Spooky

With  the boys a little older this year, we decided to decorate a little more on the scary side!

Cob webs are hung...

Spooky owl silhouettes grace the mirrors...

 Old photos on the end tables...

A spooky old wooden Ouija Board centered on the coffee table...

A skull  added to one of our  favorite statues...

Skeletons, precariously positioned around the house....

Headstones in place...

All decorated and ready for a very Spook-tacular Halloween!

A rusty re-purpose project

With Christmas almost here...Mr. Cedar House Soaps and I had time to sneak in one more re-purpose project before the big day.

This old Rusty piece of junk was a recently salvaged and was on it's way to the scrap yard. Formerly a front of an old stove, I couldn't help noticing that it would make a fantastic picture frame.  Can you see it too???

First we scrubbed it down with a wire brush,
washed it with soap and water and then oiled it.

Filled it with fun pictures of our family

used some old rusty wire for a hanger on the back

 ready to be hung on the wall.

 

 A super easy and fun project!



A Country Pantry

A before and after project.

Living in a small home definitely has it's challenges.
For years we have been lacking in storage space...
Food storage being at the top of that list!

After a night of brainstorming, Troy and I came up with the notion of moving the old cook stove out of the corner and adding a much needed Pantry.

The corner before with the stove moved over and an old salvaged door leaned in it's place as our inspiration


Troy gettin' with it and making it happen!

The end result...a finished pantry!

We used an old metal picture frame for added interest around the vintage glass door knob.


The pantry filled up fast...How did we ever live without this storage before?



I am so in LOVE with the overall outcome of the Pantry.

Mr. Cedar House Soaps you are amazing ;-)

Fun Finds

I just love these sweet enameled dinner plates that I spotted and snatched up at the flea market. I was thrilled to discover there were 8 plates in all.



They fit in perfectly with the other red, yellow, and green items in my little kitchen. Did I mention that I love them ;-)




I had the best 4th. of July weekend, celebrating simply at home with my family and getting the chance to go junkin'.

My Sister In Law and I had a great day of thrifting fun! We managed to fill the truck up and I know we had the guys shaking their heads at us as we rolled in the driveway and they seen how much Junk we managed to get stuffed in there. They should know better than to turn us loose like that ;-)

One of my favorite finds was this lovely dress form. I wish that I would have taken before pictures. She was so ugly and unrecognizable adorned in a nasty green night dress with a shredded garbage bag and stuffing duct taped all around her. She looked like the bride of Frankenstein for sure. Someone had used her for a Halloween decoration...can you Imagine? I knew there was a beauty underneath all that garbage and in my haste to prove to Troy that she was a diamond, I forgot to take before pics.

On the old farm table

A great day for me to be in the kitchen today, enjoying the simple things in life!

My favorite thing about my kitchen is the Farm table that I prepare every meal on. A simple table of sorts with plenty of time worn character and charm. The table spent a good part of it's life at the Singing Heart Ranch, a local cattle farm from many years ago.

It will always hold a special place in my heart!




On the table today...Orange glazed zucchini squares



These turned out so moist and super yummy...

The Joy of cooking

This blog post is inspired from a post on Farm Chicks about Cookbook collecting...and I must confess, I too am a cookbook collector. One of my favorites...The Joy of Cooking! A great find from an estate sale...truly a treasure worth hanging onto that is filled to the brim with good old home cookin' recipes. Our family has enjoyed many meals from the pages of this old cookbook in a time where many do not seem to know how to cook their own meals if it doesn't come in a box.

I encourage you to look for 'new' old recipes from the pages of any old cook book with time-worn loved pages and discover...The Joy of Cooking! It is sure to be a hit with your family.

Cast Iron Cooking

As I cooked breakfast sausage for my boys this morning I was reminded of how much I love using Cast Iron cookware. Thanks to my mom the love of Cast Iron, particularly Griswold was instilled in me at a very early age. There is something timeless about cooking in the perfectly seasoned pan and enjoying a home cooked meal from a pan that has been around for decades and will be for many more to come. You can still find these great kitchen tools at tag sales, flea markets, antique stores, & garage sales. Cast Iron cookware has become quite collectible over the years and you will need to keep your eyes open and know a good deal when you see one. Of course you will need to take a little care with your pans to keep them in prime cooking condition. Here are a few tips on how to Season and care for your Cast Iron cookware. Also, if you have tips or would like to share your love of Cast Iron cooking feel free to leave us a comment that we can share.

*To Season a new pan*

Cast Iron Cookware must be seasoned properly and it will last a life-time.

*Heat the oven to 275 degrees

* Coat the pan with lard or bacon grease.

* Put the pan in the oven for15 minutes.

* Remove the pan & pour out any excess grease.

*Place the pan back in the oven and bake for 2 hours.

Repeating these steps several times is recommended and will help create a well seasoned pan.

*To Clean*

*Clean the cookware while it is still hot by rinsing with hot water and scraping when necessary. Do not use soap or detergent as it will ruin the seasoning of the pan.

*Never store food in the cast iron pan,the food will breakdown the seasoning and the food will take on a metallic flavor.

*Store your cast iron cookware with the lids off to avoid rust. Should rust appear, the pan should be re-seasoned.

*Thoroughly dry with a towel or set on a warm burner until all moisture is gone.

*Display your cookware where you can see & enjoy them :)