Counting My Blessings

    When you live long enough to be a great-grandmother, there are so many sweet memories.  Yesterday was a very special day, filled with the sweetest kind of memories.  My oldest grandson called and said that he and his son (my great-grandson) were going to drive over.  They live about an hour away.  I asked if they could stay for dinner.  Of course was the reply.

    I just had to stop and thank the Lord for such a wonderful and loving family.  The afternoon was filled with tons of laughter and of course a lot of watching the X-Games.  I loved every minute.

    My grandson on the left, then my great-grandson and my youngest son.  Life is good and I am sooooooooo BLESSED.

    Dinner was really simple, just what the great-grand would like.

    Hamburgers
    Chips
    Macaroni Salad
    Ranch Beans

    The best treat of all was we made shakes in my old Malt Machine that was in my parents soda fountain when I was little.


    I am fascinated by the old plug too.



    A fabulous day and such a sweet Blessing from the Lord.  I hope all of you have a Blessed day and Count your Blessing too.

Post Title

Counting My Blessings


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Big Bang for $2 Bucks

    If you've been following along for the last few days, then you know that I have been reading all of my decorating books and trying the pay close attention to all the details. 


     Well, all of a sudden the light bulb went off again, and I saw something else that makes a huge difference.  Seems it's the little details that totally finish a room or a vignette.  When I found my rooster lamp, I also found this shade at Ross.  Works perfect, but it is just a shade.


    I see so many wonderfully trimmed shades, or they use tassels on the sides of the lamps or the shades.  Now I always buy tassels at Ross when I see one in a color that might work in my house.  They are usually around $2, and I use them everywhere, except on the lampshades.  Doesn't this make a huge difference on a plain shade.  I love the look.




     All I did was loop it around the frame of the lampshade, and it just hangs there perfectly.


    I tiny detail, but it does make a difference.


    Do you really study the details?  I know most of you do because your rooms always look so beautiful.  Now I am off the look at more details.  I will show you the vignette on this table for TTT.  It is my 3rd in the series of Designer Kopy Kat.

Post Title

Big Bang for $2 Bucks


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Designer Kopy Kat #2


    I've been having a great time going back through a lot of my decorator books and really looking at all of the vignettes and displays and trying to copy some of them.  I seem to always do things in pairs and place everything symetrically.  However the vignettes that seem to catch my eye and are the most interesting are not symetrical at all.  So I am trying something different again.


     The dining table is my latest attempt at copying some of the pictures that I see in the designer books.


     Most of the pictures that I liked had something dramatic as the focal point.  So I am using my champagne bucket floral arrangement as my focal point.


     Then all of the vignettes had something to ground the display.  So I'm using a huge cloche with a silver bowl of fruit.


     There was always something unexpected in all of their displays also, so I am using the candelabra.


     Not something that I would normally think to do, but I do like the result.





    So, what do you think?  Are you open to trying something different and seeing how you like it?

Post Title

Designer Kopy Kat #2


Post URL

http://netdesignworld.blogspot.com/2011/07/designer-kopy-kat-2.html


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Feed A Crowd For Under $5

    This has been my go to casserole for years and I thought everyone in the world made a version of it.  However when I took it to a Church Potluck recently, there were several young ladies that asked me for the recipe.  Since we are all trying to stretch our budget and still have something nourishing to feed our families, I thought I would post the recipe here just in case it's not already one of your staple recipes.
    All kids and big kids alike usually like macaroni and cheese, and this is so similar, except it has meat in it.

    1 lb. ground chuck crumbled and browned.
    1 med. onion diced and cooked with the meat the last few minutes to infuse the flavor and soften the onion.
    Sprinkle both generously with garlic salt while cooking.
    1 pkg. elbow macaroni cooked and drained
    2 sm. cans tomato sauce
    1/2 can water
    3/4 pkg shredded cheese.  I always use the 3 cheese variety.

    Cook the macaroni in boiling water while you brown the meat and onion in a skillet.  Drain the macaroni well, then add the meat mixture.  Stir in the tomato sauce and water.  Mix it all together well.  Place into large casserole dish and cover with the cheese.  Cover with foil (be sure to spray your foil with Pam or some kind of non stick spray so it won't stick to the cheese when baking.)


    Place in a 350 oven and bake for approximately 30 to 40 minutes.  When you can see the bottom all bubbly and you are sure it has been heated all the way through and the cheese is melted and all gooy, then you are done.  Makes 8 generous servings.  I usually fix some garlic bread and a tossed salad to go with it.



     All ready to add a little salad and some garlic bread and a super dinner.

    Cost breakdown
    1 lb. ground chuck $1.87 on sale this week
    2 cans tomato sauce .20 c each on sale = .40c
    1 pkg. macaroni shells $1 on sale
    3/4 pkg shredded cheese $1.50 for the whole package on sale=$1.10

    That's a total of $4.37
    Add the salad and garlic bread and you still have a meal for under $10 for 8.

    Mexican Variation - just add a small can of chopped green chilis and 1/2 pkg. of taco seasoning.

    Great comfort food and a crowd pleaser every time you serve it.

    I am linking to Designs by Gollum for Foodie Friday

Post Title

Feed A Crowd For Under $5


Post URL

http://netdesignworld.blogspot.com/2011/07/feed-crowd-for-under-5.html


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Design Challenge @ Common Ground

    Debra @ Common Ground has come up with the most amazing idea for all of us to help each other out with our decorating challenges or problems.  Here was her idea:

    Anyone who is in need of some advice, help,

    or just a fresh new idea,

    can submit a few photos to me for a feature post.


    You can do it anonymously, or not,

    whatever you're comfortable with.

    Then I'll post them,

    and you all get to leave constructive comments

    to help the blogger in need.


    It could be a whole room, a wall, a vignette, a mantle...

    suggestions for paint colors,

    furniture placement,

    anything about decor..




    .

    She put together this graphic and button.


    Please spread the word,

    and then take the big step to come forward with some

    issues you may be having,

    for some design help.

    Now all you have to do if you want some help is just take pictures of your room, wall, table or whatever it is and email them to Debra @ oliverdeb@pcnetinc.com.   She will do a post about your pictures and then everyone can offer their help. 
     
    Everyone will only leave helpful, nice, sweet and constructive suggestions.  This should be a fabulous tool for all of us to use, since having extra eyes and thoughts is always a gift, plus you all know what wonderful creativity there is in blogland, so that's like having a gazillion free designers give us some ideas.  I have a couple of rooms that I can't wait to get on the list and hear what all you have to say.
     
    So, tell your friends, think about what you could use some help with and snap those pictures and send them to Debra.  You can disclose your name or you can be annonymous.  That's up to you.
     

Post Title

Design Challenge @ Common Ground


Post URL

http://netdesignworld.blogspot.com/2011/07/design-challenge-common-ground.html


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Designer Kopy Kat


    I have collected quite a few Decorating Books and where to keep them is becoming a problem.  I notice in all of these wonderful books that they display stacks of designer books on coffee tables along with a random mix of other things. 


    After studying several different books and table displays, I thought I would try my hand at arranging something on the livingroom coffee table.


     It's a traditional drop leaf table, but it is fairly good size.  They always had one main focal point in all of their vignettes, so I am using this floral arrangement as my main focal point.


     Most of the tables I saw had at least two stacks of books or more, so I chose to use two stacks since that fits the size of my table best.


     A candle hurricane for height and some orbs and eggs for interest.  All of the tables I studied had a small collection of something.  I thought the orbs and eggs were a nice collection.





     A candle snuffer, a pretty plate and some coasters finish off my vignette.


     Something different for me, but it is always fun to try and learn something new and to experiment.




    How about you, do you like to try out new ideas and see how it works for your decor.  I think this could use some tweaking, but it was fun to do something different.

    I am linking to the following parties:

    Open House Thursday @ No Minimalist Here
    Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage
    Home Sweet Home Friday @ The Charm Of Home
    Flaunt It Friday @ Chic On A Shoestring Decorating

Post Title

Designer Kopy Kat


Post URL

http://netdesignworld.blogspot.com/2011/07/designer-kopy-kat.html


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Old Books



    I am always on the lookout for volumns of books and if they are old, the better.  I found this wonderful set of 7 Junior's Classics.  It was originally a set of 10 books, so I am missing three, but I love them.  They were published in 1912 and they have such beautiful parchment paper liners covering all the pictures.  They have been well read, so that makes them even more special.


    I love the beautiful detail on the books with the gold lettering and the fabulous scrolls.



    Of course there had to be a slight change in the bookcases to make room.  I removed a stack of decor books and they work perfect.

    Now to find a place for all those decorator book, my collection is really growing.

    I am linking to the following parties
    Thrifty Thursday @ Tales From Bloggeritaville
    Treasures and Trinkets Thursday @ My Cottage Charm


    Thanks so much for stopping by, I always look forward to your visits.

Post Title

Old Books


Post URL

http://netdesignworld.blogspot.com/2011/07/old-books.html


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Roo with Attitude





    This big white rooster has always had attitude, but as fashionable as white/white is, my house just works better with off-white or a little bit of beige.  So he needed a makeover of some sort.



    My trusty stain and a few wipes with a soft cloth and he started to look a whole lot better.  He still needs a little more of the stain rubbed off to be perfect.


    Now he looks great.  Shows a little bit of character, and still an off-white.


    When I wiped the stain off, I left it with a few streaks to look like feathers.  I thought that looked better than just wiping it all off.





    Now it fits so much better in my kitchen with the dark walls.  I love his attitude and he is definitely strutting his stuff.


    I am joining the following parties:

    Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style
    Transformation Thursday @ The Shabby Chic Cottage



    Thanks so much for stopping by, I always look forward to your visits.



Post Title

Roo with Attitude


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