Happy New Year From Ash Tree Cottage!

In a few short hours 2011 will be but a memory!

Bentley and I want to thank you for all of the wonderful hours we

have spent together in 2011!

We are looking forward to many more in 2012!

Wishing you all a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year!!!

Seasonal Sundays

Cheers and Big Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

It Was a Very Pink Year

I really enjoyed creating posts for Pink Saturday in 2011.

Here are my favorite pink posts.  I love collecting anything vintage and pink,

especially dishes, fabrics and prints.

I had fun bringing pinks together for decorating schemes.

What can be better than pink for dollhouse creations?  I had so much fun

creating this pink bed for my dollhouse.

Sewing and crafting with pink floral fabric is delightful.

There were pinks in the spring.

And pinks in the fall.  Remember the pink floral pumpkin?  

And a little pink cottage for under the Christmas tree.  I must make

more of these for next year.  I wanted to make a whole village, but

just did not have the time.

And finally ending up the year with my pink ice skate.  I created this skate

for a special Christmas card for my friend Juli who has worked very hard to

become a very good figure skater.

It was a wonderful Pink year!

I am joining Beverly

and I am looking forward to many pretty Pink Saturday's in 2012!

Thank you Bentley for always being by my side when I am creating.

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Time Flies When You Are Having Fun!

Bentley and I had lot's of fun around the cottage in 2011.

Let's see ~ we have been setting up tea parties in the garden.

Painting furniture.  I think my hubby is afraid that every piece of

furniture we own will be painted white.  He does not need to worry ~

I am painting the hutch in the kitchen red!

We have been designing tablescapes.  There is that chicken again!

And making miniature furniture.

Don't you love those little saddle shoes?  I sure do!

Setting up a fun and feminine tent in the backyard.

And playing in the garden.

Painting yet more furniture.  Bentley ~ have you noticed that your

Momma is a bit obsessed with dogs?

And turning more trash into treasure.

It's been a very fun year!

This is the last time I'll be joining these fun parties in 2011 ~

but look forward to joining them again next year!

Show and Tell Friday

Home Sweet Home

Potpourri Friday

Inspiration Friday

Feathered Nest Friday

Vintage Inspiration Friday

and

Farmhouse Friday

We had lot's of fun in 2011 didn't we Bentley?

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

What I Love About Cottage Style Kitchens

Source: la-belle-vie.tumblr.com via Susan on Pinterest

Farmhouse sinks and chippy cabinets.

Source: jamaicabyles.blogspot.com via Susan on Pinterest

Big tables where I can roll out a pie crust, set trays of cookies or invite a neighbor to
sit down for a cup of coffee or tea.

Source: villahonkasalo.blogspot.com via Susan on Pinterest

Charming bits of this and that.  Beloved pieces that don't match, but somehow work together.

Source: sherellechristensen.typepad.com via Susan on Pinterest

Cute vintage style aprons hanging up on hooks.

I love it all!  How about you Bentley ~ what do you think?

Hugs,
Susan and Bentley

What's Your Decorating Inspiration?

I am experiencing (as are many of you) the after Christmas let down.

While the cottage looks all warm and cozy with all of the Christmas 

decorations still up, soon it will all come down and everything will look 

a bit less cheerful.

What to do to spice up the couple of cold and dreary months ahead?

Decorate!

All of the reds in the Christmas decorations have made me realize that I want to

use more reds in my accents.  Red and white.  Happy and clean and uplifting.

Oh and chickens.  My heart was stolen by my neighbor's chickens.  I never

knew how very fond of them I could be.

David and Bentley have prevented me from having a few running around our

yard ~ but I can still enjoy their presence in other ways.

My Mom has decided she would like to have some chickens.  There is a little cottage

just one block from my own that is for sale.  It is a really sweet little place.  Mom's

neighbors have been moving into assisted living facilities (neither of us want that for

her) and she may be ready for a change.  If we bought that little cottage for her she

would be close to Bentley ~ AND she could have her own chickens and a 

chicken coop.  I am going to share a sweet design I found on William Poole's

site of a Grandma's cottage.  The one down the street is very, very similar and we

could make it the cutest little cottage!

So once again ~ chickens are inspiring!

Oh and one more thing before I let you go.  Stop over and visit our BFF

Brenda she found a wonderful source for crafting fabrics.  She bought the 

cutest rooster print you all must see.  I don't know about you, but little

sewing and crafting projects just relax me and make me feel all warm and

cozy!

AND ~ I am about to start painting my kitchen hutch.  It's currently blue with a 

white interior and Laura Ashley fabric covering the shelves.  You know the one,

you have all seen it.  Well, if I get the nerve it will be painted red with white

shelves.

Okay Bentley ~ send everyone your biggest grin and a wave too!

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Merry Christmas to All

Christmas Eve ~ my favorite night of the year.

My heart is filled with such great joy and peace knowing that

tomorrow we will be celebrating the birth of Our Savior.

May we all remember the true meaning of Christmas not just tonight

and tomorrow ~ but all year long.

Bentley and I are so grateful to call you our friends.

And we send our very best wishes for a Blessed and Merry Christmas to

each one of you!

Please join me in visiting 

Seasonal Sundays

God Bless,

Susan and Bentley

Survey ~ What Are You Serving For Christmas Dinner?

What is your traditional Christmas Dinner?

Is it roast turkey or ham, roast beef or goose?

Or perhaps you are a vegan or vegetarian.

Our traditional Christmas dinner is a very British one.

Although the Brits are not known for their fine cuisine (sorry to all of

my British friends) we always serve roast beef.  It's a standing rib

roast served with horseradish sauce, Yorkshire pudding (in honor

of Bentley's roots) and Brussel sprouts (much to hubby's chagrin).

Dessert is always a pecan pie ~ especially for David who is from Texas.

One year while I was living in Bahrain, I had 25 friends over for Christmas 

dinner.  I had the only Christmas tree ~ a spindly little thing shipped in from

Jordan.  I roasted a turkey which took forever because the thermostat in my

oven was not working.  I ended up putting the bird in my neighbor's cooker.

Guests brought specialties like smoked salmon from Scotland consumed with

bottles of champagne.  One fellow brought over caviar from the Caspian Sea

which was excellent.  He brought along several bottles of Russian Vodka

that he froze in ice.  By the time we got around to the turkey everyone was

feeling extremely jolly.  We were all wearing those funny little hats that come

out of the Christmas poppers.  I steamed plum pudding in a pressure cooker and 

that's what we had for dessert.  Everyone told me it was the best Christmas

party they had ever attended.  Must have been ~ because the next morning

my house was a mess.  

But ... one of the guests thought to send his houseboy over in the morning

to clean up!  What a blessing that was.

What is your favorite tradition for Christmas dinner?  Or what is your

favorite memory of a Christmas celebration?

The best thing about celebrating Christmas is sharing it with those 

you love.  For me, those the best memories of all!

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Christmas at Mom's House

Let's go visit my Mom's house.  

Her mantel is decorated for the holidays.  That frame over the

mantel came from my Great Grandmother's farm in Pennsylvania.

Daddy brought the sconces back from a trip to Rome.  We are the

lucky recipients of his many international business travels.

A pretty ornament on the mantel.

Let's move over to the coffee table for some cheese fondue and a glass of wine.

Daddy brought this fondue pot back from a trip to Switzerland.  We always

serve fondue at Christmas.

Would you like to stay for Christmas lunch?

Have a seat at Mom's cozy table.

Or find a comfy spot in her solarium.

A Christmas angel will welcome you ...

And a comfy throw will too.

Don't forget to help yourself to some chocolates in the Christmas candy box.

Thank you for coming with me to visit my Mom.  She loves company!

I am joining ~

Show and Tell Friday

and

Pink Saturday

Bentley ~ I know you just had Birthday presents, but there will be lots

of Christmas presents for you too.  What a lucky dog you are!

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Bentley's 6th Birthday

What do you give to the sweetest little dog in the world for his birthday?

Why a box filled with peanut butter biscuits of course!

Happy Birthday my sweet boy!  Momma loves you!!!

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Late Night in the Mini Christmas Cottage

I love Claudia's and Brenda's series on Defending the Small House so

much that I am joining them once again today to show you an example of

the mini cottage vignettes I have in my house.  Here is my little Christmas

mini display tucked into my library stack.  I can just imagine a little fairy 

reading a Charles Dickens classic or perhaps one by Beatrix Potter in that 

cozy little red and white chair I made a few months ago.

Stop by and visit these talented women.  You will enjoy the visit!

And ...  Be sure to visit Kim for

Wow Us Wednesday

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Holiday Recycle Wrap-it-Up

I like to recycle for two reasons, well actually three.

First, is the obvious because I am a conservationist.

Secondly, in a small house we make use of every inch of

space, and that includes spots to store wrapping materials.

And finally ~ who can afford to buy new all the time in 

this current economy?

So ~ here is a Christmas wrap from an used brown paper bag.

Some white craft paint.  A few twigs and a pine cone found on

a walk, and left over yarn from a crochet project.

Suddenly I have a sweet little forest scene for pennies from items

I already had.  No trip to the store for wrapping paper.

I am joining

Defending the Small House

and

Table Top Tuesday

Bentley ~ your big day is Wednesday!  Are you excited??

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley