJfDv_GFgniqLwoKOtrBwvMNOtFfYHPGxc31Qsy5Uwm73TBNV3_qObYf5rF_n_ywsW-_S1F-arEHRxL89ynadvPH6In1dtX6Jt63CmbI0w/s200/Easter+Table+5.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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This tablecloth has a wonderful name: Prints Charming Williamsburg. Isn't that a great play on words ~ Here's a close-up of the cloth detail --></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2jMcl9ghEKaAmnKfPHuRxVGa0pevrNTtDEHUCpyF4wfdxJ6RFEQbfzJ4M-8hIPhXJ199qL9Cykl4xD4h9XeshYRh_SYEED8IUL_XgSHgP9KlaKQgO-OrFGXzuCvGI60LA4mFD3vsMveQ/s1600/Easter+Cloth+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2jMcl9ghEKaAmnKfPHuRxVGa0pevrNTtDEHUCpyF4wfdxJ6RFEQbfzJ4M-8hIPhXJ199qL9Cykl4xD4h9XeshYRh_SYEED8IUL_XgSHgP9KlaKQgO-OrFGXzuCvGI60LA4mFD3vsMveQ/s200/Easter+Cloth+2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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I have some tablecloths for sale on eBay under ridgewood5. They'll be listed for a week. Fingers crossed that they'll go to good homes.</div>
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<u><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Easter 2013 Menu</span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Spiral Ham</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Kielbasa</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Salad</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Pierogis</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Mashed Potatoes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Glazed Carrots</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Carrot Cake</span></div>
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Can you tell that David comes from a Polish background? If I had time I would have made golumpkis, but not this time.</div>
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Stay tuned for more adventures as Spring approaches. I'm thinking about occasionally being a vendor at a local Flea Market. What do you think?</div>
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<strong>Happy Easter</strong> </div>
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Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11160724566385774288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884281082536984922.post-43450119223449567092013-03-24T17:56:00.000-04:002013-04-14T08:08:24.035-04:00Rhode Island Treasure-hunting<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Treasures from The Ocean State<br />
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We're back from a fun weekend in Rhode Island. I'd checked online for any estate sales that might be close enough to check out. I found 1 in Jamestown & our friend, Mike, was willing to go with me. David, Katie & Mary listened to the call of the Atlantic Ocean. It was in the 30s & windy - I think we made the better choice. The first sale was really a poorly organized garage sale, but I did leave with a baggy of vintage handkerchiefs. I had a list of local shops & we'd paid to go over the Jamestown Bridge so we went to the first local shop. This little shop is open for 2 hours twice a week. Down the stairs we went without too much optimism. I found a tablecloth for Lauren, a vintag breakfast set (creamer, sugar bowl & egg cup) in a faded yellow. I could picture it on one of my tablelcoths. I turned around & found a lazy susan condiment set in turquoise & white. It was complete & I'm sure I can resell it at a profit. The gentleman in charge of cashing out gave me a great bulk price & off I went. A happy gal. We went to our next store & I found the small Mexican-themed tablecloth on the bottom of the pile [see photo above]. It was in a pile that said, "This & That". I also brought home some buttons [sorted by color - sweet] & a large platter. Mike stopped into a nearby comic book store & found some treasures. He also found a used bookstore & left with a book about Mad Magazine articles. We headed back to share what we'd found & have lunch at Flo's -- GREAT SEAFOOD! In the afternoon we went to a large, crowded consignment store & the single purchase was the scale above. I'd been looking for one.</div>
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Today we had to check out of our resort by 10:30. We had a relaxing breakfast & Katie went to Alex & Ani's with her godparents (now sporting a delicate new bracelet with a virgo charm). I had asked about shops that carried tablecloths & the woman at the store in Middletown gave me the name of another store, but it didn't open til noon. Since it was my "birthday weekend" we waited for it to open & I left with the 4 tablecloths on the scale along with a tea towel (still had its tag on) & a yellow tablecloth with 4 napkins. When I took a look at the cloth I saw that it was still sporting its price tag from Shepards. I did a google search & Shepards was in Providence, RI until 1973. The price on the tag was .97. Hard to believe, but I'm leaving it there ~</div>
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Such a good time & I think that everyone found at least 1 thing that made the weekend fun for them. </div>
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<br />Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11160724566385774288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884281082536984922.post-25779691514480626462013-03-15T14:34:00.000-04:002013-03-15T14:34:30.542-04:00Lilypad Tablecloth & Spring Dinner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIqZR1ihivH5EdyQ_hnD6pjGY-1jBIpQTAWbbo90eHN3RHMkKHzrFLoHlUmn7FWM_7xjDbRscuYxIIzbyV6vxFqtMgSrODBaq2Sw0jp7ayem_ty-nSTzWEaFoOFap56figABpP3wNCAf4/s1600/20130315_04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIqZR1ihivH5EdyQ_hnD6pjGY-1jBIpQTAWbbo90eHN3RHMkKHzrFLoHlUmn7FWM_7xjDbRscuYxIIzbyV6vxFqtMgSrODBaq2Sw0jp7ayem_ty-nSTzWEaFoOFap56figABpP3wNCAf4/s320/20130315_04.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Tonight we're having a friend over for dinner & I'd just washed & ironed a new (to me) tablecloth with a lilypad embroidery pattern. The tablecloth & Spring coming up were my inspiration. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_X8yUk-faYADw3jKAnx1UTL6VUsWzCzv1Vp16b2M_plps_fEo08BxjQYIeFF4HEyKjs4pIvjysmAc6EeEOWzEaE9OO2PWOyqHemkX_fXWWZRVgQ2N1vy17av2DiHp6n2MvK6VjFZlWeM/s1600/20130315_03.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_X8yUk-faYADw3jKAnx1UTL6VUsWzCzv1Vp16b2M_plps_fEo08BxjQYIeFF4HEyKjs4pIvjysmAc6EeEOWzEaE9OO2PWOyqHemkX_fXWWZRVgQ2N1vy17av2DiHp6n2MvK6VjFZlWeM/s200/20130315_03.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I didn't have time to get to my favorite florist (Carey's Flowers in South Hadley, MA) but wanted to have something fresh on the table to go with the colors in the tablecloth. This will have to do.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wanted a photo of my pretty square plate with the daffodils. <br />
They gently whisper Spring to me.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKci-6qAKFBVQG542xim_0GXcVBgR95pBvKkJE5pdINWqRaAofHr_uQCQzBRB0CjnKkrGhRqN5DNaixfH9WrFirjtb-MhT6wBXdaoyVEx40VzvdTAqm7BT5ETMgNDtoOKOmOnnAAf9Aog/s1600/20130315_05.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKci-6qAKFBVQG542xim_0GXcVBgR95pBvKkJE5pdINWqRaAofHr_uQCQzBRB0CjnKkrGhRqN5DNaixfH9WrFirjtb-MhT6wBXdaoyVEx40VzvdTAqm7BT5ETMgNDtoOKOmOnnAAf9Aog/s200/20130315_05.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from the end of the table. <br />
There will be 5 of us at dinner tonight so I just sat down & took a photo.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxgjkndMyu7IhVO5Ck0ECyvmmyGmvEZyoDlMlfUh_cuGUwufu44AwXUw9vdLr2Hueco72SJz9zhZujy3h35K6CXlTQVUz9utyGnNRFGhVydl4jTpKctjjjHT_oP4G7goqWPFYse3vvL6s/s1600/20130315_06.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxgjkndMyu7IhVO5Ck0ECyvmmyGmvEZyoDlMlfUh_cuGUwufu44AwXUw9vdLr2Hueco72SJz9zhZujy3h35K6CXlTQVUz9utyGnNRFGhVydl4jTpKctjjjHT_oP4G7goqWPFYse3vvL6s/s200/20130315_06.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dessert will be ginger snaps on this lovely cookie plate. <br />
The spice jars of jelly beans were a whimsical addition.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of dessert from a chair.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Spring Dinner Menu on a Friday Night</u></span><br />
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Marrakesh Vegetable Curry (found on Pinterest, but I am not using eggplant)</div>
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Rice (with slivers of scallion & carrot)</div>
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Assorted sides (Chop Salad from More-with-Less cookbook, coconut, peanuts, apple bits)</div>
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Slaw on the daffodil plates</div>
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Ginger Snaps (from Joy of Cooking) </div>
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I'll let you know how it goes. What are you having for dinner tonight?</div>
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Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11160724566385774288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884281082536984922.post-89891474058929649082013-03-07T16:51:00.002-05:002013-03-07T16:51:23.458-05:00Noritake Beaumont, a new/old tablecloth & a hummel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh39DPGxMoDEv1htFR_S2QrSukwddxs8o72DAaOljei4NL_FUi03hqsbbYD4tjihULm_v-i_DjI-SjFhifUIO4swwDBcX4cwsoG6QVK0hmKzV8DAbAPkU0zpvLZ-RL77uOB_jEEmAsybks/s1600/20130307_04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh39DPGxMoDEv1htFR_S2QrSukwddxs8o72DAaOljei4NL_FUi03hqsbbYD4tjihULm_v-i_DjI-SjFhifUIO4swwDBcX4cwsoG6QVK0hmKzV8DAbAPkU0zpvLZ-RL77uOB_jEEmAsybks/s320/20130307_04.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Here's a photo that I took this afternoon for submission to the Vintage Tablecloth Lovers Club. They wanted a little information about me & asked for a photo so this is one that I sent over ....<br />
The pieces of china that you can see are my treasures from Las Vegas. They are Noritake china in the Beaumont pattern & I absolutely LOVE them. The pale pink plate under the pears is a piece that I have from my grandmother. I have several pieces of pale pink & pale green. They are important to me & I do use them. The book seemed to fit since it's almost the 17th & I do love DK books when I travel. The little Hummel is called The Merry Wanderer. Doesn't he seem just right for those that know me well?<br />
I don't know the pattern on the tablecloth but it's all hand-stitched in pristine condition. I like how it compliments the border on the china.<br />
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Today we're getting heavy, wet snow. It's early March - Time for snow to stop & flowers to start thinking about pushing their way through the cold soil. I can't wait to see if my 2 rhubarb plants appear. That would be a treat!<br />
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Don't forget to set your clocks forward this weekend. <br />
Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11160724566385774288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884281082536984922.post-3325571399821841312013-03-02T17:32:00.000-05:002013-03-02T17:32:01.602-05:00Franciscan Rustic England dishes & Bucilla Tablecloth<br />
I wanted to let everyone know that the dishes that I packed in the luggage made it back safely. What a surprise! One of the sets is listed on Ebay under ebay name ridgewood5. These are Franciscan Rustic England dishes. I have plates, cups, saucers & small plates along with this sweet platter. They're in great shape.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9DbKRTZ3rWMBSsNfWsuyH4SEY5v9emDzoD_uuSow4y1jm6fUdfsXk7o8oJXDDGR2lmmEBGYVXc0yv8CPRRQ9E4n1oklK21qulSu2KKjYBZgbkqgt-VHDW__FHlp-ttKRxsfoK5_zkVY8/s1600/Rustic+England+Platter.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9DbKRTZ3rWMBSsNfWsuyH4SEY5v9emDzoD_uuSow4y1jm6fUdfsXk7o8oJXDDGR2lmmEBGYVXc0yv8CPRRQ9E4n1oklK21qulSu2KKjYBZgbkqgt-VHDW__FHlp-ttKRxsfoK5_zkVY8/s200/Rustic+England+Platter.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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I've been busy online with the Vintage Tablecloth Lovers Club. I've asked questions re: a tablecloth that I have that still has its' tag. I had no idea what kind of treasure I have. The general consensus is that I should keep this gem. I'm just not sure. I love to use my tablecloths & if I keep this one with its tag I'll only be able to occasionally look at it. That's not really what I want to do. If I'm going to sell it I have to have an idea of its value & that's another puzzle to be solved. I'm working on it ... Stay tuned.<br />
I'll share some info regarding the 2nd set of china when I take some pictures. I'm a busy gal these days ...<br />
Stay well ~Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11160724566385774288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884281082536984922.post-31745081660795120042013-02-27T11:04:00.002-05:002013-02-27T11:04:55.298-05:00Vintage Vegetable Tea Towels, The Vintage Tablecloth Lovers Club & Ellen<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vintage Tea Towel - will be for sale on Ebay early next week under seller ridgewood5 [that's me]</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vintage Tea Towel - will be for sale on Ebay early next week under seller ridgewood5 [that's me]</td></tr>
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I love these adorable little tea towels. They are hand embroidered on soft cotton. There's a 3rd towel that I'll be including in the sale [think mushrooms]. The embroidery isn't complete so I'm going to add it as a surprise to the winning bidder.<br />
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I joined the Vintage Tablecloth Lovers Club <a href="http://www.vintagetableclothsclub.com/">http://www.vintagetableclothsclub.com/</a>. If you want to know anything about tablecloths - they are the clear source of knowledge. I had purchased several books (all beautiful photos, but none containing MY tablecloths) so I'm excited to find an online group that can tell me more about all of these linens that I keep washing by hand & hanging out in the sunshine. Check out their site.<br />
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I wrote yesterday about going to Viva Las Vegas Stamps. I had initially learned about them from The EllenBee's blog <a href="http://thewomenswaitingroom.blogspot.com/">http://thewomenswaitingroom.blogspot.com/</a>. She always writes as though you're sitting in her livingroom with a cup of tea. I have been reading her blog for a while & when we were coming to Vegas I knew this was a stop to make. After navigating my way through VLVS I sent her an email & she replied right away. I look forward to keeping in touch with her & hope that you'll go check out her blog. <br />
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Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11160724566385774288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884281082536984922.post-60513470167260920242013-02-26T13:21:00.000-05:002013-02-26T13:21:02.769-05:00Stuck in VegasHow's that for a starter line? I know that lots & lots of people would trade places with me in a minute, but for us it feels a little like "how does this keep happening?" Let me go back for a minute & refresh. In October 2011 we planned to fly to Italy & take a transatlantic cruise across the Atlantic. Unfortunately - a horrendous storm hit the East Coast & we were without power for days. I hurried to work (happily anticipating the hot coffee that would be available) & we stayed with friends for several days. I packed in the dark (which explains what DIDN'T make it on the trip) & off we went. We spent wonderful, relaxing days in Rome & boarded the ship. Finally - our opportunity for recharging would begin. Not so fast ---> a "once in 100 year hurricane" hit the Med & we were held just off the coast of France. That doesn't sound so bad, but the weather was horrendous. When we finally left the Med we found out that we would have to adjust our trip to include an extra evening in Barcelona (that <i>was</i> a highlight) but we wouldn't be stopping in the Azores (which meant a very L O N G trip across the Atlantic). That was 2011 - we came home saying, "no more transatlantic crossings for us in the near future".
2012 came along & David found a great deal on a river cruise. Aha - a week on the Danube (no transatlantic & stops ever day). Sounded great. We coordinated the trip to include an extra week in Bavaria & looked forward to a wonderful time. Weather decided to mess with us AGAIN. Superstorm Sandy decided to head for the East coast & especially for Newark, NJ. Now we never, never, never fly to or from NJ, but David found a great deal on flights to/from Europe so he'd booked it. We have always liked Lufthansa & didn't expect this experience to be anything but positive - BUT there was a storm headed for the East Coast, we had a boat to catch in Vienna & Lufthansa was saying, "wait". Finally - after days of watching the Weather Channel - we opted to get out of town & fly from Boston to Vienna via Dublin on Aer Lingus. Within hours we were on the plane with a "we'll figure it out later" attitude. We had unseasonably cold weather in Vienna [get used to that statement] but we did board our river cruise right on schedule. We had a good week [albeit very cold & foggy] & disembarked in Nuremberg for our week in Bavaria. We had great intentions (including a balloon ride in the Alps, but .... it was cancelled due to weather). David didn't get the full "take your breath away" experience that I counted on, but we made the best of it. Driving in heavy fog on unfamiliar roads & the Autobahn are memories we will never forget. We drove 8+ hours to Berlin for our return trip & went to check-in with Lufthansa (remember we'd flown over via Aer Lingus, but still had a return ticket on Lufthansa & a connecter to Boston). Lufthansa's message to us, "your tickets were cancelled when you were a no-show on your first flight. We can get you on the flight for $6,000 USD per person". You can imagine my reaction. It wasn't "ok - let me get my credit card". It was, "I'd like to speak to a supervisor". After about 15 minutes of explaining, reviewing dates, etc they agreed that it was unusual circumstances & allowed us to return home. So - we've now had 2 major trips with weather issues ~
Which brings us to this trip ---
We came out to Vegas for David's National Conference last week. I am not a fan of Las Vegas (don't even try to convince me that I should be - I'm not), but I do love a chance to travel with my husband, so he always adds on to these trips & we have a good time. This time we opted for a few days in Sedona, AZ -- Of course, it's been unseasonably cold [do you see a common theme],but we enjoyed Sedona & came back to Vegas for a couple of days before we were scheduled to fly home. I'd had a frustrating time with trying to add to my vintage linen stash, but had found 3 sets of china [carrying my favorite set in our carry-ons & packing 2 sets in 4 pieces of checked luggage with lots of prayers that any piece arrives at home unbroken]. We thoroughly enjoyed Jersey Boys & had a wonderful meal at Chef Marc's Parma [one of our favorite restaurants]. I stopped at Viva Las Vegas Stamps [an experience not to be missed] & while there David received notification from Southwest Airlines that they recommend we change our flight due to anticipated weather in Chicago. We were 95% packed so I was ready to head to the airport -> no flights available until Wed. We each took care of a specific detail - David rebooked our flight & extended our car rental. I worked to add a day onto our timeshare stay (thank heavens we're in a suite & not a tiny hotel room), our car park time in Hartford & notify work & family. So - we were mentally ready to go home yesterday & David has tons of work to do following the conference & I'm checking emails remotely in order to keep an eye on what's happening at work.
But there are positives here -- We're together (always a plus), we're safe, we aren't cold or hungry & it's a story to tell. Additionally, my creative husband went out for snacks & I told him we needed cream for our coffee. He stopped at a small store with no cream - he bought french vanilla ice cream instead. Melted it makes a perfect creamer & we've enjoyed our morning coffee.
I also had a revelation. I've always struggled with why am I the way that I am. Why do I have such insatiable wanderlust? Why do I love fabrics (especially embroidered, vintage cloth)? Why do I still read my horoscope when I get the chance? Today I found the answer ~ Either I am (or have been in a previous life) a gypsy. It makes such sense (although I have no known Romanian ancestors). So - stay tuned to see if the gypsy in me shows up again ~Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11160724566385774288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884281082536984922.post-18165273979684277202012-11-25T19:10:00.000-05:002012-11-25T19:10:01.113-05:00David & Kim's Big AdventureBefore I go into the trials & tribulations of our recent trip I do want to entice you with a photo from our trip ~<br />
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One of my favorite people is in the floral business & asked that we take pictures of flower shops during our trip. It's ahrd to believe that this is on the street in Vienna.</div>
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Now I can tell you all about our recent adventure. We had tickets to fly from Newark, NJ to Berlin, Germany & on to Vienna, Austria on 10/31/12. Is anybody making the connection? Newark, NJ - 10/31/12..... That's right ~> Hurricane/SuperStorm Sandy week. Since we'd been watching the weather we figured that flying out of Newark would be a no-go. We contacted Lufthansa several times on Thursday, Friday & Saturday beforehand & said, "we are ready & willing to fly early, but we have to get to Vienna." Their response, "wait". Finally - on Saturday we decided that waiting was not the answer & we booked a flight on Aer Lingus from Boston to Vienna & planned to deal with Lufthansa later. Our trip over went smoothly (we did have to cancel our airport parking in Newark & find a hotel for the 1st half of the week in Vienna, but we made it work). Leaving our house on short notice was a little scary since we didn't know if our house would be hit by the storm or if we'd lose power, etc. We just had to believe that all would be ok. We arrived in Vienna & began exploring. The weather was cold, cold, cold, but we layered the clothes we had, figured out the public transportation & went all over lovely Vienna. On one day we decided to take a tour to Prague. It had been on my list of "places to see" & was everything I'd imagined. It's an enchanting place & I hope to return in the future.<br />
On Saturday we picked up the boat for our Danube River Cruise. The weather continued to be cold & dreary, but our spirits were high. We met several people on this trip that were both fun & funny & the time flew by. We traveled on the Danube from Vienna to Nuremberg. We would recommend a river cruise to anyone that wants an easy-going pace, lots of stops along the way & good views (when it wasn't foggy). <br />
After a week we disembarked & began our week in Bavaria. David was determined that every day would be an adventure & he was particularly interested in going to Lichtenstein. By the end of the week we'd covered Lichtenstein, Switzerland, Austria & pretty good chunk of Germany. He did lots of driving on the Autobahns & adjusted to the no speed limit as though he were born to it. The food was wonderful & filling.<br />
After an adventurous week in southern Germany it was time to head to Berlin. We had checked our flight from Berlin to Newark previously & it showed online as confirmed. The flight on 10/31 had taken off, but we wouldn't have been able to get to Newark with the roads/bridges being closed. When we arrived in Berlin we attempted to do online check-in (required within 24 hours of flying). The results - no reservation on file. OH NO! We called Lufthansa (in Germany) & I spoke to an agent that informed me we'd been "no shows" on the first leg of the ticket. As such - they had canceled our reservations. If we wanted to get on the flight they would sell us one way tickets at $2985. PER PERSON. I couldn't imagine that we were being asked to pay for tickets that we'd already purchased. She suggested that we just cancel the first reservation & book roundtrip tickets to Berlin & then not return. That wasn't going to work. I did my best to calmly explain about the storm & where we live in relation to Newark, NJ. She put me on hold a couple of times & finally came back to say that because of the storm - we could fly on our original reservation. I still have to plead our case with Lufthansa for a credit/refund for the first leg, but wanted to do it from the US.<br />
Our trip was an adventure from start to finish, but we came back with wonderful memories & our house weathered the storm. All of our family was able to reassure us (as we watched CNN from Vienna) that they were fine. Thank heavens for email.<br />
Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11160724566385774288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884281082536984922.post-4390599464222926492012-09-24T09:46:00.002-04:002012-09-24T09:46:32.061-04:00Santa cards using LaBlanche stampsI took a class last week with Donna Sledzik in CT. It's always loads of fun at any of her classes & I come away with new techniques. After the class I came home & remembered that I had 2 stamps made by the same stamp company (LaBlanche from Germany). I wanted to use what I had on hand. I found that I had almost everything I needed (with some substitutions for Distress Inks, etc) to create a similar card.<br />
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The card on the left was made with Donna. He's a jolly old elf. <br />
The card on the right was made with the stamp that I had on hand. To watch the demonstration by the LaBlanche representative using UTEE and Distress Ink nibs go to this link. <a href="http://simonsaysstampblog.blogspot.com/2012/08/lablanche-coloring-technique-video.html">http://simonsaysstampblog.blogspot.com/2012/08/lablanche-coloring-technique-video.html</a><br />
I'm thinking about making several of these cards to send out to David's clients. It's a very European image & has an Old World look that I love. The one detail I'll probably change is to take the Merry Christmas sentiment & cut it with a circle punch layered onto a slightly larger circle. I'm hoping to use up papers that I have on hand for the background.<br />
It's apple season here in New England and I made applesauce this morning & apple butter is simmering in the crockpot. The weather here has been a perfect "10" (70s during the day & cooler at night). I'm enjoying a day off & will be heading up to my scraproom to play with paper, but wanted to share these cards.<br />
Have a wonderful week!<br />
Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11160724566385774288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884281082536984922.post-7776385416584845462012-09-15T18:29:00.000-04:002012-09-15T18:29:13.790-04:00Fall Rhubarb & New WindowsWow -- time is really flying by. This morning I headed off to the Farmers Market with my dear friend DS. We both love to see "what's new" & today's find was Autumn rhubarb & fresh ginger. You know where I'm headed with this. Rhubarb Ginger Jam. It's on the schedule for tomorrow after an 8 am soccer game.<br />
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We've had contractors at our house all week installing new windows/doors. Here's the outside photo ~<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPOueJkbjPnzyxlAExVzK3zytbjxTC_fLWX91KsV80iEA8L7Y2IWfkXAQA1j7eDXK1NEN65vkPxohqo47jtsCuOQLg7FefPtEglfoCYt9splT_WY1VU2Mcox4ZTt8-RQTxBM6zWh4HvZM/s1600/new+windows+9.13.12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPOueJkbjPnzyxlAExVzK3zytbjxTC_fLWX91KsV80iEA8L7Y2IWfkXAQA1j7eDXK1NEN65vkPxohqo47jtsCuOQLg7FefPtEglfoCYt9splT_WY1VU2Mcox4ZTt8-RQTxBM6zWh4HvZM/s320/new+windows+9.13.12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>We took double-hung windows (that looked like the ones on the far left [garage that we're only going to modify by removing the mullions]) & replaced the large windows on the first floor (see contractor installing in my husband's office) as well as the doors/windows over on the far right of the first floor (livingroom) & above (master bedroom). The difference is amazing. We took a somewhat dark interior & opened it up to the outside (view of the lake we live on). Such fun, but now I have the challenge of finding window treatments (at least for the master bedroom). <br />
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My brother-in-law came over today & I wanted to make something sweet for him. I had been given a recipe from the woman at Cold Spring Orchard (UMass Orchard with wonderful fruits). It's so simple, but really quite nice . She called it:<br />
<br />
<strong><u>Crazy Crust Cake</u></strong><br />
13 x 9 pan (greased)<br />
2 c. flour<br />
2 c. sugar<br />
1 1/2 c. butter (melted)<br />
2 eggs <br />
spices according to fruit used<br />
fresh fruit (peeled & sliced enough to cover 2/3 of greased pan)<br />
<br />
Peel & slice fruit directly into 13 x 9 pan. Sprinkle with spices if desired (I used nutmeg & cinnamon sugar on apples)<br />
Mix flour, sugar, butter & eggs until smooth & pour over fruit. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top.<br />
Bake approximately 45 minutes until set. Delicious & so easy.<br />
<br />
I hope that everyone is enjoying one of the most beautiful times in the year. Autumn in New England is characterized by cool nights and those warm days that make you think winter isn't actually around the corner. The pace slows, the foods became a little more substantial & the kitchen smalls bring me right back to being a small girl in Grandma's kitchen.Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11160724566385774288noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884281082536984922.post-34638912028930864602012-08-26T12:58:00.000-04:002012-08-26T12:58:54.421-04:00Asian Pears, a Dritz Sewing Basket & other treasuresYesterday morning it was off to the Farmers Market. I have to say that the Saturday morning routine is one of my favorite ones. I was on the hunt for whatever the newest fruit was, but also planned to pick up some hot peppers to make Pepper Jelly for our friend, Mike. I'm not sure if he puts it on cream cheese & then crackers, but I know that he loves it. I'd make pickled vegetables the week before & used some beautiful hot, red peppers in it, so I was headed back to the same vendor. I've developed a pleasant customer relationship with this man since he's my source for beautiful tomatoes. From him I've purchased & canned Grenardo, San Marzano & Monica tomatoes. This week I picked up "Joe's" & the hot peppers. I purchased some pears from my plum farmer (Roundhill Orchard in Southampton, MA) & after buying some yummy morning scones/brioche & I went over to Hamilton Orchard. They had raspberries, but I wasn't really too interested in them. They had a small, crabapple-sized fruit & I had to ask. These were local Asian Pears. I think I'd seen larger, commercially-produced fruit in the supermarket, but wasn't sure what I could do with these gems. My morning pal, DS, told me that they were considered a cross between an apple & a pear & I should,"go for it" ... I purchsed about 4 pounds & brought them home. I hunted online for directions on how I could jam/jelly/conserve this fruit, but there wasn't much out there. Finally I found a recipe that I adjusted as follows: <br />
<strong><em><u>Asian Pear Jelly</u></em></strong><br />
Quarter the fruit & place in heavy pot with about 1/4 as much water. Start on low heat, but stir frequently so that it doesn't stick. As the fruit starts to soften add more water. Boil until fruit is mushy. I probably shouldn't have, but I did use my potato masher to gently break it up. While the fruit was cooking I took 4 layers of tea towel & wet it with boiling water. I placed the towel inside of my colander & the colander inside of a large Tupperware cake carrier lid & poured the mushy fruit into it. I placed the lid from the pan over the fruit & let it drain (without squeezing) until it cooled enough to place the entire parcel in the fridge. I let the fruit drip overnight.<br />
This morning I measured 4 cups of juice & checked my Certo insert for what percentage of sugar to use (there's no Asian Pear Jelly on the Certo insert, so I was just looking for approximates). I used 7 cups of white sugar & brought the juice, sugar & 1/2 tsp of butter to a boil. I added the liquid Certo, kept stirring for 1 minute & ladeled into my jars. I processed the jars in a water bath for 5 minutes. The yield was 8.5 half pints of jelly. The fruit juice had looked cloudy to begin with, but with the sugar after cooking it was a clear, light amber. <br />
On my way back from the Farmers Market I saw that St. Francis of Assisi was having their annual church sale on the Belchertown Town Common. Here's a disclaimer - I'm not good at flea markets, tag sales, estate sales, etc. because I have the attitude that if it's being sold, I want it & I think the price is fair I'm not going to negotiate price. The St. Francis of Assisi sale didn't allow any haggling, but had several tents & once I figured out that the items were sorted I had quite a good time. I picked up a beautiful teal Dritz Sewing basket in new condition. I don't think that a spool of thread was ever put inside of it. I also bought some crocheted edging pamphlets that I think I'll send to my friend, Gill. I found some children's books bundled into baggies for .50 that Emily can use for her classroom library. My favorite item was a beautiful tablecloth that I'm going to use on my table if I decide to sell jam at some point.<br />
Today we went to our youngest daughter's first soccer game. They lost 6:0, but we saw a little more hustle than last year. On the way back we stopped at the Hadley Flea Market. Please remember the earlier disclaimer -- well ~ I saw a framed print that matches some of the other hand-tinted photographs that I have. It was fairly inexpensive & I negotiated $1 less. Not great, but a good start. I then saw a container full of sewing items. I mean FULL - seam bindings, threads, etc. I was almost drooling --- I had been teased so much by my husband & daughter about my savvy negotiating skills that this time I was going to show them. I asked how much, offered him 1/2 & then he came back up. I told him that I didn't want the container, only the contents & he thought a bit. I took another look at the container & reconsidered my position - I brought the price midway between what he wanted & what I had originally offered & a deal was made. The box has a sticker on it, so I'm going to do a little research. Wouldn't it be funny if the box was worth more than the inside bits & baubles that I'd been after? How was your weekend?Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11160724566385774288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884281082536984922.post-44168957639498907652012-08-12T17:22:00.000-04:002012-08-12T17:22:28.768-04:00Summer Vacation - Day 1 - Peaches, Peaches & BeetsToday is (according to the calendar at work) the 1st day of my summer vacation. Well - almost. I'm actually going in to the office for 1/2 day on Wednesday & 1/2 day on Thursday. I have meetings that I don't want to miss & there's follow-up after a big meeting on Tuesday that needs to be done. Yes - someone else could do it, but I'd rather go in & take care of it.<br />
So - summer vacation day # 1 - how did I spend it? Yesterday - (like most summer Saturdays) started with a trip to the Farmers Market. I picked up DS & off we went - chatting as fast as we could & then taking in the smells & sights of the market. I knew that we were having about 20 people at our house for the afternoon & evening & I was drawn to more veggies than usual. I wanted to have fresh vegetables & dip, a big green salad with a beautiful buttermilk dressing (recipe from Yankee magazine & David pronounced it "his favorite" when he finally had salad today for lunch), a fresh tomato salad to highlight the amazing heirloom tomatoes available & next to 2 loaves of fabulous soudough-base bread. The main course was pizza, but I wanted to have the healthy stuff on the table, too. I had made a Georgia Special cake (late birthday cake per David's request), but worried that I'd need a 2nd dessert. Stay tuned for the 2nd dessert details (it's in the title & isn't beets).<br />
On the way home (after leaving my beet greens for the chickens & admiring 5 fabulous new puppies) I stopped by the orchard run by UMass in Belchertown. The sign said it opened at 10 & I was there at 9:45, but there were plenty of cars coming & going & I went in a few minutes early. The orchard store opens on August 1st, but we've had such a hot weather that the fruit is coming in quickly. Right now it's peaches, peaches, peaches. They had freestone peaches available (which are so much easier to use for jams, etc). I purchased a good size box of 2nds for $16. For my purposes they were just fine. I made a peach cobbler for the 2nd dessert. My Alabama sister-in-law & Texas son-in-law were quite happy with the results. I don't eat peaches at all so I can't say if it was good, but there's not much left.<br />
My stepdaughter has been here this week for visit before she moves to Utah. She asked if I'd teach her to make jam. I was up earlier than her so made a quick batch of peach jam to start the day (8 jars on the counter). She loves berries & I'd frozen blackberries when they were in season so that's what she made (8 jars on the counter), after she finished I was still looking at a lot of peaches so I made spiced peach jam (8 1/2 jars), & then saw that I had some local blueberries in the freezer to made blueberry peach jam [see recipe below] (8 1/2 jars). At this point - I wanted to use up the peaches, but didn't feel like making any more jam - 2 quarts of canned peaches added to the counter. The peaches have officially been used up. I picked up beets at the market yesterday & wanted to get them put up ~ 4 pounds of beets yielded 2 quarts using the recipe from the last time. I still have Fortune plums & a box of tomatoes to put up but that will be on day 2 of my vacation ;-)<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Grandma's Blueberry Peach Jam Recipe - Blueberries and peaches with a hint of cinnamon - Delicious! You might want to make an extra batch for gift giving.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3 cups fresh blueberries<br />
2 cups fresh peach slices<br />
1 package fruit pectin<br />
1/4 tsp. cinnamon<br />
7 cups sugar<br />
<br />
<br />
Crush berries </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">[note:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was using frozen blues & did not crush - kd] </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">and put in a medium saucepan. Cut the peach slices into pieces and grind in a food processor or food mill </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">[note:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did not grind up peaches – kd]; </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">add to the berries. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">[note:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I added the cinnamon, sugar & ½ t butter at this point]</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Mix fruit pectin and cinnamon into the fruit mixture and cook over high heat until mixture comes to a boil, stirring constantly. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">[note: I had added the cinnamon to the fruit & sugar & processed as I normally do using Certo – added after the mixture came to a full boil & cooking for 1 minute – kd]</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<br />
Add sugar all at once, bring to a full boil and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim and stir to remove foam. Ladle into hot jars and seal. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">[See above – kd]<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Yield:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>8 half pints & 1 quarter pint<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
Correction to my previous blog entry - they are not elephant EAR plums - they are elephant HEART plums. All of my jars are labeled wrong & I'm not correcting them.<br />
We cleaned up the house post-party, did 4 loads of laundry, ate some leftover tomato salad & helped unpack a new TV since it's tax-free weekend in Massachusetts. This doesn't feel like much of a vacation. <br />
I've got plans to go to several scrapbook stores on Tuesday with Mary C. & I'm taking a class that night. Right now it's looking to be the highlight of my week ~Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11160724566385774288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884281082536984922.post-35211218904872855152012-08-05T19:12:00.000-04:002012-08-05T19:12:07.216-04:00Pickled Beets - Red Velvet Cupcake Honey Jelly & a Mermaid<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ht8KatKspuUHqssdA8Vh9B6hEnU1QBc4kKb2PuUxz4_SKt5bkcVvOdhwgcgDeGy-TqSqjpy1lIbMyQjyfZhF-T_QWLiqONfmISg7XD0Xl4EPP_G0ufbOxAKJxZ7v8eaiWnXzjL6UmAM/s1600/Pickled+Beets+8.5.12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ht8KatKspuUHqssdA8Vh9B6hEnU1QBc4kKb2PuUxz4_SKt5bkcVvOdhwgcgDeGy-TqSqjpy1lIbMyQjyfZhF-T_QWLiqONfmISg7XD0Xl4EPP_G0ufbOxAKJxZ7v8eaiWnXzjL6UmAM/s200/Pickled+Beets+8.5.12.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> This is a photo of the pickled beets that I've just finished. Wondering about the colors? I bought beautiful organic beets & when they were cooked & peeled the inside was variegated. The recipe was interesting as it was different from my usual one. I wanted to can these beets & my regular recipe has jars of beets in the refrigerator. I bought 3 pounds of beets & the yield was 1 quart & 2 points. Here's the recipe I used:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ingredients</div><ul><li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient"> 5 1/3 cups distilled white vinegar</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient"> 4 cups white <a class="itxtrst itxtrsta itxthook" href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/canned-spiced-pickled-beets/#" id="itxthook0" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 102, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0.07em; color: #0066cc; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 1px; text-decoration: underline;"><span class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxthookspan" id="itxthook0w0" style="color: #0066cc; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">sugar</span></a></li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient"> 4 cups water</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient"> 2 tablespoons ground <a class="itxtrst itxtrsta itxthook" href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/canned-spiced-pickled-beets/#" id="itxthook1" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 102, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0.07em; color: #0066cc; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 1px; text-decoration: underline;"><span class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxthookspan" id="itxthook1w0" style="color: #0066cc; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">cinnamon</span></a></li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient"> 1 1/2 tablespoons <a class="itxtrst itxtrsta itxthook" href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/canned-spiced-pickled-beets/#" id="itxthook2" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 102, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0.07em; color: #0066cc; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 1px; text-decoration: underline;"><span class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxthookspan" id="itxthook2w0" style="color: #0066cc; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">salt</span></a></li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient"> 1 tablespoon ground cloves</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient"> 12 pounds beets, peeled and sliced</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient"> 6 1-quart canning jars with lids and rings</li>
</ul><div style="border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-top-style: dotted; border-top-width: 1px; margin-top: 20px; width: 300px;"></div><div class="directions" style="margin-top: 10px;"><h3> Directions</h3><ol><li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break"> In a large pot, mix the white vinegar, sugar, water, cinnamon, salt, and cloves together; bring the mixture to a boil, and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Stir in the beets, and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. </span></li>
<li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break"> Sterilize the jars, lids, and rings in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, pack the sliced beets into the hot, sterilized jars, and pour in the beet liquid to fill the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a sterilized knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings. </span></li>
<li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break"> Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 30 minutes. Add more time if you are at high altitude. </span></li>
<li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break"> Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool, dark area. </span></li>
</ol></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
I changed up this recipe a bit & here's my variation ~ I bought 3 pounds of beets (instead of 12) as they fit perfectly in my pressure cooker. Did you notice that the recipe doesn't have you cook the beets in a pressure cooker? I like my beets cooked holding as many nutrients in as possible. By cooking them via my preferred method I can then easily peel them (you cook with the skins on) by wearing rubber gloves & rubbing the beet skins off. I noticed that the recipe called for cooking the beets in the pickling liquid. Since I was changing how the beets & liquid came together I substituted 1 cup of the beet liquid from the pressure cooker for the water. [I divided the recipe by 4 based on the amount of beets I had]. The pickling liquid was exactly the right amount & 1 quart & 2 pints was ok as a yield for me.<br />
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I also wanted to try making a jam with wine & honey based on a recipe that I found. I bought Cupcake wine at the store & loved the variety - Red Velvet. When I found local honey I purchased a 32 ounce (2 pound) jar. It measured out to 3 cups exactly. Since the recipe calls for 3 1/2 cups of honey (with 2 cups of wine) I had to buy a smaller jar of honey, too. The jelly is lovely.<br />
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My sweet husband agreed to try jam if I could make it in a coffee cake. He'd seen breakfast danish in the store at almost $7.00 a box & knew that I could beat that price. I made a coffee cake with Blueberry Jam. Cross your fingers that this opens the door for him. He doesn't eat jam - at all. Ever. Can you imagine? I make jam every week of the summer & he has no interest. He didn't grow up eating pb & j so he has no interest in trying it now. <br />
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I'm also including a photo of a card that I made for my Tea Swap partner.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3EhbZfrVaSGPNmX2BZh1Jyd49JfmYnuYocdw9jQu6E8_mNQ90Eb4dPv3pHP7HWXODd74SyGEB5OKZP4MVf4-n5sDUxu4RXmSW_ixterbr_nsNFQh6toophXNstQ_RB3QNHbP46vbATJM/s1600/Tea+Swap+Aug+Kim+D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3EhbZfrVaSGPNmX2BZh1Jyd49JfmYnuYocdw9jQu6E8_mNQ90Eb4dPv3pHP7HWXODd74SyGEB5OKZP4MVf4-n5sDUxu4RXmSW_ixterbr_nsNFQh6toophXNstQ_RB3QNHbP46vbATJM/s320/Tea+Swap+Aug+Kim+D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The criteria for this card was that it was to reflect "where you live". I live next to a lovely Lake & decided that if rivers have sirens - our lake could have a mermaid. I love this little redhead & hope that my swap partner likes her, too. She's made with a Stampendous stamp that I colored with color pencils. I'd taken a class in CT & she was one of the cards we made. This is a fun class program as you get to bring home a stamp after each class. Now I can make as many mermaids as I like. Since we have an upcoming party & I want it to have a Pirate & Mermaid theme I think she'll be making a reappearance.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">How was your weekend? I worked on Friday so this is a short one for me. Tomorrow it's back to a long day at work.</div>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11160724566385774288noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884281082536984922.post-23574110840879319332012-07-30T16:02:00.000-04:002012-07-30T16:02:42.337-04:00Jam Photo - Elephant Ear, Peach Rhubarb, Ozark & Nectarine VanillaHere's a photo of the most recent jams (left to right) - Elephant Ear Plum jam, Peach Rhubarb jam, Ozark Plum jam & Nectarine Vanilla jam. YUM!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgthOYwBdQHrrsl0fxnu5wxC0XjqoaYfkyKbfsAkF-fXl0vDE26HheU-IP2AI3NIAnfczryMLNU32SpldjnJZxdf6D1_NLZQfdeCi9eDj18rly9BQQf7xlq5rs5l1nAnSpn8Ad0aAYuCqc/s1600/Jam+7.29+-+7.30.12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgthOYwBdQHrrsl0fxnu5wxC0XjqoaYfkyKbfsAkF-fXl0vDE26HheU-IP2AI3NIAnfczryMLNU32SpldjnJZxdf6D1_NLZQfdeCi9eDj18rly9BQQf7xlq5rs5l1nAnSpn8Ad0aAYuCqc/s320/Jam+7.29+-+7.30.12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11160724566385774288noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884281082536984922.post-33207405352222697732012-07-29T21:08:00.001-04:002012-07-29T21:13:12.418-04:00Weekend Fun - Cards, Peaches, Plums & HusbandI love weekends like this past one. It was full of all sorts of my favorite things & it got started bright & early on Friday. Miss Mary & I made plans to leave at 7:30 a.m. on Friday to visit 2 scrapbooking stores as part of our Summer Passport event. We paid $10 in early July & that gave us 20% off 8 different stores throughout New England. We'd been to the first one on Thursday night when we took a Christmas in July class (4 GREAT cards) & now we were off to see 2 more stores. Our destination was Absolutely Everything in Topsfield, but someone had suggested that we could stop at InkAboutIt during the same trip. David (knowing traffic patterns) said that we should switch up our route so that we wouldn't be on 95 during rush hour (smart man!) We had a delish breakfast & off we went. We really were lucky as we arrived about 15 minutes before the store opened & marched in ready to shop. The store has $1 Make n Takes & has them on Fridays during the summer. We each made 9 cards & a bookmark. Great deal! After we left InkAboutIt we headed off to Absolutely Everything. It really is a good thing that this store is 2 hours away. I came home with all sorts of loot. Put my 20% discount to good use & picked up some things on Clearance.<br />
On Saturday morning I picked up DS at 7:15 (so that she could be back to work for 8:30) & we were off to the Farmers Market in Amherst. This market is so well-organized & has such beautiful products. I came home with 2 new plum varieties (Elephant Ear & Ozark) to turn into jam. The Elephant Ear jam might rival Formosa for loveliest color, but I haven't tasted either & isn't that what jam is all about? I'd been given rhubarb by a coworker so I knew that was still waiting to be used, too. I also picked up a small box of tomato seconds & made 5 1/2 quarts of tomatoes for sauce before I was off to CT.<br />
Right around lunchtime I left home to pick up my husband from the airport. He'd been in Denver for a week & I missed him terribly. His plane was a little late, but I was there with my sign (looking like a chauffeur). My sign was made with the kids' magnetic letters & spelled out "My Fisherman". There was only one passenger that fit that description. I made 10 jars of Elephant Ear Plum jam & 11 jars of Ozark Plum jam after we returned from dinner. <br />
Today I went to the Hardwick Farmers Market & came home with nectarines & peaches. I knew that I was going to make jam, but wanted to use up the rhubarb, too. The internet came to my rescue (not an easy search but I'm persistent) with a recipe for Peach & Rhubarb jam. It had 1 flaw - it used powdered pectin & I only have liquid. I followed the directions re: amounts of fruit & lemon juice & cooked & cooked. I'd read in the description that the author added red food coloring because otherwise it was a yucky green color. I couldn't imagine adding food coloring to my pristine jams, but thought I could add some of the Elephant Ear plums & it might be just enough to color it. My next thought was that since I was using liquid pectin I was pretty sure that 2 c. of sugar wasn't going to be enough. Hmmmm... what to do? No easy answers for this question. I went back to the Certo insert & looked at the quantities of peaches for peach jam & it was the same amount of fruit so I used the recommended amount of sugar & my fingers are crossed. 9 1/2 jars of Peach & Rhubarb jam are cooling on the center island. I still have nectarines to use, but I've swapped Monday for Friday this week in terms of work so I might be able to get 1 batch of jam done in the afternoon. Phew -- a lot of driving, a lot of shopping, husband home & jam, jam, jam ... What a wonderful life!Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11160724566385774288noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884281082536984922.post-48697631347486913672012-07-23T19:36:00.000-04:002012-07-23T19:36:44.231-04:00Prettiest Jam Award - Formosa PlumIf there were an award for "prettiest in show" for the jams I've made this summer tonight's bevy of beauties would win. I made Formosa Plum jam tonight after work. I'm exhausted from not sleeping well & getting up early to work a long day, but the 9 jars of jam on my counter soothe my weary soul. Unfortunately, it's too late & they're too hot for me to take a picture. I'll try to do it tomorrow. It's been cloudy today so I'd really like some sun shining through the deep magenta hue of this jam. Oh dear - waxing poetic over jam jars - again! Time to go read for a little bit & then fingers crossed that I sleep better tonight.Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11160724566385774288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8884281082536984922.post-8216265068657800802012-07-22T14:24:00.002-04:002012-07-22T14:24:46.454-04:00Queen Anne's Lace Jelly Recipe - from Cooks.Com<div align="center"><img alt="COOKS.COM RECIPE SEARCH ENGINE" height="36" src="http://img.cooks.com/i/kabel.gif" /></div><br />
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<tr> <td> <div class="title" style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">QUEEN ANNE'S LACE JELLY OR FLOWER JELLY</div><div style="color: black; font-weight: bold;">Printed from COOKS.COM</div><hr noshade="" /> <div style="display: none;"><br />
Read more about it at www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,181,152174-246203,00.html<br />
Content Copyright © 2012 Cooks.com - All rights reserved. </div><!-- --><!-- QUEEN ANNE'S LACE JELLY OR FLOWER JELLY --> <div style="color: black; padding-left: 20px;">Jar full of flower heads<br />
Boiling water<br />
Juice of 1 lemon<br />
Certo or Sure Jell<br />
3 c. sugar</div><br />
<div style="color: black;">For violet, lilac, rose petal, Queen Anne's Lace, milkweed, clover, elderberry, dandelion, carnation, peony or any edible sweet smelling flower: make an infusion by pouring boiling water over jar full of flower heads. (On roses or peonies cut off white parts on petals.) Let stand at least 5 hours or overnight. Strain and for every 2 1/2 cups of infusion add juice of lemon and 1 package of Sure Jell or Certo. Bring to boil, add 3 cups sugar and boil hard 1 minute. Place piece of flower in jar for identification (you may opt not to do this). Pour in jelly and seal. If you use honey instead of sugar, add 1 1/2 cups honey at the end because honey loses its nutritional value when boiled. This jelly is nice to serve with English muffins at tea or breakfast. It's fun to collect the blossoms on a pleasant summer walk.</div></td></tr>
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