Pink Card And Pink Sugar~

Funny how one thing leads to another! Today I decided to make a card for Pink Saturday.
My friend Cindy sent me a tea themed die cut and I thought it was perfect for a 'thinking of you' card, so I took out some pink paper, Liquid Pearls,and my paper trimmer and went to work. Here is the card I created~

The flower matches well in person, but looks more coral pictured above. I used black & white  bakery string, Prima crystals, and a Tim Holtz stamp for the sentiment. I also used Quick Quotes pink ink on the edge of the die cut, then headed into the adjoining bathroom to wash my inky fingers. This bathroom is actually my daughter's bathroom...it is a 'Jack and Jill' set up with her bedroom and my ScrapRoom attatched to one bathroom. When I was standing at the sink I took a cursory glance around and noticed quite a few pink items! My silly sense of humor kicked in...so I thought I'd share some of the pink items a teen uses before heading out the door for the day~

Let's see...hair product, nail polish, headphones. Oh! And Pink Sugar perfume! Mmmm, it smells so yummy like vanilla sugar cookies. It is young, fresh and fun. And THAT got me to thinking about how to make pink sugar! Ever read the book If You Give A Mouse A Cookie ?

If so, you know where I am going with this. lol~ It is a charming story about all the things you will end up doing if you give a mouse a cookie. My daughter enjoyed this book when she was little because that  mouse sure kept the boy in the story busy with one thing after another. Well, after my foray into the teen bathroom~ I made it out without tripping on the hair dryer cord!~ I went into the kitchen to try making pink sugar. Online instructions say to either use paste, liquid or powdered food coloring. I am a cake decorator and I always have paste food coloring on hand, so that is what I used. The paste food coloring worked well on granulated sugar, but did not work as well on the turbinado, or 'sugar in the raw'. Mix the food coloring into the sugar with a fork at first, then crumble and mix with your fingertips. Bonus? You will now have pink fingertips! Spread on a plate and let dry for an hour. Voila! Pink sugar for your tea.

I am sharing this post with Beverly at How Sweet The Sound~

Farmer's Rose~

Breakfast and teatime are my favorite meals of the day ~ One nice thing about summer mornings is the time I have to prepare something to eat without rushing. Once school begins, the mornings are hurried and spent watching the clock.

In this most relaxed quarter of the year, I find myself pulling out my recipes for Dutch Babies, Popovers, Pecan Pancakes and Scones. I have several reliable cookbooks I turn to frequently and one of them is Baking Illustrated. So this warm sunny morning, I leisurely came downstairs wearing my comfortable beat-up Keds and put on an apron. (nice look, eh? lol) There is something about wearing an apron while cooking that I find so pleasant. The pretty fabric, the useful pockets... I think the 'nest builder' in me enjoys this little act of feathering!
  

I made a batch of scones, trimmed some strawberries and got a pot of tea steeping right away.

Here, my daughter is brushing the tops with egg to make them bake up golden brown. You can sprinkle a bit of sugar~ I use turbinado~ on the tops if you like.

They were piping hot. Time for breakfast! I used my Farmer's Rose teacup today. Farmer's Rose Pattern is Norway's oldest and most beloved china pattern. It's based on the rosemaling heritage of the Telemark Province, where the factory is located. Made of feldspar porcelain with a 24 karat gold rim, this pattern sets a beautiful formal and informal table.

Here is the bottom of the cup~ It says Porsgrund, Norway.

The pattern is colorful and reminds me of folk art we saw in the Pennsylvania Dutch area of the United States.

I like to mix patterns and find the combination charming, so I am using one of my favorite luncheon size plates for my scone.

I found this plate at a Royal Doulton outlet store. I love the fruit and the cottage on it.

A dollop of jam and some Tabasco for my eggs and I was all set!

Oatmeal Scones from Baking Illustrated

1 and 1/2 cup oats, 1/4 cup milk, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 1 egg,  1 and 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup sugar (more for sprinkling if desired), 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter. Oven at 375 degrees. Toast oats on baking sheet until fragrant and lightly brown/ 7 minutes. Cool. Increase oven temp. to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Set aside 2 tablespoons of toasted oats. Whisk milk, cream and egg in measuring cup; remove 1 tablespoon to a small bowl for glazing before baking. Place flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in food processor fitted with metal blade and pulse 4 times briefly. Scatter butter evenly over ingredients and process until the mixture resembles cornmeal, 12-14 quick pulses. Transfer mix to medium bowl, stir in cooled oats. Fold in liquid ingredients until large clumps form. Using hands, gently knead mixture until it forms cohesive mass. Dust work surface with half of the reserved oats, turn the dough onto work surface, and dust top with remaining oats. Gently pat dough into seven inch circle, about one inch thick (1"x7"). Using chefs knife, cut dough into 8 wedges and set on parchment two inches apart. Brush surface with reserved milk/egg mix and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until golden, 12-14 minutes, cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then place scones on wire rack to cool.

Sharing Farmer's Rose breakfast with~

Rose Chintz Tea Time Tuesday  

Martha's Favorite TeaCup Tuesday  

Teacup Thursday  

Tabletop Tuesday  

TeaCup Tuesday at Artful Affirmations  

Lady Katherine's Tea Time Tuesday 

Teapot and Tea Things Tuesday 

A Return to Loveliness  

Tablescape Thursday  

  

Halloween Giveaway~ Alpha Stamps

ALPHA STAMPS is having a Giveaway and a Challenge. Win their fabulous Hocus Pocus Halloween Kit  and have your art featured on the Alpha Stamps’ blog! Enter up to 3 of your original designs into the Halloween Giveaway Challenge!
The Rules:  Create up to 3 pieces of Halloween-themed art using at least 1 Alpha Stamps’ rubber stamp or collage sheet image in each entry. (Did I mention that all the Halloween Collage Sheets are now on sale?!)

Here is the give-away stuff! Perfect for Halloween mini albums, atc's or a scrapbook page of your little trick-or-treaters ~

Pink, Planting & Pets..well, sort of!

My husband is the best...he is always thinking a step ahead to do little things for me, such as print out directions, or wash my car windshield, or get everything ready for me to do a bit of gardening.

Like today...he set the plants we recently purchased, a trowel, a kneeling pad with gloves and some mulch out near the front planter. All I had to do was go outside and get the plants into the soil! Did I mention he's the best? There is a birdbath in the center of the front planter where I was working today. The planter is near the entrance of our home, and we like to keep it blooming and welcoming. I planted some Lobelia in front because it is low growing.

There are three Carnation plants already established and they grow to about ten inches tall, but the neighborhood rabbits won't stop nibbling the blossoms, so they are devoid of flowers just now....except for the few blooms too tall for bunnies to reach!lol~ 
I also planted Coneflower (echinacea purpurea). It is such a pretty shade of pink and I love how its petals bend back.

The information tag that was stuck in the pot with the Coneflower says it is deer resistant...we have no deer, but I hope it is bunny resistant!

Next, I planted an Arizona Sun Blanket Flower (Gaillardia). It is an unusual new perrenial with striking pink, red & yellow flowers. It is supposed to be easy to grow, drought tolerant and attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies. Look at that rich pink color!

When I finished  planting, I noticed a little lizard on the low wall watching me. He did not run away!

In fact, he studied me and proceeded to come closer. He climbed down the wall, hopped onto the soil and trotted just 10 inches from my knees... I was still kneeling, then he cocked his head to look up at me like dogs do when they are curious!! I was amazed! After a brief look at me, he ran across the soil and back up the wall into the sun.

The plants need to grow and spread out, but soon the small planter will be full of blooms. And when Fall arrives the Chrysanthemums will really take off~ 1 Peter 4: 9-10

                        
Gardens are a form of autobiography.  ~Sydney Eddison,
                          Horticulture magazine, August/September 1993

Sharing this post with  Pink Saturday~
Please visit Miss Char and see her pitcher of lemonade!

Sweets for the Sweet~

I just found out I am the recipient of this blogging award from my sweet friend Kelly! I met her at Scrapbook. com and have been inspired by her design, attention to detail and fabulous sense of humor. Oh, and even better, she is a tea drinker....EXTRA Brownie points, Kelly!! lol~ Visit her blog, Keely Creates, for a peek at her gorgeous scrapbook pages and to get your daily chuckle.

To accept this award I am supposed to list seven bloggers who have inspired me; a tough feat because in this crafting realm which I enter when signing into Blogger, there are dozens of creative, inspirational, and charming blogs written by warm generous women! One of my dearest friends also received this Sweet Blog Award from Kelly, so I will exempt her from the seven for now but she inspires me daily. Patty, thank you for your evergreen friendship. You are a kindred spirit, my 'partner in crime.' Here are my seven choices in no particular order, and I hope you have the chance to visit these blogs. You'll be glad you did~ Miss Kathy at The Writer's Reverie is a joy. Dawn is a mother of nine and makes beautiful scrapbook pages. Pam at Faery Rocks just bought a dress form to decorate her creative space. Angela at Penny Stamper shares vintage images and designs stamps. Terri at Artful Affirmations is visiting England and always shares gorgeous teacups with us. Denise has a new grandson and told me where to find the brick stamp I love to use when I'm inking! Last but not least, I love to visit Altered Alice for inspiration.
Here are some weird, wacky facts about me;
* I love bees and bee skeps...the charm, the industry, the honey! ("Oh, bother!" says Pooh bear) I have kept a bee skep in my yard for the past 20 years, usually sitting in the herb bed. bzzzzz......

* I will not eat sweet pickles...one word, ick! Give me a crunchy dill~ You may all share my portion of sweet pickles on this planet.

* I love good children's books and reread my favorites regularly. You will find copies of The Hobbit, From the Mixed Up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, Anne Of Green Gables, Mr. Putter And Tabby Pour The Tea, The Gawgon And The Boy and more on my shelves.

*I studied Urusenke for three years with my wonderful sensei and performed tea ceremonies in public wearing an authentic kimono and obi. I had the priviledge to see the Grand Tea Master when he visited the United States.

* I do not watch much television, but I will sit down to watch David Tennant ~ the 10th Doctor~ in an episode of  Doctor Who.

And guess what? The Doctor drinks tea!!

Home baked Cookies~

My daughter, Miss R., decided to bake cookies yesterday afternoon, which was fine by me! I'm not one to turn down home made chocolate chip cookies. I'm a baker and cake decorator from way back and she has picked up my cooking hints  and knowledge. A few years ago she went to a friend's birthday party and was in the kitchen while her friend was quickly trying to frost her birthday cake and struggling with the task. Miss R offered to help and deftly snatched up the icing spatula and completed the cake with a flourish! Anyway, for this batch of cookies she used the food processor to grind dry oats and chocolate chips together to mix with the flour. I love the flavor and texture of this combo much better than plain-flour 'Toll House' cookies.
When the cookies were cool, we took a plateful over to the tea table.

We used my Victorian Chintz cups and lunch plates while the strawberry tea cozy I made went on the teapot. My husband bought this sweet set of dishes for me when we were newly married. See the big roses? I'd love to add to it as I only have a creamer, sugar bowl, two cups with saucers and two luncheon plates. It is just right, however, for Miss R and me.

I prefer this style of cozy because I do not need to remove it to pour the tea. There is elastic at the bottom and it ties at the top with ribbon.

 I love the red and white of this pattern. It looks fabulous mixed with blue and white accessories for July, or all white for Valentine's Day.

              Here is the recipe Miss R used yesterday~It can be halved for a smaller batch.
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies
2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar and 1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 and 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3 cups uncooked oats
1+ cup chocolate chips (or you could use raisins)
Our Favorite Tip~ Grind 1 cup oats and 1/3 cup chocolate chips in a food processor together. Set aside.
Beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla, mix. Combine flour, baking soda and ground oat mixture and stir into egg mixture. Add oats and remaining chocolate chips. (or raisins)
Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet, then remove to wire rack. About 4 dozen. Bar Cookies: bake 30 minutes in ungreased 13x9 metal baking pan.
******************************************************************
Sharing Cookies and tea with me are:
Terri and everyone at Teacup Tuesday
Martha
Trisha
Snap
Miss Kathy
Miss Spenser

What, me a tea snob?

I have been to many a 'tea house' and often they are either elegant (which sometimes translates to not very relaxing) or over the top 'quaint' (which translates to big hats, lace, frills and uncomfortable husbands) but few actually know how to make proper tea. Those that do prepare a proper cuppa stand out! Now when I say a proper cuppa, I mean using quality loose tea, the correct water temperature for that tea, and timed steeping to produce the best the leaves have to offer. It is disheartening to order a pot of tea only to discover a teabag immersed in lukewarm water hanging by its paper tab. Sure, I use teabags occasionally. There are companies that fill their bags with the 'good stuff'. Quality teabags are convenient for travel, eating out, camping, picnics, etc. However, Afternoon Tea can be as much as $30 per person and for that price I expect my money's worth. Which means good tea, hot water, and correct steeping time. I won't be mollified by lace curtains and cute tarts if the tea itself is unpalatable. Ok...I can imagine you are thinking, "what a tea snob!" Ha ha! Guilty as charged! But if you love fresh ground coffee, excellent wine, slow cooked home made oatmeal, or your mama's lasagna from scratch you know what I mean. Rushed, quick, short-cuts and instant just doesn't cut it! And that is what most tea bags are~ instant tea.

My friend was celebrating a birthday and we decided to try a fairly new place called the The Tranquil Tea Lounge in Fullerton, California. 

The shop features more than 95 varieties of loose-leaf tea and the staff know how to prepare a good cup for you! There are tea samples in small glass containers so you can see and smell before you make a selection.

Behind the counter are rows of tea containers. You may purchase tea to take home with you. The day we went the shop was hopping with customers, so we had to wait for a table as they only take reservations for large parties. We sat in a small lounge area on a  sofa and looked through the menu while chatting, then were directed to a small table.
If you choose to have your tea on ice it is served with a side carafe for refills. If you choose hot tea as I did, it will be prepared in front of you at the table and the staff will let you know when it is finished steeping~ they have timers for each table that they monitor, and they return to your table to remove the leaves! In this photo the leaves are steeping and the cup is ready & waiting~

 Here are the wet, unfurled leaves just removed from the pot. I selected a lovely full bodied Yunnan.

 The Tranquil Tea Lounge serves soups, salads and sandwiches in a soothing contemporary decor of grey and green tones. They also offer tea smoothies and tea floats. We saw plenty of college students and business men enjoying tea the day we were there. There is nary a ruffle or white glove, so if you want Victorian this is not the place for you. I had the half sandwich and cup of soup, which was a delicious minestrone. My friend and I decided to split one of the house scones, which was a chocolate chip treat.

 Before we departed, I purchased a tin of Mayan Chocolate Chai tea which included the steeping time on the side. I have been enjoying this chai most evenings and it makes a delicious substitution for my nightly hot chocolate! It smells divine and tastes wonderful. I wish I had also bought a tin of the Yunnan I drank with my lunch. I think I will take my daughter to tea this week and pick up a tin~ And it is ok by me if you call me a 'loose' woman as opposed to a 'bag' lady! lol

Lovely Lavender~

I have been fond of Lavender for years and try to grow a variety in our yard year-round. I especially enjoy being able to walk outdoors with a pair of clippers and return to the house with a fresh bouquet from our garden. What a treat to have cuttings from the yard! At this time of year a number of places have Lavender Fairs. This weekend there is a lot for lavender lovers to see and do in Sequim, Washington.
Did you know Lavender has anti-septic and anti-viral properties? It also promotes relaxation and relieves headaches. Last year we took a drive up the coast and visited a lavender farm in California.

As soon as we parked and stepped from the car you could hear the low hum of bees buzzing! And, oh, what a scene~

         Row upon row of sweet lavender. The owners had chairs dotting the edges of the lavender rows, so we sat without speaking and just soaked up the sunshine and listened to the bees at work.

It smelled fantastic....and got me to thinking that I wanted to make a lavender wand when I returned home.

If you do not have lavender in your yard, buy a bunch at your local Farmers Market and try making a lavender wand for yourself or a friend. I have wands I made years ago and they still smell nice. You can always freshen a wand with a few drops of Lavender essential oil too. Place a wand near your bed for a relaxing scent at night.

Let me know if you try your hand at making a lavender wand :)

Summer Morning

I have always had a thing for the 'four seasons' and am drawn to stories, objects, photos and even scrapbook supplies that differentiate between the seasons. Perhaps it is because I was born and raised in southern California that the idea of four distinct seasons is appealing. There are basically only two seasons here, and my favorite time of year, Fall, is swept aside by an over long summer. In keeping with the variety that four seasons provides, I like to eat seasonally as well. It gives me the opportunity to live in the 'now'. Right now strawberries are plump, red and sweet and I make sure to have plenty on hand for meals and snacks. 

  And what pairs well with strawberries? Well, if I am just having a simple snack I like to sprinkle balsamic vinegar over a bowl full. But this morning strawberries sounded wonderful for breakfast, so I grabbed an apron, heated the oven and made scones! I also steeped a pot of  Kousmichoff  Troika Tea, which is a fragrant melange of China, Ceylon and India teas with bergamot and mandarin. A small dollop of berry yogurt and a sprinkle of toasted pecans and I was ready to sit outside and enjoy my breakfast.

 I chose my Brambly Hedge beaker, Homeward Bound, to drink from. Yep, you guessed it....the sweet Brambly Hedge dishes from Royal Doulton depict the mice in lots of seasonal activities. I love the size of this teacup too. It holds more tea than the typical teacup and saucer!

 Notice the scallop footed bottom? Jill Barklem is the artist and storyteller for this series.

 I prefer handles that I can actually slip a finger into, and this cup has a comfortable style and size.

             An added bonus is the decorated inside rim~

After this lovely breakfast, it is time for a bit of yardwork. I actually don't mind because I enjoy the garden. And, today, I have to trim the herbs! That means the garden and my hands will end up smelling of Mint, Thyme, and Lavender. Mmmm...the scent of the Mint Geranium  reminds me of Thin Mint cookies.

 See how soft and fuzzy the leaves are? What a nice summer morning~ strawberries, teacups and herbs.

I am sharing this Summer Morning with;
Terri at Artful Affirmations http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com/
Trish at Sweetology http://sweetology101.blogspot.com/2011/07/tea-party-tuesday-stuffed-dayliles.html?showComment=1310446761104#c2781215619603434871
Miss Kathy at The Writer's Reverie http://thewritersreverie.blogspot.com/2011/07/tea-pudding-purging.html

Stick Pins and Tee Pees!

One of the three monthly challenges at Bella Creations is a technique challenge. The Design Team and site members are asked to use a technique in their creations. For the month of July the Unique technique (say that three times fast!) is to make a stick pin. I used a bumpy little bead that reminded me of a blackberry for my stickpin and placed it on a fairy tee-pee card I made.

 See the blue and green beads above the white flower? That is the simple stick pin I created. I also used Fairyopolis rub-ons and die cuts on my tee pee card. I just love how charming and whimsical the Fairyopolis line is and how well it works on cards, scrapbook pages or altered items. Here is a YouTube tutorial showing how to make these simple but striking tee pee cards.

Fun birds-eye view of my Fairy card. I made this for a friend and she was delighted. She also scrapbooks, and like a true crafter immediately opened the card to see how it was constructed! It closes with velcro so you can flatten and mail it.

 The prize for this Challenge is from Flying Unicorn, one of Bella Creations wonderful sponsors.

Collect a few beads, pearls or gems and make a quick stick pin for your next project. And if you complete a tee pee card, be sure to come to my inking/stamping Group at Bella Creations called Voila, Ink! to enter your creation in my Tee Pee Card Challenge. I am giving away something 'Tim Holtz'! Now I have your attention, eh? lol :)