Storybook Woods

Outdoor Washing Station

 

I am always looking for ways to make the most of what I already have. I am blessed with a beautiful piece of property and feel sometimes I do not make the most if it.  I have been so inspired by Mary Jane Farm, (her mag is been soooo good lately, hasn't it ? ) and her outdoor kitchen. I am not ready (nor can I afford to) set up an outdoor kitchen. But I like the idea of a summer kitchen, I also like the idea of using my property more. In WA we have soo much rain, that when it is nice outside you want to take advantage of it.

So I decided to set up an outdoor washing station. I just keep an old enamel bowl filled with water and a dishtowel. When it gets dirty I throw the water on my veggies and fill it up again. Yesterday, I took out a cutting board, cut all my veggies and rinsed everything right there. I am loving it. I am thinking if I can find a cheap utility sink, I might set it up with a hose and have a outdoor sink. A nice, simple (meaning cheap  ;-) use of my outdoor space.

Thank you by the way for all the feedback on my banner, you readers are so sweet. I took what you said, what I loved and what worked and tweaked it. I am still not sure. So you might find that things keep changing for a bit, we will see xoxoxo

Do You Like It ???

 

I have a new banner and was wondering what you think about it ??? Is it as good as the last one ??? I really like the last one, but thought it was time for a change. I am still thinking about this one and need feedback. Thank you. I hope you are having a lovely day, I am making bread and strawberry freezer jam xoxoxo

Things I Love

 

 

One of my new favorite blogs Na-Da Farm Life and her Na-Da Farm Potager

A Number Of Things paper dolls. Alice is soo talented, you will love these.

This recipe for make your own strawberry lemonade concentrate, thank you Lorrie we LOVED this. We are going to make more for the freezer xoxox

By the way I just threw in all the ingredients in the blender and did not heat it up. The sugar (I used regular sugar) melted just fine.

T-shirt Twist

Youtube of the Hallmark movie  The Magic Of Ordinary Life, thank you Paula for telling me about it.

Homemade shampoo

image form Na-Da Farm

Happy 4th

 

I want to wish everyone a Happy 4th and for those who do not celebrate, then just a happy day. I also wanted to thank those who serve and sacrifice for our country and the freedoms, I hold so dear. As a homeschool mom, I never take for granted how blessed I am to be able to have that choice. I also want ot thank those families who sacrifice for us too, it does not go unappreciated xoxoxox

ps. I took this photo at the Christmas House

Last Shades of Summer

 

A few more glimpses of my livingroom. The lavender ice cream was amazing and I have 30 pounds of strawberries on my kitchen counter. Wishing you were here to share it with me xoxox

 

Shades of Summer Cabinet

 

A summer makeover for my cabinet. The big platters in the center are from the rose Limoges china from my great, great grandmother. The green and white bowl is my new $1.50 find. I love those kind of finds.

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer. I have friends who are so hot and friends who are freezing. It has been cold in the morning but sunny in the afternoon. I can finally run around my yard barefoot and it is heaven. My veggie garden seems to be doing well. We are going into our weekend and plan to go strawberry picking in Sequim. I am sure we will get some lavender ice cream at the lavender fields. Poulsbo has their 4th celebration on the 3rd. My girls will be able to sit on a boat in the bay, under the fireworks. Isn't it wonderful how there are things in life that only happen with each season, only come once a year. It is these small moments, small traditions that make life, life xoxoxo

Shades of Summer Table

 

I got this table free for Auberne` (I collect free furniture for my girls, I am such a loo-loo) then I decided to use it. I love it soo much I think I need to keep my eye out for a white, round pedestal table. I usually have a vintage tablecloth but I did not want to cover up this table. So I took a cloth and folded it in thirds and used it like a table runner. Just fill a pedestal bowl with some sea shells and you have a charming summer table. By the way please try not to notice it needs a new paint job, I need Manuela ;-)  xoxoxo

 

Compassion

Auberne` sent me this mini-movie (thank rosey posey)  and I was sooo blessed by it. I had to share it with all of you. You can actually see it better here. I had not heard of NOOMA before but I am finding them very inspiring. Please check them out, I hope you are blessed like me xoxo

Shades Of Summer

 

In the summer, I always crave the colors of sea shells. Soft purples, blues, greens, corals. I also just have less stuff out. I want light, air, open spaces, lots of white.  

 

I did pull out a few of my favorite summer children's books. Houses from the Sea by Alice Goodey , Loraine and the Little People of Summer by Elizabet  Gordon, Golden Nature Seashore, Brambly Hedge Sea Story and Leaves From Nature Storybook, Young Folks Library. I am never to old for these books or at lest I do not want to be xoxoxox

 

Mary Jane Farm Videos

I know I said was taking a break and I am ;-) But I was just tooo excited and had to share now.  Yes, I was one of those kids who unwrapped her Christmas gifts and then rewrapped them and set them back under the tree.

You may already know about this but Mary Jane has videos. Go to this link and you will see ones about her farm, family, tatting, making a bake-over's and more. I could not get the blip.tv video to show (soI am showing youtube) but you have to check it out. Okay I am going back to my brake and eating yummy things xoxox

Hand Jam-pies

 

A favorite treat at tea is make your own jam hand-pies. I like to serve items were you can make it to please your palette.

PS. I forgot to say, I had mine with my red-wine plum jam and bits of dark chocolate, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Okay I am off to cook some more for hubby.  

I roll out pate brisee and cut tops and bottoms.

I set out different jams, bits of chocolate, nuts, fruit, Anything you can think of. Each person takes a piece of dough and put a TBL of jam and a few pieces of fruit, chocolate, nuts.

Wet edge of dough with water, using your finger. Set another piece of dough on top and press down edges. We carved our initial into each pie, so we knew who's was whose. 

Set hand pies on greased cookie sheet. I suggest you set cookie sheet in freezer for 1/2 hour to re-harden butter. Bake off frozen hand-pies at 375  for 20 minutes or till golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes, that jam is really hot. Enjoy

 

I am taking a few days off from blogging to spoil my man for Fathers day. I always thought the more I spoil him, the more he will spoil me :-) Plus we just had our 21 wedding anniversary. We were up half the night chatting, giggling and remembering. I can not think of a better way to celebrate, I am quite blessed xoxoxx

Victorian Loo

 

I am sure you are wondering why I am showing you my toilet, but I am just so thrilled I had to share with you. I saw this cross tank lever in the June Country Living. (It is only $15.00 at Lowes) I thought what a simple, inexpensive way to make my bathroom feel a bit more Victorian.  Sometimes just new hardware can make something feel unique and special xoxox

Rose Strawberry Ice Cream w/ Peach Crisp

 

Well it is the time of year to start making rose syrup. June is rose month in this neck of the woods. I tell you in winter, when I am longing for a bit of summer a bowl of vanilla ice cream, drizzled with rose syrup is perfect.

This ice cream is almost the same as the rosey frozen treat . I love ice cream but who can afford heavy cream anymore. Plus all the work. This is just simply buttermilk, strawberries and rose syrup. It really is better with full fat buttermilk, because lets face it fat is where the flavor and mouth feel is.

I have added a few more rose syrup recipes in my list on the left side. There a few with rose water, but as long as it is a sweet recipe you can use the rose syrup instead. I do hope if you have never tried making rose syrup, this year you will xoxo

PS. a scoop of ice cream in a glass of dry gewurztraminer or rose` is amazing !!!

Rose Strawberry Ice cream

4 cup frozen or fresh strawberries

1 1/2 cup buttermilk, bulgarian full fat is better

1 cup rosey syrup

sugar, to taste as needed

milk also as needed

In a food processor (if you do not have one, you can also use a blender, but for the ice cream I like the processor better) add berries, buttermilk and rose syrup. Process till smooth, if too thick add milk, till you get the consistency you like. It should be pourable but not too thin. Taste if not sweet enough, add sugar till it suits your palette.

Pour into pre-paired (frozen) ice cream maker and run till thick. For mine it is usually 1/2 hour. Transfer to a container and freeze.

Peach Crisp

sliced 6-8 peaches in a baking dish. You do not need any sugar unless the peaches are not very sweet. Sprinkle topping over peaches and bake 350 for 1/2 hour until topping is browned and juices from the peaches are running.

Forget-Me-Not Tray

 

 

 

The girls and I have been enjoying our tea outdoors but I needed a tray to carry everything. Something fairly sturdy, room for all our tea stuff and not expensive. I remember some trays JuneMoon had fixed up as gifts for her family. I went to Michael's and they had them and the pretty blue paper. They are really cheap, you could do anything with them and they would make wonderful gifts. I am very happy with my forget-me-not tray. I especially love the scalloped velvet trim, which I found at my local scrapbook store. I decided to add just a few scattered velvet forget-me-nots on the inside of the tray. I thought it was sort of like a pretty lacey petticoat just peeking out. Also I found about three coats of modge podge, seems to make a finish on the paper that can handle some spilled tea, hot tea pot and can be wiped down. Now go gussie up a tray xoxoxo

Museum Wax

I realized when I posted I should have given some feedback about the museum wax. It has been 3 years (can you believe it) since I wrote the first post, I wanted to say a couple of things. First I do NOT recommend the gel, it just does hold like the wax. So skip the gel. Second I found there are several products out there that are the same thing. Glass wax, adhesive wax for glass, tackywax. I get tackywax at a Christmas store in the area that sell the Christmas villages. They sell little tubs of the wax for $2.50. I always pick up a couple when I am in there. So look around, do a search. Remember, you can reuse the wax. You just scrap it off when you are done, put it back and clean the item with orange cleaner. I do hope you can find some, because I am always finding ways to use mine.

Also I wanted to let you know that Amazon has removed their mark up of my baking issue, so now the price is the same as my Lulu shop, yeah. I really wish I could find a way to get it printed cheaper, so far I have not. But I am still looking. I hope you have a lovely weekend. It is the middle of the week for us, so we will be cleaning, gardening, math, tea outside. Wish you could have tea with us xoxoxox