Appreciating Color and . . .

. . . being able to purchase such wonderful produce from my grocer.

Healthy, vibrant green kale on my thrifting pastry peel.

Purple onions and the thrifting pink cast iron Dutch Oven for a dear DIL.
The angle is deceiving but the D.O. is 5-6 qt. size.

Green, organic EVOO and amber honey with a big chunk of honeycomb.
Can any of you pass along ideas what great thing I can do with the honeycomb.

A tower of blue berries. It seems I can find them on sale somewhere every week.

Red bells and Romas. I'm glad my basil is "coming along" to add to these combos.

Lemons and avocados. It's almost embarrassing how excited I get
over this produce that decorates my kitchen.

Do you too love the color of Bosc pears . . . that rusty brown.
Add to it a ripe pineapple and orange Clementines, such sweet gifts.

Oh the humble, brown potato; such a staple and oft unappreciated gem.

Would you like to share with me what colors you're enjoying in your kitchen please?

P.S. Yesterday was laundry day, remember all the afghans and quilt to wash along with the "regulars", well, the dryer element wouldn't heat so just a cold fluff of air for a couple of minutes then onto my "solar" dryer lines. Certainly was glad to have that and a warm, sunny day.
Do you have a dryer backup?

Recovering Kitchen Stools

I've got two trusty garage sale stools with the drab green seat coverings.

Just why did I live with them this way for soooooo long???

How hard can this be - really.

I was calling Cindy at this point saying...do I take off the old before adding the new?

Rather lovely lines to this stool I think.

So neutral I can do anything with it.

Checking on positioning here.

I really, really like these tea towels from Cost Plus.

Calling KMS asking how to reload more staples.

Come on, I've reloaded many staplers; can this be any harder.

Guess it was . . . but wasn't in the end.

Feeling silly.

Ta Da!!!

I don't know if there are "rules" that say the designs should match

but my tea towels didn't allow a match and

I wouldn't have wanted a match anyway.

So happy.

So grateful.

Thanks for letting me share.

I haven't outgrown my kindergarten stage love of

**show and tell**.

Happy day, msk

It's Cinco de Mayo

...and I really don't think I'll celebrate Mexico kicking France out from their country. It's going to be about 98* today so I don't think I'll even make taco soup.

But - in spite of the heat I'm working over a hot oven and hotter ironing board. Here's what I'm up to this morning.

I am not a fan of boxed cake mixes. I occasionally use them but much, much, much prefer a cake made from scratch. I am however a sucker for a good sale on said mixes. I've had many in my food storage and they are starting to get old. I've pawned several off on daughter MTN and friends but still with several on hand I called MTN and asked for her cake mix cookie recipe. I'm trying my first batch.

The basic recipe is:

1 box cake mix (I used yellow)

2 eggs

1/2 c. oil (NO surprise I used 1/2 c. melted butter!)

Add ins:

scant 1 c. chocolate chips

1/2 c. chopped pecans

350* 10-12 minutes (mine took 13 min.)

They've turned out pretty well. Scratch is better but this is a good use of an aging cake mix.

Skippie has just given me another "killer" cake mix cookie recipe and I'll share that in the near future.

Here is one of two tea towels I recently purchase when sister Cindy and I were shopping at Cost Plus. This picture does not show just how vibrant the reds and oranges are. I thought they would be perfect to recover my garage sale kitchen stools.

Cousin Skippie suggested I iron on some stabilizer since stools get a workout. I'm so disappointed that Wally's doesn't carry much in the line of sewing needs anymore and it's taken me almost 2 weeks to plan a trip to JoAnn's. Got it. Lucky for me an associate there "knew her stuff" and guided me to a woven product that would hold up even better.

I've ironed the towels, ironed on the fusible backing and it's in the cooling stage. Dear KMS has loaned me her super duper upholstery stapler so hopefully I'll have this project completed later today. Just more show-and-tell for tomorrow.

AND, if you want some mothering smiles and inspiration go to my darling friend Becca's blog ::The Daily Grapefruit :: and read about the mother/daughter tea party she put on for her 3 gals yesterday (what did Mitchell do during this party?). Think you're too busy...she has 4 young children, a darling husband who works those long-lawyer hours plus serves in our ward bishopric and she's packing to move to Mesa. How could she leave me!!!! Aaaargh!
Happy day, msk

Show and Tell

I've made a little time recently to use the candlesticks from L & J's wedding reception and create cake pedestals. I went shopping...of course on Senior Day to get a 25% discount at Good*will.

I couldn't just look at/for plates!!!

I could not resist this 99 cent vase. The color bursts. It calls out to me. Does it do anything for you?

Here is where it resides. And look Skippie, OUR orchid in doing fine! I think a second flower stalk is forming. What color is it anyway?

Here is a cute Cordon Bleau plate I snatched for 69 cents.

I had to purchase this white candle holder also 69 cents.

Ta Da!!! (said with great gusto) I think this is just darling.
Here's another one using one of our candlesticks. I finished 2 others.

Now plotting what to do with so many.

A party.

Display collection.

Gifts.

Do you want to add to my options?
This side of the kitchen bay window didn't look as pretty and the other. I've been moving things aroung but nothing said zing. After a few days it came to me that I needed a hanging plant.

I went to Low*es and saw some nice hanging plants. The little one was about $8 but of course I had my eye on the big one. Should I go ahead and look at the price of this big, taking over the world sized one...yes, it was the same price!!!!

My blessed day.

Then of course I had to purchase the sharp woven basket. Well, I feel the kitchen window is balanced and much improved. The pocketbook is a little leaner but not bad.

Thanks for letting me show and tell . . . my favorite part of kindergarten.

In The Kitchen

Another weekend find at a neighborhood garage sale. This great platter and side dish are sitting pretty in the kitchen. This picture doesn't do it justice so let me know when you want to come see it in person. I was visualizing what to put in it but Trevlyn came up with the best answer. . .

LOW COUNTRY BOIL.

Oh the yumminess of a gigantic pot full of potatoes, corn on the cob, shrimp, sausage and seasonings. Don't forget plenty of melted butter.

Who's "in"? You can bring the crusty bread.

I wish I would have grabbed the cell phone quicker so you could see the puffy mess I made making krispie treats for the grands. You just do not turn your back very long on marshmallows and butter in the microwave. The treats still turned out well but what a mess.

What going on in your kitchen today?

Hope you're enjoying it!

P.S.

Another bit of kitchen progress. Here's my clever "shutter" shelf that dear Kathy made for me. I must remember to controll my ooohs and aaahs when I'm at her house and see something unique and cute she's made. I never intended her to make me a shelf out of a shutter like hers but she did. I've had it for awhile now and just got it up over the weekend.

The blank and bare wall now feels and looks so much better.

Here's a close up so you can see Kathy's creative work.

I'm still playing around with what will adorn the shelf. I'm thinking I need some color like red, or orangie or coral. You know a - pop of color. Those of you that know me will know I think that phrase...a pop of color...is sooooo over used. But admitting that sometimes it just fits.

Linny flew back to Utah yesterday evening after a very fun weekend together. She arrived safely. P.S. So did my car keys :)

Bare Lemons Are . . .

. . . slippery little things. Wish I could share the smell in the kitchen as I juice the little lemons from my trees. It's so good. These babies are naked because I ran my micro planer over them to save the zest for future recipes.
This pile of gold is potent and a pinch will add such a strong kick to a wintry serving of lemon curd. I also give a shout out for micro planers that do such a great job at grating. D told me she even uses the micro planer on garlic.

Oh . . . and by-the-way, there is a shoe on my foot today, K and I went for a shorter, tester walk and things are looking up. Counting blessings. Smiling. Perhaps off to the store later. Delicious.