Fairy - Tale Mushrooms …

I discovered these delightful little mushrooms while I was watering my flowers Saturday morning. I think they look enchanting, like magical mushrooms that you would find in a fairy - tale.

Beautiful Bugs ...

What I love most about summer is how alive everything is. Everything is changing and growing, everyday there is something new to see. I especially love watching all the different bugs that visit our yard. I find it so relaxing to walk around the yard trying to capture these wonderful creatures with my camera. Here are some pictures of my six legged friends.

Please take a little time and visit A Southern Daydreamer and her nature loving friends for, Outdoor Wednesday.

Hummingbird Clearwing



Ants

Fritillary

Dragonfly

Tiger Swallowtail

Have a beautiful Wednesday!

Original Folk Art Painting, Vintage Christmas Ball Box …

I know that it’s only July, but I have been working on Christmas paintings. I love creating Christmas art. Maybe it’s because of all the wonderful memories I have of this time of the year, the music, the decorations, and all the special moments shared with the people I love.

The inspiration behind this particular Christmas painting was my new vintage ornaments and the adorable box they came in. The painting and Christmas cards of the painting soon will be available in my Etsy shop.

MMM Monday, Pizza, Pizza ...

Today I wanted to share my husband’s chewy and delicious pizza crust recipe. It took him a while to perfect it, but once he did pizza night at our house became one of our favorite nights of the week.

Here is the mouth watering recipe …

Pizza Crust (2-3 Crusts)

Ingredients …

1 – 1 1/4 c Spring Water (115 degrees)

1 Tblsp Butter, at room temperature

1 Tblsp Sugar

1 ¼ tsp Salt

3 c Hi-Gluten Flour (Pillsbury)

¼ tsp Garlic Powder

1 ½ tsp Instant Dry Yeast (Fleishman’s ADY)

Combine the water, yeast, and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and swirl the water with your hand until the yeast and sugar dissolve. Allow the water mixture to bloom for 10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients to the mixer bowl and mix on low using the dough hook for 10 minutes. Add additional flour if the mixture is too wet and more water if the mixture it too dry. Knead the dough for 10 minutes or until it is smooth and elastic. Cut the dough in half and form it into a ball by tucking the edges under. Lightly oil the outside of the dough balls and place it in a zipper storage bag in refrigerator for 1-2 days.
Before you begin making your pizza preheat the oven to 480 degrees. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and form your pizza shells. Top your pizza with whatever suits your fancy and put it in the oven for 6 to 8 minutes.

Happy eating!

Our Rain Dance Worked …

We finally have rain! This is the first time we have gotten rain in well over a month. It has been so brutally hot and dry. The grass has turned to straw, even the weeds have shriveled up. I have been watering most of my flowers gardens, but it is costly to keep up and some of the beds have suffered. It’s so sad to walk around the yard and see everything that was so beautiful and vibrant a couple of weeks ago turning brown and dying.

When I woke up and saw the rain I was so excited, I guess our little rain dance worked! I don’t think I have ever been so happy to see rain.



Have a beautiful weekend!

Fabulous Finds at Shupp's Grove ...

On Saturday my husband and I had a little date day and one of the places we went was Shupp’s Grove. It’s a wonderful outdoor antique market. I could spend hours slowly walking through each stand admiring all of the fabulous antiques and vintage items.

It was so nice being able to take our time, enjoy each others company, and look at some beautiful things from the past without rushing.

I bought this enamel bucket with the lid for five dollars. I love using them for planters, this is my son’s tomato plant he started at school. I have a few fun ideas for the lid.

I found this unique bowl to go with my Geisha Girl Pottery. I have many pieces but did not have any bowls quite like this.

The most exciting part of the afternoon was when I came across a table covered with boxes of vintage Christmas balls. I got so excited. I love vintage Christmas items. When I was a kid my great-grandmother would let my sister and I help her decorate for Christmas. She had so many fabulous Christmas decorations, I think that is when I began my love for antiques. A box was six dollars and you could mix and match how you wanted. I wanted the whole table it was to hard to choose.

The man had a tree decorated with so many unique and beautiful ornaments. He had ornaments I had never seen in person, just online or in books. I asked him if he had any Mica Putz houses and he did. I got even more excited, I love them, I love painting them and I love admiring them. He pulled out a plastic tub full of the houses. I was elated it was like Christmas morning. We went through the box together, some of them were really in rough shape and others needed just a little TLC. My husband stood there laughing at me, I could not make up my mind. I finally made my selections.

This pink house is in wonderful condition. I love how the windows and doors have little decorations on them.

I thought this little house was unique. I love the teal and yellow. This one was a little different from the others and stood out.

This little pink house is just simple, I love it.

The church is my favorite. It’s missing its steeple, but it is otherwise in beautiful condition.



Thank you for stopping by and visiting my new vintage items. If you want to see some more wonderful vintage thingies stop over and visit Coloradolady for Vintage Thingie Thursday.

Renesday, Happy Red ...

Red is one of my favorite colors. It is one of those colors that just make you feel happy and warm all over. Here are some wonderful red thingies that make me smile. Stop over at It's A Very Cherry World! for Rednesday and some more happy red.

Vintage Salt and Pepper Shakers ...

Today for Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays I wanted to share some of my adorable and thrifty salt and pepper shakers.

My newest shakers are my tomato shakers. I found them at a flea market for $2.00.

I bought these cute flower pot shakers at one of my favorite farmers market for $1.00, I think that was a great deal and there is still salt in the one shaker.

The next two shakers are from my vintage Geisha Girl Pottery collection. They are not a matching set, I am still on the hunt for there partners.

Please stop over and visit Coastal Charm and all her thrifty followers. Have a wonderful Tuesday!

I Heart the U.S.A. …

This is my newest painting, I heart the U.S.A. . It was inspired by all things vintage.

It was even painted on a piece of wood from a vintage table I disassembled.

Many of the items on the piece were found in or inspired by wonderful items in vintage Etsy shops.

The inspiration behind this particular painting was the red, white, and blue tie I found in paisleyfacevintage a cute little vintage Etsy shop.





Have a wonderful Holiday weekend!

Vintage Thingie Thursday, Goes to the Birds …

Today I am linking up to Coloradolady for Vintage Thingie Thursday. This Thursday I thought I would share some of my vintage roosters. I love vintage roosters. Every time I go to a flea market I always keep an eye out for a new piece to add to my collection.

This is my favorite rooster collectible. It is a white rooster vase. I love how the flowers bring out the character in this simple piece.

I got these two matching roosters for a great price a few years ago. They remind me of birds my great-grandmother had displayed above her kitchen cabinets.

I love the teal and purple on this vintage rooster tablecloth.

This is a cute little rooster book end.

This white rooster salt shaker had a partner, but the other rooster unfortunately met my youngest and didn’t survive.

This cute salt shaker also met my daughter but I was able to rescue him.




Thank you for visiting my little collection.