National Pie Day

was Friday, January 23rd. When I heard that, I couldn't resist doing an old-fashioned pie social. I sent homemade invitations out immediately and began pulling out the vintage aprons and tablecloths I had.

The following pictures aren't that great - we had a grey day and the only way to get a decent picture was by using the flash. Of course I didn't get as many pics as I'd hoped either.

My hubby, a landscaper, brought home little potted primroses that I used for centerpieces. I was originally going to use fresh cut flowers, but with a tiny budget, I thought these were pretty cute! I added vintage black and white photos found at thrift stores, vintage (and not so vintage) pie recipes, and some pie trivia to each centerpiece.

I asked ladies to bring their recipes and some showed up with their vintage cookbooks - how fun!

We had 27 people and 15 pies (2 showed up after these pics were taken). I told them they could double up if they wanted to. I imagined we'd have 10 apple pies or something like that, but I'm delighted to say that not one was the same! We had something for every taste bud - cream pies, fruit pies, chocolate pies, etc. I shouldn't have been worried because even if we'd had 10 apple pies, I realize now that each one would have still been different. I doubt anyone makes the same thing the exact same way.It's the first time I've ever done something that big without help from somebody so I was a nervous wreck. Thanks to the pie bakers and a couple of helpers (a whipped cream maker and Coralie who let me use some vintage recipes and a picture of her sweet mother) it was a wonderful success! It was the perfect pick-me-up to a grey January day!

Thrifting Once Again

These don't exactly go on the blue wall (ignore the bad trim job), but that's where they are for now. I think these are the sweetest vintage prints! They say "Printed in England". Close up, you can tell they're old - even the frames. They are backed with crackly, peeling old paper. I suppose they must be redone to preserve them, but I even love that feature! They're both approximately 11" x 14". I thought about repainting the yellow and pale green frames, but can't bring myself to do that - at least not yet.

The Tryst

Good Night

Aren't they romantic?

Feeling Blue

. . . in a good way! I never considered myself much of a blue person. With the start of a new year, I was looking for change in my kitchen. Something new. I've noticed lately that I've been drawn to calming blues and greens. There's something about them. So I decided to go around the house and gather whatever I could find that is blue, especially the aqua blues. Do you ever do that? It's amazing what can be pulled together to change a look completely. I think that's why I love a white, neutral backdrop so much (besides the happy, cheerfulness of it). Accessories can be changed out in a heartbeat!

Here's what I came up with, and I love how it looks all put together!

A thrift store painting taken out of it's brown frame. I'll paint and use the frame for something else.
A cupcake book page that I often turn to because I adore the perfect blue/green shade of frosting!

Sugar!

A pretty sachet with vintage lace and a rhinestone button.

A vintage ironstone glass lid with blue tint. I didn't realize ironstone came in clear like this until someone told me. I thought all ironstone was white.

Ribbon

An egg

Tissue paper

A feathered friend (sorry it's blurry)

Glitter, of course!

$2 garage sale find - still works!

Jones soda - yum!

Ball jars - two from my mom and two thrifted - love 'em!

Vintage tin

I had added these white lights over the kitchen window. I enjoy how it makes the dishes sparkle and shine. It adds some much-needed winter cheer to our space.

Now I'm considering myself more of a blue person. It's such a calming and peaceful color, and you can put lots of different shades together, and it still looks good. I absolutely love how it looks against the white, especially in winter. So frosty! I'm sure it's going to be in my kitchen for a very long time. It'll look great in the summer with some apothecary jars filled with seashells and pillar candles in hurricanes filled with sand. I cannot wait!

Pretty Little Things

Yesterday, I decided to get out of the house for an hour or two. We've been pretty much home bound for the last week due to a lot of snow. When wandering through a fun shop, I found these sweet little puffy hearts and couldn't resist them. Who can resist vintage quilt fabric, ticking, hearts, and tinsel stars? They were made as ornaments, but I think these sweeties will stick around through Valentine's Day and maybe even year-round.

Beautiful winter-white roses my brother and sister-in-law brought on Christmas Day. They were in a huge vase combined with the red ones below and were absolutely gorgeous. They were needing a good trim to last longer so I separated them. Red ones for the red/white kitchen and white ones for the snow themed living/dining area.

My husband is home for the day entertaining the children out in the shop. I'm enjoying the quiet I have all to myself after a week and a half of boisterous kids home on break, prepping for Christmas Day at our house, etc. So nice to have the house to myself. **sigh**

I hope you're enjoying your holidays wherever you are today!

A Tapestry

Isn't it beautiful? It's almost 5 feet long.

I'd love to know the origin of it. It was really inexpensive at one of my favorite shops. In fact, I don't think they could have framed it for the price I paid. I would have expected it to at least be double the $$$.

It's much more beautiful in person. It has the faintest pinks and blues and greens in it. I think if I were to paint the wall the Prussian Blue I showed here, it would add so much more to it. Some winterizing around the house. Love the Wendy Addison glass glitter snowflakes. They've tarnished a bit now and add that "just right, vintage patina". All that dark wood - if only I could paint it a beautiful shade of white! Then my browns and gilded pieces would be so much prettier. Someday....(can't come soon enough!)

The last time I went to visit my Mom, she gave me these adorable (perfect shade of blue) ducks. I added a little glitter pick around their necks for some holiday bling. They are in front of a mirror so it looks like more than just the two of them. They currently reside on the top of our built-in hutch (another piece of dark wood I'd love to paint white).

Here's a view of our massive fireplace mantle. It's at least two feet deep by six feet wide and stands shoulder height (yup, I'd love to paint it white, too!). I'm wanting to paint the green walls a creamy shade of white or the Prussian Blue now.

The huge Tiffany glitter wreath I picked up at Lowe's on 50% clearance. Pictures don't do it justice! It's beautiful and fits in with the Wendy Addison snowflakes and "Winter Dreams" garland. I picked up the clear glass candle holders piece by piece from thrift stores and a few I had on hand already. With the clear twinkle lights in back and lit up at night, they glow so prettily.

I kept things in the house very simple for the most part this year.

I'm headed outside with the kids now to enjoy our Winter Wonderland! School has been cancelled so we're going to enjoy every minute of it. Then I have to get down to business and straighten up the house a bit for company tomorrow night.