pleasure in simple things

isn’t gardening a spring sport?

September 13, 2013

I think of gardening as a spring sport since I spend the most time on my gardens during the spring.

This certainly isn’t the case for my friend Wendy. And, it was strongly apparent when I stopped over to visit her on a recent evening. .. Her yard looked so beautiful that I have to share it with you for this week’s Friday field trip!

It is not that her yard doesn’t always look beautiful…believe me, it does! But, I was amazed at all the seasonal touches she had already added to her gardens for the fall.

She has one of those yards that is like a park…so many different areas to admire. I couldn’t possibly show you everything in one post, but I will share some of my favorite spots that may just inspire you to put out some seasonal touches in your own garden. (Check my facebook page this weekend for some additional photos of this wonderful space.)

I hope you enjoyed our garden visit for Friday field trip…thanks Wendy! We will have to make another trip in the spring…there is so much to see!

Thank you for stopping by.

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

Sharing with Craftberry Bush.

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better in threes

September 10, 2013

Doesn’t putting any photo into a frame make it look better? In the same way, I think putting a painting on canvas immediately ‘legitimizes’ it. For this reason, I decided to create a quick ‘work of art’ on canvas for my daughter’s new apartment.

While helping her move in, I noticed that there was an empty spot on the bathroom wall – a long, tall shape. The bathroom was done in white and beige and had a hint of blue, so I thought a painting using beige and blue could tie everything together nicely.

What would fit the unusual space? A triptych! This is a painting divided into three sections. I would choose three canvases that would fill the space appropriately…I decided an anchor would be my subject matter since the painting was going in a bathroom space and my daughter has a love for anchors.

I put three canvases together and drew a very rough sketch of an anchor with pencil. I didn’t want to get too serious with it…just a very quick painting using the basic shapes and whatever acrylic craft paint I had left from previous projects…mixing beiges and blues.

Any basic pattern will work. Just be sure the picture hits all three canvases. If you don’t feel comfortable working with a pencil sketch, you can easily find something online to copy and trace. You can even use your computer or a copier to adjust the size of the picture. If that still seems intimidating to you, you can decoupage a picture onto the canvases – requiring no drawing or painting at all!

The painting took about 10 minutes since I just did a ‘messy’ impressionistic view of an anchor and added very little detail.

I was able to create a painting that used the appropriate color scheme and a favorite motif to add to my daughter’s newly decorated bathroom…fun! I’m hoping my daughter will send me a photo of this new creation when she hangs it on the wall. If so, I will share it with you on my Facebook page.

I hope this has inspired you to create your own triptych! Send me an email if you need some help or ideas.

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

Sharing on Shabby Nest.

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visiting brimfield

September 6, 2013

What’s better than socializing with friends? Socializing with friends while shopping! In this case, at the Brimfield Antique and Collectibles Shows in Brimfield, Massachusetts…this week’s Friday field trip.

My day with friends was really more about talking and sharing, but there was plenty of inspiration thrown in! And, with over 75 acres to persue, we also got in some serious exercise.

Brimfield is the largest outdoor antique show in New England with over 5,000 dealers and runs three times a year (May, July and September) for a six day period. Especially for those that may not live in New England, I thought you might enjoy joining me by sharing some of my favorites this year at Brimfield. The beauty of Brimfield is that everyone has their own favorite items…here are some of mine…

I really loved this large, distressed white frame…I had so many imagined uses for it!

My grandmother had one of these telephone benches, but it sure didn’t look like this!

In LOVE with these pendants created from old ledger pages…

I always thought I would like to create a sea glass fireplace surround…this one is so beautiful and inspires me to think about other possibilities…

One of the vendors thought this was a cute arrangement of the letters offered for sale…how about this for a Wednesday in the office?

I hope you enjoyed today’s peek at Brimfield for this week’s Friday field trip. I will post some additional photos on my facebook page over the weekend.

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

Sharing with The Tablescaper.

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the pace of nature

September 3, 2013

Although the sun did not make much of an appearance this Labor Day Weekend, it was a bright one…I spent time with some special friends in a secluded retreat amid the trees in upstate New York and, for a short patch of time, adopted the pace of nature.

We had no schedules to follow or any particular plans – the beauty of our friendship is that we didn’t need to.

Appreciating our surroundings and embracing our friendship…

as well as enjoying some new friends…made for a memorable time together.

Being in the woods makes an appreciation of nature hard to ignore.

I collected some forest treasures this weekend and look forward to using the woodland/forest inspiration as the basis for my holiday preparations this year. And, in the spirit of this weekend, I will embrace the feelings of friendship and of adopting the pace of nature in all my holiday planning…

I am excited about starting some of the projects I have imagined!

Thanks for stopping by and sharing my weekend inspiration…Did you find anything to spark your inspiration this Labor Day weekend?

Remember to take

pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing with Craftberry Bush.

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monthly book giveaway for september!

September 1, 2013

chef anne burrell

Congratulations to Gayle M. for winning the August book giveaway – a signed copy of Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann. I know you will enjoy this New York Times bestseller! Enjoy! Taking a quick time out of the holiday weekend to announce the September giveaway…

Our September selection is a little different this month. It is a cookbook! It happens to be a wonderful cookbook written by celebrity chef Anne Burrell.

I love this cookbook, and when I got the chance to meet Anne Burrell a few months ago, I knew I wanted to get a signed copy of Cook Like A Rock Star for one of my monthly giveaways on pleasure in simple things. So, rather than the usual fiction novel, this cookbook will be the giveaway selection for September!

I enjoy watching Anne cook on television and found out she is a real sweetheart in person! And, believe me, Cook Like A Rock Star is a great addition to any cookbook collection…great recipes and wonderful photographs!

Be sure to leave some comments on the blog, facebook, twitter, or instagram to increase your chances to win! Good luck!

I hope you are enjoying your holiday weekend! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Instagram users – please read on for the September Instagram Challenge…this month a color inspiration is provided each week – use the color of the week to inspire your instagram photos!

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signature creation

August 30, 2013

I attended a very special wedding this summer when my nephew married a wonderful girl from New Jersey. At the wedding, I drank more than my fair share of the couple’s signature cocktail…D & P Pimm’s Cup.

For today’s Friday field trip, we are taking a trip to Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club in Bedminster, New Jersey (the magnificent wedding venue) where the bartender graciously shared the recipe for this addicting concoction! (All except the recipe for the club’s house made lemonade…I improvised my own on this!)

Pimm’s Cup is a gin based British liqueur, and with its subtle spice and citrus flavor, it is a perfect summer (or, anytime) drink component.

It was the first time I had tasted Pimm’s Cup, but based on the D & P Pimm’s Cup sightings in the wedding photos, I made up for it at the event! Well, I had to properly honor the couple, didn’t I ? ;)

Before I put the drink together for myself at home, I made up my own batch of strawberry basil lemonade.

To make my own, I started by making a simple syrup. I used 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar combined in a saucepan and heated, while stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolved. I put this aside to cool.

I then pureed a cup of strawberries and 2 oz. of fresh lemon juice in a blender on high until smooth, straining it into a pitcher.

To the pitcher, I added 6 oz. of fresh lemon juice, simple syrup to taste (about 1/2 cup), 3 cups cold water, and a cup of fresh basil leaves. I also added a lemon I had leftover – washed it and sliced it up. I stirred this together and refrigerated before using.

This gave me plenty of lemonade to use for making my D & P’s!

For a quicker version, you can always add some strawberry puree and basil leaves to purchased lemonade.

Make up a batch of D & P’s for your end of the summer bash! The recipe is easily adjusted for those under 21 (by eliminating the Pimm’s), so it is a wonderfully refreshing addition to any gathering!

Since I am still soooo excited about the wedding and all my new family, I am sending out official D & P Pimm’s Cup recipe cards to anyone that requests one – simply email or inbox me your address! Enjoy!

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

Sharing at The Tablescaper, Craftberry Bush, and The Shabby Nest.

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embracing the season

August 27, 2013

The best flowers for decorating are the ones that embrace the season. Here in New England, hydrangeas are a favorite. While putting together some arrangements for a wedding rehearsal dinner, I knew this seasonal flower was the best choice. Wanting to personalize the arrangement in some way, I decided to add the future bride and groom’s initials by creating monogrammed tie-ons crafted from natural elements.

I used some cocoa colored stamp pad ink and stamps to stamp on pieces of wood. If you aren’t into cutting and sanding wood, you can easily find something similar at a craft store or on Etsy.

An easy and wonderful way to help the spacing stay consistent when stamping is to simply use an elastic to hold the two letters and ampersand stamps together while applying the monogram.

Once your tie-ons are completed, you can save them to add to your completed centerpieces. Harvest (or purchase) the seasonal favorites you plan on using. If you are truly embracing the season, it is best to use something that is presently in bloom…such a great way to evoke feelings of gardens and the season. :)

Hydrangeas are really great all on their own. These were being placed on a chocolate colored table cloth so I just added a couple curly sticks as accents and tied twine around clear vases. Perfect!

In appreciating every last bit of summer, try to find some of your own ways to embrace the season…bringing some of your garden (or a friend’s garden…thanks Phyllis!) indoors is certainly one great way!

Enjoy your week. Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at Mona’s Picturesque and Craftberry Bush.

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cotton candy grapes

August 23, 2013

To continue this week’s food trend theme, today we are taking a look at cotton candy grapes! When I heard about cotton candy flavored grapes, I was a little skeptical. Available since 2011, I hadn’t seen any in my little part of the world…until now. For Friday field trip this week, I made a trip to Stew Leonard’s in Norwalk, Connecticut to pick up some of these grapes and perform a little taste test.

Without any genetic engineering or artificial flavors (as reported by NPR), apparently the flavor of these grapes is obtained by cross-breeding different varieties of grapes. They look just like any other green seedless grape…

Can a grape taste like cotton candy? You know what? They do! I think the flavor is something of a vanilla note. The combination of that and a sugar content that is 12% higher than a regular table grape gives the fruit a sugar spun flavor reminiscent of cotton candy. It really is amazing. I keep wondering if I would think they tasted like cotton candy if I didn’t know they were called cotton candy grapes…I think I would!

Here I combined cotton candy grapes with pieces of angel food cake dipped in white chocolate and pink sugar.

A pound of the grapes at Stew Leonard’s here in Connecticut sell for $4.99. From what I have read in Time and NPR, these grapes are grown in California, although no indication of this is present on the Stew Leonard’s packaging.

A cotton candy grape rolled in sugar and chilled makes a great garnish for a cotton candy martini!

The grapes taste wonderful all on their own, but of course I did a little experimenting and want to show you some of my favorite ways to use the cotton candy grape! You can use them in any way you would normally use a grape. I am sure they would add a nice sweetness as a component in chicken salad or a nice accompaniment with wine and cheese. But for me, I most enjoyed them as a part of something sweet (especially white chocolate)! Take a look!

An elegant but easy dessert with cotton candy grapes. The grapes are added to white chocolate instant pudding poured into an angel food dessert shell and drizzled with white chocolate.

Cotton candy grapes taste wonderful on their own, but here I combined them with mini marshmallows on skewers for a fun dessert.

A great ‘salad’ for a sweet tooth. Combine cotton candy grapes with this sweet dressing and serve ice cold. For 1 lb. of grapes, combine 2 cups sour cream and 1 cup brown sugar and mix with grapes.

I hope you can find some cotton candy grapes near you and give them a try! If you already have, I would love to hear your comments! Have you tried any other food trends this summer?

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

Sharing at The Tablescaper.

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food trend ramen burger

August 20, 2013

Always intrigued by new trends, I decided to make my son a ramen burger this week. I am not a big burger eater and I knew he would be game to try a new creation. The ramen burger seems to be getting a lot of attention. Have you heard about it? It is a burger that uses ramen as its bun.

Here is my take on it:

I started with 1 lb. of ground beef and a package of ramen. Since ramen has an Asian feel, I decided to add some Asian spices to the beef.

Originally, I thought I would add the spice packet for the ramen noodles to the beef, but decided against it. Instead, I added a couple splashes of teriyaki sauce, ½ tsp. ground ginger, some ground pepper, and half of a crushed clove of garlic.

To make the ramen bun, I first cooked the noodles according to directions, but discarded the spice packet. Once the noodles were cooked, I rinsed them to cool them off and then drained the liquid. I mixed in one egg and divided the mixture into two…this would make up the two parts of the bun. I shaped each half into as close to a bun shape as I could and put them on a plate and into the refrigerator for a half hour…it made it a little easier to keep them in shape.

I heated up a skillet with a little oil and fried up the two halves…it kind of reminded me of making hash browns. Once they had a nice brown color on each side, I set my ‘bun’ pieces aside.

Using half of the ground beef (I made two burgers from the 1 lb. package); I cooked a burger on my outdoor grill. (I added cheddar cheese, because my son happens to prefer cheese burgers.)

Once the burger was cooked the way I wanted it, I put it on the ramen ‘bun’ and garnished it with chopped scallions, a splash of soy sauce, and a sprinkling of sesame seeds.

According to my son, it was a winner. :)

I don’t know if the ramen burger will become a lasting trend, but I feel confident in creating one…my version anyway!

Stop back on Friday when we will continue the food trend theme by seeking out (and finding!) one of the hottest (and most unusual?) food items!

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

Sharing at Craftberry Bush.

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summer in the cape

August 16, 2013

Cape Cod, Massachusetts is one of those places that holds many happy memories for me. During my childhood, I enjoyed many family vacations in ‘the Cape.’ I had an opportunity to visit my old vacation spot recently, when I attended a service to honor the life of a special friend that had passed.

While there, I got the chance to reconnect with some friends that live in Chatham…not only did I enjoy spending some time catching up, but also enjoyed the beautiful view at the Wequassett Resort…

I thought I would share some of the beautiful view with you in today’s Friday field trip. Now remember, this is just a brief point in time at the Cape…dinner with friends as sunset approaches…Can you even imagine the beauty when you live there full time? Enjoy the photos!