My Romantic Home

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Show and Tell

This week for Show and Tell I'm sharing what I bought with the $41 I took to the Alameda Flea Market last weekend. For $15 I bought these bottles that form a circle around a metal base. They aren't very impressive in the photo below but I knew with flowers they would be great! I only had gardenias still blooming in my garden so that's what's in there now but I think roses are going to look great!

Then for $5 I bought this old bottle with a pretty stopper in it (below). The stopper doesn't really go with the bottle which is why it was only $5 but I think it looks great!

Then for $18...it was actually priced at $20 but I got it for $18, is this cherub lamp! I had bought a soft pretzel for $3 so I only had $18 left, luckily she was willing to come down. This came from the same vendor as the bottle. I told her she had the best prices there! I'll be painting this heirloom white. I'm also going to rewire it to be safe! I have another one almost just like it but without the crystals.

I'm thrilled with my new purchases and I think I did great for $41...including the pretzel!

I'm so sorry, I've been so busy this past week that I didn't get to visit everyone that participated last week. There were a record-breaking 91 bloggers participating! Thank you all! I'll try to do a better job this week! I really appreciate all of you who join in!

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If you are joining in on Show and Tell Friday, please remember that your Show and Tell needs to be something from your home or garden. Please read the Show and Tell Guidelines for step-by-step instructions on how to participate.If you would like to join in, please enter your name and leave your exact Show and Tell blog post link, not just your blog link and as a common courtesy link back to my blog. If your link has been removed from MckLinky, please re-read over the guidelines before re-posting, or e-mail me with any questions.

Thank you! I look forward to seeing everyone's posts...it may take me awhile to get around to visit everyone since I work full time but I'll do my best to get to your blog as soon as I can!

Mmmmm Good!

I love to cook! I'm in two supper clubs now...one just wasn't enough! Last month my clubs met back to back, one Saturday evening and the other Sunday evening. The theme for the one on Sunday night was Pie. We all made pies and then we watched the movie The Waitress ...cute movie but don't watch it when you are hungry, you'll be craving pie!

I made a Kale, Butternut Squash and Pancetta Pie and it was so good! It was all wrapped up in phyllo dough! It was such a colorful dish and perfect for a Fall evening! Click here for the Kale, Butternut Squash and Pancetta recipe.

The night before the theme was "Autumn Dishes" and I made poached pears. I've made this recipe quite a few times and it's one of my favorite desserts! I forgot to take my camera that night so this pear was one of the extras I made for Lauren and I and it sat in the fridge for 2 days before I ate it...it looked better the first night!

Haagen-Dazs makes a really good line of ice cream called Five (for 5 ingredients) and I served this with their Ginger Ice Cream. I love anything with ginger in it and this was so good! Unfortunately we ate all the ginger ice cream at the party so the leftovers above were with vanilla...the ginger was better!

The pear is poached in a sugary red wine sauce with cinnamon and orange. It's topped off with crushed biscotti. Everyone seems to really love it and someone always asks me for the recipe. Click here for the poached pear recipe (I left out the cardamom because it was $9 for a small bottle)

If anyone is interested in learning more about supper clubs. The Cooking Light website has a lot of info. You can even see if anyone in your area is trying to start one one or you can start one yourself.

I bet you are thinking I must be off my diet! I'm not I've lost 8 lbs so far!!

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I'll have the Show and Tell post up by 7:00 pm Pacific Time tonight. If you are joining in and that's too late for you, just send me your name and link and I will add you. Send it to cindy95131@yahoo.com

Monday, December 07, 2009

More of the flea market

When I was at the flea market last Sunday I came upon this gorgeous booth! Look at these beautiful vintage ornaments.

Through talking with the dealer I found out she has a website. It called Grey Garden Collections.

Later I came across another booth of beautiful things....

and found out they have a blog called The Tattered House.

You've seen Marilyn's booth many times on my blog....

It's always beautiful! I took a lot of pictures here...

Look at the gorgeous colors at this booth....

Here's Eddie showing us some vintage Christmas tablecloths...

I loved this big old soup tureen...

and this set of twin beds, and that rose chandelier. There were so many beautiful things at this flea market!

Here's the group that spent the morning with Eddie. He was showing us some glassware here...

I'll share what I bought at the flea market for my Show and Tell Friday post, which I'll have up later in the day on Thursday. I spent less than $40 and I came home with some really great things! I had so much fun I want to go back next month!!!

A morning with Eddie Ross

I was so excited earlier this year to see that Eddie Ross picked Alameda as one of the flea markets around the country that he would be visiting! I signed up right away! Alameda is about an hour away from me so I don't go very often but it is the best flea market in Northern California (in my humble opinion)! Everything at this flea market has to be 20 years or older.

The picture above was taken as we were all gathering at the entrance of the flea market! It was so cold that day! We've had really cold weather in Northern California the last few days. Yesterday the high was only 45 degrees! I don't think I ever remember the highs being in the 40s here before! I know that's not cold for some of you but we're not used to that here!

I took the photo above as when we were walking around with Eddie and I meant to go back and look at these $5 linens and I forgot! What a great deal! Most things at this flea market are expensive but there are some really good deals if you look!

I would love to have this silver chafing dish! Gorgeous! I didn't ask the price because I only brought $40 spending money with me and I'm sure it was more than that! Both my kids have birthdays this month and then Christmas! December is rough on my finances!!!

I loved this adorable English Tudor doll house!

I also loved this blue dresser! I want it!!! I'm sure I couldn't afford that with my $40!!!

Or this! I love this!!! All it needs it needs is the mirror! Dad, can you make one of these for me? I'll buy the wood! Oh never mind, I just remembered I don't have room for this!!! I love it though!

More pretty things!

Here's the view from my car in the parking lot. I had to park in row "U"...it was a long walk to get to the entrance! You can see San Francisco out there in the distance. We were just on the other side of the bay from SF. I'll have more photos to share tomorrow!

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I asked Lauren about a month ago if she wanted to have a party for her birthday and she said no. I had planned on getting her a small cake for just us and her dad who was coming by to bring a gift. She called me at work yesterday afternoon to see how big the cake was because she was inviting a few friends over. Then I was at the store getting the cake she called me to say that the party was getting bigger! So last night we had a spur of the moment party for 10 teenagers! That's a lot of kids in our tiny apartment! It was fun though!

Lauren blowing out the candles...sorry for the blurry photo!

I still can't believe she's 17!!! It's sad to think this is her last year of childhood. This time next year she will be an adult!

Seventeen!

My baby turns 17 today!

She's thinking of becoming a pastry chef! That's her first creation from her Easy-Bake Oven and this is a cake she made earlier this year...