A Gift and an Award

You may have read a couple of weeks ago while cleaning my china hutch I broke a cherished little creamer. I was so disappointed about that. I had been lucky to replace it the first time it had broken. I love sugar and cream sets like this and now I didn't have a set again. Penny from Lavenderhillstudio promptly left me a comment saying she had just put an extra one she had into the mail for me. I was so surprised and just couldn't believe it. Is that not thoughtful??


Abby and I were sooo excited when the package arrived. It was packed so well. I held my breath as I pulled it out hoping it WAS the right one. It WAS. Aren't they lovely together? Thank you again Penny so much. I'm going to be so careful with this one.

She enclosed this lovely card which is a picture of her porch made by a blogging friend. It is so pretty I'm going to frame it. If you haven't been to Penny's blog yet you should be sure to visit her and you'll love her beautiful mosaic work.

I've also received a lovely award....

I am honoured to have received this lovely Sisterhood Award from Kathy from HappyAtHome. Kathy is a wonderful new blogging friend of mine and I thoroughly enjoy reading her blog each day and look forward to her comments. If you haven't been to her blog yet I know she'll be happy to have you visit. It feels like a sisterhood circle of friends on blogland. Everyone is just so inspiring and supportive and we are like 'sisters' and good friends together. I would like to offer this award to my "sisterhood" of blogging friends who faithfully come to read my blog. You mean so much to my day. Thank you Kathy!

The Giveaway....AND A WINNER!!

I know you want me to get right to the point and not get into why I came home this late and didn't get the Giveaway Winner announced earlier...or that I came right to the Random Generator to determine the winner before having my dinner even...so I'll get right to it..

I haven't a clue what kind of Random Generator I chose but I asked for a number from "1 - 30" I left it at the "5 columns" whatever that is and hit "Get Numbers"

Then VOILA up pops the generated number .... drum rolllllllll and the Winner was #17... hmmmmm Who is #17?

Abby will tell you she was guarding the lucky comment. The Winner is Dana from thestonerabbit. Its cute because she wrote:

"Hi Judi! Thanks for the giveaway you are having!! I think Abby is just a darling helper! Dana

and Abby WAS helping.... Congratulations to Dana. Please email me your information and we'll slip it into the mail for you!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Today's I'll be announcing the winner of my Homewarming Giveaway....homewarming for my new home here at blogspot. I had thought of one handmade item as my giveaway but its turned out to be a few handmade pieces. Just because...and I hope the winner will like them.

I have made a silver necklace and matching earrings.....
and also this little flower wristlet pouch. You can carry it on your wrist and swing away

carrying some essentials when you walk to shop...or to carry your cell phone or ipod

while walking about. You can use it to keep your makeup goodies in. It has many uses.

I've embroidered the word "flowers" on it as well as added some beadwork.

I've included a lavender scented bath bomb with lavender flowers. Slip into your

warm bath and drop it in to release the wonderful salts and oil. Great for relaxing

after a stressful kind of day. There is also a moisture lotion bar in Cranberry Peach

Vanilla. I love that scent. It has skin moisturizing products that your cuticles and dry

heels and hands in particular love.

I'll be posting the winner later tonight after I get home from work and use a faithful

number generator for the winner! Its exciting for me to find out who the winner is!

Good luck...and see you back later... have a lovely day... Judi xoxo

Creamy Banana Pie

FIRST - todayat midnight is the final day to enter my Giveaway. See my sidebar for more information. I will post results on Wednesday by 5:00 p.m. Now....

SECOND - Last week I was reading a blog that belongs to one of you lovely ladies and your wonderful banana cream pie. It was on my mind sooo much that I told Marc I needed to make one for us on Saturday. I told him all about the recipe and the story about the MIL who wouldn't be able to make it for her son any longer after this Valentine's Day but this loving blogging friend, the DIL, was going to make it from now on. Then I sat down to find the whose blog it was.

We were on our way to do some shopping but I frantically tried to find that sweet blog with the recipe to buy the ingredients. I couldn't because I can't recall who wrote it!! I told Marc I wanted to make THAT recipe but finally had to give up and I made the one from my new"The Taste of Home Cookbook".

I had never made one of those from scratch. I always "cheated" and used a banana cream pie pudding recipe. But...this recipe was really so easy and delicious. I seriously think you should give it a try. Really!

The Creamy Banana Pie Recipe

1 envelope unflavoured gelatin

1/4 cup cold water

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt

2-3/4 cups milk

4 egg yolks, beaten

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp vanilla

4 medium firm bananas, divided

1 cup whipping cream, whipped

1 baked pastry shell

juice of 1 lemon

1/2 cup apple jelly (I used red currant jelly that I had on hand...can you tell from the pics?)

Soften gelatin in cold water, set aside. In saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Whisk in the milk until smooth. Cook & stir over medium heat untl thickened and bubly. Reduce heat, cook and stir more minutes. Remove from heat.

Stir in small amount of the mixture into the egg yolks. Return all to the pan, stiring constantly. Return to gentle boil , cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat and stir in softenened gelatin. Stir in butter and vanilla. At this stage (above) it is a fabulous smelling and looking custard....mmmmmmm... Cover the custard with plastic wrap and chill until no longer warm.

When you are ready to continue, slice 3 bananas and fold into custard along with the whipped cream. Spoon into pie shell. Cover and refrigerate about 3-4 hours until set.

Just before serving heat the apple jelly. Place lemon juice in a small bowl and slice there maining banana into it. Drain banana, pat dry and arrange over filling. Brush with jelly. Now the bananas on top don't look discoloured because they were brushed with the jelly. Because I used Red Currant jelly (on hand) I ended up with red currant red bananas. *lol*. Serve immediately and then refrigerate leftovers.

Now imagine the taste of this cold, creamy, bananay (is that even a word..can you say?? oh of course you can) custardy pie...that is not too sweet...but must be soooo healthy for you because bananas are good for you! Enjoy.

p.s. Can someone help me with who's blog it was I read? If it was yours please tell me so I can find your recipe!

Have a lovely rest of the day. ... Judi xoxo

BLUE Monday

Its BLUE Monday again hosted by Sally from SmilingSally. Be sure to click on her blog to visit all the other BLUE participants. They will be happy to get a comment from you so they know've been there. Enjoy.


I've had Abby for 2 months and I have wondered whether she liked other animals...cats? NO! She does not. Last week Marc and I were stepping out and a black cat ran in. Abby walked up to her and when their eyes met...whew...they were off on a house tour with Abby running after hissing and growling.


They flew through the kitchen into the diningroom and livingroom, they could hardly take the turn into my bedroom on those hardwood floors. The "black one" ran under and onto my bed and Abby sat on her haunched, hissing and spitting and I thought something horrible was going to happen. The "black one" flew out of my room and I somehow was able to stop Abby with my swinging purse. I slammed shut the door and stayed in there with her while the "black ones" owner grabbed her hissing cat and apologized and walked out.


Now Abby is so gentle, so loving and so friendly...but she doesn't like cats. She does love her little BLUE and white teddy. She loves snuggling with it.

Have a nice rest of this BLUE Monday.... Judi xoxo

Thank You for Giveaways I Won!!

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend. I haven't had a chance to post for a few days although I have had a chance to visit some blogs. Today I wanted to share a couple of giveaways I have won.

First I won the book "Never Surrender" which was a Giveaway from Sally from SmilingSally a bit ago. I haven't had the book at home to take a picture of so apart from thanking Sally I haven't posted on it yet. Thank you sooo much for my book Sally. It is a book that Sally's hubby Johnny read and couldn't put down. I am looking forward to reading it also. An avid reading friend is reading it before me so I am not ready to share more about it with you. I was very excited to receive it.

As well, Diane from A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words recently had a giveaway and I won!! It was mailed to Marc's address for me and he brought it this weekend. It would have been perfect for a PINK Saturday posting but I didn't have it ready for this Saturday and I didn't want to wait a whole week.

Diane bought one for herself and showed it on her PINK Saturday a few weeks ago. She purchased another one for a giveaway. I was the lucky winner!!! This is making me want the arrival of spring quickly. Aren't they great! They are so sturdy and they are pink and they have the nicest coating grip on them. I've never had colourful garden tools before and pretty pink ones too. Isn't that great digger..... THANK YOU so much Diane.

Don't forget to enter my Giveaway. See my Sidebar for more details about the original post.

Have a lovely day... Judi xoxo

Housewarming Giveaway!!

I've been at my new home at Blogspot for a couple of weeks now and I'm happy my lovely circle of friends have found me here.



So Abby and I think that a little housewarming giveaway should be in order. It will mostly likely be one item and it'll be something I've made. You'll have to wait to find out it is and I will have to wait and decide what it is. Sounds like a surprise.... ;o)


Just leave us a comment from now until next Tuesday, February 24th at midnight (my time) and I'll count one comment per person. I will most likely use a random generator and announce a winner on Wednesday early evening! Good Luck! Oh and be sure I have a way to find you if you are the winner.

Have a very lovely day... Judi xoxo

Happy Family Day & Happy Presiden'ts Day & Happy Blue Monday too!

Today is the 2nd year we've had Family Day in Ontario. It took many years before this holiday was finally passed. It is a day for spending with family and a holiday day off between New Year's and Easter to do so. It is a provincial holiday so the banks, malls and many other areas are closed. I wish everyone to celebrate a good one no matter which one you are celebrating. There all kinds of festivities and amusement areas open to make it a fun day.

Today is also Blue Monday hosted by Sally from SmilingSally. I'm late. Marc had President's Day off and was here until today and I didn't have my post ready earlier. Be sure to visit Sally to see all the other BLUE participants and be sure to leave a comment so they know you've been!

On Valentine's Day we went to my goddaughter's wedding. What a lovely wedding it was. It was such a beautiful wedding and you could feel the warmth...you know that kind of day? For BLUE Monday I am showing you my BLUE velvet skirt and BLUE blouse. Marc was wearing a BLUE striped shirt and a BLUE tie and my son Richard was wearing a BLUE tie also. My other son Geoff on the left was just as handsome even though his tie wasn't blue.

This is my guys with their ladies too.

This is Marc and I with the happy bride and groom.

They joked that Jason (the groom) will never have an excuse to forget his anniversary. Valentine's Day is really a romantic day for a wedding. The cake was beautiful too.

whoops...even when the bride wears some of the cake....

I hope you all had a Happy Valentine's Day too...and today a Happy Blue Monday, Family Day or President's Day.... Judi xoxo

Update on Abby....

PINK SATURDAY POST IS OUT OF ITS ORDER.
JUST READ THE ONE AFTER THIS ONE - ITS PINK SATURDAY


I wanted to post about Abby since being "fixed" last week Thursday. I felt badly having to take her in to the College to have fixed after having her declawed in December. But, she is doing amazing. She isn't even angry at me, she still loves me!! I can tell. If we could all heal as quickly as they do.

She's such a good kitty. Great company and funny and loving and she follows me around and gets into things.. like my closet.... and is rather naughty because she goes UP where she shouldn't be.
Here and....

here. I think I've shown you this pic before.

I have a hard time taking pictures of her because she usually closes her eyes because of the light...and she tends to have this grumpy look about her moreso in pictures. But...she is definately not grumpy. She is such a friendly little girl.

Tonight she wanted to help check out what her momma was doing with the dirty laundry.. She kept wanting to jump into the laundry hamper...I grabbed my camera...
as she jumped up.....

and hopped up...

.... with tail in position....



and quickly settled in. I think she was thinking "If I lie down quickly momma won't notice.."*g*... I had a pile of towels in a pile and while I went for the basket she was out and "hidden" in them.



I can't believe how attached we've become to each other and it has barely been 2 months.... I am sure those of you who have pets know what I'm talking about...mhmmmmm....

I hope you have a lovely day...and enjoy your pets... Judi xoxo

Pink Saturday - Happy Valentine's Day

I'm happy to be participating in PINK Saturday hosted by Beverley from HowSweetThe sound. Be sure to check her site for more wonderful PINK participants.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!! This is a perfect day to have PINK for Valentine's Day....and of course Valentine's Day is red too.

This is a brooche I made last year for Valentine's Day and I am wearing it again this year. I bent and moulded the wire into a shape of a heart then wrapped the pretty red wire around here and there slipping beads here and there throughout. At the end I twisted wire and hung some red swarovski crystals for a dangle effect. Now it has a couple of pink beads so I'm showing it to you.

Are you doing something special for Valentine's day? With your Mr. Romantic...or your children...or your grandchildren?

My goddaughter is getting married today at 3:00 p.m. She is the daughter of my best girlfriend, she and her hubby were the ones who had a PJ party with us at New Year's. I'll share pics with you. Marc and I are going as well as both my sons. They'll be all dressed up and handsome.

I wanted to share 2 Valentine's Days Marc and I shared. As I posted this week Marc and I live at least 3 hours from each other on a good drive. There have been 2 Valentine's over the last 11 years where because of weather or something else we haven't had a chance to spend the Valentine's together on an entire weekend.

So we met twice 1/2 way. His drive had him sitting at and crossing the border and driving 1.5 hours. I would drive my 1.5 hours and we met at a lovely restaurant called Lakehouse Restaurant right on Lake Ontario. We sat and talked and ate for a couple of hours and then said our goodbyes and drove our separate ways. Those visits were short but all the effort helped make them so very special and thoughtful.

This week I continued making tassels. This one is a pretty, pink girl tassel. Doesn't she have an adorable little face? She sits so perkily (is that even a word?) on a pink and white tassel with pink and white ribbons. There are a couple of pink and white beads dangling from the underside.

I have put her in my Etsy Shop. She goes along with the pretty pink and blue box she's sitting on. I think she'll look so pretty in a little girl's room.

I know you'll enjoy all the other PINKS today. Have a lovely Valentine's Day... Judi xoxo

Reorganzing Behind the Cabinet Doors

I've noticed and admired all the lovely rearranging going on in the china cabinets of so many of you inspirating ladies. Its always special to see everything set up pretty and with a fresh new look.

What I hate is the feeling I get if behind closed cabinet doors there sits a mess of stuff...out of order...shoved in. No one can see it but ohhhh myyyyy its bad enough because you know. I had just that feeling with what was behind the closed bottom doors of my china cabinet after Christmas. It was somewhere between pull out and shove back stage.


So last week I thought I had better do something about that. Well it sort of started when I had to try to find a space for my new thrifted dishes...the ones with the blue? I blogged about it when I was still at Wordpress.



So I reorganized and rearranged and now when I open those bottom cabinet doors it looks much better doesn't it?

I put a few pieces of the "new" blue set into the hutch for now.

I had a casualty while I did it. *sigh*. I have a sugar bowl which I like. I was really excited to find a matching creamer for it a few years ago. They were a pair. One day some time ago the mate, the creamer broke. The sugar bowl was alone again. A couple of months ago while thrifting I once again found a mate for it. Its larger so I gather it could be used to serve milk for coffee or tea. But while doing the rearranging I smacked the milker with a plate accidentally and it too broke. I was so angry at me! So the sugar bowl sits alone again. The hunt continues once again for a mate of the sugar bowl.

I hope you are more careful when you do your cleaning.... Have a lovely day.. Judi xoxo

Tagged - 7 Secret Things

Heidi from Bargain-Hunting In The Corn has tagged me for 7 Secret Things.

Here are the rules of the TAG...

Tell seven things that people may not know about you...

Link to the person who tagged you...

Then give the links of the people you are going to tag.

1) Marc and I met online, in a chat room where we'd been chatting with people from all over the world. He lives in New York State and I live in Ontario, Canada which on a good drive is 3 hours -its rarely quite that short due to traffic (my longest one time drive was 7 hours). We get together every weekend. For 6 months of the year (summer) I drive to his cottage right on Lake Ontario (across the lake from me) where he moves to in the summer, and 6 months of the year (winter) he drives to my place. We share emails throughout the day and a phone conversaton every evening before bedtime. We have been doing this for over 11 years! Must be love..eh?


2) I have a "thing" about walking DOWNstairs. I have to touch a railing or brush my shoulders against the wall to keep my feet walking without "missing". If I have a long dress on I have to watch every step because I will "miss" a step. It has to be a brain and foot thing. I've had it for years. I never avoid stairs or even think of it and take the stairs whenever I come across any. I just follow through real carefully.

3) I can't drive a standard car. I tried to learn years ago but I always dreaded and worried about when I would have to slow down or heaven forbid STOP. I knew I'd have to "cough" my way back into first gear! *lol*.


4) I would love to own and operate a "Tea Room". A lovely little shop with vintage and antique goods, and lovely crafts and lace and soaps and the like. I'd love to have an area where one could sit and have some tea and biscuits or cake or something yummy between shopping and looking around. Would you come to my shop?

5) I love crafts. Well that may not be a secret here any longer. When I see something someone else has made or I see something in a store I'd like then I want to make it myself!

6) Whenever I have sold a house or property closed a deal and moved from an area thats when house prices go up! They go up lots! This has happened THREE times. Quiet market suddenly goes bizzark within 6 months of my selling and moving out. None of these times benefited me.

7) Years ago I used to leave a job after a year or two and when my sons were born I would leave for sure. When I started work at the College it was to be for a 24 hour week part-time position. That lasted 2 weeks then became a regular work week. I've continued working at the College for 25 years. This summer I will be up to 30 days of vacation.

So there now you know some more about me. I now tag the following wonderful ladies ....but of course only if they want to. I think we'll have to check to see if they are "up" to this tag...

Kathy
Bo
Julie
Susan
Sheila
Diane
Sher

I hope you are enjoying a lovely day today.... Judi xoxo

BLUE Monday

Its Monday, BLUE Monday so be sure to click to Sally from SmilingSally our Blue Monday Hostess to see the other Blue Monday participants. Don't forget to leave everyone a comment so they'll know you've visited.

My BLUE Monday today has a picture of the rooster cake plate I gave to my younger son Richard's Eva for her birthday a few weeks ago. They have blue dishes and she loves baking and this cake plate complements her dishes.

I also made her a TommyHilfger BLUE jean bag. This is the backside of it.

We had dinner at a Chinese Restaurant.... My mom is on the left at the end, Eva's grandmother is sitting beside her and my youngest son Richard is sitting beside me. My eldest son Geoff and my granddaughter Madeline weren't there unfortunately.

Be sure to check out the other Blues for today and have a lovely day.... Judi xoxo

Butter Tarts

Yesterday for dessert I made some Butter Tarts. Now I really love them with raisins but alas I didn't have any...so I made them as Walnut Butter Tarts. It was so nice and easy to make them because I used the Pilsbury Rolled dough to make the tart shells. Don't they look nice on the pretty, blue, thrifted cake/goodie stand from last weekend? I had some minced meat left in a jar in the fridge from Christmas and some extra pastry so I made 3 mini tart shells too. Those are Marc's favourites.

This is the Recipe if you'd like to make them..

Ingredients:

1/2 cup corn syrup

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup butter

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup raisins or walnuts or pecans (or add raisins and nuts)

Pastry for double crust.

Method:

In heavy saucepan add all ingredients except raisins/nuts stirring on medium heat to melt. When all is mixed in well and melted add the raisins or walnuts.

Using 4" round biscuit cutter (or glass) cut out 9 rounds of pastry and line medium size muffin tin. Pour the filling using a measuring cup fill tart shells 2/3 full.

Bake at 400F for 10 minutes and lower to 350F and bake additional 5 minutes or until pastry is just beginning to brown. Do not overcook to keep the filling more runny than dry.

Cool in pan on rack. Remove and keep in airtight tan.

Yummy and simple too! Have a lovely day... Judi xoxo

Orange festival in the Netherlands????

Happy Friday!

I received an email forwarded to me with these neat pictures. The title and small blurb said they were from an orange festival in Netherlands. Before sharing them with you I thought I would google and learn more and then share THAT with you too.

Well....someone had posted how they weren't from the Netherlands because the Netherlands doesn't have mountains or.... palm trees. I took a better look at the pictures and that made sense to me! But maybe the palm trees were just a decoration...but the mountains? They also said that it was France that has orange sculptures but I couldn't find anything about the festival!

So I don't know where this festival might have been...do you? The pictures are very neat and I hope you enjoy them. Let me know if you know something more about them.

Have a wonderful day today... Judi xoxo