StoneGable: 04/01/2010

Pansy Shortbread Cookies

Thursday, May 20, 2010 Labels: Cookie Recipe

Pansy Shortbread Cookies:

Don't you love having creative friends? At a recent bridal shower at StoneGable the mother-of-the-bride brought a plate of fabulous pansy cookies to share. Of course I thought they were the prettiest cookies I had ever seen! Everyone ooooohhhed and aaaaaaahhhhed over them. And not only were they beautiful to look at... they were wonderfully delicious too!

I just had to try to make them myself. Shortbread cookies are quite easy to make and fixing the pansy on top was and fun. Very impressive for the little work they take. They taste buttery and sweet, and the pansies have no taste to interfere with the lovely shortbread flavor. I would have to call this a WOW factor dessert.

I hope you will try these little bites of nature.

Pansy Shortbread Cookies

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup room temperature butter

1/4 tsp vanilla

1 TBS dried egg whites

2TBS water

Pesticide free Pansies or violas

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Pick flowers, rinse and pat dry. Put on paper towel to finish air drying.

Put flour and sugar in a large bowl. Mix together. Using a pastry cutter, cut in butter and vanilla until mixture resembles fine crumbs and starts to cling together. I use my grandmother's cutter. The paint has been rubbed off from years and years of her precious hands working dough.

Gather up crumbs into a ball and kneed together until smooth.

Roll out dough just scant of 1/4" thick. Cut with cookie cutter. I used a fluted 2 1/2"cookie cutter.

Put cookies 2" apart on parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, until the bottom and sides are just starting to slightly brown and center of top is firm.

Take out of oven and cool on baking sheet.

Combine dried egg whites and water in small bowl. When cookies are cooled brush egg white mixture on one cookie at a time and top with pansey. Use your fingers to press the pansy down in the middle and smooth out all petals so they are firmly stuck to the cookie. Put a thin layer of egg white mixtrue on top of the pansy and smooth. Sprinkle lightly with sugar. Return to parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake at 325 degrees for 5 minutes. Remove from oven. With your finger smooth out any petals that have shrivelled up. Set out on a cooling rack until the top of the cookie is completely dry.

Plate and enjoy!

I was featured on 504 Main, for Tickled Pink!!! I am Tickled Pink! Holly has a wonderful, upscale and relevent blog. Join her "Tickled Pink Party"- show what you are doing that Tickles you pink.

I am participating in Foodie Friday at Designs By Gollum. Stop over and get the best recipes in the blogasphere!

I am participating in Pink Saturday, at How Sweet The Sound. Beverly puts on the best pink party!

Click HERE to join in!

As I was strolling through the Pink Saturday blogs I came across Marie Arden Pink Living. Her blog is dedicated to PINK. It is fabulous! Go see her post about the most lovely pink and white bedroom I have ever seen. Click HERE to visit.

Tea On The Porch

Wednesday, May 19, 2010 Labels: Tea Set

Yellow China And Black Tea:

Tea time on the porch is one of my favorite things to do at StoneGable. And tea with friends on the porch is an event! Tea time for me is reminiscent of my childhood years in Scotland and England where tea time was a cherished and time honored part of the day!

The inspiration for this table came from my antique yellow porcelain tea set. I waited around at an auction, years and years ago, to bid on and finally get this pretty prize. I love yellow and dishes so I just knew I had to take it home.

This set, a lustreware china made in Japan, is probably of very little value but it is my very favorite tea set. The tea pot has a jolly, sunny look. I think it has a little bit of an up-turned attitude!

The simple yellow and white pattern is highlighted with a thin black band. This is a striking combination, but not too loud or over done. The little tea pot sits on a small wrought iron stand.

The form and design of the creamer and sugar bowl mirrors the teapot.

Each place is set with a square plate with softened corners. It has a bold scrolled design. It is the perfect backdrop for the delicate yellow dessert plate that is part of the tea set.

Topping each place setting is a double napkin gathered up in a white whrought iron napkin ring. The black and white check brings a relaxed feel to the table. The white formal napkin with a monogrammed P dresses it back up a little.

Thin yellow porcelain cups await the tea. Their reflective finish is captivating.

A tea cup is also called into an unorthodox use. It becomes a little bowl for lemons.

A white footed planter aquired at a flea market is planted with begonias and greens. The yellow flowers of the begonias almost matches the yellow in the china.

Sitting and sipping tea... laughing and bearing our hearts and souls... finding joy in just being together and being out of doors... these are simple pleasures that cannot be underestimated!

Will you join us?

I am participating in Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps On The Porch. This is the 91st Tablescape Thursday our lovely Susan has hosted. Thanks, Susan! Click HERE to join in!

I am participating in Rainbow Summer School~ Yellow at On a Tangent. Click HERE to see all the sunniest!

Ruffled Burlap Runner

Tuesday, May 18, 2010 Labels: Burlap Table Runner, Centerpiece Tutorial

Ruffled Burlap Runner Tutorial:

Burlap is a very trendy fabric right now! This lowly workhorse of a material has been elevate above some of the most historically sought after textiles- silks, satins, brocades- to take center stage in many decor circles. This astounds me! Burlap is not a friendly fabric to live with. It is scratchy and it sheds. It looses it's shape and does not wash well. Burlap smells funny, too!

At first I bucked the burlap trend. But burlap used it's natural wiles on me and has somewhat broken me! Although I don't want to decorate my windows with it or cover my furniture in it, I do now love the look of burlap as an accent. And I sing it's economical praises- so when this trend is bygone it won't have made a dent in my decorating budget. It is a winner when texture is needed and it's natural fiber weave is fresh and breezy.

The blogs and etsy shops are filled with burlap- especially pillows and runners. But the runners caught me eye. Runners come in so many options! Long, short, embellished, natural and colored. I was so intrigued with them all. Now this is a burlap piece I could love. It doesn't mean I am stuck with this funny fabric for the long haul. I can enjoy it for a season or two and then toss it- sorta like a decorating fling as opposed to a committed relationship.

This season a short flirty runner will grace my kitchen farmhouse table. Easy to make, albeit quite messy (good tip, keep the dustbuster at hand). I am pleased with the final result. It says summer to me.

I decided to make this runner short to show off the ruffle and ric rac trim. But it certainly could be made long.

StoneGable Ruffled Burlap Table Runner:

Materials:

burlap

thread

ric rac

denim needle for sewing machine

Proceedure:

Most table runners are 14-18 inches in width. Decide the witdth that would look best for your table. I wanted the ruffle of the runner to show, so I decided to make the body of my runner 36 inches and the ruffle 3 inches. My tablerunner's final proportions were 14" x 42".

Purchase burlap. For this project I bought 1 1/2 yards @ $2.99 a yard, but got 40% off with a coupon. I had a little fabric left over and will use it on another project. Hand wash and line dry burlap. Press.

This runner is reversable. Both sides are finished. This is becasue I doubled my fabric.

I will be giving instructions for a 14 x 42 inch runner. Adjust the measurements to fit your table and size of runner you want. All seam allowance were 1/2".

Start by cutting 2 pieces of burlap 15 x 37.

14 " (width of runner) + 1/2" (seam allowance) + 1/2" (seam allowance) x 36 " (length of runner) + 1/2 "

(seam allowance) + 1/2" (seam allowance)

Pin lengths together.

Sew length sides together using 1/2" seam allowances.

Turn to right side and press.

Turn width ends under 1/2".

Using leftover burlap, cut 2 lengths - 4" x 21" for the ruffle.

3" + 1/2" (seam allowance) + 1/2" (seam allowance) x 21" (1 and 1/2 widths of the 14 inch side opening).

I wanted a gently gathered ruffle- nothing too dramatic.

Fold fabric lengthwise and press. Open and press 1/2" under each width side.

Fold length on press line and sew the sides together.

Using a needle and thread, sew a basting stitch (big stitches) along the top of the raw edge length making sure to catch both thicknesses together.

Gather fabric by pulling fabric along thread to fit the runner end opening.

Pin each end into the runner first.

Pin the middle of the ruffle intoto the middle of the runner.

Pin the rest of the ruffle into the runner. Distrubute the ruffle evenly. Sew ruffle to runner.

Press runner. Make ruffle for the other end. Add ric rac if desired by sewing it near the edge of the body of the runner, but not on the seam as it will look bulky.