Strawberry Pie

Check out the new post on pie!

Vintage Kitchen Decorating and Family

Check out my latest post here!

Easy Cinnamon Rolls

Check out another post, for Easy Cinnamon Rolls!

Give Away Winner!

Give Away winner announced here!

A Peek into my Farmhouse Kitchen and Give Away

Good morning to you! Just a friendly reminder I would love to have all 200 plus followers again here with me. Please like me on facebook too. In about a month I will be closing this blog so please make sure you change your URL and bookmarks if you want to continue to follow me. I recently gave the kitchen some spring cleaning, moved some things around and I really like the less cluttered look.  Click here for my most recent post!  If you want to enter my give away there' still time, enter a comment here.

Blessings,
Carey

Decorating Inspiration

Where do you get your decorating inspiration from?  For me it's a combination of what I see in magazines, blogs (lately) and shopping displays.  I love to window shop, ok maybe occasionally buy ;)  things at my favorite decorating shops.  When I lived in MO, before my kiddos came along I would drive about an hour to do just this...get inspiration.  Liberty, MO   Sometimes I would try to recreate what I saw exactly.  I may get lucky and have some of the items already.  Then other times I would buys key pieces and add, or take away others depending on what I liked.  Another thing I might do is to buy other items at discount stores on the way home.  That was always my last stop.  If I really like the twenty dollar silk geranium I know Hobby Lobby would have something much cheaper.  Also, some of those shops would buy from chains like Michael's or HL and mark up the item for resale.  Here's an example of what I created from a magazine.  I've had this for years in my files of things I love.

 The inspiration photo, sorry it's not clearer. 

 If you look closely you can see the flower pots, chalkboard and little fence like in my hutch.  They also have some old gardening tools mixed in with the pots, seed packets and nests.  I think this is great for May, June decorating when so many of us are in the garden. 

Give away Reminder go here, you have until Monday!  Don't forget to visit my new blog and become a follower.

Blessings,

Carey

Spring Mantle Make-over

Join me on my new blog, http://careysfarmhousekitchen.blogspot.com/

I'll show you what I did to change up my mantle. 

Carey

Mother's Day & Spring Give Away

Hello blogging friends, I hope you had a wonderful mother's day.   We opted to go out Saturday night to avoid the crowds.  Little did I realize people were celebrating prom and graduation.  It was still busy.  My kids gave me a peaceful day (I asked for no fighting)  They made cards, placemats and flowers at school.  I enjoyed my crepe breakfast, which is starting to be a tradition.

Me and my big girl, she is almost as tall as me now.

my boy needs a haircut, he is liking it long

Getting a picture of all of us was quite the challenge!

I have decided to proceed with my blog name change.  Keep in mind that my content will stay the same.  I still like prims to some extent and for more than one reason cannot afford to change my home completely over to a new decorating style.  I just feel like getting back to my roots of country.  I love old things and antiques.  That will probably never change.  I'm not into all white or shabby.  While I love pastels they just don't speak to me the way a good dose of color does.  I find myself really loving the farmhouse look.  I also love the nod to Vintage kitchens especially dishes and tableclothes.  I do like white because it does such a great job of acting as a backdrop to my colorful accents.  I love all my prim friends and I would hate to lose any followers.  I do understand though. You can expect more recipes, antique finds and decorating on my new blog.

Here's my new name and Blog address.  I think the name fits and many of you agreed.

Carey's Farmhouse Kitchen

Here's what you'll be getting, I went with a kithen coffee theme!

1.  Cream Dishtowel/Soap Rack

2.  Coffee Recipe cards

3.  Coffee Mug with Multi-colored stripes

4.  Dish towel

5.  My favorite votive candle from Warm-Glo, Homespun Harvest

6.  Latte Votive candle

My give away rules

1.  Entry for Comment on new blog, please enter at Carey's Farmhouse Kitchen tell me about how your decorating style has changed or evolved over the years
2.  Become a follower on my new blog
3.  Become a fan on facebook
4.  Post about my give away on your blog

You must live in the United States, stateside to enter my give away.  Sorry.  I will close this giveaway next Monday at Midnight est.


I have already moved my posts over to my new blog and will be closing this one after a certain period of time.  Please change your url or bookmark soon. 

Carey

Help me Pick a New Name

Hello, it's time for a change.  I've been thinking for awhile now I would change my blog name.  I'm trying to come up with something that says home (decorating) and baking goodies (especially pie).  I find myself into prims less and less (sorry prim friends). I really want to stick to my country roots.  So to celebrate and let you be a part of it I thought I would give you 3 options and then I will create a new facebook page around my blog too!  I haven't forgotten about the give away.  I will be doing that soon.  Keep checking back!

Option # 1

Mom's Homemade Apple Pie

Option # 2

Carey's Farmhouse Kitchen

Option # 3

American Girl Farmhouse

Option # 4

Create a name (I know you some of you out there can be really creative)

In a few days I will see what the most popular name is and choose a name.  You'll have to change your bookmark and follow me at my new address as I will be closing this blog soon.

Blessings,
Carey

Easter Highlights

Hello! I hope you had a blessed Easter.  My kids were in the play at church for the sunrise service so our day began early.  They did a great job!  I'm so proud of them.  We decided to go out for dinner this year. I've been under the weather for about the last two weeks and my hubby just didn't want me to have to work so hard.  Usually, I insist but I decided that he was right.  He said he'd be happier going out so I wouldn't have any stress.  Isn't he the best :) 

hunting for eggs

We had to hunt inside this year due to the heavy rain. :(

a new webkinz named Jelly Bean for my DD

my son really likes Nerf right now

There are some things I can't resist, one dying Easter eggs,  #2 making an Easter dessert.  Here's a link to what we made.  I love the little tags.  File these away for next year, they were super easy!

I didn't have any of those chow mein noodles.  I decided use the cocoa pebbles, it's what I had on hand. LOL! It turned out fine.

Okay, one last thing I have been blogging for 2 years now.  I started on April 23, 2009.  It's been wonderful.  I've enjoyed all your comments and getting to know people through their blogs.  Soon I will be doing a give away to celebrate...so stay tuned.  Also, I've been pondering a name change that reflects my blog better.  So put on your thinking caps I will be asking for input from you.  Don't worry I plan on staying with the same content no major changes...more decorating, homekeeping and baking.  I will give you plenty of time to change over to my new address ahead of time.

Springtime Blessings to you,
Carey

Easter's on it's Way!

This time of year is the most important for people who are Christians.  It's the time of year we reflect on Christ's sacrifice for all of us.  It's about renewal, rebirth and the promise of a new life.

"This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person.  The old life is gone;  a new life has begun." ~2 Cor. 5:17

Just like the new tulips emerging from the earth we can become new again.  I think this is the most amazing part of God's love for us. 

Eggs, tradionally served during the season of Lent symbolizes the new life.   Look around your yard and in your trees.  Do you see new life everywhere?  This is his promise to us that we will have new life.

My little apple trees have new buds and blossoms on them.  I am reminded of the promise of scrumptious apples that I will harves someday.  Just like during Easter we are reminded that someday we will be with Jesus.  He has been preparing a place for us.

"Do not let you hearts be troubled.  Trust in God;  trust also in me.  In my Father's house there are many rooms;  if it were not so, I would not have told you.  I am going to prepare a place for you."  ~ John 14:1

I hope you have a blessed Easter with your family!

Carey

Blueberry Turnovers

Here's a little treat that I made for my kids for breakfast the other day.  I used the never fail pie crust recipe that Alice gave me.  This one is very similiar to her recipe. I had already made up a batch, so I just took it out of the freezer.  I also used frozen blueberries, but you could use fresh.  I prefer the fresh ones but sometimes they can be expensive. 

Blueberry Marscapone Turnovers

Recipe adapted from *Giada's Blueberry Marscapone Turnovers

1/2 -3/4 cup of blueberries
1/2 lemon juiced and zested
1/2 tsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. sugar or enough to cover berries
1/2 cup marcapone cheese (look in dairy section or near deli)
1 pie crust or store bought (I like Pillsbury)
1 egg slightly beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. I mixed the first 4 ingredients first. Then I let these sit on the counter for a few minutes.  After a few minutes I added the cheese and folded it in carefully.

After I mixed up my ingredients I rolled out my crust to 4-5 good size circles.  Carefully spoon about 1 tbsp of your fruit mixture inside, use egg wash to seal edges and fold over and crimp edges if desired.  Continue until you have used all the dough, I got about 9 small turnovers.  Her recipe says it makes 12 but I didn't want to make them any thinner.  Brush with a little bit more egg wash and sprinkle with sugar, cut a few slits in the top.  Bake for about 15-20 min. until golden brown.  Let them cool slightly before serving. The filling will be oozing out a little bit.

*Hints:  In the original recipe she fried them in the deep fryer.  So as long as you made sure you had your deep fryer set at the right temp, her directions tell you to fry them for about 3 1/2 min.  I prefered not to fry these since I didn't want to get out the fryer that early. I used a small pyrex bowl (little condiment size) to make my circles.  My biscuit cutter was a little to small.  It also helps if you flatten the circles slightly when you fill them.  My first batch were pretty while my second batch was a little less uniform.  They were still yummy though.

Enjoy!
Carey

Mudroom Progress and Play Highlights

Hello blogging friends!  It's been a crazy week.  I've been under the weather for the last week.  I have literally laid on my couch all weekend.  Part of me feels a little guilty, the other not so much!

So here's what we been doing in the mudroom, you might remember from an earlier post that our laundry/mudroom didn't function well together.  So a few weeks ago my hubby finished the laundry room.  This left a large hole in my mudroom, two of them to be exact.  Next, we want to create some built in shelves/cubbies for our coats etc.  I've been looking at several blogs and this website for inspiration.  He is full of good ideas.  In the meantime, we still have another whole month or so of school left so it has to function.  I found 4 hooks at Meijer on sale for about $2 each and I spray painted them black.  Then I plan on sewing up a little skirt to cover up my sink a little more.  I saw some crates stacked up and thought I would use mine for the kids to put back packs and shoes in.   I tried to make it look cute with the new soap from Bath and Body Works and ball jar with flowers. Whola!!

Someday it will hopefully look a little more like these built-ins. 

photo from Sawdust City LLC

My daughter had her play also on Friday night.  It was The Emperor's New Clothes and she was the Blacksmith. She has been working on it for months.  She did it a fabulous job.  The cast did too.  It was funny!  I'm so proud of her.

I have some exciting news to share with you soon.  I'll be back with more details.  I'm getting close to my Blog Anniversary too!

Blessings,

Carey

Auction Day

Hello blogging friends! Don't you just love an auction?  I do except in the cold rain.  I love the possibility of what you might find or come home with. Plus, usually they sell home baked goodies, and if you're lucky pie!

We did manage to snag a few finds, but didn't hold out for the furniture.   I managed to win the bid on these milk bottles.  My hubby managed to win the bid on the chamber pots, which he later was stunned when he actually found out what they were for. LOL!  One will be our new bathroom trashcan.  We needed a replacement for our old one.  I think this fits the bill.

I just loved the way the old handles on these look.  The smaller one has a handle on the back.  What are you up to this weekend?

Blessings,

Carey

My Favorite Pie Posts

How is everyone on this Beautiful Sunday?  I'm so glad, for this is the day that the Lord hath made.  Let us rejoice and be glad in it.  I have been thinking of a new post all week.  I wanted to post a recipe.  Instead I will share some old ones for I don't have any new pictures to share with you.  Some of you new readers may have not seen these older posts.

My favorite pie posts

General Pie Making Tips, Pie Making with Alice

I miss Alice so much, I cherish our time together now.

Butterscotch Pie

My Favorite Apple Pie

Blueberry Pie

Strawberry Rhubarb Mini Pies

It's rhubard season too, I'm getting ready to make some of these real soon.

Mama's Fresh Raspberry Pie

I hope you enjoyed my old posts.  Martha's new Pie book has come out and I hope to pick it up soon.

Happy Pie Making!
Carey

Terrific Under 10 Makeover, Star Holder

Today, I decided to join another blogger at At Home with Kindra and show you my makeover.  It's so easy and the best part is I spent 0 dollars!

Here's what I started with, I bought this at a craft show a few years ago.  While I loved the star holder I'm not so fond of the colors and pip berries anymore.  I'm trying to lighten up my look a little bit. 

Before

I simply removed the pip berry garland and candle.  Then I added the burlap ribbon, love this stuff!  I simply took the flameless candle from another room.  You can learn more about them here.

After

Whatcha think?

I'm linking up with Kindra

Have a Blessed Day,

Carey

Banana Bread & Field Trip to the City

Hello, blogging friends I can't wait to tell you about my little trip, but I wanted to include a recipe I promised you first.  I had some bananas just sittting there going bad and I thought banana bread.  I just love it anytime of year!  Lo and behold there was a recipe on my bag of flour.  Here's the link if you want to give it a try.  My family loved it.  It made two loaves so I made one without nuts for my hubby.  Everyone really liked it!

Best-Ever Banana Bread

The kids are on Spring break this week so we went down to Cincinatti for the day.  My husband suggested that we go to Jungle Jim's and it was so neat.  I think we spent over two hours there.  Let me just say I'm a self-confessed Foodie and I was in food heaven! Whew...cheese, butter, sauces, wine, Le Crueset, Italian, German, any kind of food and they have it.  It started as a roadside stand believe it or not.  You can read about it here.  We bought the kids some cheese, candy, and a little glass bottled old fashioned soda.  My hubby bought some aged cheddar (his favorite)  I bought chocolate, Irish butter, and some wine a gift for my MIL. 

Just look at all these olives!

Cheese Glorious Cheese!

I loved this giant rolling pin, near the bakery.

 There were several rows like this one of just produce.

A band was playing for us too

I recommend you not go hungry though, LOL!

Next, we went to the John Rosling Bridge.  This one is like the Brooklyn Bridge only smaller. 

My son enjoyed hearing about the design.  He loves to see how things are made.  They got a kick out of it when my husband told them after going half way to the other side that now we were in Kentucky.  

We were going to also go the the National Underground Museum, it was supposed to be free, not!  Then the audio tour was already over with.  Bummer, maybe next time.  My little country bumpkins got to see what the city is all about when we were looking for the restroom.  My son wanted to know why it's so stinky, LOL!

We rounded out the day at the Bass Pro Shop (aka the Man's Mall)

Blessings to you and your family,

Carey