pleasure in simple things

patriotic mason jars

June 17, 2014

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint can be very dangerous. Once you have some in the house, you can think of so many ways to use it!

Painting mason jars is nothing new, but since I had some leftover paint from my last furniture project, I thought I would share how I decided to paint some blue Ball jars to use at my 4^th of July celebration at the beach.

I liked the idea of using blue jars so that it would be possible to catch glimpses of the inside blue hues even after the jars were painted.

I started by painting the outside of the jars with two coats of Paris Grey. Then, after cutting a kitchen sponge into a star shape, sponged stars onto the jars using Primer Red. I used some sandpaper to distress them a little bit and then gave them a coat of clear wax.

For the one jar I wanted to use as a candleholder, I masked off a star shape (a little smaller than the size of the sponge star) before I started the painting process (also leaving the metal top ring screwed into place). By masking off the star, the clear blue jar stayed clear in the masked area, enabling light from a candle to shine through.

I finished them off by tying some twine around the tops of the jars.

Fun and patriotic! I will use them on the 4^th to hold picnic utensils, but they will also be great all summer for flowers, candles, etc.

Thanks for stopping by and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at Shabby Nest, Craftberry Bush, and Finding Silver Pennies.

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country living magazine fair 2014

June 13, 2014

With picture perfect weather and inspiration around every corner, The 2014 Country Living Magazine Fair in Rhinebeck, NY was awesome!

Visiting Rhinebeck, NY is always great…getting together with good friends is the best, but in the beautiful surroundings of Rhinebeck, this feeling is intensified. My last trip to Rhinebeck (to my friend’s awesome woodland retreat) also included a special treat – The Country Living Magazine Fair!

Visiting the 2014 Country Living Magazine House of the Year was awesome! Here are some photos of the outside…check out the September 2014 issue for more photos of all the decor!

The beauty of this three day event is that each visitor has a unique experience. No two people are inspired in the same way or by the same things. What can visitors experience at this fair on the lovely Dutchess County Fairgrounds? Tons of vendors, craft and decorating demonstrations, lectures, celebrity meetings, samplings, book signings, and a visit to the 2014 Country Living House of the Year! (Not to mention, plenty of clean bathrooms, a great food court with lots of seating and free parking!)

It is a busy few weeks for me with very few free moments, but I had to share some photos from the fair on Friday field trip this week – a small sampling of my personal experience…enjoy a glimpse of The Country Living Fair 2014 through my eyes! If you went to the fair, I would love to hear about your favorites!

The beach themed fairy garden really caught my eye…and, aren’t the toolboxes adorable for Father’s Day?!

The silhouettes by Jan Blough were one of my favorites…especially the garden themed designs!

The Beekman Boys (I am a huge fan!) were my favorite of the many fun people to meet at the Country Living Magazine Fair 2014.

The photo below shows a few of the many demonstrations offered during the three days at The Country Living Magazine Fair 2014. Michael Devine, author of Flowers by Design creates a vegetable topiary, Libbie Summers offers 15 Fun & Festive cake decorating ideas (like this PEZ covered cake), and Cari Cucksey of HGTV’s Cash & Cari offers painting and repurposing tips.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful weekend…I have an exciting one planned!!

Country Living Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief Rachel Hardage Barrett.

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at Little Red House and Coastal Charm.

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diy cupcake bath bomb

June 10, 2014

Special occasions are cause to celebrate and a great time for a little self-indulgence.

I have a very special occasion coming up…my daughter’s pinning ceremony and graduation. My “baby” will soon be officially pinned as a nurse and then receive her undergraduate nursing degree – all in the same weekend!

Most times when I visit my daughter, I stay with her in her apartment. It is a special treat when, instead, we stay in a hotel. Last time this occurred, we made a trip to Lush (a natural beauty product shop) to pick out special bath bombs from Lush’s huge selection to make full use of the hotel bathtub!

With a special hotel visit coming up, I decided to create homemade bath bombs to bring as a surprise to my daughter to use in the hotel bath during our stay.

Not having any experience in creating natural beauty products, I looked to Ecobeauty from last April’s giveaway book to utilize one of the many recipes from Lauren and Janice Cox’s book. I discovered bath bombs are easy to create and, I like to think, can rival any similar product sold at Lush!

The materials can be purchased at a grocery store or natural foods store. By following the directions in Ecobeauty, I was surprised at how quick and easy I could create such great results! At first it seemed a little strange to me to add sprinkles, but I was instantly relieved when the recipe in the book read “Don’t worry; the sprinkles will dissolve in the tub!” (I plan on keeping the silicone cupcake holders solely for beauty product use.)

I love the way they came out …I think the cupcake design is adorable! I packaged them like real bakery cupcakes to bring on the big graduation trip! I think they would also make great favors for a bridal shower or a gal’s get together. I cannot wait to give one to my daughter! Of course I may need to test one before I do. ;)

Thanks you so much for stopping by. Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at No Biggie.

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fun with gelatin

June 6, 2014

You have heard of signature drinks? What about a signature jelly shot?

For Friday field trip this week, I will show you just that…and, some other fun with gelatin!

After my nephew’s wedding this past summer, I was able to secure the recipe for his signature drink – the D & P Pimm’s Cup – from his wedding venue. When Thanksgiving rolled around, I used the signature drink as an inspiration to create the D & P Pimm’s Cup cupcake by incorporating the signature drink ingredients into a cupcake recipe.

Wanting to continue the D & P signature drink inspiration for the newlywed couple’s first year of holidays, on Easter I created the D & P Pimm’s Cup Jelly Shot!

D & P Pimm’s Cup Jelly Shot

4 strawberries
2 sprigs fresh basil
1 (1 inch piece) cucumber, coarsely chopped
¾ cup Pimm’s No. 1 Cup
6 ice cubes
2/3 cup ginger ale
1/3 cup cold water
1/3 cup frozen lemonade concentrate (thawed & strained)
2 envelopes Knox gelatin
Garnish (optional) basil, strawberries, lemon, cucumber

Muddle (mash) strawberries, basil and cucumber in a large cocktail shaker. Add the Pimm’s and the ice cubes and shake vigorously. Strain liquid through a fine mesh strainer and set aside.

Combine the ginger ale, lemon syrup, and water in a medium saucepan and sprinkle with the gelatin. Allow the gelatin to soak for a minute or two.

Heat over very low heat, stirring constantly, until gelatin is fully dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add 2/3 cup of the reserved Pimm’s liquid, stirring well to blend.

Pour into a standard size loaf pan and chill overnight or until fully set. Cut, serve, and add garnish as desired.

This recipe is a variation of a recipe created by the jelly shot master Michelle Palm – Michelle has been my inspiration to start playing with gelatin. :)

Since these jelly shots can only be consumed by those over 21, I also created a fun jelly shot for the younger set. During Jell-O brand gelatin’s heyday in the 1960’s, a recipe for ‘Broken Glass Jell-O’ was printed right on the side of the Jell-O box. It is the technique from this recipe that I implemented to create my ‘kid friendly’ jelly shots. The recipe – the name wisely updated to ‘Stained Glass Bars’ – is available on the Kraft Foods website. I cut the completed recipe into small cubes and added mini marshmallows to the skewers…there are so many fun variations based on a party theme, color scheme, etc.

I hope you will use these ideas to help inspire some of your own gelatin fun!

P.S. For more jelly shot fun, you might like a school of pink lemonade fish jelly shots.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing with Craftberry Bush.

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7 ways to use spring blooms

June 3, 2014

Here in Connecticut, we had a loooooong winter and spring was very hesitant in getting started. As a result, gardens were a little behind in blooming this year…the usual ‘planting on Mother’s Day’ was stalled big time! So, when the spring blooms finally started to emerge, it created a sense of celebration like no other year I can remember!

Today, I am sharing my appreciation for the first blooms of the season. Because, after all, the best part of gardening is appreciating the results!

Here are seven ways I used the first of my garden flowers.

As a garnish.

Pansies are a pretty garnish for a dessert. I press petals from organic pansies overnight in a book and then wet them with water and add sugar. (I know egg whites are usually used for this, but they scare me a little, and I can usually get the sugar to adhere with just water.)

To make a pretty ice cube.

I have always loved adding unexpected items to ice cubes…here, I added flower petals. They look so pretty at a garden party, bridal shower, or brunch. I am careful to use flowers that are safe and edible.

Add to a placesetting.

What better way to add some springtime to a place setting than to adorn napkins with a bloom from the garden? Even a tiny garden can spare a few stems for a spring table.

Give to a friend.

Sharing flowers from the garden is always fun. I had a neighbor that recently moved into a retirement facility. I decided to grab some of the lilacs off the bush that bordered her yard when I last went to visit, intending to put them in one of her vases when I got there. I casually wrapped them in some old sheet music to transport them, knowing the nostalgia would make her smile when she received them. .

Bring the garden indoors.

Arguably, the best way to use flowers from the garden is to put small vases everywhere in the house. A taste of the garden in every room is a great way to experience the season. Just a sprig or two of a bloom can add beauty and a scent to any corner!

Create an arrangement.

Creating an arrangement is a big statement in using garden flowers. This was a quick and casual arrangement I put together with garden flowers and a clearance vase from Anthropologie for the refreshment table at a monthly garden club meeting…a great way to share my spring garden with friends who love flowers!

As an ingredient.

Not exactly a flower, but the herbs from the garden have already been in use. I have already made one dessert from some of the mint and, the basil has been utilized for appetizers as well as used as a garnish many times.

What are some ways you used your first flowers of the season?

Thanks for stopping by. Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at Sand & Sisal.

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book giveaway for june!

May 30, 2014

Friday field trip today will be used for the book giveaway since May is coming to a close.

Congratulations to Carolyn for winning the May book selection! Carolyn, you are going to love trying all the fabulous recipes in The Beekman 1802 Heirloom Dessert Cookbook! It is awesome!

Now, on to the June selection!

Since the first day of summer arrives in June, what would be better than a beach read giveaway? So, for June I have chosen a book by Meg Wolitzer that makes for a great beach read! The book is The Interestings. Published in 2013, the book was a New York Times Bestseller and received much critical acclaim – named as a Best Book of the Year by many.

When I had the great fortune to listen to Ms. Wolitzer speak about the book in person, I had a paperback copy signed (ah, so much easier to slip into a beach bag :) ) for the June giveaway.

The book follows the friendship of six artsy teenagers in the 70’s that meet at sleep away camp and vow to never lose touch. Following the lives of these complex characters from camp through middle age is a fun and wild ride. Part of the fun is the authenticity in characters and events as New York is presented from the time of Watergate through today.

Ms. Wolitzer speaks from experience. She lived in Long Island as a teenager (at the same time as the characters in her book) and going away to an arts camp inspired much for this well-crafted read. Certainly this is part of the reason the events and friendships in the story are so engaging and authentic – Ms. Wolitzer’s ability to so beautifully draw on real life experiences.

I know you will enjoy this read as much as I, and you will relate to the multi-faceted friendships that continue throughout the lives of the book’s characters. And, if you happened to be a teenager during the ‘70’s, you will find period references throughout the book extremely engaging.

Leave me a comment during the month of June to be entered to win this great selection. Happy beach reading!

Speaking of the beach, Instagram users please read on for this month’s pleasure in simple things Instagram challenge! For June, we are sharing our beach inspired photos…my favorite! Can’t wait to see what everyone will post! Use hashtag #pleasuregram to share.

Thank you so much for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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annie sloan virgin

May 27, 2014

I have been intending to try Annie Sloan paint for a long time…honest!

I once even tried to convince a local store to carry it. I just never found the time to actually use it on a project.

Well, thanks to a talented group of ladies that put together ‘Inspire Me DIY’, I was motivated to get working on a piece of furniture given to me by a friend over a year ago, when I found out about the project on Lucy’s (Craftberry Bush) Instagram feed.

Enter Annie Sloan! So, I refinished my first piece using Annie Sloan chalkboard paint and, of course, I am obsessed with the product! Maybe in the back of my mind I thought this might happen and that is the reason why I put off my first project for so long!

This was my process:

2 coats of Annie Sloan Paint in Paris Grey
1 coat of clear wax
Some sanding/distressing
2^nd coat of clear wax
Coat of dark wax
I lined (all but one) drawer in an Anna Rifle paper design. One of the top drawers is lined in felt (for jewelry).

After some late night work sessions into the wee hours of the morning, my results:

I am thrilled! It’s great to get my first project under my belt (yes, there will be more!) since it takes a while to feel comfortable using any product for the first time. I did have a few panic moments and I thank Danielle at Finding Silver Pennies for the encouragement I needed to keep me going.

I am not too sure about the knob choice. What do you think? I bought the knobs at Anthropologie before I started the project because I loved them and because the color was almost the same color as the walls (Martha Stewart paint in shortbread) in the room where I plan to park my new creation.

I thank Mary so much for the vanity…I wanted it because it reminded me of my grandmother – working on this project made me wish it was my grandmother’s vanity I was redoing – her vanity held so many special memories of my childhood. But, a great part about this project was it brought to mind some many special moments between me and my grandmother…and, I love that looking at this vanity will always remind me of her. I can’t wait to see how it looks in my guest room!

Anyone have any seating ideas?

Thanks for stopping by and thanks to all the great ladies that organized Inspire Me DIY…because of you, this stalled project got up and running!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

P.S. I have my eye on a piece for my next project…I wonder if my son will notice if I sneak out a side table from his apartment? For those in my part of the world (Fairfield County, Connecticut), Annie Sloan paint is available at Junktique Recycling in Norwalk.

Sharing at Craftberry Bush, Finding Silver Pennies, Sand & Sisal, and Coastal Charm.

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recreating the freeze pop

May 23, 2014

Today’s Friday field trip is kickin’ it back to my childhood.

I’ve always loved freeze pops. When I was a kid, that’s what I called the ice pops that came in a long plastic tube…tubes of sweet iciness that brought with them reminders of many hot, fun summers. So, when I recently discovered that food-safe plastic tubes were available online, I had no choice but to purchase some – pronto!

As the years have gone by, I have been more and more hesitant to pick up my old favorites at the grocery stores. Because, I have to admit, the list of ingredients in those pops is pretty scary! This made the idea of creating my own even more intriguing!

I have been playing around with possible flavor combinations. I am still working on some recipes…and others, like the basil watermelon or the spicy chocolate, I have already perfected!

For Memorial Day, I am making ice pops from my watermelon recipe to share with my partner in freeze pop crime (aka, my son) who has been known to help me devour an entire box in a very (too short to admit) amount of time!

If you want to make some yourself and don’t have the plastic sleeves, use this recipe with ice pop molds or go old school with small paper cups and wooden sticks. The recipe can also be frozen up in ice cube trays to add to sparkling water or lemonade.

pleasure in simple things ice pops in plastic sleeves

The ice pop plastic sleeves filled, tied, and ready for the freezer.

To make these frozen confections, I first made basil simple syrup to use as a sweetener for the watermelon. I love basil with watermelon and the flavor profile makes for a more adult flavor than the watermelon by itself. The leftover syrup is wonderful for sweetening ice tea or lemonade…it is also great drizzled on fresh strawberries or strawberry shortcake. Or, it can be a wonderful addition to a summer cocktail! If you want to add a little ‘kick’ to your pop, I bet a little melon liquor would be a nice addition to the recipe.

I hope I have inspired you to try creating some of your own frozen treats this weekend.

Remember to take some time this Memorial Day to honor those who have paid the ultimate price to ensure our freedom and to thank all those who serve our country both now and in the past.

Have a wonderful weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing with Craftberry Bush, Shabby Nest, and Crafts a la Mode.

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nautical father’s day coasters

May 20, 2014

Beverage coasters make great gifts, and with Father’s Day coming up soon, I have some quick and easy diy gift coasters that are sure to be a hit with the dads! And, they are easy enough for the kids to create!

I made all the coasters in this post from repurposed items (and a little bit of chalkboard paint)…here are three different ways to create some great nautical themed drink holders!

JAR LIDS make great coasters. I like to use the tops of old canning jars. There are so many ways to decorate a jar lid! An old photo of dad is one great way…you can use a copier if you don’t want to compromise a favorite photo. I like the old black and white photos! If you would rather draw your own design, it is easy enough to create a design on a circular piece of cardstock to later glue to the lid. For a new dad, a footprint of a newborn would be a sweet idea.

Here, I coiled a scrap piece of rope and used a glue gun to attach it to the lid. If you don’t have any rope, it is very inexpensive to buy by the yard at a marine store (or, you can buy a jumprope at a dollar store).

Another way to embellish the lid is to add a piece of cork. Here, I added cork and decorated it by simply adding a design with a permanent marker.

A map of the recipient’s favorite vacation spot is another idea…here, I used a page from an old atlas.

I found an easy way to protect the photo or map you use for your coaster – simply cut a circle of plastic from a fruit or vegetable container and lay it right on top!

For the next two designs, you will need to create a template…decide on the size and shape you want for the coaster and cut one out of cardboard. I made mine a 3 ½” square with rounded corners.

CHALKBOARD coasters are easy to make and are so fun! Using your template, cut coasters out of cardboard or chipboard. For Father’s Day, you will probably want to create a set – decide how many you want, cut them out, and coat one side of each with chalkboard paint – I used chalkboard spray paint.

For a nautical look, I tied a set of newly made coasters in twine and added a fish gift tag made from brown kraft paper. Don’t forget to add a piece of chalk! I also added a fishing bobber as a final touch!

Cardboard SIX PACK CARRIERS, that six packs of beer are sold in, are a great source for a fun coaster material. Using your template, just trace and cut coasters! I found some great six pack holders in recycling bins!

Any summertime design is really fun to use (wish I found some Landshark!)…or, a design from a favorite beer of the recipient!

I hope you enjoyed these ideas for easy ways to make coasters as gifts this Father’s Day. They are a super project to work on with the kids…enjoy!

Thanks so much for stopping by. Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at Liz Marie Blog, Coastal Charm, Silver Pennies, City Farmhouse, and Sand & Sisal.

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interest to plantings with diy teepees

May 16, 2014

Garden ‘teepees’ are a quick and easy way to add some great visual interested to your plantings.

For Friday field trip today, I am visiting with my friend Phyllis (thanks Phyllis!) to demonstrate this easy tutorial.

You may remember Phyllis from when I hijacked her magnificent yard for a charity garden tour or, from when I shared a terrarium making session at her home.

Today, we are creating garden teepees to add to outdoor pots.

To create the teepees, simply arrange branches in a teepee shape, holding them in place, while pushing into the soil. Attach the top of the branches together using a small piece of green floral wire. Place a piece of moss over the green wire and attach it using another small length of the wire.