Farmhouse French

On Crooked Creek is located near the Southern edge of our town. One block South of us begins a Tree Farm with a rural area between our town and the next. And while our Ranch Style home is definitely not "country", I adore the new French Farmhouse decor!

Shortly after "Mr. Ed" renovated the lower level On Crooked Creek, we purchased a smaller round table for our dining area. I've been looking for a few "seasons" for new dining room chairs.

While on our Annual Trout Fishing Trip to Bennett Spring State Park, I found these two vintage oak "farmhouse" chairs. "Mr. Ed" and I each have our own definition for the meaning "catch of the day"!

I adore the wide ladder back effect...and the way the back piece attaches to the seat. The seats are leather. The addition of cushions from our previous dining chairs make seating more pleasant. Although, it may involve me using a sewing machine...I have a plan for those seat cushions!

To bring a bit more of the farmhouse decor to the dining area, I used this gorgeous sun shining day to revamp our china cabinet!

Now that the heirloom silver tea set is residing on the vintage tea cart in the living room, I  brought out my French Country lamp to pair with the new Sunflower print.

This vintage ironstone bowl belonged to my beloved Mother ~in~law. The hues from the vintage bowl and the comtemporary print blend harmoniously.

I added the restaurant pitcher "Mr.Ed" purchased for me during Christmas. The banding on the white leans more towards the blue ~ green family. Tying the hues together in this vignette.

My very first restaurant plate combined with my first creamy ivory, oval serving platter take their place of honor to the right of the cabinet! Placing them on easels gives them greater presence and keeps them safe for display!

Placing a few individual serving dishes in a primitive, wooden, divided box keeps the farmhouse theme. The addition of my three widely used cookbooks are now easily accessible for reference and inspiration!

An earthenware brown pitcher holds vintage kitchen utensils, both are heirlooms from either sides of our families.

The formal China Rose pink, white and silver china seemed out of place. It was easily located to the built~in china cabinet transitioning from the dining area to the living room. In its place. . .my Homer Laughlin Epicure Turquoise Aqua china!

It's been a busy day On Crooked Creek! I have basked in the rays of the sun's energy to accomplish a Farmhouse French look for our home. One I'm feeling right at home in. . . in our urban setting!

Until next time. . .

Treasure #7!

2012 has already been full of new journeys here On Crooked Creek!

Dear Ones...hold the presses...On Crooked Creek is joining our sweet hostess, Marty @ A Stroll Thur Life for her 100th Table Top Tuesday!!!

http://www.astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/

Thank you, Marty, for hosting this truly inspiration weekly meme. I continually am blessed by all the lovely vignettes from your blog and those of others featured here! You're the b e s t !

Studio One has, once again, become my Art Studio! Many of my former display items have been sold in a recent Tag $ale. The closing of my handmade card business was a choice of heart. I plan to spend much needed time with "Mr. Ed" in his retirement!

Previously, this vintage Tea Cart was used in my booth at our local Spring Fling for display. I found this beauty on Craig's List and purchased it locally. It has been in Studio One since its arrival On Crooked Creek. . .until recently.

Once the Christmas Tree was carried to the storage closet on the lower level, a huge vacancy in the living room made me re~evaluate what would fill that voided spot. The vintage Tea Cart is a "perfect" fit!

I am a Traditionalist. . .to a point. . in home decorating! This Tea Cart would be the best place to display my heirloom silver Tea Set! When I was gifted with my MoMa's Tea Set, my Dad brought a silver plated tray (Made in Hong Kong) for it to rest upon. Not the tray that I was accustomed to seeing in my childhood. For years, I have been searching for a more fitting silver tray.

Treasure #7. . .

Of course, it took an hour and a half of silver polish and "elbow grease" to bring this elegantly, footed, handled, curved silver tray to its former glory!

I am totally grateful that someone gave up this exquisite tray and placed it for sale in their booth at our local Antique Mall! Perhaps the "price was right" because of its blackened condition!

Due to its ample size, I was able to bring out the heirloom silver candelabra and a condiment holder to enhance the top shelf of the Tea Cart.

The pattern is so delicate. . .almost lacey all around the perimeter of the tray.

Scallops add interest to the outward edges of the tray. Those handles are massive; however making transfer of the tray an easy task.

Look closely and you will see the feet of the tray! Although no name is embedded on the bottom, there is a series of four digits under each foot.

The middle shelf is a great space to house our ice bucket and a silver tray of glasses. Hot tea ~ will become iced tea ~ with the onset of Summer On Crooked Creek!

The bottom shelf will suffice as a Seasonal display. Since the Christmas decor has been returned to the lower level, I've chosen to showcase my large bunnies.

Today, On Crooked Creek it is SNOWing. . . so~o~o. . .we'll call these SNOW bunnies!

Amazing how Treasure Hunting not only brought about new purchases On Crooked Creek, but also, new changes . . .new beginnings in our journey.

"Mr. Ed" and I are about to enjoy a "cup of tea",  together, as we watch the SNOW falling on the deck On Crooked Creek.


Until next time. . .

http://www.commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/

On Crooked Creek will be joining Debra from Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday. Be sure to visit and be inspired to use your vintage finds in your own home decor!

Treasure Hunting. . .

I am so grateful to live in an area where convenience is in abundance! Within a few miles of On Crooked Creek, one can dine finely, shop easily, find inspiration. . . and yet, every once in a while. . .I just have to "get the heck outa' Dodge"! On those occasions, "Mr. Ed" and I take to Treasure Hunting. . .

Treasure #1, #2 and #3 . . .

I've been looking for some empty milk bottles to fill a vintage wire carrier for quite some time. The monogram G on the Golden Royal milk bottle caught my eye! I adore the detailing! The red is a "great find" for my kitchen On Crooked Creek!

Now...these two, at first glance, appeared to be a match in shape. Even this photo is misleading! However the taller vintage milk bottle(quart) is more square at the base; whereas the smaller vintage milk bottle (pint) is more round at its base.

"Mr. Ed" states the pint bottle is similar to the ones he drank milk from in grade school. He is several years older than I. Had I drank milk at school, it would have come from a waxed paper carton. Allergies made it impossible for me to partake!

Treasure #4. . .

My first restaurant plate!!! Ladies, I nearly danced to the counter with this find! I am acquiring quite a collection of restaurant serving dishes...but this is my first plate! You know what they say..."The Thrill of the Hunt"...Oh, yeah...I was definitely feeling the adrenalin rush when I spotted this treasure!

Treasure #5. . .

Au gratin dishes! Oh, how I wish there'd been four! I've already used these "great finds" On Crooked Creek and will post that recipe in the near future!!!

I was quite smitten with their oval shape, deep interior and the delicate shell design on the handles! They have that creamy ivory hue that I adore! These aren't dishwasher safe, but they washed up so nicely, I don't seem to mind!
 
Treasure #6. . .

A creamy ivory hued vintage oval serving platter! I adore the delicate swirl design around the edges! This is my first vintage serving platter! All the white dishes and the restaurant plate were found at the same Antique Shop in Newton, Kansas!

Treasure #7. . .

will have to wait for another post. I didn't photograph the treasure by itself...and I'm still working on the final outcome of its announcement On Crooked Creek. I do hope you'll stop by again soon for its reveal!

"Mr. Ed" found a treasure, also! He purchased the VCR (can't get much more vintage than that) of Dances With Wolves! He watches the black & white with VCR movies while riding his stationary bicycle in the lower level On Crooked Creek since his retirement!

There's just something so uplifting and inspiring about arriving On Crooked Creek with newly acquired treasures. Just the "pick me up" and motivation I needed to get those creative ideas going once again!

Until next time. . .


FYI:
We've been experiencing computer woes On Crooked Creek lately! Something about a Mother Board...external hard drive... so~o~o, if you notice my absence for a period of days...its due to the lack of knowledge with technology. Thank goodness for "geeks"!

NEW Brunswick Stew!

Normal January temperatures bring on the need for warmer winter dinners On Crooked Creek. This new recipe for Brunswick Stew using pulled pork warms the entire body head ~to~toe!



Photo courtesy of Southern Lady Holidays 2011.


This hearty and delicious vegetable soup makes enough soup for a large crowd!

"Mr. Ed" and I only made half this recipe and still froze two containers for later use!

Brunswick Stew

3 quarts chicken broth

1 (2 lb) bag frozen baby lima beans

1 (2 lb) bag frozen niblet corn

1 lb red potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 (28oz) cans diced tomatoes, undrained

1 cup hickory ~ flavored barbecue sauce

2 tablespoons hot sauce

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 lbs smoked pulled pork

Directions:

* In a large Dutch oven or stock pot, bring chicken broth to a boil over medium~ high heat.

   Add limas, corn, potatoes and onion. Return to a boil.

   Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes.

* Add tomatoes, barbecue sauce, hot sauce, salt and pepper ~ stirring to combine.

   Stir in pork. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Remember ladies ~ this is 1/2 of the above recipe!!!

Our favorite soup bowls, On Crooked Creek, are these double handled golden ones.

An oval restaurant single serving dish is a perfect addition for a homemade biscuit!

While I was setting the table ~ "Mr.Ed" whipped up a batch of homemade biscuits.

His favorite of the batch is the smallest one sitting atop the others ~ made from all the leftover cut out scraps of dough.

I declare it must be a flashback from his childhood!!!

"Mr. Ed's" biscuits are always eaten with strawberry jelly or preserves. . . mine with butter or perhaps a drizzle of honey!

On Crooked Creek, "Mr. Ed" and I will be snuggled warmly inside when the seasonably cold January temperatures arrive. One of our defenses against the frigid cold ~ our NEW Brunswick Stew.

Until next time. . .

2012. . .Excess Baggage!

No New Year Resolutions here On Crooked Creek;
however there seems to be quite a bit of excess baggage that certainly needs to be dealt with!


2012 . . . Excess Baggage!

The excess baggage in this post refers to my vintage luggage or suitcase collection.


The baggage shown above is a Samsonite Train Case and Overnight Bag similar to the ones my maternal grandmother, Susie used when she traveled from Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri to Garden Grove, California to visit her youngest daughter, Norma Jean. Grandma Ford called her baggage her "grip"!

A vintage brown, hard shell suitcase with leather edges and a paper interior called an Overnight or Satchel.

Another vintage brown, Samsonite overnight suitcase complete with keys!

From t o o many Christmases past, was the gift of a three ~ piece red Samsonite Suitcase set. Each suitcase closed and then fit nicely inside the other. The largest, called the weekender; the medium size, called traveler; and finally the smallest, called the overnighter. The only remaining piece of my luggage is the overnighter and being in terrible array...I decoupaged it to conceal its battle scars.


. . . and sometimes excess baggage is put on display.

From On Crooked Creek. . .
no resolutions. . .
just excess baggage in the form of vintage luggage  collections!
                                                      
                                                       Happy New Year!



Until next time. . .

www.astrollthrulife.blogspot.com

On Crooked Creek is joining our dear hostess, Marty @ A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday! I do hope you'll drop in and see all the lovely vignettes  from other bloggers for inspiration in your own home decor.