Tea's Hope Chest

Monday, December 31, 2012

Buttermilk Biscuits

Recipe for Homemade buttermilk biscuits just added to the oven in a heated iron skillet with lots of lard..yes I said lard ..only way to make a biscuit~
Recipe 2 cups sifted flour
1/2 cup lard
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
pinch of salt and sugar
3/4 cup buttermlk and a tad of water
knead gently
lay out on parchment paper for 20 minutes to rise.
roll dough out and cut to size desired.
makes about 9 biscuits bake at 350 till golden brown brush with warm butter.
Love the aroma of fresh baked bread/biscuits..Home Sweet Home~
Those Buttermilk Biscuits have to be baked in a old iron skillet..sorta push them close together..makes em rise..

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Merry Christmas..

Christmas Tree twinkling, fireplace warm and toasty,the kitties all snuggled in their beds. Last minute to do list before the family gathers at our home, .
Found these pretty dressmakers at Hobby Lobby for my daughters. Now to decide who gets the Pink one and who gets the black one.
When my daughters were young, They fought over everything that was not the same...I hope I get the colors --right this time.. why oh why.. did I not get 2 of the same colors? Merry Christmas~~

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Shabby Chic Rags Tote/Bag

Vintage Rags

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shabby chic bag Recycled/Upcycled Soft Cotton Shabby Chic Rags Tote/Bag, recycled from a vintage bag. I layered in vintage trims,crochet,laces,buttons. Hand sewn, delicate ribbon roses adorn this tote . Crochet trimed shoulder straps. Pockets inside.zippered closure. This is a OOAK Shabby Chic Bag~ . $65.00 plus S/H $10.00 my pay pal.teashopechest@aol.com

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Gingerbread~~and Memories~

Adding touches of Christmas all through the house, this year I said~ I would slow down on the decorating. "Too much trouble"..I suppose Christmas will always be in the heart for most of us.
Baking seems to get one in the mood for the holidays..anticipating family and friends gathering to share good food. To me nothing says Christmas like "Gingerbread". The kitchen warm with the aroma of spice,nutmeg, even the mixing bowl brings a smile~ Cracked egg shell, sugars a mess on the counters, brings back memories when my children were home, we loved to gather in the kitchen, and "everyone" fought over the mixing bowl and spoon.
warm sweet gingerbread..add a big old spoon of sweet whipped cream,..
Come on over and share some Christmas Memories and a little Gingerbread~ Merry Christmas~~

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Pecan Divinity...

This Divinity is so good, a great Gift for Family and Friends this Christmas
Micro Wave Recipe
2 cups white sugar
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup pecans or nuts of your choice, chopped
Combine sugar, water, corn syrup and salt in a glass casserole dish.
Cover with saran wrap and microwave on high for 5 minutes.
Remove from microwave and take off saran wrap.
Stir well and return to microwave uncovered.
Cook on high for another 4 to 5 minutes until reaches hard ball stage when a little is dropped in cold water.
Remove and cool about 4 minutes.
Beat egg whites until stiff with mixer.
Pour sugar mixture over egg whites beating constantly with mixer until mixture starts to lose its gloss and holds together.
About 4 or 5 minutes.
Stir in vanilla and nuts.
Drop by teaspoonful onto wax paper.
Makes about 25 pieces depending on size you make them.

Recipe Compliments of By Southern Lady Cook

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Grapevine wreaths and memory of Mickey~

Merry Christmas From My Home to Yours~
Many years ago my brother Mickey and I cut Kutsu to make wreaths, the old twig wreaths are over 25 years old.
every year I decorate them and always remember my brother and the happy time we spent sitting on a cold winter day making these wreaths...
Mickey, is gone now, some 24 years,he died as he lived ,riding free on his harley~

Monday, November 12, 2012

Granny's Treasures~

Cleaning out the attic before cold weather arrives,while going through the tubs, I ran across some Vintage ornaments from granny, I can remember this beaded bird sitting on her tree as long as I can remember.
I would sit for hours, looking at all her ornaments, granny never hung her ormanments,they sat on the limbs.
The little elves were interwined on the tree with pinecones from her yard, granny would sit in her rocker,an old tub at her feet and string, red berries and little treasures she found in her yard. It wasn't unusual to see a pretty leaf, an acorn, even walnuts, Grannys tree was a Christmas Tree~freshly cut from her property. No bought trees for granny~.When my children was growing up we would cut a fresh tree, as the years passed, now I decorate my tree alone, the children have their own families, to decorate a tree for.. as we get older, it just seemed like it was too much to hunt the right tree...
For years I have had a special place on my tree for "Granny's Treasures" as I walk my yard, I find myself searching for that little treasure.."For Granny~~

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Homemade Banana Nut Bread~

Looking out my kitchen window this morning, the leaves gently falling, Winter is almost here, Ah~Winter, where a warm cozy kitchen is the gathering place for family~, homemade soup simmering on the stove, Today Homemade Banana Nut Bread, warm from the oven, ~Home Is Where The Heart Is~
Banana Nut Bread 3 very ripe bananas, mashed 2 eggs ½ cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour 1/3 cup melted butter 1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup chopped pecan or walnuts Directions: Preheat oven to 325F degrees. Spray loaf baking dish with nonstick spray. In a medium bowl, combine mashed bananas, eggs, butter and sugar and extract. Mix thoroughly, then add dry ingredients; flour, baking powder, salt Mix until combined then stir in chopped nuts. Pour batter into baking dish. Bake for about an hour.

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Gyspy Appeal OverAlls~

Be seen in OOAK Gyspy Denim Rags~~~ ..recycled denim overalls layed with vintage trims. skirt has gold woven treads ,lined in a soft cotton slip , size 8/10 ..would look great with boots.just in time for those Fall Festivals...$75.00 pay pal teashopechest@aol.com or contact me (teashopechest@aol.com)
Recycled Denim overalls, with vintage shabby trim~ side view
side view with one of my Vintage Rag Totes
Back view..

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Breakfast Loaf Featured in Gooseberry's ~ The Christmas Table~

This breakfast loaf is perfect for those cool days of Autumn~ Filled with creamy eggs, ham and cheese,
add a slice of tomato, hash browns,just a good old sit down breakfast with family~ Recipe can be found in my Kitchen Breakfast loaf recipe here

This recipe can also be found in ~Gooseberry's The Christmas Table Cookbook~ I was so thrilled that my Breakfast Loaf was featured in their cook book~

Sunday, September 16, 2012

I wish ~Autumn~ could stay Forever~

Beautiful Autumn Morning, LaMarr and I watched the deer feeding by the creek, we added a salt block by the creek so we could watch them from the back porch. The feed store was filled with mums, pumpkins and Indian corn, little chicks under warm lights, cute yellow balls of fluff. Getting ready for Autumn, adding scarecrows, here and there,
My little crows added to the back porch, Welcome..
These little crows makes me smile~Oh Beautiful Autumn I love you~
Another year is passing, thoughts of my sister today~ the sight of a simple June bug~ Memories flashed through my mind. A day long ago when we were 8 and 12 years old. Walking down a dirt road, picking blackberries, the June bugs all shiny backs eating as many blackberries as we were, My brother would tie string on the legs and hold them like a kite. My sister and I would beg him to stop..the June Bugs would fly till a leg would break off. We would smack him and cry. He would laugh and say we were "Just Girls". My sister an Brother are both gone now. I pray they are chasing June Bugs In Heaven~ Yes, another season is passing~
I know the laughter and the pain
Of times that will not come again.
-- Sara Teasdale




Memories are sometimes all we have left of someone we hold dear~
My sister and I spent many days,in the woods by grandpas house, I remember that old swing like it was yesterday.

Made of an old barn board,the rope frayed with age, where our feet had pushed off-the ground was rubbed and deeply grooved.
We would fly through the air laughter and screams of joy filled the woods, once Mary pushed me so far..I fell from the swing mid air..I hit the hard packed dirt with a thud,my heart felt like it had stopped.
Breathless I lay their it seemed forever, all the time Mary was crying ..saying "I killed my sissy"..

Finally I opened my eyes, she jumped back saying,"Thats not funny" I'll telling mama~
We never told mama then~
Years later we sat on mama's front porch,,and told mama~~
After school we would all meet there,play hide and seek~


The woods were our playground, homemade swing-and all~

In the woods we return to reason and faith. -- Ralph Waldo Emerson


Everything remembered is dear, touching and precious. The past
is safe, though we didn't know it at the time.
Remembering my "sissy Mary~ September.2.1943-January,19.2012

~Forever in my Heart~~

Nights of storm, days of mist, sad days when the sun shone in vain; old griefs and griefs not yet begun. -- Edward Thomas

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Autumn Wildflowers~

Beautiful Autumn..dew drenched, sun dappled early mornings .. their is a freshness in autumn~
I love to ride my golf cart early in the mornings, when the world is just awakening, quietness,I sit and watch as the critters/birds forage for food.
Their is a saying .~The Autumn of your Life~~
I feel I am living the autumn of my life, the children all grown settled in their lives, LaMarr and I at ease after all the years struggling to make ends meet~ A good marriage,to my soul mate~
As the autumn of our life begins.I want to live each day to the fullest,enjoy the little things that surround us daily. Nature, family,home,and my cats,are my life's joy~
I took my little crow for a ride..smiling..
The animals have gotten used to me being in their world, this morning the wildflowers in the pasture was bursting with autumn colors.

the wildflowers make such pretty wreaths..
Nature is good for the soul....

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Porch Gatherings~

A simple pot of colored peppers. Autumn a time for new beginnings..the most beautiful season ..as I am walking I find small treasures, to add to my porches,
Abandoned bird nests,I gather and snuggle near a bird house sitting on the porch, next year the nests will be added to baskets sitting on the porch, will be recycled by the birds into new homes. watching from the window, the birds gather the twigs for new homes in the Spring.. such a wonderful site to see.
A Autumn wreath.dried gourds,orange pumpkins added to a porch swing to welcome visitors. Old mason jars line with autumn leaves,add your favorite autumn scented candle.Just what you need for those cool evening on the porch. found on Pinterest~ smile ~

~Happy Fall Ya'LL~