Easter Tea Party

This year I decided to have an Easter Tea party. :-) I haven't ever decorated for Easter until now. But everything goes so well with the colours in my house, that I really should have! Haha Nathanael, Teddy and Teena partying together. ;-)

Nathanael went a little wild with the Easter stickers. ha

Teddy and Caleb listen while Melissa and Teena chat. :-)

Brothers

"Teddy is my best friend in the world."

"Mommy, I love Teddy so much!"

~Nathanael~

Rocking Chair Makeover

I am joining in on the "Before and After" party at the Thrifty Decor Chick's blog. This is my first "bloggie" party, so I'm quite excited. Haha http://www.thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/ I couldn't get her fancy button thing to work ( I'm not so great at technology. Ha) So, this link will have to do.

Anyhow, here is a rocking chair that I bought a few months ago at a second hand furniture shop. I needed it badly at the time to nurse my newborn baby boy, so I made the cushion for it before painting it. It worked well, but I didn't care for the finish, especially not with all my cream and white furniture in the family/dining room.

So, I gave it a rough coat of white paint (Dulux Once brand) and added a decal. The paint job is far from perfect, but I got the whole thing done during one of Teddy's afternoon naps, and that was the important thing to me. And now, I think the chair is way prettier. And imperfections are very "shabby chic", anyway, right? Haha :-)

Hope you are enjoying looking at everyone's befores and afters! I always love it.

A Vintage Treasure

This vintage ( I am guessing 30s-50s?) tablecloth was found on a recent thrift store shopping excursion. I have it laid out on the guest bed for display for now. Mostly as it was the best place to have it for photographing it. :-)
Yesterday I had it out drying on the line, and Nathanael asked me what that white thing was. I told him it was a vintage tablecloth and he said" Oh! A treasure!" Isn't he the wise one? :-) Hehe

I think was a good find, although a little more than I wanted to spend at $15.

It is a treasure from the past. :-)

Hearts Around Our House :-)

In honour of Valentine's Day, I thought I would show all of the heart shaped things in our house. :-)

This arrangement is in our dining area.

I made the heart garland, and the small heart wreath

is from JoAnn's Fabrics in the USA.

A homemade heart hangs from a humorous sign. :-)

Another of my heart garlands hangs in our formal living room.

Hearts that I made from the book "Sew Pretty Homestyle".

Somehow this pic of my bridesmaid gift

from my friend, Melissa, ended up sideways. :-/

And, of course, I don't know how to fix it once it is on here. Haha

Melissa gave me the larger heart box, and I store my

earrings in the small pink one. :-)

And here I am with my little sweet hearts. :-)

Ben couldn't be in the picture because he is taking it, of course.

I would have liked to decorate for Valentine's Day, but I didn't think of it in time to make or order anything, and they don't seem to have much in the stores here for Valentine's Day. After Christmas, they skipped straight to Easter! Haha

Have a very happy Valentine's Day!!! :-)

~"Dick and Jane" nursery pillow~

Both sides of the pillow. :-)

After finding 2 different "Dick and Jane" theme fabrics on sale in a quilt shop at the coast, I decided to decorate our newly built church nursery in this theme. I am making two of these pillows for our new soft gliding chairs we have to nurse the babies in.

The other fabric, I am planning to make into valances for the windows. After the wood blinds have been installed, that is. I also bought 3 "Dick and Jane" prints which I plan to frame for the walls. Those will have to wait for the plastering and painting to be done, though. :-)

When the nursery is all done, I will post pics of the finished project, complete with little models, Teddy and Caleb. :-) How cute will that be? Hehe

~Peppermint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies ~

Thought I'd share this recipe that I adapted from my Better Homes&Gardens cookbook. :-)

3 Eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

8 tablespoons cooking cocoa

1/2 cup cooking oil

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract ( I added this to taste, so I'm not sure exactly how much)

2 cups all-purpose flour

Sifted powdered sugar

1. In a large bowl beat eggs, sugar, cocoa, oil, baking powder, vanilla and peppermint with an electric mixer until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Cover and chill dough for 1-2 hours.

2.Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll balls in powered sugar, place balls 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in a 375F (or about 180C) oven for 8-10 min. or until edges are set and tops are crackled. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

These ended up very soft and yummy. :-)