~ A Very Special Giveaway at ~na.da.farmlife with Anne Marie

 I have been reading na.da.farmlife with Anne Marie’s blog for some time now and have enjoyed every post. Anne Marie writes  from her heart with words of wisdom and inspiration, she also writes about her life on the farm homesteading, gardening, recipes, her love of music and her original clothing designs. Anne Marie and Jason and their adorable children live on the farm in Illinois. Jason raises bees for the sweet honey they produce and then to market for nada farmlife, Jason is also a gifted wood craftsman and designs and makes the most beautiful custom kitchen cabinets . Anne Marie and Jason are raising their children with strong family values, schooling, helping on the farm and their love of God.

Here's your chance to come to the farm and meet Anne Marie!

Anne Marie’s dear friends Jen, Jill and Jeanne have graciously donated to this giveaway!

~Thank you girls~

They are providing for one very lucky person

2 days of ART classes

+

1 night's stay!!!

~for October 7th and 8th, 2011~

The winner will receive 2 SPOTS FOR EACH OF THE 2 DAYS OF ART classes 

 and You will also get a FREE HOTEL ROOM courtesy of the three of them at the 4 star hotel: Holiday Inn Express!

VALUE WORTH: $500!!

To enter the giveaway all you have to do is:


1. Blog about the Art on the Farm classes at the NaDa Farm Sale and the Girls Weekend Giveaway . Once you have blogged about it come here to my blog and let us know.

or

2. Talk about the art classes and giveaway on Twitter for a second entry! Once you have talked about it let us know here on my blog.

or

3. Talk about the art classes and giveaway on Facebook for a third entry. Once you have talked about it on Facebook come back and let us know here on my blog.

All entries to be entered here (on Anne Marie's blog) only

make sure you leave a comment for each entry you do

DRAWING WILL END FRIDAY!

(Sept 23rd...at midnight)

(The winner will also receive V.I.P. parking + a few personal goodies from Anne Marie)

This is in conjunction with the October 7th and 8th Barn Sale/Event on

na.da.farm

To find out more about this exciting event at na.da.farmlife please visit Anne Marie Here

~Pillow Case & Quilt~

 Happy Monday! I missed you all last week so much, so sorry I was not able to make my Monday Post, but I'm back today to share with you all a very fun pillow case tutorial I found on YouTube.
 While shopping for fabric to make my Mom a quilt for Christmas (don't tell her its a surprise :)..(I know Christmas is right around the corner again) and I have to  get busy sewing many of the gifts I want to make.
 Well anyways, I found the same fabric I had used for my first quilt the Double Irish Chain posted about it Here     in flannel and thought it would be so warm for winter to make a matching pillow case, so I did. Thank you to YouTube and a wonderful tutorial from Missouri Quilt Co. I was able to make this quick and fun pillow case.

 The small print you see as the middle fabric is cotton and was left over from the quilt. The pillow case is very roomy, I have a standard pillow inside.

 Hidden seams inside the pillow case. Watch the tutorial to see how to sew the hidden seam.

Everyone knows how much I love home made and try to have as many things in every room of my home with  hand made decorations and linens.
Here is the tutorial I used to make the pillow case. Have fun making the pillow case if you decide to sew one.
I think pillow cases just might be a few gifts all wrapped up under the Christmas tree this year.
 Enjoy the tutorial.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrYWCma9wgM

Joining in with Susan ~ from Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday

Bunny Jean Decor and More Bunny Hop Wednesday ~ Bunny is taking this week off  so No Bunny Hop Wednesday, stay tuned for next Wednesday when Bunny returns..

Kim~ Savvy Southern Style WOW Us  Wednesday

Honey~2805 A Potpourri of Life ~ A Potpourri Pary every Friday

~It's a Bright Sunny Day~

 Happy Monday, its a bright, bright , bright sunshiny day! 

 There's nothing like a fresh bunch of  sunflowers to brighten up a day...

 They are good for the soul.

 They make my heart sing.

 And brighten up a room. The Sunflower can help make you smile.

 The orchid brings a sense of calm and peacefulness to a room.

The white is so pretty and sweet. My heart just goes all a flutter.

May this new week bring you sunshine and peace.

~Blueberry-Buttermilk Bundt Cake & A New Purse~

 Another weekend as flown by...and I'm  here again to wish you all a very Happy Monday! I spent my weekend sewing and baking. Gary and I also had "Saturday Night Date Night" we went to the movies to  see "One Day" I cried and it left me so sad, even Gary said it bothered him and left him sad too..the acting was excellent I thought, a real movie with real acting no special effects added.

So anyway I have been wanting to bake a Blueberry Cake for sometime now and while googling Blueberry Cake I ran across a web site called "epicurious.com" and found the best Blueberry-Buttermilk  Bundt Cake recipe ever! and it was fun to make.
Hot out of the oven the cake needed to cool in the pan for 10 minutes until turning it out onto the rack to cool further. 

I      
 Cooling on the rack. Boy did it smell yummy!

 After cooling I placed the cake on a glass cake plate and added the topping. I did not follow the directions for the topping, I made up my own. I used powered sugar a few drops of vanilla and the leftover orange rind and drizzled it all over the cake top. With the leftover blueberries I decorated around the cake.

 And here it is! Blueberry-Buttermilk Bundt Cake. Oh I almost forgot to tell you the recipe called for frozen blueberries but I used fresh and it turned out just fine.

 We invited Mom and Dad over for Sunday dinner and dessert. Everyone loved the "Bundt".
It was light and yummy...I think the batter would make up perfectly for muffins, or a morning brunch dessert.


Blueberry-Buttermilk Bundt Cake
yield: Makes 12 servings


Using frozen blueberries in the batter will keep the fruit from sinking to the bottom of the pan as the cake bakes.



Ingredients

• 3 cups all purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 2/3 cups sugar

• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

• 3 large eggs

• 1 tablespoon grated orange peel

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 3/4 cup buttermilk

• 2 cups frozen blueberries



• Powdered sugar



Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 10-inch-diameter Bundt pan. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat 1 2/3 cups sugar and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Beat in orange peel and vanilla. Beat in dry ingredients in 3 additions alternately with buttermilk in 2 additions. Fold in blueberries. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted near center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour.

Cool cake in pan on rack 10 minutes. Turn cake out onto rack and cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in plastic and store at room temperature.) Transfer cake to plate, sift powdered sugar over, and serve.



 
 So a while back I won Henri the French Rooster from Penny  at The Comforts of Home. . Well recently I was very lucky again to win a hand made flower created  and crafted by~
Ana from A Petite Cottage .     Henri is a young Rooster and wanted to impress the Hens. Henri was going out dancing and wanted to dress to impress, and what better way to look dapper then with this lovely flower boutonniere. Henri was so proud of himself and good looks he wanted me to take a picture of him to show Ana and Penny. Doesn't Henri look like a prize Rooster ! Gee I hope he doesn't stay out to late tonight, Henri's curfew is 11:00...LOL

 Ana also made this beautiful floral handbag. I love it so much and have already started using it. As a matter of fact I received a sweet complement on it from the lady behind me at the grocery store..Thank you Ana, I'm pleased as punch to have meant you through blogging and honored to called you a friend. I hope one day to meet you in person.

I hope you all have a sweet week and I'll be visiting you just as soon as I can.

Linking up with the following gals.

Susan~Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday

Bunny~BunnyJeans Decor and More Bunny Hop Wednesday

Kim~Savvy Southern Style WOW Us Wednesday

~Sewing for the Kitchen~

 Happy Monday Everyone, I  hope you all had a glorious weekend. Gary and I worked out in the yards until I wilted like a delicate flower LOL, I think everyone knows by now I'm a big wimp in the heat.
Anyway for my Monday post I want to share the new kitchen curtains I made with you.
I still love the white lace curtains  I had made, but I took them down to wash and thought maybe I'll make another set  but in a print so I can change them from time to time.
So off to the fabric store I went and found this lovely linen rose patterned fabric and it was on sale...Yeah for me... so  when it came to my turn at the cutting counter I said (six yards please).
I used some of the leftover red fabric I had from the king quilt for the trim and tie ups. I also lined the valance.
Gary had  just hung the white blind for me. We didn't have a blind before just a lace curtain valance and everyone walking by could see me in my PJ's at night doing the dishes (not too pretty of a sight) Teehehe
(You can click on any photo to enlarge if you like)

 I really do love the rose pattern and the red tie ups bring out the red roses I think.

 Now onto the kitchen table dinning area. I made a very simple long curtain and Gary put up the curtain china plate tie backs for me, these are the ones Gary made for me that we used in our previous  home.
Do any of you recognize "Henri the Roster" sitting on the table well Henri use to live at Penny's house
The Comforts of Home, but he came to live with me and Gary. Henri misses Penny and Mr. Comforts of Home, but told me he really likes here, he moves around a lot he's kinda of a table hopper LOL from the dinning room table to the kitchen table. We love Henri...my Dad got the biggest kick out of him when I told him his name "Henri" you see my Dad's name is "Henry"
 A closer look at the plate tie backs.

 A closer look at the fabric.

 A few weeks back while shopping with my niece Charesse, we ran across this red, green and gold buffet.
I got so excited because it was of course red! I looked at my niece and said "I wonder how much" well guess what it was on sale  half off!!! Yeah of me, I only hesitated for about maybe 5 minutes at the most and then said "I have to have it" and of course my niece agreed with me...LOL

 The drawers came lined, I really like this feature since it stops  my tea sets from slipping around in the drawer.

 On top of the buffet I have new cup coasters that were made by Beverly from My Sew Sweet Studio I won them a while back, Gary and I love the watermellon fabric Beverley used and I think it  adds a touch of sweetness to the kitchen. Beverly is  a very talented quilter.

 The side of the buffet  has a wave  to it,I don't know if you see that or not.

I love the little ball feet, so cute....
 There you  have it new curtains  and a buffet. You all know me by now and know that more changes are to come..like crown molding and bead-board...I can't wait.
I hope the week will be kind to you and that you'll always remember to count your blessings and forgot the days troubles.

I am joining in the following parties;
Susan from Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday

Kim from Savvy Southern Style WOW Us Wednesday

Bunny from Bunnyjeans Decor and More Bunny Hop Wednesday

~Red White & Blue Ohio Star Quilt~

 Happy Monday! Well I made it through another  weekend sewing marathon. I picked up my quilt on Wednesday night after work, but was not able to sew on the binding until Friday. I stayed up until the wee hours of Saturday  morning sewing on the binding. I just get so excited to see it done.
I love the stars and swirls that the  quilter used for me. I hope you can see the stitching.



 You can click on any photo to enlarge if you like.

 Do you remember the post I wrote Here all the pieces I cut and sewed together to make the Ohio Star pattern finally came together. I really enjoyed piecing this quilt, it was so much easier than working on the King size quilt. The colors are my favorite especially the Red...

 The poke a dotted fabric on the back is so fun and happy I think.

 A closer look at the back stitching.

 I had left over fabric so decide to make pillows to match. I sewed in the ditch to quilt the top. You can't really see the stitching but it does help keep everything in place.

I also made new kitchen curtains this weekend and Gary installed new door locks throughout  the entire house, what a difference new locks make, I will post them soon. So what did you do this weekend?.
I think I need a weekend to recover from the weekend..LOL like needing a vacation from your vacation...

Today I'm linked up with Susan~ Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
And Kim-Savvy Southern Style WOW Us Wednesday
 Also Bunny~Bunny Jeans Decor and More Bunny Hop Wednesday
Please join us, its always so much fun.

Before I end this post I just want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for all your sweet compliments on my King Quilt (The Double Irish Chain) it means so much, truly it does coming from all of you who are so talented and expert quilters. I'm just a beginner and still have so much to learn. You all inspire me so much.