And the winner of the 4 Fiestaware shamrock dinner plates is.......

I just want to thank everyone that entered the giveaway. I wish I could give all of you a prize. Sorry it took me so long to post the winner today but I just came off a straight 48 hour shift and then had to drive to Indiana from Illinois. So without further a due, the winner of the 4 Fiestaware shamrock dinner plates is.............

                                                                       Candy S.

Candy please e-mail me your address so I can ship the plates out asap.  missybowen07@gmail.com

         I have drawn 2 other names in the case that I don't hear from Candy within 7 days.

Antiques as storage

Here at my Victorian home I luckily have plenty of closets and storage space. The one thing I don't have is a linen closet. I was out at a local flea market and found an antique wardrobe. I instantly thought it would make a perfect linen closet. It fit perfectly just outside the bathroom in a odd nook. 

My fantastic husband added shelves where once clothes would hang. 

Now I have plenty of storage for the towels and washcloths . 

The drawers are great for storing a multitude of necessities. I love repurposing antique and vintage furniture. 

                    Blessings, Missy 

Indianapolis flower and patio

Here in Indiana the winter has been very cold and snowy. Yesterday it was 70* and beautiful. Today it has turned cold and it's snowing yet again. I don't know about you but I was ready to see something blooming. Yesterday I went to the Flower and Patio Show in Indianapolis. The gardens were so beautiful and interesting I thought you would like a little tour.

My favorite was Stonycreek Farms and their bunny farm. They had 3 bunny hutches, a barn, house and log cabin. The little rock stream had trickling water for the bunnies. 

Can you see the sweet bunny on the porch?

This sweet little bunny was eating his food from a toy wagon. 

The next beautiful garden was a sound of music theme garden.

A drum set made of logs, how clever. 

Look at the planted drums. If you look close you can see a drum light hanging in the gazebo.

I loved this old piano fountain. 

Another drum used for a water fall. We have three drummers in my family, my husband and two of my sons. 

I hope you have enjoyed a little tour of the Flower and Patio show. I have more pics that I will share tomorrow so come back and visit.

                      Blessings, Missy

Leprechaun trap

Finally trapped one of those tricky little Leprechauns. Make your own St Patrick's day trapped Leprechaun vignette. This was so quick and easy. I used a large pickle jar, a Lefton Leprechaun, some dollar store moss rocks, floral grass, a few gold coins and a shiny gold ribbon.

                                              Most of the items used I found at Dollar tree.

I just love vintage Lefton figurines. This is one of a set of three leprechauns. He looks like he is waving his hands as to be saying, help I am trapped. I hope you got a little inspiration to make your own trapped leprechaun. While you are here click on the giveaway and enter to win 4 Fiestaware shamrock dinner plates.

                                                                           Blessings, Missy

St Patty's tablescapes

Today I wanted to share with you my grand daughters little table. The kids are getting excited for St Patrick's day. We are having our annual leprechaun hunt. The kids make traps and bait them with gold coins. They follow the clues left behind by the tricky little guy to find the pot of gold. Maybe this year they will catch him.

Kali's little table is ready for a St Patrick's day lunch. I used Fiestaware plates with Longaberger shamrock bowls. I found the little soda glasses at GW, they will be perfect for a shamrock shake. The little cauldrons were on clearance after Halloween. They make perfect little pots of gold. My mother gave me the Irish santa/leprechaun.

                            Kali loves to see what is new on her table. I love how special it makes her feel.

I did a little tablescaping for the adult table as well. I really changed gears this year. I wanted to honer the Irish flag. It seems that here in America we forget the orange when it comes to decorating. Orange is very prevalent in St Patrick's celebrations in Ireland.

I started with a charger and my Bordello cabbage chop plate. Cabbage and potatoes and corned beef is always on our St Patty's menu.

Next I used a white Fiestaware dinner plate and a tangerine Fiesta salad plate. The napkins are Longaberger shamrock pattern.

                                                 Easy, quick St Patrick's tablescape.

Thank you for sharing this very special holiday with me. Check out my giveaway and enter to win 4 Fiesta shamrock dinner plates.

                                                                 Blessings, Missy

Mantel Monday, St Patrick's

Whats on your mantel? Today I am sharing my St Patricks mantel. My mantel is really not a mantel at all. My husband installed a large shelf for me to use as a mantel. Our home in IL has a very beautiful mantel and I loved decorating it for the holidays and seasons. For now I will decorate my pretend mantel in our little rental cottage.  I am still looking for the right size mirror for above the mantel.

In the center is one of my favorite irish blessings. Propped on the frame is grandpas pipe and a very old horseshoe painted gold.

                                                 Did you notice the shamrocks on the pipe?

A little leprechaun lost his boots. I found these old baby boots a few years ago and thought they looked like leprechaun boots. I added shamrock ribbon for the laces. The little cast iron cauldron makes a cute little pot of gold. The gold nuggets are just small stones painted gold. Another old horseshoe in the background.

I love vintage Lefton figurines. Here are a set of hard to find Lefton Leprechauns. I painted an old brick gold for different levels of display. 

I have one more area to show you but it will have to wait for another day.

Blessings, Missy

St Patrick's Pistachio muffins in Fiestaware cups

If you are like me you have dozens of Fiestaware cups. The cups are to small for coffee and I seldom drink hot tea. What else can you use them for? Make muffins in them.

I love the way they look and they turned out super moist and yummy. The pistachio pudding made them just the right color green. I added no food color in these muffins but if you want a more vivid green you could add a drop or two of green food coloring.

                                       Just look at the color, it matches the lemon grass fiesta.

I used shamrock and lemon grass Fiestaware and Longaberger napkins. The tablecloth was a GW find for $2.99 and was half price so it was only $1.50

                                      Now you know what to do with all those Fiesta cups.

Recipe, St Patrick's pistachio muffins

Preheat oven 350
place 8 Fiesta cups on a cookie sheet and give them a sprits of oil spray

1 (3.4oz) box instant pistachio pudding mix
1 3/4 c all purpose flour
3/4 c sugar
1/4 c brown sugar
1 stp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 c milk
1/2 c vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla

In a large mixing bowl combine dry ingredients, mix with wire whisk. Add wet ingredients and mix well. Fill cups 3/4 full. You will have enough for 8 cups. Bake for 20-25 min or until lightly brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool on baking pan for 5 min. Enjoy