Tea on Tuesday - A Christmas Tea

A Christmas tea must be served in a Christmas pot. In searching for these I've realized that I do not have a Christmas tea set! Something to wish for from Santa! I love the little children's set. Enjoy!

Fairy Friday

The Blackberry Fairy

THE SONG OF THE BLACKBERRY FAIRY

My berries cluster black and thick 

For rich and poor alike to pick.

I'll tear your dress, and cling, and tease, 

And scratch your hands and arms and knees.

I'll stain your fingers and your face, 

And then I'll laugh at your disgrace.

But when the bramble-jelly's made, 

You'll find your trouble well repaid. 

Cicely Mary Barker
Flower Fairies of the Autumn

Have a lovely weekend!
Ivory Pumpkin

Tea on Tuesday

I nearly forgot I started  Tea on Tuesday posts! Now that things have slowed down a bit, I have a little more time to dedicate to blogging.

It's time for an Autumn Tea Party and a recipe. I love this sandwich I came upon it about a year and a half ago and I've been inspired to create similar sandwiches. The recipe for it is here.

Pear, Blue Cheese, Caramelized Onion, & Arugula Panini

Adapted from Clean Eating

Makes 1 sandwich

Ingredients:

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 medium-large yellow or red onion, thinly sliced

Salt & Pepper

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (optional)

1/2 ripe pear, cored and thinly sliced

2 slices whole grain bread

2 teaspoons honey Dijon mustard

1/2 oz blue cheese, sliced thinly

Handful of baby arugula

Directions:

Heat oil in a medium to large skillet over medium heat.  Add onions, stir to coat with oil, and season with salt and pepper.  Let cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and caramelized, about 25-30 minutes.  I like to add a splash of balsamic vinegar in the last few minutes of cooking to deglaze the pan and add some flavour to the onions, but this step is optional.

Remove onions from pan, and add sliced pear.  Cook over medium heat for around 3 minutes, until softened and slightly golden coloured.  Remove from heat.

Spread mustard on one slice of bread, top with arugula, onions, pears, and blue cheese, and the other piece of bread.  Heat in a panini press, or if you don’t have one, heat the sandwich on a griddle pan (or skillet) with a heavy pot on top of the sandwich to press it into the skillet (I put a can inside the pot to weigh it down), then flip and repeat on the other side.  Serve warm.

Enjoy your sandwich with these pretty pictures!

It's Autumn....

It's been Autumn for awhile now but, for me it officially starts after Halloween. Halloween is its own season all together. Also, in Southern Nevada it doesn't really feel like autumn until November. In October we are still in the high 70's and 80's. On Tuesday the temps will drop down to the mid 60's and the leaves on the trees are just starting to change color.

I hope you all had a lovely Halloween. Of course, I didn't get to do even a smidgen of things on my list and my 100 days of Halloween blog posts are practically non-existent due to my work schedule. One day though I promise to get better at it.

It's time to go inside. Not indoors, but inside ourselves and reflect on the year that's been and dream of  things to come.

It's time to go for walks on windy days and let the gusts tousle my hair.
It's time to listen to leaves crunching under my feet and watch them scurry across the sidewalks.
It's time to drink hot tea and eat apple pie and cuddle on the couch with a big bowl of popcorn and watch movies and read books.
It's time to knit and crochet with warm, woolly yarns.

Well, look at me waxing poetic! Anyhoo, here are some pics of pretty places!

Enjoy and Happy Autumn!

Vintage Halloween Images

I've been a bad Halloween blogger. This is the busy season at work and I just haven't had time to post like I want to. I did have the opportunity to go to Disneyland a few weeks ago and I got some great pictures of the park all decked out in its Halloween gear. Until I can download those images, here are some cute vintage Halloween images. I hope you all are enjoying the season.

Enjoy!

Happy Autumn!

Yay! It's here! Although, here in Southern Nevada it doesn't feel like it. We are normally in the low 90's during the day but, the evenings cool down to about the 70's. But, for some reason it's been climbing up into the 100's again....blah! I'm ready for boots, scarves and sweaters.

One day I will make it back to Massachusetts and take a walk amongst the turning leaves in the woods and feel a crisp wind on my face.

Posted are just some images from the good ol' internet to celebrate the beauty of Autumn.

Halloween at Disneyland

I have a small dream coming true. I'm going to Disneyland in October! Wheee! Disneyland has always been a bit of a dream for me. I went a couple of times when I was a kid, once as an adult on my honeymoon with my first husband, and once with my son when he was about 4 (that was well over 20 years ago). So my memories of it were a bit foggy.

I didn't go back until last June when my husband took me for my 50th birthday. I was a bit resistant to go. I love Disney and Disneyland but, it's expensive and I hate crowds. I've been meaning to go back but, for the last 25 years I've either had the time but no money or I've had the money but no time.

I'm now at an age where I need to start doing all that stuff on my bucket list. So we went in June and had a great time and I've fallen in love with Disney all over again. I've a totally new appreciation for the park and the magic of Disney. Since I didn't have to run around after a small child and worry if he was getting too hot, hungry or tired, I could just appreciated where I was at the moment.

I'm so obsessed with Disney that I've planned to go there in the beginning of October as I've heard that the park goes all out for Halloween. Wow, Disney and Halloween all rolled into one! I can't wait!

Here are some pics I found online of Halloween 2014 at Disneyland.

 If any of you have been to Disneyland during Halloween and have any tips for visiting the park at that time, please let me know. I don't want to miss anything!

Thanks,
Joane at Ivory Pumpkin

A Witchy Fairy Friday

Happy Friday!

Here are some little fairy witches by Paulina Cassidy. Her website is on my sidebar.

Hope you all have a lovely and bewitching weekend!

100 Days of Halloween - Halloween Project Line Up

Now's the time to start getting ready for Halloween projects! For the last year or two I've been wanting to do something with felt and embroidery. I took a gander around Pinterest and here's what I found:

The above picture is kind of what I'm thinking of, something simple and folk-arty. Felt is inexpensive and I've got a bunch of crewel yarns and embroidery floss. I just noticed the buttons on it too! I've got lots of those.

This hat is just too cute! I think making a bunch of them and hanging them from a garland would be cute.

I love this Halloween Tree. I've been meaning to get one for years. I think I'll have to splurge this year. The felt ornaments on the tree seem simple and they are small. It's always good to start small.

If I get brave maybe I can work my way up to this! Not made of felt but, super adorable just the same. 

Do you have any Halloween projects in mind yet?

100 Days of Halloween

If I've counted right, including today, it's 100 days until Halloween! Are you all ready for it? I try to post as much as I can about Halloween during this time but, work seems to get in the way. There are, of course, plenty of crafts that I've been thinking of trying and craft stores are starting to bring out the orange and black so there is no lack of inspiration.

So, once again, here I go, devoting as much time as I can to this wonderful time of year.

Enjoy!

This makes me happy to no end.....

was at Michael's last week and they're getting ready......

I was just giddy when I saw this stuff. I went yesterday as well and there were a few more Halloween items on the shelves. Yay!!!! It's coming!

Tea on Tuesday - A Birthday Tea

Today I'm the big 5-0! I feel so grateful for all that I have - health, a wonderful family, a home, a job (that for the most part is pretty fun), great co-workers, loving pets. I could not ask for more. Please join me for a little cake! Aren't these teapot cakes gorgeous!

Enjoy!
Joane