My Shabby Chic Mantel Fluff Up!

I need a tiny glimpse of spring...

 A fresh Shabby Chic inspired mantel will do the trick!

 With the New Year upon us I am in the mood for soft colors and symbols of hope...

During Christmas I used alot of whites and gold...I am ready for a dabble of pink!
I am in love with this beautiful rosette I found on Holiday Getaway, I pinned it to the top of this antique mirror...

These crushed roses are my favorite....so soft and sweet!

My tree will stay up until after the first. However, I could not resist this pretty touch of Romance for the New Year!  I just love "new" adventures!

Yesterday it was an adventure in my kitchen!

Today, a Shabby Chic Romantic Mantel!

I will be sharing this with 

 http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/

http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/
http://www.theshabbychiccottage.net/
http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/

Hugs,

Shabby Italian Chicken Recipe

Soooo... I went grocery shopping today and got a FABULOUS deal on chicken! I stocked up on some items I thought I might need for my new found adventure in the kitchen.
(PLEASE GOD LET ME LEARN HOW TO COOK)
I started to brown the chicken in some butter and fresh garlic.

I panicked when I began to cook them, I began to flip nervously through my cookbook which is possibly written in FRENCH or SPANISH for all I care!!! It all seems so foreign to me! I can't find anything with the ingredients I have!!!

What was I thinking???

Then I  found Italian Chicken!!

I had most of the ingredients except I was supposed to use white wine and I had a dark red port which turned the sauce a pinkish purple color! PANIC!!! As I sauteed and sampled I decided the port will make it "Shabby Chic" Chicken! Why Not!?! Plus it was tasting pretty yummy!
(I do not drink, maybe the port sauce tasting made me a bit loopy)

Italian Chicken

6-9 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

1 Env. dry Italian salad dressing mix 

1/2 stick butter

1 8oz cream cheese

 1/3 c white wine (or Port)

4 sliced mushrooms 

1 can cream chicken soup

1 t. chopped chives optional

1 t. fresh garlic optional

Melt butter in skillet. Sprinkle salad dressing mix over butter, saute chicken in butter until brown. Place chicken in a 9x13 pan. Add to the skillet drippings soup and cream cheese. Blend thorough. Add the mushrooms, wine and chives. Heat until bubbly and pour over chicken. Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour. Serve over rice or cooked noodle (I choose noodles, but rice would be good too!)

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve on your prettiest rose dishes! 

~Cottage Hugs~

Anyhoo, the end result tasted good!  I love to taste until the point of being full by dinner time. 
(I am waiting like it is Christmas to see what the hubby thinks after he gets off work). 
I can make things look pretty, but I have the desire to make them taste good too! Isn't that how you get to a mans heart through his stomach?

Sissy has also decided to bring her kitchen into the center of my kitchen and cook too!

ADORABLE! Please God don't let her grow up!!!

 I will be posting the recipes at the top of my blog under the "Recipes" page.
Nothing fancy, stuff you can get at your every day grocery store.
If I can do it , you can to, I promise! Later this week I will be fluffing up my mantel decor with some fresh spring ideas!

 Have a fabulous day!
I will be sharing this with
White Wednesday at
http://fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.com
  
Hugs,

Shabby Chic Kitchen!

I have truly been praying for God to plant the desire in me to be passionate about cooking!

 Something is stirring in me and in my Shabby Kitchen!

Home Made Mashed Potatoes

 Yes, I took the time to peel and boil the potatoes, then I added tons of butter, sour cream, milk and salt. Yummy!

(I think Home Made taters are so much healthier than McDonald's fries, plus it is fun to sit down together at the table)

I made these for Christmas dinner and there were no leftovers, imagine that! 

My princess and I also whipped up some fabulous deserts using pudding and oreos!

The Recipe Book seems a bit intimidating to me.

I am learning that if I try it and mess it up or nobody likes it... I can try again with something else!

I am not sure why I have never really wanted to cook, it might take alot of money and a shrink to figure it out, but I believe God can change my heart about alot of things...right now it is cooking!

NOW, I of course WILL be decorating and painting things!!!!

My kitchen needs some cute pink accessories and I am dreaming of a rose cutting board.

For now I am thankful for the desire to create memories with my sweet family!

This is my view from my kitchen window...

My sweet n Shabby Kitchen

 Wish me luck as I blunder through recipes!
Lets Show off our Cottage with Cielo
http://houseinroses.blogspot.com/

Hugs,

Sweet n Shabby Christmas

The sweetest blessing...

 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 

John 3:16 

Praise God! We are incredibly blessed!

 Hello Dear Friends!

Santa's cookies are ready! 
We have all been cheffing it up in my shabby kitchen...

Nestle Toll house Original Cookie Recipe!

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 Cups Nestle Toll house Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
YUMMY EAT LOTS! NO CALORIES DURING CHRISTMAS!!! HA!
The stockings are hung by the chimney with care...

I am cooking, eating, wrapping, eating some more, and fluffing up the house in preparation for that jolly old elf to make his grand appearance!

(Let me tell you he is going to be one well fed elf!)

 I am thankful this holiday season for all of our blessings! 

God is faithful and good!
I will be sharing this with

http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/

Merry Christmas my sweet friends and to all a good night!

Hugs,

Shabby Garage Studio

My home is small....

I need a space to create....

My Shabby is spilling into the garage...

but why not? nobody else is making it pretty...

~Before                                               ~After

my teacup chandelier is finished...

 this pretty castoff lamp with a wire pumpkin flipped upside down lampshade and a vintage linen draped over the top fits perfect in my little space...

The hubby seems ok with this transformation, he hung this window for me...

 some shabby for my booths...but right now I like them here

 Right now it is about 35 degrees in our garage, but I feel inspired when I think about this space.

There is actually alot of room out there. 

I can't wait for things to warm up...I would like to make a family room area on the other side.

Have a beautiful and blessed day!

Hugs,

 

Sweet Teacup Stocking

Hello sweet friends! 

One of my favorite things to do is to cruise around blog land and get inspired by all of your beautiful posts! 

I adore fluffy romantic decor and the artists who sew and create these treasures are super talented!  

I soooo admire the work by Lynn over at 

TeaCupStitches

she can sew and decorate the most fabulous treasures...and then many times she gives them away. Here is her latest gorgeous giveaway...

http://lynn-teacupstitches.blogspot.com/

Ooohhh La La! 

Can you imagine this beautiful bottle in your boudoir!

Lynn is so generous to offer us all so many chances to win her fabulous treasures!

Imagine how my heart twinkled with delight when I found out I was blessed enough to receive this over the top pretty in pink handmade stocking...

This darling treasure is nestled up against an antique piece of lace underneath my faux mantel.

Such delicate pink ruffles and fine attention to detail!

Thank you my sweet and talented friend Lynn, I will treasure this pretty stocking for years to come!

Please stop by and say hi to Lynn

http://lynn-teacupstitches.blogspot.com/

For more pink goodness stop by and see Beverly for Pink Saturday at

http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/

 

Have a lovely and blessed day my fluffy friends!

Hugs,

Kitchen Jar made VINTAGE FABULOUS! (Tutorial)

If you are thrifty and like to re-purpose everyday household 

items check out this fabulous idea for your glass food jars!

You will need~

Clean glass jar, lace trim and ribbon scraps, burlap scraps, button, adhesive spray, vintage music paper, hot glue and vintage pictures.

Step 1~ Spray the back of your picture using your adhesive spray (outside over a piece of cardboard) to the back of the picture and then hold firmly to the glass jar. I used a large piece of lace to hold the picture on while the spray dried. (Your fingers will get sticky, do not panic).
Step 2~ Hot glue lace trim around the edges of the vintage picture. 
(This step helped me cover any loose picture edges)

Step 3~ Tie a pretty bow with ribbon, layer the bows or ribbon scraps with burlap and then add a cute button in the center!

Step 4~ Roll up a couple of pieces of vintage music paper and tape a tiny piece of tape on edge to keep them rolled. You can also tie the paper with a thin piece of string or ribbon.

You can get very creative with this project and even personalize it for a friend or family member! 
These are also fabulous for storing crafty items such as~buttons, papers, ribbons, florals and glitter.

I love working with old black and white photos. To me, something always seems a bit mysterious about the folks in the photos old fashioned style and way of dress. Their mannerisms and expressions always make me want to know a little bit more about them.
The first old photo album we bought, my husband and I went so far as to try to find the family whose album we came across so we could return it.

Don't you just love finding ways to fluff up your everyday items?!

I will be linking up with
http://fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.com  
http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com
http://upintheatticwithpammyj.blogspot.com/
http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/
 http://romantichome.blogspot.com/
Have a beautiful day!
Keep creating!
Hugs,