A FIELDTRIP TO THE COTTONWOOD HOUSE SPRING SHOW

I am a field trip kinda girl! I loved going on field trips when I was in school and I looked forward to planning field trips when I was a teacher.

 And I am ready to go with my fun, awesome, adventurous girlfriends (and mom) who love to drive through the countryside, with Shania Twain's Man, I Feel Like A Woman blaring out of the car stereo finding all kinds of fun places to go... do... and see... and lunch. We must stop for lunch!

Today, we traveled to THE COTTONWOOD HOUSE SPRING SHOW and we had a great time. Even though we did not have our theme song on the stereo we were in bright and excited spirits as we made our way deep into beautiful Chester County to find lots of inspiration from over 25 vendors...

HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT AND MOST EASY PEASY BOW

This was the very first bow I learned how to make decades ago... and it's still my favorite.

I have used it on wreaths, presents, for hair bows (no judging... it was the 80's), mantels, Christmas Trees, and even a car!

You can throw away your bow makers because this bow is so easy to make and comes out perfect every time!

Let's get started with step-by-step instructions...

SUMMER APRON STRINGS... IF APRONS COULD TALK...

Every once-in-awhile I just have to show you the real heart of my kitchen... the apron hanger!

To say I love aprons is such an understatement!!! If you would come to StoneGable you would surely find me answering the door with one of my sturdy bib aprons on! I call it my "uniform"!

Aprons and I have a long and deep history...

THE SCOOP #120

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!

A big thank you to all service men and women, their families and our hearts go out to the fallen and their families!

Before we begin, I want to share an easy peasy Summer Initial Wreath that has a fabulous WOW factor! It would be a perfect fit for your front door..

ON THE MENU MONDAY

I hope you are all having a very happy Memorial Day!

We have my sister and her husband staying with us and lots of other's coming and going for meals and picnics. The weather this weekend has been PERFECT! No humidity... just lots of sunshine and a sweet breeze! It's can't get any better than that!

We've even gotten in a little yard work!!!

A big thank you to all of our service men and women, their families, or veterans and special prayers for our fallen heroes and their loved ones! We are blessed because of your love for this country and care for us!
You are best part of America!
xo

PRINTABLE CHALK ART~ SUNDAY SCRIPTURE

Memorial Day is the time to REMEMBER all of the men and women who have served and protected this country so bravely. Especially those who have given the ultimate sacrifice!

This Memorial Day I hope you will also pray for our country. That's why I have made a printable chalkboard art of 2 Cronicles 7:14.

To get a printable copy click HERE.

Please pray for our country and do what pleases God so he will hear from heaven, forgive our sins and heal our land.

A big THANK YOU to all who have served, and the families that have supported our service men and women and special prayers for the fallen and their families!

GOD BLESS YOU!

WHERE DID YOU GET THAT...

This has been the number one question from my readers lately...

I have answered dozens of e-mails and comment on the blog and now I have decided to do a post on this GREAT sofa because it's on sale and a very, very good buy!

Before I tell you about this sofa I first have to tell you two super important things...

SUMMER INITIAL WREATH DIY

I really could not come up with a wreath for my door this summer... at first!

I wanted a WOW factor wreath. Something that would be very personal and unique! Sorta sassy and not too traditional.

Then I saw one on Pinterest that caught my attention... don't you love pinterest!

It had a big initial on it. Not a monogram... a BIG  initial. It was amazing! And it also had a burlap bow! I hadn't added a bow to a wreath in years! So I used all that inspiration to create my own initial wreath...

CELEBRATING SUMMER FOOD IN A JAR

Summer food and Mason jars are a culinary match made in heaven!

Let's be honest, anything in a Mason jar is usually fabulous and feels very special. Now that summer is here, it's time for our taste buds to turn to farm fresh foods and simple recipes.

Here is a collection of my favorite StoneGable summer foods in a jar just in time for Memorial Day weekend...

RED, WHITE AND BLUE SUMMER FAMILY ROOM

Even though it does not feel like summer here at StoneGable I am getting ready for it!

Decorating in easy going summer details and lots of reds, whites and blues!

This is why I love a neutral family room... it can be transformed by the addition of other colors! This summer I'm feeling very patriotic... here's little splashes of color on my sofa and coffee table...

THE SCOOP #119

Hi Everyone and welcome to 

THE SCOOP!

It's hard to believe that Memorial Day is almost upon us!!! Hope you have great plans and have some time to relax too!

ON THE MENU WEEK OF MAY 19, 2014

Every Wednesday is "Wednesday's With GiGi" at StoneGable. My son and daughter-in-law's dog Beau comes and spends the day with me! 

 I love this dog and look forward to a day of going to the dog park, having him tag along right beside me and playing in the backyard! By the end of the day I have "Beau Glow". That's what I call the happiness he spreads! He is just the most fun, aim-to-please dog there is!

Because of Beau we have started to have family dinner night every Wednesday. My kids, and now mom and step-father join us for the evening. What a wonderful way to break up the week and get together! Wednesday's are now my favorite day of the week!

Here's what's on the menu this week...

THE BLESSING CIRCLE

Last week I attended a dinner for one of my favorite ministries HOPE INTERNATIONAL.

One of the speakers said... "You are blessed to be a blessing". And I was struck by the truth and weightiness of that statement.

YOU ARE BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING...

Lets look at what the word blessing means and how it applies to us...

A NEW PIECE TO PAINT!

I've been looking for just the right piece to paint for over a year. A hutch with arched glass cabinets with lots of room to store and stage pretty things. A piece to put on the empty wall in living room!

I found it in the most horrid, creepy, dirty thrift shop. I only went there because I saw it on Craig's List...and I'll never go back!!!

 The style was right, the size was perfect and it was solid wood... and very ugly... and dirty. 

But...

it was perfect for my living room and a perfect piece to paint...

ROASTED GREEN BEANS WITH BACON... A MUST TRY!

There should be a disclaimer with this recipe... "Please don't think this is just another green bean recipe with bacon. It is so much more than that! If you don't try these you will be missing out on one of life's little culinary miracles"...

I could eat these green bean everyday! They are that good! And if truth be told, I'm not a natural born veggie lover!  Most carnivores like me aren't. Vegetables need to be spruced up a bit for me to love them... and these roasted green beans with bacon are at the top of my "food to eat" list!

There's a little secret to making theses beans fabulous... and I'm sharing it with you today...

TOP 10 SIGNS OF SUMMER AROUND STONEGABLE

Summer is just around the corner! What a special time of year! Although I am not wild about the high heat and humidity... there is so much about summer to LOVE!!!! 

Here are 10 wonderful signs that summer has come to StoneGable...

HOW TO PAINT A MONOGRAMMED LAMPSHADE

A big thanks to all my wonderful readers who voted for my lampshade at the LAMPS.COM LAMPSHADE CHALLENGE... I won! Yea!!!!

And I could not have done it without your votes!!! 

Now, how about making one for yourself? Here's a step by step  diy so you can make your very own version...

THE SCOOP #118

Thanks for joining us this week for our party.... We had so many great entries last week. So much inspiration!

Are you ready to party? I sure hope so! Let's go...

NO SEW FLOWER TOTE DIY

Don't you love tote bags? I sure do!!! I can't get enough of them.

I made this fun, sassy tote and didn't sew one stitch!

I like it so much I'm using it as a summer purse!

How about you... are you ready to make a flower tote?  Here's how...

THE PROVERBIAL WOMAN ON MOTHER'S DAY

Let's look at the woman of Proverbs 31 and see if you might know her!

Here is how she might look today...

BERRY CRISP IN A JAR... EASY, MAKE-AHEAD DESSERT!

This is a must-try dessert! Believe me... just go ahead and make it. You can thank me later!

And what makes this dessert even more fabulous, other than the taste and that it is in a jar, is that the components of this dessert can be made ahead!

Just keep everything in the freezer and when you want a fabulous dessert... you have it!

I could not wait to finish taking pictures so I could dig in!!!! And it was scrumptious!

Let's get started and make this yummy dessert...

ONE LAST TIME... I NEED YOUR VOTE!

THIS IS THE LAST DAY TO VOTE FOR MY LAMPSHADE!!!

Would you please take a minute and go over to LAMPS.COM and vote!

I could really use your vote!!! I think there are so many wonderful lampshades to choose from and this is probably a very tight race!

So EVERY vote counts today!

Head over to lamps.com by clicking HERE

Thanks so much!!!

BOTANICALS IN THE LIVING ROOM

The living room is within a month of being finished! Finally!!!!

I have a big hutch on the side of the room not seen that needs to be painted and loved and sanded and waxed and stenciled! I can't wait to get my hands on that project!

My most recent project was very small compared to the one ahead of me... I added 3 botanical pictures to my living room ...

HOW TO AGE GALVANIZED METAL

Recently I bought an Olive Basket from Walmart... yes, Walmart!

Actually, I bought 2. They were only $9.88... a steal considering the real deal can cost well over $100.00.

The Walmart olive basket really is a great substitute, but it did not have the same "aged appeal" as authentic ones.

Not to worry... I have an easy-peasy DIY for aging galvanized metal.

Here's how the olive basket looked before...

THE SCOOP #117

Hi Everyone!

Welcome to THE SCOOP!

I need your help! I'm part of a group of bloggers that were given a plain white drum shade and asked to decorate it any way we wanted.

Now that we have done that... you can vote for the lampshade of your choice... but please vote for me!!!

I need every vote... the competition is stiff!

Here's my finished lampshade...

SUCCULENTS... CARE OF A TRENDY PLANT

The hottest plants in the greenhouse this spring and summer are succulents!

The are riding the tide of trendy and finding themselves not only potted on patios but elevated to indoor home decor status!

I'm bringing them indoors too! I love their plump little leaves and odd shapes. And I found several little galvanized containers to repot them in!

Here's just a few tips for caring for succulents if you are loving these sweet, funny, desert plants...

ON THE MENU WEEK OF MAY 4, 2014

As many of you know I am eating lo-carb these days. Or I should say.... eating lo-carb again. During my long illness, I ate whatever! I had too much going on and too little energy to worry about carb intake. But now that I am feeling pretty good again, I am back on track.

I get e-mails asking how I can eat lo-carb when my recipes have carbs in them. I cook for my family... or Bobby and me and not just myself.

Each daily dinner has lots of choices for me. It usually means cutting out pretty much all the starches, the desserts and some high carb fruits and veggies. But, believe me there is certainly enough for me to eat!

I'd like to drop the 30 pounds I put on white being laid up for 5 months!!! And do it in short order! I'm back in the pool and that really helps too!

Now here's what's ON THE MENU...

FREE PRINTABLE CHALKBOARD SCRIPTURE ART

Do you have a life verse? A verse in the bible that sums up the desire of your heart for your life?

I do... it's Colossians 1:10.

I've made my life verse into Chalkboard Art and I'm sharing with you!

You can make a printable copy by clicking HERE. 

Happy Sunday!

FAMILY ROOM CHAIR REVEAL

 It all started because Bobby thought I needed a recliner to put my feet up. I was not going to have an ugly, bulky recliner in my family room. But, I went to look at them under duress! 

Recliners have come a l-o-n-g way baby! Yes, this is a recliner! Wow, Lazy Boy sure has a lot of great and very chic recliners!

I fell in love with this wonderful houndstooth fabric! It's bold and classic... yet very modern!

So I paired a stylish recliner model together with an updated houndstooth to make this ultra comfy and dapper chair!

And I have YOU to thank for it...

SHARING "WISDOM" BECAUSE I AM A WOMAN OF A CERTAIN AGE!

What does it mean to be a woman of  a "certain age"?

Mature, seasoned, settled, mellowed by decades... maybe. But I have my own take on age and aging!

Today I am over at AROUND THE TABLE for a very saucy interview!

Most of you have never seen me in this light... very personal... even discussing what sexy means to me... SHOCK!

Stop over and visit LESLIE as she asks me some very interesting questions about being a woman and being of a "certain age"!

LAMPS.COM DIY LAMPSHADE CHALLENGE~ I NEED YOUR VOTE!

I love a good challenge! How about you?

LAMPS.COM asked me to participate in their

DIY LAMPSHADE CHALLENGE!

Whoo Hoo!

They gave me a white drum lampshade and asked me to do something with it. So I did...

And now I need your vote!!!