~Up Up & Away!~

Gary and I are leaving for one week vacation to spend time at this lovely Bed and Breakfast in  (Elizabethtown IL). The B&B sits right on the Ohio River.
Gary's little Sister Sue and Brother n Law Brucez own and run this over 100 year old Bed and Breakfast call (River Rose Inn)  
This will be our first visit to Elizabethtown and we are so looking forward to our stay.. I will take lots of photo's to share with you all.
I will miss you all while I'm way, I really will..
Have a wonderful week, talk to all when I get back....

~Chocolate Chip Bunt Cake~

If you l-o-v-e chocolate you must try this recipe, really it is Delicious!

I  have one itty-bitty confession to make, I am not really a baker and when having company for dinner I normally will hop into the car and make a mad dash into (Marie Calenders) for fresh baked pies! Yep I do.. I cheat!

But after trying this chocolate bunt cake I might just become a baker, well o.k. not a fancy baker but a baker! LOL

This recipe came from Becky from "Sweet Cottage Dreams" and she was given the recipe from Kim at "Dear Daisy Cottage". My family loved it so much, they all said I could make this one again (I blushed). I think I shocked them all with my baking skills.. :)

All ready to put into the hot oven, it already smelled soooo good!

50 minutes later and it was resting on the cooling rack.. How I wish you could smell it! sniff, sniff so good and chocolaty!

All cooled down and sprinkled with powdered sugar!

I had to cover this baby or it wouldn't have made it out to serve in one piece.. Gary had his eye on this baby all day!. Silly boy, cuz he waited so nicely I cut him a extra big piece....XO

~ByBy Solong lovley Plant~

By~By lovely plant. Thank you everyone for all your great suggestions about the plant in the entry and for all your sweet and kind comments. I rely on you my friends to always tell me the truth, because I always tell you the truth, and you did (I love you guys! I do)

 As you can see the advice was to move the plant. I guess our  girls were "Right" after all.  I think it does look more open!

   

~Green Doors~

Well its been four months now since Gary and I moved to our new little Cottage (Cottage 12). We have painted every room now except the laundry room, that's still white. I left all the doors white, but every time I went into the kitchen I felt something was not quite right, (you know that feeling) well anyway it dawned on me I needed to add some color to the doors!! so off I went to the paint store, but first I knew I wanted green I had the perfect shade of green in my yarn stash. I took the yarn with me to (Lowe's) but they could not match it with just the yarn, so I had to pick out a color swatch. Thank goodness Gary was with me, since he has the eye for color.

Gary chose (Painted Basket SR812)Valspar signature color. It was the perfect match to my yarn.

So here is the BEFORE kitchen and NOW.........

The Green Door!

I also added the metal basket with some flowers to the door. I think it really brightens up the kitchen.

The entry was in need of more color too. The inspiration was the green glass vase that Gary and I have had for 25 years.

Sorry for poor photo it was the only one I could find to show you the entry door BEFORE.

And NOW........Moocho Better.....I think! O ya I have a confession to make I spilt the paint, yes I did all over the tile. I screamed for you know who(((((GARY))))) come help me. He came running, I think he thought I was hurt (sorry honey). He brought me rags and I wiped up the huge spill!!. Gary had to scrap the grout for me to get all the green paint out. I must have the cleanest floor now in town. Scrub, Scrub and Scubaing some more....

Now I have a question for you all, I need your advise~Does the entry look to crowded with the plant by the window?. Our girls were over visiting and they said "Mom I think you  have to much in the entry and you should move the plant"... So do you agree with the girls...should I move the plant?

Sometimes I tend to me a clutter bug! yep I am a cutter bug, that's just me......LOL

Today I am joining in with Cielo from The House in the Roses, for (Show off your Cottage Monday)

Enjoy your day and God Bless

~JUNK 2 JOY~Grand Opening

Becky at HOLIDAY IN THE SUN as just OPENED
                    ~JUNK 2 JOY~
Becky is promoting her ETSY Shop JUNK 2 JOY by having a Give A Way!
You can enter to win a set of 4 fabric pumpkins in your choice of traditional or neutral color schemes.

These are two listed in Becky's shop right now.

 Here are the rules:

1) Blog about the opening of JUNK to JOY ETSY Shop and this promo.

2) Include a link back to Becky at Holiday in the Sun http://holidayinthesun-becky.blogspot.com/2010/09/junk-to-joy-fun.html
3) Leave a post up for a full 24 hours.
4) For a second chance to win, post this button in your sidebar with the link above.

5) For a third chance to win, visit Becky's Shop and leave her a comment telling her your favorite item.
This Promo will run through next Sunday September 12, 2010 at 6:00pm. Becky will announce the winner that evening!.

~Embrace Life~

Please wear your seat belt, WHY? because I LOVE YOU

~Great Room & Art~

Happy Sunday Everyone!

Today I'm going to show you the other half of our living room/great room. In the previous post I showed you our T.V/family room, as I had mentioned in that post we have 700 sq ft of living space, with in that I had to make three liveable and functional spaces.

 In these last two spaces we created a formal dinning room and ladies visiting room. Remember our home is a very open floor plan, almost like a loft with everything in one room. 

Gary and I both enjoy our collection of art work that we have purchased through the years. I will show you a few of your collections hanging in the dinning and ladies visiting room.  

Please come in and stay awhile I always enjoy visiting with you.

In the last post I had a seashell wreath that I had made hanging above the bench, I moved it and now it's hanging in our bathroom. I know silly me, I' am always changing things around. Above the bench now is hanging this lovely cottage photograph taken in England, I love the thatched roof and the red door!. Gary purchased this photo  as a surprise gift for me while on work travel and had it shipped home. He really did surprise me! (he's such a sweetheart)

Moving on around the room the formal dinning area was placed right by the three windows that face outward towards the back yard pool and waterfall, I painted the table top white it use to be stained brown. With the two table extensions and the extra chairs we have we can comfortably seat 12 for dinner. The large painting in the dinning area is a Kincaid.

The Ladies Visiting Room, may I offer you Tea or Coffee with dessert?

The wall you are seeing has many of our favorite artists paintings or photographs displayed. The theme is "Cottages and Gardens" I would love to live in any of these cottages and stroll through their gardens. Come closer and I will show you the cottages and gardens.

The three painting above are by Dwight Hickman. Gary and I had the pleasure of meeting him in person. A delightful man! and so talented.. I have a few more of his paintings in mind to purchase for the master bedroom.

 I crossed stitched this little Welcome cabin in the woods sign years and years ago... to many now to remember (is this a sign of old age)LOL

These ever so lovely photographs were a gift from the very talented and sweet Monica, you can visit her here at "The White Bench". Monica is not only a photographer but she makes the sweetest teddy bears I have ever seen. Monica lives in Italy and I am so happy to have meant her through blogging.

I won Monica's give away in witch the winner was able to choose two photo's of their liking. I was so excited I think you could have heard me scream!. If you do not know Monica please go over to Italy and visit her at "The White Bench". I know you will love her as much as I do.

 

I chose the cross stitch "M" and flowers in the wash bowl because the letter "M" is the first initial of our last name and also that the "M" was crossed stitched and I love to cross stitch. It was just the most perfect photo for me to have in our home.

 

Isn't this garden just so welcoming! and look there are red flowers all in bloom.. and you all know how much I love red.

 

A closer look at Monica's photographs

The little bear in the card is one of Monica's creations 

 

Monica also put into the gift package as a surprise this Christmas wreath ornament she made for the "Green craft Magazine" the wreath was published in the current issue (volume 3). Thank you so much Monica for your talent and friendship!. The photographs bring me "joy" every time I see them and that is every day!

Today I am  linking up to Cielo at (Show off Your Cottage Monday) This is my first time linking, I hope I did it right. It was fun, I hope you try it sometime.

P.S I think I might be having some trouble with the size of my photo's. If they seem to be cut off to you, please let me know and if you would like to see them larger just click on the photo to enlarge.

Home is Where the Heart is ~ and any where you are is home~