Crafts & Projects

love notes jar

A week of Valentine’s Treats ~ Day THREE! ~ A LOVE NOTES JAR! Today I made a jar of love notes for the hubby. I included coupons for hugs, kisses, back rubs, batches of cupcakes, movie dates, tea dates, lunch dates, candlelight dinners, morning walks, theater tickets, sunset viewings on the porch (with vino) and…

honey bear valentine

For day TWO of our week of Valentine’s treats I thought I’d share something simple and sweet with you. Honey bear Valentines! I like this idea because it’s cute and practical, and a lovely little gift to give to the tea lovers in your life. These little honeys go together quickly…all you need are the…

tea for two gift

Hello friends! I’m busy working in my studio today…and putting together a “Tea for Two” gift! We gave tea gifts to all of our friends a few years ago, and it’s such a fun way to share the love of tea. You can buy everything new, or you can stash little antique shop/tag sale/ thrift…

crocheted sequoia cowl

Happy Friday! I just got back from a lovely couple hours at my friend Clare’s quilting studio. We shared a bottle of THIS, enjoyed Bavarian pretzels, cheese, crackers and red pears for a happy hour treat. Now I’m back home, hanging out with my family, and looking forward to a weekend balanced with a good…

tomato jam

~ tomato jam ~ This is a tomato jam recipe inspired by my favorite minimalist, Mark Bittman. The man is a genius. ‘Nuff said. I made a couple minor changes to the recipe. It’s amazing. How do you use tomato jam you may ask? Well, the beauty of this condiment is it’s versatility. It’s sweet,…

fairy cakes

~ fairy cakes ~ “Flowers add romantic history to our food. They lend a charming, healthy, and unusual dimension to our tables. During Queen Victoria’s reign there was a Primrose Day. A fanciful recipe for fairy cups called for a peck of flowers pounded with ladyfingers, three pints of cream, sixteen eggs and a little…

rose butter tea sandwiches with scented sugar

~ rose butter tea sandwiches with scented sugar ~ Gracie and I enjoyed these fragrant, rosy sandwiches for our teatime today while watching a few episodes of  Glee. It’s been raining cats and dogs today in the Mississippi river valley! The perfect kind of weather for snuggling under a quilt, turning on the fireplace, eating…

a six senses post

seeing :: some of my vintage table linens drying in the breeze on my new clothesline that the hubby installed for me. Thanks hubby! …pickles, sauces, jams, syrups, preserves, baked goods, bison, honey, produce and even some baby goats as we perused the stalls at the Red Wing Farmer’s Market… the gorgeous hanging flower baskets…

refrigerator pickles a la melissa

~ refrigerator pickles ~ My friend Becky gave me a basic refrigerator pickle recipe that I used to create my version. I LOVE dill…and garlic is good in almost everything. I like a lot of pickle juice, so I doubled that without doubling the cucumbers…I did add a few extra though. They turned out SO…

herbal simple syrup

~ herbal simple syrup ~ Transform sugar, water and herbs into a flavorful syrup that will make your iced tea and lemonade sing! It’s so simple I could hardly believe it. The result is a gorgeous syrup that will keep in your fridge all summer. Little bottles of this would make lovely favors for a…