Friendship

I am so thankful for my friends, especially, these girls.  We've experienced so much together over the years...dating, marriages, divorces, the joys and heartaches of raising children, caring for aging parents, death, and so much more.  However, what comes to mind the most is how much we have laughed together, and at each other.   These girls have shown up at my door many times, when it felt like the rest of the world was walking out. 

These picutres were made at our annual "February" birthday lunch.  Me and Marolyn share this month, and Carol always does a good job of spoiling us.  The satisfied look on our faces is because we just finished sharing a slice of Key Lime Pie at Houstons.  It was perfection!

 Carol, me, Marolyn and Lucinda

I recently read this quote, "friendship is like a violin; the music may stop now and then, but the strings will last forever."  I feel it is fitting for our friendship.

Boudin Cafe

This is a long overdue post about our Thanksgiving vacation, California style.   We fly into San Francisco, and usually we are quickly motored up to the wine country to visit with the girls in their beautiful bohemian utopia, Healdsburg, CA.  This particular trip was a wonderful time to be together and enjoy the things that can only happen when we are all together, or when we are in California.

One of my favorite places to eat in San Francisco is Boudin Cafe at Fisherman's Wharf.   We all made a trip back to the city one of the days we were there to do several different things, and met back at Boudin's for lunch.   Per their website, this place has emerged as San Francisco's oldest continuously running company.  It opened in 1849.

It was chilly that day, or the entire week for that matter, so the delicious warm claim chowder was extra yummy in their famous sourdough bread bowls.  I forgot to take a picture of my claim chowder bread bowl, or of all of us eating our lunch on the outside patio by the fireplace.  I think I was too concerned about the crazy man feeding the Pigeons (wink wink to Kris) and lost track of my blogging opportunity.   However, here is a peek at their famous bread.

Sourdough Bread, Sculpted Bread, Hearth Bread, Speciality Bread, can you smell the bread yet?

I love beautiful places, and this is one of them.  While waiting on your food, or your family to finish eating, there is a gift shop to peruse.   The Mister loves dipping his bread in seasoned dipping oil, so this station was intriguing to us.

oops...

We decided on these two bottles and this tray and dipping bowls, for bread and cheese, oil, olives, and to remember where we spent Thanksgiving 2010.

While all that was oh-so-lovely, the real eye-candy were these pretty girls

Baby took a quick nap inside the cafe where it was nice and warm

So go ahead and check out Boudin's the next time your in the bay, or in the city, or down at Fisherman's Wharf... and don't forget --- it is a social faux pas to feed the pigeons on the patio.

my three favorite birthday gifts

Amzie

Evan

Camryn

The Honeymoon Mirror

The honeymoon mirror was my first yard sale purchase.  We were in Nashville, on our honeymoon, and bought this mirror for $5.00.  It has served me well over the years - hanging on our walls, but, the time has come for me to French Kiss the honeymoon mirror.  Blanket apologies to my favorite daughter,  I fear that this post may give you great angst.

 I thought I would skip the primer, and go straight for the paint job.  This is SW "creamy"  I knew I wanted to distress it, so why bother with the primer.  Bad idea..

I didn't like it.  Not at all.  It took me 35 years to decide to paint this and now I don't like it.

I thought I would try "dry brushing" the mirror.  I keep hearing about that.  But, it looked wrong, or dirty, or like something else I didn't like.  For the first time ever, I had thoughts of putting the honeymoon mirror in the attic - half painted.

Then I remembered I had some left over robin-egg blue that might help....

I distressed it, and added Ralph Lauren smoke glaze, and Elegant Finish Metallic Glaze.

and some more glaze...

Then I cleaned the paint off the mirror with a razor and slapped on a coat of polycrylic with a skinny sponge brush.

I paired it up with this frenchy chair that I just spray painted Heirloom White.

I recovered the seat with this scrap of toile fabric.  I used the misters new pneumatic stapler gun. That tool is worth whatever he paid for it!

I don't think I am going to glaze the chair.  What do you think?

And you know how I love my shandys over at  http://www.etsy.com/shop/DandyShandy.   Isn't she beautiful dripping in crystals.  She is frenchy proud in the guest bedroom.   The room is ready with a new coat of paint, a few new blue pillows, and the honeymoon mirror - lets have a sleep over!

I am going to link up to Kim's, WOW us Wednesday party here.  Check it out - I am sure you will find some inspiration at her party for your own home.

A Dough Bowl

The Nester had a party, Decorating with Dough Bowls, or other found objects, so I thought I would link up to her party if I can remember what to do.  If not, I hope you enjoy my dough bowls and how they became a part of my life.  

The first one was a wedding gift.  I wish I could remember who gave it to us.  I wish I could remember lot of things, but I know it was gifted to us in 19 and 76, so we know it is an antique.

Right now I have it on the coffee table with my fake apples, but when pecans are in season, the mister uses it to hold his pecans before he cracks them open.   In the fall I put small gourds or pumpkins inside it and ornaments at Christmas.

This next bowl was my great grandmothers.  I feel sure it is at least 150 years old.  When it was given to me it was on stand with three legs.  The stand put the bowl at the right height to sit in a chair and work your bread or dough.

I have always wanted a "trencher" bowl, but they come with a steep price.  I saw one at an estate sale today for $125.00.   I found this trencher at the flea market about 10 years ago.  I was hedging big time, talking to the lady that was selling them.  She had a rack of them from $15.00 - $35.00.  I told her I really wanted an old one.  I wanted one with a story.  She must have got tired of me handling her trenchers, because she finally said, "honey, one day this will be old".   I gave her $20.00 and started my own story.

This 3-piece suit is not a dough bowl, but you put your dough on it.  Or maybe I should say, I put some dough down on it.  I found it San Francisco last Thanksgiving, while we were visiting the girls.  One day we went to Fisherman's Wharf and ate lunch at Boudin Cafe.  A must do if your ever in the bay area.  They have beautiful and delicious breads, soups served in bread bowls. Oh it is all so yummy!    This wood is light weight and so smooth.  I think it is so pretty.  The two small bowls are for dipping oil.  Sometimes we put olives in one, and the tray is for your bread and cheese.  We think we are all Fancy Nancy now.  And since we are talking all things wood, underneath is a cutting board my mister made for us.

However, there is nothing wrong with a small saucer plate for your dipping oil.  Actually, that might be more our style.

So goes my dough bowl stories.  To my favorite daughter, I love you and hope that you will enjoy these bowls in your home one day.