At Home in the Country

Vintage French Country

2011-12-31T10:30:00.009-06:00

One of the advantages to being a teacher is the Christmas break, and was I ever in need of a break. Being a homemaker at heart, I really needed some quality time with my home. I needed an abundance of stress free hours to putter and preen. In November I was able to sell my (not my style) dining room furniture and replace it with vintage French Provencial pieces. They are rustic and in need of some TLC, but they had the look I wanted. I had been reading many blogs about Annie Sloan Chalk paint and decided that chalk painted furniture was my new love! The painting and reupholstering will have to wait until June, but I just couldn't resist playing with my "new" vintage furniture.
When we first brought the little dining room set home, I thought, "uh oh" maybe it is too little. Furniture is so ginormous nowadays. I wasn't exactly sure how it would work with my high ceilings. Once we brought the china cupboard in, and I added some items on top, I started to get excited! This was exactly the look I love. I have a vintage floral picture that will go up even higher on the wall, and I am going to hang some white ironstone dishes on the wall. Of course, I need a cute, French Country oval rug to go under the table.

What has been so fun about my new dining room design, is that I can use some of my more cutsie treasures that have been down in the basement on a storage shelf. The little porcelain rabbit was a recent thrift store find. My black bird cage came from a garage sale. It was originally white and I spray painted it black. Inside is a wee glass rabbit candle holder that Doug gave me over 10 years ago. It looks so charming when lit.

While on a shopping trip over a year ago, I found this burlap throw pillow. Being a follower of the Fabulous Fifi blog, I knew instantly that it needed to belong to me. It had been sitting on a shelf in my closet. Now it has a perfect home in my vintage dining room!
A friend gave me the rusty bird bath years ago. Yes, they were also resigned to some sad storage area. I love rusty, paint chipped, distressed things, I always have. Styles may come and go, but I have learned that the things I enjoy having in my home are still the same. Anytime I buy into something trendy, I lose interest in it.

I love lamps and have them scattered all over my house, I have them sitting on little shelves and perched on top of my kitchen cabinets. This beauty came from a thift store in Colorado Springs. It is one of my favorites!
I also found this wonderful soup tureen and that same thrift store. Makes me inspired to cook a yummy wintery soup and dine in my new dining room.

Another iron rusty item! This teapot is over 10 years old and has traveled with me to every home we have ever lived in. It came from a wonderful tearoom about an hour from where I live. Years ago, I collected everything teapot I came across, so I have quite a collection of charming tearoom items. I really should open my own tearoom/garden shop someday.
Hope you have enjoyed visiting my vintage French Country dining room. It is definitely going to be a work in progress, but it is great fun to have a new decorating adventure in the works.

'Till we meet again!
~Jill~

Shopping ~ Craiglist Style

2011-11-20T14:31:00.011-06:00

My tuscan inspired dining room is now a thing of the past. It was ornate and fancy, but was it really my style? The answer is no. It had an extreme amount of carvings and moldings and was forever in need of dusting. Plus I think the wood grain was called burl, which reminds me of Spanish, which is my least favorite style. When our new orphan kitten was welcomed "into" the house, he thought the gigantic floral arrangment was a jungle to be jumped in. He would literally pounce right smack dab into the middle of it. Now the floral arrangment is on top of the armoir in the living room.

I decided, what the heck, I am going to sell it on Craig's List. It sold within two weeks. The family that purchased it drove all the way from Kansas City, KS. She laughed and said they thought they would never get here. Definitely way out in the boon docks! Could not get over how "out in the country" we are. I thought they were just going to look it at, so I hadn't unloaded the full china cabinet and the base. Ye Gads....I had dishes all over my kitchen counter for two days! I just didn't have time to figure out where to put everything. So now most of the work is over. Ginormous furniture is gone, I'm relieved. Now I am hunting for something new. Been on Craig's List but just not found exactly what I am looking for. I think I need inspiration...

Design of House.com

I think is very cute. I like the buffet. I have been learning all about painting furniture with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. The question is, where to find the time. I do like the mix of cottage plus a little fancy with tassle and the lamps.

Whitechair.org

I like the oak stained table top and the painted chairs. I also like the cabinet, that looks like it should be in a country house. I thought I wanted French Provincial, but now I think that might be too Froo Froo.

decorators catalogs.com.au

~*~
Days Later....
Blogging continues....

I've been shopping on Craiglist and have found "perfect" furniture for the dining room! Let me tell you, the story about the china cabinet deserves a post of it's own. If any of you know a bit about Kansas City, you know that there are murders every night in a certain section, say Prospect and Troost. Well guess what? Yep, two streets over is where I picked up my darling, precious little china cabinet...or as I prefer to say, "rescued" my darling, precious little china cabinet. I'm afraid she was in the hands of two questionable men, who appeared to be very rough around the edges, drugs, maybe? Well, that story later. Do you want a sneak peek of the dining room furniture? I am going to pick it up this afternoon, when I should be readying the house for Thanksgiving! But! At least we will now have something to eat dinner on.
"Aren't these nice sentences for a reading/writing teacher to use!" Hmmm where are the subjects and predicates?
Yes, artistic license!

What do you think?
I think, really cute! The chairs are upholstered in a charcoal grey, and have a small pattern with a check, in each little square is a dot of white or beige. I am also thinking about getting the rug. It may match the wall color in the dining room which is a bittersweet red, and doesn't go well with red toile, sigh, which is a little more cooler in shade. How do you like the fleur di lis? There is a total of 6 chairs and the table has a leaf.
~*~
Okay want to know what kinda shopper I am?
When it was first listed on Craig's List it was $750. I saw it listed today for $475.00. I offered him $375.00 and he took it! Yippee! Only drawback, dear husband isn't home yet for me to tell him the wonderful news of a trip up to the city this afternoon. Hmm...tad bit nervous about this part. Generally he is a good sport, but two trips to the city (takes about and hour) in less than 24 hrs. that might be asking a little much. Although I AM cooking big tomorrow!
~*~
And friends...
THANK YOU for not taking me off your blogroll!
I feel like I am seeing my old friends again. Gosh how I've missed you and your sweet comments! Okay I know I haven't visited you back, but I will...I am just a wee bit sidetracked with the furniture right now.
AND
Have a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving!
~Jill~

The Friendly Village

2011-11-12T19:42:00.008-06:00

I do I ever LOVE dishes. I actually have way too many dishes. I saw this little set of dishes in our local thrift store over a year ago. I just kept passing them by. Then one day, while I was at work, I decided... I must have those dishes! They would be perfect for Thanksgiving. So I had my mom call the thrift store to see if they still had them. Now, I get in an utter panic when I decide, you know months later, that I simply must have something. I am crossing fingers and toes hoping that they are still there. So mom called, they were closed for remodeling but, yes they still had my dishes for a whopping $4.00. A new collection has begun!

I am going with new a decorating scheme at Hickory Hollow. I have always loved the mismatched cottage look. I tried really hard this time for a more formal look, but I just kept feeling that I wasn't quite home. I have been keeping an eye out for interesting pieces that have a more country house/cottage feel. One day as we were pulling into school, I saw a
table and chair set by the road. It was literally smack dab in front of the school. You know the feeling.... heart starts beating rapidly, panic sets in, I have GOT to have that! Especially when I saw the $30 price tag. I could hardly wait for Doug to stop the truck (he teaches high school math, at the same school) so I could run across the street. Banging on the door I finally get a young gal to answer. So happy when she would hold it for me to after school!

Whew... I really like it in my breakfast room. It is not so large and makes the area seem larger and I love how the black and oak look together and the pedestal base. It is a bit distressed, I actually need to sand down some areas more. But it was just what I was looking for!

Tomorrow we are going to go to the city to pick up a sofa, chair and ottoman set I found on Craig's List. I will give you a hint for next week's post... The name of the furniture set is called
Grandma's Attic!
~*Jill*~

Change at Hickory Hollow

2011-11-11T20:31:00.002-06:00

It's Me!
Can you believe it!
Gone from blogging for almost 2 years.

But, I ran across a blog and saw that Hickory Hollow was still on their sidebar.
I realized that I have really missed blogging.

~*~
With time, comes many changes...
New Cottage Herb & Flower Garden
New Victorian Back Porch
New Pets
New furniture
New job!
~*~
My fondest wish is to blog once a week.
You see, I work full time now.
I have for almost a year and a half.
Not just any ole job.
I teach.
Wonderful 4th graders!
~*~
Was it hard for this stay-at-home mom to go back to work full-time?
Oh my goodness yes!
Do I miss staying at home?
Oh my goodness yes!
~*~
But...
I feel God's hand guiding me to the classroom.
I know this is where He wants me to be.
So I pray to accept my new circumstances.
~*~
I still have to live in my own little world, though
the world of Hickory Hollow.
Where I capture moments
that make my heart sing.
~*~
I see much more sorrow & struggle.
So I feel the need, now more than ever,
to find kindness, beauty and goodness.
~*~
So I hope you will join me on my new journey,
Hickory Hollow

I'm coming back home!
~Jill~

Cozy Little Corners

2010-02-21T09:48:00.008-06:00

Dear Friends,
Do you like cozy corners?
I always have liked to tuck my little flea market finds into cozy little vignettes.
Now, it is really hard to take pictures
of cozy corners because the lighting isn't very good...
the whole reason that they're cozy!
~*~
Great lighting, or not, here are some cozy corners in Hickory Hollow...

This is a cozy corner in my laundry room. I found this primitive country shelf at a garage sale last year. It was too wide, but my favorite husband, Doug trimmed the sides for me so I could squeeze it between the wall and my cabinet. Of course I needed a little lamp for cute lighting. This is also a great place to display a couple of country aprons. My mom gave me the teacup embroidered one for Christmas.

My friend Cheryl, made me an herbal wreath for my birthday! Isn't it precious. Cheryl loves all things cozy and toile. If in a pinch I run out of herbs in the pantry, I probably could harvest a couple of stems from here!

~ A Cozy Kitchen Corner ~
Here is a cozy corner tucked between my built-in pantry and my black cupboard.
This a perfect place to tuck in another apron. Cheryl also made this for me for my birthday.
Remember when I found the free Susan Branch apron pattern and shared it with you?
Well, Cheryl made me a toile Susan Branch apron!

A little red berry wreath and teapot hanger.

On the other side of my cupboard is a stack of baskets.
They are my Longabergers. Much to pretty hide in a closet.

I bought these several years ago.
So glad that I choose a red, green & gold liner!
The one on the bottom is a cupcake basket.
It has a wooden tray that sits in it so you can transport a dozen cupcakes!

A little wire hen.
Usually she sits on my kitchen table with flowering plant.

~Cozy Living Room Corner~
I cozied up a corner in my living room with a new plaid curtain.
Love, Love LOVE this curtain!
My inspiration was from looking at pictures of Paula Deen's living room.

I tucked in my little white wicker table.
This was the table I bought at the country auction, some of you may remember.
Behind it is a mirror that I daringly painted black!

Love this little pot of posies and the glazed pears!

~A Cozy Counter Corner~
Goodness, I play with this corner all the time.
Sometimes I have my flour and sugar containers sitting out
with their toile teacup scoops. Sometimes I have a basket of seasonal cookbooks nestled in here.
Just last week, I remembered a thrifty painted tray I had and thought that would be great to add behind Mr. Rooster. My Rooster is a pitcher, what great thrifty find!

~*~
I am on the lookout now for a cozy little chair to add to a corner in my bedroom.
I want to make myself a little reading nook.

~*~

I have been keeping very busy this past week!
I am substitute teaching for an extended time in 1st. grade.
I even get to do some lesson planning!
March will be here soon,
so I have been gathering rainbows, leprechauns, and shamrocks
for some fun things to do with the children to decorate the classroom.
Today I am off to purchase green glitter!
Dangling shamrocks need to be glittery, don't they?

~*~

I want to say *Hi* to all my new followers!
Welcome to Hickory Hollow.
And THANK YOU to all who leave me such wonderfully sweet comments.
I do try to return the visit, but sometimes, I just don't make it.
But just know that your comments brighten MY day!
See You Soon!
~Jill~

Valentine Wishes

2010-02-14T09:11:00.009-06:00

Dear Friends,

Hope you are enjoying a very lovely Valentine's Day!
It has been so cold and so wintery white, I felt that I needed a reminder that greener days are coming soon!
I treated myself to a bouquet of red tulips.
They smell so fresh...so green!

Tulips and a bunny...
makes me think
"SPRING"

Lindsey and I baked and decorated sugar cookies yesterday.

So much fun!

Loved the heart sprinkles.

Oooh, here is another reminder of Spring!
Tasty chocolate dipped strawberries.
I am already planning on planting
50 strawberry plants this spring.
Sweet, delicious homegrown strawberries...
Bliss!

A cute way to celebrate Valentine's Day!
Sometimes we just need a nudge
to make a day special.
Do something a bit out of the ordinary.

If you have been a follower of my blog for awhile,

you will know that it isn't a holiday for Jill unless I have a special whimsical sweater to wear.

Isn't this a cute one for Valentine's Day!

There are little heart-shaped charms along the bottom of the sweater.
The buttons have beaded hearts sewn on them.
Yes, I found it at a thrift store!

Some of you may remember that I found a little shabby pillow in a thrift store that had these adorable gold hearts sewn on it.
I retrieved the hearts and made a bracelet. I love that it looks vintage and Victorian.

***********
I have a couple of cute recipes I want to share with you!

Hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day with your sweeties.

I looked at the window just now and guess what I saw?
Hmph...More SNOW!
~Jill~

Sweaters & Granny Boots

2010-01-31T10:33:00.000-06:00

Hello Friends!
I have a secret to share with you.
I'm not all that into the most current styles.

Yes, it is true.
Maybe that is why I like Thrift Stores...
nothing is in or out of style at the thrift store.

It is all there for the taking depending on how daring you are!

I'm not all that daring, but in my closet at one time was a vintage 50's coat with faux fur collar! That one was beautiful blueberry blue. I passed it on when we lived in Mississippi. Now I have a jaunty red number that I wear with a black scarf and gloves! Lindsey gave me a sparkly monogramed J pin that looks quite cute on the lapel.
~*~
Seriously though,
I love wearing denim skirts with tights and boots.
I picked up on this style back in the 90's in the Victoria magazine.
Those girls always wore classic, beautiful clothing.
That is what I love, classic sweaters, classic shoes, classic handbags & jewelry.

In the winter, I want cozy Fair Isle Sweaters.
Sweaters that remind me of going on woodland walks, ski lodges & hot chocolate.
Sweaters that smell faintly of woodsmoke.

These are so easy to find at the thrift stores.
Seems like nobody else is interested in these traditional winter garmets.
This gray/green one is classic Eddie Bauer
Lucky for ME!

Sweaters with a little bit of wool in them are fun.
Yes, they can be a bit itchy but you wear them over turtle necks.
This cute little sweater was a thrift store find from last year.

I researched the label and it is from New York and sold for about $175.

Now to wear these with a denim skirt, you need the right type of tights. You want the thick, warm tights. The ones I bought this year are chocolate brown, and black. The boots are a bit harder to find especially for a good price. I did a search on Etsy and found a lot of them. Some were a bit pricey though. My favorites though are the ones with...

Buttons!

I have worn my granny boots with...
long denim dresses,
short denim dresses,
denim prairie skirts,
and just plain denim skirts.
Denim skirts are a dime a dozen at the thrift stores.
But to me they are always in style...Victoria magazine says so!
~*~
So my friends let's enjoy winter!
Wear cozy sweaters, and
warm, woolen mittens,
and
Granny Boots!

************************
~ Jill ~

French Country Cupboard

2010-01-12T07:47:00.015-06:00

Dear Friends,
After the taking down the holiday decorations, I decided I would spend a little more time putting things back in their normal place. I dusted, washed dishes, baskets and bunnies. It took me awhile, but I finally found an arrangment I liked with all my found "goodies".

I've had this little conservatory for awhile, it was a thrift store find.
The design idea is from a Nell Hill's book, the tea cups an antique store find for $3 each.

I have a couple of friends that see transferware and think of me.
This one is from my friend, India.

On my last thrift shopping trip in Colorado, I spotted this little silver teapot lamp. It wasn't a bargain, it was in the "display case". But I had to have it, and it is a wonderful reminder of fun times.

The beautiful transerware teacup set, was a great Salvation Army find. I found a set of 4, they were $3 each. I was certainly doing the happy dance that afternoon! The dark transferware plate in the back came from a friend who was stationed at the time in Germany. Thank you, Trisha it is such a treasure!

Aren't they beautiful!
I use them when I have my morning coffee.

The pair of chicken pictures was another Thrifty find.

I may paint the frame black, still deciding.

Cute finial birdies and floral hat box.
I love how the white, red and apple green go together

This hooked rug is one of my favorite possessions.
It came from my friend Peggy's garage sale.
Oh, Peg it is as you would say, "to die for"!

This little basket sits in the open space at the bottom of the cupboard.
I found the Julia & Jacque cookbook at a garage sale for $2.
After I watch the movie, Julie & Julia I pulled it off the bookcase and sat it here.
I ran across this book on Amazon and it sells for over $120 now. I think it was a gift when you donated to the PBS show!

Even though temperatures are slowly rising, it still is very cold outside!
The Kansas City weatherman said it was 7 degrees in our area this morning.
Brrrrr.
I am enjoying wearing all my sweaters though!
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Burpee garden catalog came in the mail a couple of weeks ago.
I have picked out some strawberry and blueberry plants I want to order.
We bought some picket fence at an auction last month, and I am so excited to begin planning and building my cutting flower and herb garden. It is going to be beside the little chicken house, complete with an arched arbor and an antique garden gate!
~~~~~~~~~~
Hope everyone is staying warm because I know it is chilly everywhere!
Jill

Soup makes me Happy

2010-01-04T09:30:00.002-06:00

Dear Friends,

I love soup!

I look forward to fall and winter so I can make heart warming pots full of soup.

My family loves soup too, especially Tyler. I get so tickled at him when he starts to smell the soup simmering on the stove. Yum he says, is it ready yet?
This soup is a new recipe I tried, Cheeseburger Soup. Oh creamy and delicious. I was so glad that I had dried some herbs this summer. I sprinkled in my own dried basil right before I served it. And now is a perfect time to use my snowman dishes!

I have had this set of dishes for about 14 years. This little snowman never fails to melt my heart. When Tyler was just 2, I would make homemade French toast for him every winter morning, served on a little snowman plate. What a wonderful memory.
What goes wonderfully with homemade soup?
Why, homemade bread of course!

I adore dilly bread and whipped up batch and baked it in my flowerpot baker!
Fresh and hot from the oven with a little butter...

Oh be still my heart!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~*Cheeseburger Soup *~
1/2 lb. ground beef, 3/4 C. chopped onion, 3/4 C. shredded carrots, 3/4 C. diced celery, 1 tsp. basil, 1 tsp. parsley, 4 Tbs. butter, divided, 3 C. chicken broth, 4 C. peeled & diced potatoes, 1/4 C. flour, 8 oz. Velvetta, 1 1/2 C. milk, 3/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 C. sour cream
***
In a large saucepan, brown hamburger; drain and set aside. In the same saucepan, saute onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1 Tbs. butter until vegetables are tender, about 10 min. Add broth, potatoes and beef; bring to boil. Reduce heat;cover and simmer until potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, in a small skillet melt remaining butter. Add flour; cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly. Add to soup; bring to boil. Cook and stir for 2 min. Reduce heat to low. Add cheese, milk, salt and if you wish pepper; cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from heat; blend in sour cream. Yields 8 servings.

~*Easy Dilly Bread *~
3 C. all-purpose flour, 1 pkg. active dry yeast, 1 1/4 C. milk, 2 Tbs. sugar, 2 Tbs. butter or margarine, 2 tsp. dried dill seed or dill weed, 2 tsp. instant minced onion, 1 egg
***
In a small mixer combine, 1 1/2 C. of the flour and the yeast. In saucepan heat milk, sugar, butter, dill, onion and 1 tsp. salt just until warm, stirring constantly to melt butter. Add to dry mixture and add egg. Beat at low speed with electric mixer for 1/2 minutes, scraping bowl. Beat for 3 minutes at high speed. By hand, stir in remianing flour. Cover and let rise until double (30-45 min.). Stir down. Spread evenly in a greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pan ( or flower pot baker). Let rise until nearly double (about 30 min.). Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Cover loosely with foil if bread browns too quickly. Remove from pan and let cool. Makes 1 loaf.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~*~
It is very wintery here at Hickory Hollow and it is very cold!
It snowed almost all day yesterday. Made for a very cozy day tucked inside.
I have been doing a little thrift store shopping and have found some lovely cozy sweaters. Every day when I snuggle into one, I remember years ago when my Grandma told me I was a sweater girl. Yes, Grandma B. I am a sweater girl. I am glad there are so many to choose from at my favorite stores!

~*~
I have also had a challenge trying type, my little Socks cat climbs on my lap and kneeds my arms, she is doing it right now with her kitty purr motor on! Oh my, we just Eskimo kissed, her little nose and mine! She also likes to prance on the computer desk, and I can't see a thing! I'd rather she stay on my lap all warm and fuzzy! I do love my pets.

~*~
Hope you are tucked in safe and sound wherever you may be!

Love,

Jill

Ho Ho Hello!

2009-12-13T10:38:00.011-06:00

Dear Friends

I sat down this morning and just decided to stop in here at Hickory Hollow. I am so touched that many of you have left me notes saying that you miss me! Oh ya'll that means so much! I'm still here!

~*~

Still behind in the scrapbooking department, but my New Year's resolution is to work on getting caught back up. We have a nice scrapbook store that does monthly all day crops so I am planning on going EACH month! Something I have recently accomplished is adding a cute red and cream checked wallpaper to the back of my garage sale hutch!

I found the cutest snowman lamp at the flea market...

We have decorated the outside of the house with icicle lights! Doug even put lights on the little chicken house. Tyler bought two Bantams at an Amish auction last week... a little bitty rooster and hen! He cockadoodle doo's every morning, she looks like a little pheasant! I''ve named them Fred and Ethel.

~*~
I have found a new hobby I LOVE! Dollhouses! Long story, but what you need to know is that I am building a Victorian cottage from a kit and having a ball. I have been collecting little shabby chic furnishings and wallpapers. My mom and dad bought Lindsey an older dollhouse that I am renovating. So far I have finished the nursery...I even sewed a little bitty quilt and made precious tab top curtains!

The pink in the background is the walls of the house. Here are little windows I sanded, and painted and sanded and painted again! The little rose cut out is going to be a picture for the wall. Do you see that adorable Victorian door!

Cute cottage wallpapers most are really truly doll house wallpaper that I purchased in Kansas City at a doll house shop.

Here is the nursery I renovated in Lindsey's vintage dollhouse. It has new carpet and wallpaper. Here are the little tab top curtains I made and the little bitty crib quilt.

~*~

Thank you everyone for checking in on me! I will try to get back in the swing here and at last blog once a week...how's that for another New Year's resolution!

~*~

Hope everyone enjoys a warm & cozy
Christmas Season!
~Jill~

Taking a bit of a break...

2009-09-02T12:59:00.005-05:00

I had considered deleting my blog.
But then I would get inspired with a wallpaper sample and think what a neat background that would make...

and then I would find something and think, I can't wait to blog about this!
~*~
But I really need to organize the basement.

Two moves in six months...
Well, let's just say I need to downsize and organize a bit.

I also have some scrapbooking that I desperately need to catch up on

and I can't concentrate on that until some of this "stuff" is outa here! I bought a Cricut Create with birthday money and I so WANT to do some SCRAPBOOKING!!!
~*~
So I am havin' a garage sale and I'm doing my fall cleaning.
So I will be gone for a little while.

But don't worry blogging buddies.
I will get to visit you more now on my coffee breaks!
~Jill~

Fabulous Finds!

2009-08-23T16:28:00.017-05:00

I thought I would join in the fun and participate in Rhoda's Thrifty Treasures.
I have been a follower of Southern Hospitality for over a year. This lady is just fantastic. I don't know where she finds the energy to do so much. I love her decorating ideas and the step by step instructions she gives us to help duplicate a great look!

~*~
Doug and I were up in the Lee's Summit area this past Saturday and I found a new thrift store to haunt. Now this thrift store is about 60 miles away from home, so I won't get to go that often, which might be a good thing!

~*~
I love books.
I am not sure if I ever will have enough books, probably not. So anytime I am in the Thrift Store or the Flea Market I always check out the book section.

Creative Room Styles,
Soft back $.60
It was published way back in 1998, but you know what, there are some absolutely gorgeous room ideas in here. I am finding that true style never goes out of style. There are always great ideas you can use as inspiration

Here is a page from the book. Toile and checks...doesn't this look like something out of one of today's designer magazines! I almost bought a 1970's French Provincial dining room set when were getting ready to build the house. It was on Craig's List for $125. Everyone poo poo'd me, said it would be tacky. Huh uh...with toile fabric, it would have been wonderful!
~*~
Outdoor Living and Gardens by House Beautiful
Hardback $1.60

Gardening books are always in style.
Wicker, Rattan, Iron and Stone... I want them all in my garden!

We are planning on adding a covered porch over the patio next summer. So I am gathering ideas for what I would like to do. Oh some of you are going to cringe at this but, I think I am going to grow vines on the house. Yes, I know they will tear up mortar and they can be destructive, but this girl has got to have a more cottage feel!

Isn't this picture from the book dreamy?
Love the french door out to the lawn
~*~
Simple Flower Arranging
Hardback $.60

You all know how I love floral design.
Some floral design books are not practical.
But this little gem sure is!
I have already found dozens of ideas of what flowers to grow next year in the garden for fresh floral arrangments.

There are several pages like this, that gives you the basic design steps.
What a great book! I'm glad it got to come home with me.

~*~
Music Finds!
I seldom listen to the radio. They just don't play my kind of music.
I like elevator music, soft jazz, big band, 1940's, Broadway show tunes.
I have been keeping my eye out for some nice c.d.'s to keep in the car.
I was tickled to find these...

Michael Buble & Tony Bennet
$.60 each

~*~
As were standing in the check out line, I spotted this wonderful, fantastic, heart stopping candle chandelier. I figured someone else must have found it, and had set it up at the front while they continued their shopping. I asked anyway to see if it was still available.
Whoppee It WAS!
What was even super great was that the price was $16.91, but today everything in the store was 60% off! That is why my books and music were such deals. But boy howdy was this ever a steal! It was $7.00

I definitely have plans for using it on the back porch next year summer. For right now, I have hung it under the umbrella!

~*~
It is so fun finding great things at great prices!
I have lots of posts in the archives about my Fabulous Finds
if you would like to see more!
~Jill~

A hungry dog, chickens and a Shot Gun...Updated Again!

2009-08-21T07:47:00.009-05:00

***UPDATED A SECOND TIME ***

On Saturday morning Doug and I took "Snorfus" up to Liberty MO. The man that operates Cowboy's Animal Rescue knew of a home for him. He is going to be a companion to an Amish lady who became a parapalegic when 2 years ago the buggy her and her husband was riding in was hit by a car load of drunk teenagers. Her husband and the horse were killed. She is okay with a big dog, she had a husky who just recently died. God works wonders...this is why Snorfus turned up at my house, why he hadn't already been shot by a neighbor. This big ole 150 pound lug has mission in life. Big ole Snorfus I forgive you for playing with my chickens and trying to eat them (maybe). Doug and I are glad we were able to help you find a home! Gosh this ole heart is a softy.

I had planned on a second post about my visit to Nell Hill's but instead this happened to me....

This morning, I was downstairs on the computer typing up a post about Nell Hill's when I spotted a dog walking by the downstairs escape window. I ran upstairs and he was on the patio. It was a great big German Shepherd. I hollered at him to GO. But he just looked at me. That is when he spotted my Girls. He took off like a flash after my GIRLS!!!
~*~

In my nightgown, I grabbed my metal egg basket and my old plastic green watering can. I am running barefoot through the backyard to the chicken house. YELLING...SCREAMING....GO AWAY. He went straight for the girls. A few were able to get into the house. He started chasing the others around our utility trailer and the barn.
~*~

He grabs one around the neck...I am SCREAMING....banging my egg basket and watering can together...he is oblivious. The chicken is sqawking. He is running around the chicken house, chasing them, he goes in the chicken yard. I try to trap him in the yard to save the chickens that are still out, he sneak out past me. I hurriedly lock the few girls that made it, into the chicken house.
~*~

He spies one under the trailer, he grabs her, I am running and SCREAMING. He drops her and I rush her over to their pen and drop her in. He finds another one... I am SCREAMING and BANGING running around the barn, he runs the other way. He drops her, I grab her up and run her to the pen. One more is left... of course...he goes for her. I manage to get her after banging on the dog and more SCREAMING!!!
~*~

Finally it is quiet, he meanders off from the chicken house. I still haven 't done a count to see if I have saved them all. Off he goes sniffing. I go inside the pen. Honestly I felt as though my chest was going to explode, my little heart was beating so fast. I also thought I was going to throw up. Those chickens are our pets. We love each and every one, and the thought of him killing one....was unthinkable.
~*~

When I felt that maybe I got all of them in, I ran inside and called Doug at school. I quickly told the secretary what happened. She paged Doug. When he got on the phone...he told me to go get the shotgun. I did.
~*~

I went out into the backyard and he told me how to take the safety off, how to load the chamber, and fire. I aimed up into the air and shot! The dog wasn't too fazed by it. So I loaded the chamber and I fired again. YOU are NOT going to KILL my CHICKENS!!! He went and laid down under the utility trailer. I went over and sat on my wrought iron furniture in front of the chicken house, in my jammies with my gun. I was waiting for Doug to come home.
~*~

I turned to look and saw Doug coming down the road. The tears now have started to come. I try not to cry. I'm a big girl, I'm tough, I shot a gun. Doug goes in and gets his rifle. As he is walking around the house toward me, he sees a little girl hiding in the grass. She starts running toward the chicken house. I jump up SCREAMING that he is going to get her, but Doug shows me the rifle. The dog stays under the trailer.
~*~
We do a chicken head count. 4 missing. Doug puts the dog in the barn and we start looking for the girls. I am pretty sure that I saw the dog before he saw my girls. Hopefully they are just hiding. One by one we find them all. Thank you LORD!
~*~

We didn't shoot the dog. That is what people do in the country though. I called the Sheriff's dept and that is pretty much what they told us to do. The dog is very friendly, he is STARVING...he was dumped with another dog in our neighborhood. I called my dad he came out and also our neighbor came down to help. The dog has been up at their house for the past two days.
~*~

NOW DON"T STOP READING
YOU WON'T BELIEVE
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT...
~*~

As I type this, I am waiting to hear back from the sheriff's dept. The dog had a collar of sorts and a rabies tag. I called the vet's number and gave them the tag i.d. number. Well Tike belongs to a lady that lives about 5 miles from us in a trailer court. The vet gave me the three phone numbers that they had. I called all three, not in service.
~*~

I call the sheriff's dept. back and tell them that I know the name and address of the lady that dumped the dogs and that Doug and I were going to put Tike in the truck and pay her a visit if she still lived there. The deputy told me to call him back.
~*~

Get this...we drive into this TERRIBLE trailer Court. I am sure there is probably half a dozen meth labs just in this one area. We spot trailer 18, we are looking for trailer 19. Doug gets out and asks this lady that is in her yard if she knows Donna Johnson. She shakes her head and says no. Doug says the Donna Johnson that is your neighbor in trailer 19. She turns and points to this lady who is walking through the knee tall grass towards us and says, " Oh yeah, her".
~*~
Well come to find out, Donna does have a German Shepherd named Tike but he is in the house and much smaller than the one that is in the back of our truck. How STUPID does she think we are, probably about as stupid as she is, dumping a dog with tags. We get back in the truck and leave.
~*~

Pulling over a couple yards down the road, I call the deputy back and told Donna was home and the whole not my dog story. He is going to pay her a visit this afternoon.
~*~

So right now...Tike is in the barn, we have fed and watered him. The girls are all accounted for and locked up in their house. I am worn slick, sitting here telling you my story. The deputy is supposed to call me back after he visits with Donna. The shelters are all full and not taking any more animals. What are we going to do? Right now the plan is to take Tike home this afternoon whether "Donna" likes it our not. You know what is a shame? He seems like a good dog. He was just literally starving to death.

The saga continues....

I need a stiff drink...

~Jill~

If you never leave a comment....now would be a good time.
I'm a little stressed, well I was now I am just exhausted, my head and throat hurts from yelling.

More to the story ....

The deputy called me...get THIS story she told him...
Donna lived in another town a few years back, the house was broken into and a lock box was stolen. Inside the lock box was dog rabies tags and vet paperwork. She told my deputy to call the other town she could prove her story. Well he called the other town and was told the same story. So this really isn't her dog she claims. She took the deputy inside and showed him a Sheperd Mix that she said was named Tike. Okay....so probably the dog I have isn't Tike, but I think it still is her dog. I also think she dumped a female Rottweiler too!

~*~
So are YOU telling me, that these tags were stolen in 2005 in a town about 30 miles away. And it just so happens that they go put it on this dog who was then dumped on my highway just 5 miles from where "Donna" now lives!

~*~

BULL..

I called the vet back telling her about the "stolen tag" story. She absolutely doesn't believe. She says the dog is definitely Donna's.
~*~

So what to do with this dog.
He loved his ride in the truck, licked Doug's had when he putting his dog tag back on, and he didn't growl at me even once, when I was beating him off the chickens.

~*~

The deputy remembered a man who had called their office several months ago...he was opening a shelter for abused animals. He wanted to let the county know about his shelter. The deputy called the man and he said he will take the dog. So I guess tomorrow, Doug and I and the kids will be driving about an hour north to take this dog to a no-kill shelter. I am not going to dump him again.
I am not sure I am cut out for this rural stuff!
I just want to go to Archiver's and scrapbook!
~Jill~

I promise next post will have pictures. Although mom wanted me to reinact the whole jammies and gun thing so we could really share with you the whole impact of the situation buy I kindly declined! I hadn't done my hair yet ;o)

Designing with Wildflowers 101

2009-08-14T08:46:00.009-05:00

I love working with fresh flowers. I have even had the opportunity to work in a flower shop for about a year. At one time, I considered opening up my own flower shop, and applied for a tax number...the name of my store

Forget-Me-Nots

It would be in an old stone and brick historic building with beautiful tall store front windows.
A french garden cart would sit outside the door filled with fresh stems.

Inside the wonderful aroma of flowers would envelope you, just as soon as your foot crossed the threshold. If you have visited a florist recently you will know that wonderful scent. So green and so fresh.

Gorgeous old cupboards filled with antique and thrifty treasures await to be filled with bounty. For wedding planning, wicker chairs and sofa covered in a soft chintz fabric nestle in a cozy corner.

(My mom even found a set of wicker at a thrift store and we bought it to have just in case we decided to open the store. It was the set that I used on the porch at The Cottage.)

I never did open my little store. I have had a chance to buy a flower shop here in town, the lady that owns it would like to retire. But in this economy, it would be a huge risk to open a business. So now I just entertain myself by cutting the flowers in my garden and also the wildflowers that blanket our country road.

Designing with Wildflowers 101
1. Gather up stems of favorite flowers. As soon as you cut them place in a bucket of cool water. We planted zinnia's by seed this spring and we also planted gladiola bulbs. It was really very easy! The zinnias come up real quick. They come in an assortment of sizes and colors. I like the great big ones! They remind me of dahlias. By the road I found daisies and Queen Anne's Lace.

2. Gather up greenery. This is always the base for an arrangment. I don't have much greenery around yet. So I have been using hosta leaves and fern fronds. Most anything will work if you like the shape of the leaves and the color. I am definitely planting more greens next year.

3. Find a cute container and fill with cool water and 1 tsp. of bleach. The bleach keeps the water from growing yucky things that make your flowers die quicker.

4. Arrange your greens in your container first. IMPORTANT> Strip all the leaves that are below the water line! This is an absolute MUST! As you add them to your container criss cross the stems, this will help to secure them and make a grid for your flowers.

5. Add your flowers. I like to make a triangle arrangment. Start with your tallest flower. It should not be much more than 2 times the height of your container. Here again, no leaves below that water line. I like to add drapey things on sides like ivy that droops.

6. If your arrangement is going to be seen on all sides, make sure you are turning it as you are adding your stems.

I love this silver tea pot because the lid is on a hinge,
which just adds oodles of charm!

So my friends, go on a country drive with a mason jar and your handy dandy clippers and find some fresh florals to display in your home!
~Jill~

Winner, Recipe & Jill Answer's Questions!

2009-07-29T08:38:00.010-05:00

I can hardly believe how fast these summer days are flying by!
I know, I know...not near enough posting lately,

but the green beans, cucumbers & tomatoes need picking,
the front door needs painting,

the new trees need to be planted
and oh I need to cook & clean & do laundry!
You just wouldn't BELIEVE how many green beans we have..
Doug and I have already picked four HUGE baskets full.

I don't have a pressure canner, so I have been freezing them.
One night I was still doing beans at 10 p.m.

I have to share with you my zucchini bread recipe.
This is so incredibly delicious, it has made me gain some pounds!

Hickory Hollow's
Yummy Delicious Zucchini Bread
2 eggs
1 cup cooking oil
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
2 Tbs. vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins or craisins
Beat eggs. Add oil, sugars, zucchini and vanilla and mix lightly.
Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Add slowly to batter and mix lightly. Fold in walnuts and raisins/craisins.
Pour batter into 2 medium greased and floured loaf pans.
Bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Makes 2 yummylicious loaves!

Celebrating Summer with Hickory Hollow Giveaway!
comment #20
Random numbers generated Jul 29 2009 at 8:36:25 by http://www.psychicscience.org/.
~*~
Crystal Rose Cottage!
Patti has a beautiful blog, it is so reminds me of an English Country garden.
She loves to collect beautiful rose patterned dishes
and her dining room wall paper is to die for!
Congratulations, Patti and thanks so much for entering my drawing.
~*~
Questions & Answers
I have had a lot of nice ladies ask me some questions,
and sometimes I forget to answer them.

~* Sally asked, "Do you plan on teaching this Fall, or will you have a chance to slow down?"
I am planning on substitute teaching again this year. I really love working with the children, lots of hugs! I hoping that maybe next year a classroom position will be available. I have already started decorating my classroom in my head! Slow down...gosh I wish...this garden is wearing me out!

~* Smiling Sal... Thanks for the delicious recipe! I haven't tried it yet, but I am going too soon!

~* Colleen...Apple (zucchini) Pie, now that sounds fun! I will skip on over to your house and check out your recipe. Thanks for sharing!

~* Stacey told me, " I just wanted to say that I saw The New French Decor on your wishlist. I have this book and would say, don't spend the money. It's odd!" Thanks for the heads up. Sometimes the best picture in an entire book is the cover. From your description, it doesn't sound much like my decorating style!

~* Penny & Bluebell asked, "How do you dry your herbs?"
I try different things. What I found works best is to harvest a few stems in the morning, gently wash off any dirt and then let them dry on a paper towel. I then pull the leaves off and place them in a little bowl on the kitchen counter. Every now and then I will gently toss them. Most herbs will dry in a week. Basil is real hard to deal with, because it turns black. I have had good luck drying just a handful at time. If I do a bigger batch, I put them on paper towel on a cookie sheet and then place another paper towel on top and put it on top of the refrigerator. It really is easy. Another great fun way to play with herbs is to make herbal vinegar. It is fun to use in salads and marinades!

~* Bella1198 ...Thank you for sharing that wonderful recipe, that sounds gourmet to me! I will be anxious to try it out!

~* Nikki... oh what a cute apron, yeah you can get for me for my birthday if you want!

~* Melinda... I am so glad you liked the pickles! Aren't they easy! I tell you, it isn't summer at our house without those pickles at every meal!

~* Laura... Sweet Laura, I am so not a fancy camera girl, I use my Kodak EasyShare DX7440. It is about on it's last leg. I have used my mom's camera recently, but I don't remember what it was. What I do remember is that is was pricey. Now I will share a secret with you...I always work on my pictures in Microsoft Picture It before I add them to my blog. My hands shake and my pictures are fuzzy sometimes so I just use the sharpen option. Works like a charm! Since my Microsoft Picture It went kurplunk, I have been learning how to use Gimp, it is a free photo editing and paint program.

~*Solomi558...Thanks so much for sharing a friendship award with me. I have to admit though, that I am terrible about posting these on my blog, I usually forget or don't pass them along because I forgot! But I VERY much appreciate you thinking of me!

~*Debbie asked, "Would you mind sharing the gorgeous wall colors in your home?
Sure I will Debbie...

Foyer, Great Room, Kitchen, Hallways - Camel Back, Sherwin Williams

Master bedroom - Dusty Trail 414-4, Olympic Paint

Master bedroom trey ceiling dark portion - Stony Creek 414-5, Olympic Paint
Dining Room -Georgian Brick, Benjamin Moore color HC50

~*~
Hope everyone is enjoying these summer days!
Guess what I am doing on Friday?
Goin' garage saleing with my guy.
Guess what?
It was his idea!
~Jill~

Country Gardening and a Giveaway!

2009-07-14T18:00:00.023-05:00

For years I dreamed about having a HUGE veggie garden.
Being a true country girl, I wanted to garden
and preserve my harvest for the long winter and
now here I am havesting...
zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes, green onions, cucumbers,
and lots of herbs!

Not really having a good plan on what to do with zucchini & squash, I began a recipe hunt.
I discovered the most awesome (if I do say so myself) zucchini bread recipe ever invented!
It is soooo wonderful I will share the recipe soon with you!
~*~
I have also harvested armfuls of summer squash. Hmm what do besides stir fry.
I found a delicious recipe for a summer squash casserole that is warm and filling and oh so yummy! I am going to share that one with you too!

The canteloupe and watermelon are plumping up nicely.
It has been fun to see how much they grow each day.

We have found that baby watermelons are just adorable,
quite like baby chickens!

Lots and Lots of tomatoes on the vine.
We have been able to have about a dozen nice ones to slice up for dinner.
We have 4 cherry tomato plants that are going wild!
So wild I can hardly get between the rows.
Totally out of control and I LOVE it!

My heirlooms are not quite ready,
I am growing Brandywine and another that is going to be PURPLE!
It is a Russian heirloom variety. Now that will be fun!

Later this week we will get to pick the green beans.
It has been so long, since I have had real, homegrown green beans.
Think I will whip up an old fashioned meatloaf to go along with them.

The cucumbers are coming along nicely,
(that sounds like something out of a 1940's garden journal doesn't it)
and I have been making refrigerator cucumber pickles.
We eat them as fast I can make them.

~REFRIGERATOR PICKLES~
3 nice size cucumbers peeled & sliced
1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Vinegar
1 Cup Water

*Mix and put in the fridge, try not to eat for a couple of hours*

We were late getting the corn planted,
but it too is coming along nicely.
The locals have told us
that the deer and racoons will eat it all of it the night
before we decide to pick it.
Those craft devils...
we spotted deer tracks in the garden yesterday,

I guess the word is out that the corn is lookin' good!

My Basil is beautiful and I have started drying many herbs to use this winter.
So far I have dried tarragon, basil, and oregano to use in my homemade spaghetti sauce.
I have also dried rosemary which I put in an awesome Rosemary Rum Cake.

~*~

Speaking of summer and gardening!
I found a wonderful treasure to pass along to you!
It is the Summer Book by Susan Branch
So let us
Celebrate the Seasons with Hickory Hollow

To play along all you have to do is leave a little comment on this post!
Simple, isn't it!
In one week I will pick a name
and this little summer book will be all yours!

Now for a Maggie update!

Maggie has a new home...
It is a wonderful Victorian cottage home complete
with a white picket fence and rose covered arbor
and filled with all the very best things...
love, warmth and doggy treats!

One of my very best friends, Cheryl (Hi, Cheryl)
fell in love with Maggie and wanted to take her home.
Her and her husband, David, came and picked Maggie up last night.

The minute they stepped through the door,
Maggie went up to David and gave him doggy kisses,
and then turned to Cheryl and gave her lots of kisses!
I am so thankful she has found a good home with a fence in yard.

Cheryl's home is absolutely they CUTEST place you have ever seen.
Red toile wallpaper in the dining room, does that tell you anything?
Well, I asked Cheryl several months ago if I could take pictures of it for my blog, and she agreed. We were just waiting for the cottage garden to bloom.
So coming soon will be a tour of Miss Maggie's new home!

~*~
Lots going on here at Hickory Hollow
and lots to look forward to,
so make sure you come back to visit!
Remember to leave a comment
for the giveaway!
~Jill~

Thrift Store Roosters

2009-07-08T15:28:00.008-05:00

Howdy do everyone, or should I say,
"Cockadoodle Do, Everyone!"
I have had smashing lucky lately finding rooster/chicken goodies.
I wanted to share these finds with you earlier,
but my photo editing software went kaput on me.
I downloaded Picasa 3, free from Google and I am back in business...

I was really doing a happy dance when I spotted this goodie at the thrift store.
This Fitz and Floyd pitcher was only $3.
Fellow shoppers were admiring it in my cart!
~*~
I think I need to explain about my favorite thrift store,
it is VERY tiny and on an Air Force Base.
It certainly isn't anything like a BIG CITY thrift store.
So many of you make comments that you wish you had a thrift store like mine, well you probably do! You just really have to go consistently, some weeks you will find a cart full of treasures, and then weeks will go by without so much as a book to bring home!
For me the fun is the thought there just might me a treasure waiting for me.

Who would have thought that I would find a pair of rooster prints?
They were $5 for the pair.
At first I was going to paint the frames black.
I've changed my mind since they go so well with my kitchen cabinet color.
I am going to by those 3M adhesive hooks and hanging them under the cabinets.

This I bought as a set, with a pitcher and two mugs.
It was $7 at an antique mall.
When my mom comes over to visit,
we love to treat ourselves to a cup of freshly brewed raspberry gourmet coffee!

I know it isn't an old set,
but it sure goes well with my red transferware collection.

My latest treasure is this apple picture.
I LOVE this!
I had a very hard time deciding where to put it.

I think it looks so cute here in the mud/laundry room.
The little basket is what I grab when I head out to the garden or out to gather eggs.

and this is Maggie...
Maggie is a stray dog that as rumor has it, been kicked out of her house.
She had been hanging out at the ball diamonds for about 4 weeks before coming home one night with us.
I couldn't take those sad eyes any longer...she was getting thinner and thinner and covered head to toe with ticks and fleas.
I gave her a good bath, took her to a wonderful vet here. He charges very little for his services, so that people can help rescue these orphans.
She has lived with us for 3 weeks, has put on a little bit of weight, and currenly sleeps with Lindsey. She is a doll and a really sweetie!
That being said...
we are trying to find her a home because she needs a fenced in yard. She has trouble doing her business while attached to a leash, and if we take her off the leash...she takes off. On one 100 degree day, we had to run through 2 fields to try to catch her before she ran out on our main road, speed limit 55 miles per hour. We only live a few feet from the road
So say a little prayer for Miss Maggie that we can find her a good and safe home where she can run and run...in a fenced in yard!
~*~
Thanks everyone for leaving a comment,
it is so wonderful to hear from you,
Thank you for choosing to follow me I have had great fun learning about you!
~Jill~

The Victorian Chicken House

2009-06-24T10:20:00.008-05:00

There are some new residents at Hickory Hollow.

11 in all...
10 chickens
and one stray dog
(more about Maggie later)
for now let's talk CHICKENS!!!
Are you ready to see the Victorian chicken house?
She is now ready for the tour!

Doug and Tyler made 10 nesting boxes for the ladies.
I painted them with some left over paint from my bedroom.
That $4 a roll Waverly wallpaper sure is cute!

Remember these little bird needle point pictures?
They look right at home in the cozy hen house above a little wicker shelf.
I am going to keep my eye out for some cute chicken knick knacks.

You couldn't very well have a chicken house without a place to roost could ya?
Doug made this cute little roost out of the handles of broken rakes.

Cute little Mason Jar vintage feeder.

These are our young ladies...believed to be Rhode Island Reds.
The couple that gave them to us, said they may be Bantams, they were free!
These chicks were hatched at our little preschool. They aren't laying quite yet.

They are the sweetest things, they love to be around us.
Probably because they were handled a lot as chicks.
~*~
We do have some hens that are laying,
but they just simply refused to have their picture taken.
They have a slight problem...
called feather loss.
We bought them from the local farmer, where everyone gets their hens from. I called late one evening and they told us to drive on out and get them, it was about 9:30. He plopped them in the pet taxies and sent us on our way. When we got home and got them out, we were stunned! They are they shabbiest, most pitiful lookin' chickens you have ever laid eyes on. Maybe they are molting, I don't know. What I do know is they have already given us 5 beautiful brown eggs.
Hopefully, they will get some new feathers!

See the little egg basket in the corner?
It was Grandma B.'s.

So was this little white enamel chamber pot.

It is now filled with lemon balm and begonias

My little temporary herb garden, garlic chives, oregano, French tarragon, and sage

I purchased this little door knocker years ago!
I had been waiting for the perfect place to put it.
~*~
So what do you think?
So many of you have been anxiously awaiting this transformation from run down play house to Victorian hen house. It really was a lot of fun. I have been teased relentlessly by the locals for wallpapering my hen house, they think I have way too much time on my hands.
You know what I told them...
it is all about priorities!
Ha Ha!!!
~*~
Next time...
Maggies story!
~Jill~

Thrift Store Decor I Adore!

2009-06-09T13:45:00.008-05:00

Some days are good days at the local thrift store, some days not so much.
For the past couple of weeks I have had my eye on a couple of items, would put them in my cart, and then take them back out again. Over the weekend, after my visit to Nell Hill's I kicked myself for not buying these things I had found.
~*~
Today the thrift store was open and I was on my way.
I burst through the door,
fingers crossed that my goodies would still be there.
They were still there, thank goodness
and then I found even more treasures...

This antique mirror has been in and out of my cart a half a dozen times in the last month. It was only $1, but it is VERY aged. So over the weekend, I began thinking about this mirror, and how neat it was that it was aged and cracked. It is stamped on the back with a date, June 1919. I adore this mirror!

The next item on my list was a little side chair, spotted last week.
It was $10. I was in a bit of a panic to get back and get this chair.

It wasn't where it was the week before and I thought it had sold,
and then I saw that they had moved it.
I had also had this throw bolster pillow in the cart numerous times and put it back, it was a whopping $1 also.

Some new goodies I found today was this Chinese"ish" dish with lid. I think the colors work so well with my house! It reminds me of Nell Hill style! it was $3.50

How about this gorgeous stone pillar candle holder.
Love it...it was $3!

Boy that sure was fun! Like I said, sometimes you find goodies, sometimes you don't. I was really lucky too, that the things I had found earlier hadn't sold!
~*~
Coming soon...
The chicken house is finished!
But I am not sure if I want to turn it over to the chickens!
I am now thinking I want it to be a potting shed or an English Garden Folly.
I also have some great pictures of Nell Hill's the Store to share!
~Jill~

Nell Hill's Open House ~ Part One

2009-06-06T19:17:00.011-05:00

Can you guess where I went on Friday? Can you guess who I met?
Oh my Heavens above, it is me and Mary Carol Garrity author, decorator most fantastic and owner of Nell Hill's!
~*~
It was a summer open house at Nell Hill's and her private home this Friday. Mom, Lindsey and I drove 2 1/2 hours to go visit.

We stopped in at the store first, and then boarded a huge air conditioned tour bus that drove us to her home.
Let me tell you, I was so excited
when I spotted her standing at the top of the stairs to welcome us in.
~*~
Mary Carol, is one super sweet gracious gal.
So warm and welcoming, an absolute doll!
Would you like to see a little bit of what I saw?
~*~
~ Part One ~
A Tour of Mary Carol Garrity's home

Isn't this just beautiful.
I love the columns and the urns full of ferns.

Her beautiful front door.
Do you remember this from her books?
I love the topiaries in the black urns.
(I'm going to paint mine black, too!)
The wire birdcage that decorates the door was for sale in her shops!

To the left of the front door was this beautiful outdoor seating area.
The wicker was painted a dark turquoise and the iron chairs and table were black.
The urn has ivy planted in it and white taper candles.
See the stone riser, they were everywhere, and were for sale in the store for only $14.
Of course, I had to have one of those!

How exquisite are these windows?
You can never have too many moldings can you!

In the foyer, to the left was this little seating nook.
She has used shutters instead of blinds on most of her windows.
Look where she placed this mirror, it is in between two windows!

This is the pretty scene you see when you first walk in the front door.
If you have her books, then you have definitely seen this before.
She has prints everywhere!

This is the living room, and you will probably recognize those butterflies and bookshelves.
She tucks little tables almost anywhere.

The dining room.
The topiaries are in little french pots that were for sale in the store.
Lots of layers and lots of green moss and silver. She elevates everything on pedestals.

The screened in back porch.
You have seen this beautiful painted piece of furniture many times in her books.
See the topiary in the white vase, I bought one just like it!

Another corner of the back porch. Isn't it lovely?

Outdoor refreshment area.
What a beautiful way to ice your beverages.
Gorgeous hanging baskets of ivy and candle chandeliers.

Stepping down from the back porch was the hidden dining room area.
Most of these items were for sale in the shop. Doesn't this just make you want to have a garden party?

An outdoor seating area.
Love the balustrade with the ivy and clematis clambering over it.
An urn with ivy on a little black table.

Walking down the garden path, back to the front of the house.

Getting ready to walk past the garden gate.
I think we all need one of these in the garden.

This was the first stepping stone as you would enter the garden from the front.
How whimsical!
~*~
Hope you enjoyed these pictures.
I sure had fun taking them to share with you.
I have even more to share next week of the store.
Now I am off to wallpaper the chicken coop.
How's that for a tempting ending so you will return for a visit!
~Jill~

Geese and Gardening

2009-05-26T15:41:00.010-05:00

Life in Hickory Hollow...

This past weekend we had beautiful weather! Beautiful weather for getting out and getting some projects completed. We have had to do a bit of work in the garden, actually a lot of work. The soil is just not rich enough for anything to grow very big. We bought bales and bales of peat moss and tilled it in the soil. This fall it is going to get a manure and lime treatment. These cute geese were hanging out by the pond all Sunday morning. I crept up pretty close to get these pictures to share with you.

Visitors...

We have also had a couple of unwelcome visitors. Doug had to shoot a big snake down at the pond shortly after I had taken these pictures. It was about 4 feet long and as big around as a man's wrist. He couldn't tell if it was poisonous or not and we couldn't risk the kids getting bit. Now, I am not a big on guns type of gal, but I was pretty relieved that we owned one and my husband knew how to use it. I am absolutely, positively, skin crawling, jumping, yelling scared of snakes....even little garter snakes!

Another unwelcome visitor has been the deer. Humph...they are not so cute anymore...they have tried to prune all my Cleveland Pear trees that line the driveway into topiaries! I am not thinking they are cute in the least...they have also eaten the new leaves of my raspberry and blackberry bushes and have tried even more topiary art on the fruit trees.
BAD Deer....very, very BAD DEER!

The Stone Nest...
We have a Killdeer couple that have made a nest of stone, smack dab in the middle of the driveway. There are 4 little stone colored eggs in the middle. The comical act of these two was pretty funny about 2 weeks ago...they pretend that they are injured to lure you from their nest. We call it "hurt wing". Here we are a few weeks later, and they aren't so cute...and they are getting a bit aggressive. We have been driving out and around the nest so we won't disturb them. Now as we come down the drive they run at us! We pull over to the side and ask her everyday if she could just get on with it, so we can have our driveway back! I will let you know when the BIG day arrives...personally we can hardly wait!

In the Garden...
So far in the garden I have planted 9 Big Boy tomatoes, 9 Celebrity tomatoes, 2 Brandywine tomatoes, 4 Cherry tomatoes, 4 banana peppers, 4 green peppers, 4 jalapeno peppers, 4 Italian Basil plants, 4 Siam Queen Basil Plants, 3 rows of Blue Lake Green Beans, 28 cucumber plants (yep, you read that right, 28 plants germinated from the seed), 4 cantaloupe plants, 4 watermelon plants, 4 zucchini plants, 4 yellow straight neck squash plants. We are getting ready to plant corn later this week. My potato plants are up, but not just real big. I have been Miracle Growing everything, and they look a bit better. I am hoping to be able to can spaghetti and salsa this fall! I will take some pictures of the garden later this week to share with you.

and the Chicken House...

We have really been working hard on the chicken house...Doug put on a new roof, and I have finished painting the outside. It is soooo cute! I even added a hanging basket and potted up some plants to sit on the little front porch. I will share some of those pictures with you too! I am hoping to be able to finish the inside with the wallpaper this week. Doug and Tyler are almost finished building the nesting boxes! I think I have decided that we will get 8 hens. I am going to get a couple that lay the pretty pastel eggs. If you are in the neighborhood in the next few weeks, come on by for a slice of quiche made of farm fresh eggs!

Thank you everyone who so diligently follow this gal, who doesn't quite so diligently post! My goal is to post at least once a week this summer. We are really working hard to get our place up and going so we can have bountiful harvests later this summer!
I seem to be over the bloggers block...now I just need to find a bit of time, to visit all my blogger buddies!
~Jill~

P.S. I am addicted to watching the Bachelor/Bachelorette shows...why, I don't know...it is so silly, but this girl loves a good romance, I guess now matter how fake it is...anyway... I like the pilot so far for Jillian!

My Fountain Courtyard

2009-05-13T09:34:00.006-05:00

I finally found some inspiration
and here I am this morning with a new look and a new post!

All before 10:00!
What do you think of the new look?
It is a bit more classic and hopefully I won't be so inclined to redecorate once a week.

Now on to the fun stuff
~*~
My new courtyard fountain and landscaping...

While looking a couple of weekends ago for a fountain locally, we learned about a place in Southern Missouri that makes their own fountains. We found out the name of the business and drove down last weekend. They had over 80 fountains up and running. Beautiful things...Grecian ladies with urns, balustrades, bird baths anything your heart could desire in concrete!

The couple that owns the business were so very helpful. But, they asked me all sorts of questions that I couldn't answer. "How big is the area, how long is the sidewalk, how tall is your roof, how tall all your windows?" Hmmm...well I really don't know, probably about yea high and this wide. They wanted to make sure that the fountain would not over power the space or look dinky.
It didn't take me long to find this one, and I think it is perfect!

Bob still has to come back and do some odds and ends. My front door still needs to be stained walnut and the pillars painted. We only have a week and half left of school, so we will have the whole summer to frou frou!

Now I am off to go teach this afternoon,
but I certainly feel better, having everything in it's place again!
~Jill~

AWW SHOOT!

2009-05-12T21:49:00.001-05:00

Have you ever had just the sudden URGE to redecorate?
You decide, say, to redo the living room...
pull the furniture all around...
some of it you slide into the kitchen,

some of it you carry out to the hall,

roll up rugs, remove all knick knacks,

because while you are "redecorating" might as well clean, too!
Well, I got the URGE to redecorate my blog...

Hmmm...I'm going to do a Nell Hill look,

today I am going to spend hours on the internet looking for free backgrounds,

I am going to fart around with margins,

change the font and the colors make a beautiful new header...

and I came up with NOTHING!

I didn't like a thing I came up.

Now, I'm tired and my cyber house is in disrepair.
I had a beautiful post planned showing your my new fountain.

Alas...photos are still on the camera.
I've brought back the chickens for a bit...
until Iget inspired for my blog background...

So for now, I have pushed the furniture back into the living room,

and didn't even dust!

Humph...
and would you just look at what I did?
A post with no pictures.
How sad is that?

Maybe inspiration will hit soon!
I have some great things I want to share with you!

~Jill~

Fountain Search

2009-05-04T08:55:00.003-05:00

The blogger's block is still here. And I am telling on myself....I haven't even looked at the computer in about 2 weeks.

Lindsey has started playing softball and I have volunteered to be an assistant coach. Bet you didn't know that I played softball since I was 5 years old and continued playing until I was about 19 years old! I dug out the old ball glove and have been literally having a "ball" ever since!
My official title is outfield coach/pitching machine operator!

I've also been substituting a lot at school, 4 days just last week. There isn't going to be any classroom teacher openings this next year, but maybe next year I will have a room of my own. I have already been dreaming of how I am going to decorate my classroom. Can you believe it...ME dreaming of decorating something! I am daydreaming of a cute country school look with a Debbie Mumm schoolbus lamp, willow baskets of apples and country plaid curtains. Debbie Mumm has even created school bulletin board borders and calendar sets. It is taking every bit of will power not to start stocking up!

In between all this madness we managed to get our driveway pad poured, curved sidewalk and a back patio. Doug and I did a bit of landscaping out front, planting barberry bushes, hostas and ferns. I am on the lookout for an outdoor concrete fountain. We went on a huge drive yesterday but didn't find anything that struck my fancy. I just called a place in Kansas City and they have a huge selection, the lady on the phone told me I needed to get up there in a hurry though. With Mother's Day quickly approaching...they sell out FAST!

Okay...I gotta go!
My heart is racing...and I think I need to strip out of these jammies and jump in some sort of vehicle and head out to find my fountain....I am afraid they will be all gone by the time I get there. This is sort of like the rummage sale panic I experience every Saturday morning!

Okay...
I will try to write something more often!
If I don't get beaned in the head by a softball!
~Jill~

Dining Room Design

2009-04-13T11:00:00.011-05:00

I have hit blogger's block! I haven't posted much lately because I can't seem to come up with anything to blog about...I seem to have exhausted the gardening subject for now. So I thought to myself, what is it that I really like to see when I visit other blogs. I really like to see how they have decorated their home. I love to take the tour. That got me to thinking that I haven't shared many pictures with you of my dining room, and I have added some Nell Hill touches recently.

~ Visiting the Dining Room ~

A little corner decorated with finds found at garage sales, thrift stores and the flea market. The lamp came from Hobby Lobby and the wool rug I found at Lowe's. The little table was my Grandma B's.

I made this monogram G picture
using a frame from Dollar Tree and some scrapbook paper.

Here we are in the dining room peeking into the kitchen.
Love how the gold and the red flow so well together, they are the colors in the dining room upholstery. Underneath this new wall pocket, I would like a little chair with a stylish monogramed throw pillow!

This is a new dining room addition. I found the wall pocket at the flea market and added the ivy. In this picture you can see the paint color more correctly, it is reddish bittersweet. A friend of mine named it Rusty Pumpkin. The walls do look a bit orangey in these pictures, but it really isn't orange, all the light that comes from the big dining room windows makes it take on this orange hue.

I knew I just needed something on the other side of the windows, so last week I was scouting out plates to hang on the wall. This was definitely a Nell Hill inspired shopping trip. After looking around about 40 different booths, I found the perfect stack of plates for the perfect price! I wasn't sure about the turquoise color on the plates, but I thought they might just play beautifully with the wall color.

A closeup of the plates, all four are the same design.
In another booth, I found a matching bowl.

A very grand tassel found a home decorating the handle of the china cabinet, I found her at the flea market last week too!
Inside the china cabinet are silver and white dishes that I have been collecting through the years. I recently started picking up affordable silver serving pieces.
Victoria magazine has always been my inspiration for gorgeous serving pieces, especially their more vintage issues of the 1980's.

Just this past weekend, I served Cherry Preserves in this darling silver and crystal bowl. Isn't that spoon so very cute and dainty.

Here is a closeup of the dining room fixture. It coordinates with the foyer's fixture. The balls that look gilded are actually a metallic green with a crackle finish, the shades are an amber.

Looking into the dining room from the foyer. When I first got this grape ivy plant it was in a little 4" pot. He is just going bananas. A friend of mine in Colorado gave me the metal trellis. One day, I got the idea to stick it in this urn to give the ivy something to curl its tendrils on. I went out to the woods and found some moss and have placed it on top of the soil, I really like that conservatory/Mediterranean look!
~*~
Hope you have enjoyed visiting me and my dining room.
I'm hoping blogging inspiration will come back and I will have more interesting things to share!
~Jill~

Fabulous Finds...

2009-04-03T13:57:00.010-05:00

I love hydrangeas and have been on the lookout for several months trying to find some pretty silk ones. I grabbed this basket right up when I spotted it! I really loved the muted colors and what a bargain at $3.

I have been playing around and haven't yet decided which room to keep them in.

I haven't really decorated much for spring.
I was inspired though, by all the pretty apothecary jars on different blogs, to make a little bird filled one for my coffee table!

I have been giving this little cabbage set the eye, for quite some time. This whole set was just $4. Lucky for me, he was in a booth that was pretty much off the beaten path at the flea market, so he waited patiently until I decided that yes, he must come home with me! This was someone's ceramic project in the 1970's. Isn't it amazing how some things really don't go out of style? Cabbage style dishes are all the rage! I think he is quite adorable with the matching salt and pepper shakers. They even have real vintage salt in them!

Not too far down from the cabbage tureen I spotted this cute print, also for $4.
It looks so French, ooh la la...
and looks wonderful above my whirlpool tub.
Looks like a French Soap label!

At the Salvation Army store I found a roll of Waverly red and white grape toile border for .50 cents. No plans for it yet, but I am sure I will think of something!

~*~*~*~

I am so ready for it it be warm and sunny!
I am so ready to put on my gardening overalls and putter in my plants!
Soon...we will get to go to Lowe's and buy all the picket fence for my kitchen garden!

It was dry enough a couple of days ago for us to finish putting in most of the spring garden. We planted radishes, green onions, lettuce, turnips, beets & peas. I went to Wal-mart yesterday and they had pack of 9 tomatoes for $3. I bought a pack each of Celebrity and Better Boys. Eighteen tomato plants, that's a good start! I am already thinking of fresh salsa. Doug said these were the littlest tomato plants he has ever seen. Right now they are sunbathing on my back step! Grow little tomato plants, GROW!

I also bought a jiffy pot that had 4 Basil plants in it for $3. Basil is just about my most favorite herb! Basil is kind of a tricky herb to try to dry and preserve because it can turn black. But I have had pretty good luck freezing the leaves whole and then giving them a rough chop before adding them to spaghetti sauce. Hmmm...I am also thinking how yummy basil is with a thinly sliced tomato on a slice of crispy french bread!
~*~*~*~
Hope everyone enjoys a beautiful weekend!
We are going to see Disney on Ice tomorrow!
I can hardly wait!
~Jill~

Rain, Rain Go Away!

2009-03-30T13:29:00.008-05:00

I sure wish it would stop raining/snowing here!
I need to get in the garden and start planting more seeds.
Just about the time, it dries out enough...we get a gully washer!
~*~
Rumor has it, that some of my family members already have much of their garden planted, especially different varieties of lettuce and spicy radishes.
I need to purchase some garden wellingtons "wellies" so I can prance around in my garden even when it is a bit mucky.
I really like these...

Unfortunately they are discontinued. I did find them on amazon for $120. Whew... a bit out of my price range, but aren't they too cute!

Now Target has some really cute garden wellies and they are much more affordable. This cute pair is only $25. We are heading up to Kansas City next weekend, I think I will have to drop into Target!

As I mentioned before I was able to get some potatoes planted and a couple rows of asparagus.

Potatoes are fun to plant!
After the eyes were cut out, there was a lot of potato left over. I found a delicious Bacon & Potato chowder and whipped up a big, bubbling pot of soup!

You can click on the recipe and print it out for your own recipe box!
~*~
I did a little thrift store shopping a couple weekends ago and found a basket of hydrangeas, an adorable cabbage tureen with matching salt and pepper shakers and a Victoranish picture for my bathroom. I will be sharing pictures of these this week with you!
~*~
One of my faithful blog followers, asked me where I purchased my sugar and flour cannisters. Why just at the local Wal-Mart, and for a song no less!
~*~
Hope everyone gets to go out in play in beautiful spring sunshine this week!
Me included!
~Jill~

Spring Birdies

2009-03-24T14:19:00.001-05:00

I know it certainly has been a little while since I posted. We are having a bit of an "internet" problem. My son downloaded a movie from i-tunes and it used up all of our available bandwith at a certain download speed.

I called Wild Blue and told them my internet just won't run, it times out on pages and I can't get anything to download. The lady on the phone kindly explained the problem to me, we are at slower than dial speed right now, they cranked us down after we used up all our "speedy download-ability" in just one day. We won't be back up to "speed" until the following month, April 6th. Would I like to buy the upgraded package with more speed? No thank you, I will just be content with the hours it takes to try to visit just one person's blog for the next 3 weeks.

So...that explains why I have only posted a little bit lately, it also explains, why in the world I never seem to come to your blog and visit! Most of the time, I am unable to even get a page to load. On the weekends....forget about it!

On the BRIGHT side!
I did do a little bit of thrift store shopping and wanted to share my new finds with you!
~*~
Aren't these little spring birdies too cute.
I love birds and this pair caught my eye. They were only a $1.
Really old frames, I thought they were a sweet couple!

~*~
While shopping at another favorite thrift store I discovered this blooming pot of bulbs!
Now, this was a bit pricey at $4 but I knew it would just look beautiful sitting in many different spots around the house.
For now it is sitting on my black hutch.

~*~

I am wanting to add more color to my living room. There is too much brown going on to suit me. I found a little bedraggled arrangment at the antique mall/flea market for $6. Most of the flowers were just laying in the pot sideways. I worked it over and really like how it adds so much needed color!

Love those Dollar Tree pears...they have been all over the house!
~*~
And finally...
who could resist a Gooseberry Patch Cookbook?
Certainly, Not ME! I grabbed her up quick, for only $1.50!

I also couldn't resist this adorable cookbook from Inns in New England for $1.
If they serve in at an Inn, I bet it is delicious.
By the way, have I ever mentioned I LOVE cookbooks.

~*~
Someday soon, I will be able to cruise the internet with lightning speed again,
and I will LOVE coming and visiting all my friends!
Until then, I have gathered all my supplies and have started scrapbooking again.
I am working on Tyler's baby album.
We have planted two rows of asparagus and 4 rows of potatoes.
The fruit trees & berry bushes have all made it through the winter
and Doug is getting ready to dig up my cutting/herb garden.
No chickens yet, we still have to do more work on their house!
Till we meet up again...
Jill

Making Ruffled Lampshades

2009-03-13T08:22:00.009-05:00

My little chandelier lampshades were just a bit on the "blah" side. I would look at them and think, "they need a bit of something". You have often heard bloggers talk about shopping their house. That is just what I did...I remembered that I had bought trim for the curtains in the breakfast room, but didn't purchase enough and ended up buying a tassel trim. So I dug that out, then I thought to myself...I have a lot of fabric left over from the curtains, I wonder what a little ruffle would look like added to it also!

I sort of remembered how to make a ruffle. I had made Lindsey a couple of summer outfits awhile ago and they had ruffled trim. I cut a 4 inch strip from 60 inch material, folded it in half and pressed it. You really only need to double the length around the base of your shade, that will give you plenty of gathers. Too much gathered material is too bulky.

Using a wide stitch and the tension very loose, I stitched 3/4" away from the raw edges. Then I did a second row of stitching about 1/8" from the first one. I learned the hard way that gathering threads break VERY easily and the gathers look prettier when pulled by two threads. This is the part that took the longest...even being careful, I broke a lot of my gathering threads!

Using Eileen's Tacky Glue, I glued the ruffle along the edge of the bottom of the lampshade.
Then glued my trim on top to cover the rough edge. Of course, needing to frou frou just a bit more, I added more trim to the top!

It only took me a couple of hours to complete them,
and I think they turned out pretty cute!

Viola!
So if you are looking for a fun, fast project
make some ruffled lampshades!
~Jill~

My Cute Garden Sweater

2009-03-10T07:58:00.014-05:00

As many of you may know...I LOVE cutesy sweaters.
Now, I am a bit of a sweater connoisseur/sweater snob...
I LOVE fancy, Boutique cutsey sweaters.
~*~
I have posted about finding cute sweaters in the past,
those were some of the posts that were lost in my blog fire.
Some of you may remember the cute sweaters I found this fall...
one was of a pumpkin patch and another adorable one
had the little fuzzy sheep stitched on it with a woolly collar.
~*~
Yes, I know that cutsey sweaters are not fashionably correct.
I think I am fairly safe in assuming that I would be
booed & laughed right off the proverbial red carpet.
I can't help it, I really LOVE them,
along with my plaid shirts and Ked tennis shoes.
Today I am wearing a black sweater that has cats stitched all over and the words,
"A Cat is Cat" and "Meow" all along the bottom.
The kitties are swatting at butterflies, and
some are sitting in a basket with little red ribbons around their necks ~ Cute!
~*~
Yesterday while thrift store shopping,
I found another really, REALLY cute sweater.
This time the theme was gardening!
One of my most favorite subjects!

Darling little cabbages in a garden row!

Farm Fresh Produce is the BEST!

We have a little red Ford tractor.

A cute little garden market!

I picked up a Lemon Thyme plant last week.
I love cooking with herbs and I am so anxious to start planting my herb garden.
You can sprinkle these little lemon scented leaves in your muffin batter.

This came in the mail yesterday!
I have been trying to figure out what seed varieties I want to buy.
Lowe's carries Burpee garden seeds, which is great!
That way I can save on the shipping.

One other treasure I found just yesterday!
Do you see it in my sugar cannister?
A red & white teacup!
It was a bargain too,
just $1.00!
~*~
It has been nice and warm here lately,
then the rain came, and lots of little frogs
that peep, peep, peep all around the pond.
But, this afternoon it has turned
very blustery & windy and very chilly.
It is not quite time yet, to be out in the garden,
but it is still chilly enough to wear a sweet garden sweater!
~Jill~

Cheesecake Bars & Heart Songs

2009-03-04T10:14:00.004-06:00

This past weekend we had my great aunt and her family over to visit.
Mom and I are always looking for an excuse to try new recipes and had spotted this one in our little weekly advertising newspaper. A little country gal submits about 3-4 recipes a week, sometimes she has a theme like, zucchini or peaches and other weeks she just shares yummy recipes people have sent to her.
~*~

This wee country newspaper comes in the mail and is filled with things people want to sell like animals, services, & haybales to name just a few. This is also the newspaper that you find the listings for the farm and estate auctions. In the spring, country greenhouses will place ads to let us know when the tomato plants are ready! In the summer & fall I look in the paper to find out where to go and pick berries & apples.

This recipe was VERY quick and VERY easy. And let me tell you...I LOVE cheesecake! My son thinks these are the VERY best things he has ever eaten. But then again, he thinks most everything is the best he's ever eaten...he is 13 and growin' like a weed, 'about to eat me out of house and home!
~*~
I know many of you are just awesome cooks, and LOVE desserts just like me, I thought you might like to whip up a batch of these yourself.

Click on the picture above...
and it will take you to a larger picture that you can print out on cardstock and just pop right into your recipe box! How easy is that!
~*~
One other thing I would like to share...
I don't like to watch the news much these days, especially the local news, it comes from Kansas City. Too many sad things, a lot to do with children and dying.
I have just had to stop watching it.
I wish they would share with us good and happy things, I know there are lots of good things going on everyday, there simply has to be...

Here is my
Make Your Heart Sing Story...
Mom and I were leaving the antique mall yesterday, and the parking lot was just a sheet of ice. I had shuffled to the back of the van, to stash a new purchase (more about that later) and had made mom stay on the sidewalk, so I could help her to get into the van.
I could hear some voices and I peeked around the corner of the van and saw a young girl helping my mom get to the van. She opened the door, she held her hand and her back, she held mom's little package & purse, she helped boost her into her seat (mom is only 4'10").
I beamed at her...and thanked her and thanked her...I'm not sure she spoke much English, but she knew what I meant.
She grinned back at me, my heart was singing!
Oh gosh, I am such a sap, here I am wiping tears as I type this, there goes the eye makeup.
There is good in this world...there are GOOD souls in this world, black, white, brown, color doesn't matter to me, what's in the heart does!
~*~
Go make someone's heart sing today...
You'll be glad you did!
Jill

Bubbling Bubble Bath

2009-03-02T08:25:00.012-06:00

I LOVE bubble baths....always have!
I have been a bit naughty with this new whirlpool tub. Yes, I add just a splash of bubble bath. It says in the instruction booklet, not to, but I do it anyway, it really is MY bathtub, right? So I add just a couple splashes of bubble bath and make whipped topping in the tub. I turn the jets on until bubbles just about overflow the sides and then I shut it off. I sink chin deep in bubbles, and watch the flickering flames of my lit candles, read my new Victoria magazine and eat bites of chocolate with wet fingers. I also leave just a trickle of hot water running into the tub, like a little waterfall, I stick my toes in the stream, so warm, so relaxing, aaah!

Here is my bathtub retreat at night...

Bath Salts in a little Jar and Candles

I found a pair of these little ceramic cherub candleholders for .50 cents at a thrift store. They were fired ceramic. I painted them so they would look like stone!

Master bath during the day...

I Love the Roman faucet and an orchid that blooms russet. Little thrift store mirrors decorate a wall and wisteria & moss drape from a garage sale find. French country curtains and my little chandelier. Violetta di Parma perfume.

Homemade Soaps,
Little Luxuries.
Have I mentioned my mom makes soap?
She makes it the traditional way with lye and oils, and then she adds soothing ingredients like silk, goat milk, and aloe vera just to name a few. Sometimes she makes frothy whipped bars, that lather up like whipping cream. Soon these will be for sale in Hickory Hollow's Etsy shoppe.

Do you like to read in the bathtub like I do?
I have a darling little book that I would like to share with you...
Chin Deep in Bubbles
Melissa Placzek

A very similar style to that of Susan Branch.
Very cute!
and speaking of cute...
My blog friend, Cynthia at Cynthia's Cottage Design is having an adorable giveaway

Stop in to visit her, and tell her "Jill" sent you!
You may win some these cuties.
Actually I am hoping that I win,
I would LOVE that pie sign in my kitchen!
~*~
Hope everyone has a wonderful week filled with little luxuries and treats!
~Jill~

P.S. I have had several people ask me about how I make my headers. Honestly I am not fancy...I use the Microsoft Picture It program that came with our Dell computer. I try to find as many copyright free images I can, or use my own photos (what I do mostly) and I also use digital scrapbooking goodies that are listed as freebie for personal use only. As you can tell I love to play "decorate my blog" almost as much I love to play "decorate Hickory Hollow"!

Country Cottage Kitchen

2009-02-26T10:37:00.009-06:00

I tried, really I did.

I tried to decorate with everything but...
checks, stripes, lace curtains, flowers, dishes, little critters & knicky knacks.
I just couldn't do it...
You can take a girl out of a cottage
put her in base housing
but you really can't take the cottage out of the girl!
~*~
The same thing happened to Mary Engelbreit...yes sirree bob it sure did. I read about it in her magazine. She moved to a different house, thought the style of her collectibles wouldn't really fit into the new house...had a HUGE sale...sold almost everything. She said she wasn't in her new house but about 2 months until she started to haunt garage sales and flea markets again.
Um Hum...I know the feeling.
She said the one important thing she learned was
"To Your Own Self be True"
~*~
It's true,
I am an ole cottage, country gal.
I like to wear plaid shirts, jeans and Keds.
I can sit in a field and listen to birds for hours and I
Couldn 't be happier than when I am surrounded with cuteness
like checks & plaids, bunnies & chicks,
lace curtains & dishes
I like good old homecooked meals
with pickled beets, fried potatoes, navy beans and ham
& a big chunk of hot cornbread.
~*~
If this sounds a whole lot like the "real" you too
come on into my country cottage kitchen and sit a spell
and I will show you what this old country gal has been up to lately.
I have been hitting the thrift store pretty often and my favorite antique mall/flea market.
Thought you might like to see some new fabulous (countryfied) finds!

Oh boy...do you see what is now hanging in my breakfast room windows?
Um Hum those curtains that were going in the chicken house.
I like them here!

See my little garage sale cabinet,
that is where all my cute new cottage finds are going.
You know what though?
A lot of these cuties, like the birds, I have had for years.

Isn't this little hen basket just too cute for words?
I love the chicken wire for the basket.
She came home with me yesterday from
my favorite antique mall.

Always on the lookout for old gardening books,
this I picked up at the Salvation Army this week.
The copyright date is 1958.
I like to read to find old tried and true gardening tips.

Here's the little corner in my kitchen. I can already tell this is going to be a fun area to decorate.
I found the little wire bird/candle yesterday. Mom bought the gorgeous toile matted mirror for me at the antique mall. I had been admiring it for the past couple of weeks.

A couple of my favorite bloggers, Cindy at my Romantic Home and Tina at Cherry Hill Cottage have these wonderful flour & sugar containers sitting on their counters. Of course, they have transferware teacups in theirs. I am now on the hunt trying to find some red transferware cups. Anybody have any they don't want anymore?

The only red transferware I have found lately are two of these little fruit plates,
they were only $1 each.

I picked up a couple decoupaged green apples for a song!
They were originally hanging ornaments. I LOVE this color green!

Here are some cute things, that I have had for awhile. The red berry star I won at my husband's Christmas party. The birdhouse and plate came from goodwill and the red basket, from an antique mall in Colorado Springs.

A cute new rug from one of my favorite stores!
And look there are more coordinated accessories

Yes, Toile hand towels and pot holders

Really, how cute is this!

A view of the other side of the kitchen.
Do you see on top of my cabinets.
Cute Daniel, added lots of plug ins everywhere for me
just in the event I might want to decorate up there.
Yes, I will decorate up there.
You should have seen me...
I am only 5' tall

So I am standing on my tippy toes trying to put stuff up here,
without it crashing down on my head and my ceramic cooktop.
Doug put my lamp there, he could reach the plug, LOL!

I found this little green tole tray this week.
I like the punch of color it adds behind my cooktop.

These little jars came from the antique mall/flea market.
I love their colors & little metal leaves.

Cute book..I know it is way to early to be thinking of fall, but you have to grab the goodies when you see them. This was just $2 and the photos inside are just beautiful! Plus there is lots of info on growing pumpkins & gourds and there are recipes!

I am going to plant me a hill of Baby Boo pumpkins!

Last, but certainly not least, a vintage-looking rack.
I am going to hang my straw hats here...
so they will be ready to plop on my head
when I skip off to the garden!
~*~
As always...
thanks for stopping by to visit!
My next post is going to be about..
Bubbles in the Bathtub, stay tuned!
~Jill~

Victorian Chicken House Update!

2009-02-22T14:15:00.016-06:00

So sweet of YOU to ask, Nikki & Liz!
They would like to know what the latest news is on my
Victorian Chicken House.

Remember this Craig's List find last summer?
I had gotten inspired by an article in the Mary Jane's Farm magazine, about fixing up an adorable chicken house.
Their's had wallpapered walls, a cute little shelf with a tea cup dangling from a peg and was utterly charming.
So I started looking on Craig's list and found a little outdoor playhouse.
Immediately I thought
PERFECT!
Here is what I have finished so far.

I've done a bit of painting on the outside. I am going to repaint the big posts white, the little railings are going to be red and the top of the railing white. I am hoping to add a couple little window boxes under the windows. I also painted the birdhouse on the porch post.
~*~
On the left side of the house is going to be the chicken yard enclosed with picket fence (and chicken wire). On the right of the chicken house you will find my herb & flower garden with picket fence, arched arbor & gate.

Isn't this gingerbread trim so VERY cute!
Here are my favorite colors again Green & Red

This is still what the inside looks like.
but when it warms up, (will it ever be warm again?)
I am going to wallpaper the walls with this
very cute, very cottage Waverly wallpaper...
Big Lots $3 a roll

and then I am going to hang these little lace curtains in the windows...

they look like they have been hand tatted...there are 4 separate valances!
~*~

I am so VERY excited to have my own charming little Victorian chicken house. We had been talking for years, that when we moved out to the country we would have some hens, so we could gather eggs. Some names we came up with are Matilda, Henny Penny, Gladys, Helen & Ethel ...we want old fashioned names for our girls. I have been checking into bantam chickens.
~*~
Did you know they will mail baby chicks to you in the mail?
One day Lindsey and I were in our country post office and I heard peeping noises.
I asked the Postmaster about the sound and he showed us
a box of precious peeping yellow chicks!

Look what I found online...an adorable ledger sheet to keep track of the girls and their egg production. I am going to print this out and turn it into a picture to hang on the wall in their house. Maybe it will keep them encouraged to produce, lots and lots of eggs!

These little prints from a vintage school primer are so cute,
and will make for some cute pictures in the chicken house.
I am going to be on the lookout for some cottagey frames.

So Nikki and Liz,I hope you feel all caught up on the little Victorian Chicken House project, and thanks for asking.
You know what?
I just LOVE my bloggin buddies!
You are guys are soooo much fun to share things with!
~Jill~

Precious Gardening Books

2009-02-17T20:30:00.007-06:00

Every now and then, I will get a little glimpse of spring. The grass is starting to turn green, just a little bit at the very bottom near the soil. The robins are finding their way home to their favorite nesting spots, and the Meadowlarks are hopping around in the field. But it is still chilly enough to snuggle in by the fire and dream about gardening.
~*~
I am so excited that finally, after 10 years of container gardening, I will get to have a BIG vegetable garden. And I want to plant it ALL, asparagus, beans & beets, cantaloupes, cucumbers & corn, potatoes & tomatoes, peas & peppers!
~*~
I have been unpacking all my books/treasures and have rediscovered 3 absolutely adorable gardening books. I know you will fall in love with them too...

Betty Crocker's
Kitchen Gardens
A year 'round guide to growing and using herbs and vegetables
by Mary Mason Campbell
Pictures by Tasha Tudor
Copyright 1971

Are these not, the most adorable illustrations? Of course they are, they are by Tasha, a most magical woman who led a magical life. Tasha's family has website: Tasha Tudor and Family that allows us to continue to enjoy all of Tasha's work. You can purchase different items, but most importantly to me, you can purchase seeds that were grown from Tasha's own flowers, Forget-Me-Nots, Foxgloves and Hollyhocks to name a few!

Hollyhocks should be in every garden. I think an apron is so appropriate for the garden, little pockets to carry your tools and a big wide bow in the back.

Many pages are adorned with precious pictures.
Looks like I need a nice pair of garden galoshes too!
~*~Lois Burpee's
Gardener's Companion and Cookbook
Delectable recipes and invaluable advice on growing vegetables and fruit from American's foremost gardening family
Illustrated by Parker Leighton
copyright 1983

This little book was a precious thrift store find. The illustrations are beautiful and it is an enjoyable read. Why, just last evening I started reading it again!

The book is divided into gardening seasons, to help you know when to plant!

The book is filled with delicious, garden fresh recipes!
~*~

I became familiar with the writing and illustrating of Sharon Lovejoy through the Country Living Gardener Magazine. Beside Victoria this was my other all time favorite magazine. I have kept every issue I ever purchased. Unfortunately, I don't think the magazine is in publication anymore. But, Sharon does have some wonderful books and she also has a website:
Sharon Lovejoy

I wouldn't mind having these cute little critters in my garden, how about you?

Are squirrels your greatest bird feeder nemesis?
Well just bake them their own cookies, why don't you!

This little book, well actually it isn't quite so little there is over 290 pages, is just full of wonderfully endearing garden stories, recipes and crafts.
~*~
Aren't you excited too about the arrival of spring?
I know the next few weeks I will be busy trying to decided exactly what to plant and when to plant it. What I know for sure is that potatoes go in the ground on St. Patrick's Day!
~Jill~

100 Chocolates in the Mail ~

2009-02-13T12:28:00.005-06:00

Ding Dong...who could that possibly be? Who walked across the 2x6 gangplank/sidewalk precariously perched on the mud to come to my front door? Why it is the FedEx man. Hmmm...box says something about Southern Living at Home enhancement kit. Oh, did I win something because I just recently subscribed, something that will enhance my magazine?
~*~
Oh, I recognize that name and address! This goodie box is from
Suzanne at Southern Inspiration
Hmm...I know this must be
CHOCOLATE!

My heart was just going pitter, patter when I opened up the shipping box and discovered this round, floral and ribbon bedecked beauty!
Now let me tell you this...
I have recently fallen in love with two colors
Granny Smith Apple Green and Red
and just look at this pretty girl
in my most favorite colors

Inside were little bundles of chocolates tied with red ribbon and a precious handmade Valentine card. It just made my day, Suzanne! What a joy to have such a fun surprise on a rainy day!

Yes, those are Russell Stover Private Reserve chocolates and some Hershey Kisses and melt in your mouth Doves!
With such a pretty box now in hand of course I had to play cupboard dress up. I think she looks very cute sitting next to a little bird nest and a basket of pears and a little $1 plate.

So smitten was I with my cute little round box,
I turned her into a new header for
Hickory Hollow!
~*~
Blogging truly enriches my life everyday.
It keeps me inspired to be creative in my home and it has allowed me to met some very wonderful and creative women who live many miles away. It is so delightful discovering shared interests with others. Those who enjoy the same fun, little tidbits of life that I do.
It is also enriches me with gifts...
Chocolate for one!
Thanks so much, Suzanne!
I am enjoying them immensely!
~Jill~

Little Robin Red Breast

2009-02-06T08:10:00.006-06:00

Guess who has stopped in to visit Hickory Hollow? An entire extended family of robins.
This morning after safely seeing my family out the door, I peeked out the back window towards the pond and spotted a robin. I then noticed that there was quite a bit of fluttering and carrying on...because there were about 20 of them. To me, this is the first sign of spring! Another sign is the swelling tips of all the Bradford pear trees that line our driveway! It is almost time to plant potatoes and get my asparagus & strawberry patch underway.
~*~

Thank you everyone who stopped in to visit last week. I had close to 90 calling cards. I used the random number generator and it choose lucky number 17. Our precious Cynthia, from Cynthia's Cottage Design was the 17th person to leave me a note. I LOVE Cynthia's blog, it is one of my very, VERY favorites. I go back and read all her previous posts. I just love reading about her adorable house and the cute projects she does. I am getting ready to make a decoupaged recipe box to go in my kitchen!
~*~
Now, I do have a little something for everyone else. Well, it is not necessarily from me, but from Susan Branch. While scooting around the internet last night, I found a FREE pattern by Susan Branch to make an ADORABLE apron. It was originally posted I believe in 2007. The link is still good, and I thought while you were still tucked in for winter, you might like a little sewing project. Click on the picture and it will take you to the page where you can download the PDF file. I think I may whip up one of these cuties, don't you know we certainly don't have enough projects going on!

Hope eveyone is going to enjoy a beautiful weekend! It is supposed to be 70 degrees here today. Last evening, before supper we went for a walk down the back road and over the crossing, we spotted deer and wild turkey tracks. I think we will probably take another walk this evening!
~Jill~

Hickory Hollow Open House Part 2

2009-02-04T09:00:00.008-06:00

Is anyone up for another home tour today?
If so come on in!
Welcome
to my
~French Country Kitchen ~

The fancy edge trim is called a French Cornice
Quite fitting for my French Country Kitchen!

~*~
Remember my Garage Sale Hutch that I painted this summer?
I have moved her into the kitchen next to my panty.
In my first pictures, I had Grandma B's antique washstand there.
I moved that to a corner in the living room. I just needed to have that hutch in the kitchen!

~*~
I did a bit of grocery shopping yesterday and brought home this precious little white Cyclamen. I saw it last week, but decided not purchase this little frivolity. Yesterday she just hopped in my cart, honest she did! She was only $5, bless her heart. I pulled out a little white tureen and found her a nice little sunny spot on the breakfast room table.

Now remember today is the last day, to enter yourself in my Susan Branch/Victoria Magazine giveaway. I am going to do the number generator thingy tomorrow!
Off to bake up a loaf of dilly bread for dinner!

P.S. I had someone ask where I purchased the Cinnamon Chips? Ya'all are goin' love me...I bought them at the commissary on an Air Force Base. I am really hoping that you will be able to find them at your local grocery store. What's strange, is usually the commissary doesn't carry the unusual goodies!
~Jill~

Cinnamon Chip Cookies ~ Yum

2009-02-02T07:26:00.005-06:00

Guess what I found in the baking section?
Hershey's Cinnamon Chips!
Every now and then I will run across a recipe that calls for these... they are very elusive and hard to find. When I saw them sitting innocently enough on the grocery shelf, I snatched them right up!

~*~ Using a recipe on the back, I baked up a batch of Oatmeal Cinnamon Chips Cookies. The recipe called for raisins, but I added milk chocolate chips instead. They were pretty delicious. Thought you might like to give them a whirl!
~*~
Oatmeal Cinnamon Chips Cookies
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1 2/3 cups (10 oz. pkg.) Hershey's Cinnamon Chips
*3/4 C. Raisins

*I substituted milk chocolate chips, probably about 1 cup
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in bowl until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Combine flour and baking soda; add to butter mixture, beating well. Stir in oats, cinnamon chips and raisins and/or chocolate chips (batter will be stiff).
Drop by heaping teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

Makes about 4 dozen.
Mine didn't make 4 dozen, more like 2...I like BIG cookies!

Now all you need to do, is pour yourself a fresh cup of coffee, sit down and relax with a nice warm cookie, what in the world is much better than that!
~*~
The giveaway is still up and running! Make sure you drop your calling card in my comment basket, so that I know you have stopped in to visit me in Hickory Hollow.
~Jill~

Hickory Hollow's Winter Giveaway

2009-01-28T19:35:00.006-06:00

Thank you everyone who stopped in to visit my open house! I have never had so many comments...that was so EXCITING! There still is lots and lots of decorating to do. Tomorrow I am going to the cottage to clean and to say goodbye to our elderly neighbors, Florence and Bob. But let's get on with the good stuff!
Celebrating the Seasons
with
Hickory Hollow
~Celebrate Winter~
In one of my favorite local shops, I found a real treasure! I already have this in my cookbook collection, so I thought of you all, and grabbed it right up!

Yes, it is a
Susan Branch Cookbook Giveaway!

I have been in LOVE with Susan Branch books for years! I have every one of them. Sometimes when I get a little blue, I will curl up with a steamy cup of coffee and read her wonderful books. They are so inspirational, I learned about Gladys Taber through Susan's books.

Look here...there is even a special section on celebrating winter.
LOVE her darling ideas!

Who wouldn't love cookin' up a big pot of this Split Pea Soup, just because this picture is so cute! I think maybe for St. Patricks Day!
~*~
But that's not all...
I also found another treasure for you.
Yeah, I already had this one too!
But I KNOW you will want it!

It is the wonderfully beautiful current issue of Victoria Magazine!
My ALL-TIME favorite magazine!
~*~
What do you have to do to get your name put in the bonnet for my drawing?
Just leave me a little note, letting me you stopped by to visit any time in the next week. The more notes, the more you name goes in the bonnet!
I bought all of these, with you my blogging friends in mind.
I am so excited to be able to give them to a lucky one of you!
~*~
Okay on to more
Fabulous Finds
Here are some goodies I have found in the past couple of weeks.
Yep, even a move won't keep me from haunting my favorite stores!

Oh, isn't she just darling. I bought both that were for sale! They were only $2 each.
The still attached price tag says Hallmark $35.00. I kid you not!
They are now hanging in my breakfast room windows.
Do you see the little bit of SNOW we have here in Hickory Hollow?

Look at these gorgeous roses.
Yummy, makes we want to grab a BIG box of Bon Bons!

I found this gorgeous lace blouse with ribbons that tie in the back.
I am most certainly going to wear this on
Valentine's Day.

I LOVE the large cuff on the sleeve, very romantic.

This is the bodice...little beads, satin ribbon and sequins.
It is also lined with a soft fabric.

I also found these charming HEART CHARMS one day.
They were stitched onto a pitiful little pillow, who had seen much better days. There were about 12 of them in all different sizes, from large to teeny tiny. I thought they would make a gorgeous vintage-looking bracelet. I cut them off the pillow and turned them into a Valentine's Day charm bracelet.

See you can find goodies almost anywhere and at anytime.
One must be most vigilant!
It is getting late, and I am ready to jump into those lavender, flannel jammies again.
Wishing you best wishes!
~Jill~

Hickory Hollow Open House Part 1

2009-01-26T07:41:00.009-06:00

Let me begin by saying, I've Only Just Begun!
I still have goodies tucked away in boxes that I need to unwrap. But this is a pretty good start. Doug was so good yesterday to help put up some pictures and mirrors. He absolutely detests hanging stuff. I, on the other hand, LOVE hanging stuff.
~*~
This is just part one, because Bob isn't quite finished with the tile in the kitchen. Guess what? Bob now visits here too! Hi, Bob...leave a comment, pretty please!

So without further adieu...

Welcome to a Hickory Hollow Open House!

Last night, after I had puttered, cleaned and decorated all day, I put on my flannel jammies, settled myself infront of the fire and looked at some of my favorite books. I needed to recharge my decorating batteries!

Hope you enjoyed my little Open House. There is still lots of decorating to do. I will get busy and hopefully be able to share Open House Part 2 soon.
~*~
On Wednesday I will announce the
Celebrating Winter with Hickory Hollow
Giveaway!
Trust me, if you like Susan Branch, you won't want to miss it!
~*~
I need to scoot... still in those flannel jammies and Bob the Builder is due any minute now!
~Jill~

Just a little bit longer....

2009-01-20T14:13:00.002-06:00

Sorry, no pictures yet. You know me, I want it to be perfect. Well, semi-perfect at least for some good pictures! We spent most of the day in Lowe's yesterday. I have some curtains up, took some curtains down (didn't like the look goin' on in the dining room). Some blinds fit, some didn't...have to go back to Lowe's. Cute Daniel did get my chandelier hung today in the breakfast room, and Bob the Builder is putting up the tile behind my stove.

~*~

All that before lunch...now we are finishing packing up here at the Cottage...it looks so forlorn. Kinda of sad. I will miss the kitties and puppies across the street. I talk to them everyday. Actually the puppies (grown dogs) are a bit mean, but I talk to them anyway. Oh, I also talk to squirrels and birds. I even honk at the cows on my country drives to see if they will look.

~*~

The kids rode the bus this morning....bright and early at 7:00. They were so excited. I was excited that I didn't have to drive them all the way to school today. Well, Doug is busy packing and here I sit typing. I must go and help.

Okay,
Pinkie Promise
Pictures
Soon
~Jill~

P.S. Oh MY Goodness 26 Followers! WOW~~
Looking forward to meeting ya'all soon!

P.P.S. I have the BEST giveway coming UP!

Phew....almost there!

2009-01-18T17:27:00.003-06:00

Just a quick little note to tell you all a very funny story. I am also going to keep you in suspense for one more day, before I have pictures to show. We haven't gotten the internet hooked up at the new house yet. No DSL in the country. So we are going with a satellite provider. They are scheduled to come one day next week.
~*~
For now, we have left the computer at the cottage, we haven't moved it yet, or my kitchen goodies. Doug had to come back to take a shower, and I needed to pick up some food.
No showers yet at the new house, I haven't bought a gorgeous shower curtain for the kids bathroom, and I still need to order the shower door, for the master bath. Honestly I have a never ending list of things to purchase! Lindsey was very concerned that we wouldn't ever have a place for the toilet paper!
~*~

Okay, now for the funny story!
I have never had the pleasure of owning a whirlpool bathtub before. So having this one in my master bath is very EXCITING! I cleaned it all up this morning, still lots of drywall mud, paint splatters, insulation...etc....in the tub.
So I decide, let's see if the bubbles work!
I knew, that I would have to fill the tub with enough water to cover the intake filter. That went well...I knew to check and make sure that the jets were pointed down, yep, that looked good. So I pushed the button.
Nothing happened.
Called Doug in,
Aha
Need to plug tub into hidden outlet
Okay
Lindsey came in to see how cool the bubbles are going to be...
Pushed the button
dismal display of bubbles
I make the comment
"Is that it?"
All of a sudden water ERUPTED from the jets!
The jets weren't completed submerged
It was like Old Faithful
WATER GUSHING EVERYWHERE.

I turned the water off
NOTHING HAPPENED!
Imagine SCREAMING and DANCING AND GUSHING WATER EVERYWHERE!
Finally, Doug hit the OFF button.

I was DRENCHED in water.

Water on the wall...
Water on the floor...
Water on the window!
Okay, that would be fine, if I had a change of clothes,

Nope, no clothes and I am literally dripping wet.
Well, we had a good laugh,

Moped up the floor, walls, and window.

I dried my socks on the heat vent.
Lesson Learned
#1
Make sure jets are completely submerged before turning unit on!

~*~
I have noticed some new followers!
Hello, and thanks so much for finding my little blog entertaining enough to come back for more.

I promise I will make it to your place to visit. It may just be a bit later than sooner!
~*~
I pinkie promise
Tomorrow, pictures!
~Jill~

Loadin' Up and Movin' Out

2009-01-15T14:29:00.004-06:00

Well Ladies, I can hardly believe it, moving day is almost here.

The carpet is being installed today and Doug and I are going to put our Big Bed up this evening. No sleepovers yet, we just have pieces of bed everywhere!
Remember my big 4 poster? I hardly do, it has been 8 months since I have seen it.
Here it is to refresh my memory...

Yikes...it is time to go and pick the kiddos up from school.
Next week they will be riding the bus!
~*~
Anyhoo, don't you forget about me!
I am packing and moving this weekend.
I hope to have plenty of pictures to share with you on Monday or Tuesday!
See Ya Soon!
~Jill~

Hooked on Victorian Houses

2009-01-09T09:02:00.010-06:00

Some people understand it, others are just bewildered by it...the love of old houses.
I LOVE them.
I DREAM about them.
They make my heart go Pitter Patter!
Julia at Hooked on Houses has asked what we are hooked on..
I'm hooked on...
Victorian Houses
~*~
There is one for sale in my little town.
If I won the lottery tomorrow, I would snatch it right up!
What would I do with it?
I would turn it into maybe...
A Boutique
A Flower Shoppe
A Tea Room
A Bed & Breakfast
~*~
Even with the economy soooo dismal. I would start a business.
Why?
well I just won the lottery
I'm probably a millionaire!
~*~
It is still free to dream isn't it ladies?
Here she is....

Forget-Me-Nots
Floral and Gifts

Isn't this little porch just adorable?
Oh my wicker would be so perfect here.

I love curved porches and look there is some cute wicker
and some beautiful ferns.

How about some fresh, ripe cherries,
plucked right off the tree?

Wouldn't you love to come to my Tea Room
and sit on the back porch?

Which overlooks this charming wee garden,
complete with picket fence and birdbaths.

Here is my little potting shed,
complete with window boxes and adorable little shutters.
I could sell herb plants and garden goodies back here!

Welcome to the parlor.
Guests staying at my Bed & Breakfast
would get to have evening wine tasting here.

Or you could have your wine in the library,
take you time picking at a good book from our
extensive collection!

Are you getting sleepy?
If so, trundle yourself up the stairs.
Cozy robes are waiting for you.

Sweet dreams in your canopied Victorian bed!

On wintry mornings, enjoy your morning cup of coffee or hot tea in our formal dining room. Baskets of fresh baked scones and muffins will be on the sideboard.
When you are ready, I will bring out a warm slice of bacon asparagus quiche!

This cozy little kitchen is where I will whip up delectable treats
for the tea room or the bed and breakfast.

Wouldn't it be loverly?
I just love these old Victorian houses.
Precious, isn't it?

*Jill *

Remembering Little Cottage

2009-01-05T15:05:00.008-06:00

I'm so very cold here!
Isn't that strange coming from a girl who lived in Colorado for 4 years.
Well, it is a different kinda of cold, it's a cold that finds every little, bitty exposed piece of skin. It is a damp, bone chilling cold.
And as much I like the little cottage, it is a bit drafty.

I decided I would share some pictures of the cottage from the summer.
Of the days that I would sit in the wicker rocking chair, looking at the new Victoria magazine and dreaming about how I would decorate the Victorian chicken house.

Remember the Cottage Kitchen?

Remember how I had to paint the walls because they were bright lime green?

Remember the beautiful door knobs?

Remember the beautiful pocket doors?

Remember the nice and tall dining room ceiling?

I remember beautiful summer days, rocking on the porch.
I was recovering from the convoy of the move.

I remember planting my Clematis and little rose bush.
They were so glad to stick their little toes
back into the soil.

I remember the farm auction. The first one I had been to in over ten years. It was so hot! I had fun though, eating a hot dog and bidding on this cute wicker table, a wicker rocker, and my chandelier!

I remember dreaming about where I was going to put this in the new house.
Now she is painted and all her prisms are sparkling.
She is at the new house getting ready to be put in the breakfast room.
~*~
Good Ole Days of Summer, how I miss thee!
I do like the four seasons, but I think I enjoy summer the most!
Our days at the Cottage are coming to an end.
Even Lindsey has mentioned how the little cottage sure has been nice...
We walked to the library
Befriended the neighbors & their cats
Rocked on the porch and read books
and hit the garage sales
I will definitely be coming back for the garage sales!
~*~
Have a cozy, winter evening...
Jill

Almost to Tears...

2009-01-02T16:29:00.001-06:00

Oh you guys....you are just the best blogging friends EVER! Your comments last night and today about the house, my absence and "blog fire" are so incredibly sweet and heartfelt. You truly are some very special ladies and I feel like I personally know each and every one of you! Honestly I feel the tears coming! Thank you soooo very much for your continued support and for jumping on my wagon and coming along for the ride!

I do have my pictures. Yes, BJ they are in My Pictures and my Kodak Easy Share. I feel like I have lost my whole documented journey and how we spent the summer here at the cottage. But I guess, new year...all new posts, eh! I think I will do a few Blast from the Past posts just to hit some highlights of the last 7 months!

It is back to work some more on the "new" old blog! I am adding to Blog Roll!

Thanks for coming to see me!
Jill

A Sneak Peek

2009-01-01T22:10:00.000-06:00

I had been working all evening on this post to share with you. Updated pictures of the house. I had written in my post, that was burned in the fire, how I had taken a blogger break, due to too many holiday activities. I am not one who multi-tasks well. I wrote thanking everyone for their holiday wishes and for stopping in to check on me, while I was on hiatus. Then I saved everything, was going around visiting everyone and then I decided to clean up the other two files under my profile. They were the ones I played around with, when working on different backgrounds. Well I messed around and deleted my real blog, all your wonderful comments, and my wonderful followers...it is gone.

I went into the kitchen and found a couple of leftover toothpicks and have used them to prop open my eyelids to yet again start a post for today, that is a little more uplifting....A Sneak Peek...

Sneak Peek? You say...Yes, I say...we haven't moved in yet....this is like the Song that Never Ends from Sponge Bob...the house that is never finished!

So without further adeu...

Formal Dining Room
This was the paint color that almost wasn't.
I almost lost my nerve to paint it red,

I am so glad I went for it!

Foyer View
This is looking into the dining room from the foyer.
I really like how the colors go together!

Looking into the Foyer

Breakfast Room
Remember my chandelier that I bought at the Farm Auction?
It is going to hang here, over my table!

Master Bath Chandelier
I LOVE this! I think it is my favorite thing in the house.
One of the contractors, had hang each and every dangle.
Daniel...bless his little heart.
~*~
It is that time again to

Celebrate the Seasons with Hickory Hollow!

I will posting again soon with some delightful goodies to help
you celebrate this chilly season!
*Winter*
Brrry Warm Hugs
Jill

+++
Please leave me a comment, if you visit often.
I have lost all my blog links, but a precious few!
If you were on my blog roll and would like to be again...
please, please let me know! I was lucky enough to be able
to salvage my address!

I accidently deleted my blog....

2009-01-01T21:09:00.000-06:00

If this looks funny...it is because I accidently deleted my blog...and I now I am having to go back to try to fix it. Oh dear! It looks pretty unfixable at this point.

I was doing a little New Year's house cleaning and accidently deleted the wrong file...everything is gone....I feel like I have had a house fire!!!!!!
I wasn't even able to save my photo albums.

7 Months of heartfelt blogging gone!!!!

Please if you had me listed as a favorite, please add me back!
If I had you listed on my blog roll, please let me know...I don't have anyone's address
my address book was burned in the fire.

Guess I should have added to the

"I follow these blogs on my profile"
then all would not be lost!

Please, if you know my fellow blog friends, let them know there has been a "blog" house fire and I've lost everything!

Help!!!!!!!
Jill
P.S. I had just finished a HUGE LONG post on the "real" house. Which we are not in yet, by the way. I will try to repost the post tomorrow. Now I am just plum wore out!