I ♥ Pink for ♥ Day

A few more days till Valentines' Day.  Next TTH it will be  already over ..  Moving along to the next big day.

Washington's Bday you say?  NO, St. Patrick's Day!

I hope you will join me for my  3rd annual party on Mar 15th.

Put on your marching shoes!  It will be a lot of fun, and a give away too.

Back to         ♥♥♥♥

 

These pretty pink napkins by Crocill were a gift from my friend,Kay ,at the Holidays Forum.  I used a silver swan napkin ring, as Swans mate for life and that it pretty romantic, or miraculous!  :)  I got them on ebay for 99 cents for 4 plus 4.00 shipping.

The centerpiece is the top of a topiary I made a few years ago.

I set it in a cut glass bowl and added a pretty bisque heart my cousin sent me in memory of my mom.

 

The tablecloth is a Quaker cotton lace from the 70's over a pale pink cloth.

Silver charger from Mikassa, white china by Gofortun, Israel, and little hearts from Michael's last year.  I think I paid .25 for them the day before Valentines Day. A ring of pink pip berries surround the plate.

Flatware by Dansk is my everyday flatware.

Pink glasses by Lenox, and clear by Dansk.  Name holders are pots of roses from a family wedding last summer.

Silver candlesticks from Savers, a real deal!

Heart shape tidbit dish I have had a long time.

These cupcakes go well with the setting!  :)

Dinner is panko  baked pork chops, broccoli and asparagus, and sweet slices.

Sweet slices are sweet potatoes partially cooked, peeled and sliced.

Toss in cinnamon sugar, and brown in a pan in a bit of butter till crisp.

For dessert, a small apple crumb pie made in a fluted dish. Big, fat buttery crumbs that you snatch off as you go by!

Thanks for coming! 

Please come back for Laurie's ♥ Party Saturday and Seasonal Sunday.  All ♥'s !  :)

I am joining Susan for Tablescape Thursday

Gollum for Foodie Friday

Beverly for Pink Saturday

Valentine Tables at Little Round Table.

I keep adding the links and they keep disappearing!

Today's The Day!

♪♪♪    If you go out in the woods today
You're sure of a big surprise.
If you go out in the woods today
You'd better go in disguise.
For every bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain, because
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic.♪♪♪

If you want the rest of this adorable song, go here.   http://www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/teddy/teddypicnic.html

He doesn't look happy!  Here's the problem!

Look at the ice, not melting here!

You have to carry your pail of sand with you!

The Teddy Bear's moved inside, can't blame them!

This little white lunch box I got for a dollar at ACMoore serves as the centerpiece with a little bear.  In the basket is a little bottle of wine, as these bears like to party!

The cloth is a wool carriage blanket given to me by the teacher's where I taught when I had my son.  I still have it!

When I saw the little bear napkin rings at Savers, the plaid reminded me of these napkins I have had for a few years.  The rings were 5 for $1, and the napkins were from the Springmaid Wamsutta Outlet, orig $4, I got them for .50.  Mitered edges and all!

Red dinner plate from Pottery Barn Outlet as well as the yellow flatware...on sale for 4 settings for 3.97.

The marzipan fruits and veggies are from my friend, Debbie, at Mountain Breaths.

A little wagon of cheese for their lunch.  They are ornaments from WSonoma Outlet . I bought them for my kitchen Christmas tree but didn't use them with all the other cooking/sweets ornies.  I thought they looked CHEESEY!  :)

Green Bee glasses from CTree Shops.The balloons are cake decorations.

Their lunch wouldn't be complete without the HONEY.  They can dip the apples from the mini picnic basket in the back in the honey!

Little Paddington was $1 at CTS and came with a small bottle of marmite.  I didn't know what is was, but it seems it is a common condiment in England.  Oh the things you learn!

The last I saw of the bears they were trying to walk across the Bay and catch a ride to Florida!  BEAR y smart!  :)

♪♪  Beneath the trees, where nobody sees
They'll hide and seek as long as they please
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic.  ♪♪

I am joining Marty for Table Top Tuesday , Susan at A Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday,

and
Rednesday at A Very Cherry World.
I appreciate your visit! ♥

Third Annual Blog Crawl here on March 15th!

Hope you will join in!

Share some green, a table, a recipe, anything related to St. Patrick's Day. Let's celebrate that by then, SPRING will be on its way!♣♣♣

You are Invited! And Some Linzer Tarts

It's time to start thinking about St. Patrick's Day!

I know it's early, but I want to invite you to the THIRD ANNUAL ST. PATRICK'S DAY BLOG CRAWL.

The date is March 15th.  Please join me here for the Wearin' of the Green!

You can see last year's party here.
83 people joined the Blog parade last year and we even crawled to Ireland for a few entries.  It is a lot of fun, and this year there will be a give away.  So start thinking!

I'll have a button up soon for those of you who are so kind to display  it!

Today I am joining Laurie for Favorite Things and The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays.

My friend Suzy at Kitchen Bouquets is also having a Magazine Recipe Challenge.

My Favorite Thing on a winter Sunday from a magazine is...

Linzer Tarts...

 

You can find the recipe here.

I think Ina's recipe is easier.I also made some non Linzer tarts, aka known as cookies!  :)

 

Please go visit the hostesses of these parties.  Thanks for hosting, Ladies.

Thank you for visiting!

The Year of the Rabbit~I am SNOW Mad!

Oh, I was going to have a wonderful table for you for the Chinese New Year.  A big dragon going down the middle of the table spewing fire was the centerpiece. Real flames , HOT! 

It was going to be fabulous! :)

But the Monster Storm that most of the US has been having, just threw water on that idea.  Lots and lots of it, ice, sleet , snow!

So the table had to be scaled down. Get it dragon, scales,  :)

I decided on black and red for the linens.

I got these fan plates in HG a few years ago in the clearance aisle.

The chargers are from Pier One and the black plates from Mikassa Outlet.

The stems are from Pier One.

The little tea cups are from CTS, and the flatware too, by Cambridge.

The covered Lions Head bowls are from France by Apilco, via WSonoma Outlet. That's for my Frenchy friends, like Debbie, Confessions of a Plate Addict, and others. 

The little white square dipping sauce dishes are by 10 Strawberry Street.

The centerpiece is a red satin Chinese take out box from Pier One with some dried hydrangea I sprayed black, and some chop sticks. 

The red satin napkins are from Pier One and the black wood napkin rings from CTS.

You know this is make believe, satin napkins with spare ribs, not a good idea!

I read it is customary to give out red envelopes with money in them  to BRING good luck.  I think an envelope with money in it  IS  good luck!

I have a place set for my friend, Carol.  She is not Chinese, but she boosts the economy of her local Chinese restaurants by ordering TAKE OUT, a lot!  :) Her blog is called There's Always Thyme to Cook.  I think she should change always to sometimes. :)

For dinner we are having crispy fried shrimp with honey walnuts with  rice and snow peas. ( I made something different for you, Carol)

These are 10 to 15's.  The sauce is made with soy sauce, scallions, duck sauce , mirin and water.

Dredge the cleaned ,raw shrimp in seasoned  flour.  Brown quickly  in some oil.  Remove shrimp to a plate and keep warm.

Drain off the remaining oil.  Add the wet ingredients and scallions and simmer.  

Make your rice, and before serving add the warm shrimp to the sauce .  Serve over the rice, with the snow peas and crispy walnuts.

Tuck  your napkin under your chin, and dig in!

I am joining Susan for Tablescape Thursday and Gollum for Foodie Friday.

and Cindy at My Romantic Home.
Thanks for visiting, and I have an invitation for you.  Come back this weekend to pick it up!

Happy Ground Hog Day! Have some Pie?

Howdy!

Nice to see you again.
Kathleen drags me out every year for Ground Hog Day, even though I am not the aforementioned.
Remember last year when she stuffed me under a cloche?
 The abuse I take!  The woman is nuts!
Anyway, any Ground Hog around here is 2 feet under, the snow, ie.  If he does get out , he will be blinded by all the white.  That's good right?  Spring will come early?  Excuse me while I roll around on the floor laughing!
Anyway, she made a special breakfast to celebrate Jan. being over.

Blueberry pancakes, fresh blackberries in  a bit of whipped  cream, and Canadian Bacon.  She said not to worry, bacon is from a pig, but isn't a pig a hog????
For lunch she served ...

She said they were Pork ribs.  But isn't pork from a pig, aka HOG???
I know I am NOT staying for dinner!
She talked about gummy Bears, Pigs in a blanket, Bear claws, Welsh rabbit, Hot dogs, Porcupine balls, and kept assuring me it really wasn't what it sounded like!
For dinner, she said she is making ground hog pie!  Now that is just
NASTY!
 
Hope you all have a good Ground Hog Day, rent the movie!  :) Bon Appetit!

Oh, the dishes the Ground Hog Pie ( meat loaf mix browned with onion and spices, mixed with some ketchup, a layer of cheddar , and mashed potatoes piped on and baked.  A little fun twist on meatloaf. 



My Cmas gift from A., The Tablescaper.  I can't wait to play with them and come up with a table.  Maybe we should have a throw down, as she bought them for herself too!
So go over to her blog and chant "Throw Down" and see if she is game.  :)
Thanks for visiting.  Please come back and celebrate Chinese New Year with me.  The year of the Rabbit!
I only eat the Chocolate kind.  :)