Through My Lens - Wordless Wednesday

Nubble Light by Denise Dion-Sullivan

Treasury Tuesday

Winter White Treasury from Cheeky Rose Studio on Etsy. Click on the photos to check out the lovely items.

Monday Musings -

To Spring 

O thou with dewy locks, who lookest down

Through the clear windows of the morning, turn

Thine angel eyes upon our western isle,

Which in full choir hails thy approach, O Spring!

The hills tell one another, and the listening

Valleys hear; all our longing eyes are turn’d

Up to thy bright pavilions: issue forth

And let thy holy feet visit our clime!

Come o’er the eastern hills, and let our winds

Kiss thy perfumèd garments; let us taste

Thy morn and evening breath; scatter thy pearls

Upon our lovesick land that mourns for thee.

O deck her forth with thy fair fingers; pour

Thy soft kisses on her bosom; and put

Thy golden crown upon her languish’d head,

Whose modest tresses are bound up for thee.

William Blake

More Springtime Forsythias by Karla Nolan

Reflections

Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.  Buddha

Saturday Simplify

How's your attitude today?

Friday Food Feature

Treat yourself to a new soup recipe. Check out the website soupsong.com for hundreds of ideas and lots of interesting info on soup. Here is one of my families favorite soup recipe. It is easy to make and delicious!

Leek Soup ~ Potage Parmentier

Potatoes add a wonderful thickness and body to this delicately flavored leek soup. Serve it hot and call it Patage Parmentier, or cold and call it Vichyssoise

3 cans (about 14 oz. each) regular strength chicken broth

4 cups sliced leeks (white part only)

3 cups peeled and diced potatoes

1/2 pint (1 cup) crème fraîche or whipping creme

3 tablespoons dry vermouth or sherry

salt

chopped chives (optional)

In a 4 quart pan over high heat, combine broth, leeks, and potatoes. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer until vegetables are soft (about 20 minutes).

Puree mixture and return to pan. Stir in crème fraîche and vermouth. Season with salt to taste. Heat through; or cover, refrigerate, and serve cold. Sprinkle with chives before serving. Makes about 10 cups.

My French Find

These pillows with vintage French images from the Etsy shop Word Garden, add a cozy je ne sais quois to any room in your home. Click on the caption beneath the photo to be taken to Sally's shop.

Sally with her beautiful French Pillows from Word Garden

Queen Bee Pillow

Je t'aime Pillow

Through My Lens - Wordless Wednesday

Winter Flight by Denise Dion-Sullivan

Treasury Tuesday

Here is a dramatic treasury featuring Etsy Artists entitled Black Swan curated by Change of hART, featuring my "Black Swan" Necklace from Dion Designs. Love it!

Monday Musings

Here is an interesting photo of a staircase to nowhere. This photo first caught my eye after it was published on Yankee Magazines facebook page. It intrigued me so I had to find out where it was from. Apparently it can be found in New England, specifically in Chestfield, NH at a place called The Madame Sherri Forest. The staircase is what is left of Madame Sherri's castle. Now I am even more intrigued and will have to explore the area in the upcoming warmer months. Although the snow may provide a wonderful contrast for photography, assuming it isn't buried. Here is a snippet of information from their website:

The 488 acres of the Madame Sherri Forest was generously donated for conservation to the Society for the Preservation of New Hampshire Forests by Anne Stokes. The forest is named for the eccentric Madame Antoinette Sherri. Madame Sherri, who had worked as a costume designer for the Zigfield Follies in the 1920s, had built her country "Castle" in the woods of Chesterfield. She became famous (or infamous) for the parties she threw for visitors from the city and was said to have driven about the town during the summer wearing a fur coat and nothing else. Madame Sherri died in 1965 at the age of 84 but for many years prior the castle had fallen to neglect and vandalism. On October 18, 1962 it was destroyed by fire. The foundation, chimneys and a grand stone staircase from the once magnificent house can be seen adjacent to the Madame Sherri Forest on a side trail close to the entrance off the Gulf Road.

Reflections

"No snowflake ever falls in the wrong place." Ts’ai Ken T’an

Saturday Simplify

Friday Food Feature

Heart Shaped Dried Cherry Scones

4 cups sifted cake flour
1/2 cup sugar + more for sprinkling
1T baking powder
1t salt
1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1c dried cherries
1 egg
1c heavy cream

A heart shaped cutter

Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle of oven.

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Cut butter onto top and blend with your fingers until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix in dried cherries.

Whisk together egg and cream in a small bowl, then fold into flour mixture until dough comes together.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. With floured hands, press into a 1-inch-thick rectangle. Cut out rounds with heart cutter and arrange 2 inches apart on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Gather scraps together and cut out additional scones.

Brush tops of scones with extra cream and sprinkle lightly with sugar. Bake scones, rotating baking sheet halfway through, until tops are golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Take scones out of oven and wrap in kitchen towel on counter to cool (personal tip for keeping inside of scones moist).
Recipe via Epicurious

Photo via Relish

My French Find

The Angels of the Eiffel 

For some great prints of Paris, visit Marco LaGrenouille, a shop on Etsy featuring Paris-inspired Photographic Prints with a vintage feel. Click on the caption below the photos to be taken to the shop.

La Bicyclette aux Geraniums

Paris Postcards

Les Invalides

Through My Lens - Wordless Wednesday

Low Tide in Winter by Denise Dion-Sullivan

Treasury Tuesday

"L'amour de ma vie" is translated "love of my life". This lovely treasury is curated by Chifonie on Etsy who lives in the Grenoble, France where she creates lovely handcrafted jewelry and beads from polymer clay.  My Amour Ring from my Etsy shop Dion Designs, is featured in this lovely treasury. Click on any of the photos to be taken to the shops.

Monday Musings

Color Personality Quiz

What is your color personality?  Okay maybe I was a bit bored, maybe just a bit curious. I took this less than five minute test and found out I have a "water personality". Seems pretty accurate as my favorite color is blue and I surround myself with tranquil shades of it as described below.

"Like a placid lake, water personalities are calm, relaxing, and quick to find their own level. Steadfast, tender, and sympathetic, they are drawn to tranquil colors, like robin's-egg blues and celadon greens. People tend to chill out in the presence of water types—and in their homes. The downside to having a water nature? Their mood can easily shift from serene and shy to a bit melancholy."

Interesting. What are you? Find out your color preferences by taking Real Simple Magazines Color Personality quiz.  Find the test by clicking on the caption below the color wheel above. Feel free to share your results here!

Reflections

If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of ten years, plant trees; if in terms of 100 years, teach the people - Confucius


photo via google

Saturday Simplify

When walking, walk. When eating, eat.  ~ Zen Proverb

Multi tasking is something many of us seem to do on a daily basis. Sometimes it can benefit us to do several tasks at once, but I find at other times it only creates more stress in my life. In striving to simplify life I am trying to perform one task at a time and to be more present in each moment.  I encourage you to do the same. When you’re pouring water for preparing dinner, just pour water. When you’re eating, just eat. When you’re bathing, just bathe. Don’t try to knock off a few tasks while eating or bathing. Focus on what is at hand. Maybe we'll all be a bit more relaxed in doing so.

Friday Food Feature

"Heart"y Calzones

1 pkg yeast
1 Tbsp sugar
1 cup warm water
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 ¾ cup white flour
1 ¼ cup whole wheat flour
Mozzarella cheese
Marinara sauce
Turkey pepperoni

Directions

Step 1: Combine yeast, sugar and warm water and let set for 5 minutes. Mix remaining ingredients and then add yeast mixture. Let dough rise, in a warm place, for about 1-2 hours, until double in size.

Step 2: Roll out a small portion of the dough at a time, cutting two equal sized hearts. Fill middle with filling, thin layer marinara sauce, turkey pepperoni, cheese, and then crimp edges with a fork. Set on baking tray. Bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes until lightly browned. Test to make sure dough is done baking. Serve with marinara sauce for dipping.


photo and recipe via craftzine

My French Find

This fabulous photograph was taken by photographer Karissa Van Tassel and can be purchased from her shop on Etsy called The Left Bank. This photo was taken in Paris, early in the day and depicts a father walking his son to school. The Louvre is in the background and the trees form a wonderful heart image. Love it! Perfect for Valentines Day. Click on the photo to be taken to the shop.

Through My Lens - Wordless Wednesday

Red by Denise Dion-Sullivan

Treasury Tuesday

"On the Wings of Love", a Valentines Day treasury curated by best friends Lou and Michele of Fancy Things and Such.  "My Heart is aflight" earrings from my shop Dion Designs are featured on this sweet treasury. Thank you Lou and Michele! Click on any of the photos to be taken to the Valentine Treasures.

Monday Musings ~ Happy Birthday Mom ~

To My Mother by Christina Rossetti

To-day’s your natal day,

Sweet flowers I bring;

Mother, accept, I pray,

My offering.

And may you happy live,

And long us bless;

Receiving as you give

Great happiness.

(This was Rossetti's first poem written when she was 11 years old).

Reflections

The cure for anything is salt water...tears, sweat, or the sea. ~ Isak Dinesen

photo by Denise Dion-Sullivan

Saturday Simplify

The perfect jewelry dish directly from nature. Simplicity at it's best!

 via Southern Living.

Friday Food Feature

Chocolate Peanut Butter Heart Cookies for Valentines Day

2 c all-purpose Flour
1/2 c creamy Peanut Butter
1 c Sugar
1/2 c Shortening
1 t Vanilla
1 t Baking Powder
1 Egg
3 T Milk
1/4 t Salt
Heart shaped milk chocolate candies

Beat peanut butter, sugar and shortening until fluffy.
Mix well egg, milk and vanilla.
Combine flour, baking powder and salt.
Beat flour mixture into peanut butter mixture until blended well.
Shape dough into disc and wrap it in a plastic wrap.
Let is freeze in refrigerate for about 1 to 2 hours.
Grease cookie sheets.
Roll out dough on floured waxed paper to 1/8-inch thickness.
Cut dough using heart-shaped cookie cutter.
Place cutouts on prepared cookie sheets.
Bake it in a preheated oven at 350°f till the edges are lightly browned, it will take about 10 to 14 minutes. Immediately press chocolate candy into top of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 20 minutes, before storing in tightly covered container.

Photo via Betty Crocker

My French Find

I have decided to wrap all my gifts this year with a bit more attention to detail. I love the look of this non traditional French script ribbon. I found these gorgeous, vintage, hand stamped ribbon and trims with a French flair on Etsy. Visit this wonderful shop by clicking here -Homestead Treasures.

Through My Lens - Wordless Wednesday

Snow Day by Denise Dion-Sullivan