It's Monday again

        It's Monday morning as we all know and love...   I can't believe another new year is about to be, can you...  I honestly don't know where all the days went...  They, well most of them just seem all mushed together...  Well I nad made a wonderful Chocolate cake with peppermint frosting the other day, found in Victoria magazine... Christmas one 2015...  Everyone just loved it, they ate it all up gone 24 hr. Period...  I really wanted to make these lovely marshmellows as well posted in her magazine but did not have the chance...   the cake was so simple and to my surprise at the end you add a  cup of  hot water which thinned the batter out...  My thought was I don't know seems so thin...  But it was the most wonderful light and airy cake ever that I have tasted in my life.. Honest...   My post is a bit long today so I could not post the recipe but you can find it easily in the Victoria magazine if interested...

        I had a wonderful time making it the frosting had to be cooked over a double boiler then beated 

To loveliness...  I didnt have sugared mint leaves so I just used some apple mint ones from the garden...  I had some chocolate ones but the leaves where to small just coming up...

        I took it all over to my Mamas house where my daughter son and a few of my grandchildren were and I frosted it there and decorated there...  I also made some little Apricot galettes ... From a past Christmas Victoria magazine...  Well last year 2014...  They were great

        I added some white chocolate to them...   Loved them...  I spent the rest of the weekend doing some more crocheting finishing up some doilies I had started then made two more small ones...

        This is a re make of a vintage doily in Cream and a lovely deep Red...  

        Then yesterday and Saturday evening I made these, I call them my lace doilies...  Years ago I had purchased some in a little store and they were like someone made them by machine...  So later when I learned more about crocheting with fine thread I was able to copy them... ( as you may or may not know I crochet by eye, i struggle with directions from a book)...

        And Last week I made the heart hotpad pot holder...  I enjoy vintage crocheting very much 

And I'm learning more and more all the time...  

        Here is my vintage doily in use...  Along with my lovely Hall Cream Vintage teapot...

        A lovely vintage tea cup called Federal Shape Syracuse China that I a while back ago saw on Cabin and Cottage blog and fell in love with it's softness...  (By the way Cabin and Cottage is a beautiful blog ran By Jaclyn which many of you know...  I don't have the link at present...  But you can look it up) 

        There are tiny Roses as well all over the outter of the cup as well as the saucer... So sweet...

        This is a cake plate and server I have have had about six years maybe and I loved the 

Roses Red and Pink...  

        I believe the pieces even though are different makers go well together...

        Well with the tea pot and well with my new made doilies ...  

                               

     HAPPY MONDAY TO ALL...  I HOPE YOU HAVE A MOST ENCHANTING NEW WEEK...  

                               WITH  LOVE ... 

                                        JANICE...   I will be joining Bernideen's Party today...

                                  @       http://blog.bernideens.com

Most peaceful Saturday

        It just seems like no one is home today...   Everyone is worn from their travels and me I seem to be just tired today...  The children, my grand children are napping and I stepped out into the Garden to see whats going on after the ton of rain we had there is much moss growing about and I love  seeing it...  

        It is one of the things that I like in Winter to see in the Garden...  It's ever so green and grows among the bricks...

        As I was looking about there is much greenery and little tiny primroses are popping up new little flowers...

      I still have some tiny little yellow marigolds...  I suppose they sproute late up from the seeds from the former ones that were there...  

        And the most tinyest pansy for the sweet little dutch girls hair...

        And a knew tiny yellow creamer by Lu-Ray Very sweet and ready for Spring...

      I keep hoping one day I will find another dutch girl...  I notice today that grazing is coming about on her face...

        She is so so adorable to me...  

        One large pansy hanging by itself...  

        

       Its nice to still find things that can make you smile...  Flowers and the Garden have always managed to give me a smile...  To see a tiny little flower coming about the many colors I could live in the Garden forever and ever...  Yesterday before I forget I made a Chocolate Cake with Peppermint Frosting was very interesting I will tell you a little later all about it...  It was surey an adventure indeed...

                   

                           See you soon enjoy your weekend ...

                                      With love...

                                          Janice...

Tuesday teatime with Maraschino Cherry Chocolate drizzle shortbread cookies

        It's a windy rainy cold day, but I'm feeling good much better now, thank goodness...  So I decided to make these cookies I have had the recipe for At least a year or more I'd say maybe a lot longer now that I think of it because it's on printed paper from mamas house so at a lot longer...  Well I have to say I'm not liking to much how they look but they taste good for sure...  I had't realized till later that I believe they were indeed for Valentines Day...  O well. Lol...

        I used this old fashioned star cookie cutter and they looked fine until I put the chocolates drizzel on maybe I should have did it back and forth, next time...

        So after I set the table for teatime with once again in different makes of teacups and plates ...

        Some being Johnson Bros.  Old Britian Castles, Homer Laughlin's Georgian,  the teapot is John Maddoxk and sons, which I had never heard of I saw it at the tea shop years ago and just loved it.  I have recently looked on line and haven't seen another one like it.  

        The Old Britian Casltles teacup...  I have been collecting this for a few years now...

 

        One of my most favorite teacups Copeland Spodes's Tower from England...  I truly adore this pattern...  If I had had the money I would had bought the whole stack but at the tea shop most teacups and saucers are $22,23,26 dollars so I bought one at the time and she still had them momths later so I own two now...  

        My lovely Homer Laughlin teacup and saucer Georgian...

        Such lovely little details in all...  

        The sugar bowl from Johnson Bros.  from last year and the lovely creamer...

        Ready for tea I sure am...  I have enough to share with you please sit down and join me...

        Just some regular hot Lipton's decafe with a sugar cube for me...  But I have lemon and honey 

Cream And other teas if you like...

                  

        A recent find a sweet vase from Johnson Bros...

        Love these Red and White hot pads and cookie cutter's...  I have both in Green as well...

One day I will show you my old Green wooden Items...  In Mama's things I found a like new Red handled rolling pin, but I gave it to my oldest daughter, I long fir a old Green one...  I found an old sifter but in perfect condition among all the things...  And it seems like I also did find that old Green handled rolling pin...  I can't quite remember though...  

        This embroidered Rose was done by a blogger friend Kathleen she does amazing workthis is one of the Roses from the little table cloth I purchased from her and she made little napkins to match...

        I just love them...

        They match perfect...  I'm waiting on a Morning Glory one I love love Morning Glories...

Well. Recipe time Ladies...

                    Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Drizzeled Shortbread Cookies

                                (READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS FIRST)

1 cup softened butter (don't use margarine)

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons of almond extract (I used one)

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup maraschino cherry juice 

2 cups, plus 2-3 Tablespoons Flour as needed (see note*)

Maraschino Cherries from a 10oz. Jar-- chopped very fine with juice squeezed out first.  SO SQUEEZE 

FIRST THEN CHOP...

Small amount of either Milk chocolate or Semi-sweet chocolate chips for drizzling ( about 1/2 cup )

I used Milk chocolate...

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In medium mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar with and eletric mixer

At medium high speed until light and fluffy. ( I used my stand mixer)  beat in almond extract then add salt then add the Maraschino cherry juice. On low speed, gradually beat in the flour beginning with the two cups and adding more four if needed.  The dough needs to be rolled out.  Roll out cookie to about 1/3 inch thickness and cut with. Cookie cutter.  Used a small heart shape one.  (i used the star and made some rounds.  Bake at 325* for 8-9 Minutes.  Let the cookies sit on baking sheet till cooled.  Remove and place on a rack.  When they are cooled melt chocolate and drizzle on cookies.  Let chocolate dry.  Yeild two dozen small cookies. (I melted my chocolate in a microwavable bowl or measuring cup.  Doing twenty seconds at a times stirring each time till melted then put in a plastic bag snipped the edge off.).     Now go and serve them to someone you love.

* NOTE: I live in a very dry desert area; the amount of flour you use will vary... She drizzled with a back and forth motion, lol I should have to...

           HAPPY BAKING LADIES AND GENTS AND HAPPY TEATIME TUESDAY

                                                      WITH LOVE,

                                                        JANICE

                                   BYE FOR NOW, SEE YOU SOON...

My grandson Isaiah ...