A Blondie Day

A Plastic Bag Valentine

Yup, that's right!  Plastic bag Valentine hearts.

But first, let me tell you about Aunt Peaches.  Do any of you know her? I stumbled upon her blog a few months ago and fell instantly in love. She is witty, creative, unique and just plain fun.  You kind of get the feeling that if you were to meet her, you would want her to be your best friend.

So about a week ago, she posted a tutorial for Valentine Garlands from Plastic Grocery Bags.  And darn, these things looked pretty!  I had to have a go at them.

So here's my attempt...

 

 

I love them!  The only change I made was to add some vintage button "tails" on the ends of some of the garlands.

 

 

I can't help myself.  This little junque shop I go to often has mason jars filled with lovely assortments of vintage buttons, and I must immediately buy them.  Now I am swimming in buttons and must find ways to include them in just about everything I do.

 

 

You may notice one little heart with a rose print on it?  Well, that was my attempt at putting vintage fabric between clear plastic bags to see how it would work.  My hope was that the plastic would kind of melt through the fabric.  But it didn't work that way, and most of the plastic bag peeled off.  But one or two hearts did stay together, so I put them in.

 

 

If you have a moment, and you think you might want to try these unique garlands, visit Aunt Peaches' blog.  Her tutorial will teach you!

 

 

Enjoy Friends!

 

XOXOXO

 

Vintage Recipe Thursday - Coffee Pie

Vintage Recipe Thursday is back!

 

This is as simple as it gets with super yummy results.  This pie is surprisingly light, smooth and not too sweet - and it goes down REAL easy!  The coffee flavor is very refreshing too - like an iced coffee pie.

The recipe is from Good Housekeeping's Party Pie Book, 1958.

 

You will need...

 

1 1/3 cups crushed 2 3/4 in. chocolate wafers

3 tbsp. melted butter or margarine

1 pkg. instant chocolate pudding

1 pkg. instant vanilla pudding

1 1/2 cups milk

1 pint soft coffee ice cream

 

 

 

In greased 9 in. pie plate, mix together chocolate wafer crumbs and butter until crumbly.

 

 

 

With back of spoon, press mixture to bottom and side of plate.

 

 

In large electric-mixer bowl, with mixer at medium speed, or "cream", beat chocolate and vanilla puddings with milk until smooth and thickened - about 2 minutes.

(**I used fat free, sugar free puddings and low fat milk.)

 

 

Add ice cream and continue beating until blended.

(**With the ice cream, I did not skimp, and used the real stuff... Haagen Dazs Coffee Ice Cream.)

 

 

 

Pour into pie shell. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.

 

 

Now, if you're anything like me, I always have trouble with pudding based pies not being firm enough when I cut into them.

So, with this pie, after refrigerating it over night, I put it in the freezer for about an hour before cutting it, and voila!  It was just firm enough to cut nicely, but was not fully frozen.

 

 

I hope this recipe is something you might want to try!

 

Hoping you have a lovely day.

 

XOXOXO

 

All the Senses

I have never been to Singapore, but JW has.

And he recently traveled there for business, and brought back pure delightfulness for me to absorb.

To me, Singapore looks like a treat for all of the senses... sight, sound, taste, scent and soul.

The colors alone!

May I share some with you?

 

Just glorious, right?

 

There's more...

 

 

 

 

 

They were celebrating the Chinese New Year - Year of the Dragon.

 

 

 

Everywhere you look, there is color!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To me, it would be intoxicating.

 

 

 

 

Even the very unpleasant smelling (so I am told) durian looks pretty...

 

 

 

 

He came home bearing gifts...

 

 

Some of the prettiest little shoes my feet have ever seen.

 

 

 

 

And a very much wanted porcelain Maneki Neko, the beckoning cat...

 

 

which I believe is sure to bring me good luck in the coming year.

 

 

Hope you enjoyed traveling with me

and that the lovely colors brightened your day.

 

XOXOXO

 

 

A Token

My Dear Friends,

Thank you so much for all of your kind words, prayers and thoughts.  

You truly lifted my spirit, and I am so appreciative.

 

 

 

XOXOXO

 

 

Anchors Aweigh

My Dad has passed. And we are full of love, sadness and joy.  Love for him.  Sadness that he has left us.  And joy that he was ours.

 

I was blessed with the Best Parents in the World, and I am so very thankful.

 

 

I will be back to blogging and to my little shop sometime in the next week or so.  They are both happy places for me.

 

XOXOXO

 

A Window of Promises

I'm not too much into resolutions.  I don't like to set myself up to fail, and there's nothing like a big, 'ole, giant resolution to accomplish that.  

Instead, I like to make little promises to myself.  Small ones, that, if accomplished, can really add up to something big. 

This year I decided to give myself something visual that I can look at everyday and remind myself that I need to take the time to do these small things for myself.

I had an old window I picked up over the summer at a yard sale for $3. What could be more perfect for looking into the New Year and reminding myself of these simple promises...

 

 

 

...don't take myself too seriously... (no one else does)

 

and

 

if you can't get rid of the skeleton in your closet

you'd best take it out and teach it to dance...

(love that!)

 

 

 

...more flowers (lots more!)...

 

 

 

 

...more music and laughter...

(some times I just forget to listen to music and I forget the wondrous and amazing magic of it, and how it can lift your spirits and transport you in time)

 

 

 

...more walking, sewing and orange juice...

and less computer...

 

(less computer = more sewing)

 

 

 

 

Little things that can make a big difference.

 

 

 

 

I hope you keep all the promises you make to yourself.

 

 

We sometimes forget to be good to ourselves

and if we don't do that

we don't have much to give to the ones we love.

 

Thank you so much for your kind words and thoughts for my Dad.  He is hanging in there and is beginning to show some small improvements.  I am exhausted, worried, sleepless and restless, but I am optimistic.

 

Lots of love,

Dear Dad

I'm afraid my New Year is starting off with a bang... but not a good one.

My sweet old Dad is in the hospital and is very, very sick.  Some of you may remember that I lost my precious Mom 2 years ago on Christmas Eve, so my Dad is all I have left.  

Here he was when he was in the Navy...

 

Wasn't he so handsome?

I was blessed with the best parents in the world.

 

Your good thoughts and prayers would mean so much to me.

 

Thanks so much Dear Friends.

 

XOXOXO

A Vintage New Year

 

A little vintage sweetness to start your New Year with!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you all for making blondie blu a little part of your world... for visiting me... for taking the time to leave lovely comments... for inspiring me....

 

and for simply adding joy to my life.

 

 

Happiest of New Years.

 

May your dreams come true.

 

XOXOXOX

 

Happy Merry Joy

 

Hope you are all having a wonderful holiday week!

 

 

 

And that your New Year will be greatly blessed

with happiness, health and inspiration.

 

 

 

XOXOXO

Vintage Recipe Thursday - Vanilla Almond Cookies

Oh My Dears, I did not have time to actually bake this recipe yet, although I do intend to.  But I did not want to miss sharing something with you on Vintage Recipe Thursday.  

I know we are all busy bees right now, but sometimes we find that we still need to bake that one last thing, perhaps as a last minute gift. Or we have misjudged just how much we needed to bake for the holidays (or have eaten much of it before the holidays even get here!) and we are looking for something simple yet yummy to make.

These cookies are just right!

 

 

I myself have taken to ending each day with a nice, comforting hot cup of tea, and I think these cookies sound like a lovely way to include something a little sweet.

 

The next Vintage Recipe Thursday will be on January 5, 2012.

 

Hope you enjoy!

 

XOXOXO