Welcome to our Tea Party!!!
It is so much fun to be a part of the 2nd annual "Mad Hatter's Tea Party" hosted by the lovely Vanessa at A Fanciful Twist. Her enthusiasm for life rubs off on everyone and I am so pleased to be a part of this lovely event.

In true Mad Hatters Tea Party style, I was fashionably late to the party but we are now in full swing .
~Come on in~

The table is set and waiting.

The vintage cups, pitcher and tablecloth are some of my favorite finds.

The strawberry salt and pepper shakers are adorable don't you think? I was told they are from the 50's.

Have one if you like. It is butter cake with lemon icing.

Trust me they taste divine!

Psssst...I sell those wool cupcake pincushions in my Etsy shop on the right :)

My little ones were so excited to join in the festivities.

I made them cold mint tea with mint from our garden of course.
It was 92 degrees outside after all.

This is what my Annabelle thought of it.

My eldest daughter could appreciate the finer things in life ;)
It was a splendid tea party for my little girls.

Here is your portion. Enjoy!

I hope you enjoyed our tea party. Without the beautiful mind of Vanessa, none of this would be happening.
Thank you!

Now for the giveaway!!!

I have collected many tea cups. I am finally getting them made into gorgeous candles. They would look amazing anywhere. I have scented them with vanilla and a tiny hint of coconut.
A few are porcelain, some are not.

They are all special. I constantly wonder who used them? Were they part of a set?

Imagine the glow through the tea cup at night.

This rockin 70's one is one of my fav's. How cute is this??

You may have your choice of any one of these by simply becoming a follower of this blog and leaving a comment as to which one you like the best.

I will randomly pick the winner on Wed, Jul 1st. After that I will place these ans a few other divine tea cups for sale on Etsy.

It was so nice to have you. Now I have many other tea parties to go peruse.

xo Emily xo

I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date!!

Check back in a few hours for my tea party post and an awesome giveaway!!

WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME????

I am changing.
Something curious is going on in this little brain of mine.

I daydream about living on a farm with 20 acres, that I am a real homesteader. I make bread in the morning, preserve all the crops and life is simple and good. The day dreams of late are mostly of going out and throwing feed to my free range chickens frolicking on the grass.

The hens lay each morning and the kids and I go lovingly collect them.
Life is rustic, exciting and rewarding.

I can't go out and buy that homestead just yet, so I figured that my backyard would be suitable for a few laying hens until then.

My plans were made. I researched it fully here.
I took the kids to the local country store to look at supply and feed prices. We were so excited. What fun, what an experience! My Chloe was beside herself with excitement. A pet!!

I had the coop all planned out. I would use old windows like this cute lady did. Oooh- the possibilities.

Fresh eggs EVERY morning!! Good eggs!!
Antibiotic free, vitamin packed, omega 3 and lower fat filled eggs.

Since when did my heart go pitter patter at the thought of something so random. Where is all this country living desire coming from? I certainly don't know but I like it!

Is this day dream of mine appealing to anyone else??? I know I have a kindred spirit in the talented Miss Heather over at Audrey Eclectic but anyone else?

Well, after getting the plans "hatched" :) and all my ducks in a row. Err... I mean chickens in a row, I was told to go "suck eggs" by our homeowners association!!!!!!
No!!
How could they rob this dream from me?
I've calmed down now, but I am still sad. How can people have dogs that poop and bark at all times of the day and night and I can't have a few little laying hens that softly cluck?
Whaaaaaah!!

I'm sad. I think I should make an appeal to the board.
What do you think?

xo Emily xo
a.k.a the crazy chicken lady by one of my friends :)

SUMMER LOVES

I thought I would share some of the things that I am LOVING this summer. I want you to share some of your "loves" in the comment box too. I would love helpful hints and tips too. Like did you know if you put 2 paper towels in your salad bags, they will last up to 2 weeks? Life changing huh?

So, right now I can't get enough of sweet potato chips (or fries for the American readers). I am trying to be more healthy and lose a few lbs and this is something that is just darn right DELICIOUS and good for you. All you do is peel and cut 4-5 sweet potatoes, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle some sea salt & pepper then toss to coat evenly. Cook at 425 degrees for about a half an hour until tender. I make a spicy mayo to go with it when I am not dieting and the spicy and sweet make the perfect companionship.

I love my Pampered Chef Bar Pan. It is seriously so AWESOME. I can cook yummy pizza's using zucchini and herbs from my garden, then make cookies or brownies that are perfectly cooked. No more touch chewy sides on the brownies. It makes it all soft and delicious through out. It is life changing. I mean it too. I use it for everything.

Now my next "love" is something I can't live without now. It is a Vitamix. If you have ever been to Jamba Juice, this is what they use to blend their smoothies. Or on the Food Network, all the chefs are always using one of these blenders. I sold a few paintings and saved up for this baby and seriously, it is the best money I have EVER spent. This thing makes the best smoothies, fresh nut butters, creamy ice cream out of frozen fruit and a bit of low fat milk yet it is creamy and delicious. It can make hot soup. Yes... hot!! You leave it blending after you have put in your fresh ingredients, and it cooks it. I made some tomato soup that was to die for. I will throw a WHOLE apple, some carrots, spinach, strawberries and a few frozen bananas and a tad of apple juice and my kids think they have had the best smoothie ever, little do they know that I just fed them tons of fruit and veggies. I also add flax seeds and you can't taste it. It grinds them up so fine. You can grind up wheat and make your own flour too. LOVE it!!!
My 2 yr old has been very sick this last week and would not eat. I blended up some frozen blueberries and watermelon then added a cup of yogurt and she ate it all. It was so good. I took a picture for y'all because it was so pretty :)

My last "summer love" is my garden. I love being able to go out and use things that are freshly cut or pulled from the ground. It is one of the best decisions to research and build it. It took a little bit of hard work but the pay off is well worth it.

Every morning the kids and I are so excited to go out and see how big things have grown overnight.

We spotted our first cucumber and now they are popping up like crazy.

It is a bonding experience for our family and inspiring not only for me, but for my children who are learning where our food comes from and how to eat nutritiously and organically.

So there you go, just some of my summer loves. What are yours? What tips can you all share with me and my readers? I hope your summer is treating you right.

xo Emily xo

ONE MAN'S TRASH & WEEDS

You know the saying: One man's trash is another man's treasure?

Well, let me tell you guys, I have had a great few weeks of finds the last few weeks.

I have been looking for 2 chairs to go with my table in my breakfast area. I knew I wanted to redo them and make them my own, but I just couldn't find the right style or the right price. It is highway robbery what some people think they can charge for "old stuff".
I found them though, finally, and they are perfect. Now I am only giving you a sneak peek before they are revamped because I couldn't keep my excitement to myself and I had to share.
Guess how much they were?

No, your eyes are not deceiving you. They were $9.99 a piece. Goodwill- I LOVE you!!
So check back for the unveiling of the before and after. I have a lot of these up my sleeves. I think y'all are gonna love what I have in store for ya.

Now see these pretty, dainty little WEEDS. Yep, weeds! Just weeds that are all over the place here. I flipping LOVE them. I think they look like lace and are so beautiful. When my husband saw me cutting weeds and bringing them home I think he though I had lost my mind.
It's all about perspective people.
To me, these are not weeds, they are gorgeous flowers.
I would prefer wild weeds like this over most expensive flowers.

"SMILING FACES... BEAUTIFUL PLACES"

"Smiling faces, beautiful places" is the motto of our state here in South Carolina.

Being a transplant to this wonderful state I learn everyday why that motto is so perfect. I was able to be a chaperon on a field trip, with my eldest son to Columbia S.C. (the state's capitol) last week. The air was hot and humid but sweet with the smell of the grand magnolia trees in full bloom as we toured the State house and it's grounds.

You couldn't look anywhere without your eyes being assaulted with beauty. So many statues, carvings, sculptures, paintings, bronzes and gorgeous gardens. My artistic mind was in 7th heaven. Plus, I am a lover of history, especially civil war history, so this trip was exhilarating for my eyes and my mind.

We were able to go into the chambers where the senators work and pass laws for this amazing state. Every little surface had some kind of beauty, whether it was ornate carvings, beautiful mouldings or exquisite chandeliers. It was breathtaking to see the beauty and to feel the history of this place.

Smiling faces, beautiful places indeed!