More Christmas Decor & a New/Old Buffet Table!

This is part of our Living Room where we first welcome our guest. To the right of it is our dining room, my craft room and a walkway that leads to our family room/kitchen.

I still need to decorate my little tree that is dedicated to our Mothers Gloria and LaVerne. Filled with sweet things! I will take a picture as soon as I get it done!

~

This last Saturday my new/old buffet table (unfinished pic below & I bought for $100.00) was a mess but I had a vision as I did the last buffet table in my craft room (here: http://thebeehivecottage.blogspot.com/2009/10/where-i-create.html ).

What wonders a new paint job can do! It is very heavy and made out of mahogany.

I love the detail it has and love it to pieces! I bought this paper weight several years ago. I just love that I now have it but would love to know the history behind this personalized Christmas gift nearly 50 years ago!

Nativity under glass!
Each year I seem to take an unexpected self portrait!

My buffet table today!
Last Saturday! Home Sweet Home...
Hugs,

Maryjane

xox

Baby it's Cold Outside!

Finally there is a CHILL in the air here in Southern California and it is going to RAIN all week and powder the nearby mountains with SNOW! I am so excited!
Anticipating cooler weather I bought these dArLiNg fingerless gloves from Lallee's Cottage Etsy shop! Perfect for driving and errands. She has one more pair left!

~
Keep warm sweeties and have fun baking and shopping! xox http://www.etsy.com/shop/lalleescottage

Hugs!

Maryjane

The Warmth of Christmas!

A corner of our Family Room...

Getting ready for Christmas!

I love the warmth it brings! Wishing you a wonderful first week of December!

Hugs!

Maryjane

xox

Count Down to Christmas!

Oh my, Christmas is just around the corner!

Click here http://graphicsfairy.blogspot.com/ to get your own countdown to keep track!

The date changes EVERYDAY!

~

Thank You Karen!

I hope that all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Maybe some of you might be enjoying family still! We had a splendid and blessed Thanksgiving Day at daughter Heidi's home!

Oh, were all those (6) pies yummy! Pumpkin, Pecan, Chocolate Cream and Apple Crunch!

~

Now let's get into the Christmas Spirit...1, 2, 3 GO!

Hugs!

Maryjane

xox

The real meaning of Christmas is giving of LOVE everyday!

Counting My Blessings...

This time of the year always pulls at my heart-strings! I am so grateful for all the blessings Heavenly Father has blessed me with. Each day I count my blessings and give thanks.

Family and friends are a true blessing from above!

~
Wishing you all a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving Day!

You can name your blessings here one by one if you would like!

xox

Love,

Maryjane

Dinner in a Pumpkin!

This has been a family favorite and a tradition since our children were small! I make it every October and November each year and it always brings back memories! I have extra pumpkins this year to cook more dinners in the winter months. It is truly a comfort food! It has a hearty, nutty flavor and the brown sugar gives it the right taste for a yummy meal! The meat of the pumpkin makes for a delicious vegetable. The longer you cook the pumpkin the juices flow and becomes tender...oh my! I just made myself crave a plateful! I use turkey most of the time and diced frozen onions.

The preparation is fast & easy!

I forgot to take a picture of browning the turkey,etc...
Line a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan.
The pumpkin color gets darker and shiny. Yum!

You have to give it a try just to say you had
DINNER IN A PUMPKIN!
~
Dinner in a Pumpkin

A Family Favorite!

1 small to medium pumpkin
1 onion, chopped
1 ½ to 2 lbs. lean hamburger
2 T soy sauce
2 T brown sugar (Mom uses more! I like a sweeter taste!)
1 – 4 oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 – 10 oz. cream of mushroom soup
1 ½ cup cooked white rice
1 – 8 oz. can sliced water chestnuts, washed & drained

Cut off the top of the pumpkin and thoroughly clean outs seeds and pulp. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet brown meat and onions. Drain drippings from skillet. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, mushrooms and soup. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cooked rice and water chestnuts. Spoon mixture into the cleaned out pumpkin shell. Replace top and place entire pumpkin, with filling, on a baking sheet. Bake approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes or until inside of the pumpkin is tender. It could take 1 ½ hours or more. Put pumpkin on a plate. Remove pumpkin lid and serve meat.
For vegetables, scoop out cooked pumpkin and serve.

Serve with apple cider!
*Mom cooks it much longer because she likes the pumpkin meat inside tender…to eat! Enjoy!

Hugs!

Maryjane

And the Winners Are...

Lou Cinda

and

Lisa

Thank you all for taking a part in my Christmas giveaway! It means so much that you did! I loved reading about all the Christmas traditions you do and would love to add them to mine! As I read each one, it echoed loud and clear that the love of family makes the holidays so dear. I am grateful to Heavenly Father for blessing us all with family! Sometimes neighbors & friends become a part of our families to!

May you have a wonderful holiday Season Sweeties!

Love,

Maryjane

xox

P.S.

Lisa & Lou Cinda, please email me your address!

Packages are ready to be mailed!

A CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY!

I thought I would get into the holiday spirit by having a GIVEAWAY!

So with that, I made 2 Christmas garlands with a matching tag set of 8.

~

To enter, share a comment about your favorite Christmas tradition(s).

I will add your name to the drawing!

I will draw 2 names on Monday Nov. 16 at 12pm Western Time!

Can't wait to read about your favorite traditions! I may use some!

Set #1

Set #2

Thanks for visiting!

Hugs!

Maryjane

Christmas Treat ~ Paint Can Idea!

It may seem a bit early to post about CHRISTMAS but it is just around the corner!

Last year I made lots of these and filled them with WHITE CHOCOLATE POPCORN to put inside! (Line the paint can with wax paper). The recipe is soooo easy and your family & friends will think it is gourmet popcorn! Recipe below.

I bought new, unused paint cans at Lowe's, assorted Christmas ribbon, red craft paint, retro graphics, and scrapbooking adhesive. Make some yourself!

Here is the graphic you can use!

Easy as pie and it will be a big gift receiving favorite! Add a cute tag and hugs & kisses!
Candy Cane ribbon for a sweet touch.

White Chocolate Popcorn

~~~

6 ounces of Nestle WHITE chocolate chips
2 (3 ½ ounce bags of microwave popcorn

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave. (Watch closely if you use the microwave).
Microwave 2 bags of popcorn or pop about 7 ounces of popcorn.
In a large tub (or 2 large bowls) drizzle melted white chocolate over popcorn. Mix and fluff as you go. You’re looking for a light coat of chocolate on the popcorn-too much will make the popcorn soggy and spongy.
Let the popcorn cool in the refrigerator until chocolate hardens.

Yes! It is easy and yummy! I promise! Enjoy! xox

~

Hugs!

Maryjane

Grandchildren...

Having some fun with 2 (out of 11 1/2) of our grandsons MARK and ERIC!

Cool, crisp weather and snow in the forecast!

Photos taken by daughter Tiffani.

Check out her wonderful photography website:

Tiff Photography Hugs!
Maryjane

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

SWEETIE'S!

Hugs!

Maryjane

xox

A favorite Season & Recipe!

I love the glow of the evening in a home, especially in the Fall. Candles flickering and yummy aromas dancing throughout the home.

A beautiful, peaceful season. My Halloween garland in the family room. I made 4 more for my daughters! Following the smell of PUMPKIN BREAD! Found it!
I share the recipe each year. Here's to another year!

~

Maryjane's Blue Ribbon Pumpkin Bread

(I won my blue ribbon at my hometown family festival!)

1 cup Crisco oil, 4 eggs, 2/3 cup water, 2 cups pumpkin, 3 1/2 cups flour, 2 1/2 cups sugar,
2 t baking soda, 1 t nutmeg, 1 t cinnamon, 1/2 t salt, handful of raisins & chopped nuts.

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees. *Blend together in mixer, oil, eggs, water, sugar and pumpkin.*Mix together dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then slowly add to pumpkin mixture. Beat until well blended. Add raisins and nuts. *Grease and flour 2 large loaf pans or several mini pans 2/3 full. *Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes for large loafs and less for mini or until bread passes the clean toothpick test!

I have been making this yummy bread for 38+ years.

It never falls...more please!

Hugs!

Maryjane xo

Thank You Tina!

A popular pretty face in Blogland...Sweet, Sassy TINA!

Everyone wants a kitchen like Tina's!
Cottage/Farmgirl Style...heaven!
~
Sweet Tina from Cherry Hill Cottage Blog made a visit to me yesterday to tell me that she chose 10 of her favorite Cottage Blogs and put them on Blogs.com ! To my surprise I was one of the cottage blogs she had chosen! I am so thrilled and honored, especially coming from Tina! It has been one day since she told me and I will be one happy camper for some time! Oh, thank you Tina!

Tina has been a big influence in my blogland life which has spilled over into my everyday life. I have tried sooooo many of Tina's YUMMY recipes, which have brought happy faces to hubby and our grandchildren! The one that is in high demand here is her CHICKEN POT PIE

(my CHICKEN POT PIE recipe post is below in picture box) which I have posted about. Tina's home is just the cutest cottage in blogland! Sweet "Tina" touches throughout her cottage. Last Christmas I think that most of us went out and bought the checkered red and white quilt she had on her bed that she bought at JC Penney. I visited many blogs and saw them on many beds, including mine!!!!!

She is darling, uplifting and inspiring!

She is a TEXAS gal with a big heart!

Here is a little peek into her cottage! Give her a visit! You won't want to ever leave!

THANK YOU TINA! XOX Here is the quilt that Tina made famous and JC Penney rich!

Isn't her bedroom darling!

Oh can that girl cook!

Now go get a recipe or two! She's awaiting for ya!

~

Hugs!

Maryjane

I want to THANK all of you for your sweet comments on each and every post! It is so fun to read them and your words are always so encouraging.

THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart! XOX

I have been busy in my craft room making Christmas tags. Here is a sampling of some of the goodies!

In 2 weeks I will be having a Christmas GIVEAWAY! So stay tuned!

Hugs,

Maryjane

Where I Create!

As promised...

This is my craftroom. It was hubby's office but he now has the exercise room. My old craftroom will be the music room! Confusing?! I create and spend most of my day and into the wee hours of night here! I am now making, & sewing goodies for my family for the holidays and paper crafting for my 2 Etsy shops!

Once a week friends join me for a day of chit-chatting, crafting and nibbling!
There are 2 walls that I am still finishing up that need some tweaking. I still have some things to hang on the walls to. I'll show you the unveiling of that half, hopefully soon!
Hint: Lucy & Ethel!

My Grandmother Alberta's sewing machine.
Peeking out my window!
Below is what this buffet table looked like before I refinished it! I was visiting a friend and she had this in her garage with other things that were going to charity! All I did was smile when I saw it and her husband said "do you want it?" I screamed! I ran and got into my little PT Cruiser and was back with our big struck in 5 minutes! I had a vision! This is my first time refinishing a piece of furniture and can't wait to do my next project...a BIG mahogany buffet table for my living room that I bought at an antique store, Simply Friends here in Murrieta! Hubby said "don't we have enough furniture?" I said no way! LOL! Glad he loves me!
Thanks for stopping by to visit!

Hugs!
Maryjane

My Favorite Time of the Year!

I love this time of the year! It brings back fond memories of my childhood and when my children were little. This year we will enjoy being with some of our grandchildren in Bend, Oregon where it is snowing!

Now that will be fun for this California gal!

When is your favorite time of the year?

My front door wreath.

Little Samantha!

Hugs!
Maryjane

Soups On!

I hope you all had a nice weekend! We finally had some fall weather come our way! It just cooled down! LOL! A couple times a month hubby loves to make a HUGE batch of chicken soup and delivers it to our 2 daughters Shelli and Heidi and their families who live across town. We wish we could make some for Tiffani & Nathan but they live further away (Oregon and Northern CA). Hubby's soup is fantastic! I make the dessert and this time it was gooey brownies!
I took a picture of the kitchen to show you that hubby cleans up everything while he cooks! He was taught well by a sweet, loving Mother. I should have taken a picture of him chopping away!

He makes enough soup to last all of us a few days! Thanks honey! xox Off to their homes! While hubby cooked, I crocheted! I love making dishclothes. Have a nice fall-filled week!

Hugs!

Maryjane

Sadie at the County Fair!

I just had to show you this darling picture of Sadie (20 mos. and our #11 grandchild) at the County Fair!!! What a sassy little girl in her sunglasses, pig~tails, leggings and DARLING cow jumper HER MOMMY MADE HER!

Sadie is off to see the Pig Races!

You can check out her Mommy's (Stephanie) SEWING blog @: http://thesewingroombakersfield.blogspot.com/

Stephanie teaches sewing classes!

Have wonderful week!

Hugs,

Maryjane

Shoot for the Moon!

"Shoot for the Moon.

Even if you miss you will land on the stars"!

~Les Brown

Never stop dreaming! Set goals, make a plan and go for it! If the moon doesn't work out, I have always loved the stars! After all, I have made wishes upon them since I was a little girl! Bet you have to!

Love,

Maryjane

Handmade in Paris, France!

I love Etsy! I could not resist buying these darling TINY, yummy earrings! They are made by Stephanie who lives in Paris, France! Her detail is incredible to say the least! Her little package was waiting in my mailbox in no time.

You can find her darling Etsy store @ PetitPlat on Etsy - PetitPlat - Dollhouse Miniature Food and Jewelry

It is still hot here, so these delights are quite refreshing to wear!Please excuse my (non) manicure but I wanted to show you how tiny the fruits are and the detail! Have a sweet day!

~

Hugs,

Maryjane

A (Herbal) Tea Party ~ Gifts From the Sea

"One cannot collect all the beautiful shells on the beach. One can collect only a few, and they are more beautiful if they are few."

~Ann Morrow Lindberg

~

My sweet friend Kari S. gives a beautiful Tea Party once a year. This year she chose the theme: Gifts from the Sea by Ann Morrow Lindberg. Kari's touches were stunning and uplifting! This year it was held outside in her large pavilion.

I love her property because it is acres of land, filled with gardens and entertainment areas.

One of the views from the pavilion was her black Angus cow, grazing! Just picture perfect!

Here are a few pictures of MANY I took!

...a sweet day! Look at this menu! Each delicacy was baked/cook and prepared to perfection! Oh Kari, I am so impressed!
Since the tea party was outside, I still HAD to show you her beautiful living room! End to a beautiful day! Can't wait for her next Tea Party! Thanks Bunches Kari! You are a sweetheart. xox

Hugs,

Maryjane

Glorious Food!

http://prudencepennywise.blogspot.com/

I have food on the brain and it is late at night...almost morning. I am fasting for my yearly physical that is early in the morning! (Oh, it is officially morning now! LOL!) I wanted to share with you a darling blog about...FOOD! This is my sweet next door neighbor Leslie's sister's blog. The whole family are wonderful cooks/bakers (they are half French and half Italian) and I often receive goodies delivered to my front door. What ever contest Leslie's sister enters, she wins! She was even on the Food Channel with Rachael Ray because of a contest she had won!

Anyhoo, check out her blog! I KNOW you will not be disappointed!

WARNING: You may drool on your keyboard without knowing it!

Oh, I am so hungry!

Hugs,

Maryjane

Crafting Away!

This picture is precious! Babies having a "milk" tea party!

Making goodies! This week has flown by so fast! We had a wonderful time with the family here. Rested up a bit, then back to the craft room. More things to make this weekend!

Candles, journals, garlands, oh my!

Wishing you a great weekend!

Hugs!

Maryjane

Family Swim & BBQ

Getting ready for family to come over for a swim & BBQ!

We are still enjoying summer weather and it's Labor Day Weekend!

Ahhhh...grandchildren! #12 is on it's way!

~

Here's a cute umbrella idea!
Courtyard
Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Hugs,

Maryjane

Colors of Fall!

Fig Tree Quilts

Happy September sweet bloggers! I LOVE this time of the year! Do you? Even tho I have a houseful of PINK, I welcome the Fall colors. I love the coziness and yummy smells of Fall. I will enjoy it more when the days cool down and the fires are all out here in So. Ca.!

I love to scatter quilts throughout my home! I wish I was a quilter! I found some wonderful blogs where quilter Queen Bee's preside! They are wonderful designers of fabric and/or patterns.

They have delightful blogs!

~

Blogger friend Lori
http://beeinmybonnetco.blogspot.com/

and

http://figtreequilts.typepad.com/my_weblog/

Hugs,

Maryjane

xox

Sweetness in a Candle!

My newest craft. This is a prayer candle that I covered with SWEETNESS!

I may put some in my romantic Etsy store. It will burn for hours and has a pretty, soft glow.

Just had to show you my latest goodie! xox This is one of my favorite vintage images I have. The ledger is a graphic image I have printed out also.

The back of the candle looks like a danity dress with buttons!

Hanging on my craft room door from a mosaic piece I made.
This is where I usually keep it, on my craft table.
Hugs,

Maryjane

This & That!

This & That!

I made some more journals yesterday... Serendipity!
Some recent finds from one of my favorite stores in Old Town Temecula, CA. A set of sweet candle holders, a darling pair of vintage pillowcases, a set of 8 PINK bowls, and my favorite find...this pattern! I was so excited to have found this pattern! This is the pattern we used for my sister-in-laws wedding in 1967! I was 15 with a short haircut as the picture and 103 lbs.!
Our dresses were a sweet mellow-yellow and I felt wonderful and sassy! Ahhh, the 60's!

My sweet friend Elyse @ cottage makes the cutest goodies! I have lots of her darling organizers and clips. I decided to use one of the cans to hold my water bottle! I always know where I put it!

Cute idea, huh Elyse!Feel free to give me a jingle anytime! Day or Night!

I'll be waiting!
Hugs,
Maryjane

All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go!

All dressed up and nowhere to go...so for now she will keep me company in my craft room!

I think my blouse looks better on her then it does me! LOL!

The necklace and brooch I have had for years. Remember this apron I bought from Bev at Sew On....And Sew Fourth ? My favorite apron ever! I am still working on moving into my new craft room and straightening the shelves! Almost done. See the little lamps? There are 6 of them. I am going to add some pretty little fabric yo~ yo's to the edges! The project for that is in one of the 4 pink tins. I keep my current projects in the tins and all I need to do it take it down and it is all there to work on. Wishing you a creative day!

Hugs!

Maryjane

Trailer Fun!

Last year I showed you my friend Karmen's 13 ft. 1957 Jewel (twin to mine!) I wanted to show it once more this year before summer ended because it is so darn cute and some of you might have missed it!

Enjoy the "little" tour!

A follow blogger asked if we keep things out while traveling or pack it up?

We pack it all up and put it ALL out when we arrive to our designation!

We carry and take it all! Even the kitchen sink! LOL!!!

Hugs!
Maryjane

Off to the Mailbox!

Everyday I ride my bike to the mailbox! Our neighborhood mailboxes are grouped together and down the street, so going to get the mail is a treat riding my PINK bike! Even on a hot day, the breeze feels so good. The basket comes in handy for packages or putting little Samantha in! The fuzzy seat was my hubby's idea!

Thinking of you!

XOX Hugs!

Maryjane

Cherry Cobbler~Farmgirl Style!

This is a very simple cobbler using ingredients from your pantry that we all have (stock up on cherry pie filling!). Similar recipes call for a cake mix, but no need for this one...just good old fashion ingredients! The recipe calls for a 8"x8" glass baking dish but I LOVE using my 4 quart dutch oven and it worked perfectly!

Farmgirl cooking!

~

Easy Cherry Cobbler

1/2 cup margarine or butter (I used butter)

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup milk

21-oz. can cherry pie filling

Place butter in an 8"x8" glass baking pan; set in a 325 degree oven to melt. ( I melted mine on the stove in the dutch oven on low). Combine sugar, flour, baking powder, salt and milk; mix well with a wire whisk. Pour over melted butter; do not stir. Spoon pie filling on top of batter; again, do not mix. Bake at 325 degrees for about an hour, until golden. Serve warm. Makes 6 servings.

Enjoy!!!

Hugs!
Maryjane

I LOVE the movie ~ Julie & Julia!

Oh my goodness! I just got back from seeing the darling movie "Julie & Julia"!!!! A must see! A TRUE STORY! It is about a young woman who needed to fill a void in her life so she starting BLOGGING about cooking...she cooked/made every single recipe in Julia Child's Cookbook! It took her a year to do so. The movie is about that year and flashbacks of Julia Child's life as an adult!

I LOVE the movie!

Meryl Streep & Amy Adams do a wonderful job! You almost believe Meryl is Julia!

~

Here is the website to Julie Powell's current blog.

http://juliepowell.blogspot.com/

I was so excited the movie was about blogging & cooking...

Now off to put my PEARLS on! xox

Bon Appetit!

Hugs!

Maryjane

Collecting!

This is my very favorite glass paperweight out of 20 or so that I have been collecting for years. This one is in my craftroom sitting on my desk. My desk is a quint little dining room table hubby and I just bought in an antique store in Temecula, CA.

Collecting is so fun! This is only the tip of the iceberg in what I collect! LOL!

What do you collect?

~

I found some time to make myself a sewing journal! Here is the key to my craftroom! I hope to have the little unveiling soon! I changed rooms recently...bigger room and more sunshine. Just what this gal needs! I promise to share it with you very soon. Hugs!

Maryjane

Craft or Sleep?

I finally made some more garlands that I have been wanting to make!

~

Do you have a hard time sleeping when you want to be crafting?!

Just wanted to show you these!

Have a wonderful week!

Hugs!
Maryjane

Frilly Dilly!

Look what my darling daughter-in-law Stephanie surprised me with! A Frilly Dilly Bag that she made! Thank you Stephanie dear, I LOVE it!

I watched Brayden 3 & Sadie 1 for her and my son Nathan while she recovered from surgery...this is what she was doing while recovering! She loves to sew to her hearts content! She sews beautiful little girls clothes and designs a lot of her patterns! I will feature her store(s) soon!

~
Little Samantha fits perfect in my new bag! Here is where you can buy the pattern!

http://quiltfabricdelights.com.au/store/WsDefault.asp?One=1378

Hugs!
Maryjane

Craft Room Finds!

HomeGoods...do I need to say more? LOL!

My friend Ruth and I had a blast the other day at my favorite place! Oh girls, my little shopping cart just knows how to zip up and down the aisles with my eyes closed! You can't beat HomeGoods prices!

All of my findings are for my craft room.

~

I found the most romantic and fragrant potpourri! It smells like fresh cut roses. I still have 3/4 of a large box to scatter throughout the house! The crystal pedestal bowl and candle I had already. I love the new look the potpourri gives them.This sweet spray bottle was calling my name! Perfect for misting down my linens for ironing. Just like Mother did.I gasped when I saw these PINK tin buckets! Lacy and pretty! I will put these on the very top of my craft shelves, filled with supplies and projects (tags, banners & journals) I will be working on for my Etsy store. HomeGoods always has pretty pedestal cake plates! I love this one in a faint cottage blue. My large cloche fits perfect over the pedestal plate! What fun I will have with this! Hugs!

Maryjane

Fresh Batch of Homemade Laundry Detergent!

I just finished making a fresh batch of homemade laundry detergent...16 pounds of it! It comes half way up my cottage picnic tin! I LOVE making it and I feel so domestic when I do! LOL! This time I used PINK ZOTE soap and it looks and smells heavenly! I have been making my own detergent for months now and will never use anything else!

If you want to make some yourself here is the post where the recipe is:

http://thebeehivecottage.blogspot.com/2009/02/i-made-my-own-laundry-detergent.html

I love the clothesline freshness it gives!Fun testimonial from this post!

I am tickled PINK!

Check out her darling blog to!

~

Debbie said...
I read your blog and ran straight to the store! I made 1 batch,then did laundry and it worked so well I went back to the store and made more. I love it! Thanks!
July 12, 2009 5:29 PM

Happy Laundry Day!

Hugs!
Maryjane
xox

Succotash (no lima beans!)...A Family Favorite!

(Click on this picture to see how yummy!)

~

This is a side dish recipe that has been passed down to our family 5 generations or more...yummy Succotash!
My sweet Mother made this when I was growing up, as her Mother and so on.

It is still a "must" at our family gatherings! As you can see it would make a good little main dish because it has all the goodies in it to fill the tummy.

Now sharing the recipe with you if you would like to try it!

Gloria's Succotash

(Most times I double it!)

~

2 cans green beans - drained

2 cans of sweet corn - drained, except 1/2 juice of 1 can

1/2 to 1 stick of butter

1/2 medium onion - chopped (I always have frozen onions on hand)

1/2 lb. bacon - cut into pieces

salt, pepper and garlic salt (or garlic powder) to taste

~

Brown bacon and onion until fully cooked.

Add green beans, corn, butter, salt, pepper & garlic salt to taste.

Cook for a few minutes until slightly caramelized. Yum!

I promise you will love THIS recipe! xox

Hugs! Maryjane

Happy 4th of July!

I have been busy in my craftroom making 4th of July garlands for my sweet daughters.

I think these turned out kinda cute! They are made from vintage graphics I have printed on heavy card stock and backed with another layer to make them very strong to hold up for years to come. I distressed them with brown ink to make them look vintage. Fun to make! I will now make them for every season and special occasions. I might add some to my Etsy store in the near future!

Wishing you a Happy 4th of July!

I am grateful for my blessings and love the good, old USA!

Hugs!

Maryjane

Potted PINK Hydrangeas

I have been adding potted Hydrangeas to my courtyard. Daughter Shelli gave me my second beautiful plant a couple weeks ago. Yesterday while Hubby and I were at Lowe's I let out a HUGE GASP when I saw this 17" across giant beauty among "others" in the same container! There was no way I was going to leave Lowe's without it!!! Hubby smiled and of course nodded his head (I would have bought it even if there was not a nod! LOL! Girls gotta have some things!) Excuse my garden worn hands but I wanted you to see the comparison to my hand. I planted it in a vintage pot.

I know most of you have seen one that big but it has been a long time since I have, if ever!

Aren't Hydrangeas heavenly?!

Do you have some? Maryjane

xox

Everything Is Coming Up Roses!

This is a little glimpse of my little rose garden in my courtyard in the backyard. I love to sit out here each day in my rocker and watch the bees and hummingbirds buzz about! This beautiful vintage plate had a big chip in it. It is to pretty to throw away or cut for mosacing, so in the rose garden it went! A Rose Journal I just finished...

(Yeah! It SOLD!)

Wishing you a "Rosy" week!

Maryjane

xox

Sweetness is in the Air!

A Cloche Party!

Teacups, Cupcakes & Pretties under glass! A YUMMY plate of cupcake tags!

Baked to perfection! Have a sweet day!
Maryjane
xox

Chocolate Cream Pie!

Nothing like a yummy and easy dessert for a family gathering! A family favorite here!

Easy as Pie! (heehee!)

Ready made pie shell, bake.

Prepare Chocolate Pudding, the kind you need to prepare on the stove (makes a firmer pie). Pour into pie shell.

Whip 1 pint of whipping cream and add sugar to taste! Spread on pie.

Chill.

Hugs!

Maryjane

xox

Crafting!

During my little time "recovering" I have had some special orders come in from my Etsy Store~beehivecottage for 1 cookbook and 3 baby journal/notebooks. I just LOVE making them! I wanted to share with you this cutie pie cookbook that a customer is giving to her Mother who loves to bake cakes & cupcakes. Hope she likes it!

If you want to see the baby journals, they are in my Etsy Store under SALES.

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Wishing you a wonderful week

& thanks bunches for visiting! Hugs! Maryjane

Birthday, Mending & Thank You!

Yummiest CUPCAKES I have ever eaten! Fresh & natural! Thanks Honey!

Truly Madly Sweetly - Custom Cupcakes & Cheesecakes

Hello! I am back! 5 days now since my unexpected gallbladder surgery and I am sooooo grateful it is behind me now! Doing well. I want to Thank You all for your loving Well Wishes and thoughts & prayers! An outpouring that means the world to me and the best kind of medicine for mending! You have touched my heart forever. xox Heidi Ann dear, thank you for posting the sweet post! What a wonderful welcome when I got home.

Well girls...today was my first day getting "completely" dressed! Today is my Birthday and two of my daughters came to help me celebrate while their children were in school. Thank you Shelli & Heidi for making my tummy hurt from laughing, eating and spoiling me! Daughter Tiffani's gift came in the mail today just in time (yummy, my favorite tea party creamed filled cookies, oh girl!) and son Nathan called from TX after flying clients there to flyfish. Life is good and I feel grateful on my 57th Birthday...

oh my, did I tell you my age?!!!

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I took this "self portrait" today. Hummmm, 57? Can't be true!

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Now waiting for Honey to come home to be spoiled a bit more!

Love,
Maryjane
xox

Mj Update From: Heidi

Hello, this is Mj's daughter, Heidi posting on Mom's blog with an update on her. She doesn't know I'm on here! =) Mom, has been in the hospital. After many tests they figured out what was causing her pain. She had surgery this morning to remove her gallbladder. She's doing great and is requesting to come home today! Yeah! We are happy all went well. Hopefully she'll get to come home tonight and sleep in her own bed & see Sammy who is missing her so much! We love you MOM! I'm sure she's already thinking of what her next post will be on here. =) Love to all. Heidi

Back from my Sisters on the Fly trip!

I am back from a Sisters on the Fly trip and what a wonderful time we all had! Nothing like some sister time on the Kern River here in CA. The sound of the rushing river put me to sleep every night. Here are a few pictures of some trailers and the outdoors I took out of a couple hundred + pictures!

My little trailer ButtonWillow did great in her travels. She is 53 this year!!! I love my little girl! I sleep like a baby in my feather bed! The view from my little trailer! My licence plate stands for Sisters on the Fly and my sister #595! Janet comes in style! This car is to die for! Tammy's trailer. Kaarin's cutie pie trailer. The river was high and rushing and the rafters had a blast! Sitting on the shore was like watching a Disneyland ride! Some swirled like the "Teacup" ride!Suzanne's trailer. Nothing keeps Suzanne away from a sister outing, not even foot surgery the day before camping! I love the hooked rug she made! Our little trailers lined the river! A hearty Sister on the Fly breakfast, complements of my camp...biscuits & gravy, scrambled eggs, sausage, and fruit!

The biscuits were baked in my camp oven! Joyce and Kelly's trailers. Kelly's trailer.Jane and Barbara's trailers and way beyond that, Connie & Lucinda's trailers!

Look how tiny Zola's trailer is! Barbara's trailer. She hand-painted her ceiling! This is what I found in my shower/potty tent, a couple in love! Look at the size of these lizards and their pretty colors. The blue one is the male. They were freed from the tent to frolic in the rocks!Granddaughter Sadie...a future Sister on the Fly! Girls just gotta have fun!

Have a wonderful day!

Hugs,

Maryjane

On The Road With My Little Trailer(s)!

I am taking a few days off to go play with The Sisters on the Fly on the Kern River in CA to fly fish and have some fun! I will take lots of pictures! I know how you all love to see the other girls trailers!

My sweet friend Elyse ~ cottage surprised me with this darling little trailer she made me...a little ButtonWillow! It's so cute I could just move right in! This little trailer will be part of all my travels. Thank you sweet Elyse! xox Elyse thought of every detail! I love my tiny ButtonWillow! See you in a few days!

Hugs,

Maryjane xox

Mother's Day Banner

Last night I made this sweet banner for my Mother's Day mantel that I can keep out until I make a Birthday banner! Each picture measures about 7"x5". I love making them!

Below is a picture of my darling Grandmother Alberta. She was a model, here at age 16. Once again..Happy Mother's Day!

Love,
Maryjane xox

Motherhood...

Thinking about Motherhood...I am so grateful that I am a Mother and now a Grandmother. I am grateful that I have been blessed with a Angel Mother, Mother-in-law and Grandmothers. All who I feel are a part of my daily life, even tho they are Angels in heaven!

I am grateful for my four darling~Angel Daughters and for the beautiful example they are as Mothers to my Grandchildren.

Motherhood is a gift.

LIFE is precious. Thank heavens for Angels!Gift from daughter Shelli.

1. Husband Don and his Mother LaVerne. 2. My Grandmother Alberta. 3. My darling Mother Gloria.

4. Don & I on our Wedding Day...38 years ago tomorrow! Happy Anniversary honey! xox

Angel from dear friend Shannon.Wishing you a Happy Mother's Day!

Love,

Maryjane
xox