cottage – Page 4 – Cottage Green on the Lake

A “Welcome Home” … for Thanksgiving

by Trenda at Cottage Green on the Lake

The slow progression of autumn here in East Texas has suddenly quickened and the sights and sounds of the season have become tangible. The crickets are softly droning (a decrescendo to their summer song!) as they sing their final chorus … there is a hush in the air that is marked by a distant caw of a crow or the occasional rustle of leaves as an acorn descends through the branches … a muffled “plop” heard, when it hits the ground … and the leaves of our Ash tree, that drape over the lake, are transforming into a beautiful shade of yellow.

The view beyond our windows reminds us that the “season” of Thanksgiving is upon us, though, like Thoreau … “I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual.”

As I “dress” our home and get it ready for the holidays, I am going to start with our front door … it is the first thing that welcomes and greets our family and friends when they visit. The front door sets the stage of what people can “expect” to find inside your home and should be a reflection of the warmth and welcome you want to portray within your home.

I began decorating our door by hanging this beautiful wreath that a dear friend of mine made. Then I took a bundle of wrapped grapevine (I bought mine at Hobby Lobby in the section where grapevine wreaths are hanging) and cut the coil of grapevine in half with wire cutters – this gave me 2 sections of grapevine for each side of the door. After cutting the 2 sections, I pulled the grapevine to loosen the taut coils. My husband hammered nails into our door frame for me to impale the grapevine on. At the base of the door, where the tension was greatest, I added a pipe cleaner and wrapped the grapevine around the nail, using the pipe cleaner to firmly hold the grapevine to the door frame.

Then I began inserting leaves that I cut from an autumn swag into the twigs of the grapevine. I also wired some pumpkins, squash, and chrysanthemums to the grapevine to add interest and fullness … but left enough of the grapevine bare, so it wouldn’t become too “visually heavy” or overbearing.

I placed a pumpkin (leftover from Halloween!) next to this quaint basket that I found years ago. I’ve always thought the wooden duck looked
“right at home” here at the lake and it is always handy, near our front door and holds walking sticks, any dripping umbrellas, and a fragrant “bouquet” of eucalyptus. Tip: Eucalyptus makes the entry to your home smell wonderful, and it is also a natural deterrent for spiders!

Mr. and Mrs. Pilgrim greet all Thanksgiving visitors. (: We ARE … grateful, thankful, blessed!

Our deck has several built into benches and on this one, next to the front door, I’ve “tipped my hat” to the season and added a little whimsy with these 2 Pilgrim door greeters! I love this chalkboard a friend made for me, with it’s rustic look and cedar framework; I use it all the time … “4theseasons” to write holiday messages on, or for keeping track of horseshoe scores! (:

I hope these ideas will help you and that you’ll have fun creating and making your entryway and door a “welcome home” for Thanksgiving!

“I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual.”

“In everything give thanks.”

From my cottage to yours ~ Trenda

Thank you so much for spending some time with me today! I’d love to hear from you and I am truly delighted, reading what you have to say. Please leave any questions you may have or comments, below. Don’t be dismayed if you don’t see your comment “appear” right away. Word Press checks everything I receive for SPAM and all have to be approved, before posting.

Easy Thanksgiving favors & DIY Autumn Wreath

by Trenda

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Today our first dear arrivals are coming for a much anticipated Thanksgiving week of being t-o-g-e-t-h-e-r! I still have too many things that haven’t been crossed off of my “To do” list, but I have finished some of those special projects that I love doing from my “wanna-do” list. (:

Look at these cute little favor bags! They were so easy to put together, I made them the night before everyone arrived! I love the way they look displayed in this dear, quirky turkey basket my husband bought for me years ago … the ones that didn’t fit, I tucked into a crystal biscuit barrel.

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Each little bag is filled with a sweet mixture of tiny maple cream cookies, some maple peanut clusters, Sixlets in sparkly autumn colors I found at Cracker Barrel and some darling maple leaf-shaped chocolates that Richard found for me at World Market … all in the “flavors of autumn!”

Materials and supplies needed: treat sacks, stamps, ink pad, twine, table confetti, scissors, hole punch, and ruler

supplies

Instructions:

Begin by folding over the top of each bag (I bought my treat sacks at Hobby Lobby – $2.49 for 24 count) On the folded area at the top, I stamped For You. Then, to decorate the front of the bag I stamped another image with the words Give Thanks, Gratitude, Blessed, Hayride, Family, and Tradition on it. (Any Thanksgiving or autumn stamp can be used to decorate your treat bag!)
Fill bag with your treats before proceeding to the next steps.
Punch 2 holes in/and through the folded layer at the top of the bag, with a hole puncher.
For each bag, cut off 2 1/2 feet of twine (I bought my twine at Michael’s on sale for 5o cents) and “threaded” both ends of twine through the front of my bag. Then cross the twine in back and pull one piece of twine back over the top of the bag and the other piece of twine, wrap around the back of the bag to meet up with the twine in front.(See pictures above)
From a small package of table confetti with leaves and acorns (on sale at Michael’s for $1.00) I punched a hole in the paper acorns and added the acorns to my twine before tying the two ends of twine into a bow.

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DIY Autumn Wreath

Now … the instructions I promised you in my last post, on how to make the autumn wreath that I pictured hanging over our living room mirror. (click here to see)

This is my favorite spot to make my wreaths. It’s in our kitchen over a little cookbook cubby that has a little counter for holding all my supplies and materials needed to make my wreath. There’s also an outlet for my glue gun and the knob of the upper cabinet is the perfect height for hanging my wreath, while I work on it. The first thing I do is to wrap a pipe cleaner through the back of my wreath, forming a loop to hang it from. This pipe cleaner loop is also the hanger I’ll use to display my finished wreath.

Making the bow …

The first step in making a bow is to pull out the ribbon needed for the “tail” of your bow. I always “allow” a little extra ribbon since I can trim the length of my “tails” when the bow is completed and it is much easier than having to re-make my bow! This is not a part of the bow you will be looping and twisting.
Begin working beyond the ribbon you have extended for the “tail.” Grasp the length of ribbon (not at the end!) and loop the ribbon over your thumb and grasp the base of the small loop in your fingers. This will be the center of your bow (the extra ribbon for tail will extend beyond this small center loop)
Make your first bow loop. This will determine how big your bow is. The larger the loop, the larger the bow. Gather the ribbon together at the end of the loop and hold tightly in your fingers.
Make sure your ribbon is facing right side up if you are using a single sided ribbon like mine, with printing facing up. I slip a pipe cleaner into my center loop at this time. It will balance there, resting on the twisted folds of ribbon, while you continue forming the bow.
Make your second loop on the opposite side, remembering to gather and twist the ribbon together in the middle where the imprinted side is facing up.
Continue making loops, alternating sides until your bow is the size you want. Make sure you have the same amount of loops on each side.
When the bow is the size you want, allow extra ribbon length for your second “tail” before you cut the ribbon. Twist the pipe cleaner in the center of your bow tightly (I use a pair of needle-nose pliers) several times to insure that it will hold your twisted ribbon; cut off excess pipe cleaner and push down the cut ends of pipe cleaner, so they won’t scratch you.
Pull loops of bow to “fluff” to desired shape.

Hot glue your bow to your wreath.

I hot glued green leaves on first, as the “base” of my wreath, making sure I kept both sides of my wreath balanced and “equal.”

Next, I glued on my colored autumn leaves.

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Last step … I tucked in a few chrysanthemums and some grape clusters, then added my “filler.” “Filler” is usually diminutive, compared to the rest of the arrangement, and is added to blend and unify the look of the whole wreath. On this wreath, my “filler” is glittered orange stems and a variegated ivy.

I hope while crossing off all your “have-to’s” … you get to enjoy some time decorating and creating some fun special “projects” while you are getting everything ready for the ones you love!

From my cottage to yours ~ Trenda

Thank you so much for spending some time with me today! I’d love to hear from you. Please leave any questions or comments below.

DIY “Jolly Jack-o-Lantern” Halloween Wreath … by Trenda

“A Halloween of Memory Past” by Trenda In just a little over a “fortnight” we will have a host of little ghosts and goblins coming to our doorstep. Once, not really so very long ago, I was one of those happy “trick or treater’s” … traipsing down the streets, I peered to see out of my plastic mask that was always askew, had eye slots that were cut too small to properly see and was held in place by a thin rubber band that pulled my hair and I was always afraid would snap and pop me in the face! I made sure I stayed close to my strong, broad shouldered father and seeing his comforting silhouette outlined in the shadows was particularly assuring on a night called All Hallows’ Eve! My father carried a railroad lantern to lead his little band and family of mix-matched character’s … a hobo, a skeleton, 2 gypsies, and a clown … and I remember the red glow cast by his lantern, added to the mystique of the evening. (to be continued)

Remembering that feeling, I love to make our home as welcoming as possible on Halloween and enjoy creating an expectant atmosphere, befitting the night, that the children can sense as they climb up each step to our door.

Now with all that in mind … today I am writing the DIY instructions for this Jolly Jack-o-Lantern Halloween wreath that you can make and hang on your front door to welcome each of your little visitors! The “jewel and sparkle” a wreath adds to your door, is like adding a necklace to your outfit! (:

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Below, is a list of supplies you will need to make your wreath.

Materials needed:

metal wreath form
up to 3 rolls of mesh in your choice of Halloween colors
pipe cleaners
glue gun and glue sticks
assorted Halloween decorations
scissors & wire cutters

Instructions:

First, make a simple loop hanger using a pipe cleaner and wrap it around the back of the wire wreath form. This is the hanger you will use to display your wreath on your door, but it is also convenient to use while constructing your wreath. Tip: I always use pipe cleaners that match the colors I am using in my wreath. Then, when I am finished they aren’t easily seen and “blend” right into the decorations and colors of the wreath. Take your first color of mesh and go around the form of your wreath, bunching the mesh loosely. To form a “poof” or segment, wrap a pipe cleaner around the mesh and wire wreath form to secure the mesh to the form. I trim my pipe cleaners off at this point to keep things neat and so they won’t get “in the way” and snag my material. Continue bunching and securing mesh around the perimeter of your wreath form. Don’t be timid! There’s no wrong way to do this! (:

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Then, do the same thing again with the next color you have chosen for your wreath. Gather and bunch your mesh and secure it with pipe cleaners to your wreath form. Be sure and “stagger” where you bunch and secure your mesh, not conforming with the same pattern you used with the first color. This will make your wreath fuller. See picture below.

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Repeat the same procedure again, using your last color of mesh and making sure to weave and bunch your mesh in areas you see that need more fullness. Note: It is up to you how many colors of mesh you use. Sometimes, I use only 2 fabrics or even one color of mesh or burlap. Just make sure when you are using fewer colors that you bunch your fabric tighter, so you have a full wreath.

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Now, the fun part begins! Take your decorations and just hot glue them to your wreath. I add my biggest items first … next, any smaller items I have.

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Then … I add my “filler” last. Filler is added to your entire wreath and “pulls” the look of your wreath together, unifying and blending all your colors and decorations on the wreath. Filler can be any material – it adds texture and conformity. In the photo below … see how I’ve used my neon green curly twigs as filler.

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Then, I added a few “bursts” of accent with a ribbon that incorporated all the colors of my 3 different mesh … a purple, orange and black plaid. Wherever I wanted a little more color, I cut some random lengths of my plaid ribbon and “wove it” into the mesh ribbon, and hot glued the ends to hold. The final step was gluing some sparkly wrapped paper candies … table confetti, that I found at Hobby Lobby for only $1.50 … in just my colors of purple, orange, and neon green!

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Now when …

“Silent phantoms

of the night

In their robes

of ghostly white.

They are always to be seen

On the night of Halloween.”

come to your door, they will be delighted to see the wreath you made welcoming them to your haunt!

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Thank you so much for spending some time with me today! I’d love to hear from you and I am truly delighted, reading what you have to say. Please leave a comment, below. Don’t be alarmed when your comment doesn’t post, immediately. Word Press makes sure each post I send or that I receive hasn’t any SPAM attached … “it’s a good thing!” (:

From my cottage to yours ~ Trenda

Part 2 of … Feathering the Nest by Trenda

In Part 1 of “Feathering the Nest” I asked … “What do you enjoy collecting? Whatever your passion is, use those items to decorate and “cozy up” your home.”
The most frequent question I have been asked, over my years of decorating is … “How should I decorate my home?” Decorate your home with the things you love! For those of you that “need a little help” figuring out what you love in decorating or what you like to collect, that’s what I want to help you discover, today.

Home … the perfect nest

In Part 1 of “Feathering the Nest” I asked … “What do you enjoy collecting? Whatever your passion is, use those items to decorate and “cozy up” your home.”

The most frequent question I have been asked, over my years of decorating is … “How should I decorate my home?” Decorate your home with the things you love! For those of you that “need a little help” figuring out what you love in decorating or what you like to collect, that’s what I want to help you discover, today.

A cheery welcome gleams from the lamplight reflected in the large mirror over the fireplace and again in the mirrored frame of the bird picture. A bright green bird looks stunning, placed next to the contrasting blue and white porcelains.

“What do you love to collect?” Just think what gives you a little “thrill” whenever you see that item sitting on the shelf of your favorite store or sitting in a darkened display in an antique store. Sometimes it’s buried under a pile of “store jumble” or it’s the last item hanging on a peg, in just the color you needed!

The muted colors of this pheasant blend perfectly with my collection of loved, worn and faded antique books.

Whenever you see your particular “eye candy” your pace quickens, even though you remind yourself not to get too excited as you “unearth” your treasure, all the while you are hoping “it is” what you “think it is!”

These are the things you love and that you are passionate about … and what you should decorate your home with! It may be lots of different things. For me it’s violins, birds, feathers, bird nests, bird cages, squirrels, acorns, pencils made from branches, books, antique flower frogs … just to name a few! (;

Beatrix Potter’s “Peter Rabbit” is opened displaying the beautiful illustrations that are fitting with the garden paraphernalia I have scattered about the desk. The little water bucket and watering can look charming holding pencils and paintbrushes instead of the “expected” flower arrangement, they usually hold. Also fitting with the theme of gardens, I’ve placed 2 of my antique flower frogs; one for propping the book page open, the other … just for keeping the other “frog” company! (:

Or … you may like collecting items that follow a theme … anything associated with birds, vintage garden tools and signs, a nautical theme, or beach themes.

This little table holds a twig lamp and all things bird-y and dear to me … a miniature and ornate cloche shelters a blown glass hummingbird that belonged to my precious sister, long-since “graduated” to heaven … a special teacup and saucer that were once my grandfather and grandmother’s that I’ve tucked a tiny nest into with a little hummingbird hovering above … and a plump, mercury glass bird, nestled between them. Look at that beautiful, midnight twilight gleaming beyond the window!

Do you have a passion for collecting items that are a particular color? Do you find yourself irresistibly drawn and buying collectibles and items in the perfect shade of peacock blue or sunny yellow? Use those items you have in matching colors and group them together to make an impact and visual point of interest.

This collection on my desk is unified in color and theme. A chartreuse green watering can is filled with pencils and paintbrushes … another “impromptu” pencil cup is really a flower planter and is also chartreuse green. The little frame beyond with bird houses is colored, again, in chartreuse green and complimentary shades of plum, a sweet gift from our beloved daughter that says … “A mother’s love is what makes a house a home.”See how I unified different collectibles in my bookcase by using chartreuse green repeatedly … chartreuse green watering cans … book jackets … mossy rocks … planter … and little water pail.

An etched glass jar holds a collection of ferns and mossy rocks and maintains the garden theme while evoking the mood displayed on the book jacket, “The Secret Garden.” A large silver acorn and a mercury glass mushroom are all part of the magic in a “secret garden” and who else do you think resides there? … a couple of Frog Prince, of course! (:

When you use and incorporate the items you love in decorating, your home will begin to be the haven you desire and will have the “cozy” feeling you’re longing to create. Why? … because your home will be filled with the things you love and the collectibles that make you happy and reflect “your taste.” A home you’ll love coming home to!

Look how the textures of the hydrangea, the filigree on the planter, and the scrolling on the word ‘TRUST’ all compliment each other and make this arrangement visually interesting with the use of texture.

From my cottage to yours ~ Trenda

Autumn from the back deck … by Trenda

It’s been a beautiful week and as I went out on the back deck today, there was a coolness in the air that suddenly made me wish I had my sweater … a few golden leaves were floating, drifting on the lake … and autumn tinges could be seen, peeking from the trees. The bright, golden sunlight, particular to this time of year, made the blue of the sky and the blue of the lake an intense background against the last green’s of the season. <!–more–>

Our Beauty Berry Bush (aptly named!) is almost glowing in autumn and can be seen from our upper deck and was given to us, by a dear neighbor. Our son planted it for me (in just the right spot!) next to our bonfire pit and near the lake, so we all enjoy it’s autumn brilliance while having wiener roasts and toasting marshmallows. It’s looks like a beautiful banquet spread and splayed out for the birds, with berries in a gorgeous shade of purple!

Right beneath our upper deck is a bed of hydrangea bushes, which bloom in early summer. Now, in autumn they are putting on their “second act” and the “mopheads” have dried and the papery blossoms have transformed from all shades of blue, to a muted green; the blossoms are now perfect for clipping and “will be appearing” in autumn arrangements or tucked among fir boughs for their “final act.”

My husband played in a golf tournament today and as the day slipped by and the outside beckoned, I decided to surprise him with an Autumn Afternoon Tea, on the deck. For our “tea party” I whipped up some Apple Cider Muffins with a Walnut Streusel Topping and brewed some spiced tea. The muffins were as delicious as they sound and I simply opened a ready-mix package of Martha White’s Apple Cider Muffin Mix, added some milk, and made them … “according to directions.”

However, before putting the muffins in the oven I made a batch of streusel topping … a mixture of butter, flour, brown sugar, and walnuts and generously topped each muffin, instantly transforming my “mix” muffins into gourmet muffins, with very little trouble. I’ve included the directions to my Brown Sugar and Walnut Streusel below.

Brown Sugar and Walnut Streusel

Ingredients:

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1/3 cup cup flour

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup butter (melted)

Combine brown sugar, flour, nuts and melted butter in a mixing bowl. Top each muffin with a generous spoonful of streusel, keeping the amount added, below the top rim of the muffin pan.

Tip: This recipe makes more streusel than needed for 1 batch of muffins and I always put the remainder in a labeled Ziploc bag and keep it in my freezer … ready to add to any muffins or coffee cakes I make!

Then I had the fun of “decorating” the table outside for our Autumn Tea and began by spreading a dark green tablecloth, covered with pictures of seed packets and produce, over the table. For the centerpiece, I filled a Marcrest antique pitcher that my mother gave me, with yellow broom weed. Nestled below the pitcher I placed a little iron urn filled with millet and a wee little bird, who’s having his fill of bird seed! I put the Apple Cider muffins on an autumn-colored plate decorated with leaves and topped the plate with one of my cloche’s … I love to collect! and to ward off any unwanted guests. Incidentally, have you ever noticed how everything looks more delectable under a glass dome? (: I used a wire basket to hold our napkins and an old log planter that is one of my favorite antique finds that I use here in our cottage lake house … to hold sweeteners. By the way, my husband loved our Autumn Afternoon Tea and the muffins! (:

This is the “twilight view” off our deck … same angle as those early morning pictures I took which were “bathed” in golden sunlight and in a background of blue sky and blue lake. This evening, the setting sun has beautifully tinged the sky in shades of pink … the water, shades of purple.

“Splendor of ended day, floating and filling me!” ~ Walt Whitman

Thank you so much for spending some time with me today! I’d love to hear from you and I am truly delighted, reading what you have to say. Please leave a comment, below.

From my cottage to yours ~ Trenda

DIY Autumn Leaf Drink Markers …… by Trenda from Cottage Green on the Lake

It’s time to hang our autumn wreath on the front door; time to put out “Hal” … our wooden scarecrow with a green trellis backdrop and spunky black crow perched on the railing, and time for home fragrances and candles in mellow, spicy scents of autumn. It’s time for the magical transformation of our home, putting “touches” of the season on tabletops, mantles, and throughout each room that reflect the warm, cozy feeling of autumn. <!–more–>

So far, the chandelier is dressed for autumn with leaves, grape clusters and a draping of golden acorns.

And … summer decor on the buffet is slowly being replaced with pumpkins, bushy-tailed squirrels, and glittered acorns.

Dressing our home for the fall season includes how I set my table … which dishes I use, which napkins I match up with what napkins rings, and all the other “accoutrements” I have to accent my table … “4theseasons.”

I made the cutest autumn drink markers that I want to show you how to make today.

I bought all the supplies I needed at Hobby Lobby on the bead/jewelry-making aisle. The wire loops, tube of assorted beads and cards of autumn leaf buttons were all on this aisle. The only other item that I used in making these drink markers was a pair of needle nose pliers, which I used in bending one end of the wire loop to slip and secure the drink marker into the eye-hole, after all the beads and leaf were in place.

These are so easy to make … Just take the size wire hoop that you want to use for your drink marker and begin “threading” beads in whatever order you choose. When you have half of the ring filled with beads, put on the size and color of leaf that you want to use for your drink marker and continue threading on the other half of your beads, matching the sequence you used on the first side. Make sure you leave room at the end of your wire loop to make your fastener. After all your beads are threaded, bend the very end of your wire hoop so it will slip into the wire eye on the other side of the hoop, and fasten. (Notice how the end opposite the “eye” of the wire hangers are straight before I bent them to make a fastener. I’ve also turned some of the leaves over so you can see that they are just buttons!)

Our family get-together’s range from small to large gathering’s so I made lots of drink markers and had fun using all different bead color combinations and sizes of leaves. We always reserve the biggest leaf for my husband and our youngest grandchild gets the smallest leaf … and everyone remembers which glass is there’s by the color and size of their leaf!

Now that you know how to make your drink markers, it’s fun to pick out different buttons and beads to make markers for every holiday and occasion. I’ve even bought block letters on the bead aisle and have made one-of-a-kind drink markers for our family using the first initial of every family member. I’ve also made drink markers and added them to wedding gifts as a little “bonus” gift for newly-weds … with their “love” names for each other, spelled out on the drink marker. Halloween pumpkins and ghosts … Christmas trees and candy canes … Spring flowers and bunny’s … the possibilities are endless! I hope you have as much fun making these as much as I do!

From my cottage to your’s ~ Trenda

Garden-themed tabletop caddy … hold and “plant” your silverware and napkins.

My husband, Richard, bought this darling Verdi Green planter for me from T. J Maxx, 2 weeks ago, during the hottest part of our “Dog Days of Summer” here in East Texas. We had 8 days in a row with temperatures in the 100’s and the heat index being anywhere from 106-109 degrees!

The following week we were blessed with much cooler weather and a week of rain! (a cause for celebration in August, typically our hottest and driest month here in East Texas!) I was so tickled with my new planter, I couldn’t wait for cooler temperatures, or for the rain to stop, before I filled it!

Instead of scooping up potting soil and filling the charming pots with flowers, I “planted” my silverware and napkins in the metal pots and made the planter the focal point of my garden themed tablescape and set it atop our dining room table!

I didn’t want the top bucket to appear top-heavy, so I filled that flower pot, with napkins.

There, under the sweet little spigot and “blooming” like flower petals, I tucked in white embroidered napkins trimmed with a simple lace corner and a single, pink flower.

Then I “planted” a few sage green napkins to match the green of the flower pots.

In the lower bucket, I “softened” the look of the metal before adding my silverware by lining it with 2 napkins, one sage green napkin and one white embroidered napkin.

Then I randomly placed my cutlery in a seemingly haphazard way … some handles up, some down, to create a casual, but elegant display.

I love the embellished and intricate ends of the silverware, but I also love looking at the gleaming, shiny, blades, tines, and scoops!

A crystal vase holds additional pieces of silver to the right of the cascading flower pots and keeping with my garden theme, I placed two tiny antique books and topped them with a teeny bird and a piece of bark I found in the backyard that was covered in a lovely colored lichen that blended perfectly with the green tones of the flower pots, books, and bird.

I tried out a different look and added a little color while still maintaining the garden theme. In lieu of the crystal vase filled with cutlery, I displayed two of my favorite bird books … “A Complete Guide to Bird Feeding” and “Beyond the Bird Feeder” both wonderful books illustrated with pictures and written by John V. Dennis.
Which display do you like better?

To balance out the left side, I placed a silver coffee pot, a silver creamer, and adding some height, I stacked some miniature silver chargers and placed the silver sugar bowl on top.

My garden themed tabletop, a perfect backdrop for a cool summer lunch of chicken salad croissants, cucumber salad, and deviled eggs … all served with sweet Southern tea! (:
Hope your enjoying these last days of summer and that you are managing to beat the heat, wherever “home is” for you! I’m anxiously awaiting to see the first violas, snapdragons, pansies and flowering kale of the season … and my favorite chrysanthemums and purple asters!

Then, I’ll transform my flowering tabletop flower pots and “dress them” to go outside for autumn! (:

Thank you for spending a part of your day with me!

From my cottage to yours ~ Trenda

Cottage Green on the Lake … Sand Pail Ice Cream by Trenda

“I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!!!”

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Back when our kids were in elementary school we began this family tradition of making, what we later named … “Sand Pail Ice Cream.” It became our tradition to make this ice cream when the last school day of the year was over; a happy and fun beginning to summer vacation!

Now, with all our family and their children going to different schools and having different schedules in different cities, we aren’t always able to make it together at the beginning of summer, but it remains a fun family tradition we still have every summer. This summer we made it for our Labor Day celebration, signifying summer’s end, rather than it’s beginning. Fun and equally good, whenever it’s served!

First, you need to invest in a brand new plastic sand pail. (: Wash your new pail in warm sudsy water.
Then set out 1 or more half gallons of ice cream, depending on how many people you will be serving and how much your sand pail will hold. (It’s hard to tell in this picture, but the sand pail I have can hold 3 half gallon cartons of ice cream! We have also used additional sand pails when we have larger crowds to serve and for different flavors and mixes!) When the ice cream has softened, scoop the ice cream from the cartoon and into the sand pail.

The rest is simple … just chop and stir in your family’s favorite ice cream “add-in’s” and toppings … or dish ice cream into separate containers for each person to individualize with their choice of toppings and add-in’s!

Some suggested add-in’s (but not limited to!)

candy
ice cream syrup’s
marshmallow topping
cookies
fruit – cherries, pineapple, banana
cool whip
sprinkles … the more sprinkles, the better for your little ones!

Other suggestions …

make sure all your candies “compliment” each other (don’t mix sour candies with chocolate candies!)
my family’s favorite ice cream is Bluebell’s Cookies and Cream – I used that flavor of ice cream and already had 1 “add-in” … cookies!
do not use candies that might harden in the ice cream and be difficult to bite into!
have 2 or more sand pails for additional or different flavor combinations!

Have fun setting your table and using all your festive bowls, glasses, soda fountain glasses, straws, spoons, and decorations! I added a centerpiece of giant pixie straws, cupcake liners to hold extra add-in’s to nibble on, and little plastic animals to adorn each ice cream serving!

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“We all scream for ice cream!”

From my cottage to your’s ~ Trenda

Cottage Green on the Lake … “Feathering the Nest” by Trenda

Living on the lake, the scenery just beyond our window panes is always the focal point. The beautiful views outside make decorating “within” a challenge. So, rather than compete with God’s artistry outside … I try to enhance those views by bringing the outside … in!

Thinking about the “feathering of our nest” … I took pictures of all things “birdie” throughout our home. I wanted you to see how easy it is to incorporate items that are typically associated outside of the home … in our decor.

1) Using garden statuary …
A cement cherub, playing a fife, looks “at home” and as angelic atop our hall tree, as he does in the garden.

A bird, made of cement, looks quite content sitting at the base of a crystal vase, among a selection of nesting materials.

2) Using miniature birdbaths and filling them with birdseed, instead of water …

A rustic bird stands near a crystal ice bucket and a tin bucket covered in moss … nearby, an unusual birdfeeder!

A little silver bird is perched on the edge of his nest, that’s filled with millet. Above him is a darling cake-plate, adorned with 4 sweet birds and a collection of salt cellars.

3) Perching teeny birds in unexpected places …
A bird dangles from a pine-flowered swag. Clutched tightly, he holds a tiny offering of pinecones.

Sitting high above a music armoire is a little bird, just outside his antique cage … and a collection of all things “birdie.”
4) Tucking bird nests in floral arrangements or peeking out of almost-hidden niches …

A moss-covered nest with a sprinkling of flower buds looks “sweet” in an ornate sugar bowl.

Tucked among some greenery in a silver bucket, a nest adds visual interest to a stack of plates and moss-colored napkins.

What do you enjoy collecting? Whatever your passion is, use those items to decorate and “cozy up” your home.
I hope you have enjoyed seeing our “feathered nest” and the unexpected ways you can bring “the outside” into your home!

Home is … the perfect nest!

From my cottage to your’s! ~ Trenda

Cottage Green on the Lake … Labor Day Weekend on the shores of Cedar Creek Lake and 2 Favorite Picnic-Fare Recipes by Trenda

By Friday afternoon our little town’s population began to increase with the number of people coming for their last summer outing at the lake. The waves began to bob as the lake slowly filled with bright, neon rafts, jet-skis, speed boats, and sailboats … and laughter could be heard from backyard decks and docks.
It was a quiet weekend for us, relatively speaking (what a pun!) with only our own dear little family coming to visit for Labor Day.

However, no matter how small the gathering, getting ready for “our gang” is always labor intensive … and after all, seemed apropos for Labor Day weekend! 😉

TO DO LIST:

Edging & weed-eating … ✔️✔️

Lawn mowed … ✔️

Decks cleaned with blower … ✔️

Floats & Water Toys aired up … ✔️

Canoe checked for “sea-worthiness” … ✔️

House cleaned … ✔️

Grocery shopping … ✔️ Menus Made … ✔️

BBQ BEANS made & crock pot filled … ✔️

Salad prepared … Teas made … all chilling in the refrigerator … ✔️✔️✔️

TIME FOR FAMILY & FUN! … ✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️

And afterwards … everyone is ready for dinner!
Below, I’ve included 2 of our family-favorite recipes! Both are easy and delicious and we enjoyed both of these sides on our Labor Day picnic.

The first recipe is my own recipe for DELICIOUS BBQ BEANS. We love the smoky flavor of the bacon that intensifies as it cooks in the the crock pot and the enhanced layering of flavor that the bell pepper adds! I also love that it is baking in the crock pot while I’m away or other dishes are being prepared, freeing up the grill and oven!

The second recipe I have included is Paula Deen’s Frito & Corn Salad. This salad is so quick and easy to “put together” and so far, we have never had anyone who doesn’t love it! Cold salads are always a favorite during our hot summer months and the spicy, crisp addition of the Fritoes adds just the right amount of crunch to the sweet flavor of the corn.

And … always a sweet ending to any celebration is our Sand Pail Ice Cream Dessert. It is our family tradition that we have been enjoying and making together, since our chidren were small! We still look forward and include making it together in our summertime traditions, every summer!

I’ll include pictures and instructions for that fun & easy treat … soon!

The last rays of the day … ending another Labor Day.

From my cottage to your’s! ~ Trenda

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by Trenda at Cottage Green on the Lake

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by Trenda

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Home … the perfect nest

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