A Birthday Celebration

 Cindi      Sally      Ruth      Sandi     Gail

My friend Sally had her birthday in December but since that was such a busy time of the year, we decided to have a belated  birthday celebration in January, actually January 31st. 

Cindi hosted Sally's birthday celebration.

Since the next day was February and we love our times together, Cindi chose a 

Valentine themed setting.

The pink swirl glass dishes let you peek to the vintage rose plates and bowls.

The beautiful floral napkins were folded with detail.  Cindi said she has a book that shows different ways to fold napkins.

Here are some close-ups of the tablescape.

Our potluck Menu was Soups and Salads.

This salad was just the beginning.

Even though the family room is large we enjoyed our cozy space in front of the fireplace. 

I just had to show you the old cash register that sits close by.

Cindi purchased this beautiful table runner the day before on a shopping spree.

 More Valentine vignettes sprinkled around the room.

You can find many lovable treasures in this vignette.

 Valentine hankies and perfume bottles tucked away with a vintage Valentine postcard.

The "Cupids Book" was a purchase from my booth at the Ventura Flea Market the day before.

I have to tell you, that when my grandsons were younger I saw them one day looking at that book and snickering because the cupid was naked.

Did anyone say DESSERT!

This Valentine vignette was by the dessert bar.

We always love it when Cindi is in charge of desserts.  

She doesn't just make one dessert she makes many.

Sally's favorite is chocolate.

 Strawberry Truffle goes so well for Valentine's Day.

It not only is beautiful but yummy.

 Of course you have to sample it all and the gracious hostess that Cindi is, she sends us home with lots of goodies.

 Cindi and her husband, Chuck, sent us home with oranges, tangerines, and grapefruits

picked from their trees.

Chuck was trying to show us his creative decorating side with this display of grapefruits. 

  The "White Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge"  just kept popping in my mouth.  

They didn't last long after I took them home so I thought I would share Cindi's recipe with you and let you taste for yourself.  The great thing about this recipe is that it makes a large batch so it is great for when  you are entertaining.

White Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge

2 pounds Guittard Brand White Chocolate Chips

2 cups  Skippy Peanut Butter (Chunky or Creamy)

2 cups Special K or Rice Krispies Cereal

2 cups Peanuts (Dry Roasted or Regular)

2 cups Miniature Marshmallows

Melt white chips and peanut butter on stove or in microwave at 70% power for 5 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients and stir until thoroughly mixed.  Turn mixture into buttered jelly roll pan.  Use piece of waxed paper to press fudge smooth.  Refrigerate for approximately 30 minutes and cut into squares. (It is easier to cut before it gets too hard in refrigerator).  Store in Refrigerator

Enjoy!

Thank you Cindi for hosting such a fun evening and

Happy Birthday Sally!

I'm linking to the following Blog Parties:

Thursday Tablescape at Between Naps on the Porch

Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum

Show and Tell at My Romantic Home

Junkin Finds Friday at Alacarte

Ventura Flea Market this Sunday

Sorry I haven't been posting much this month but after this weekend I'll be ready to get on the computer.  This Sunday I will be selling at  the Ventura Flea Market, right on the Pacific Coast in Ventura, California.  If you are in the area, please stop by.  All I know is that I am suppose to have a corner space. 

 

If you would like more information or directions, there is a button on the side bar or click here. 

I am looking forward to sharing some yummy recipes and decorating ideas with you next week, also, some new treasures from the Flea Market.

Dessert and Tea for Three

My son and DIL are here in Bakersfield, California visiting from Philadelphia, PA.  My DIL Courtny, my daughter Monica, and I decided to go out for lunch and for a little shopping and some decadent desserts.  Yes, I did add an "s" on desserts as you will see later.   We stopped by "Strawberry Patches" for some creative inspiration using some cute fabrics.  If you want to be inspired, too, visit Suzanne's blog "Notes From the Patch" by clicking here.    Suzanne said to me  "What have you been doing, you haven't posted on your blog since January the 3rd!"  I know you don't care to hear all my excuses but I have to  tell you  that I received enough money for Christmas to add to my funds to purchase a laptop.  There is much to be done trying to "teach an old dog new tricks" (did I just call myself an old dog?... I think I did... lol)  We, also, purchased a motorhome so we have been traveling too.  Anyway, next door to Strawberry Patches is a bakery and boutique called "Sweet Surrender".  So we did surrender to the sweets and purchased some desserts to take home to have a tea party.

Even though today happened to be a cloudy day, the bright colored floral tea cups cheered us up.

 

Sweet Surrender makes the most amazing pastries. 

We chose a rich, dark chocolate cupcake with toffee crumbled on bottom and top.  It is called an English Toffee cupcake.  The other cupcake was called Snickerdoodle.  The  bar had a cookie base with layers of chocolate chunks and nuts with a cream cheese type top.   It was called Neiman Marcus bar

We decided to cut each of our desserts and share so we could have a bite of each pastry.  The cute heart napkins were purchased at the new Hobby Lobby store one hour north in Visalia, CA.  I think this antique knife is called a fish knife but I used it to serve the pastry pieces.

We boiled water for tea in the tea kettle just purchased from Home Goods.

This is an antique box I keep tea in.

I'm not sure it is actually meant to be a tea caddy but it is perfect with the silhouette of a Victorian couple having tea.

Courtny

     Monica  

(She decided to have milk with her rich desserts)

    

What fun it was to have

"Dessert and Tea for Three"

Check out some other blogs:

Table Top Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday @ Coastal Charm

Remembering 2010

 As the New Year begins, it is a time to reflect on the past and look ahead to the future so.....

  I decided to share a few of my decorating blog pictures from 2010. 

There were so many more and the best are with friends and family 

but since this blog motto is "Decorating with a Touch of the Past" 

here are a few pics for inspiration.

         

 

Hope You Enjoyed

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Thanks so much for visiting.