Thoughts for Thursday and cookies for you!

Hi everyone. Whew it has been a busy week!!
We are off for a lo-ong weekend first to go see the newest man in my life (Ezra)

And then all of us are off to camp....Okay so it's not really camp,  Its a beautiful home in the woods with deer roaming through the yard and lots of good food, fun and about 22 of us laughing and having a great time. We started this tradition with good friends (2 other families, 4 of the 6 adults all went to High School together) when our children we young and and have continued through to include the kid's spouses and their children. Often times there are a few boyfriends or girlfriends here also, so we can easily be 30 of us.  The guys generally golf while the ladies and girls shop and then we all help prepare all of the meals and sit around planning our next Grown up only "big trip"( maybe Italy this next year). The weekend would not be complete with our these favorite cookies. ( I think I would be lynched if I showed up with out them) We only make them on this weekend  because they make a ton and they can be a bit spendy too. And they take about 4 hours if you bake the whole batch at one time  : )

MONSTER COOKIES         

12 eggs

2 lb. brown sugar

4 c. white sugar

1 tbsp. vanilla

1 tbsp. white corn syrup

8 tsp. soda

1 lb. butter

3 lb. peanut butter(6 cups)

18 c. oatmeal

1 lb. chocolate chips

1 lb. M&M'S®

Mix eggs, sugars, vanilla, corn syrup, butter, soda together until smooth. Add peanut butter, oats, chocolate chips and M&M'S®. Place 6 cookies per cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.

Enjoy  

I have found the best way to do this is to divided it all in half and do it  2 bowls( much easier for mixing)

Linking these to:

 

Decorative Tin Tile transformation

 I wanted something "new" for a wall in my dining room. It seems that since we added the antique buffet  that I inherited from my dad, and added a new chandelier, I have wanted to change the whole room. So I "shopped" the house, came up with the pair of red ceiling tiles. But, red wouldn't work in this room. So   I whipped out my oil rubbed bronze spray paint and my favorite antique gold paint and got creative.
                                                  Before: As they were

                                                   During: (1 coat Orb paint)

After:  rubbed with Antique gold Paint

And Finally: In their new home

Linking up to a few parties below

Candles and a special offer

Everyone knows a candle can add a certain ambiance or coziness to a room. I have a line of candles in my web store called imageglow candles. I wanted to share with you a special I am offering you,  my loyal followers, but first a bit about the candles.
Imageglow®  – a new kind of candle of that uses a patented process to embed beautiful
patterns and designs into the wax of lantern candles and pillar candles. The flame backlights
the pattern and GLOWS when illuminated.
Signature lantern candles – a 4" x 6" wax shade that encloses a 35+ hour candle. This style is
reusable by inserting a tealight within the wax shade. The lantern always looks fresh + new as
there is no exposed wick – and is safer than regular candles as there is no exposed flame - it is deeply recessed inside the wax shade.
It's the candle with the glowing heart

A candle trio of our three sizes makes a great statement on any coffee table.

Imageglow® candles have been featured in Lucky, Home, Sunset, Organic Style, Country Living, Real Simple, Garden Style and other fine magazines.

Now for the special deal:

You can purchase these delightful candles from me, right here on my blog for a special price.

They retail in the lantern size for $30.00 and sell on my website for $21.00. 

You may purchase your choice of 

2   4x6 imageglow lantern candles for just $38.00

2   3x3   $ 20.00

2   3x6    $ 28.00

Shipping charges are 5.00  for any order. (shipping in U.S.)

Just email me or comment which ones and sizes you would like and I will send you a paypal invoice. Make sure to include your email for billing, and so I have a way to contact you to get shipping info.

Hurray quantities are limited and you must purchase 2 of the same size to get special pricing

These are the 4x6 's available

damask, red china,toile

bohemian,  flirty,  paris

J'et aime, french paper, kilm tree

3x6 toile, 3x3 toile, 3x3 bohemian ,
3x6 damask 3x3 damask, red china
paisley

The pictures do not do them justice. 
They are so beautiful lit!

Just a little something to make for your Saturday morning

BLUEBERRY BREAKFAST CAKE
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c real butter (1 cube)
3/4 c milk
1 egg
2 cups flour
2  1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 cups fresh/frozen blueberries
mix all together and place in a 9x11 greased pan
top with:

Crumb mixture

1/2 C sugar

1/3  c flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 butter
Mix until crumbly and put on top of cake
Bake 350 degrees 40 -50 min.
Top with a POWDERED SUGAR GLAZE( 2 C powdered
Sugar and water to make a glaze consistancy) as soon as it                  
comes out of oven let cool 10 min
ENJOY!

Linking up to foodie Friday
 

I can't believe it!!!

Have you heard about Holiday with Matthew Mead ? Here is what Matthew says about it:
"Holiday with Matthew Mead is a book-azine that encompasses all that I love about the holiday season: the traditions, celebrations and magic that is the holiday season. The pages of Holiday with Matthew Mead are filled with fresh, easy ideas that can be achieved in two or three steps. It's a novel approach to almost everything holiday, and I hope you take a chance to pick it up and see how these updated ideas might inspire you. With 144 pages of holiday inspiration - featuring well-known and admired designers, bloggers and top-notch stories - and printed on beautiful paper (while not drowning in ads!), we consider Holiday with Matthew Mead part book/part magazine - a publication that you will keep from year to year and add to your collection of Holiday decorating, crafting and cooking magazines and books."
Now for the "I can't believe it part"   They were having a cookie recipe contest to choose holiday cookies to be featured in the book and My cookie recipe was one of the ones chosen... Which one you ask?  You'll have to wait and see!!  : ) Christmas is my absolute favorite holiday season and this is just icing on the cake for me!! I love pouring over holiday books like this and you can be sure this will be on my coffee table to enjoy!
I am humbled and honored to be one of the chosen ones and very excited as well!
Thank you Matthew Mead and Staff.
To pre purchase this lovely book click here 
Linking to Woo hoo Wendnesday

And the winner is ...

THE WINNER IS:
Cindy at Creations by Cindy you have won your choice of one of the Cafe style aprons
Email me with your choice and your mailing address and I will pass it on to the Hip hostess gals!!
Congrats Cindy and thanks to The Hip Hostess for sponsoring this giveaway!!
REMEMBER IF YOU DIDN'T WIN: the gals are offering a discount to you my fabulous readers, now through May 31st
Enter code: DECOR to save 20% off your order

Finally, the medallion tutorial

Remember this medallion?

 I think I promised to show you how I did it weeks ago. Then life just got crazy

(a new grand baby,  away helping with new grandbaby, 2 new staging jobs, a project at church, hubby broke his leg, a baby shower at our home for new grand baby, hubby's 98 yr old granny passed away....)  I'm sure you get the picture. "Life" has been happening around here. 

All that to say, here I am finally getting around to the tutorial.

      I picked up this grecian looking medallion at Lowe's

I knew that I wanted to do something different than the "norm" with it. Often times they are finished to look like plaster work or left as is. I wanted it to look more like the chandelier, to fit the style of our dining room which is more traditional.

So I took some of my favorite paints:

Oil rubbed bronze spray paint, Folk Art acrylic paints in burnt umber and antique gold and my favorite foam brush and stencil brush.

Here's where it gets tricky, meaning I have no "during pictures" so I will do my best with a good description from here.

I took the medallion and sprayed it all over with oil rubbed bronze paint.

After letting it dry for about 10 minutes (cuz I just couldn't wait) I took my stencil brush and dipped it into the antique gold paint and stippled it all over the medallion. I then took the cloth and wiped it off leaving only the gold in the cracks and crevices. I  excitedly took it out to the dining room and held it up to the chandy and ... I didn't like it. It just wasn't quite the best match. Since I am a bit of a perfectionist, I had to keep working to get it right.... enter burnt umber folk art paint. I tried stippling that into the cracks and crevices but ... didn't like that either... so I combined the two colors as shown here the antique gold mixed with the burnt umber

to get the color on the right

I used the foam brush and brushed it over the entire medallion and wiped it off with the cloth leaving the new color in all of the cracks and the end result....Perfection ( at least to me : )

I just love how it turned out! Though it sounds like it was a lengthy process, it took maybe a half an hour from start to finish.

I just kept thinking while I was experimenting to get the color right, that the worst that could happen was I would have to repaint with oil rubbed bronze and start all over. This thought helped me lose the fear of "messing it up" and just be creative. So I guess that is the lesson today... 

Where there is fear, there is no creativity!!

                         

Linking up to Metamorphasis Monday over at between naps on the porch and to sunday showcase party at "under the table and dreaming"

Giveaway reminder! *closed*

Just a reminder to go here to enter to win one of these cute cafe style aprons from the hip hostess

Giveaway ends Sunday night May 16th!

Spring

The smell of lilacs wafting through the air... the wind chime blowing softly...the sound of the waterfall in our backyard... all the things that make this 75 degree spring day so beautiful. The next best thing would be swaying in a hammock reading a magazine.

Hope you are enjoying a wonderful spring day too!
These are the kind of days where you can just see God in the beauty of His creation.
Linking up to Finger Print Friday at theRusted Chain


Don't forget to scroll down and enter the hip hostess apron giveaway

Hip Hostess Giveaway! *Closed*

I am honored to tell you about my sponsor the hip hostess. They are the sweetest ladies! A mother/ daughter team who create the cutest aprons. They just know how to "do" aprons! I happen to own two of these cute aprons and I love them!!! Talk about a touch of class in the kitchen. They arrive to you beautifully packaged. Great for gift giving. In addition they also offer tea towels and magnets in prints that match the apron patterns Here is what the girls say about their aprons: Whether you make it, bake it or fake it... our new collection of Hip Hostess aprons will positively change your domestic attitude! Mixing fresh fabrics with clean design and functional style we're flat out moving a little "hip" into your kitchen. No matter what you're cooking up, Dinner at Eight or Gourmet to Go, we've got a hip little apron that's just your style! Weather it is this cute little sheath apron Or a stylish Demi style Or  this new style Cafe style apron  Or matching Mother/daughter aprons You are sure to find an apron you can't live without. These sweet gals are offering one of their new cafe style aprons to one of my lucky followers. Here's your chances to win: 1:  Go to the Hip Hostess site and tell me your favorite apron style and print 2: This is a giveaway for my followers so you must be a follower to win. Please tell me that you are : ) 3: Blog or tweet about the giveaway and let me know you did Giveaway will end Sunday Evening May 16th. I will announce the winner  Monday May 17th If you can't wait to own one of these darling aprons, the gals are offering a discount to you my fabulous readers, now through May 31st Enter code: DECOR to save 20% off your order With Wedding season just around the corner, these aprons would be wonderful bridal shower gifts! The end of the school year is near how about a gift your favorite teacher will love?

I'm Back

It was a wonderful week with baby Ezra and his mommy and daddy!

It has been such an honor and a blessing to spend so much time helping them and getting to know my sweet grandson. They all came back with me and spent the Mother's Day weekend with us. We had a baby shower brunch Sat morning and got to show him off to all of our family and friends. I can not remember a nicer Mother's day weekend ever. Hope all of you felt as blessed this Mother's Day as I did!

I have some blogging catching up to do this week. Both in visiting and in posting so don't give up on me.

I will get the medallion how to before the week is out and stay tuned for an apron giveaway by one of my sponsors: The hip hostess.

Dishing it!

This week I am again joining in with Amanda and her Dishing it party

What's a dishing it party? Amanda says this: "Dishing It! is my way of getting bloggers together to chat about a common topic. I'll post a topic today, and ask everyone to link up and hop around Wednesday and Thursday, after the party goes live. I think it will be a fun way for us to get to know other bloggers"
So here are the questions  she asked us to answer.
I feel like I need to give you a bit of  background before you read my answers. I honestly debated about even participating in this weeks' Dishing it because it deals with a sensitive issue to me. I believe in "keeping it real" though so here goes.


~What's the best thing about your mom?
This is a hard question for me to answer since I have a "run away" mom but I can say that one thing I did get  from her and that I loved  about her is the ability to laugh easily and to laugh with abandon.

~If your mom isn't around, do you have a family member or mentor who can stand in for her? 

 Since my mom was not always around, I am so thankful that the Lord blessed me with godly women who were always there as "Mom" to me and still are. I treasure these women!
~What's your relationship with your mom like (do you just tolerate each other, or is she your best confidant)?
Hopefully getting better. I think the fact that she is turning 70 this year has her realizing that she has missed a great deal over the years and this coupled with the fact that she has a new great grand baby is causing her to try to make contact and re establish a relationship. One that I will cautiously welcome.
~If there is one quality about your mom that you could emulate, what would it be?
In the ladies who have been mom to me, I have learned to be a mom and to model Godly character in raising our girls. If you can teach them to have a strong faith and to love God and family it will carry them a long way. Shaping and molding them into the likeness of Christ is or should be the ultimate goal.
~What's the best advice your mom has ever given you? 
By her action of leaving (not bitter here, just factual) I believe she taught me that the devastation caused by giving up and walking away from people who love you causes there is such a ripple effect that happens. I think through that I have learned that you just don't give up when things are bad you weather through and work on it. You try not to be all about "you" but do what you can for others.
~Describe the most embarrassing outfit your mom made you wear when you were growing up. (If you have a photo of this, I will give you ten bonus points!)
 When I was about 6 Mom thought she could sew(she couldn't) she made me and my sisters bright orange polyester pantsuits. The problem with that was, that she sewed a one way fabric against the grain so that the leg portion literally made loose fitting "tubes"  around our legs. There we were in church all three of us looking like "the Great Pumpkin".  It was hideous to say the least. I still can't believe we actually wore those in public. Wish I had the pix to show you. It is great for a laugh. : )
~If you're a mom, what's your favorite thing about motherhood? What's the most difficult?
I love the relationship I have with each of my girls  (4 of them 26, 23, & 19 yr old twins) We have so much fun together. I am grateful that in His grace God has allowed me to do this thing called motherhood mostly right!! The greater blessing now is getting a grandchild and realizing that I have had a small part in bringing on the next generation in our family.
There you have it the Dish on me.

Happy Monday!

Well I am off for a few days to spend time with this sweet little guy and my daughter and SIL. Ryan goes back to work today so I  am going to help Tiffany. Ezra is doing great and Tiff and Ryan have settled in as if they have been parents forever. I am so proud of them!
I will have the "How to" on the medallion when I get back.
Have a wonderful week!