A French Inspiration in Jacksonville Oregon

This Month my family and I took a trip to Medford, Oregon to visit our wonderful grandmother, we really enjoy her. While we were there, we took a little trip to Jacksonville--a historic little town. It is  about 5 minutes from my grandmother's house, and there were vineyards all the way Jacksonville. My grandmother was telling as that all those vineyards used to be pear orchards--she prefers the pear orchards. When we arrived, we found this charming little French BouTEAque. So come join me on an inspirational journey into French creations.

A French BouTEAque is located at:

135 South 3rd Street

Historic Jacksonville, Oregon

Check out her facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/A-French-BouTEAque/167662836598721

Visiting this town was like going back in time.

This is another antique store full of treasures.

A little piece of heaven for glass collectors.

I hope that you enjoyed this little tour of charming Historic Jacksonville, Oregon. I really loved visiting these wonderful shops.

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 ~Have a wonderful day and surround yourself with beautiful things~ 

All Beautiful and Splendid Things

At the heart of the rose lies mystery and romance, stirring a passion like no other flower. That is why I love to paint roses, they give me pleasure to capture the softer, romantic, serenity of the rose on a canvas. I like surrounding my self with my paintings, transplanting each rose creation into the happiest corner of my home.

God's Thoughts:

The mountains are God's thoughts piled up. The ocean is God's thoughts spread out. The flowers are God's thoughts in bloom. The dew drops are God's thoughts in pearls. ~Sam Jones~

On Every Rose I see His blood upon the rose and in the stars the glory of His eyes, His body gleams amid eternal snows his tears fall from the skies. I see his face in every flower; The thunder and the surging of the birds are but his voice- and carven by His power Rocks are His written words. All pathways by his feet are worn, His strong heart stirs the ever-beating sea, his crown of thorns is twined with every thorn His cross is every tree. ~Joseph Mary Plunkett~

Look Through nature up to nature's God ~ Pope~

~Have a wonderful day full of rose's fragrance~

How to make an easy Crocheted lace

When I was making my Valentine Banner, I found out that I didn't have laces or ribbons at home, so I decide to make my own piece of lace to use in my project. This crocheted lace is easy to make.

I used Mercerized cotton, size 10 in natural color, and a  hook number 8.

Make 4 chains and insert the hook into the first chain. Draw this chain through the working loop to form a circle.

1st row 3ch, 3dc into center of circle, 2ch, 4dc into circle. Turn.

2nd row 3ch, 3dc into 2ch loop, 2ch, 3dc into same 2ch loop, 1dc into top of turning chain. Turn.

The 2nd row forms the pattern. Repeat it for the length of lace you want.

I really had fun making this shell stitch lace, and it worked perfectly for my banner--it gave my project a vintage touch.

~Have a wonderful day and come back soon~

Making Vintage Valentine Banners

I think that these vintage photos are so sweet. They deserve to be displayed, and what a better time to do so than on Valentine's Day, where our hearts are filled with love. It makes us plan thoughtful gifts, and use affectionate words that convey what we too often forget to express in our busy lives. 

 Love is in the air! Now that I have a "fireplace" I can decorate it for Valentine's Day. I displayed my romantic couples made of porcelain and pretty porcelain pieces covered with  flowers that I love to collect.

I have this album book full of vintage photos that I recived as a gift years ago. I took copies and cut them into heart shapes to make the banner; you can find vintage photos on "The graphics fairy blog" She has tons of vintage photos and postcards.

I cut pieces of strips, then I cut the edges with this type of scissors.

My little boy helped me to glue the strips of paper all aroud the edge folding it as we glued it

He did a great job, he will be 4 years old in May, I know, time flys.

 To cover the back of the heart he glued another paper heart.

Then we added  glitter all around the edge  of the photo.

If you would like to make the cherubic, you can copy and paste this photo and print it, then enlarge it to desired size. It makes a sweet ornament too.

I glued two paper cherubics together, but do not glue the wings, so it can remain open

I cut another shape of paper to incorporate it with the cut paper hearts on my banner

I used monotype corsiva letters, size 72 to make the banner message, "Be mine" and my favorite french  word "Amour" Then I glued it to this piece of music paper. Then I opened some holes to hang the banner with a pretty lace. I didn't have laces of ribbon in my house so I made my own croched lace. I will make another post showing how to make Croched lace.  My little boy and I had fun making this vintage banner for Valentine's Day, I hope that you will have fun making one too.

~ Have a wonderful Valentine's Day with your loved one ~

Raisin and Cinnamon Pastries

I found this yummy pastry recipe that I love in an old book and I wanted to share it with you. It will take time and patience but it is worth it. The Danish Pastry (it is known in Denmark as Wienerbrod, or vienna bread) is not difficult to make if you follow precisely the directions. If I were to stress only one point, it would be that you should keep the dough as cold as possible so that it will not be sticky while you work with it. 

 1 1/2 cups butter or margarine

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (sift before measuring)

2 packages yeast, active dry or compressed

1/4 cup warm water (lukewarm for compressed yeast)

1 cup cold milk

1 egg, slightly beaten

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)

1/2 teaspoon salt

Egg yolk

Cream butter with 1/2 cup of flour until well blended, and chill for 30 minutes. Soften yeast in warm water; add milk, egg, sugar, cardamom, and salt. Stir in 2 cups of flour. Beat with spoon until dough is smooth and elastic; beat in  remaining flour until well blended. Turn out on lightly floured board, form into ball, dust with flour, roll into a 16-inch square. Turn butter-flour mixture out on floured board roll and shape into a rectangle 8 by 16 inches  (it should roll out like pie crust; if too soft, chill longer). Place on one half of the yeast dough. Turn other half of dough over butter to encase it. Pinch edges together to seal. With a rolling pin, lightly pound dough to about 12 by 16 inches. Fold 1/3 of dough over center, then fold remaining 1/3 over center. Chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes, or in freezer for 10 minutes (don't freeze it). Pound dough lightly again into a rectangle, then roll into a 16-inch square and fold side thirds over center again; chill. Repeat pounding, rolling, folding, and chilling three times more. After final chilling, roll out the dough to a rectangle  about 16 inches x 20 inches, brush with milk and sprinkle with a mixture of cinnamon sugar and raisins. Roll up the dough lengthways and cut into 2-cm/3/4-inch-thick slice. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper, arrange the pastries on it and leave in a warm place to rise . Bake in a preheated oven, Gas mark 6/200C/ 400F for 10-15 minutes. Mix the egg yolk with a little water and brush over the pastries shortly before the end of cooking time.

You can make buttery, flaky Danish pastry in any shape and it can be filled with apricot, prune, almond, coconut lemon, or vanilla custard filling.

~Have a wonderful day and come back soon~