A Winter Woodland Dinner

We are so fortunate in Idaho to have some of the most spectacular forests

in the United States.  Not far from my home, the forests begin.  There are

majestic mountains, Ponderosa pines, beautiful glacier lakes and many

rivers and streams.

I love it up in the woods, so I have created a winter woodland theme tablescape.

I found these charming dinner plates at one of my favorite shops ~

Forget Me Not Antiques.  It is the Welcome Home pattern by J&G Meakin of

Staffordshire, England.  Such a cozy and welcoming winter scene.

I love these tags too.  I added them to mini grape vine wreaths to use as

napkin rings.

All of these dishes and napkins and accessories will end up in our cabin.

I think we have a plan selected now and David has chatted with a log

broker.  We are very excited and hope to be spending Christmas of 2012 in

our new getaway in the woods.

I am joining ~

Vintage Thingie Thursday

Tablescape Thursday
Show and Tell Friday
Inspiration Friday
Feathered Nest Friday
Vintage Inspiration Friday
Home Sweet Home
Potpourri Friday
and
Farmhouse Friday

Bentley is excited about the new cabin too.  He will have a friend up there.

Joey a cute little Maltese is just a couple of doors away and his Mom and Dad

are good friends of ours.  

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Getting Ready for Thanksgiving

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is almost a week away, but it is.

It's truly one of my favorite holidays.   I am taking a short vacation and am really

enjoying getting ready for the big feast.  I'm playing around with centerpiece ideas

for the table.  Polishing silver, getting the crystal ready and just having so much

fun playing house.

I have decided to go with a rustic look with a touch of elegance too.

I love combining vintage well loved family heirlooms with some newer 

pieces too.  

This pearl handled flatware is from David's Mom.  She purchased it

years ago from Carl Forslund in Michigan.  I think she would

have been happy to know that we are treasuring it now.  

So now I am back to fluffing the cottage and planning my menu and

visiting with you!

I am linking to ~

Open House Party

Tablescape Thursday

Vintage Thingie Thursday

Bentley ~ I just love being home with you!

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Cabin Dreams

David and I have been dreaming of the cabin we want to build on the lot we bought

back in September.  I have been gathering up things I want to put in the cabin before

it's even built.  I know ~ it's the cart before the horse.

These Ralph Lauren tartan plates are for the cabin and so are the birch bark 

candles.  It seems like every time I go into a thrift or consignment shop I find

something that would be perfect for up north.

We are going to have to decide on a plan soon, because we need to submit it to

the home owner's association for approval, then start pulling permits and also

get our logs ordered from the mill.  Thankfully we live in logging country, so

we can have our pick of logs.  

We already know that we want post and beam construction, open concept and a

big stone fireplace as well as a wood stove.  However, when we start altering

plans, we are a bit like Cary Grant and Myrna Loy in Mr Blandings Builds His

Dream House.  It's he wants, she wants, but we have a budget and it's not

a huge one.  

Primarily I want it to be cozy and charming and filled with vintage decor.  A real

vintage camp style place that our friends and family will love to visit.  A place for the

skis, snowboards, snowshoes and fly fishing gear.  A table where we can play Scrabble

and put jigsaw puzzles on days when we are snowed in.  

A dinner bell out on the back porch that we can ring when dinners ready and a 

martini flag that we can fly when it's time for cocktails.

It won't be spring until we will be able to break ground, but until then I will

be gathering up vintage items to turn our cabin into a cozy nest.

I am linking up to

Tablescape Thursday

Vintage Thingie Thursday

Show and Tell Friday

Home Sweet Home

Bentley ~ I see you brought out your moose.  You are anxious to go up

north too.

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

In Memory of Leila

My Mother-in-Law Leila passed away on Monday after a long battle

with Alzheimer's.

Tomorrow on November 3rd there will be a memorial service for her.

It would have been her 87th birthday.

She lived in Houston, Texas and will be missed by 

her family.

Rest in peace Leila.

In her memory I am linking to these parties because she would have loved blogland.

Tablescape Thursday

Vintage Thingie Thursday

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Soup Tureen Time

I love this time of the year when there is a chill in the air and it's the perfect time

for making soups and stews.

It's fun to serve family and friends homemade soup from a vintage

tureen.  There is nothing more comforting than coming home to the lovely 

aroma of soup simmering on the stove.

Tomorrow I will be sharing my recipe for beef and barley soup.  It's a 

hearty soup that you can easily make a meal from served with crusty bread

and a salad.  I will be sharing lots of my soup recipes with you.  If you are

a vegetarian or a vegan, I have recipes for you too.  

Until tomorrow let's party with ~

Tablescape Thursday

and

Vintage Thingie Thursday

Bentley ~ should I arrange a play date for you and sweet Daisy?

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Having a Field Day

Y'all come over for a field day at Ash Tree Cottage!

We are serving some hot spiced cider ...

And some wine and cheese.  Look at these cute vintage Halloween

party picks ~ so cute and festive too.

Don't you just love fall?

I am linking to these fun parties

Autumn Arrives

and

Vintage Thingie Thursday

and

Fall Open House Party

Bentley has been such a good boy and although he has been eyeing the 

cheese, he has not tried to snitch any. I think he deserves a piece of

cheese.  Don't you?

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Sweater Weather

Up until two days ago, the weather here was in the mid 80's to lower 90's.

Yesterday it started to cool off and now it's quite cool, dark and we are receiving

lots of rain.  

Sweater weather is here!

The leaves are starting to turn brilliant yellows, reds and

browns and will be piling up just as they did last year around

my Mom's vintage wrought iron bench circling her maple tree.

I want to just stay cozy in my cottage, make a cup of tea and knit a 

sweater.  Maybe one for Bentley.  It's also good blogging weather ~ so I am

linking up to ...

Open House Party on Thursdays

Tablescape Thursday

and

Vintage Thingie Thursday

Bentley ~ you may not need to wear a sweater just yet, but how 

about your raincoat?

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Vintage Salad Days

We are eating lots of salads these days.  While I did not plant a veggie garden

this year, many of our friends did and they have been kind enough to

share some of their tasty harvest with us.

I'm pulling out a vintage salad cookbook, a vintage salad bowl and a 

sweet vintage salad dressing carafe for some retro tossing.

I love the radishes on this bowl and the rippled glass on the carafe.

Just add some vintage salad forks and we are ready to dive into a

big healthy salad ~ yum!

I am joining ~

Rednesday

Tablescape Thursday

and

Vintage Thingie Thursday

Bentley had lot's of fun visiting with the refrigerator delivery men yesterday.

But I don't think he understood why they could not stay and play with

him all day.

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Teacher's Pet

School is starting next Monday in our area.

Wow ~ hard to believe isn't it?  So here is a little tablescape

to get everyone in the school days mood.

I am fondly remembering back to those happy school days

when I wanted to be teacher's pet.

Joining ~

Rednesday

Tablescape Thursday

and

Vintage Thingie Thursday

Bentley loves the kids in our neighborhood and will be out

at the front gate saying hi to them as they walk past our cottage

on their way to Longfellow Elementary.

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Go Fish

I found some great fishy items at thrift and consignment shops

and put them all together for a Go Fish Tablescape.

Cute super cheap plates from Anthropologie.

A vintage wicker fish.

Vintage fishy salt and pepper shakers and a vintage fish bucket.

Laundry line to tie up the flatware and a cute fishy flour sack towel.

I soaked a few sea shells in bleach to use to decorate the glasses.

Anchors Away Bentley!!

I am joining ~

Vintage Thingie Thursday

and

Tablescape Thursday

Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Patio Daddy-O

The 1950's was a time when backyard grilling came into

it's prime.  While this little book is not technically vintage yet ...

The recipes inside certainly are.

I started collecting these vintage trays.  I have Oregon, Wyoming

and Ohio (where both of my parents were born)

Sadly, I don't have Idaho yet.  But hey

Oregon is only 50 miles away!

It's hot here ...

so stay cool Daddy-O!!!

I am heading over to ~

Vintage Thingie Thursday

and

Tablescape Thursday

Shall I add an ice cube to your water Bentley???

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

Pots-de-Creme

I have some lovely vintage Pots-de-Creme that my Mom

gave me.

It's fun to lift up the little lid and find a sweet

chocolate treat inside.

I do not have any Pots-de-Creme spoons, so I use demitasse spoons

instead. This dessert pairs nicely with a glass of sherry or a Madeira.

Here is my Mom's easy bender recipe for Pots-de-Creme

In a blender, combine 3/4 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup of hot milk

After the chocolate has melted add:

1 egg yolk ( I temper this a bit first)

Pour this mixture into 4 pot-de-creme cups. Place these in

refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours. Add a bit of whipped cream to each

and cover with lid.

Enjoy!

I am joining

Vintage Thingie Thursday

and

Tablescape Thursday

Dogs can't have chocolate Bentley. Maybe I should

create a peanut butter custard for you!

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

Vintage Silver and Crystal

My sweet hubby lives in a very feminine little cottage.

Lots of flowers and lots of pillows.

So ...

He has an area that is a bit more masculine ...

The Bar.

Vintage crystal decanters, an antique silver tray, deep

Balmoral red from Ralph Lauren on the walls

above the wainscoting.

When it's time for the cocktail hour, he is ready to fill the

vintage ice bucket and ask you ...

What's your pleasure??

I am joining

Vintage Thingie Thursday

Tablescape Thursday

Bentley ~ would you like your Daddy to put an ice cube in

your water dish?? What's that? You want a vintage

silver dog bowl now???

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo

A Vintage Holiday Picnic

If you are planning a holiday picnic,

bring along some vintage elements like ...

A vintage plaid thermos for some hot cocoa or

hot coffee ...

A bottle of vintage wine ...

With a fun snow globe cork!

Some candles and some matches in a

reproduction vintage box. Those little birds are

so sweet!

Some cookies in a vintage plaid tin

and some vintage style napkins too!

I am joining:

Vintage Thingie Thursday

and

Tablescape Thursday

Be sure to visit these fun parties!

Don't worry Bentley ~ Momma won't forget a tin of

dog biscuits for you!!!

Love,

Susan and Bentley

xxoo