March 1st

March 1 already!!!! Time for wearin of the green......

days are gettin longer...

daffodils are poppin up!!












And, today is Pig Day! One of my favorite animals.

Well, Whooooo-ey or rather Sooooo-ey. Ohio is the pork state and the city of Cincinnati was known as Porkopolis for ever. Kahns Meats started here.....Queen City Sausage started here too. Being an Ohio girl, of German and Irish decent, there were pork producers in the family.Now, I am a city girl, but growing up we always visited relatives on weekends in Northern Ohio and they had pigs. Huge pigs, the breeder pair, as tall as the tractor tires..with tusks!....that stayed in the back fields and and wetland area...they always came to the fence for a pat. My Uncle'd laugh cause I would stand at the fence calling here piggy piggy and here they'd lumber up, snort, then saunter away.

In 2nd grade the teacher told us to draw our favorite place to visit in the Summer to hang in the classroom for decorations for Parent/Teacher meetings...of course I drew a sun filled scene with the pig barn entitled, Pigs at the Barn....the teacher called me to her desk and asked if my picture was finished. I looked at it, handed it back and said yes. Um, she said, I think you forgot to draw the pigs......no, I replied, they're right there behind the barn where they always are.....She smiled and said okay. When Mom came for the meeting  they called me in and Mom asked where the pigs were in my picture....I couldn't understand why Mom or the Teacher didn't remember they were behind the barn..they are always behind the barn. Mom tells that story on me quite frequently and still has the drawing!
Finally one day one of my wishes came true.....I was at the pig barn and no one was watching and I slipped between the fence rails into the area with Momma Pig and her Babies...she even let me pick one up. Momma laid down and continued feeding the other piggies and I squatted down on the clean concrete just talking away and petting. that is until my Dad and Uncle got to the other end of the barn at the door and Dad called my name. Momma got a little perturbed they were bothering us. She got up and came between me and the fence...guess she didn't like their tone..hehe..I put little piggy down and climbed back thru the fence, said bye and skipped down to where they were. Dad quickly picked me up and Uncle then explained why they sounded so funny, Momma was not a pet, she had never been held, she was brought in to deliver the piglets, ween them, and go back out to the field..free range they call it now....a wild pig can hurt you badly
especially if try to pick up their young. I promised to never do it again To this day I remember that pigs eyes, she had no intention of doing anything...she looked a little sad really..this wasn't her first litter, so I guess she knew what was to come. From that day on I always knew I couldn't be a real farm girl...I would get way too attached to the farm commodities. I had a new respect for my Cousins and their 4H  projects....they were much stronger than I could be.

Years later Mom found this cute little piggy resting in a burlap sack.....
you can just see his tiny pink ear and nose sticking up...it reminded me so of that day in the barn.






I thought I'd link over to ColoradoLady with this vintage memory on Vintage Thingie Thursday. Come on with me and let's see all the other vintage thingies!

Thank You For Bein a Friend

Since learning Google Friends Connect was closing it's garden gate I  have been taking a little walk thru the neighborhood to see if I could find a new place to meet and so you all could come on in to the Brown Gingham porch easily. 

I think I found a nice little spot.......Linky Followers. It is a nice place overseen by Brent and seems very nice. I have placed a link right under GFC (not knowing how much longer Google will have theirs up and running) I hope all Friends will Follow me over...see you there!

Where did the day go!

OMG! I lost Monday and it seems part of Tuesday! Actually I know where it went...down the drain..LOL.
You see its that wonderful time of the year.....mold and fungus time. It seems there is some type of fungus amungus again..it hit me last year at this time too. It has never really froze hard here in Cincinnati and we are still having rain...lots of rain...standing water everywhere. My face was swollen, my ears feel like I'm underwater, well, I won't go into further description...suffice to say I am a mess and thank goodness I do not have webcam turned on At least it seems to be a little. better .I can at least hold my head up to type right now8o/

I had a Presidents Day post all ready to do, but best laid plans. I was gonna show off my Presidential Pyrex

with it's white glass and copper trim and eagle. And, here is a great pie..................................

Mom baked from Southern Living Magazine's recent edition.....Apple-Cherry Cobbler with Pinwheel Biscuits.......................

Ingredients

• 
  

• APPLE-CHERRY FILLING
• 8 large Braeburn apples, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges (about 4 1/2 lb.)
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup butter $
• 1 (12-oz.) package frozen cherries, thawed and well drained
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest $
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice $
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon $
• PINWHEEL BISCUITS
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour $$
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar $$
• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt $
• 3/4 cup cold butter, cut into pieces $
• 2/3 cup milk $
• 2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted $
• 1/4 cup finely chopped roasted unsalted almonds
• SERVE WITH
• Sweetened whipped cream (optional)

Preparation

1. 1. Prepare Filling: Preheat oven to 425°. Toss together first 3 ingredients. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add apple mixture. Cook, stirring often, 20 to 25 minutes or until apples are tender and syrup thickens. Remove from heat; stir in cherries and next 3 ingredients. Spoon apple mixture into a lightly greased 3-qt. baking dish. Bake apple mixture 12 minutes, placing a baking sheet on oven rack directly below baking dish to catch any drips.
2. 2. Prepare Biscuits: Stir together 2 1/4 cups flour and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Cut cold butter pieces into flour mixture with a pastry blender or fork until crumbly; stir in milk. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead 4 to 5 times. Roll dough into a 12-inch square. Combine brown sugar and 2 Tbsp. melted butter; sprinkle over dough, patting gently. Sprinkle with almonds. Roll up, jelly-roll fashion; pinch seams and ends to seal. Cut roll into 12 (1-inch) slices. Place slices in a single layer on top of apple mixture.
3. 3. Bake at 425° for 15 to 17 minutes or until biscuits are golden. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Southern Living 
FEBRUARY 2012

Talk about an All American Pie and was it good! It's also the perfect recipe since February is National Cherry Month. Also in honor of Cherry Month I thought I'd show some very cheery  cherry pics!

A vintage Cherry Postcard

One of my plaster fruit wall pieces

One of my fav shirts

A vintage square I used with an applique I created from a vintage cherry hankie

This are some vintage buttons...they look like little candies

I couln't do any cherry post without a vintage cookbook

The last three pics are a few cherry reds I love to have....someday.......

Isn't this the cutest retro trailer..love it

And, these two retro inspired kitchen appliances would be perfect in my kitchen!

Well, seems I need to rest a little. Please visit all the Weekly Blog Parties for more fun posts!

Just a blush

This Pink Saturday I have just a blush of pink to share, but I hope you like it.

 Last Saturday I introduced you to Rosie. She is,or was, part of my Angelic Inspirations /Angelic Light Collection...a wonderful vintage1960's nightlight that, after 50 years, was in need of some TLC. Well, happily she was sent to a new home to be a little angelic light for the lady of the house.





Today I'd like to introduce you to ......................................

 Bonnie Blue. She is another Angelic Light. This too is a 1960's spun plastic southern-belle that has been helped with a little TLC. Her little light didn't shine anymore, so I added a separate tabletop candle lamp, which sits atop.
The warm glow seems to emanate through her whole body now.

Her skirt was a 1950's sheer hankie that I embellished with blue sapphire Sworovski crystals

It's hard to see, but here eyes have the same sparkly quality as the crystals, but her red hair has lightened after all these years to a more dark Strawberry Blonde...hey give her a break she is 50!
The bodice of her dress is accented by vintage hand-tatted edging and blue paper flowers at the waist.

Her parasol has been given a little fringe of the same edging. Do you catch a peek of the blush?

Well, here's a better view. Her wings were created by a vintage 1970's quilted square of blue roses, hydrangea, and the ever so sweet pink blush of violets.

As a final touch I accented the tip of her parasol with another blue paper rose.












Bonnie Blue is waiting at my website, brownginghamcreations.com here under Brown Gingham Shoppe> Angelic Inspirations>Angelic Lights and Music Boxes, to come home with you to brighten you day.

I'm joining Barbara for her Pink Saturday. I hope you come with me and see all the pink pretties!

The True Symbol of Love

Hope you're all having a nice day and have a few little special things planned for today. Us, we just play it by ear since it's a workday. I always set the table for day................................................

This vintage glass candy holder was my first Valentine gift as Mrs. CarGuy

and I always receive a rose with my candy to mark the special day. I love the old fashioned candy boxes.

By the by, a little known fact about the symbol of LOVE. Did you know that the rose wasn't the symbol of love until 18th/19th century in Victorian England. The original symbol was the......................................

 red tulip also known as the Turk's Turbin. 

Okay, a little history, tulips are not a native of Holland they are a wildflower of Turkey transplanted to Holland during Dutch expansionism and to 17th century England by an officers wife. 

As the legend goes, A Persian Prince was to marry,but he fell in love with a peasant girl. This was fine with the King...he'd marry the chosen Princess and begin his Harem with the peasant girl.....the Prince.. not so much. So, the King took the peasant girl and threw her from the closest cliffs. The Prince found out about the plan and came charging through to save his beloved, but he was too late. In his grief he threw himself from the same cliffs to join her in eternity. Well, it is said that where their bodies laid at the bottom, blood red tulips sprouted and bloomed. 

Now, you may say...Melody, every Floral Language of Love piece I've read says the Rose is the symbol of love....red-burning love

          white-pure love

          pink-virtuous love

          yellow-friendship.......well......again Victorian England can be thanked for discovering the original flower language in China. The Chinese, as we know, had arranged marriages between families sometimes from a child's birth so, people came up with a complicated code...flower language...that carried messages to ones true love. Type of flower, color, and number of blossoms all meant something. A guy might be betrothed to woman, but fell in love with the Girl next door. He'd send a bouquet asking her to meet him for a rendezvous. The flowers would tell her the place, time, etc. Sadly, the English only found a partial language, due to warring a lot was lost, but they filled in with their own ideas. That is how the Rose became the universal symbol of LOVE. The only problem with this language today is that they only had minimal colors available. Today we have naturally occurring and genetically altered floral colors. For example the Chocolate Rose goes from a cantelope orange to a satiny brown as it opens. There are blue roses where the blue DNA code is taken from one flower and injected into a white rose and then they are specially propegated to get bushes to produce that color variety. In reality today all Roses, whatever color, mean LOVE, but it's all very romantic to go with the Victorian's. 

As a Floral Designer for 40 years I'm just full of this stuff....flower menutia I mean...hehehe

Here are a few creations that showcase these flowers of love...........................

A hand-embroidered hankie has been embellished with a vintage rhinestone ribbon pin and Sworovski Crystals. I added it to a coordinating pillow form and edged is with trim.

These tulips overflowing a flower cart were hand-embroidered to make them pop along the hem and on the packet of a vintage flour sack apron. I had sooo much fun sewing this apron.

Don't forget to come along with me to all the Blog Parties I link to on my Weekly BlogParties page!

There are always inspiring.....wonderful.......fun.....posts.

An early Valentine

My parents surprised me with an early Valentine gift......................................

when we walked at the antique mall. It's a vintage brown gingham apron that someone cross-stitched a few roses at the hem and on the pocket with an accented of pink rickrack.

They knew since Brown Gingham Creations began I have always wanted to make an apron as kind of a signature thing for when I do shows, but the few times I found a vintage brown gingham apron and embellished it, a customer would want to purchase it...sigh....so, since this is a gift they know it's a keeper.

While we were there I saw 2 things I haven't seen before...well, let me say that again I've seen em before, but not in this color............................................................

A perfectly pink plastic rolling pin and 

this adorable child's pink plastic sewing machine. If they had been red I might not have been so able to just take pics.

I also created a couple of new Angelic Inspirations.......................................................

This is our 'Best Friend' She sits atop a lacy pillow that creates her petticoats. They are accented by pink rosettes. Her skirt is a 1950's hankie with a 1940's doily. Her wings are a Battenburg lace heart. I hand-applied her curly locks and gave her a hairpiece of  more rossettes. She holds a tiny dried flower bouquet and a charm that reads, Best Friends.

And this little Miss is so pretty in pink and bright too, she's a nightlight. Her dress, hat, and parasol are 1960's spun plastic/The skirts, collar, parasol trim, and hat accent were made from a 1940's hand-crocheted doily and hanky I hand-embroidered. Her wings were created from another vintage crocheted doily. Both of these vintage inspired ladies are available for $49.99

I have a gift for you....................................

.... last minute Valentine cards to 'Save Image As', print, and use! Oh and here's

the next Dessert Calender dates.

So Many Fun Parties to Attend

This week seems to be the beginning of all sorts if new linky parties.........

Etsy Cottage Style which is a virtual flea market of over 50 vendors!

at Whimsical Musings It is a wonderful event bringing a diverse group of Bloggers together for an inspiration fest!

Then there is Rednesday Wednesday

over at Sue's It's a Very Cherry World.

(sigh)..What to wear...What to wear. hm.....

Jeans and an apron to keep organized? For Market Monday.

A new shirt I just designed to make a good impression at It's a Woman Thing

Or, do I get all gussied up to attend Rednesday and the other two.......

(the photos above are creations available at my BrownGinghamCreations.com  If you'd like to purchase e-mail me at brownginghamcreations@fuse.net)

Naw, I'll just be comfortable........................................................

I mean I won't have the webcam on so it's not like I'll scare anybody....LOL

Here's another yummy day in the Dessert Calender,

And, I was looking through one of my vintage cookbooks and found this beautiful suggestion.......

 Well, I'm off to visit all these parties. Why don't you come with me?