Easter Mantle

Beth at The Stories of A to Z

is having a fun Vignette party today!

I have to tell you I thought I had more Easter decorations.

As I started to decorate last week I realized that I don't

have a lot of Easter decorations, but more spring time decorations.

I think I made that switch a few years ago,

this way I can keep the decorations out through Summer!

My Easter Egg wreath travels through out the house....

today it happens to live on the mirror....

tomorrow maybe the french doors!

Windex anyone?

Gosh...guess I need to clean!

I love this little bird...

he stays out all year!

My blue robin eggs from the Olde Factory

(set of 6 for $2.00)

I added this picture to show you the crown molding that

Tony and Kevin (his brother) added on Friday to the first floor.

As many of you know we are on a slow mission to recreate some

of the details of the farmhouse!

Happy to check this one off the list!

Hope you have a great Easter!

Thank you for visiting!

Let your heart smile.....

I thought I would change things up today and let you introduce "you" today! Every Sunday I would celebrate a New Blog Friends we had meet and featured them for the day. Then I thought wouldn't it be great to host a party where we can celebrate you and you can link along!

What kind of person are you; do you see the glass half full or half empty? I wish I could tell you I always see the glass half full, but that would be a lie. There are days when I am very positive, but there are also those days when man...that glass looks empty. That was this week.

Some of you know I work full time and this week I attended a conference with a friend from work. When I met Laura at the doors for the conference, my first words to her were "I am going to try to be positive today, but I am finding it hard." Have you been in this place?

The conference we attended was a medical conference for nurses and social workers. The keynote speaker spoke about creation health, first time I heard of this. I looked at Laura and smiled. Yep....God did it again, put right where I was suppose to be! Smiled...yes....I am listening, God...got your message! 

I have been lucky to have people in my life who do see the glass half full all of the time. After listening to the keynote speaker, I came home and wrote a mission statement for my life. I also realized that I need to surround myself with friends who do celebrate life and see the good....see life as a glass half full.  I also learned that we can train our brain to focus on the good (even at 40)!

Which brings me to today's link party! There are so many great stories out there that I read and my heart smiles! Like when Beth writes about herbie playing with the kids and when Dee Dee and her children took a road trip for ice cream! You don't need to link a new post, it could be one that you wrote last year, but when you read your post your heart smile.  We want to smile with you!! Train our brains together to see the good and celebrate today!!

P.S.( I am crossing my fingers and hoping I did everything right for the link party!)

Stracciatella

Stracciatella Soup

This is a classic Italian comfort food my mom used to make.

Everyone loves it, and it will cure whatever ails you.

Kind of like our version of chicken noodle soup when you have a cold.

Its quick, easy and feeds the family fast.

While working at Dilullo Centro in Philadelphia, Pa. as an apprentice,

 I was tasked with "feeding the family". This meant before we opened for dinner service I had to cook a meal with whatever was in the kitchen to feed the staff! Almost always in a real hurry! 

This was it, serve it with a salad, and your done.

6 Cups Chicken Stock

3 Eggs

3 Tbsp. Semolina flour

1/4 Cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1 Tbsp. finely chopped Italian Parsley

Pinch Nutmeg

S&P to taste

                                

1. If the chicken stock is not cold, measure out 1 cup and refrigerate until chilled

                                                                                  

2. Meanwhile, in a large sauce pan, bring the remaining 5 cups stock to a boil.

3. In a small bowl combine the cold broth, eggs, semolina, Parmigiano, parsley, and nutmeg and whisk until well blended. Whisk the mixture into the boiling stock, reduce the heat to low, and cook whisking for 3-4 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper.

Divide the soup among six warmed bowls and serve, top with grated Parmigiano.

This was one of my Mom's favorite pots to cook with that I'm cooking in today. And wow its been 4 years today that she died. I love and miss you Mom!! Thanks for passing your love to cook on to me!!

Tony

I also like to stir in some chopped spinach to make it a little more substantial.

Italians Devotion to good food and family makes the lingua franca in great homes & families everywhere, especially in mine!!

Linking to Foodie Friday!

Our first Give Away.....

We are so happy to bring you this post today!

A few weeks ago Tony and I were talking about how much

fun we are having with this little blog and

how many wonderful blog friends we have meet.

We can't believe we are almost at 100 followers.
Amazing...
You guys are amazing and we enjoy following along with you, too!

We thought it would be nice to give back to you!
Our way of saying thank you for following along
with us!

Every once and awhile you get to read about our fun trips

to the Olde Factory...

We thought it would be fun to share with you something from our booth

and something from my Grandmother Audreys booth!

If you have been following along, you know that my dad and I

make picture frames...

We thought you might enjoy the 14.5x16.5 frame

painted in cream...

holds a 4x6 picture...

This sweet little heart is made with love by my Grandmother Audrey!

There is so much detail in this heart!

Notice the doily and button.

She coffee dyes the gauze, fabric, and doily by hand!

One more announcement....

Some of you know we rent a 12x12 space at the Olde Factory,

but could not think of a name!

So...it has been know as The Little Booth...

Tony was hoping for a name in Italian,

after emailing back and forth with Pattie...

we decided on

Portare Alla Vita

(Bring to Life)

Since we paint or decorate old items and furniture to

 "Bring to Life"

We also thought that it is a name that can grow with us!

Thank you Pattie for you help with translation!

I guess we need to have some rules....

1. Leave a comment to receive one entry.

2. Become a follower or if you are a follower, receive another entry

(let us know in a seperate comment)

3. Post about the give away on your blog and link back to us

counts as another entry

(let us know in a seperate comment)

That gives you the chance to have 3 entries to win!

Woo Hoo!!

The giveaway will continue until Thursday April 1st (no joke)

and the winner will be announced on Friday, April 2, 2010!

Good Luck!!

It is a dilemma......

Found this great chair

and this little table

for the shop...

(which we officially named)

We gave them a little love

with some fresh white paint

and a

little glaze....

So what is the dilemma?

You ask...

I don't know if I can part with them!

They are to go to the shop....

on Thursday...

of this week.....

It might be a good thing that these are waiting

in line next

for a little love...

Tony and I have a few fun announcements

coming this week!

See you soon!

Linking to....

Just a Girl

Show and Share Day

New Blog Friends

This weekend went by so fast. I can't believe it is already Sunday!

To celebrate New Blog Friends

I would like for you to meet Emily

at

Frilly Details

She is one talented girl...

She can craft, cook, paint, decorate and garden!

Look at these wonderful tomatoes from

her garden last year....

Then she found this great store that sells

special blended olive oils and balsalmic vinegars...

Tony and I both would love to try...

Blood Orange Fusion or

Chocolate Balsamic...

wait until you see her favorite pick and

the salad she made!

Who doesn't love a dessert that is

ooey and gooey?

This recipe to so good and the kids had

a great time mixing them together....

even more fun eating them!

She loves to thrift shop and found this

great shelf!

Hop over here to see how it turned out!

This is my favorite post from Emily.

Topiary Time

These are so pretty!

She gives a great tutorial on how to

make them!

Love them :)

I hope you have time to hop over to

Frilly Details

and say hi to Emily!

Thanks for joining us for another fun Sunday!

Shutter progress...

Traci at Beneath My Heart is having a party to link
your favorite project from March.
After looking back over the month, I would have to like this one the most.
It isn't how I originally wanted the project to turn out,
but sometimes lemons do become lemonade!

Remember I brought home 5 beautiful chipped blue shutters?

We (lil Tony) washed the dead bugs off...

I had great plans to make a headboard....

but...

Tony (big) was worried about the chip paint...

not to worry....

I'll coat it with poly urethrene...

(2 coats)

Still chippy (not sure if that is a word) paint...

now Tony is worried that I am trying to damage

his brain cells with lead paint at his head while sleeping....

so I resorted to Plan B

a trip to dad's shop

How about a shelf on top of the shutter...

to hang above our bed...

don't you love when you can compromise

and everyone is happy...

brain cells not damaged :)

My favorite small town paint store did an awesome job

and matched the paint perfect!!

Benjamin Moore & Co. / Polished Slate / Pearl Finish

Two coats...

sanded some of the paint off to make it look chipped like the shutter...

Added some glaze...

and hardware on the back...

In its new home...

I am feeling the need to paint the bedroom furniture white...

didn't tell Tony that yet,

although he is probably reading it now with you...

I came home from work today and Tony added some

sparkle to the shelf....

5 glass knobs

Best part is I have 4 shutters left...

Dad and I are going to cut them in half to

make smaller shelves and take to

The Little Booth...

I am excited to link to the following parties...

Creative Cats

at

Poppy's at Play

Saturday Night Special

at

Funky Junk Interiors

DIY Projects / March Party

at

Beneath My Heart

P.S. (Don't miss out on our first give away!)

Friday Art Show...

In January I met Dee Dee from Ddzine and
discovered she hosts a Friday Art Show...

I use to go to a truck art party once a month on Thursday nights...
I have missed those truck art parties!

Dee Dee's party inspired me to dust off my brushes and paint a little...

Painting to me is a great escape and
a way to help to decrease stress!

I told Dee Dee as soon as life slows down a little,
I would paint something for her party again!
I am so so happy to join in today!!

This little card is going to my neighbor's
as a thank you for the mower
and
we will miss you...

I want you to look past the beautiful white curtains...

do you see the 2 prints hanging on the wall by wooden hangers?

I have loved this picture from Pottery Barn for awhile...

That inspired my to paint these sunflowers...

thinking of sunny days....

Grabbed a wooden hanger...

and  Ta Da...

I hope you visit DeeDee and admire

the beautiful art work...

maybe even join in on the fun...

P.S. ( We are putting the finishing touches on the shutters
and hopefully I will be ready to share them tomorrow!!)