Saturday, March 29, 2014

Saturday Sparks Link Party 56

Welcome to Saturday Sparks 56!
It's time for another fun week to share and be inspired. Spring fever is in full swing and the links from last weeks party really got the ball rolling.
Now, onto the Fabulous Features from Saturday Sparks 55.
Toolbox to Spring Centerpiece at Vintage, Paint and More. A yard sale find, some paint and a yearning for Spring had Cathy creating this cute Spring centerpiece.
Spring Tulip Wreath at An Extraordinary Day. Diane shares her pretty Spring wreath that just makes you smile.
Show Off & Inspire-Gates of Crystal at A Stroll Thru Life. Marty continues her Show Off series featuring Lynda's lovely home from Gates of Crystal
Dress Up Your Party Drinks at Bellenza. Do you have a party planned? Be sure to visit Bellenza to get some wonderful ideas on dressing up your drinks.


  Fabric Flip-Flops Tutorial at The Crafty Blog Stalker. Katie shares a great tutorial on how to personalize a pair of Flip-Flops with fabric and have the added bonus of having them fit perfectly.
 DIY French Bunny Napkins at Chantilly Charm. Margaret has made another sweet bunny project using transfer paper and some white napkins.
 Cashew Chicken Stir Fry at Love Food, Will Share. Kay shares a recipe for a delicious Stir Fry and shows us that making Chinese food at home is easy.
 Green Pizza with Pesto, Feta, Artichokes and Broccoli at Hello Little Home.  Ginnie creates this Green Pizza that brought back fond memories of her time in San Francisco.
Baked Salmon with Lemon, Dill and Parsley at Simply Fresh Dinners. Robyn takes the mystery out of cooking fresh salmon with this refreshing recipe.
Pucker Up Lemon Cookies at Southern Distinctions. Brandyn says these cookies "are the perfect blend of sweet and tart". Spring time is the perfect season to enjoy the flavor of lemon.
And finally, a recap of my share from the party - NH Maple Weekend. My son and I enjoyed some time visiting a sugar shack during Maple Weekend here in New Hampshire.

Pieced Pastimes

 Thanks to everyone for linking up to last weeks party.
If you were featured, please grab the featured button to add to your blog.

Now, onto the party!

Link up your latest inspiring posts including:

Home Decor
Crafts
Sewing
Gardening
Recipes
DIY
Repurposing

Links are open through Friday morning.

I will post features next week to Pieced Pastimes, Facebook and Pinterest.

I can't wait to see what you have been working on!

Pieced Pastimes

 Party Guidelines:
- Post the party button (above) or a text link back  to the party or on your post.
- Share your own projects - something that is made by you.
- Follow Pieced Pastimes via one of the social media links at the top of the sidebar.
- No advertising, Etsy shops or giveaways.
- Pin feature photos to Pinterest from the original source and not from this blog.
- Visit other links and leave a kind comment.

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Thursday, March 27, 2014

Spring Mantel 2014

The calendar shows that Spring has arrived, but it seems Mother Nature may have forgotten about us. Yet another cold snap finds us taking cover in the warmth of our home. 
The fireplace has been working overtime to keep up with the chilly air. I haven't lost faith and know that our turn is just around the corner. 
Dressing the mantel in its Spring attire is my way of giving the season a bit of a gentle nudge. Each year, the return of our fine feathered friends signals the start of a another cycle in our lives.
A time when the fresh clean air brings with it the promise of a new beginning.
Simple objects are gathered to whisper hints of the Season.
 
An empty cage expresses the sense of freedom felt from the confines of a long winter.....
......to the renewed and energized spirit that naturally comes with the arrival of Spring.
Touches of green will blanket our area in the coming days as the dormant trees and plants find their way back to us.
We patiently wait with open arms....
....knowing the anticipation will only make us appreciate the beauty of Spring that much more.
And trust me, it will be warmly welcomed here!

Linking up to the following lovely blogs:
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Monday, March 24, 2014

Scenes from the Road 9 - Maple Weekend

This past weekend was New Hampshire's 19th Annual Maple Weekend. Sugar makers across the state open their doors to the public sharing their boiling shacks and the process of turning tree sap into the delicious maple syrup that we all know and love.


My youngest son and I ventured out to Folsom's Sugar House in Chester, NH. It is tucked off the road and into the woods a bit.


Their website says they were inspired by the small houses at Colonial Williamsburg when they built the store, which is the charming tiny yellow house attached to the sugar shack. Their retail area is filled with the most tempting maple sweetened treats.


A treasured tool from days gone by greets you as walk up to the building.


The steam coming from the roof of the sugar shack lets you know that the sugaring season has begun.


The huge evaporator fills the room and does its magic to boil down the sap.


We couldn't leave Folsom's Sugar House without sampling some 'Maple Cookies' and enjoying a 'Maple Sundae'.


Of course, I had to buy some fresh syrup as well and look forward to trying it in a new recipe.

We enjoyed our little trip into the world of sugaring and hope you did too.



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Saturday, March 22, 2014

Saturday Sparks Link Party 55

Welcome to Saturday Sparks 55!
Spring has arrived and with it a renewed energy. It seems that people are smiling more and taking the time to stop and savor the moment, which is always a good thing.  Last weeks party had many of you welcoming Spring.
Now, onto the Fabulous Features from Saturday Sparks 54.
Spring Mantel at Vintage, Paint and More.  Cathy shares her pretty Spring mantel with pops of yellow and blue.

Canvas Banners at D.D.'s Cottage and Design. Darrielle shows us how she added her personal touch to some simple canvas flags for a lovely Spring banner.

 A Day In The Life of a Furniture Painter at Simply Vintageous by Suzan. Painting furniture is much more involved than you may think, as Suzan explains in this post.
Starting Plants in Toilet Paper Rolls at Elizabeth Joan Designs.  Emily shares a clever way to make your own starter plants using toilet paper rolls.

DIY Natural Nail Soak at Robyn's View. Robyn shares a recipe for a hand and nail soak that uses a few simple ingredients that will do wonders for you.

DIY Peppermint Sugar Scrub Bars at Happy Mothering. I have never made homemade soaps, but it is on my 'must do' list and this tutorial for Peppermint Sugar Scrub Bars sounds like a great one.

Ballard Designs French Bunny Pillow DIY at Chantilly Charm. Margaret combined her love for Spring and Bunnies to create this sweet pillow and shares the 411 on how she did it.

Egg and Roasted Veggie Sandwich at Hello Little Home. Ginnie loves a good breakfast sandwich and came up with this delicious version with Roasted Veggies that sounds like the perfect way to start your day.

Caramel Delight Cake at Southern Distinctions. Brandyn describes this cake as a "sinfully sweet treat". It sounds and looks like a wonderful indulgence to me.

Bailey's Pound Cake at Mom Foodie. Robin has come up with this recipe for  pound cake featuring Bailey's Irish Creme as the main attraction.
 Peanut Butter Nutella Cookies at Kleinworth & Co. - The combination of peanut butter cookies and nutella sounds like a match made in heaven and Gina says that these cookies are just that - heaven!
Hippity Hoppity Bunny Cupcakes at Two Kids and a Coupon. Cooking with kids can be such fun and these oh-so-cute bunny cupcakes are sure to be a big hit.
And lastly, a recap of my share from the party - Asiago Basil Focaccia. I have been trying out different flavor combinations for Focaccia bread and this recipe is my favorite so far.
Pieced Pastimes

 Thanks to everyone for linking up to last weeks party.
If you were featured, please grab the featured button to add to your blog.

Now, onto the party!

Link up your latest inspiring posts including:

Home Decor
Crafts
Sewing
Gardening
Recipes
DIY
Repurposing

Links are open through Friday morning.

I will post features next week to Pieced Pastimes, Facebook and Pinterest.

I can't wait to see what you have been working on!

Pieced Pastimes

 Party Guidelines:
- Post the party button (above) or a text link back  to the party or on your post.
- Share your own projects - something that is made by you.
- Follow Pieced Pastimes via one of the social media links at the top of the sidebar.
- No advertising, Etsy shops or giveaways.
- Pin feature photos to Pinterest from the original source and not from this blog.
- Visit other links and leave a kind comment.

Print Friendly and PDF
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