...family, friends, home and other tidbits of a blessed life

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Fluffing and stuffing.. it's the season!

 
Because our home isn't done in light colors, it's challenging to lighten
the rooms up without things turning jarring. One easy solution.. add a 
lighter pillow! The chevron pillow is made with yards of French silk
ribbon! By me.

The pansies are on their last legs. I'm reluctant to pull them out though.
They were perfect smiling faces all winter cheering us upon our arrival
home each day. Even the creeping jenny came back this year. Guess
it's true that we had a mild winter.

 My green thumb is brown. Bluntly, it sucks. So we will see how 
long this combination planter lasts. The mother-in-law's tongue is 
about 11 years old. I had to separate these tongues out of the
huge mother plant. Paired it with a succulent, which I cannot grow,
but keep trying. It's already trying to become a tree! Why can't 
mine stay short? I don't think the ivy will stay. It needs too much 
water, and I hadn't found a string of pearls plant yet. But, I'm 
loving the look.

Found this teapot at an auction. I purchased it to be a planter or 
something, anything.. I love copper. Sweet violets stuffed inside 
- we will see how long these last.

Now these, I can grow. No sun, water, but not on the leaves. 
Yep, if you are green and aren't too picky, you will thrive here!

And wow, my herbs. I only had to replant rosemary and basil. the rest
have all survived the winter. I really thought the chives were goners.
But they sprouted back this spring. I thought the sage was gone too, 
the third or fourth freeze we had, it turned black. Can you believe
it came back? Masochistic plant if you ask me.

My father-in-law told me once that these are hard to kill. Well, they 
do really well if you water them in the winter. I keep forgetting that
part, so each spring, I have to visit the nursery and get replacements. 
In red. Bright, deep red at that. Love the pop of color!

And to stuffing ourselves.. wow this is a good appetizer. A friend shared
these at a get together recently. She got them from Southern Living.
Strawberry Crostini. You MUST try them. Seriously. They rock.


Ingredients

  • 2 cups finely chopped strawberries $
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
  • 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 4 teaspoons minced shallot
  • Pinch of pepper
  • 1 (3-oz.) package cream cheese, softened $
  • 36 pretzel crackers

Preparation

  1. Stir together strawberries, basil, brown sugar, shallot, and pepper. Spread softened cream cheese onto pretzel crackers. Top with strawberry mixture.
Note: We tested with Keebler Town House Flipsides Original Pretzel Crackers.

18 comments:

Danielle's Sweets said...

Hi Marlis,

I LOVE the violets inside your copper tea kettle as a planter! Great idea and so cute. Also the strawberry crostini looks delish! I must try that : )

Have a wonderful Sunday!
Danielle xo

Judy Biggerstaff said...

Your flower pots and flowers are beautiful and so shout Spring. Your Strawberry Crostini looks yum, wish I had some right now. Thanks for sharing.

The Tablescaper said...

Your treat sounds fantastic - that touch of sweet! I love pansies and I too am reluctant to remove them. My Mom loved them as well so that makes me twice as reluctant. Yours look like they are still smiling, so enjoy them while you can.

As always, wonderful to have you be a part of Seasonal Sundays.

- The Tablescaper

Aledia said...

All of your flowers are just beautiful and that recipe sounds WONDERFUL! I look forward to trying it.

Thank You for sharing and have a wonderful evening!

Aledia @ Plum Perfect

Mary said...

Marlis~ Your strawberry crostini sound & look delicious! Our pansies are leggy and on the way out too~ I hate to see them go! Beautiful pillow~ enjoy your Sunday!

Miss Char said...

I have the same issue inside Marlis, my colors tend to fall and winter so lightening up for spring is always a challenge. Your flowers look beautiful, especially those little pansies. We still have freeze warnings here so I can't do much outdoor plantings yet, seeing yours is a shot in the arm for me. Thanks for sharing.

kitty@ Kitty's Kozy Kitchen said...

Hi Marlis, I just pulled my pansies this week!! I was sad to see them go, too. They sure brighten our winter months. I love your pillow and all your new changes.

Dianne said...

I love your new pillow. My sage turns black every year, but it comes back from the base of the plant. It always amazes me how some plants who seem completely gone, come back. Your violet in a copper tea kettle is so cute, I too, will be curious how well it does with all the copper around it. Dianne

Kathleen said...

I love those crackers, and I will have to try that recipe. I once posted a savory peach tart and people were like Really? But it was good.
Love your new pillows. My pansies come back, so I just clip them down and cover them with annuals.
Amazing your geraniums could last all winter without bringing them in!

Scribbler said...

Your pillow is so incredible -- you do the coolest things.

The herbs like that hot Texas sun. I have a lot more trouble with them here. I have two planted in the front garden which gets the blazing sun all day, and they have about taken over. (Rosemary and Lemon Balm) The rest, I have to replant every year. My husband is the one with the green thumb.

At our old house, we used to be able to winter over the geraniums and ferns, but here we don't have a good place to keep them. My geraniums when I lived in Texas bloomed all winter long and got absolutely huge!

That strawberry crostini looks delis -- I bought a bunch a couple of days ago, so I will give this a try this afternoon.

Alycia Nichols said...

You and I share that infamous brown thumb! I can't get plants or flowers to thrive to save my poor, pitiful little life! I will admit to getting a little lazy once the temps start hitting those upper 80s+, so everything planted in May usually turns to dust by July! I think we should get points for at least trying, though! I will never get any points for sewing. You are the High Priestess of Needle and Thread!

Kuby said...

Your flowers area all so beautiful! In
Reno, Nevada and Long Island, NY, Everything I planted grew. here in Santa Cruz, across from the sea, I have a problem with even growing parsley! I'd love to plant some basil. You motivated me to give it a try

Linda (More Fun Less Laundry) said...

Hi Marlis, The first plant I ever grew after college was a begonia and I still love them. Some of my pansies survived this winter which never happens! It was so warm. Today it is cold and pouring which is good because we are in a drought now. I hope you have a wonderful day. Linda

PAT said...

I like the looks of your stuffing and fluffing Marlis. Right down to the delicious crostini!

Debbie said...

Compared to mine, your thumb is kelly green, and I have the dead pansies to prove it.

Hanging my head.

I just love the teapot as planter idea!

Judy Biggerstaff said...

Marlis, I am answering your response about your irises not blooming. I have read if you plant them too deep they don't bloom. You might do a little research and see what you can find.

Karena said...

Marlis the strawberry crostini looks delish!

What I want to know though is how you made that fabulous pillow..Tutorial perhaps?

I am featuring our Friend, Designer and Paper Artist Anita Rivera from Castle Crowns and Cottages on my site! She is amazing!

xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena

Rettabug said...

Just popping in to tell you that I'm making these Strawberry Crostini for my quilting groups visit tomorrow. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe, as I never would have tried it without your recommendation.

Love all your recent posts. I'm sorry that I've not commented on all of them.
Hugs,
Rett

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