Spring Vignette

Hello friends!

 

I guess I've been missing from blogland, yet again.

 

I don't suppose it will get any better this week. 

Between my two kids, they have 7 games in 6 days.

I do miss all of you and hope I can catch up soon.

 

I wanted to share a vignette I put together

on top of my favorite blue dresser.

 

 

 

It really has felt like Spring around here.

If you don't count how cold & rainy it was last night at my son's game.

The daffodils are finally up and

the tulips are getting ready to bloom.

 

 

Wishing you a fantastic week and a happy Spring!

 

 

Coffeecake Muffins

I've been trying to lay off the sugar & flour. 

Scouts honor.

But...sometimes...well...you just need a little something.

Truth be told, I love to bake.   I often get the urge to bake and honestly, I think it's an urge to bake for the sheer joy of baking.    Don't get me wrong,  I love to eat sweets, but I think I love to bake sweets even more.  Does that make sense?

 

This recipe comes from Cook's Country magazine.

I know it looks like a long recipe, but don't let that scare you.  Using a food processor, this comes together easily. 

 

  

Coffeecake Muffins

 

 

Struesel:

8 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

1 tablespoon gound cinnamon

4 tablespoons butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces and chilled

½ cup pecans

 

Muffins:

2 large eggs

1 cup sour cream

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1¾ cups flour

½ cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons butter, cut into chunks and softened

 

For the struesel:  Pulse 5 tablespoons sugar, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and butter in food processor until just combined.  Reserve ¾ cup of this sugar mixture for cinnamon filling.  Add pecans and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar to food processor with remaining sugar mixture and pulse until pecans are coursely ground.  Transfer to bowl and set aside for struesel topping.  Do not wash food processor.

 

For the muffins:  Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375°.  Grease muffin tin with cooking spray and line with paper liners.  (It is suggested you use paper liners so the cinammon filling does not stick to the pan.)  Whisk eggs, sour cream and vanilla in a bowl.  Pulse flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter in food processor until mixture resembles wet sand.  Transfer to large bowl.  Using rubber spatula, gradually fold in egg mixture until just combined.  Place 1 tablespoon of batter in each muffin cup and top with 1 tablespoon of cinnamon filling.  Using back of spoon, press cinammon filling lightly into batter, then top with remaining batter.   Sprinkle struesel topping evenly over batter.

 

Bake until muffins are light golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few dry crumbs attached, 22 to 28 minutes.  Cool muffins in tin for 30 minutes, then carefully transfer to rack to cool.  Serve. 

 

Yield:  12 muffins.

Muffins will keep in an air tight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.



Now grab a cup of coffee (or tea) and enjoy!

Spring on the Chalkboard (Shame, Shame, Shame)

With each season, I enjoy sharing my dining room chalkboard with you.

I am no artist and I never claim to be.

That being said,  I do have fun with this thing.

This time, I relied on the immense talent of the lovely Susan Branch.

I have her calendar.  I love her calendar.  I seem to think it was one of you sweet ladies who recommended it on your blog.  When I saw it this past January, I snatched it up.

Anyway,  I love this quote from her calendar, so I copied it.  I copied it down to the fancy "A",  the lettering, and the grass & flowers.  

I should hang my head in shame for all this copying.

  

Of course, it's not as fabulous as Miss Susan's calendar page, but it's good enough for this non-artist at least.

And might I suggest, if you come across Susan Branch's calendar next new year, do purchase it. Please don't let my poor representation of it affect your decision.  It is truly the sweetest, prettiest calendar I've ever owned.   You will love it.  

 

Thank you for your visit!  ♥ 

Spring Mantel 2013

Hello sweet friends!

This week, we are supposedly going to be visited

by our most elusive of friends...

Spring.

(I'm almost afraid to believe it.)

It seems I am always complaining about the weather on my blog.

I do apologize.

It's just what we do around here.

Anyway,

how about I share my Spring mantel with you?

Taking down the Easter decor, my mantel was left bare,

so I Spring-ified it.

Please try to ignore that stupid ceiling fan reflection in the mirror.

Here's the left side:

 

 

I bought those paper flowers at a local Garden Shop.

Aren't they fun?

The birds came from Kirklands.

I just thought they were so cute.  

I have had the white pitchers & greenery in my stash

for a few years now.  Same for the little blue vases

from Joanns.

Here's the right side:

 

I try to pull myself out of my comfort zone,

better known as symmetry,

but it always seems to pull me back in. :)

Do you remember this bird cage?

I used it as a card holder for my niece's wedding...here.

The little nest I bought last year at Pier 1.

Happy Spring!

 

Linking to:

Swing into Spring @ DIY by Design

Spring Abounds

As the weather has finally begun to turn "Spring-like," 

thank goodness,

I spent the past week 

taking away the Easter decor and 

adding Spring touches throughout the house.   

  

Today, I wanted to share my dining room hutch:

The left side:

The right side:

Center:

I was kind of surprised with how quickly

this whole look came together.

Usually I struggle...and arrange...and rearrange...

then tweak...and tweak some more...

but not this time.

This time is just worked.

 I hope that Spring is in full force where you live

or at least is starting to show its pretty face.

Have a super week!

Linking to:

Tabletop Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Tuesdays at Our Home at Our Home Away from Home

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

April Showers (Umbrella Wreath)

I have to be honest.

I was really thinking about changing that title.

April Showers...haha...that's a good one!

It's more like April Snows.

Yes, my friends, the temperature reached a high of 33 degrees today,

and we woke up to a blanket of snow.

It has been snowing on and off all day.

The wind has been bitter cold.

I would swear it was January.

But let me stop all this depressing chatter of 

the never ending Winter.

A few days ago, 

when it was almost Spring,

I saw something really cute on Pinterest.

It was this umbrella filled with flowers:

Pinterest

Cute, right?

I thought this would be a fun departure

from the traditional wreath on my front door.

So, here it is:

I really like the way the it turned out.

It was very simple to put together and

I think it shows up really well against my blue front door.

Thanks for stopping by today.  

Now who do I have to talk to about changing this weather?