Vintage Lawn Decorations

 While we were out working in the yard this weekend, I looked around at all the weeds that are never ending, and wondered what other people would really see back here.  These are the things I hope would catch their eye.

 This is a Schwinn bike from the early 1960's.  It is a 3-wheeler with a basket on the back.  It is rusty and old but I love it.  The basket is the perfect place to set a big bunch of flowers.  My favorite vintage gate sits behind it along the fence.  

 My vintage blue Ball Jars need to be cleaned out after this winter.  I have shepherd hooks to hang them from. They will hold candles and light up the yard during summer festivities.  Of course I have plans to get a pack or two of the 100 year Anniversary jars too! 

 Love my little red wagon.  It has been used as a planter, a photo prop and many other things.  The bottom is rusty and dirty but the outside is in wonderful shape.  Cody has big plans to rhino line the inside and then use it to haul stuff when we go fishing...just as long as the outside isn't change, I am okay with that!

 I have this small collection of antique bottles hanging on my fence.  There are a few heavy brown bottles and lots of clear bottles.  I wish I knew everything that these bottles once held.

Rusty horseshoes in all different sizes. 

 An old milking can that we use as a neat little planter.  It definitely needs a new plant to really wake it up!

 Rusty old tin cans.  Again, I wish I knew what these once contained!

And an old galvanized bucket that we use as a planter.  There are those weeds I was talking about.  Why do they take over the whole yard no matter what the weather is doing?  Looks like I have another day of weeding and yard work ahead of me!  Thanks for stopping by and taking a look at my vintage lawn decorations...I hope you didn't even notice the weeds!


Linking up with:
The Dedicated House: Make it Pretty Monday
Coastal Charm: Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Knick of Time: Knick of Time Tuesday
Ivy & Elephants: What's It Wednesday
The Style Sisters: Centerpiece Wednesday
Have a Daily Cup of Mrs Olson: Share Your Cup Thursday
ColoradoLady: Vintage Thingie Thursday
Common Ground: Be Inspired
The Charm of Home: Home Sweet Home
Rooted in Thyme: Simple & Sweet Friday
Homespun Happenings: Rustic Restoration Weekend

A few of my graphic design projects

 You might remember that back at the end of February, I started taking a class at the college I work at called Visual Communications.  It is a graphic design class that I was so excited to take.  It is a higher level class so I was a bit behind some of the students who had taken the lower level classes, but I feel like I have caught on pretty quick and have some of my work to show you.  Our second project was to design a book cover.  I had quite a few ideas, but the whole class loved this one the most---a cookbook!  I love to cook and bake and I always try to find a way to make the recipe a little easier.  I came up with the name (Mostly) Made from Scratch since that is kind of my cooking style.  I wanted it to look vintage because I love anything vintage.  Here is what I came up with: (click on image for larger picture)

So using Adobe Illustrator, I drew the vintage housewife, the kitchen tools and the recipe cards.  I used layers and textures for the backgrounds.  I present this project to the class tomorrow and I can't wait to hear what they have to say.  Seeing this printed has made me so excited.  I am working on starting a blog of the same name to post recipes on.  What better way to write your cookbook by blogging about it first!

Our first project was to design a logo.  I decided to design a logo for my little event planning side business called "This Magic Moment Event Planning".  It is sweet and simple and perfect for my logo.  I can tell I have come a long way in my graphic design abilities.  In the beginning I could draw circles and now I can actually draw faces and other shapes!

The best part of all of this, my manager's supervisor is so impressed with my work, he wants me to take a graphic design class every term!  So not only do I get to take these classes for free and for work purposes, I will get to add graphic designer to my resume now!  The possibilities for me are going in the right direction...up! 

Lunch Lady Brownies

I am a sucker for a good brownie.  As long as it doesn't have nuts, I won't pass it up!  The love of brownies runs in my family...my brother is having a brownie wedding cake instead of an actual wedding cake when he gets married in June.  Our mom is a professional wedding cake decorator and I think this will be a first for her!  We just love brownies and I love to make them.  Whether they are made from a box and doctored up or made from scratch, they are one of my favorite things to make!  If you are an avid Pinterest-er, you have probably seen this recipe for Lunch Lady Brownies.  The story goes that over 5o years ago, a lunch lady in Bonneville, Idaho, created this amazing brownie recipe.  It is so good that it is award winning, people!  Of course I had to try it out to see if it was as good as everyone claims it to be.  They were right, they were SOOO right!

This recipe is from Salt Box House.  I followed the recipe exactly, except for I halved it since it makes a 9 x 13 pan and I didn't want to make that many.  But of course I should have because I ended up making the second half of the batch later in the week.  I am not sure if it is the brownie's chewy middle that is my favorite part or the fudge-like frosting that you absolutely HAVE TO use.  And when the recipe says to frost the brownies while they are still warm-just do it!  It really is what makes the frosting.  I wouldn't be lying if I said I could probably eat a whole (half) batch by myself.  But Lord knows I don't need to!  If you are looking for an amazing brownie recipe that has stood the test of time, this is it!  If you make it and end up eating the whole batch by yourself, don't say I didn't warn you!

 

Lunch Lady Brownies:

1 cup of butter

1/2 cup of cocoa
2 cups of all purpose flour
2 cups of sugar
4 eggs

4 tsp of vanilla 

 

Melt the butter in the microwave and put into my mixing bowl, then add cocoa and mix together until smooth.  Add flour, and sugar. Beat together and then add eggs &vanilla. Mix until combined. Do not over stir.  Pour into greased, floured 9x13 baking pan.  Bake 20-25 minutes @350 F or until done. Check at it at 20 minutes.

Wait only about 10 minutes to frost brownies.

Frost them while they are warm (not hot).

 

The Chocolate Icing Recipe:

To make while the brownies bake

1/4 cup of softened butter

1/4 cup of milk (regular milk is fine)

1/4 cup of cocoa

3 cups of powdered sugar

Dash of Salt

Mix all together and frost as desired.


Linking up with:
The Dedicated House: Make it Pretty Monday
Le Chateaus des Fleurs