My Good Luck Charm

* Today was a day to go down in the annals of antique shopping history. *

After the farmer's market this morning I was feeling particularly feisty and adventurous. Luckily, I wasn't alone and my friend, Cathy, came along for the ride. We started at a small thrift store that I had passed numerous times on my way to work and had always wanted to go into. Sadly, we found nothing of interest, although there were many things that caught our attention as awkward, unsettling, or absolutely amazing, but useless, so we left. We got into the car and started to drive. We had no particular intent or idea of where we were headed, but we talked and talked until we came to an area in Mesa where I knew there was an antique mall nearby. (Main Street and Power Road) I had never been in so it seemed like the perfect stop. On the drive I explained to Cathy the things I was starting to collect and what to keep an eye out for for me.

My list included:
Colored glass (tumblers, goblets, bowls, plates, vases, etc.)
dainty tea cups and saucers
china sets
silverware
salt and pepper shakers
vintage sewing patterns (particularly costume patterns for children set in the different eras of dress)
books written between 1880-1930
old photos - particularly children (because I feel they deserve a home)

So excited!

I will say it right here and right now: "Cathy is a lucky charm!" I have never, ever had such a successful bargain antique shopping experience until this day. Oh the things I found!!! Just inside the door was a booth with tea cups which was what drew our attention to begin with. Through closer inspection I found exactly what I was looking for - a china set with a natural themed pattern. It came with three tea cups, three coffee cups, 8 dinner plates, 7 bowls, 1 salad plate, 8 saucers, and 6 tea saucers. Not a complete set, but what do I care... it was only $35!!! They are beautiful and I intend to have a myriad of china sets anyway to make up our home so I have to say that this is a delightful beginning. I've been gushing about them since I found the set! While in this same booth, I found a lime green glass fruit juicer that made me giggle and was promptly set aside with the china set at the front desk.



Fresh Orange Juice Anyone?



Further down the aisles and deeper into our search I found a set of three horseshoes which, although I wasn't looking for them, I am really glad I found. They will make a perfect addition over our doors when we get a house. Horseshoes represent prosperity and to have the horseshoe facing upward is like that of a full cup of it! Pointing downward and it will all spill out, ut oh! $3 for the three horseshoes = steal! Walking further down the way we found some interesting pieces (a small bear head and ram's head, and colored glass pieces EVERYWHERE, but way too expensive), but nothing that stood out as 'must haves.' That is until we made it to a booth near the restrooms that had little baskets full of vintage sewing patterns (Score!). I searched through the patterns and found a few dresses for myself as well as some cute jumpers and blouses for little girls. The treasure in this batch was a costume packet with four different dresses ranging across the eras! Exactly what I was looking for!

My mom had one of these.

Continuing on I found bits and pieces of glassware that my mom had in our house when I was growing up: marble horse head bookends, a strawberry jar, crystal champagne flutes... I wanted to buy it all for the sake of my childhood, but realized I couldn't justify spending the money out of impulse and homesickness, so I kept walking.

Cathy and I met in an aisle midway in the store and acknowledged that we had seen what we needed to see and that it was most certainly time to get something to eat or else parish and so began our way back to the front doors. Walking past a low bench to the left of the aisle I noticed some beautifully colored navy blue goblets and checked the price, just for kicks. I was astonished to find that $17 took the lot of 8! Sold!! At this point I had to put my blinders on, otherwise we would still be there now, my paycheck gone, and my car loaded with goodies. I checked out at $93 with a few boxes full of treasures and a guilt-free happiness that consumed the rest of my day.

After a late lunch and dropping Cathy off at her house I am home and happy, pleased with my finds, but curious as to where I'm going to put them. Hmmmmm... let the organization begin!!!

May the Antiquing Gods be With You,
~Birdie

PS- These could be all yours for only $7.50 a piece! Hurry now before they're gone!

Farmer's Market

This morning was a relaxing one made complete with a quick romp to the farmer's market in phoenix where we picked up our weekly groceries. We really enjoy coming to this farmer's market, mostly because they have a wide variety of produce as well as live music (typically). The atmosphere is light and fun and particularly enjoyable since the weather has cooled and we now experience the desire to be warm instead of chilly. It's a good feeling. We grab our usual produce: potatoes, garlic, tomatoes, romaine lettuce (or spinach, depending), green beans, apples, and lemons - all organic and grown in Arizona. Every so often we will pick up some plums or avocados, cilantro or squash, but today we kept it simple. The potato and garlic booth that we go to are one of our favorite vendors. The family is from Colorado and truly love what they do. It is always a pleasure stopping and talking for a little while. We also stop and get bread from The Great Harvest. This bread isn't your every day, run of the mill bread you could find at any store. This bread is Heaven! We get the "High Fiber" multigrain bread that is so dense and rich with nutrients one piece is enough to satisfy a grumbling tummy. We spoke with the owner of the franchise (yes, it's a franchise, but it's a franchise with a good message and practice) who made the bread herself... that morning. She beamed with pride in what she was doing and how she was contributing to the local economy with her hand crafted breads. The grain for the breads come from Montana, non-GMO, and are organic. The farmers are under contract with The Great Harvest, but are able to harvest their own seeds and reuse them the next year. Take that Monsanto. High Fiber is made with particular care, they grind the whole grains themselves by hand and then add it to the batter. All organic, all delicious! It costs a little more than your typical bread ($7 a loaf), but it is worth every penny and nothing goes to waste, we eat every last crumb!

Although I am vegetarian, my Beau is not thus we always stop at the booth of a local rancher and pick up some ground beef. We spoke to the rancher for a while to find out their process for slaughter as well as the growth, aging, and lives of the cows. The cows are grass fed and are free range. They are about 2 years old when they are taken to a specific slaughter house that the rancher researched and interviewed. He was specific that his cows be treated, not only humanely, but with respect and with care. As for the slaughtering process they use either a .22 pistol or an air gun (thing?) between the eyes. This sounds a little graphic, but I assure you- this is the best way to do it compared to corporate practices where the cows are taken to slaughter and done so without the least bit of humanity. (See Food, Inc.) Our rancher says a brief prayer over his cows before leading them onto his trailer just as his father did and his father before that. We were very pleased to hear how passionate this rancher was about his lifestyle and his cows. He went on to tell us that he stayed with his cows and saw them through the process after bringing them to the slaughter facility, stating "I feel I owe them at least that considering what they are giving of themselves." Now that is my kind of rancher. It was a great conversation that ended with an invitation to the ranch to see for ourselves how these cows lived and were taken care of.



Noodles and Bread. YUM!



Our last stop was at a new booth where they were selling "natural," hand-crafted spaghetti noodles. Again, not the least expensive product, but worth it. We bought 4 different flavors for $20 and are pretty excited about trying them out. The idea with the noodles is that they are made with flavor so that you don't have to eat them with a sauce, they are the sauce. When you boil and cook the noodles you drain most, but not all, of the water. What remains is a flavored sauce while the noodles are also packed with that flavor. You drizzle some olive oil, perhaps cooks up some fresh veggies, and serve. Yum! We bought: Habanero, Red Bell Pepper, Tomato Basil Garlic, and Spinach Basil Garlic. Yum yum yum yum!!

Unfortunately, with my new work schedule, we aren't able to come to this market anymore, but since it was a holiday weekend I was able to take the day off and spend it at the market with my Beau. Next week it is back to the rat race and figuring out where a different market is at. I hear there is one in Scottsdale on Wednesday evenings which could work. We shall see!

Buy local, eat local,

~ Birdie

Gobble-less Recipes

Good morning after Thanksgiving! If you're like me you'll have just rolled out of bed, our stomachs still aching from all the food the evening before... however, if you're like those crazy folks who participate in Black Friday sales and shopping, well I suppose there is no hope for you. I had intended to write a post dedicated to my recipes last night, but after three pieces of pie and enough stuffing to feed an army, I decided sleep was my better bet. So here I am, 11 AM, typing away on my computer to make due my promise to myself (and Mother-in-Law). We spent a lovely dinner at our Aunt's house with good company, delicious food, and festive (Christmas) music. Their Christmas Tree was already up and decorated to perfection, lovely and snowy... I wanted to eat the branches the "snow" looked so puffy and fresh! My Beau and I contributed three dishes to the feast - a Chickpea Bruschetta Appetizer, Wild Rice Stuffing, and two Double Layer Pumpkin Pie Cheesecakes. Recipes of which are below:

 

Chickpea Bruschetta

Serves 2 (as a dinner)

It's yummier than it looks, promise.

Time: 10 minutes prep / chill in fridge for 20+ minutes

Ingredients
1 cup cooked or canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons black olive paste

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, finely shredded
1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
Thick crusty bread (we used french bread from the deli)



Mix all ingredients together. Season to taste with pepper. Allow to marinate for at least 20 minutes, preferably longer.

Toast the bread or grill it for more dramatic presentation. Spoon mixture onto bread, drizzle with olive oil, and serve.

Now, if you can't find olive paste, as I couldn't, then I suggest buying a can of black olives. Drain the black olives of their liquid until there is about 1/4 of the can in liquid left. Put it in a food processor and give it a good blending. That should make you the paste you need. FYI- the paste you make will be a considerable amount more than you need. Store the rest in the fridge for another meal- I'm sure we can find a use for the extra.






Wild Rice Stuffing

Serves 6-8 (or more depending on the meal type)
Time: 20 minutes prep / 1 hr 25 min total

Ingredients
1 32 oz vegetable broth (recipe calls for chicken broth, I switched it out for veggie broth)
1 cup wild rice
1 1/4 c brown rice
1 stick unsalted butter
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh sage, finely chopped
1 cup pecans, finely chopped
1 cup dried apricots or cranberries, roughly chopped (I use both- looks very pretty and tastes yummy!)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

In advance: assemble the dressing, but do not bake it. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Bake as directed, adding 10 minutes to the baking time. (This comes in handy if you want to make the dish the day prior to needing it.)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a pot, over medium-high heat, bring the broth and 2 cups water to a boil. Add the wild and brown rice, reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer until tender, about 45 minutes. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and celery and cook for 10 minutes. Add the cooked rice, parsley, safe, pecans, cranberries, apricots, pepper, and toss. Transfer to a buttered casserole dish. Cover and bake for 25 minutes.

*Note: The left over pecans, cranberries, and apricots make for a tasty trail mix for later in the week!

Double Layer Pumpkin Pie
Serves 10

Time: 20 minutes prep / Total Time: 4 hours and 20 minutes

Ingredients
4 oz (1/2 an 8 oz package) of cream cheese (softened)
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk, divided
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tub of cool whip topping, thawed, divided in half
2 graham cracker pie crusts (9 in)
15 oz can of Pumpkin
2 packages (4 serving each) Jello Vanilla flavor instant pudding and pie filling
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Mix cream cheese, 1 tablespoon milk, and the sugar in a large bowl until well blended. Gently stir in half of the whipped topping. Spread onto the bottom of the crust. (Will be thick)

Pour 1 cup of milk into a large bowl. Add pumpkin, dry pudding mixes, and spices. Beat with a wire whisk for 2 minutes or until well blended. (Mixture will be thick). Spread over cream cheese layer..

Refrigerate for 4 hours or until set. Dollop with remaining whipped topping. Store in refrigerator.

*Note- buy a second tub of cool whip for your pumpkin pie pieces! Yum!

Chickpea Bruschetta Photos:


Ingredients



Homemade black olive paste



Wild Rice Stuffing Photos:



Celery Before

Celery After



Onion Before



Onion After





Pecans Before



Pecans After





The rest of the ingredients

Apricots and Cranberries







Onions and Celery into the skillet

All that's left to add is the rice!

All set for the oven!

Left over ingredients Trail Mix!

Double Layer Pumpkin Pie Photos:

The cheesecake layer

Mixing the pumpkin mix.

All of these recipes were found online randomly throughout the years and I don't remember where I found them. I've made small adjustments as I have gone along such as using a rice medley that includes brown basmati rice, long grain red rice, wild rice, and sweet brown rice. It works out nicely and is a lot more cost effective than buying wild rice on its own.

Happy Thanksgiving!

~ Birdie

Steamer Trunk: The Plan



The Beginning

 Wonderful news! I was perusing the wonderful world of Craigslist when I happened upon something rather familiar. A cherished antique that I had to leave behind was being sold by the new owner. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. There it was, for $20 no less, the old steamer trunk I had fished out of a pile of junky "antiques" in an overly cluttered antique store in Tacoma, Washington 4 years ago! I had haggled the price to a cool $50 and drove home as fast as I could. Once home, I cleaned it and set to covering the inside basin of the trunk with a soft cream fabric pinned in with brushed brass upholstery pins. I loved everything about this trunk and was so excited to have one for myself, finally. Some time down the road, however, when I was moving I wasn't able to take the trunk with me because I had no way of transporting it. That was two years ago. And now, in that moment on Craigslist, it was right there! Dumbfounded that it was being sold for only $20 (when it surely could have sold for $150!) I emailed the seller as fast as my fingers could type and hoped upon hope that it hadn't sold yet - it had been posted for 10 minutes, but $20 was a steal and I knew I wasn't the only one in the know. A text message later of "Yes, you can have it" and I was through the roof.




Ada is a fan already!

This happened last Sunday and after waiting, anxiously, until Friday to pick it up - we were reunited at last! I know it seems silly to put so much effort into a piece of furniture, but it was my trunk and I found it again. After assessing the two year's long wear and tear I am inspired to refurbish the entire piece back to its original glory. It was painted dark red with gold trim years ago by a previous owner, thankfully leaving the metal hinges and hardware alone. The inside fabric needs to be redone as well as it has come rust stains now and has become loose in some areas.





The plan is to sand out the paint, remove the canvas that is glued to the wood of the trunk, stain the trunk, paint the accents black to match the hardware, and restore the inside of the trunk to a deep wood stain and rich glaze. I have done some research online to get me started and I think I have a pretty good base plan to start.



The Goal



The intent is to use the trunk as a quilt chest for all of the quilts that my Great Grandmothers made. A great way to keep the quilts handy and organized as well as keep them safe from time. How wonderful would this trunk look at the foot of a wrought iron bed in the vintage garden themed guest bedroom? I think awfully wonderful.

More posts to follow as the process begins. Wish me luck!

Sanding the night away,

~ Birdie



I LOVE the inside of the lid.





The Cure

Right around the holiday season it hits me. I'm in Arizona. My family is in Oregon. It is sunshiny and 70's degrees here. It is rainy, cold, crisp, and windy there. While my mom can complain all she likes about the weather, on the other end of the line all I am thinking is "I'd give anything to feel the need to thaw by a fire." Some people just don't know how good they have it. (I'm sure she feels the same for me "What I wouldn't give to see sunshine for more than 5 minutes in a day!") Somehow, though, the holidays just aren't the same when you don't have the frost nipping at the windows, the hot chocolate in constant flow, and the cooking in the kitchen filling the house with warmth and aroma. So when homesickness comes calling and I start to feel the dispair of being 1300 miles from evergreen trees and snow I know just where to go. I have found my cure.

The moment I walk in the doors of Bass Pro Shop I immediatly drop 15 years in age. How can I not? You have Santa in the corner with his busy elves helping young children. Christmas trees with decorations on every last limb, Christmas lights, the whole bit! Not to mention the rocky interior, the river fish tank, the mini river, trees of all assortments. It's like home away from home! It brings a whole new meaning to "retail therapy!" I don't have to spend a dime to feel like I stepped into a teleporter taking me back home within minutes. I'm as giddy as a young child on Christmas Eve, it's hard to keep up with me. "Look over there! Look at this! You have to see this here!" I'm sure it is exhausting. I walk around the aisles and displays taking in every bit of home that I can. By the time I have had my fill I have lost my companion, whoever the unlucky sucker is that came with me, and am about to fall over with the intoxication of wildlife and antler dominated decorating.

Feeling composed enough to make it the drive home, my head is reeling with all the different ways I want to deck the halls and prepare for the "Fall" and "winter" seasons in my little bit of home. Next year will be something worth noting, just you wait and see.

Where do you go to remedy your homesickness?

~Birdie

PS- Merry, early, Christmas to me! Blog posts to follow!

Garden Talk

I finally did it. After months and months of fantasizing and catalogue window shopping I finally ordered some heirloom seeds. They came about two months ago and sat in the closet in my gardening box for a little while. I had been taking an organic gardening class and was blessed with a calendar suited to Arizona's climate that explains what seeds can be planted when for vegetables and fruit. Jackpot!! After the class was complete and I had some time to myself one day I found myself digging through my gardening box in search of the seeds ready to be planted at the end of October, beginning of November. What I found in my stack of ordered seeds was that I could plant: Broccoli, radishes, carrots, garlic, beans, spinach, and red onions. So that is precisely what I did. on October 30th. Seventeen days later and I have the pictures that follow:

Ada sitting in the windowsill.



Aloe growing like crazy!

 

Beans and Basil



Broccoli



Sorry the Faeries missed you.

 

Faerie Garden Number Two.



The radishes and mint.



The red onions coming in.

The snapdragons I planted in June.

Snapdragons on their Gnome






Look closely and you'll see the carrot sprouts!

 



The spinach sprouts. YUM!





I purchased my seeds from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds and was very pleased with how much I got for how little I spent. Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds fights to preserve seeds that are generations old, planted and harvested years before our grandparents were born. They also speak out against GMO foods which is a wonderful cause to be protesting. You can order directly from their website or in their catalogue - or even over the phone! It is a family run business that works to make every seed packet unique and every harvest bountiful. Check it out for yourself, I promise you'll be amazed! The seeds I purchased this go-round were:



Planted:

Cosmic Purple (Carrot)

Berlicum 2 (Carrot)

Red Creole (Onion)

Calabrese Green Sprouting (Broccoli)

Bloomsdale Long Standing (Spinach)

Scarlet Turnio White Tip (Radish)

Remaining Purchased:

Slo-bolt Cilantro

Feverfew

German Chamomile

Lemon Balm

Lavender

Tomato Cour di Bue (It's HUGE!)

Green Zebra (Tomato)

Tomato Nature's Riddle (Huge!)

Striped Roman (Tomato)

Tomato Flame or Hillbilly

Golden California Wonder (Bell Pepper)

Charleston Belle (Bell Pepper)

Emerald Giant (Bell Pepper)

Peppers Tabasco

Red Wonder Wild Strawberry

Lemongrass

Marketmore 76 (Cucumber)

I bought all of these seed packets for around $50 including shipping. They arrived in a timely manner and everything was accounted for. I am pretty excited. Not only are these seeds that have been around since the late 1800's, but I can also harvest the seeds (once I figure out how) from my "crops" and use them again next season. You can't get that kind of service with hybrid GMO junk!

I intend on buying more seeds and having a well rounded, plentiful garden eventually. The more I learn the more food we will produce! I am also on the hunt for heirloom flower seeds which I think I have found with Select Seeds. I can't wait to start shopping!

I will be sure to keep you abreast on any further developments.

Greetings from the Garden,

~Birdie