Monday, October 31, 2011

Happy Halloween!!!



Happy Howloween 2011. We live on a dark dead end street so we do not get many trick or treaters venturing our way. This year we had a WHOPPING 5 Trick or Treaters!! At least the porch is welcoming. We waited until yesterday to carve pumpkins, and when we went to the store to pick them up they were SOLD OUT!!! so we had to carve the pumpkins we grew in our garden. Luckily two of them were able to be carved (the others had a fight with slugs and the slugs won).
Our adorable little kiddos. Sakari is dressed up as a Ballerina!!
And little Cooper is a Spider again this year.


Hope you had a wonderful celebration on this beautiful day. I am still holding out for some more little witches!!

♥ Ashley

Sunday, October 30, 2011

[recipe] Soup Sundays - West Virginia Governor's Stew

Soup Sunday!

I finally think I am getting back into this Soup Sunday thing...at least I hope that I am. This week soup (the pictures do not do it justice) is West Virginia Governor's Stew. So good. Here is the recipe (its from the family).


Ingredients:
2-3 lbs of carrots; peeled and shredded
2 sweet onions; diced
4-6 cloves of garlic; smashed
1 lb lean Hamburger
1 lb ground chicken/turkey
1 large can of V8 juice
2 cans of Cream of Celery soup
salt & pepper
1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper

Directions:
In 8 quart pan saute onions in a little oil or butter after about 2 minutes add garlic season with salt and pepper. Saute for about 8 minutes then add meat season with salt and pepper. Cook meat until browned. Add V8 juice and carrots. Cook on a low bubble for 10 minutes. Add the cans of soup (no water) and cayenne pepper, cover and cook over med-low heat for about 20 minutes.

Serve with cornbread or your favorite rolls.

I hope that you enjoy this recipe. It has been a family favorite for a long time and has made it to many tailgates!

Ashley

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Ruffles and Rust Vintage Market Antique Show

Last weekend I was finally able to attend one of the Antique Shows that Ruffles and Rust puts on. They had the show at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe. (It was so nice to be back at that fairgrounds...so familiar as that is where I spent most of my time in high school showing my horses) They had over 50 vendors I am sure. It was a great show. Full of lots of inspiration. That was a good thing as that was the theme "A Vintage Market to Inspire". Please enjoy the pictures. I know its a lot but I just cannot edit them down.



































I hope you enjoyed the pictures, and if you were able to go I know that you had a wonderful time!!

Next weekend is the Junk Salvation - Puyallup.

♥ Ashley

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Fall Display

Don't you just love this entry way display? If I had room for any of this on my front porch, believe you me it would be on there. But my front porch is small. No room for a bench, just enough for a couple of planters and my milk box. Which reminds me today is milk delivery day. I ordered pumpkin cheesecake muffins as well. So excited!

♥ Ashley

what are you doing to get ready for fall and the upcoming holiday?

Monday, October 17, 2011

Jennifer Rizzo - Giveaway!!


Dear Jennifer Rizzo is giving away $400 worth of merchandise from her store plus an extra $100 gift certificate for jewelry. With the holidays coming, She knows it will come in handy.
The Winter Nesting Giveaway includes
a vintage picnic basket filled to the brim with goodies. The winner will receive:
1- in flight pillow cover
1-white linen La Parisien pillow cover
3-number towels
3-french inspired tea towels
3-tea time tea towels
1-set of vintage inspired cloth napkins
1-hat and fingerless glove set
1-set (4) of tea plates
1-set(2) of vintage ironstone mugs
1-vintage book
organic tea
lavender sugar
and she'll probably tuck a few other little treats in there as well. :)

Hop on over to her BLOG to enter!

Good Luck!

♥ Ashley

I've been busy in this place...

So I have been busy in my house. Gearing up and getting ready for the Fall season. Its about that time where I can start decorating for Halloween. But before I share that with you, I thought I would show some more of my Fall Decor.

A couple weeks ago I went shopping with my MIL, Deanna and I found these crowns that I could hang on my wall.

[They reminded me of Sid Dickens. Maybe just because they were crowns and I love the ones from Sid. However, Sid's are a little bit out of my price range though they are on my wish list for "sometime in the far future". I love Sid Dickens. I remember when I was working at my "Store" in College and we pulled out some Sid's for our Valentine's Decorations. I was then in love with Sid Dickens. And then when Thomas and I went to Vancouver, BC I found a dealer who sells them. Then on one of our trips to Snohomish, I found a dealer there!! I do hope that you check out Sid's website.]

It took me a while to decide where I wanted to hang these, but finally it became clear they were needed in the living room.

What do you think?

Alas there is my front door [I do need to paint that] and the fall wreath I made all items found at the Dollar Tree (cost me $5+tax).

Hope your Fall is turning out well for you. We have been blessed with some wonderful weather lately.

Ashley

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Ruffles and Rust Square - Store Tour


As I mentioned in my last post, I went to Snohomish on a shopping trip. This store is a new discovery for us. Two visits ago, Deanna and I found this great store Ruffles and Rust Square, we were shocked that we had not been to it before...was it possible that we were missing out all these other times we visited. Luckily that was not true. They had just recently opened their shop. PHEW what a relief!
Their storefront is so enticing and goes with the Historic Downtown Snohomish feel. The store has a variety of vendors that supply breathtaking merchandise that is so tastefully displayed...you cannot help but swoon!
I love this vendor in the window. They have a European flair mostly concentrating on Paris/French antiques.
I adore the idea of stacking two tables on top of each other to create an eye-catching display. Notice that white clock on the right side, and the terrarium on the left? Unfortunately I did not get a good picture of the chandelier but you can just see it at the top.


The two above pictures are from a vendor that has a lot of "garden" type of paraphernalia. I love how they added the shelves above the windows to maximize their display space. It kind of reminds me of the old picture or plate rails in older homes.

This idea of turning an old discarded book into a pumpkin could not be denied a picture and adding the crow gives it the perfect "Spook" factor.
You can never go wrong with an old typewriter and anything that has a number on it automatically draws my eye in.
I thought this dress form was adorable and could not pass it up. What a great new way to utilize a map? It is the most adorable skirt I have seen. Not to mention the pumpkin terrine on the right.
These were GIGANTIC scrabble letters on a re-purposed piece of molding. What a great idea...I may have to do something similar, its a great take on my blocks!

Turtle shells. Really cool, but kinda spooky and gross at the same time.


An old Railroad light. It took everything in me to leave it for another patron...maybe you. Notice the rare Bunny terrine, I am regretting leaving that one behind.

Anything pumpkin is good with me when it comes to fall decoration. And the giant glass orb. WOW.

I debated keeping this picture in color or to put it in Black and White, but I wanted you to see the colors, so I kept it in color. I love shelving units like this. You can use them as room dividers or just along a wall for interest. I also like how there are virtually NO books on this. Its an eclectic display that works beautifully.

An old sewing table sans sewing machine. Imagine the possibilities.


A beautiful Rooster plate set. You can see the other sets available in the background.


How about the trend of turning baskets into lampshades? Adore!


This is such a cute way to display baby shoes or just about anything precious. I love it.


Well I hope that you are as infatuated with Ruffles and Rust Square as I am. And if I piqued your interest make sure you stop in and take a look, I would even be willing to make the drive to Snohomish with you! There is way more stuff than what I showed. Also if you like them on Facebook you get their updates all the time with pictures of new items!!

Ashley