fruit ambrosia...

Do you remember Home Economics class?  I know I'm dating myself but I remember it well...the old singer sewing machines...the test kitchens in the back of the class...

that's exactly what I think of everytime I hear someone say fruit ambrosia.  That was one of the dishes we were taught to make...complete with little colored marshmallows and coconut.  I still make that little salad with a few variations to this day.

My tablescape is a kind of fruit ambrosia mixed in with some cool thrift store finds...The strawberry teacup is from a local thriftstore (thanks to my SIL Shelly's keen eye)...the green stemware was also a thriftstore find from a few years back.

This adorable basket, complete with a miniature ladybug tea set is from a yard sale this weekend for only $2.00.

I found a set of four of these strawberry bowls at my Goodwill...

Mmm...peach cobbler and ice cream.  The perfect afternoon snack to read cookbooks with...

You can find the recipe here at The Daily Apron...

I made a little side dish so that I could sample it...I couldn't feed it to my family without tasting it first...right?

Incredibly delish and so easy...

My husband's cousin in Delaware introduced me to pretzel salad...so good!  I added a few fresh blueberries to the strawberry jello just to give it a Memorial Day look...No leftovers with this fruit salad that's for sure.

Here is Becky's recipe...

2 c. crushed pretzels

4 Tbsp. sugar

3/4 c. melted butter

mix together and bake in 13x9x2 pan at 400 for 8 minutes no longer.

cream together the following

1- 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese

1 c. suger

8 oz. carton cool whip

Spread over pretzel crust.

dissolve 2 c. boiling water with 1 lg pkg strawberry jello.  Add two 10 oz. pkg frozen strawberries; stir until berries are separated.

Pour jello mixture on top of cheese layer and refidgerate. 

I hope you all had a wonderful relaxing weekend...

My family BBQ on Sunday was a lot of fun.  I took plenty of pictures of my SIL Elsa's whimsical garden that I'll share a little later.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."  Galatians 5:22

Blessings,

Patty

I'm linked up to A Stroll Thru Life - Tabletop Tuesday...

Southern Hospitality - Thrifty Treasures...

Rose Chintz Cottage - Teatime Tuesday...

The Plumed Pen - Tea for Two

Saturday afternoon...{D}

Prayer...

One of the wonderful things about blogging is the people you meet.  I am still amazed at how God can weave people into our lives that we would otherwise have never known if we were not living in this computer age. 

This is our time...both the good and bad...it is where we have been exiled to...it is our Babylon...this is where our generation was placed to bring the God of heaven to earth. 

One of the ways that happens is through praying for others.   As I read blogs, in the midst of the beautiful ways God has blessed these creative women...
I find life happening... 
health problems, wayward children, financial difficulties, military families, death, personal struggles,
and yes, joyful praise...

I've started adding prayer requests to the inside back cover of my bible.  I want to be sure and spend time in prayer for people that I have said I would pray for or that God has put on my heart to pray for and this almost 50 year old brain can sometimes (most always) be forgetful of names and specifics.  Then at least a couple of times a week, I will flip back there and spend some time with my hand over these names in prayer.

Please know that I don't share this to say, "Hey watch me pray," but just as an offering of what one person can do...I'm sure there are many of you out there who have methods that work for you...this one just happens to work for me.

While the habit of spending specific time in prayer and commune with God is essential...so is unceasing prayer.  The prayer that comes from intimately knowing God as your lifeline...your very pulse and heartbeat.

Oswald Chambers says in My Utmost for His Highest, "If we think of prayer as the breath in our lungs and the blood from our hearts, we think rightly. The blood flows ceaselessly, and breathing continues ceaselessly, we are not conscious of it, but it is always going on. We are not always conscious of Jesus keeping us in perfect joint with God, but if we are obeying Him, He alway is. Prayer is not an exercise, it is the life."

"I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message.  I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one-as you are in me, Father, and I am in you.  And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.

I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one.  I am in them and you are in me.  May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me."       John 17:20-23

Have a blessed Memorial Day weekend and pray for our military men and women.

Patty

I've linked up to Spiritual Sundays...

the rear yard...

I can't believe it's Friday already...and Memorial Day weekend, no way!

We are going to a family BBQ on Sunday but will be home puttering around the house the rest of the weekend.  I've started redoing a nightstand that I found at Goodwill for $9.00.  The sanding is finished and it's ready for primer.  I just haven't decided on a color yet.  I think it's going in my sunroom which hasn't been decorated since we moved in.  It's been the resident junk room...I've been nagging, er...encouraging my husband to clear all his stuff out so I can get busy.  While I wasn't looking he did just that and would you believe it's still pretty full!  Hmmm...I guess it's my turn. 

I found some great fabric at a local thrift store with a soft teal, a happy green, yellows and orange, I was ready to buy it but I put it back...I wasn't quite sure it that was the direction I wanted to go but I can't stop thinking about it...I hope I don't regret it.  Maybe I'll stop and take another look on my way home today.  I'll post pictures when I'm finished.

I don't think I've shared pictures of the rear garden...It is still under construction but I think it's going to be one of the most peaceful places in the yard.  This little gold planter was my mother in laws.  I have it sitting out on this old stump with some water for the lizards and such.  They love to sunbathe out here... 

We had three beautiful, old California Ash trees growing when we first moved in.  Unfortunately they were directly under the electric wires and every year the electric company would come by and whack them back.  We finally gave in and had the two directly under the lines taken out.  My husband planted three fern trees to replace them and provide some additional privacy but they have a ways to go. 

The two beautiful hydrangea were a gift from my sister in law.  I put them in pots because I have had such a hard time finding out where they will be most happy.  They seem to like it tucked back in here so I will leave them alone for now. 

This Japanese tea house was here when we moved in...I like the tranquil feeling it gives, so it stayed.

We have some miniature ivy as a ground cover and I wanted to add some flowers for color so I snuggled in some small clay pots and planted impatiens just to add a little pop.  If you look closely you'll see them in some of the pictures.  It has worked out wonderfully.

We inherited this beautiful pond from the previous owners.  We added the Koi shortly after moving in...

I'm hoping to bring back pictures of a couple a gardens I will be enjoying on Sunday...family, the outdoors and BBQ...What could be better? 

"Through Christ you have come to trust in God.  And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory.  You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters.  Love each  other deeply with all your heart."

Thank you all for the kind and encouraging words on my last post...

Blessings,

Patty

I've linked up with Tootsie for Fertilizer Friday...

lemon bars...(D)

I can't believe I'm coming up on my one year anniversary of blogging.  It seems lately I have been struggling with where I fit into this blogging world thing...

There are so many beautiful blogs out there...

so many incredibly talented women...

Should I stop..should I continue..Do I still enjoy it?  I've come to the conclusion that I still love blogging and sharing with you and am thankful that you share back.  It has become a kind of journal for me...

so I will continue for me and if anyone wants to listen along...that's just an added blessing.

As I prepare to enter my second year of blogging I will continue to show what I'm creating but will also share what God is creating in me.  I realize I am who I am and don't want to be a cheap imitaion of anyone else.  All I have to share is me and what God is doing in my life and sharing with me through his word. So that is what I will do.  I pray it will be a blessing to you.

And of course there's an Anniversary giveaway ahead...just some things I've been stashing and creating for you.  Look for it the first week of June...

 

Now back to our regularly scheduled program...

 I had a bout with a 24 hour bug this week that really knocked me for a loop...I came home from work yesterday with terrible stomache pains...managed to put dinner on the table but knew there was no way I was going to make it through anything else and headed for bed.  No problem, right?  Only there is a 2 year little munchkin that needs to be lassooed into his bedtime ritual.  Lucky for me pop pop stepped up to the plate once again...He carried on without missing a beat...Oh, how sexy that is and how I love him so!

Now that I'm feeling better I can enjoy these yummy lemon bars my daughter made.  She really has taken a liking to the kitchen and that's fine by me!  Don't they look delish?

Nothing like feeling really yucky to remind you to count your blessings!

For all this I am thankful...

My devotional this morning had me in 1 Thessalonians 5.   This is the portion of scripture that talks about being prepared for Jesus return "as a thief in the night".  What struck me is Jesus' encouragement not to be afraid of the unknownness (is that a word) of this moment.  He says that he has prepared us in advance.  We as believers live in the light and are protected by the armor of faith and His love...We are wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.

This encouragement is the same for any unknown we are facing today.  This scripture goes on to say, "For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us.  Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever.  So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing."  1 Thessalonians 5: 9-11


Consider this your encouragement for the day!

Blessings,
Patty

I've linked up to the lovely Rose Chintz Cottage and Inspiration for Tea Time Tuesday, and Heart and Home Wednesday's Gratitude...go take a look you will find encouragement there, too.

an invitation to tea...

We've come to the end of our Tuesday night bible study year and I thought it would be nice to have a chance to sit down with my favorite ladies and have a nice long chat.  What better way to visit than over a nice cup of tea...

Just wanted to share the invitations with you today.

I'll take pictures of the preparations as I go along...

Got to get work...

Have a wonderful Tuesday,

Patty

Saturday morning...

Wow...this week really got away from me.  Work has been really busy and by the time I got home I was in cruise mode, plus a couple of my favorite shows were season finales...

I did manage to make a couple of cards for challenges this week...

A Father's Day Card for the Crooked Path Challenge over at Crafty Secrets...

I had the most wonderful visit with my parents yesterday.  Such a leisurely day...a long conversation with my youngest on the hour drive to my folks...a little shopping with my mom...some t.v. with my dad...a nice chat with my niece and a fun phone visit with my sister in South Texas, (she says they're in the 90's and humid already)...homemade Mexican food for dinner (yummo)...peppered in with my grandson entertaining us all! 

A Paris themed card for City Crafter Challeng Blog CCCB, which also fits the bill for the color challenge over at The Playdate Cafe Challenge PDCC30...I love when that happens!

I have plenty of housework to catch up on today and then tomorrow hubby and I are spending the day at a park on the coast.  Better get going!

How about you?   Any plans?

Have a wonderful weekend,

Patty

donuts and the holes, too...

I'm feeling so much better, thank you all for your well wishes and prayers.  Sunday morning my Pastor preached a message just for me (or so it seemed)...

I had a nice rest, played in my house and enjoyed some homemade donuts...

I told you I was going to try and use one appliance a week and this week it was my deep fryer.  Actually my daughter made these super simple, super scrumptous sugar donuts from an easy peasy recipe.  It is actually just refridgerated biscuits deep fried in peanut oil and rolled in sugar and cinnamin. 

So simple but so yummy.  The stack kept getting smaller as I was reaching for my camera but I managed to snap a picture before they all disappeared...

Hope you all had a restful weekend.

Blessings,

Patty

Saturday afternoon...

I had so many plans for today...so much I was hoping to accomplish...

here it is late afternoon and my to do list is mostly undone...

sigh...

Do you every have days like that?

It seems I'm in crisis mode...life has thrown me a few curves this last week.  I don't know if that's why my get up and go, has got up and went...

Somehow it seems okay to take a pass on my to do list today and just breathe...

I received this beautiful magazine in the mail this week...

Life Beautiful - Faith for Your Journey

I think I'll just put my feet up a while and enjoy it...

and that's okay.

"Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up...We are pressed on everyside by troubles, but we are not crushed.  We are perplexed, but not driven to despair.  We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God.  We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.  Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies."    2 Corinthians 4: 1, 8-10

Blessings,

Patty

I've linked up to Spiritual Sundays...

my cottage rose garden...

You know I'm a cottage kinda girl

and that holds true of my roses as well...

I wish I had neat well manicured roses to share but alas...

I pop them in where ever the sun shines brightly...

and the empty spot in the ground is big enough to dig a hole in...

I wish I kept accurate records and could tell you what each of their proper names are...

but as I've said before they are simply named after people in my life...

This miniature white is Gloria Jean...it was given to my dear mother in law before her passing.  It started out in a little 4 inch pot but now is at least two feet wide and three feet high.  A non stop bloomer, just like she was...

This white floribunda is Esther...named after my mom who just fell in love with strong fragrance of it.  I have searched for it at every nursery I go to but have yet to find one for her...

Take this gorgeous, profuse, yellow rose...this is Emily.

This miniature yellow is Elsa...

and this is sweet Laura...

This miniature red was a gift to my grandson Andrew in the hospital at his birth...

 I have a beautiful pink tea rose named after my sister in law Shelly...

A hot orange rose named after my daughter Jessica...

And this stubborn yellow is Annie...

Call them what you want...

Plant them where you will...

I just can't get enough of them...

How about you? 

Blessings,

Patty

Today I've linked up to Tootsie Time for Fertilizer Friday...

My Romantic Home Show and Tell Friday...

Dipity Road Friday Finding Beauty...

Home is Where My Story Begins Home and Family Friday...

playing with paper...

It seems that I've been spending alot of time lately in the garden and redecorating in my little cottage...
 I
lately I've had the itch to thumb through the treasures and trinkets in my paper stash and play around some...

I forgot how much enjoyment I get out of creating beautiful cards and tags...

There certainly is no shortage of inspiration out there...

Card Patterns Sketch 63...

I found it here with Melissa Phillips at Lilybean's Paperie...I love yellow in decorating but don't usually use for cards...I really do love it's sunny disposition...

and more inspiration here with my dear friend Heather at Simply Handmade...she's hosting this week over at City Crafter Challenge Blog...

There is something about all the pretty paper and my treasure chest of trinkets and buttons and pearls and punches that calls me back time and again...

That's it for now...

Hope you enjoyed your visit...

Blessings,

Patty

I'm linked up to My Cottage Charm...

Card Patterns Sketch 63...

City Crafter Challenge Blog...

tag tuesday...