Orange Vanilla Chip Cookies

I felt like baking cookies today and had some white chocolate chips that I needed to use.  After a quick search of Food.com, I found this recipe here for Orange Vanilla Chip Cookies posted by ratherbeswimmin’.  Yep, I had all the ingredients, so I was good to go!

2 1/4 c A-P flour
1/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 c unsalted butter. softened
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg , at room temperature
1 T grated orange zest
1 c white chocolate chips

Sift the flour, baking soda and salt into a mixing bowl; set aside.  Cream the butter and sugars together in another mixing bowl.  Add the egg and mix well.  Add the flour and mix well again.  Add the orange zest and white chocolate chips.  Stir well to combine all ingredients.  Using a teaspoon, drop the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet (I greased mine).  Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool the cookies on the cookie sheet for 1 minute; remove to wire racks.

Oh my goodness, these were wonderful!  The only change I made to the recipe was to use about 1/2-3/4 T of orange zest (since that was all I had on hand), but I liked the way they tasted only using this amount.  I loved the subtle orange flavor.  The cookies were scrumptiously (is that even a word???) delicious!

Next time, I’m going to double the recipe.

I'’ll be joining Miz Helen at her Country Cottage for Full Plate Thursday.  Thanks for dropping by and I hope you’ll come back soon!

DG

 

Christmas in the Dining Room

It’s Christmas time in my dining room…the buffet has been decorated, the tree has been trimmed and touches of greenery added for holiday fun. 

I decorated the buffet with touches of pink, silver and snowy greenery. 

The Victorian Noel cross stitched picture was made several years ago from a free pattern I found online.

Pink ornaments are nestled in a Homer Laughlin covered bowl, sans lid.  An epergne holds pink spire ornaments.

Hanging from the lamp are a cluster of three ornaments decorated with beaded ornament covers.

Standing on my grandmother’s sewing machine cabinet is one of my favorite trees.  It’s decorated with vintage ornaments from the 1940’s-50’s and knee hugger elves from the 1960’s-70’s.

The tree skirt was made from an old chenille bedspread that belonged to my grandmother.  She loved chenille bedspreads and this one was her favorite.

Sitting under the tree is my small collection of Mark Roberts fairies.  This one, Spirit of Hope, is my favorite.  A portion of the proceeds from sales of this fairy were donated to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Some of my favorite ornaments and elves.

Another shot of my dining area.

I’m joining Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday.

Thanks for dropping by and I wish for you and your family a joyous Christmas season!

DG

 

 

Christmas Pink

I feel like it’s been ages since I’ve posted on my blog!  I had to take a little mini break because first my mother was very sick and then not long after she got well, I got sick.  Thankfully we are both well now and it’s great to be back with my blogging buddies!

I want to share with you my absolute favorite Christmas table setting and it is usually the first one I do each year during the holiday season.   I love decorating for Christmas using pink…I know, very untraditional, but what can I say??  I do also use more traditional colors in table settings for my family during the season, but I just love this one.

A snowy white lace tablecloth is layered over a pink damask cloth.

The chargers, handpainted by a talented artist in Texas, were a birthday gift from my husband several years ago.  Among the pink roses dusted with snow are pine branches and white berries. 

With the chargers, I’ve used clear glass dinner plates.

On each dinner plate, a clear glass sherbet to be used for dessert holds pink ornaments decorated with angels and sparkling glass glitter.

Sparkling pink ornaments rest in champagne flutes.

Pink Fostoria footed glasses will be used for iced tea.

Snowflake napkin rings were used on the pink damask napkins.

The centerpiece is decorated with snow dusted pinecones and branches, white berries and pink roses.

A pair of candleholders in the pattern “Caprice” by the Cambridge Glass Co. were placed at each end of the centerpiece and a taller crystal candleholder sits in the middle of the greenery.

I’m joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.  I’m also joining Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday.

Thanks so much for coming by today!  I hope you’ll come back again soon.

DG

 

Redecorating the Hall Tree Corner

I would love to have an entryway, but unfortunately my front door opens directly into my living room.  In the corner next to the door is one of my favorite pieces of furniture – my hall tree.  I wish I could say it was an antique, but it’s a reproduction of a Victorian piece. 

For quite a while, I had a summery floral arrangement in a bowl sitting on the shelf.  I decided it was definitely time for a change, so I’ve been playing around with it this week.     

Antique vase with transfer scene featuring maidens and a cherub by the artist Angelica Kauffman (1741-1807)… 

filled with an arrangement of eucalyptus and peacock feathers. 

Love, love, love peacock feathers!

The antique porcelain heart with two cherubs…  

would have held water and a small arrangement of flowers. 

Framed print “A Garland of Morning Glories” by Emile Vernon. 

For now, a crystal bowl in a silver plated holder filled with seashells and pearls.  I’ll probably change up this shelf in the next couple of days.

Some of my vintage handbags…most of these are from the 1950-60’s and were gifts from my sister.

Antique prints by Hans Zatzka in scrolling brass frames.   

Maidens…

and cherubs…my favorite type of artwork!

Container holding my grandfather’s walking cane and my grandmother’s parasol (actually it’s an umbrella…but parasol sounds so much better!  LOL)

Peacock made by a very special cousin in the 1970’s.  Love the iridescent sheen on the feathers! 

Other than changing up the bowl of shells for something else, I’ll probably leave it like this until I decorate for Halloween. 

I’m joining French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday.

Thanks for visiting with me today!  I hope to see you again soon.

DG

 

Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake

I’m so glad you’re visiting with me today!  I have the tea all brewed and I’ve baked a wonderful cake for my husband’s birthday.  I’d love to share it with you. 

Each time I make a bundt cake, I think of the scene in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” where Ian’s mother brings one to dinner. 

(Ian’s mother) It’s a Bundt.

(Toula’s mother) It’s a bun?

(Ian’s mother) Bundt!

(Toula’s mother) A bunk?

(Ian’s mother) Bundtttttt!!!!!!

(Toula’s mother) Oh, it’s a cake!

That has to be one of my favorite scenes in the whole movie! 

 

We are celebrating my sweet husband’s birthday this week and he loves any dessert that has lemon in it.  So, for his birthday cake, I made a Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake.  The recipe can be found here at Food.com.

There is just something wonderful about lemon and blueberries…the flavors compliment each other so well when they’re combined.  The cake was moist and so delicious. 

The glaze is a “must add” to the cake.  It adds a whole new flavor dimension to the cake!  Look at those bits of lemon peel on the glaze…delish!

I’ll be joining Miz Helen for Full Plate Thursday and Designs by Gollum for Foodie Friday.  Hope to see you again soon!

DG

 

Music is the Poetry of the Air

My mother is very musically talented.  She has been playing the piano since she was about 8 years old.  She also plays the organ and accordian.  All she has to do is hear a song one time and she can play it…playing entirely by ear, she reads very little sheet music.  I always wished I could do that!  When I was a child, I wanted so badly to be able to play the piano like she did.

In 1965 when I was 4 years old, I asked for a piano for Christmas…I can remember seeing a toy piano in one of the Christmas catalogs and I wanted Santa to bring me that piano so badly!  Unfortunately, by the time “Santa” ordered it, the piano was no longer available.  None of the local shops had any pianos either.  My mother was determined though that I would have a piano for Christmas…so, look what Santa brought!

Ok, so technically Santa brought the piano to ME for Christmas, but only because my MOTHER really wanted a piano for herself.  LOL!

Here it is in my home today.  I’ve been playing around this morning with different vignettes on top of it.  Sometimes I have a hard time with vignettes because the top is so narrow.  Most items have to be basically lined up on top. 

While browsing through the thrift store Saturday, I found this wonderful gold lyre music stand.  Oh yeah…it definitely had to come home with me!  I bought it for a song!  (No pun intended – LOL!) .  I’m debating trying to antique the stand…what do you think?  Antique it or leave it as it is?

It’s now holding one of my favorite pieces of sheet music – “Fairy Kisses” – circa 1908.  This was an eBay find many years ago.  I love the graphics on the cover…the romantic Victorian lady with her Gibson-girl upsweep and tiny fairy hovering next to her!

Two of my most favorite pieces are my antique German bisque piano babies.  Both are unmarked and were made in the late 1800’s to early 1900’s. 

 

Their little faces are so beautiful!

Featuring handpainted roses, this Victorian ewer is another favorite piece.  Many times they were found in pairs and were used as decorations on fireplace mantles.  When I play around with a new vignette on my mantle, this will probably be moved there.  I also added some of my decorative marble eggs to the piano top.

Years ago, I found this beautiful piece of vintage needlepoint for a piano bench on eBay.

I finally got it put on my bench earlier this year.  Gorgeous roses and a scrolling border…I’m totally in love with this! 

The center design is petit point and the stitches are so tiny!

Someone spent an incredible amount of time making this…she must have had great eyesight! 

I would so love to know who made it…what did she think about as she sat there stitching?

 

Was she making the piece as a gift or for herself?  Guess I’ll never know. 

My next project is going to be trying to antique the mirror hanging over the piano.  I’m not loving the bright gold!  I’ve been watching Marty at A Stroll Thru Life antique items using Mixwax and I think I’m going to give it a try.

I’m joining Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday, Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday and Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday.

I’m so glad YOU visited me this week!  I hope you’ll come back again soon.

DG