“We were given: Two hands to hold.

Two legs to walk. Two eyes to see.

Two ears to listen.

But why only one heart?

Because the other was given to someone else. For us to find.” ~Unknown

Lucky me…my two favorite valentines!

Show and share. Inspire me Monday.  Tuesday at our house. The scoop.                  Inspire me Tuesday   Make it pretty. Art of homemaking. Made by you. Metamorphosis. Gods great garden. Blessings. Tuesday with a twist. Talk of the Town. Let’s talk vintage. Wonderful Wednesday. Share it. Brag about it. Wow us Wednesday. Moonlight and Mason Jars. Share your cup. Share your style. Home and garden. Welcome home. Thursday favorites waste not. Coffee and conversation.               Vintage charm. Friday features. Home sweet home. Feather nest Friday. Tada. Friendship Friday. Funtastic Friday. Grace at home.  Morning cup of joe.                    Home matters. Sweet inspiration. Vintage chic. Oh hey Friday. Best of the weekend. Sunday at home. Share it one more time. Snickerdoodle Simple Saturday.                  Silver pennies   Create with joy. Inspiration Monday. Digging it  let’s add sprinkles. Amaze me. Proverbs 31

I am dreaming of a new kitchen…just dreaming at this point. I imagine beautiful countertops, a large center island and a real pantry. Right now I  am content with what I have and my dreams…but it does not hurt to put some images with those dreams. The French doors “just measuring up” used on her pantry…dreamy…and pinned!

Enjoy your weekend!

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Maisy at Becoming Alice – FB | G+ | Pin

Sheree at Stage Presents – Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst

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Amy at A Day of Small Things – Pin

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Kelly at Under a Texas Sky – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

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I have never really decorated for Valentine’s Day. I really don’t like a lot of pastels and the idea of little naked cherubs all over my home kind of creeped me out. Then, I noticed all the cute decorating and party ideas all over blogland and something inside admitted that it looked…pretty cute. The challenge remained, however, how was I going to pull off this “love” decor with only what I already had on hand…a handful of vintage postcards and a few little vintage quilt hearts.  Then I remembered…the box of pink depression glass in the basement…never really used.  A few berry bowls and parfait glasses later I think it turned out very well!

Simple but pretty effective…

I just love how the enamelware candleholder and depression glass give the effect of valentines without venturing into “cutesy”.

I, and probably thousands more, totally stole this idea from Sadie Seasongoods. I mean who is brilliant enough to think of putting vintage valentines on a rug beater?

We are STILL waiting for snow…the Princess has stepped up her efforts with her performance of the snow dance.

Show and share. Inspire me Monday. Tuesday at our house. The scoop. Inspire me Tuesday. Make it pretty   The art of homemaking. Made by you. Metamorphosis. Gods great garden. Wow us Wednesday. Let’s talk vintage. Wonderful Wednesday. Share it. Brag about it. Tuesday with a twist. Talk of the town. Moonlight and Mason jars   Waste not Wednesday. Share your cup. Share your style. Home and garden.       Welcome home. Thursday favorites. Simplify. Coffee and conversation                        best of the weekend    Sweet inspiration. Vintage charm. Friendship Friday             Home matters    Friday Features   Home sweet home.  Your inspired design. Tada.  Vintage chic.  Morning cup of joe.  Grace at home.  Oh hey Friday.  Snickerdoodle. Share it one more time     Simple Saturday.  Sunday at home. Feather nest Friday. Silver pennies. Create with joy. Inspiration Monday. Digging it. Let’s add sprinkles. Amaze me Monday. Proverbs 31

Happy Friday everyone! I love the weekend, I love the leisurely breakfasts of the weekend.  I can’t wait to try this heavenly breakfast pizza! Enjoy all the lovely features this week!

Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Christine at Light and Savvy – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Jen at Creatively Homemade – Twitter | G+ | Pin

Dawn at LeroyLime – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

Maisy at Becoming Alice – FB | G+ | Pin

Sheree at Stage Presents – Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst

Lisa at Condo Blues – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Amy at A Day of Small Things – Pin

Penny at Penny’s Passion – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Kelly at Under a Texas Sky – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!

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Military life can be hard…moving, leaving friends, moving again…and repeat. On the plus side, the opportunity to travel and discover faraway lands can’t be beat. I have wonderful memories of time spent overseas and am very blessed that my home reflects that special time of my life.  Let me show you some of my favorites!

This gorgeous basket is an antique German wedding basket! They are very hard to find now in good condition, so I really am lucky to have one in my home.

Can you just image the history behind this Korean Apothecary cabinet?  I would love to have the labels translated. Medical care has certainly improved in 150 years or so.

A Step tansu is a staple in a Korean home. The best part is the ability to easily take it apart and rearrange the cubes in many different ways. Kind of like building blocks for adults.

OK, who didn’t smile when they saw this picture? Kokeshi dolls from Japan have that effect on people.

Of course this is our greatest treasure from another land…unique and priceless!

show and share. Inspire me Monday. Tuesday at our house. The scoop. Metamorphosis                   Inspire me Tuesday   Make it pretty. Art of homemaking. Made by you.                        Gods great Garden. Tuesday with a twist.    Share it                    Let’s talk vintage. Wonderful Wednesday. Brag about it. Wow us Wednesday.              Talk of the town. Moonlight and Mason jars. Work it Wednesday. Share your cup. Share your style. Home and garden. Welcome home. Thursday favorites         Waste not. Coffee and conversation. Vintage charm. Your inspired design.      Friday features   Home sweet home. Feather nest Friday. Tada friendship Friday. Funtastic Friday. Grace at home. Morning cup of joe. Home matters. Vintage chic. Sweet inspiration. Oh hey Friday. Best of the weekend. Sunday at home.            Share it one more time   Simple Saturday. Snickerdoodle.  Silver pennies. Create with joy. Inspiration Sunday. Digging it. Let’s add sprinkles. Amaze me Monday. Proverbs 31

True story…the first time I ever tasted Red Velvet cake was two years ago. I knew it existed, I watched ” Steel Magnolias” a few time but it never seemed very appealing.  I was wrong. It was fabulous.  In honor of my great discovery I have selected the most yummy sounding red velvet fudge!

Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Christine at Light and Savvy – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Jen at Creatively Homemade – Twitter | G+ | Pin

Dawn at LeroyLime – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

Maisy at Becoming Alice – FB | G+ | Pin

Sheree at Stage Presents – Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst

Lisa at Condo Blues – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Amy at A Day of Small Things – Pin

Penny at Penny’s Passion – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Kelly at Under a Texas Sky – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!

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This week our household suffered a minor tragedy…our beloved slow cooker decided to officially retire from service and enjoy life in some landfill. Perhaps tragedy is a bit of an exaggeration, but what else can you feel when the piece of equipment that provided hot, delicious food for our table, at least twice a week, is just not…there? Target.com to the rescue and 3 days later, a younger and flashier model (it has a meat probe people)  was placed gently on our front porch. Now, to break it in! Anyone interested in baked potato soup? I can think of nothing more comforting on a cold, blustery winter day, than to walk into the door to the sight and smell of hot, homemade soup. You won’t believe how easy it is to make…even with an old school slow cooker!

The usual cast of characters:

1. 8 cups of  potatoes washed and diced into cubes.  I leave on the skins, but this is a matter of taste.

2. 2 cups beef stock.  Chicken, even vegetable stock would work, I happen to like richness of the beef against the potatoes. Once again a matter of taste.

3. An 8 oz package of cream cheese.

4. 1 cup milk or cream

5. Salt and pepper to taste.

Directions:

1. Place potatoes and stock into crock pot. Cook on low for 5 hours. If I am pressed for time, I bump up to high for an hour.

2. Mash potatoes in slow cooker and use my new favorite kitchen tool,the immersion blender, to blend to a smoother consistency…not too smooth you want some chunky goodness. Add the milk or cream. Stir well.

3. Add cream cheese to potato mixture and heat 30-45 minutes more. Stir occasionally as the cheese melts.

4.Remove and serve with a fun variety of toppings…bacon, sour cream and cheddar cheese are always a hit.

In other news, the princess has found a new hiding place…

Inspire me Monday.  Show and share. Inspire me Tuesday    Tuesday at our house.     The scoop. Make it pretty. Art of homemaking. Made by you. Metamorphosis Gods great garden. Wow us Wednesday. Let’s talk vintage. Share it. Tuesday with a twist. Wonderful Wednesday. Brag about it. Talk of the town. Moonlight and Mason jars share your cup. Share your style. Home and garden. Welcome home.                      Thursday favorites.   Waste not. Coffee and conversation. Home sweet home. Friendship Friday. Your inspired design. Friday features. Grace at home.                  Feather nest Friday  morning cup of joe. Home matters. Sweet inspiration. Vintage chic   Oh hey Friday. Best  of the weekend. Sunday at home. Share it one more time. Snickerdoodle.  Simple Saturday. Silver pennies. Create with joy. Inspiration Monday. Digging it. Let’s add sprinkles. Amaze me Monday.

With temperatures in the 50’s here in Annapolis it is quite easy to forget it is January. I am sure I will eat my words in a few weeks but, we need a good snowfall, enough to close down the town for a day or so. Hot cocoa by the fire and a good movie afternoon sound very good right now.  My selection this week holds a special piece of my heart. Chinese New Year is right around the corner. I know the Princess will love helping me make these yummy cookies.  In the meantime, think snow!

Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Christine at Light and Savvy – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Jen at Creatively Homemade – Twitter | G+ | Pin

Dawn at LeroyLime – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

Maisy at Becoming Alice – FB | G+ | Pin

Sheree at Stage Presents – Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst

Lisa at Condo Blues – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Amy at A Day of Small Things – Pin

Penny at Penny’s Passion – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Kelly at Under a Texas Sky – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!

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The world seems to simmer down after the glitz of the holidays.  My thoughts turn to cozy days with family, contemplating my New Year’s resolutions (how is that going for you?) and finding ways to bring a more simple decorating touch to my home, hopefully more minimal than austere.

I find bringing outside elements inside, using darker tones and bumping up the cozy factor helps make the often dreary days of January more bearable.  Come in and enjoy some tea with me!

Greenery and berries in a wooden dough bowl is an easy way to bring in the outside. Snow pillows await a good, snuggly snow day.

Vintage suitcase stacked on an early Arts and Crafts era chair are the perfect tones for winter decor. The vintage autograph album was a find on my honeymoon in Maine!

Adding berries and pine cones to a table in the foyer provide a simple pop of color.  The folk art rug is from Poland.  I love the graphics.

And does anything say cozy more than a herd of woolly sheep?

The Princess is enjoying cozy, inside activities…let’s hope she still delights in washing dishes in about ten years.

Show and share. Inspire me Monday. Tuesday at our house. The scoop.                     Inspire me Tuesday.   Make it pretty. Art of homemaking. Made by you. Metamorphosis  Gods great garden. Create with joy   Tuesday with a twist.                 Let’s talk vintage   Wonderful Wednesday. Share it. Brag about it. Wow us Wednesday. Talk of the town. Moonlight and Mason jars.  Work it Wednesday. Share your cup. Share your style. Home and garden. Welcome home. Thursday favorites. Waste not. Simplify   Coffee and conversation. Feather nest Friday. Vintage charm.                    Friday Features.  Friendship Friday. Home sweet home.  Your inspired design.       Grace at home. Funtastic Friday. Morning cup of joe. Home matters.                         Sweet inspiration. Vintage chic. Oh hey Friday. Best of the weekend.  Tada.           Snicker doodle. Share it one more time. Simple Saturday. Sunday at home.              Silver pennies. Create with joy. Inspiration Monday. Digging it. Let’s add sprinkles. Amaze me Monday.  Show and share. Inspire me Monday. Tuesday at our house.          The scoop. Inspire me Tuesday. Make it pretty. Art of homemaking. Made by you. Metamorphosis. Gods great garden.

Alas, the first winter snow brought the first winter colds. Enjoy the selections and I will enjoy my warm, soft bed for a few hours. Everyone stay safe and healthy.

Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Christine at Light and Savvy – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Jen at Creatively Homemade – Twitter | G+ | Pin

Dawn at LeroyLime – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

Maisy at Becoming Alice – FB | G+ | Pin

Sheree at Stage Presents – Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst

Lisa at Condo Blues – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Amy at A Day of Small Things – Pin

Penny at Penny’s Passion – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Kelly at Under a Texas Sky – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!

<img src=”http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/JHRivers/Friday%20Favorites%20Featured%20Button.jpg” border=”0″ alt=” photo Friday Favorites Featured Button.jpg”>

You can show your love for this week’s favorites by going over and commenting on the posts and by pinning or sharing!

And if you love all of this week’s favorites, please pin, share, and invite your friends to this week’s linky party! Continue reading →