Dreamy Cupcake Painting

I've been working hard on a rather large (18" x 24") autumn painting and didn't want to wait much longer before listing another painting on eBay. So, yesterday I whipped this one up and listed it last night.

This moist yellow cupcake is topped with fluffy turquoise, piped frosting. White buttercream dots are applied as a finishing touch. This cute little cupcake sits atop it's own little ornate black cakestand and is covered with a glass cloche. A black and white check bow is tied around the glass knob. The letters "Dreamy" are dripping with frosting.
Have a great weekend everyone! I may have to go and make some cupcakes.

Sarah's Diner Folk Art Print & Apple Dumplins & Sir Charles King of the Toads

Everyone meets at Sarah's Diner on Sunday evening after church. Meals are served home style in huge bowls in the center of the table. Platters are piled high with their famous fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls, etc., Dessert is a choice of warm apple pie or gooey cinnamon rolls. When tummies are full and the little ones start to doze, it's time for families to head home, walking in the cool evening air.

This time of year Sarah also offers her favorite dessert,

Apple Dumplins. Sarah got this from one of my favorite blogs and you can get this wonderful recipe here!

I think I forgot to share this little guy who thinks he reigns supreme over the garden, Sir Charles the "King of the Toads." I put him here to keep a watch out for the squirrels who keep digging up my potted plants looking for nuts. He's not been proven to be very reliable though.

Pumpkin Valley Folk Art Print & Pumpkin Pie Squares Recipe & More Fairies

Betty's pumpkins were enormous this year. She's been dreaming of all the wonderful pies, breads, and desserts that she'll be able to make for the county fair. Her neighbor Hank thinks she should enter her "Pumpkin Pie Squares" that she had him sample. He's willing to try any new recipes she comes up with because Betty's smile is as pretty as her desserts!

Betty's recipe for:

Pumpkin Pie Squares

1 - 13 oz. can evaporated milk

2 teasp. pumpkin pie spice

1 C. sugar

3 beaten eggs

1/2 teasp. salt

1 - 1lb. 13 oz. can pumpkin

1 pkg. yellow cake mix

1/2 to 1 C. chopped nuts

3/4 C. margarine

Combine evaporated milk, eggs, spice, salt, sugar, & pumpkin. Pour into a 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix over top. Thinly slice margarine. Place margarine squares over top of cake mix. Sprinkle with chopped nuts. Bake 50 min. @ 350 degrees. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream. Serves 1-15.

Fairy in the birdbath...

Fairies taking a bath...

this one looks even prettier from the front...

and this is definitely not a fairy. This little guy is 35 years old and has grown into this tree trunk since we moved here 7 years ago. This is now his permanent home.

Pray Also For Me Print & Chocolate Banana, Coconut Cream Pie Recipe

Fairies live in my garden under trees...

on benches...
among flowers...
reading in the strangest places... I will share a couple more next time.

Pray also for me...Ephesians 6:19

With the August Homecoming in full swing at the village church, Pastor Adam, and his wife,Ethel, are staying up late to put the finishing touches on their Chocolate, Banana, Coconut Cream Pie for tomorrow's picnic lunch. Families come from far and wide to visit with old friends at the little country church and to share a meal on old quilts in the soft grass while children play in the nearby creek.

Ethel would like to share her pie recipe with everyone. This has been posted before, but bears repeating:

Widow's Cove Print & German Apple Cake Recipe

I've decided I need to take time to enjoy this cooler weather. I love to sit outside and have my coffee on the porch. The cool morning breeze is amazing for this time of year and it looks like it's going to stay this way for a while according to the weather forecast. I added this new autumn print to all of my online stores.

The beauty of autumn has arrived at Widow's Cove where lighthouse keeper, Mel and his wife Molly reside. The leaves fall from the trees creating a tapestry of color on the ground and in the water. Molly is fixing a thermos of coffee and warm apple cake to take to her husband as he makes his nightly rounds at the lighthouse.

Here is Molly's yummy recipe:

(Actually came from my dear friend Winne)

"German Apple Cake"

1 1/2 Cup oil 1 1/2 Teaspoon cinnamon

2 Cups sugar 1 Teaspoon soda

2 Eggs 1 Teaspoon salt

3 Cups flour 1 Teaspoon vanilla

4 Cups sliced apples 1 Cup chopped pecans/walnuts

Mix together all ingredients except apples. Blend in apples. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour in an ungreased 9 x 13 pan. Recipe can be halved and baked in an 8 x 8 pan if it's just you and your hubby!

Rooms With a View

Can you tell I'm looking for something to blog? I've worked hard for the last two days categorizing my posts and they are now listed in the right sidebar by subject matter. So, if you don't want to read about my boring life, recipes, view my paintings, etc., etc., you can pick the subject that you are interested in.

I'm working on a large 18 inch x 24 inch autumn painting which could take a while. Don't get the idea that I'm not painting.

Below is the view from my second floor landing out onto the backyard.

I apologize for not raising the screens. This view is from my dining room window. I love being able to enjoy my flowers from inside too! We had new windows put in so all I have to do is raise the screens to water the window boxes.
Here is one view from my living room window into the backyard.
...and here is another view from this window. Can you see how much the Creeping Jenny and the Sweet Potato vine have grown in the fountain birdbath since I showed you previously?
I love this view of my zinnias from the lodge room/television room. I can sit on my sofa to watch t.v. or look at my flowers.
I did have to trot outside to get a shot of my children's old wagon with my .25 cent begonias from Wal-Mart. They looked pretty poorly a couple of weeks ago. I think this was money well spent. Yesterday I bought more .25 cent flowers from Wal-Mart and I'll share where I put them when they are looking a little better. I bought something on a recent trip to a flea market and was inspired with a purchase for my garden. The flowers and this purchase go hand in hand, so I'll share them soon.

Pumpkin Spice Cake Folk Art Painting

This little 4 inch x 4 inch painting was listed on eBay this evening. I'm not only ready for the fall weather, I'm ready for pumpkins, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, etc. Too bad this isn't a scratch and sniff photo! Check out the recipe below that inspired this painting.

The aroma of pumpkin spice fills the air and entices you to sample this warm Pumpkin Spice Cake. Orange tinted glaze is drizzled over the top and runs down the sides clinging to ridges and valleys of this moist, delicious bundt cake.
This is a very moist bread. I don't put any frosting on mine, but thought it would look nice in the painting. It's great with coffee!

More Great Junk!!

I've blogged before about my husband's grandmother, Grandma Chickie as she is known to the children of the family. She is now home from the nursing home and doing very well. She is so happy to be back on the farm with her dog Shelby. She had suffered a broken hip in a fall and had to have a hip replacement. Edna is walking now without her walker most of the time. She asked my husband and I to clean out some of her cabinets and here is what I came home with:

These great dessert cans from Watkins still had the powdered mix inside. I love them and I'm claiming these!
The above containers as well as the little clip on bird are for my daughter, Amber.
Isn't this the cutest little pink box?
Look what was inside!
Look at these great retro curlers. Aren't the colors wonderful? My daughter is going to want these too. Any ideas on how to display these?
Not sure who is getting these two vases.
My daughter is going to jump on these little ornaments too!
Amber or my son, Eric, will want this set of 8 amber colored glasses. Eric also got an old tin globe bank which I've already given him and didn't get photographed.
This old chocolate box is mine!
Not sure who is getting this very retro turquoise and white Holiday thermos, but I'm sure Amber will have an idea.
This jar is mine! Notice how I stake my claim.

...and finally these four season Robert Wood aged, yellowed, and very curled prints will surely find a home in one of my kids homes.

Pumpkin Harvest Folk Art Painting

Believe it or not, autumn is on it's way. This month will be over before you know it and it will be time to clean out the flowerbeds and get them ready for winter. Rusty red, orange, and yellow mums will be blooming and pumpkins will decorate porches. I know I'm getting carried away, but time really seems to fly at this age.

I listed this little 6 inch x 6 inch painting on eBay this evening. Several autumn prints are listed as well.

Henrietta painted her house blue this week before the weather got too cold to get finished. Her sweet neighbors, Daniel and Misty, helped her making the job much easier. The couple think she would be the perfect match for their cousin who lives on a farm nearby. They've decided to invite both of them to dinner on Saturday evenin' to see if they can't get the ball rollin'.

Don't forget the "buy three get one free print sale" mentioned in an earlier post!

A New Addition To My Flower Beds

This statuary came from my mother's home to live with me now. When she sold her home she told me she was going to leave it because it was too heavy to move and she isn't able to do much gardening any more. Needless to say my husband wasn't too happy about moving it and told me to make sure I knew where I wanted it because he didn't want to move it again. So, I had him place it in the front yard. That was a couple of years ago. Guess where it is now? My rose tree died that was in the center of this bed in the back yard and he was sweet to move it once again. He admits he likes it here too. The fountain had a crack in it and didn't hold water very well, so I decided to use it as a planter.

Last year I planted these Simplicity Roses from Jackson Perkins and they were just beautiful this year in early summer. Since we have had so much rain this summer they developed black spot and now look terrible. I've cut off all the bad leaves and sprayed them with a fungicide several times, but the rain just isn't helping matters. They are almost completely naked of leaves and have beautiful flowers at the top. I wouldn't want to photograph that for you. I've raked up all the leaves over and over again. Does anyone know if these will come out of it next year or will they be a total loss. I've got one that I cut way back and it is developing new leaves.
I just love Astilbe and this is my favorite color.
A front view of this fountain my husband worked so hard to move.
Below are my pink knockout roses that need absolutely no care at all. I may have to replace the others next year with more of these.

Print Sale For My Blog Readers!

I've just added the print pictured below to my Etsy, Yessy, and eBay Stores.

I'm having a print sale at all three stores for all my blog readers.

Buy Three Get One Free!

Purchase three prints and in the "comments to seller" section during the checkout, let me know which print you want for free and it will be included with your order.

If you prefer, you may email me at caholman1@yahoo.com with this information.

This sale starts now and goes through August 15th.

Below are some better photos of the project that I finished in the previous post.

Have a great weekend!