I love you "deerly"

As my close friends and definitely my family all know, I have a great fondness for deer.  I think they are one of the most amazing creatures.  I love to see them in the wild and I can spot them no matter what the situation.  A slight twitch of their tails as they wonder through the woods---the gleam of their eyes when caught by the beams of car headlights---their silhouettes atop a hill against the moon lit sky.  Sometimes my family thinks I am seeing things but upon further review they see that I am usually correct. 
We had such a beautiful day here in Pittsburgh.  The temperatures actually reached 32 degrees, there was not a snowflake to be seen and the sky was a beautiful shade of blue.  After running a few errands I thought I would take the long route home by way of a local park.  It sure felt great to be out and about.  I just happened to have my camera with me so when I came upon a group of deer enjoying this pretty day I just had to capture their beauty on film......

Sometimes it's the simple things that bring the most pleasure.

A Valentine Quilt

I have shared in previous posts what a talented quilter my mom is.  She has made some amazing quilts for me that I will treasure forever.  Most recently she completed a quilt for me that I could hardly wait to share with you all.  It is perfect for the coming Valentine holiday and looks so sweet in my red kitchen.  I placed it on my table and took lots of pictures to show you.  However the lighting in my kitchen is not the best and with another cloudy day on the way I just could not capture all of it's beautiful detail.  A dilemma for sure for this blogging girl.  Then the idea came to me.  I should take the quilt outside where the lighting is much brighter.  With the temperatures reaching a high of 11 degrees today, I grabbed my coat,  my furry boots, and with camera in hand headed outside.  I only hope the neighbors didn't spy me in all this silliness.  I was freezing but I finally captured some pictures for you to see......... 

Can you see the icicles hanging from my neighbors house.  I think I must be crazy :) I took some close up pictures as well so that you could really see just how fun this quilt is. 

The last picture is of the back of the quilt.  I wanted you to see how fun  this fabric is and the whimsical way she quilted it. I also wanted to share with you this simple table decoration that I put together.  It keeps with the theme of my quilt.  

Just fill a vintage ball canning jar with your favorite Valentine candy.

****HINT****buy extra bags to allow for taste testing :)

Top each jar with a  "clay pot" shaped glass votive.  Add a little tea light and there you have it.  I made three and arranged them on top of my vintage milk glass cake stand.   

(Thank you to my wonderful friend, Joyce from Scrap for joy for sharing this "sweet" idea with me)

Stay safe and Warm!!!!!

What's a girl to do..............

I woke this morning to SNOW!! The weatherman warned of it's arrival and I was ready for it.  Yes I am one of those crazy people that feels they must get to the grocery store before a snowstorm.  I stocked up on bread, milk, toilet paper and the ingrediants to make wedding soup yesterday while there was a break in the weather.  I even stopped at Michaels to purchase extra scrapbook adhesive-you know just in case I would be snowed in until March.  With the schools cancelled and more snow on the way, it was clear to me that I was indeed snowed in.  What's a girl to do with a snowy day----send your 18 year old son outside to shovel the walk, make yourself a cup of coffee, put in your favorite movie (Ever After with Drew Barrymore) and CREATE.  I am still in the Valentine mood so I decided to make a few cards. 

(I apoligize for the quality of the last two photos.  It is hard to get good lighting on a dark snowy day)

I used my favorite stamp set from Papertrey Ink called Everyday Buttons Bits.  If you are looking for a fun stamp set this is the one for you.  On the 15th of every month, they introduce several new sets.  Each day up until the 15th they provide sneak peeks and I gasped with excitment to see sneak peek #2---another button bit set!!!!! I know just what I am going to spend my Christmas gift certificate on. 

Since the clock reads 4:15 already and I have played the whole day away, I'd better be off to get dinner started.  Wedding soup and corn bread muffins :)   Hope you have a safe and warm weekend

I took these pictures last night as the snow began to fall.  I hope you can see the tiny snowflakes.  They were  so very beautiful.  Nature's beauty is simply amazing!!!

Winter Fun

Snow can be beautiful and fun---as long as I don't have to drive in it.  Hope you are enjoying this Winter Season.

A Cozy Sunday Afternoon

I woke this morning to a blustery wind blowing outside of my window.  The kind of  morning that makes you want to crawl right back under the covers and fall back to sleep.  But with a Golden Retriever puppy woofing in that urgent voice, I pulled myself up and stumbled to the door to let her outside.  She took one sniff of the freezing air and promptly changed her mind.  With much encouragment she decided to go ahead and venture out staying only as long as necessary.  Once awake I thought about the day ahead.  A perfect day for homemade beef soup.  But just like the nursery rhyme "Old Mother Hubberd" my cupboards were bare.  So after a quick trip to the local grocery store, I had a big pot of beef soup simmering on the stove.  Oh what to do with the rest of this blustery afternoon?? I could take down the Christmas decorations or create something fun in my scrapbook studio.  With Valentines Day on the way,  and my little shop at Sweetpeas needing to be replenished, it was not a hard decision to make----create!! After gathering my supplies, I set to work.  The result.............

I had such fun with these little notebooks at Christmas I thought I might make a few for Valentines Day.  The images are vintage valentines that I scanned except for the the little bluebird.  I borrowed her from the wonderful flickr site belonging to Elizabeth of Creative Breathing. 

Then I created these Valentine peek a boo notes.  I love the colors of Valentines Day---so sweet and romantic.   I hope you all are snuggled safe and warm today enjoying the peacefulness of a cozy Sunday afternoon. 

*********EDIT**********

I have had a request to share the vintage Valentine images that I used for the little altered notebooks. I have added the images.  Just click on the image to enlarge.  Happy creating.  I would love to see how you use them :)

Happy New Year!!!!

That is my wish for all of you in this new year. 

Before I rush off to welcome in the new year with my family, I thought it might be fun to share this yummy recipe with you.  I made it this morning to take along to a family gathering.  It is super easy and oh so delicious. 

Cinnamon Sugar Coffee Cake

(3) cans of Pillsbury flaky buttermilk biscuits

1/3 cup of sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

***Cut each biscuit into quarters and roll into tiny balls.  Place sugar and cinnamon into a plastic bag.  Add the little dough balls and shake to coat.  Place coated biscuits in a bundt cake sprayed with cooking spray. 

Make sauce below and pour over dough balls

1 1/2 stick margarine

1 cup of brown sugar

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

****Bring to a boil and stir until carmalized (about 1 min.)

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes. Cool slightly and transfer to serving platter.

ENJOY!!!

Happy New Year my friends.

Love,

Mimi

The Sugarplum Fairy

When I was a little girl, I never really had the dream as some girls do to be a ballerina.  Oh I liked to dance.  I can remember watching Laurence Welk with my parents and when Bobby and Sissy would appear my sister and I would dance together around the living room ( I think I may be dating myself....heheheh)  But the actual thought of becoming a ballerina just didn't cross my mind....until now.  On Sunday afternoon  I was treated to a performance of the Nutcracker and it was amazing!! Heidi was given four tickets and her husband and 17 year old son just were not terribly excited to attend.  It was a great girls day out with she, her daughter Jenna, my mom and me.  The whole production was one that I will remember forever.  The dancers, costumes, and scenery were simply breathtaking.  With the first act coming to a close I thought I could not love anything more than the Snow Queen and the Snowflakes.  I watched in awe as they danced so gracefully in the lightly falling snow.  But then...in the second act the Sugarplum Fairy appeared with everything you imagine a ballerina to be.  She was so beautiful, graceful, delicate, and elegant.  Her costume was amazing with it's soft pink color and glittering jewels.  She glided across that stage seemingly without effort.  I was mesmerized. 

(I tried to find a picture of her from this performance, but I could only find this one of her from Sleeping Beauty.)

Needless to say we had the most wonderful time.  Another Christmas memory that I will treasure forever....

The perfomance was held in the Benedum Center in Pittsburgh.  The theatre is so beautiful.  My picture doesn't  come close to capturing all of it's splendor. 

After this most amazing day, you could say that this "big girl" now has the dream of a "little girl"....Yes I want to be the Sugarplum Fairy.  I guess a girl can still dream---can't she.