Tuesday, September 29, 2009

White Wednesday ...

My First Week Participating in White Wednesday and I'm so excited...

What many of you may not know about me is that I love whites on whites ...Not so much shabby where it's a stark white ..but shades of whites and creams ....layers upon layers ..until it's scrumptious ..warm ..light and bright and fresh feeling..and of course it must be with Antiques and Vintage finds for me.

Below are just a few of my favorite things this week that I wanted to share ...

Enjoy !!!

























Monday, September 28, 2009

White White and more White ....

I've been working on more candy canes .....

My First set of Winter White Canes Sold on Etsy this week and headed for far away lands ..(Italy) to be exact. Of course that prompted me to finish up the last of what I had started ..so today I finally finished 3 more sets of our handmade Paper Mache candy canes.

I just finished listing the 3 sets below over in our Sweet Magnolias Farm ETSY store ..




I'm not one for making the same thing over and over again as I'm sure many of you have noticed ..I tend to stick with custom One of a Kind Items .. However I really enjoy making these candy canes ..even though they are time consuming ..I love how they turn out.

The pictures came out Great ..but there really is nothing like seeing these in person...They sparkle beautifully ..and well you can really see that they are sculpted and 3 dimensional. I wish we had touch a vision or something ..LOL !!!

I just recently decided to take part in White Wednesday hosted by ... Kathleen at Faded Charm
So be sure to stop back in Wednesday to see the wonderful whites ..I have to share with you ..

Have a Beautiful Tomorrow ..and remember God Loves You !!!

Blessings ..Sara

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Sneek peek for Oct. 1st ...

Well here at the Farmhouse ..we have been working away once again preparing our Goods for the 1st of the month offerings over at Early Works Mercantile and the Grand Re-opening of Kindred Sisters Gathering Post shoppes ...

We thought we would give you a sneek peek at what's in store .....


Coming Oct. 1 to EWM


Coming Oct. 1st to EWM
Coming Oct. 1st to EWM


Coming Oct. 1st to EWM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




Coming Oct. 1st to KSGP




Coming Oct. 1st to KSGP


Coming Oct. 1st to KSGP

Coming Oct. 1st to KSGP
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You can find links to Early Works Mercantile and Kindred Sister Gathering Post in my Right column ...
Hope to see you there This Thursday ..Oct. 1st

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

A new pair of Shoes ..

Yesterday I went out shopping for some new clothes ..I recieved the 30% off coupon from Kohls and decided at that percentage off it was time to get some things I needed ..Shoes being a #1 for me.

Unfortunately I'm not the typical gal that has a closet full of cute feminine shoes ..How I would love to wear cute shoes ..But I was given a bad set of feet and over the years they have gotten so bad ..I can rarely find a pair of shoes that will even fit without causing dire pain.

First of all I have those dreaded hereditary Bunions ..so any pressure on the joint of my big toes ..and I'm in pain. Then I worked in Antique Mall for several years ..and I did alot of lifting of heavy furniture ..and walked 8 to 9 hours a day on concrete floors ..I guess your feet can only take so much ..and mine got to that point ..my Heels were in such pain I felt like shards of glass were being stuck up them ..and found that I had Plantars Fascitis ..(which basicly means the tendon that goes from your big toe to your heel is torn away) ..Yep your right Ouch !!!

Guess what Plantars Facitis sticks around ..there is no cure ..and well there are days I can barely stand for more than 10 minutes before I am in pain. So I started going to a Reflexologist which has reduced the pain greatly that along with ultrasound ..!

So I stopped in at one of the local shoe stores by my Kohls yesterday and saw the cutest shoes ..tried them on and couldn't even believe my feet fit in them ..wow ! Here they are below ..


Aren't these the cutest ..they are skechers ..complusions glide is the name of them ..and they look like a running shoe but they aren't they are actually just a casual lace up ..and they do have a little feminie flare ..they are light weight ...and the cut at the ankle is low ..which is so nice ..and they have cushion in the heels which I love ..! Of course my bunions hurt a little ..there isn't a closed toe shoe that doesn't hurt them ..but these only cause minimal pain ..so that's great !

I've been wearing them all day ..and My feet are in less pain ..and so Happy ..it's great to have a pair of shoes other than flip flops ..! Oh and I bought 2 pairs ..I figure when you find a pair that fits and feels good better get 2 ...LOL !!!

I did get some great buys at Kohls too ..a few new pair of winter pants ..that is if winter ever arrives out here ...it's another 100 degree day !!!

Well hope you all are having a Great day ..!! Leave a comment anytime ..I love to hear from all my friends !!

Blessings ..Sara

Monday, September 21, 2009

Thirsty Anyone ?? My Favorite Drink of Late !

Well ..for those of you who live in the midwest and east ..you have that handy little place called "Sonic" just about on every corner it seems.

Those are a scarce commodity where I live and the closest one just as of 6 months ago is a 20 mile round trip ..and well that can get a little costly with the price of Gas.

I love the Sonic Slushes ...and when we lived in MO ..well our local sonic was just a hop, jump and skip away and when I wanted a slush ..it was just a minute down the road and a nice drive to boot ...cause the scenery was pretty . Here my scenery is dirt ..weeds and more dirt ..not exactly the type of landscape that tugs at your heart to take a drive in ..LOL !

Well at sonic my favorite Slush is Grape/Cherry mix ..ever since I was a wee one ..that's what I have loved and unlike candy "Nerds" and Sweettarts" I havent stopped liking them.

So to get my Refreshing fix ..I had to come up with second best ..make it at home ..But now on reflecting on my concoction ..I think it might be rated better Health wise.

My Favorite Grape Juice is Newmans ..I always buy the double pack at Costco ..the Grape isn't all watered down like the "Other" brands ..Newmans has got a nice strong Grape flavor.

So I poured a glass of grape juice ..( a glass glass that's the best) over a full glass of ice about 2 inches from the top ..then I added in some Marachino Cherry juice ..just about a tablespoon a little more maybe and stirred it in ..then put the glass in the freezer for about 5 minutes just until the top starts to ice over ..mmmm then lightly tap a hole in the thin layer of ice and beging drinking ..

Oh ...positively yummy !! It's my Grape/cherry Refresher... ! Try one sometime ..you'll be hooked and guess what its good for your health ..and your heart !!

1 More day left for our 20 % off Sale

Only 1 more Day left to get your favorite finds and handmades for 20 % off !!!

Hurry on over to our Shop ..and grab up that favorite "Take Me Home"

Sale ends Tomorrow at Midnight !

<(just click on our logo below to start shopping)

P.s. our Etsy Shop is 20% off until tomorrow too and there's items offered there that are not offered in our shop click HERE to visit our Etsy Shop.




Sunday, September 20, 2009

Winter White Candy Canes ..come over and see these !!!

I can't believe it's been a 100 degrees out and it's getting hotter this week ..and I'm making chrismtas items ...LOL !!

I do love Christmas though ..it's my favorite holiday of the year ..

Well as you can see in my prior post ..I just got through listing some of our Handmade Candy Canes over at our WSOAPP shoppe ..

Well I just finished up these sweet " Winter White" candy Canes and just got them listed over on Etsy ..

I had so much fun making these ..Abby and I put these together this afternoon ..and well they are just scrumptious ..we love working with vintage finds ..and these finds really make these Candy Canes ..Positively Beautiful ..if I do say so myself ....

Just click on the pict. to visit the listing ...


WSOAPP Wynter Sweetheart Sleigh Ride Launch

It's that time ....Time for The WSOAPP "A Wynter Sweethearts Sleigh Ride" Launch taking place..today September 20th - September 27th.

You can find WSOAPP artisan items listed on E-bay or Etsy ..and at the WSOAPP Marketplace.

Just click our Launch Banner to visit the WSOAPP Marketplace.

Remember ...just last week ..when I posted that our Paper Mache Candy Canes were in the works ..well we've been working our little fingers off getting them ready ..We have a total of 5 designs we are creating for this Christmas Holiday ..and are offering 2 as of today at our WSOAPP Shop ..Just click on either of our pictures below to be directed to our WSOAPP shop ..for addtl pictures...descriptions and prices ..!! Don't forget to sign up for our Free Giveaway while you are there ..only a shore time is left before it ends ...See you there !!!


~ Winter Wonderland Candy Canes ~




~ Christmas Seaside ...Candy Canes ~

Friday, September 18, 2009

End Of Summer Sale ..come see the bargains !!!

~ End of Summer Sale ~

Come on over to our Sweet Magnolias Farm Website ..We are having a Great Sale ...

20 % off Everything

Sept.18th - Sept. 22nd
5 days Only

(just click on our shop logo to be directed there)


~ We are also having a Sale at our Sweet Magnolias Farm ETSY store ..

Also 20 % off Everything

(just click on our shop logo to be directed there)

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Thursdays Estate Sale Finds ...

Well this morning we went out early to see if we could find any good Estate sales or yard sales to go to and we found a few ..There wasn't an abundance to choose from this week ..but we found these sweet pieces ...


At the sale I got these gems from ..it was packed ... one little tiny single wide mobile home ..and about 100 people trying to squeeze past one another ..it was tight and a bit overwhelming to me this morning ..

The first things I layed my eyes on is that Photo Post Card in the back with the little boy and girl sitting on the donkey ..that was a must have right off ...Then I spied the little quadruplate cup in the bathroom ..it has the name "Ruth" etched on one side and the year "1911" on the other ...well another must have ..

So I was standing in line waiting to pay for my little goodies and on the table at the checkout were all sorts of pictures ..The little girl in her wonderful dress was laying there I inquired if it was sold and it wasn't ..as I was so excited ..!!! What made the whole purchase even better is ..when I picked up the picture to look at it ..the name "Ruth was on the bottom ..with the age 4 yrs old. So the picture goes with the childs cup ..isn't that the Best !!!!

The gal at the table told me that Ruth was born in 1906 ...which means the childs cup was given to her on her 5th birthday ... I love when I find things that are meant to go together ..and I am so glad that the childs cup and the picture will now be together ...I think they were waiting on someone like me to put them back together ...and that's why they had not been bought up as of when I arrived.

Going Treasure Tramping is always fun ..you never know what you are going to find ..and that's the fun in it ..It's like going on a treasure hunt ..but the treasure to be found is a suprise ..The best suprise ever !!!

I found a love for antique treasures long ago ..there is a connection with them I cannot explain ..a Love of something once treasured by another ..the simple fact that something from long ago lives on and tells us a silent story....It's like telling the past you care about it ...and respect it ...and all it went through ..and that you aren't going to let it down.

I have been surrounded all my life by things of Old ..and I'm sure I will die surrounded by them as well ...the warmth ..the memories..the deep seeded emotion they arouse ...it's a blessing ..it's a curse ...it's a passion ..It's who I am ! I hope that one day when I leave this place to join my heavenly father ..in my mansion made just for me ...That someone will treasure the legacy ..the life ..the memories ..that I too shall leave...

May all your dreams come true my Friends ...

Blessings ...you Kindred Friend and Fellow Treasure Tramp ...Sara

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

It's Beginning to look a Lot like Christmas !!

It's Beginning to look alot like Christmas at my House ..and suprisingly ..I would love to skip Halloween and head right to it this year ..

I love Christmas and the magical feeling it has ..the wonderful time spent thinking of something special I can get my loved ones ..and seeing their eyes sparkle when they open it. Or many times in my case bite into it ..

I started making our Handfashioned Paper Mache candy canes ..this last week. Every Year we offer these fun one of a kinds ...and try and put a new twist on them ..so I have a few ideas up my sleeve ..

So here is a sneek peek at them ..they are in the painting stage right now ..



This Year we will be offering ..a few different styles ..Definitely Country Primitive ..the standard Red and white Twist ..Then we will be offering a Shabby Cane with sparkle ..and were considering offering ..a Beach Cottage Style as well ..that one is just a thought at this moment ..

What do you all think ...???

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Do you have trouble with yellow spots on your lawn from your dog ? Try a Natural Diet

Do you have Female Dogs ...that leave yellow burn spots on your lawn ..??

As many of you know ..I have 2 Golden Retrievers ..Scout who is 15 yrs old and Maggie who is 13 yrs. old. ...


(Scout)


(Maggie)

For the Better Part of their Lives I fed them Dog Food ..I chose what I understood to be a higher quality Dog Food and used Eukanuba. Both of them had their allergies and Hotspots (what has been said to be notable things in goldens) throughout the years.



Well on the note of Yellow Spots ..which is common to females because they have a high acidity level in their urine I was told. Well we fought burnt grass for years ..running out and washing the lawn everytime they went to the bathroom ..making sure to pick up after them ASAP as not to leave anything to burn the lawn ..etc. We also bought products that claimed they would get rid of the yellow spots ..and we even went the natural route and used dish liquid soap and water to spray down the lawn ..to rid it of the urine as well as the smell...



NONE of which ever worked. It was really an endless and tiring battle. However we came to terms with the fact we loved our girls and yellow spots and all they were here to stay ..and we would just replace the lawn as needed.



Well about a year ago ..Many of you may recall our oldest Scout ..had some health issues ..and I can't prove it ..but after 3 occurences we linked it to her dog food ..She would get ill ..She couldn't eat her dog food ..we would give her an out of the ice box natural diet ..she would come back ..and then we would begin giving her, her dog food ..and once again she would relapse. ( yes this is leading to the yellow spots) ..Finally we made the decision to begin feeding her an all natural diet made right here at home.



Fast Forward ..6 months ..and Maggie ..was having trouble with severe arthritis as well as being overweight and a Massive tumor growing on her shoulder. From her Eukanuba Senior Maintenance diet we were feeding her the recommended amount of 3 cups ..but poor thing just kept gaining ..So I started cutting her food back until we were down to 1/2 a cup a day and still she wasn't losing but poor thing was ravenous for food. So Off to the vet we went for her arthritis and her weight .



I love the Vets office I have ..they really care about the dogs and are not opposed to holistic ideas even though they are not holistic vets. And they don't run 20 million tests and charge you a 1000 dollars and tell you to give the dog 5 prescriptions a month .for the remainder of it's life ..No ..they are out to cure the animal ..not put a band aid on it and I salute them for that !



Anyhow ..the day I took Maggie in Dr. said ..that had we considered feeding her naturally and getting her off dog food. That She needed a diet ..that had less Fat and less protein ..which would keep the tumor from growing any larger and would help her get to a good weight. Well of course we were already doing it for Scout so why not Maggie ..and why I didn't to begin with ..after seeing what happened with Scout I don't know ..Sometimes our brains just don't fully function do they ...LOL !



So That week ..we weaned Maggie off her dog food by mixing veggies in with it ..It wasn't hard to wean her ..she was getting so little dog food anyhow.



We began feeding her and Scout at night ..Chicken (that had been pressure cooked) Fresh Grated Zuchinni, Grated Squash, Grated Carrot, cucumber, and celery...all mixed with Chicken broth from the pressure cooked chicken poured over it minus the fat ( we strained that off). We came up with our own amounts and ways of putting it altogether according to different articles we read ...In the morning ..they would get 1 hard boiled egg, 3 frozen strawberries, 1 banana, and some softened whole oatmeal.



Well here we are 3 month later ..and Guess what ... NO MORE YELLOW SPOTS ON THE LAWN !!! Amazingly We live in a drought ridden area and have not seen rain in a year ..we lightly water our lawns during the week ...and they stay green ..all that said ..the dogs are still going out there as much as before and there is not any burnt grass anymore. All the dead spots have filled in with green grass ..!!



My conclusion ..After reading about what goes into Dog Food ..I am appalled ..Our animals wouldn't have eaten the stuff they are putting in their food when they were in the wild ..so why do we feed it to them ?? It's like everything in life we just take all those in powers word ..and believe that they are doing the best for us ..or in this case our pets ..and they are not !!! We need to be vigilant in all areas of our life .... to check things out for ourselves ..research and find out the truth. Once again all that said ..the acidity levels that were in their urine ..were caused from the Dog Food !!!



Oh and Maggie went from 104 lbs to 87lbs in 3 months..She is at a perfect weight now ..her arthritis isn't as bad ...and They LOVE their breakfast and dinner ..!!! Also ..neither have suffered from any allergies or Hot Spots this summer which is a First !



So if you are suffering from burnt yellow spots in your lawn and have a female dog ...I highly recommend trying a natural diet for your dog .. as well as if your dog has allergies or is a breed that suffers with hot spots ..Try a natural diet !!! I think you will be amazed that your dog will thrive.



Your probably thinking it takes to much time ..Well we Buy two Whole chickens and pressure cook them ..(they can eat raw meat but my dogs won't) Those 2 chickens will last us near 2 weeks ..and we just keep the meat off them in the frig ..(However if you pressure cook the chickens longer until the bones are soft mush ..you can feed them the soft mush bones and it's actually good for them ..BUT the bones must be so soft they turn to mush in your hands.



Then each night it takes me about 10 minutes to grate their veggies and mix it all up ..and In the morning it takes me about 10 minutes to fix their breakfast ..I just do it while I'm fixing mine and multi-task it.



Well I hope this info. is helpful to even just one person out there ..Our animals are important too !!



Blessings ..Sara





Friday, September 11, 2009

Perfect Spanish Rice ...Recipe

Well I don't know about everyone else ..but growing up in SO CA. you are surrounded with Mexican food on every corner...from a small hole in the wall joint ..to nice restaurants ...there is quite the variety ..and did you know that all mexican food is not the same ..Yep that's right there are varieties depending on the region in Mexico one is from.

My favorite happens to be Sonora Style ..I grew up in what used to be a small town here in CA and there was a great Sonora Style mexican food place that I frequented everyday on Lunch Hour in High School ..it was the spot to be !

Well I live about an hour from there now ..but every time I pass through I still stop in ..They just have Great food.

So ...of course ..I cook Mexican food here at home ..because well ..one can't afford to eat it out all the time ..and I pretty much got everything but the rice down ..all the packaged ones from the store ..were just way too spicy ..and most people will tell you authentic mexican food is just not that spicy ..so my meals have been riceless for a long time. Oh I searched for recipes on the net and what did I get ..nothing but spicy or clumpy or chewy or soggy rice or flavorless all together ...!!

I kept thinking o.k. you've got to be kidding ..there isn't a recipe for the rice they actually cook at all these places ..that mild rice with just the perfect flavor that keeps you coming back for another plate full ??

Well about a month ago ..Abbs was flippin channels on the Tele ..and I saw a cooking show on the Family Network and it caught my eye ..I liked the Gals looks ..but she was "NORMAL" not all hyped up and in some fake kitchen where you knew she couldn't possibly be cooking what she was cooking in the time they were showing you ..Nope this gal was doing it all on screen no hiding things from me ..which I totally admire and appreciate...Have you seen her show ... "Judy Byrd's Kitchen ?"

Well If you haven't look it up and see when it's on Because you'll love it ..She makes cooking simple with products we can actually attain at our local groceries ..and She shows you the whole process ..not just the pictures that make everything look purty !!

Anyhow ..All that to say ..on one of her episodes she made Perfect Spanish Rice ..and used some ingredients that weren't in any of the other recipes that I kept finding ..so I gave it a try ..and "IT WAS WHAT I HAVE BEEN LOOKING AND DREAMING FOR"

This is good authentic tasting Spanish Rice ..Easy to make ..and It is addicting ...!!!

I have made it twice ..and both times it worked out just like she did it on the T.V. ...

The Only thing different I did was add a little shredded cheddar on mine when I plated it ...I love the taste of cheddar on Spanish Rice...

So I thought I would share this recipe with all you out there that likes homemade ..and wants authentic taste ...I wish I had a picture to share with you all but ..I didn't think to take it when I made mine ..you know it was evening ..I was tired and just wanted dinner done ..so I could sit down and enjoy the night...!

I hope you try it the next time you have tacos or burritos or enchiladas ..its such a wonderful side !!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Perfect Spanish Rice
This is authentic Spanish rice. The secret ingredient is the tomato-flavored bouillon cube.



Yield
6 to 8 servings



Ingredients
•2 cups white rice
•3 cups chicken stock
•1 tomato-flavored bouillon cube
•2 tablespoons vegetable oil
•1 cup chopped onion
•2 teaspoons minced garlic
•1 teaspoon cumin
•2 teaspoons chili powder
•1 tablespoon salt
•½ teaspoon pepper
Directions


1.Place rice in sieve and rinse well with cold water. Set aside.
2.In a small saucepan, heat chicken stock and bouillon cube until cube is dissolved.
3.In a large saucepan with a lid, heat vegetable oil; sauté onion and garlic until tender. Add rice to pan and sauté until translucent. Stir in cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer gently 20 minutes. Uncover rice and fluff with a fork.
Tip: Rinsing is the secret to fluffy rice. It washes off the sticky starch layer.

New Antique Finds ...being offered at Sweet Magnolias Farm

Hello there Friends ...!!!

It's a Beautiful Hot Day here ..I'm trying to stay positive in all this hot weather we are having so I thought I would add in the word Beautiful and that would make it all better ...LOL !!

Well once again with all this Hot weather I have confined myself to the indoors ..as I get older the Heat and I just don't get along well anymore. It's strange how our bodies change over the years and things that never bothered you in your youth begin to now. Well it keeps everything interesting anyhow ..LOL !!

So ..I have been going through all my boxes of Antique Goodies and searching my shelves of inventory that I always (am meaning too) get listed and just don't ..because... well life takes you in so mnay directions. But I did it and found some fun Vintage and Antique Items that are all up for offer on our web site Sweet Magnolias Farm ...

I've given a sneek peek at them below ..to see more pictures and get full descriptions and prices ..please come on over and visit us at the farmhouse ..Be sure to sign our guest book while your there ..we'd love to know you stopped in for a visit ..

Many Blessings to you All !!!

Click HERE to visit our site.



























Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Late 1800's Pineapple Creamer

I just finished listing this Beautiful Antique Pineapple Creamer Pitcher on our Site...

Isn't this a Beauty ..To learn more about it ...it's date history and where it was made along with close-up pictures ..visit the listing ..

Just click above on our Shop name.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Free Giveaway at Sweet Magnolias Farm

Hello Dear Friends ..I wanted to let you all know that we are having a "Free Giveaway" over at our WSOAPP (whispered secrets of a primitive past) Shop.

We are giving away ..This wonderful Authentic Antique Childs Slip that we have embellished with wonderful natural and vintage finds ..

All you need do to enter is click on any of the pictures ..it will take you to our WSOAPP shop page ..and join our mailing list. The drawing for the winner will be held on Sept. 27th ..













Don't forget to visit the WSOAPP Blog as well to enter for their Drawing of $35.00 to spend toward any WSOAPP artisan. click HERE to visite the WSOAPP Blog.