MEXICAN TRAIN FLAN WITH KAHLUA

Hola, amigas!
We are having company for dinner... a Mexican themed dinner... and a muy competitivo  game of Mexican Train dominoes!

 To end the meal, I have a very yummy dessert planned.  Muy delicioso... creamy custard, caramel and Kahlua...

FLAN...
 Mexican Train Flan With Kahlua

TUTORIAL TIPS AND TIDBITS #11

Last week TUTORIALS TIPS AND TIDBITS  almost hit 100 participants and it is only 10 weeks old! While that is great... and I so appreciate everyone who shares...what I love the most is all the things you can learn to do from these creative people who share their how-to's, tips and tidbits!

A great example is the kitchen above... A PROGRESSION OF A KITCHEN from GOLD COUNTRY COTTAGE was the most viewed post last week. And no wonder you should see the transformation!!!! 

Here are a few more (more than usual) features from last weeks TTT bloggers...

A WIN WIN PROPOSITION!

This is how the back of my car looks these days...

NO, I am not running away from home! 

But I am giving much of the overflow in my house away! My conscience has been bothering me lately. I have SO SO MUCH STUFF!  I'm not talking about junk... I have plenty of that too...

SUMMER'S LAST HURRAH TABLESCAPE

As the Summer of 2012 comes to a close... I am giving summer one last hurrah here at StoneGable!

Today's tablescape pays homage to summer sun, sand and surf...

ON THE MENU MONDAY~ Week Of August 27, 2012

Before we begin... a great BIG thank you to everyone who left a comment on my blog last week. I had eye surgery and  was recovering...I did not visit or comment much! I appreciate every sweet comment and every one who participated in ON THE MENU MONDAY and TUTORIAL TIPS AND TIDBITS! I'm much better and can see great... back to normal...ready to visit... thanks everyone for your prayers and good thoughts!

Are you capturing the last ounce of summer? Even though I can't wait for fall... I am giving summer it's last hurrah by hosting a Labor Day family weekend... so we will be celebrating the remains of summer in a big way...

SUNDAY SCRIPTURE~ WEEK OF AUGUST 26, 2012

Everyone has a story... what is yours?

Maybe the better question is... what do you want your story to BE?

My son, Christopher, is a youth pastor at Otterbein Church in Waynesboro Pa.

He has quite a story for a young 25 year old pastor. 

Last week Christopher preached before the whole congregation... being part of a series call "STORIES". To see his message... click HERE... find the sermon AUTHENTIC CHRISTIANITY... A LOOK AT THE LIFE OF PETER, and click WATCH.

The service starts with a brief story by a brave young woman who shares HER  story.

I pray that your story be a real page turner!

MIRROR MIRROR... A makeover fairy tale!

This is the story of an Ugly Duckling mirror.. Goldilocks mirror...Snow White mirror... and maybe a little Cinderella thrown in too...

Anyway, it is a fairy tale... Comfy? Good.... let's begin...

ONCE UPON A TIME...

TOMATO BASIL PARMESAN BISQUE~ Slow Cooker Soup

My garden is bursting with tomatoes... the Roma tomatoes are literally dripping off off the vine.  And I'm grateful for that... many of my veggies did not do well this year!

I'm saving the bulk of the Romas to freeze and make into sauce, but when I saw this fabulous recipe for a grown up tomato soup... some of those ripe summer tomatoes were destined for Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup.

This is a beautiful and flavorful soup!  Especially perfect with fresh garden tomatoes!

TUTORIALS TIPS AND TIDBITS #10

Welcome to TUTORIAL TIPS AND TIDBITS #10!  A HUGE thank you goes out to all of last weeks participants! Your tutorials, tips, tidbits and every thing you brought to show off was just fabulous and so so creative! 

What makes TTT wonderfully interesting is the wide variety of topics and range of subject mattered brought to the party!

Here are just a few inspirations from last week...

DO YOU CHIP IT?

I have been creating instant color palettes like a pro lately... beautiful colors that work together... fresh and appealing... some combinations that I would have never thought of!

And all I did was "CHIP IT"!

Look at all these beautiful color combinations...

FINDING THE PERFECT PIECE

Let me introduce you to the Paula Deen Sweet Tea Tall Dresser in Tobacco... it is finally in it's new home.... that is being transformed from the bedroom belonging to my daughter as she grew up, all girly and frilly... to a tailored and serene guest room...  where my twenty-something daughter and husband can feel loved and welcomed when they come home to StoneGable.

As many of you know, I have been pining away for the gorgeous Paula Deen Sweet Tea Dresser in tobacco for quite some time. I searched high and low for a substitute... but EVERYTHING I hunted down fell so short!!! You can read about all my whining and fussing in "DRESSER DREAMING" by clicking HERE

I can hardly believe this beauty, the Paula Deen Sweet Tea Dresser in tobacco, ( I just have to call it by it's full name!) came to live with us...

ON THE MENU MONDAY~ Week Of August 20, 2012

As you read this I am probably on the beach, or in a  pool or walking the boardwalk or looking for shells.  Getting away with a few fun girl friends is medicinal!

Don't you love having friends that will  laugh with you until midnight ... or to cry with you until you can't cry anymore? Or friends that are part of a big collective memory making adventure?

My little getaway is a perfect diversion... remember the eye surgery I had scheduled a couple of weeks ago?
It was canceled and it is now scheduled for this Tuesday. I am a little anxious for it... I have had too long to think about it! Hopefully I'll be home to serve up the soup from the slow cooker Tuesday evening.  Please say a little prayer for me.. again! Thanks!

Now, here's what's ON THE MENU...

SUNDAY SCRIPTURE~ August 17, 2012

HAPPY ZINNEAS ~ CUTTING, CARE AND COLLECTING SEEDS

Zinnias are such happy summer annuals... and my favorite! It just wouldn't be summer if these sunny blooms weren't spreading there colorful joy all over my garden!

I have learned how to care for zinnias by trial and error over the years... here are some tips on cutting, caring for and making sure you will have happy zinnias every year...

MINI ICE CREAM COOKIE CUPS

What a yummy trio of sweetness!

I saw these cookie cups on the Pillsbury web page and thought they were adorable... I also was skeptical that they were easy to make and would look like the cookie cup in their photos.

They were soooo easy and came out perfectly! This is a WOW factor dessert...

TUTORIAL TIPS AND TIDBITS #9

Welcome to TUTORIAL TIPS AND TIDBITS! All of you have been very busy! You have been painting and rearranging and baking and updating and planting and gluing and sewing and stacking and getting ready for fall! There is so much creativity going on in blogland!

Here are just a couple featured blogs from last week's TTT ...

THE BEST PAINTING TIP YOU WILL EVER GET... REALLY!

I recently attended an Annie Sloan Chalk Painting class at CATFISH CREATIVE FURNISHINGS and came home with a great little painted piece and a head full of FABULOUS techniques, tips and ideas! This hands on class was invaluable and our teacher, Celeste, was fun and informative and so so creative! 

It was a day of ASCP total immersion! I learned so many interesting techniques! But there was one thing I thing I took away that will make a HUGE difference in the way I paint EVERY piece of furniture...

I think it is the best tip I will ever get and I want to share it with you...

WHITE DISHES IN THE LITTLE CUPBOARD

There is a little cupboard in my kitchen with interesting glass doors... and everything in it is white. I call it my little french cupboard, because of it's mullioned windows and sweet utilitarian size. It reminds me of a small cupboard in a french farmhouse.

It is not staged or perfectly appointed or filled with great design elements. My niece calls it "aesthetically useful".

 But it does hold some of my favorite dishes... all white and interesting and well-loved! 

Let's take a a little look...

ON THE MENU MONDAY~ WEEK OF AUG. 13, 2012

If you look at my menu this week, you will see what is producing in my garden right now. We are eating great summer tomatoes everyday!!! This is such a treat! Tomatoes are at their peak and bursting with flavor! I just can't get enough of them... and they are free for the picking... and canning... and freezing!

My onions and leeks and eggplants are all ready to be harvest this week too! So much yumminess.. . and no weeds. Thank you Bobby!

 ON THE MENU MONDAY hit a milestone last week... 108 bloggers stopped by with their scrumptious recipes and menus to join in! We passed the 100 mark! Oh, this was so exciting and encouraging to me!

You don't know how many times I had ALMOST retired OTMM... it had languished along for quite awhile and I often questioned it's worth. It was all the faithful bloggers that supported it and showed up every week that has kept it going! Thank you so so much!

As we strive together for the next 100~ I am so thankful for so many scrumptious recipes, organized menus, the few added pounds it has put on me, and great friendships because of it!

NOW HERE'S WHAT'S ON MY MENU...

SUNDAY SCRIPTURE~ Week Of August 12, 2012

This scripture was part of a prayer that Jesus would have prayed everyday... probably in the morning and evening. It is part of a bigger prayer called the Shema (pronounced shmah).... a prayer to listen and take heed of the commitment to follow the Lord.

  Jesus prayed these words and taught on them and called them the 'greatest commandment". But what does it mean to "love God with all of our soul'? If Jesus said that THIS was the greatest commandment isn't it important to know, really know what it MEANS...

SEEING DOUBLE

As I work to finish the J & J Bedroom I have a mental vision for how the room should look. Click HERE to see the makeover progress.

In my vision, I see 2 small X ottomans at the bottom of the bed. They are wooden with a nice herringbone fabric and antiqued nailheads.  I have been looking for them for several months. And I just could not find what I had envisioned!

While I was picking up a pole lamp at Pottery Barn Outlet on Wednesday I found these...

GARDEN GAZPACHO

I had lunch at my dear friend Fran's last week and she served a FABULOUS Gazpacho! I forgot how scrumptious Gazpacho could taste!  Fresh and served icy cold... perfect for hot days! 

She generously gave me her recipe...and I ran right home and made a double batch... tweaking it a little!

Now is the perfect time to make this garden soup... when veggies are in season and fresh picked...

TUTORIALS TIPS AND TIDBITS # 8

Since I have started TUTORIALS TIPS AND TIDBITS I guess I am extra aware of all the creative DYI"S in bloggland. Not only that, but great tips and tidbits too! 

Just today I learned how to transfer a beautiful french motif onto a painted surface, got helpful tips for making a centerpiece and found many fun tidbits along the way!

I am finding so many easy, well written Tutorials for all kinds of interesting projects... big and small!

And I have been inviting everyone to join me and show off what they have been doing! If you haven't gotten a personal invitation from me... this is it! Join in!!!!

I wish I could show you every entry from last week.. like Show-And-Tell... they were more than fabulous!!! Since, I can't, here are a few features...

MAKING SCENTED DRAWER LINER

Before we begin... I want to remind you that TUTORIAL TIPS AND TIDBITS goes live at 8:00 tonight.  Share your DYI'S, tips and any tidbit you want to show us and show off! See you then!

As you open the drawer you catch the slightest whiff of vanilla... and taking out a towel, the lovely fragrance lingers! You close your eyes and breath in deeply... what a delicious light aroma!

Wouldn't you love this experience each time you open a drawer?  Drawer liners are one way of infusing you dressers with a delicate scent!

Most drawer liners can cost a pretty penny! They are also limited in fragrance and design.

Making your own personalized drawer liners is easy, inexpensive and let's you be creative...

A LOOK AT MY LATEST PROJECT

The title of this post is just a little deceiving! Transforming this bedroom is a project that has taken months and months so far and it is still a month or two from total completion! 

But I am so excited... I actually have something to show today...

ON THE MENU MONDAY~ WEEK OF AUGUST 6, 2012

Let's talk food....If you have found ON THE MENU MONDAY you can't say you don't know what to cook for any and all occasions! There are so many talented cooks and enthusiastic foodies that participate each week. Some of my favorite recipes come from bloggers that are great home cooks!

This week I am trying three different recipes from blogging friends. Greek Orzo Salad from Alison at THE POLOHOUSE, Chicken With Garlic Wine from Mary at ONE PERFECT BITE and Pork Medallions With Sage Mustard Sauce from Pat at  PAT'S PINK APRON. 

SUNDAY SCRIPTURE~ August 5, 2012

I recently did a survey on facebook for a speaking engagement in September and asked...

WHAT ARE 3 SMALL THINGS THAT YOU COULD DO NOW THAT WOULD MAKE A BIG POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN YOUR LIFE?

Last week we discussed the number two answer... being more thankful. Being thankful in all circumstances... finding God's grace and blessings,  in every situation.

This week let's look at the number one answer... and it is no surprise...

FLUFFING... The Guest Room Bed

When the white cotton duvet cover arrived at my front door, I knew that dressing the bed was FINALLY  done! 

The Gable Guest Bedroom is a little jewel-of-a-room! It's vaulted ceilings and big gable window contrasts with its smallish size and interesting angles to make a very cozy, cocoon-of-a-bedroom.

All of the furniture in this bedroom is antique or vintage.. collected over years and years.. and my very favorite piece is this big, real-deal iron bed. 

The trick was to dress the bed to enhance it's ornate style WITHOUT having it look  Victorian or fussy...

FABULOUS FOODIE FAKE OUTS ~ PUFF PASTRY STICKY BUNS

Do you love the idea of eating hot sticky buns... right out of the oven... your OWN oven? Warm and gooey and delicious?
Me too... but they are just too much work... until now!

I found a scrumptious recipe for yummy sticky buns without all the work! That's right...no yeast dough...no kneeding... no rising... no punching down... no rolling... nothing time consuming! This recipe is a real impostor... a delicious fake!

PUFF PASTRY STICKY BUNS are part of the Fabulous Foodie Fake Out~ foods that are not necessarily what they appear to be! Check out the bottom of this post to visit other fakers... er, participants...

TUTORIALS TIPS AND TIDBITS # 7

Happy August, everyone! What happened to JULY? I must admit that I am sooo ready for fall... but I don't want to get ahead of myself. There is still a month of great summer things to do!

Here are a few great things about August this year...a couple of my dearest friends are August babies... I 'm sure we will celebrate! I am going to the beach on a vacation with 4 of my very very favorite girlfriends... I hope to see the Dead Sea Scrolls in Philladelphia... I'm having eye surgery (not so fun!)...all of my children will be visiting this month...Bobby and I will be working in the gardens as the evenings cool in August... and we have 5 Tutorials, Tips and Tidbits this month! I hope you will all come and share, showcase and show-off what you've been doing!

Here are a few great entries from last week's TTT...

MAKING EURO SHAMS

Before we begin... I want to remind you that TUTORIAL TIPS AND TIDBITS goes live at 8:00 tonight.  Share your DYI'S, tips and any tidbit you want to show us and show off! See you then!

What's a girl to do when she wants a pair of euro shams to match the curtains she just made?

Make them herself... of course! And that is just what I did!

If you can sew a straight line, you can make pillow shams. And I'll show you how...