Great Weekend!

I had a wonderful weekend visiting my sisters near Reading, PA.  We had such a great time.  The area is very woodsy with lots of forest and rail trails.  My sisters live in front of a railroad that travels three or four times a day and even at night.  At night it sounded like the Polar Express coming getting ready to take the children to the North Pole.  We visited the Nolde National Forest and saw the amazing Nolde Mansion!  It was built in the 1900's with an English Tudor design. The back of the house had the feel of a castle and the front of the house was very grand but normal looking.

 

We loved looking at all the detail that was put into this house.

 

 

Jacob Nolte planted 500,000 evergreen trees by 1916.  This is now the Nolde Forest.

 

 

We went to lots of Antique shops.  I found the cutest Hubley Bulldog doorstop.

Before I even walked into the shop (it was actually an antique mall) I said I want a bulldog.

My sister was with me and she knows when I want something  I usually find it because I'm focused on that one thing. We saw some ceramic dogs but not what I wanted.  We kept going looking through everything and suddenly as I turn the corner there is my bulldog. I look at my sister and said that's it! It was 20% off which made it even better!

Where my sisters live it's very backwoods.  The neighbor had an old red Volkswagen bug sitting in their driveway.  I loved the rust and the vintageness of it.  I took lots of pictures and plan on painting it.  I love these old treasures.  What about you?

 

 

I loved all the rail trails and beautiful scenery God created.  What a calming relaxing walk (except for the hunters I saw come out of the woods) that freaked me out but other than that it was beautiful!

 

Now on to getting ready for New Year's. Wishing You a very exciting new year in 2014!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Merry Christmas!

I've been busy decorating the house and getting ready for Christmas.  I usually decorate the house with a theme.  This year I decided to go with a natural, woodsy theme.  I had fun making some new projects.

 

This year I used things around the house and things I found in my neighborhood to make my projects.

I love being creative and finding ways to make things I see on Pinterest.

 

 

 

I made this Joy to the World sign out of reclaimed wood I saw in the trash.

Since it was already grey and peeling I sanded it in some spots and then free handed  Joy to the World on it.

 

 

My deer head I made out of paper mache and cardboard.

 

 

The nativity is decorated with some Pom Pom fringe.

 

 

This tree was made from a pizza box.  I will do a tutorial on how to make this.

 

 

 

My tree decorated with tags from Target and deer from the dollar store.

I made little pom poms and paper cones from old sheet music.

I also found some cute woodsy animal ornaments from Target.

 

Wishing You A Blessed Christmas!

 

Leslie

Mini Peach Pies

This week I've been baking up a storm.  First I made the cutest mini peach pies.  I found a recipe on Pinterest that was perfect!  I was shopping at my local Salvation Army store and spotted the cutest little tart or quiche pans. I'm really not sure what they are, but knew they would make cute little fruit pies.  I cheated and used store bought crust.  I know, I was feeling lazy. I made some with the latice and some with a heart placed in the center. 

 

I was so glad to find peaches on sale at my local Price Rite grocery store. They were .99 cents a pound. I just got an advertisement for another local grocer who has them for .69 cent a pound. I think I'll go get some more.  I love peaches this time of year! Maybe I can find another good recipe on Pinterest for a peach dessert.

 

 

 

 

Mini Peach Pies

 

 

Ingredients

 

• For Filling: 1 batch of pie crust
• 4-5 medium sized peaches, peeled and cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup of granulated sugar
• 1 rounded teaspoon of flour
• 1 rounded teaspoon of corn starch
• 2-3 drops of almond extract  ( I didn't add this because I wasn't sure how it would taste)
• 1/2 lemon juiced
• For Topping: 1 egg white mixed with 1/2 of egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar  

Instructions

• In a medium sized bowl, combine peaches, 1/4 cup sugar, flour, corn starch, almond extract, and lemon juice.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes
• Grease 3 ramekins with cooking spray or butter and preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Roll out pies crust to about 1/8 th inch thickness, thinner then you would making a full size pie
• Cut the crust to a circle that is about 1 and a 1/2 inches to 2 inches larger than the edges of the ramekin.
• Fit the dough circle into the ramekin and gently push down to fit the size.
• Fill with peach filling to the top of the ramekins.



 

 

I made a peach smoothie in my new Hamilton Beach milk shake maker.

I bought this beauty at a yard sale for $2.00.

 

 

 





 

 I switched up the mantle to a new nautical theme. I wanted to make it more

nautical then beach themed.  Last years mantle was more the turquoise and white beach theme.

I painted the oar dark blue and added some white plastic letters that are used for signs.

I also added  some coral accents such as the  pillow and picture frame.

 

 

This is Sherbet's favorite spot. She loves this chair that I recovered

using drop cloth. It is not the best slip covering job, but hey it's my first

attempt at making one. The chair is a red leather club chair.  It used to match my decor,

but not any more. I tend to mix things up which drives my husband nuts!

 



 

I have lots of ideas floating in my head. I want to paint my dining room

table and chairs.  I would like to paint them white with a dark stained table top.

I would also like to paint the china hutch white to match the rest of the room.

I can't wait to get my dining room done! 

I will show you pictures when I'm done.

 

Have a great day!

Leslie

Lovin this Spring Weather!

I can't tell you how excited I am for this spring summer weather.

  It sure feel like summer is here in the northeast. 

 The temperatures have been in the 70's and tomorrow it's supposed to be in the 80's. Woo Hoo!!!  I've been out in the yard raking and cleaning out the pond. 

 I found three dead frogs:(  I think it was a momma, papa and baby. 

 I felt so bad for these frogs.

  I gave them a burial in the back yard. 

I hope some new ones come back because

 I love going out in the morning and seeing the frogs sitting on the rocks.

  My husband told me to turn the pond off because it was wasting electricity. 

 I should have known the frogs were still in there. 

 I was hoping they would have hopped out and went to a warmer, safer, shelter. 

Well anyways I've been getting my hands dirty and lovin' every minute of it!

 

 

I made a new Spring wreath for the front door.

I took a plain grapevine wreath and added some garden tools,

seed packets and made a moss covered topiary.

 I took a terracotta pot, a Styrofoam ball and a flat sheet of moss and made a topiary.

 

 

 

 

Hope you have a great day!

 

Leslie

Peanut butter eggs and birds

 

My dear neighbor lady calls and says she has something for us.

 Well, Easter is very soon and that could only mean one thing, "Peanut butter eggs!"

 She makes the best peanut butter eggs ever!

Are you watching the Bible on the History channel? 

 I've been watching since the beginning and enjoy it.

 

I made these cute little birds out of scrapbooking paper. I hung them on some lighted branches.

 

 

I can't believe Easter is next week! 

 I wish spring would just come. 

 Tomorrow the weather men are saying we are getting snow.

 

 

I hope you have a great week!

 

Leslie



Easter Table

I love Easter time.

  It means celebrating the death and resurrection of our Lord.

Christ the Lord is risen today Al-le-lu-ia!

 

Sons of men and angels say Al-le-lu-ia!

 

Raise your joys and triumps high Al-le-lu-ia.

 

Sing ye heav'ns and earth reply Al-le-lu-ia.

 

I love this beautiful hymn!

 

Hope you have a great day.

 

Leslie

 



Spring Mantel

My Mantle is ready for Spring!

 

I can't believe Easter is almost here.
I have some pictures of last years Easter table that I will show you in another post.

 

Sherbet loves this chair! She thinks she owns it!

 

Check out the cute, vintage pages from an old ABC book.

 

 

I made a little bunting from drop cloth.

 

 

 

 

Simple and uncluttered.

 

 

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my Spring mantle.

Hope you have a great day!

 

Leslie

 

Kitchen Before and After

My kitchen was in a desperate need of a makeover. 

The dark stained cabinets had no life.

They lacked the brightness I needed in my kitchen.

After looking at several different blogs on how to paint kitchen cupboards,

 I made up my mind to just go for it!

It really wasn't that hard.

I primed them first with Kilz oil based primer.

Then I went to Lowes and bought a gallon of Olympic Kitchen and Bath Latex.

The color I picked out was a lovely creamish white color called Milk Paint.

I primed and gave them two coats.

 

Here is the Before.

 

 

And here is the After.

 

I love how cheery and bright the kitchen is now.

What a difference a little bit of paint makes.

I love my new kitchen!

Are you ready to take the challenge?

Go for it!

Paint those kitchen cupboards white!

Don't be in fear!

 

 

Leslie

 



New Blog

Welcome to my new blog Avenue Living.

I enjoy decorating my 1900's house on a busy avenue in southern Pennsylvania.

I love vintage things.  I also enjoy re purposing things into something beautiful. 

I can't wait to show you some of things I have done in our home.

Ideas are always swirling around in my head. What can I do next..... Are you like that?

 I have a black and white composition book that I'm always writing or sketching ideas.

Writing this blog might help me get more motivated to start projects and finish them.

 

 

Well here's to a new blog.

I hope you will come along with me as I decorate and talk about life.

 

 

Leslie