Beth Wood

Simple Seasonal Decor…

Our cottage entry was a small corner right before you entered the kitchen, small was all I needed to add a vintage oak fern stand and a basket of gourds for Fall.

The wire basket was “interesting” and wouldn’t break if a child ran past and bumped it; the gourds were from the grocery store, and the dried grasses were pulled from the side of the road. For fun, I added the white beads with the twine rope for added texture.

This little basket, my “interesting” decor, cost nothing more than a bit of time, with a dash of imagination.

Believe it or not, this is one of my favorite “centerpieces” I’ve ever made, probably because of the happy mix of natural, real-life seasonal goods. If you can buy real flowers at Trader Joe’s, you can certainly pull, pluck or prune dried weeds, grasses or branches from trees and shrubs.

Note: Here’s to the shortest blog post EVER… I just wanted to show you this cozy little corner, and encourage you to try going outside, bring in a few natural items, and see what you can do with them.

You’ll be surprised, and have a bit more in your wallet than before…

Let me know in the comments if you’d try this, or how you style your own “interesting” items!

Here’s to the last of Summer, the beginning of Autumn, and the joys that lie ahead,

xx,

Five on Friday

By Beth Wood

Although it is late August and school has already begun, the flowers still bloom, the lawn needs watered, vegetables need to be picked and preserved, and some Fall planning has commenced here at home.

We’re (I am), planning a few projects to be completed during the Autumn months, to be party-ready for December.

First things first, I just ordered a wallpaper sample that I fell instantly in love with, get this…are you sitting down? … the wallpaper is named “Beth”!!!! Of course, I had to order a sample, loving the name, the pattern and colors chosen, plus the fact that it’s pre-pasted, I could not resist. Beth will be perfect in our half-bath with a coordinating fabric for our little window. I’m thinking gingham…because we all know, gingham goes with everything!

Second thing, not first... I finally ordered and HUNG linen drapes in our dining room and living room, 3 large windows which needed 6 panels and 4 rods, multiple brackets….

SO worth it! I’ve taken several photos; none have been useful or complimentary. Too bad. My Mister said, “Did you get photos of you hanging the drapes?” NO, my tripod broke a leg, “tri” no more! Note: order a new tripod, and remind you that I actually hung these myself, my granddaughter helped a bit, and my husband did as well. All drilling, measuring and excessive ladder climbing was me, on my own. Loved it!

Third thing: Our deck is “nearly done”, as my father would say, translated to “not yet finished”, as I am ashamed to admit 🙁

Moving everything to one side, to work on the other side, it was tedious, hot, but SO exciting to see the coverage provided by the best paint ever! I can’t tell you how many boards I’ve painted, multiple coats, multiple times, from trim work, beadboard, flooring and exterior trim, windows and doors…and yet, I am NOT a professional painter, just well-practiced “cheap help” apparently. We have yet to finish the railing around the deck and the stair treads, so back to the paint store I go. Hardware stores are my love language, I prefer home “wares” and utilitarian products over fashion and jewelry, any day.

Plus, many of those hardware-filled stores also sell plants!!

Bonus!

Where am I? What number of things am I on?

oh..

Fourth Thing: My husbands’ basement office was refinished immediately after we moved into the house; turning a cement-walled storage room into an office with a large double closet. Now, we’ve taken out the old desk and filing cabinets and replaced them with bedroom furniture, creating a guestroom for our family when they visit.

An avid fisherman and antique collector, we’ve had that fishing theme for years…he wants to keep it of course… we’ll see!

One masculine room is fine, one nautical or lake theme is fine, I have ideas but haven’t purchased anything yet, other than a mattress pad.

I’ll certainly let you know when I actually have a “real” plan. Can’t wait to get started.

Don’t you love Before and After’s? !!

Last thing: This year is like the last few years in that, starting in early Summer, I start crafting for Fall festivals, antique fairs, our own Barn Sales, and this year, I’m participating in a Church Christmas bazaar.

What do I make?

Pumpkins! Tons of pumpkins made from old flour sacks, wheat, grass or seed sacks, livestock feed sacks as well. I’ve also made painted muslin, wool, flannel and velvet pumpkins, and velvet acorns.

I’ve done this for years, and I enjoy it.

Your turn!

What are the first 2 things that you really enjoyed about last week?… and why?

Would love to hear from you, please drop a comment in the column below, or where it says “comment”.!

Thank you so much for showing up, for being here, I cannot express how much that means to me,

Appreciate you!

xx,

Brown Sugar Cookies

By Beth Wood

pairs well with FALL!

Brown Sugar Cookies are “more please” delicious, a favorite treat from my kitchen.

I’ve been baking these cookies for years; the original handwritten recipe is barely readable, the paper torn in the folds and stained with drips of Pure Vanilla.

Fortunately, you don’t have to be pretty to be fabulous, especially when it comes to a much-loved recipe, requested often from my children, grandchildren and husband alike.

Over the years, I’ve added one or two “special touches” to the recipe, perfecting it each time I bake it.

If you know your way around the apron, I bet you do that as well! There is tremendous power in a generous hand when it comes to Pure Vanilla, a bit of cinnamon, sea salt, and butter, wouldn’t you agree? (maybe not the salt…)

With decades of practice, you learn what works well, what tastes the best and what your family prefers. Time and ingredients cannot be wasted.

I’d like to think that my children loved these cookies because of the tweaks I used in the recipe, though they didn’t realize that, or would they care.

Perhaps, you’ll agree with me.

One more thing, before the next thing: These cookies are so warming and nearly addictive, don’t forget to add them to your children’s school lunch boxes, or have a plate of them ready when they burst through the door at the end of their day…add a glass of milk, and you have happy campers around your table!

Oh, one more thing: Always use cute vintage recipe cards in a vintage flower vase, if the cookies don’t turn out well, nobody will notice!

Ingredients:

1 C. butter-room temperature

2 C. dark brown sugar

2 large eggs-room temperature

3 1/2 C. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt –I use fine sea salt or fine Kosher salt

1 tsp. Cream of Tartar

2 tsp. Pure Vanilla

Cream butter and dark brown sugar until smooth. Add eggs, beating after each egg, add vanilla, beat until smooth.

Mix flour, soda, salt and cream of tartar, add in thirds to wet ingredients, mixing after each addition. Dough will be thick, that’s okay.

Drop by big spoonful’s onto a parchment paper covered sheet tray.

Bake at 375* for 9-11 minutes. cool on baking rack 10 minutes or until set.

Enjoy!

Let me know if you try this recipe, most of these ingredients are always in my pantry, which is why I’ve made it so often. I freeze the cookies in gallon size ziplock freezer bags to enjoy later, mainly so I don’t sit down and eat all of them!

They are THAT good…..

you’re welcome!

xx,

A Home Good’s incident…

By Beth Wood

Who doesn’t love Home Goods’?

Here’s a quick story, and perhaps you can relate…

Just last week, I went to visit my daughter and the grandchildren. We had an 8th grader in a two-day basketball tournament to cheer on, AND a shopping trip to Target requested by an “almost five” year old! Who could say NO to any of that?

I enjoyed every second with the kiddos but also enjoyed joining my youngest daughter during her daily routine, breakfast before the school bus arrives, waving goodbye to the bus, dropping the “almost five” year old off at her preschool, and evening basketball tournament games, needless to say, I had a blast!

I was also relieved that I AM no longer doing that on a regular basis….it was exhausting just tagging along!

Now, on our last morning together, after dropping off our preschooler, my daughter asks,

“Mom, where would you like to go this morning?”

“Home Goods, you know it’s my favorite,”, then, “after a Starbuck’s’ run, I’m buying!”

Bliss and enjoyment followed as we drove to HomeGoods.

“How’s the downsizing going, Mom? Have you found anything you like?”

(And just like that, I knew I really didn’t want to go anywhere, I still want to finish a few things here at home, I’ve been dragging my feet on purpose, perhaps I’m not ready to downsize, period.)

For right now, we’ve set it aside, just enjoying the process of looking for a house that stops both of us in our tracks! Something, somewhere, that we’re both excited about.

Haven’t found it yet. So far, we look, we come home, and say, “this is the best so far!”

Later, with three block-printed lampshades, a ceramic bunny serving tray, an apron with cherries on it, and a painting of a fish!!! for my husband, in my cart, …. I hear,

MOM, you’re downsizing!!!

Yes, I forgot:)

Time will tell, my friend, I’ll keep you posted, but…. those lampshades are ” to die for” cute”, in this home or anywhere we land.

Didn’t Art Linkletter, (remember him?), say, “kids say the darndest things”!

Apparently, there’s no age limit to defining the term “kids”…

True story.

If you see me at Home Goods, make sure you say, “Hi!”,

xx,

A White Linen, please…

By Beth Wood

The above linen tablecloth, from the McGee Collection at Target, is the perfect addition to your Summer’s table….

Linen and Summer seem to go hand in hand, the perfectly paired duo. My first thought is always the cool, white linen slacks or linen white dresses, always chic, always cooling to wear, during the heat of Summer.

I enjoy the sight of linen drapes swaying in the breeze, either on the porch for shade or in front of an open window.

Can you think of any other uses for linen? I couldn’t, until I went to a family pool party to celebrate the Fourth of July.

To my surprise, at the party, my daughter asked if she could make me a “refreshing, light cocktail” as we sat around her pool. Without hesitation, I agreed, knowing if she liked it, it was bound to be good.

“Here, it’s a White Linen”…

First, I LOVED the name, for a light summer’s cocktail, and I loved the way it looked and how it was presented, a lime wedge on the glasses’ rim and a cucumber slice, rolled and tucked on the rim as well.

It was festive.

It was pretty.

I felt “a little fancy”!

AND, it was delicious!

The perfect addition to any summer’s party!

A White Linen is made with Gin, (you can use Vodka if you prefer), I think you’ll love this. Refreshing, very little alcohol is added, and the garnishments are as pretty as they are refreshing.

recipe for a pitcher of White Linen cocktails:

one large English cucumber, diced, and strained
8 oz. gin or vodka
4 oz. lemon or lime juice
3 oz. elderflower liqueur
12 oz. of sparkling water or club soda, chilled

First, blend the cucumber with 1/2 cup of water. Depending on how powerful your blender is, you may need to add more water to make cucumber juice. Once juiced, strain the cucumber juice into a measuring cup. In a large pitcher, add the cucumber juice and the rest of the ingredients and stir well before serving.

When serving by the glass, fill the glass with crushed ice and sliced lemon wheels, or lime, and strain in your white linen cocktail. Top with chilled sparkling water and garnish with a cucumber slice.

How many ways can you garnish with a cucumber slice?

My daughter took a long, thin slice of cucumber, curled it and scewered it, laying it across the top of the glass, or drop it in!

Either way, it’s as pretty as it is refreshing!

Cheers to Summer!

xx,

simplyhomebybeth