Wade Creek House is OPEN!

Jimmy and I went for a drive and found that a favorite little shop was open! We wore our masks, they provided lots of hand sanitizer and we stayed away from people. It was soooo fun to go into a store.

The day was very wet and stormy but stayed dry while we were at the store.

Jimmy sitting on the porch!

This sweet little building used to be a chicken coop. I missed the chickens, but it's really a cute little booth with garden goodies!

There 's a large building out in the back. There were some cute displays this time. I think there is a new owner who had made some nice changes.

I really liked the little red hutch! Good thing I didn't have any place to put it...lol.

We found some cute things for flower containers. I loved the tea kettle.

I chose some bright yellow and orange flowers as those are the colors I use in the backyard. The front is done in pinks and purples.

The finished projects! I will share more about the in another blog post.
Stay safe during these crazy times.

Blog Catch Up!

It's been busy at my home! I haven't been blogging due to other projects that have been waiting. I decided to catch up with a post to show some of my fun projects.
Jimmy and I have both been trying to finish up our gardening. My friend gave me this little rose from her rose from Tasha Tudor's garden in Vermont. My first one died and she graciously gave me a second one to try again. It's doing well this year. Can you see the little rose blooming? So exciting.

After some gardening, I decided to finish up a doll and make her an outfit. There was a doll shoppe in Vermont called the Enchanted Dollhouse. They used to sell these little china head dolls. You would make the body and her dress. There were 5 doll kits made. They are dated and named on the back of their breast plate. They are cute, nothing real special, but fun. Several Tasha fans have a collection of these. So this is Nell and it was time to finish her. My friend Carla has Sally and she made her undies out of the same fabric as the dress fabric. I thought it would be fun, even if it isn't traditional.

I love the tiny lace on her pantaloons and slip!

Working on the puffy sleeves and bodice with some antique lace.

Her's Nell in her new dress. I think she is quite happy with it.

This is my Meg doll. I made this dress for her last November. I love the fabric. I am waiting for Emma to arrive from Etsy. I'm not sure if I will like the fabric of her outfit, so I may be working on another one SOON!

For Mother's Day, my daughter Gina gave me a gift card from Etsy. It was so fun looking and thinking about what I wanted to spend my money on! I was wanting a cradle for the little baby doll I posted a few weeks ago. I love the little scenes painted on the bed. Thank you Gina!

It also has little design and wooden knobs on the sides.

Baby Phyllis loves here new bed! She can sit up in it or take a nap. She just fits perfectly in it.

Isn't is just the cutest?!

 A lovely lady in Florida found my blog and sent me an email. She wanted to know if I would like this book. It's a classic and I was happy to get it! I wanted to pay for postage and she wouldn't let me. So sweet from a lady I have never met! Blogger friends are just so wonderful and do such unexpected things.

She also sent some goodies that she had made and a couple other dolly booklets.

She does such beautiful work. Thank you so much Maria.
So, that's what has been keeping me busy this week. I hope you are doing well and taking baby steps to return to a few things as we reopen. Stay safe. 

Happy Mother's Day

Wishing all my blogger friends a very HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

It's been a busy week and I haven't had much time for blogging. The sun was with us for about 3 lovely days. I got my flowers planted and Jimmy got his veggies in. We should have LOTS of tomatoes. It's been raining all day today...buckets and even some thunder and lightening. We sure didn't have to water the new plants!

It's azalea time in the Pacific Northwest. They are all in bloom right now. I didn't loose any of my azaleas this winter!

I had to replant the flower been under my front window.  I call it my Tasha Tudor garden. Tasha loved crows and every time I hear a crow, I say hello Tasha! I have crows tucked into my little garden.

I love petunias. This is a newer one that I first bought a few years back. I have to have one every year. I do love the colors!

My little fairy girl has been watching over my front flower beds for many years. I love the forget-me-nots at this time of the year. I'm not sure where they will pop up and that's part of the fun.

I do enjoy gardening and love the fresh look that spring time brings.

I will be going to Vermont on Wednesday for a very special Tasha Tudor event. I'm getting excited.

Happy Mother's Day! 

Tea Time Thursday #74

The sun is shining and the temperatures are warming up daily! Happy Tea Time Thursday. It's almost May, so my thoughts turn to planting my flowers gardens. Jimmy got his veggies in yesterday and is quite pleased about that.

My pretty floral teacup is sitting in my seed box that was a birthday present one year from Jimmy. We both fell in love with it out in Aurora and so it came home to live in Troutdale.

The graphics are so bright and I love that it is not too large. I'm sure it sat on a counter tempting customers to take home some packages of seeds.

I have a small collection of old seed packages and think it fun to display them in the open box. I'm always on the hunt for some older packs.

I picked up this cup and saucer last weekend at an estate sale. It is just soooo perfect for spring. Our daffodils and tulips are done blooming this year, but  there's always next year!

It's trimmed in gold, but the handle is painted a soft green and I like that!

The fine bone china cup and saucer is made by Salisbury and named "Tulips and Daffodils". It is made in England and is waiting for tea time!

I just love to look at the graphics on the vintage seed packs and seed catalogs. Just so charming.

So I'm going to have a cup of tea now and dream awhile about planting my flower garden. I always like to look at pictures and garden plans before I make that first trip to the garden center, but it will be very soon!

Tea Time Thursday #46~Books, Bees and Mint

Jim and I sit outside most mornings when we have out coffee and lately I have been watching the bees go crazy in my mint. I let most of my herbs flower, just for the bees. I have let the mint take over one area too where nothing else really likes to grow. I love to brush by the bushes and smell the mint.

This is an illustration by Wayne Anderson of the mint fairy in a book called THE MAGIC CIRCUS.
He is a British illustrator who does a lot of children's books. I love his work and need to explore his art.

I love that she has one foot on a lovely bee.

Look closely and you will see a bee on the mint flower. I tried to get a bee or two in each photo. My daisies are done in the front yard, but a few are still flowering in the back with the mint.

I have a pumpkin plant that has gone crazy and is growing up into the mint. It would be fun to get a couple pumpkins.

I spy a pumpkin under the rose bush! I will have to watch it. Maybe the fairies will protect it!

I picked ups some fun books a few weeks ago at an Estate sale. I was excited as I found some that I didn't own. The lady was a tea person as you can tell.

Years ago I read all of Jan Karon's Mitford books and just loved them all. I was sad when I had read all the books in the series. I not a strong reader but I so enjoyed them. If you have read her books, you know they are always talking about food, so she put out this cookbook. I have checked it out from the library but at $2 I decided to take it home. It's a lovely book and filled with great recipes...very enjoyable.

I decided to share her recipe from the book for CYNTHIA'S HEAVENLY TEA.....

3 Lipton family-size teabags, tags removed
2 sprigs fresh mint leaves, plus mint sprigs for garnish
1 cup granulated sugar
1 (6 oz can) frozen lemonade, thawed
2 (11 1/2 oz) cans apricot nectar
6 tsp almond extract

Place the teabags and the mint in a pottery or glass pitcher and pour in 2 cups of cold water. Bring a kettle with 3 cups water to a rolling boil. Pour the boiling water over the teabags and cover the pitcher with a small plate. Steep for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove the teabags and the mint leaves. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Stir in the lemonade, apricot nector, almond extract, and 3 more cups of cold water. Serve over ice and garnish with a fresh mint sprig.

Makes about 10 cups

There's still a bit of summer left to enjoy some ice tea and use your fresh mint leaves from your herb garden. I don't have Lipton tea in my house, so would probably just use a nice black tea.

Happy Tea Time Thursday!