Friday Fabulous Photos and Memories #2

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Week Number Two...digging in my old files.

Way back when, maybe three computers ago...Word had this great AP for fooling around with photos. I so miss it.  

    Anyway, my husband's family is from east of Green Bay, Wi. One trip home years ago pre-2009,  I went with my Mom-in-Law to track down some family geneology information with her distant cousin. Her home was really out in the middle of NOWHERE, Wisconsin. But, there were these magnificent Hollyhocks growing on the side of the family's very old clapboard farm cottage.

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I actually don't have the original photo anymore---that was probably lost in the computer switches. I had kept these 3 alterations as documents, which then survived the many system changes.

The above was a straight water color Ap and I remember lightening the entire photo as the siding was grayed with age.

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I really liked playing with textures that were available on that  AP,  everything here looks like stucco.

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Playing with more of the choices, here is a tinted watercolor version...which would go with my decor then. I never did do prints...but these are so charming, I probably should do at least one, now.

The Memory is one of a lovely summer's day...a wonderful conversation, coffee with an elderly family member, and a great day with my Mom-in-Law, whom we all miss and these gorgeous Hollyhocks.

I also miss the free-tweaking Word AP with all kinds of bells and whistles that once came with my old computer  system, which at that time was free with Apple/Macs.

Ha, free software---those were the good-old days!

Do have a beautiful weekend full of 

Family, Flowers, and making Memories.

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All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown. Please do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle

Sandi

NEW OLD Bits in the Kitchen Pre-Fall

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I'm a bit behind...lol, I'm the "Old Bits" making this post, but thought I would share what I have been up to in my corner cabinet for the summer.

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These two Dutch figures, are actually Occupied Japan...a great snag at a thrift store.  The pitcher was a find, and is just marked Bohemia, the castle transfer is so clear and dreamy. The initial mark is printed into the rim and illegible, all that is visible is 'Bohemia' in a floral frame, probably the pattern.

No luck finding the pattern, the marks, or country it's made in. Probably made pre-1887 when 'made in or country' was required on ceramics and porcelain by countries involved in international trade. This was to stem the tide of 'take offs' of English ceramics. 

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The unique and pretty plate was a gift from a friend. It's so intricate, the pattern is all pressed in the hand-made,  and then hand-painted and glazed...it's really amazing close up! I really love it, and it's perfect in this cabinet.

The salt jar is gorgeous and was a gift from my son, and also from a thrift store. It's quite elaborate, has the wonderful windmill. 'Salz' is Salt in lots of languages: German, Danish, Dutch...probably more.

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I haven't found the totes with all of my decor items I switch out in the cabinet for the seasons. It is still fruit-basket upset here, so I filled in with old bits here and there. 

The cast iron bulldog is German and a Hubley and was hidden in one of my enameled coffeepots. 

The Droste cocoa tin I've had for awhile, was an antique shop find, but only $6.00. The old glass is part of a juice set with a carafe and 4 glasses, Japan, still in a tote somewhere.

The plate I featured in this POST. It's English and  Bedford/Ridgways, desirable and old.

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The Sadler teapot I've shown before and is from the 30-40's. I love the summer flower design and it works well with my Dutch/Danish salt and pepper couple. 

This pitcher is marked FRF and UWG crown mark, 

again probably late 19th Century. It was my mom's and was her money stash container.

I'm hoping some of my 'Fall totes' show up soon so I can switch everything out.

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This vintage Swedish enamel kettle is by Berrgren and isn't particularly expensive now...but I love the designs. Their oldest pieces are very heavy and will wear forever. I have a few pieces and usually use them all the time.

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'This Tea canister or caddy as the Brits call them, is porcelain, very old  with a windmill and three masted schooner on it. It's CZECH and probably late 19th century. The porcelain gnomes are marked Korea and are within the last 30 years. I haven't done a search, but were in a thrift store for .99 each. (a steal!)

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My French enameled spatterware covered coffeepot is perfect on the island with faux sunflowers.  This one maybe from the 19th century from reference photos. 

My McCoy Dutch shoe planter, is perfect for this time of year. The antique jar of marbles was bought just like this...all of the marbles are super old, a friend found those for me and a perfect summertime activity.

My crocks in my kitchen are all vintage/antique, and are sourced from family and thrift stores. I use my crocks for napkins, my extra epi-pen and medical stuff, ie  sanitizer, allergy pills, etc. One's full of the grand's markers, another with all the pens/pencils/scissors stuff not taking up space in a junk drawer. Everything is  visible and much handier.

Thanks for visiting my Kitchen Bits, new and old!

How are your BITS, new and old?

If you enjoyed this post please follow this blog by blogger or FOLLOW IT which you will find in the upper right hand corner of this page. 

Thanks always for visiting. 

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question.

I will be sharing at these fine Parties!

Vintage Charm

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All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown. Please do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle

Sandi

My August Working Country Kitchen

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Good Morning, welcome to my working kitchen.

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Summer is such a busy time in a gardener's kitchen. Between our 'mess' from the basement damage, and the garden which is now 'giving up its bounty', I haven't really showed any photos of my house, porch or garden. 

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But Velkommen have a cuppa in my kitchen and we will catch up. I always have blue and white in my kitchen. In the summer I opt for dashes of red and yellow added. 

(The kettle is vintage Swedish enamel, I've always had some pieces of this from my family and I pick them up whenever I see them.)

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Gnomes all year round, thrift store find in porcelain.

You can have tea from the caddy...or...

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Have some coffee at our coffee machine. Yes, that is a big arse restaurant coffee machine. My husband bought this on the sly, and well, we had to design the kitchen around it.

But, IT IS THE BUSIEST

in the morning and also ideal for company. (I can have hot water brewing or decaf and regular...kept hot on the burners.)

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Sugar, sweetener, flavoring, creamer and spoons...it's all here, just pick your cup!

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Hubby also bought the towel...cracks me up.

Monday cup...please!

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And this service area works well, just to the left of the sink and filtered water.

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Another busy spot is the cabinet by the windows I have covered with a vintage tablecloth. I use this location in early spring for seedlings and now it has been full of tomatoes ripening for the last three weeks. We have to pick tomatoes before totally ripe--or the critters sample them.

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Our tomato crop was weird is year...we ended up with tons of small tomatoes, the yellows and the yellow pears.  So, I roasted most of them on parchment paper in large trays by slicing them in half.

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We did have plenty of reds and they are still producing, but only 4 plants.

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NUM!

They really are scrumptious and sweet.

So I CANNED TOMATOES!

3 BATCHES in the last week and a half.

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I put two large spoons (3-oz or so) of roasted tomatoes in each hot jar, added extra lemon juice(2 tsp.) and 1/2 tsp salt. Then added the cooked boiling tomatoes over the roasted  ones, then water-bath processed the jars for 15 min. A bit more than usual, but the roasteds weren't hot.

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I ended up with three batches over a week and a half, or 27 pint jars, of which 7 were made into sauce by cooking for 10 hours. 

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We've also had LOTS of cucumbers...yesterday I cut and seeded two large ones, some radishes, 2 small yellow squash, red pepper, onions, parsley, fresh oregano into a bowl. I added Italian dressing, some garlic oil, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper and a bit of Western dressing for tomato flavor and some sweetness. Num, this will keep until the weekend if we don't eat it all.

Sorry no recipe, I just sort of wing this by tasting. Once it sits for a day, it's even better.

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Last weekend I also made refrigerator Dills. This is a fast, easy and detailed recipe I shared HERE. They stay crunchy in the refrigerator for a year. My mother-in-laws recipe and it's fool-proof.

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This time of year fresh dill is plentiful normally, mine dried up in the hot weather, but the grocery had plenty.

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We ended up with a gallon and a half which I keep in the refrigerator. The sons will come and probably split the smaller jar.

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The island is always in use, but I try and have some fun seasonal decor on the end...what is more summer than a jar of old marbles, antique crocks, an antique French enamel lidded coffeepot and well something yellow to go with the sunflowers, my vintage McCoy yellow shoe.

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PHEW! Now you know why I called this my 

Working kitchen. 

Do you want another cup and stay awhile?

If you enjoyed this post please follow this blog by blogger or FOLLOW IT which you will find in the upper right hand corner of this page. 

Thanks always for visiting. 

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question.

I will be sharing at these fine Parties!

Vintage Charm

Encouraging Hearts and Home

Share Your Style

Love Your Creativity

Grammy's Grid Unlimited 128

Inspire Me Tuesday

All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown. Please do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle

Sandi