A Giveaway, Just Because....

No special reason....just because. I was going through some of my MANY magazines and decided I needed to clean out a few. Would you like them?

These are British magazines. Country Living, Country Homes and Period Living. They are filled with beautiful decorating, recipes, gardening and so much more.

There are 8 magazines in all. If you are interested, just leave a comment on this post and I will have a drawing on Wednesday, July 1st.

Contest Closed - Thanks for entering!

Welcome Home,

Penny

A Glimpse of The Past

While out antiquing the other day, I saw a book standing on it's side. The black and cream check caught my eye. I love vintage books and look for special gardening and cook books while out shopping. Because of the black and cream check - it fits in with my Country French color scheme.



I picked the book up and turned to the inside page to see the price. Instead, I found some wonderful hand written recipes inside the front and back cover. You really need to click on the pictures to see how wonderful this cook book really is.


Besides the wonderful hand written recipes on the inside flaps, there were card board cut outs from food boxes long ago. This book was published in 1929. It was given free to subscribers of Good Housekeeping Magazine,.

As I flipped through the pages, I found several typed recipes stuck inside.

Even back in 1929, this cook book owner was trying to make wine!

I can't imagine why this wonderful heirloom left the family. I am going to cherish this wonderful piece of history and treat it with the honor it deserves. I have a couple of family cookbooks that I cherish and hope to pass on to my sons.

Do you have family cookbooks?

Welcome Home,

Penny

Butterflies

A little while back my friend Shelley, from Building a Log Cabin, offered one of her beautiful bookmarks to the first 5 commenter's on her post. I was luckily the 5th commenter!

Not only did Shelley send me a bookmark, she sent a matching note card! As you can see Shelley is an amazing photographer. (Click on the picture to enlarge.) Shelley and her husband have been building and decorating a log cabin in Michigan. It is a beautiful place. Go visit Shelley and find out more about her photography, where you can find her beautiful work and see her lovely home.

Thanks Shelley! I love them!!

Welcome Home,

Penny

I've Got The Blues.....

Today I went antiquing with a good friend of mine. I wasn't looking for anything special. I walked in the door of the first shop and looked to my left. Look what I found. This wonderful original, chippy blue painted watering can. I have been slowly adding blue to the color scheme in my house. I love the way that blue and red look together.



I think this watering can looks great with the rooster grain sack I bought the other day and featured in this post. No, I haven't made the pillows yet, but you can see what one might look like (I temporarily just wrapped it over a pillow form). Click on the pictures to enlarge them.


Yes, I have the "blues" and I am loving it! I found something else fun today and will feature it in my next post.
Welcome Home,
Penny

The Tale of Two Penny's

Once upon a time there lived a woman in NC named Penny. Penny had a blog or two and spent her days happily visiting other blogs. One day, she happened to stumble upon another blog from NC. And as fate would have it, the blogger's name was Penny too!

So the two Pennys talked...and made plans to meet. What fun they had! Below are the two Pennys. (You can click on any picture to enlarge for detail)


Since they both loved to shop, and they both loved antiques this is the first place they went.

Wait...do you see what I see in the back there? On top of the red table? Yes, it is a great rooster lamp. Did it come home with either Penny? No....a little pricey.

After spending some time shopping the two Pennys grew hungry, so they stopped for a bite to eat at the Stone Soup restaurant.

Penny (from The Comforts of Home) had one of the specials. A quesadilla filled with zucchini, onion, corn and goat cheese.

Penny (from the Lake Lure Kitchen) had Black Eyed Pea Cakes on a bed of greens.

Both dishes were delish! Here is a picture of the inside of this restaurant based on a Fable.

It was a fun filled wonderful day. The moral of this fable is....if you find a blogger that lives near you, don't hesitate to contact them. You just might find a new friend and have a wonderful time.

If you don't know Penny from Lake Lure Kitchen, take some time to visit her blog. She is an amazing cook and features wonderful recipes. Penny and her husband are in the process of turning a lake cottage into a wonderful home, where the kitchen is the heart of the home. Stop in and see her and tell Penny that Penny sent you!

Welcome Home,

Penny

Roosters and Roses

Look what I found!!



I have been looking for the PERFECT vintage feedsack to make some pillow from for my screened in porch. Today our town had it's annual street Antique Fair. I stopped at a both filled with vintage table clothes and linens and peaking out of a basket full of very faded feedsacks, I spied a bit of blue and red.


I dug it out of the pile and couldn't believe my eyes! A wonderful vintage feedsack. Soft from years of washing, but the reds and blue were still very colorful. The best part was there was a ROOSTER (well actually a chicken) on it!! And RED ROSES!



I am going to make this into 4 pillows. I promise to show you them when I am finished.

Did I find the PERFECT vintage feedsack or what?

Welcome Home,

Penny

Before and After

I am feeling a little nostalgic today. I started looking through some old photographs I took of our house when we moved in here over 4 years ago.

Here is a before picture from our driveway looking to the left side of the garage. This was taken right after we moved in. We when first looked at this house to purchase, we were not sure where the entrance was to the house. Believe it or not, it was to the left around the house. There was just a little dirt path leading to the front door. And there was only about 3 feet of ground, between the drop off and the house. This was not a new home when we purchase it. It had been lived in by the previous owners for 4 years.


Below is the after. I took this shot today. We had several dump trucks of dirt brought in so we could create a proper path and courtyard. We added the arbor and the fencing. Landscaped and added the pavers. Now, I think you can tell how to get to the front door.



This is the side of the house to the right of the garage. It is the before picture. Very plain...


Here is the after picture I took today. We added shutters. Laid flagstone down to create a little seating area. Landscaped and added some furniture and a copper fire pit. We also enclosed an area with a fence to hide the propane tank and well cover.

It's great to have captured the before shots. It gives me the opportunity to see how much we have done to make this house a home.

Welcome Home,

Penny

Read Any Good Books Lately?

I was wondering........


Have you read any good books lately that you would like to recommend?
Welcome Home,
Penny

Flag Day, June 14th

(picture courtesy of Flickr)
My country tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.

Welcome Home,

Penny

Wrapping Up A Few Things

I have a few things I blogged about recently and wanted to post the end results. First, thank you all for your spring pea recipe suggestions. This is what I made for the first batch of peas. I sauteed fresh mushrooms in olive oil and garlic, meanwhile I put fettuccine on to boil. When the pasta was almost finished I added the shelled peas to to pasta water. When done, I drained the pasta and peas. Added the mushrooms and garlic. Drizzled truffle oil on top and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. It turned out great!



Next up....remember the rooster teapot that I bought not realizing it had not been fired or glazed? I posted about it here. I couldn't decide if I should leave it alone, spray paint it or what. A lot of you suggested finding a pottery place and see if they could glaze and fire it for me.

Well, that is exactly what I did. There is one right in my town on Main Street! I picked it up today. He looks much better now, doesn't he?

And speaking of "wrapping up" a few things....Recently I was the luck winner of a giveaway that Kelee from The Katillac Shack had. See how pretty it is wrapped?

Kelee had emailed me to tell me I won this beautiful frame....

But I was thrilled to see something else wrapped up! It is a book authored by Kelee herself!

Thank you so much Kelee! I love them both!

Well that about "wraps" up this post :-)

Welcome Home,

Penny

Pass The Peas Please

Yeah! My internet cable has been repaired! Now on to the post.

On March 17th, I planted some peas seeds in my garden. Some dry, wrinkled little pea seeds. Look what I picked from my garden this morning!

They almost look too pretty to shell and eat, don't they? (you can click on the pictures to enlarge)

Does anyone one have some great spring pea recipes?

Welcome Home,

Penny

Technical Difficulties

We interrupt this blog for technical reasons. While planting some lavender yesterday, Mr Comforts of Home cut our Internet cable. I am currently working on our laptop with broadband. So all of my pictures, etc are on the other computer.

We have put in a call to our cable provider for repairs. I will be back soon.

Welcome Home,

Penny

Love and Romance

Do you remember writing your initials and your boyfriends initials inside of a heart all over your notebook when you were in school? I do. I have found something better. Something a lot more permanent.

And it is created by none other than our own sweet Fifi. You all know Fifi. She is the editor of Romantic Country Magazine. She has a beautiful inspiring blog called Chez Fifi.


My heart arrived today. It has Mr. Comforts of Home and my initial on it. It is fabulously aged, made of heavy metal and just perfect!



I spent some time this afternoon playing photographer and looking for the perfect place for our heart.



Fifi is selling these custom made hearts. You can have your initials, the name of your cottage, your favorite saying...... Fifi has some samples on her current blog post. So head on over and visit her! Tell her Penny sent you. Just click here.

Merci Fifi! I adore it.

Welcome Home,
Penny

Busy As A Bee

I am busy as a bee this week! (Click on the picture to see the honey bee)

Working in the studio, playing in a golf tournament today, getting ready for a dinner Friday night where I bring the dessert. Plus the usual laundry, gardening, cooking, cleaning etc.

What are you up to?

Welcome Home,

Penny