This and That

In the snow...Champs de Mars & Tour Eiffel

This picture was sent to me by a very dear friend, taken last weekend as she was finishing up on one of her many buying trips to beloved France. For many of you in the USA knee-deep in snow, I wish you a WARM and SUNNY Christmas Eve day!

Antique French Wicker Wine Jugs

A shipment from my French "picker" arrived today! Nothing says Country French better than these late 19th century French thick glass wine jugs encased in wicker. Wonderful aged patina.; each has a different shape. Handles are sturdy. Measuring 15 inches tall to 19 inches tall. All in very nice condition. I'm offering these vintage wine jugs for sale on my blog, before I list them on my website next week. I only have 5 right now...so when they are gone it will be awhile before I have more. They are listed A - E. I use FedEx for shipping ($25). If interested in one or more, just drop me an email {mypinkcottage@hotmail.com}. PayPal is the preferred method of payment. Smaller (A & B) wicker wine jugs are $85 each + shipping; larger jugs (C, D and E) are $95 each + shipping.

 

A (left) measures 15" tall with a diameter base of 8"
B (middle) measures 15" tall (original cork) with a diameter base of 7"
C (right) measures 19" tall with a diameter base of 8"

Bottoms of wine jugs A, B, and C.

   

D measures 19" tall with a base diameter of 9". 

   

E measures 19" tall with a base diameter of 9". Green thick glass jug.

Merci!

A Gift Wrapped Life

Christmas is only a few days away, and if you are like me...still shopping. But then comes the wrapping...ugh! I spend hours upon hours wrapping...nothing very creative; just colorful paper and ribbon, or yarn. Isn't this the cutest idea for wrapping a gift {thank you, Country Living} ?

How I wish that Sande Chase {A Gift Wrapped Life}   lived nearby instead of in Canada! Sande's blog is a delightful read and often offers tips on gift wrapping...not just during the holidays, but ANYTIME!                               

Don't forget...Valentine's Day is just around the corner {wink}.

Embracing Simple, Wholesome Peasantry Foods

With all the holiday hussle and bustle, it's time to flee your over-scheduled and out-of-control lives by embracing the simple and wholesome foods of the Italian peasantry. Here is a basic recipe for Pasta e Fagioli {doesn't that sound more refined than "pasta and beans"?} This is a favorite meatless dish when the weather starts to cool. Its ease and flexibility make it a great "end-of-the-week" meal and it has the added bonus of being a meatless pasta dish that actually has protein.

Pasta e Fagioli (serves 6)

What you need:

1 lb small pasta (shells, elbows, etc.)

 Extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1-2 carrots, chopped

2 small zucchini, chopped OR 1 cup green beans, chopped

2 c. packed greens, chopped (spinach, chard, escarole, kale, etc.)

2 c. chopped plum tomatoes (15 oz. can), with liquid

2 15.oz cans cannellini, kidney, or pinto beans, with liquid

1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped

Fresh basil, dried oregano and dried or fresh rosemary and thyme (optional)

Parmesan or pecorino

What to do:

Sauté the onions in olive oil over medium-high heat until translucent. Add the garlic and any dried herbs and cook for 1 minute. Add the carrots and cook for 2 minutes over medium heat. Add the zucchini or green beans and continue to cook until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add the greens and cook until wilted. Pour in the beans and tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Add water to reach desired thickness. Add herbs and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, while you cook the pasta.

Bring a generous pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. (It should be still firm but not hard in the middle). Drain and set aside.

Place a scoop of pasta on the bottom of a bowl and pour bean soup on top. Serve immediately.

Note: You can also add lima beans, celery, or other vegetables you have on hand. A 28 oz can instead of 15 oz of tomatoes will make it more tomato-y (obviously!). Use vegetable broth instead of water as an added flavor booster.

Enjoy!

Pasta e Fagioli (serves 6)

What you need:

1 lb small pasta (shells, elbows, etc.)

 Extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1-2 carrots, chopped

2 small zucchini, chopped OR 1 cup green beans, chopped

2 c. packed greens, chopped (spinach, chard, escarole, kale, etc.)

2 c. chopped plum tomatoes (15 oz. can), with liquid

2 15.oz cans cannellini, kidney, or pinto beans, with liquid

1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped

Fresh basil, dried oregano and dried or fresh rosemary and thyme (optional)

Parmesan or pecorino

What to do:

Sauté the onions in olive oil over medium-high heat until translucent. Add the garlic and any dried herbs and cook for 1 minute. Add the carrots and cook for 2 minutes over medium heat. Add the zucchini or green beans and continue to cook until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add the greens and cook until wilted. Pour in the beans and tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Add water to reach desired thickness. Add herbs and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, while you cook the pasta.

Bring a generous pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. (It should be still firm but not hard in the middle). Drain and set aside.

Place a scoop of pasta on the bottom of a bowl and pour bean soup on top. Serve immediately.

Note: You can also add lima beans, celery, or other vegetables you have on hand. A 28 oz can instead of 15 oz of tomatoes will make it more tomato-y (obviously!). Use vegetable broth instead of water as an added flavor booster.

Enjoy!

Giveaway and Au Revoir from Lola B's

One of our blissful bloggers, Kasey, will be closing her online boutique, Lola B's. To thank her loyal customers and bloggers, she is having a GIVEAWAY ~ 3 {yes, a trio; 3 lucky winners} boxes filled with goodies from her boutique. But HURRY....drawings are at midnight, Thursday, Dec. 17th!

Cottage Kitchen Christmas Tree

I'm still decorating rooms in our home...this morning before serving up a hearty Sunday breakfast I finished the small tree for the kitchen. I decorate the kitchen tree (it gets moved around...sometimes it sits in the center of the kitchen table, while other times it's perched on the long kitchen counter) each year with miniature tin kitchen utensils, small (fake) poinsettias, ribbons/bows, a few glass ornaments, and at the top a little white dove. Because there are no lights involved, I can move the tree around the room easily. The pictures were taken with the tree on the yet-to-be-decorated mantle in the family room. This year I covered the base with burlap. Do you decorate several rooms in your home or just the main living room/family room?  

  

 

 

I hope you are enjoying each and every day of the season!

Meadow Street Meets Main Street

This past Sunday I happen to be at Serendipity Antqiues (located on Main Street in Old Town Temecula) restocking my display case when in walked Erica from Meadow Street Designs. Erica lives in nearby Murrieta and creates the most beautiful vintage-looking jewelry pieces. I've purchased some of her lovely necklaces and bracelets to resell in my case at Serendipity, but never met her before Sunday. She was looking for unusual items to use for displays at her upcoming Dallas Market show in mid-January. As we exchanged delight in finally meeting each other, we browsed the shop together to see if we couldn't find some unique displays. She's using the frame of a vintage lamp shade as one display ~ so cleavor! The shade has been stripped off and the remaining metal frame is perfect for hanging jewelry pieces. If you haven't seen Erica's creations, do stop by her online shop. Many items can be ordered if they are out of stock.

  
 

Creating A Time Worn French Gift Box

I wanted to share this technique with my blogging friends..create your very own time worn gift boxes. We love the vintage look of a French box. Enjoy!

Materials

small paper box
stamp pads
rubber stamp(s):
- French Envelope Markings-Z
- Ink Spots
- French Writing
- Fancy French Writing
glue or adhesive of your choice
collage sheets:
- Blank Labels
- French Stuff
- Envelope Markings-Z
scissors
40" twine or string
sealing wax stick, matches and seal or faux wax seal

 Figure A

Steps:

1. Sponge or dab stone gray dye ink randomly onto the box. Do not cover the entire box but just age it, paying particular attention to the edges.

2. Sponge or dab sage dye ink randomly onto the box as you did the gray but not as much.

3. Stipple the box randomly with sienna dye ink (figure A)

Figure B

4. Sponge white pigment ink randomly on the edges, top, sides and bottom. Use the white sparingly; you do not want to cover all the other colors you just applied (figure B).

5. Stamp Fancy French Writing in indigo dye ink lightly, randomly, in a few places on the box. You can remove some of the ink by stamping on scrap paper first and then on the box.

Figure C

6. Stamp the other French Writing in sienna dye ink in the same manner (figure C).

7. Cut out a round vintage label from the Blank Labels collage sheet, a par avion label from the Envelope Markings sheet, two vintage postal labels--one from each of the French Stuff collage sheets, and two perfume labels from the French Stuff #3 collage sheet.

Figure D

8. Using a pencil, rub the white edges of all the cut out pieces of ephemera/labels that you will glue to the box. This will remove the stark white edge that occurs when you cut them out (figure D).

Figure E

9. Glue the labels/ephemera to the box (figure E).

Figure F

10. Stipple lightly with sienna on top of those labels to age them, too (figure F).

11. Stamp Ink Spots randomly in bordeaux dye ink. Again, remove any excess ink on scrap paper first; then stamp onto the box so the ink appears older.

12. Stamp black Avignon postmarks from French Envelope Markings-Z on top of the postage stamps glued to the box to "cancel" them.

Figure G

13. Stamp par avion rubber stamp from French Envelope Markings-Z on a side of the box in black. If you are going to insert a present or a note in the box, do so now (figure G).

Figure H

14. Age the twine or string by rubbing some ink on it (figure H).

Figure I

15. Wrap the string around the box and tie a knot on the top of the box (figure I).

Figure J

16. Drip wax and use a seal to seal the knot (figure J). Also seal the four sides of the box.

Your done! Now share with all your friends anytime of the year.

 

 

Favorite Fudge ~ Not Just For Christmas

Here's my favorite fudge recipe...perfect for anytime of the year!

Lemon Squares for the Holidays

Another favorite...from Susan Branch's Cookbook