We had the privilege to go see our grand daughter in the play Cinderella a couple of weeks ago.  To us she was the star of the show, but all the kids showed wonderful and charming talent.  There is nothing better than watching a shy young kid come into their own on stage.  Drama can be done all of your life in community theater and what a way to build confidence.

making a bouquet

 I like having a bouquet of fresh flowers on the table when we do shows.  They add a touch of nature and freshness to all those plastic bottles and jars.  People comment on them and can use the table with the pretty flowers as a reference point to return to our booth.  I like to do purple, lavender or white, but sometimes the right colors are just not available, then you just go with what looks pretty and will be long lasting.  This is the last vase I did and how I styled it a couple of different ways until I got the look I wanted.  Some times you just have to try different things out to get the look you want.

Just the flowers, OK but not too interesting I added a bunch of greenery but that pic didn't turn out

baby's breath and mini  flowers mixed in, too cluttered and over done  Yes you can mix silks in with fresh flowers and it will be fine

I finally settled on a few boxwood sprigs and red twig dogwood branches with the leaves removed.   The look was natural and not too fussy or over styled.

 

Plants

I have several plants that live on our patio under the shade cloth during the nice weather.  With a hard freeze coming it is time to bring them inside for the winter.  I water each plant and give them a good spray, top to bottom, to remove any bugs that may have set up home in them.  I let them dry for a couple of days, do any trimming or dead leaf removal that is necessary, then bring them into the sun room for a few days before moving them to their permanent winter home.  I bought several oil pans from the dollar store this year to put under the really big pot to catch any water overflow.  I put the plants where they can get as much light as possible and far away from heat vents.

happy turkey day

Before the season of craziness, busyness and greediness starts take this time to stop and think about every thing you have to be thankful for.  Often before we say grace at our Thanksgiving dinner we hold hands and go around the table saying one or two things we are thankful for.  We are always thankful for God, our family, friends, food, homes, health and jobs.  The most important things in life you soon discover are not things at all.
It's sad how big business in America is so greedy they have decided that they must be open on Thanksgiving day to make a few more dollars. This prevents their employees from being with their families. Me I avoid Black Friday like the plague, but there will be millions of bargain seekers out to buy, buy, buy and fill up the retail coffers.  Do retailers really need  more hours open at the expense of their hard working employees?  Think about it, if people wouldn't go to these stores on Thanksgiving, they wouldn't stay open, so do your part and enjoy your family.  Go stand out side at midnight if you want, I'll be snoozing in my nice warm bed.

last hurrah

A hard freeze is coming and these are probably going to be my last cut flowers from the garden for the year.  I love flowers and I really miss being able to go out and cut whenever I want.  For the next several months I will have to depend on blooming plants, forced bulbs and cut bouquets from the grocery store for my flower fix.  After a long cold winter I will anxiously wait for the first daffodils, lilacs and tulips to bloom.

funky seating

My appoligies to my readers.  I had all of last weeks posts ready to go, the only thing I didn't do was schedule them and push the button.  Too much to do is the best excuse I can think of.
While at the Indianapolis airport waiting for our hotel van to come and take us to our car(long story) I came across  this seating area made from abandoned and thrifted suitcases.  This is right up my alley and I could resist sitting in them and taking a few pictures.  What a creative way to bring comfort and smiles to weary travelers.

Cris Cringle

Vintage Cottage Beauty will be at the Cris Cringle show at the Fluid Events Center in Champaign Friday November 7 3-9 and Saturday November 8, 9-5.  Come out for a great selection of products to jump start your holiday shopping.  Same great vendors as in past shows, temporary location change for this year.

This picture was from the show last year, come and see how much our display has changed for the better this year.

lasagna soup

Fall and winter are soup time around here and I'm always on the look out for new recipes.  This one is definitely a keeper.

1# Italian sausage
1 onion chopped 2 cloves garlic chopped
2 cans fire roasted tomatoes
2 tsp oregano
3/4# wide noodles cooked and drained but you could use any pasta
6C chicken broth
2T olive oil
Brown the sausage in the olive oil, cook onion and garlic until translucent
Add the rest of the ingredients and cook through about 20 minutes
In the meantime make the cheesy topping
2C ricotta cheese
1/2C Parmesan cheese
1T olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Serve the soup with a big dollop of the topping and fresh chopped basil add a big piece of garlic bread and you are set.
I think the next time I make this I may add some mushrooms just cause we like them

happy birthday

A big happy birthday to my Dad, a full 91 years young.  His body may be slowing down but his mind is so sharp it's scary.
10 things I've learned from Richard King:
Keep your faith in God at the center of your life
Always keep learning
Love your family no matter how crazy they are
Your family will always be there for you no matter how crazy you are
Keep on being curious about everything
Being hard headed isn't always a bad thing
Stand up for what you believe
Always give back
Respect the past but don't live in it
Reading opens many different worlds for you to explore

I love You Dad