Sleepy Owls

I just love this coffee mug set from the 70s. Sleepy Owls.... There are 6 ceramic mugs and a Creamer and a Sugar cup with lids.   I love that they are two sided~ a sweet little owl to see from the front and the back of the mug.   

Creamer and Sugar Set with the lid

Farmer's Market Produce Season is Here!!

I love having a neighbor that grows and sells for the Farmer's Market.   The hardest part trying to catch him before he has left for the market.  Today I picked up cabbage, eggplant, red and white onions, zucchini, and cucumbers...

Last night I used the Eggplant in one of my Favorite things to make~ Eggplant Parmigiana.
I did not have mozzarella so I used a combination of Ricotta and shredded cheddar mix.  I added a ton of fresh basil from my herb garden.. It turned out great!  Not Traditional but still very good.


I followed this recipe as a guide but made so many substitutions according to what I had in my fridge~ Did I mention with two very hungry teenage boys there is never any food on hand.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alexandra-guarnaschelli/eggplant-parmigiana-recipe.html

Eggplant Parmigiana with Cheddar and Ricotta Cheese

Fun Painted Chair Project

After 

Before

Farmhouse Coffee Table and End Tables

This was a great table set to freshen up with some paint.  I had the set sitting in my studio for awhile ~ I just had to find the time to get them painted.  Several people who had visited my studio noticed them and even commented on how ugly the pine tables were.  Just a couple coats of my favorite chalk/mineral paint and hardly any prep work involved and they turned out Beautiful!  

Before

July Junk Market went Great!

We had a Beautiful Day Yesterday. Great weather for July!

Beautiful Set of Blue Vintage Luggage

Love this Set of suitcases from the 60's. They are in mint condition and have never been used!  I just love how they stack so nicely! 

Painting projects this week!

Antique High Chair Cleaned up with a Little Hemp Oil

I love the character that this antique high chair has. Beautiful finish and shape for how old this is.  All it needed was cleaning and a coat of hemp oil. I brushed on a thin coat of  Miss Mustard Seed's hemp oil and then wiped away the excess.  

Just a little Paint Brightened up this Vintage Chair

I love this color of Chalk/Mineral paint.  Azure by Pure Earth Paint! 

Antique Desk Chair Milk Paint Make-Over in Trophy

One Coat of Milk Paint

Before 

I found this Antique Desk chair in need of rescuing!  I love the style and it is solid oak; but had a very stained seat and the wood was very dry.  I cleaned and sanded it well before I painted it with two coats of Trophy Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint.  The chair soaked it right up.  I got a little bit of chipping on the seat.  I distressed the painted chair and then finished it Miss Mustard Seed's wax both dark and clear.

Coffee Table in Paris Grey

Love this large coffee table.  Painted with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Paris Grey and Pure White.  The Stenciling on the top of the table took quite a while to do.  I used a  combination of clear and dark wax to finish the coffee table. 

Potting Table in Luckett's Green

Loved Freshening up this Antique table that I found along the curb.  Very Rustic! Very Dirty!


I stained the entire table with Curio milk paint mixed as a stain and let that soak in and set for a few days.  I finally found some time to finish this up this weekend.  I had to add a few nail to tack down the large boards that make the top of the piece.  I loved the character the top had with a few paint splatters and worn spots.  Makes it just Perfect to use as a work table or to display plants!
I just finished the top with a few coats of hemp oil.
I wanted a good vintage garden green for the base.  I also wanted a chippy worn look to.  So the perfect choice was Luckett's Green Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint.  I applied a very think streaky coat of hemp oil to sections of the table prior to painting it with the milk paint.  This allowed the paint to come off in a few places to allow the brown to show through.  I only applied one thick coat of luckett's green to this piece to acheive the look that I was going for.  After sanding and distressing, I then finished the entire piece with hemp oil.

Oak Armoire Re-Loved in Old White

Finished up this piece last week before the July 4th Holiday.  It took several coats of Annie Sloan Old White to cover, but I do love the Transformation.

A Very Large Coffee Table Re-do

Painted with a mix of Annie Sloan chalk paint and finished with a mix dark wax and clear wax.

Super Fast & Easy Salmon Salad~ enhanced with Dill Essential Oil

Salmon Salad

8 ounce package of cream cheese

2 Tablespoons Mayo

Sea salt

pepper

garlic powder

dill weed

a few drops of dill essential oil

1 onion chopped

3 stalks of celery chopped

2 cans of Canned Salmon~ We like the Pink Salmon from Costco~ Drained

Place cream cheese in a glass mixing bowl and warm in the microwave for 30 seconds.  Stir until smooth and add the mayo and the seasonings to taste.  I added 3 to 4 drops of dill essential oil.  I love adding this oil to savory dishes it really gives a great fresh dill taste.    Next, add the rest of the ingredients.  Serve in tortillas or as a Topping over Greens.  Super fast Summer Supper.

Love this Lane Mid-Century Table

Such Beautiful Detail in this end table from the 1960s.  The top had a few marks and stains.   I could see that the top was solid wood with beautiful detail underneath a layer of varnish.  So I decided to apply a thick coat of a natural varnish remover and let it sit for overnight.  The next morning, I carefully cleaned off the top by gently scraping and cleaning it.  It came out really beautiful.  I will probably just go over the top with a flat poly to protect it.  I am so glad I did not paint over this beautiful detail.  Did I mention? ~ The table was a free rescue project!

Before and After FarmHouse End Tables

Ricotta Pizza Cheese

Making Homemade Pizza is nearly a weekly thing at our house.  It is fast, easy and a great way to use up fresh produce and herbs from the garden.. We returned from vacation and had no cheese, but I did have a container of Ricotta cheese.  Adding the spices and herbs to the Ricotta cheese really made a great topping!  

Ricotta Pizza Cheese: 

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat. Combine 8 ounces of whole milk ricotta cheese, 1 tablespoon butter, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper in a microwave-safe bowl. Warm in the microwave for 30 seconds before adding as a topping to the pizza.  Adding a tiny drop of essential oils such as basil, oregano, or rosemary is great too.