EASY LIVING ON SPRING AFTERNOONS

Good Morning Kindred Spirits...
Hello from the great state of Texas
where the sun is shining and the trees are budding... 
it's been a very productive week as we move toward the end of March

Good news from the ranch....
Warrior and Annabelle have come to actually like each other
and this is great news that they can now reside in the same pasture....
Annabelle can be a bit territorial in sharing her property
and that's to be expected....she is thirty plus years and has lost her teeth..
but sweet Warrior has won her over to be pals....

Very productive work in the garden....
we completed the task of putting new potting soil
in all the planters and the seeds and bulbs have all been planted

We are so grateful to our son-in-law for installing these
beautiful stair rails for us last November

It's been delightful porch sittin' in the afternoon

Right now it's been gorgeous .but I think pollen is soon to appear

It''s a great feeling to bring out spring touches on the patio

We are enjoying light lunches and it is just enough to keep the calories low...

I did want to share my latest thrifted find from Etsy...
this precious creamer which is a Marks and Rosenfeld pottery piece...
this was part of the collection produced from the 1940's to the 1970's
of cottage ware and farmhouse style of decor pieces...

I purchased this from the vendor above and she included this
sweet note of thanks...and yet, I connected with another KINDRED SPIRIT....

AN EARLY SPRING CENTERPIECE

 This is going to be a fun creation   

I am thinking a Cottage Core design,  representing
Nostalgia, a bit romantic, soft and serene.....
let's pull together a few elements to 
create a little early spring centerpiece....



The first step is to decide on the color theme....
we are going with neutral linens and a wooden base.....
which is actually a Lazy Susan......

Each decor piece needs to be on the smaller side..
the next element chosen was a small glass vintage vase
to hold the creamy, soft floral stems...

Next, a romantic and vintage rose print in neutral colors....

A gingham napkin for a charming accent....

The Liz Marie brass bunny for a touch of spring

And, lastly the scent....
Coffee Espresso Bean,
with a wood burning wick

And there we have it....
charming, quaint and romantic....

This was created on a budget and most items
were found at Walmart....
I hope you have been inspired to create something
special and unique for your home to
celebrate the spring and Easter season....

THREE NEW RECIPES TO TRY

This year, I vowed to try new things....mainly in the kitchen!

I love trying recipes that I have never made and
you never know when you may find a new favorite!
All three of these were winners here at Estelle's...
so let's take a look at what we taste tested....

 

My friend, Mary Ellen told me about this brand of mix
and said her family loved these potato pancakes.
These are favorites in various cultures and apparently
can be found in European markets which can be served
sweet or savory.

They were easy to prepare and are tender on the inside and 
crispy on the outside....I served mine with a dollop of sour cream
and warm applesauce on the side
The mix can be found on Amazon.

An Austin Chef recommended making these apple pie puff pastries
and they were delicious...easy to prepare too!
    You will need
1 puff pastry sheet, cut into nine equal squares
one can of apple pie filling
sugar and cinnamon

Prepare muffin tin with cooking spray
place each puff pastry square into muffin tin cups
Spoon two apples into each cup
Sprinkle very generously with sugar and cinnamon
Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes

This recipe was a real hit!
This is Dolly Parton's Cinnamon Bread
I used one loaf of Rhode's frozen bread
Melt 1/4 cup butter in loaf pan and place frozen bread on top
Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar
Once risen, bake at 350 for 30 minutes

Mix 4 ounces of cream cheese with powdered sugar
and spread on top of warm bread loaf

Hope you will enjoy these recipes and try something new!

COTTAGE CORE BLUE and MOSS GREEN

Welcome back to Estelle's my kindred spirits...
today the sun is shining down and
I find this warmth to be such a marvelous thing.....

My desire has returned to begin my spring transformation
in decorating our home and what came to mind,
was a country cottage core vibe of soft blues,
with a touch of muted green.....yes, that is what I am going with...

I love decorating in lighter colors for spring and  Easter
and I know you will probably ask, what is the inspiration
you draw from for a "country" cottage core vibe?

Well, I draw my design from the things I love....
it's a romantic version of rural life....
flowy dresses, ginghams and floral patterns...
vintage botanical prints, gardening and picnics.....

And, as always, I first choose the color story....
And, the surprise that bonus that comes with these colors
is that I can change the look to the table by changing
the primary color feature....

Creating a special look at your dining table, can make your meal
an "experience" and not so much like an ordinary dinner....

Use some of your favorite things and remember the details....
a centerpiece is not always about a floral arrangement....
little things mean a lot, don't they?

SPRING REFRESH

 

Now is the time to plan for the gardens..
This year I decided to purchase a journal to document my thoughts
and design...what a very pleasant thing to do!
New ribbon was bought and boy, do I love it...
going to use it for the Easter table and lanterns!
I have the most darling bunny for the centerpiece for the dining table...
and by the way, faux florals have really gone up in price!!!

We have had some outside updates going on and it
is the time to plan the spring and summer garden....
I love this time of year as we spring forward...

A new design for the farmhouse table is currently underway,,
perhaps enjoy an afternoon, taking time to search your collections
for the well loved pieces you would like to put on display for a bit...
You loved them once, so why not love them all over again....

Are you lighting your candles?
It's time to refresh and renew with lighter scents...
I am currently loving this Homeworx scent of Golden Bamboo...

I have a new look in the kitchen window....
bunnies are coming out for their seasonal appearance...

It's been warmer nights which are perfect for grilling burgers...

I love having fresh citrus on the table for our daily Vitamin C snack

And a little change I always love to do, is
replace the garden flags for a new look.....
I feel lighter and more joyful already....
how about you?

BANANA NUT MUFFINS

 GOOD MORNING LOVES.....
Who is in the mood for a good bakery style muffin?
It's a lovely way to start your day as you sip
on that lovely first cup of coffee in the morning
and you smell that lovely aroma of banana bread baking....

I am featuring the Dolly brand of muffin mix today
as I have been impressed with Dolly Parton's brand of
baking mixes of which I have tried quite a few.....

So if you are in the mood for banana bread but find yourself
without the bananas...I highly recommend this,,,,

And, just know, this uses a whole stick of butter...
yes mama....therefore, you know they're gonna be good

Now, while our days are becoming warmer...

who is planning their Spring and Easter look?

I have always decorated for Easter and learned so much

from Mother....my color scheme will look much like the photo

and I do look forward to this....

Y'all take good care until next time....

A SOUTHERN FAVORITE...PINEAPPLE STRAWBERRY FLUFF SALAD FOR VALENTINE'S DAY

I felt like going vintage in honor of Valentine's Day..
serving the well loved fluff salad which the south
is famous for....from grandmother's to grandbabies...
we LOVE any kind of fluff salad....
my goodness, this salad, or sometimes dessert,
has been served at every holiday, church potluck
and funeral gatherings since I was a child....
and this flavor is the most lovely shade of pink,
it's perfect for your valentine's dinner...

Find your prettiest glass bowl for this salad....
Pour in one large can of undrained crushed pineapple...

Dissolve a small box of strawberry jello with the pineapple

Gently mix until the jello has dissolved...

Blend in one container of cottage cheese

Then fold in one container of Cool Whip..

lastly 1/2 bag  of mini marshmallows..

She is not only delicious and refreshing....she is so pretty

Valentine's for almost 60 years....