Thank you!

Thank you to Casa Petrie one of my favorite blogs for this award. You should visit her blog, she is a scrapbook artisit and is on my favorites list! Please take the time to visit her blog.

I have been busy putting my house back in order after a fishing trip and a total paint make over. I can't wait to start putting it all together again, but I felt because the house was so dated that it had to have some updating.

In the mean time, I am positing some great kitchens to drool over!

Thanks for visiting,

Liz

Happy Father's Day 09

I have a great Dad and every year I get him the same gift! He does occasionaly wear a tie, but I usually give him a pair of leather work gloves.

He seems happy with them, since he is always losing them. I hope everyone out there has a great Father's Day!

Liz

Have not posted for a while!

Sorry I have not posted for a while, I have been having my house painted, and everything is topsy-turvey, and I find it challenging to do both. This has forced me to work in my garden! Here are some of my garden inspiration photos!

I am also working on 2 upcoming tablescapes. One in my father's horse barn with a "Western" theme and a 4th theme. Hopefully at least one will be done by this Thursday.

Thanks for visiting,

Liz

It's Cherry Time!

Well I am back from my vacation, and I found the tart cherries on my walking path are ripe! You know what that means? Yummy!

I was able to pick a bucket full! Here is my favorite recipe for Tart cherry pie; it's from the food network!

Parts of New Mexico grow wild cherries, known as choke cherries. You can find them mid-june along the Rio Grande river beds. They are not as sweet, and for those of you who have tasted them, you know they "catch your toungue."

I am very happy to be home...there is no place like home.

Liz

University of South Carolina

I left Albuquerque, and went to school at the University of South Carolina in Aiken SC. It made a huge impression on me because I was still so young, and it affects the decoration styles I choose, that's for sure.

Seems everything is painted white there, and front porches are much more beautiful than backyards.

Aiken is famous for it's serpentine walls, made popular in this country by Thomas Jefferson, who saw Roman walls in Europe.

Most of Aiken's homes are cottage style. Many of them have beautiful wicker furniture and lush gardens.

I lived in AikenSC/Augusta Ga, for 6 years before I returned to Albuquerque. While I was there I spent many a weekend in Charleston, Savannah and Atlanta.

The Western half of the US is so different, but each has it's beauty. But, more than once, someone has asked me why I have so many flowers in the house ( not common here) and I say, "I lived in Beautiful Georgia-lina and it came home with me!"

Oh, I almost forgot...while there, I was able to attend the Augusta National Masters Golf Tournament Twice. The company I worked for had 2 tickets they would raffle to employees. It was beyond words is was so lush!

I miss it, but it is with me everyday, and I'm always trying to duplicate it here. Especially the gardens. If you ever get a chance to visit, do...it's well worth it! I hope you enjoyed the tour of my "second" home town.

Liz

Saturday is Yard Sale Day! Yahoo!

I like going to yard sales to find treasures. As soon as the economy turned, I noticed that everyone started having them. And, so far I have found some great things, including this sweet little shoe.

A spa sign now hanging in one of my bathrooms....$1.00 & the perfect color!

A lenox christmas china bowl...$2.00 & perfect for the holidays!

An avocado green glass canister...50 cents, perfect for when you're missing the 70s.

After shopping, I stop at the local Costco for a hot dog... still only $1.49. While I was there, they were unloading the chicken rotisserie. I can't believe these made me hungry cause I had just eaten!

Speaking of chickens, I have always collected them. I have several in my home, and as I unpack them I will try to take pictures of them. This is my Fitz & Floyd Rooster and my favorite. I unpacked him first!

That was a before and after, but it was unintentional! I hope Saturday is fun...thanks for visiting,

Liz

Everyone keeps asking...

Courtesy Paris Home

People who read my blog...the people I work with, my family, my neighbors keep asking me where I get the ideas for my tables. I really don't know, but I think my blog buddies will agree, it's like a painting...it's a creation that comes together as it goes along!

I could not create a table this week, because my house is being painted. So, I posting some of my favorite inspiration photos instead.

Australian Home and Garden

This is my favorite colorful table...isn't it cute. I wish I could find these dishes!

And last but not least, a white garden table. When all else fails, you have an event, or you just want a beautiful table, white never fails. Clean, crisp, white!

Thanks for visiting,

Liz

The Arrival Of The Long Stemmed Roses!

If you are looking to grow your own roses for a wedding, or similar event, if you plan ahead you can grow a huge bouquet of long stemmed roses. Prune your rose to about 14- 16 inches in the early spring before the leaves sprout, it will force the plant to "grow" and put out more roses and longer stems.

Here is a picture of what the rose looked like before the buds appeared.

Here is a picture after...you can see how long the stems have grown.

I have done this trick with many different rose bushes and it always works. The rose should be well established, over 2 years old. This bush has 122 buds, which is a lot for a tea rose. If you do a floribunda, you will get tons of clusters. This rose at bloom time was 55" high, so it grew from 16 to 55. If you don't prune that drastically you will get half the buds and half the growth. People who have seen me prune this way, think I am killing the rose, but trust me, it works.

If want the stems to be extra sturdy, feed them organically during the growing season with chopped up banana peels, coffee grounds and fine crushed egg shells.

Thanks for visiting, I hope you had a great long weekend!

Liz

Happy Memorial Day 09

Wow it's memorial day weekend, and for me it's all about the food. Here's a few pictures celebrating this great day in our nation's history when we sit down to eat. Let us remember those we miss!

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, thanks for visiting!

Albuquerque Botanical Garden

Yesterday, I took a visit a visit to the local Botanical Garden, and want to share it with you. Here is the building size watering can. Isn't it cute!

Here are the jumbo carrots in the children's garden.

I love the lilly pads. Since water is such a premium here... I was suprised to see they had a pond.

Here is the Rose Garden, with a large variety of roses. I think they are still beautiful, but I will have to come back next spring to see their full beauty.

The most recent edition is a Japenese garden. For those of you who have seen the Japenese Tea Garden at Gold Gate Park in San Francisco, will recognize our garden. It is very similar.

Such a beautiful day to spend the day. If you ever get a chance to visit, I highly recommend it. Thanks for visiting and have a great weekend!

Thanks for visiting.

Liz