BlueTeaful Tea Cup and Saucer Find

Anyone who knows me knows I very much prefer a cold and drizzly day over bright sunshine.  For the most part, I'm not looking forward to spring or summer.  One of the few redeeming things about the warm weather, though, is the abundance of yard sales and estate sales that take place!

I've hit our Salvation Army twice this week and yesterday I stopped in at an antique store that was going out of business.  I'll show off my Salvation Army finds over the next few weeks as they're mostly some really cute Easter decorations (I've been inspired lately by Debbie at Debbie-Dabble and her amazing holiday decorating).  Today I want to show you what I found at the antique shop.

This pretty blue cup and saucer was made by Norcrest and features neat opalescent paint and this unique 3-D beaded design on the flowers.  I just had to grab it as I'd not seen anything like it and really fell in love.

I've been sick all weekend and have not felt like baking, so I went the easy route and grabbed these mini scones from Albertsons.  I love these and they always make me think of Princess Catherine since I munched on them through the night while I was watching the Royal Wedding a couple years ago.

I couldn't find much info about the Norcrest brand or age of this set but I did find some interesting info on the guy who owned Norcrest.  Bill Naito was born in Portland, Oregon to Japanese immigrants.  His family owned an import business, incorporated as Norcrest China Company in 1958.  Naito did a lot of good for the community of Portland.  You can read more about him in this Wikipedia article.

What I thought was especially neat about him, though, was that he founded the Made In Oregon company.  For years, one of the identifying landmarks of downtown Portland was the Made In Oregon sign.

In 2010, ownership of the sign transferred to the city of Portland and now it looks like this:

I snapped that picture while we were driving through Portland last weekend on our way to Michael's piano recital in Corvallis.  At the time, I knew nothing of this history.  Neat, huh?

Happy Monday!

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Linking with:

Inspire Me Monday @ Create With Joy
Modest Monday @ The Modest Mom
Masterpiece Monday @ BoogieBoard Cottage 
Mondays with Countrified Hicks
Blue Monday@Smiling Sally
Manic Monday @ Cupcake-n-Bake
Tea Time Tuesday @ Rose Chintz Cottage
Tea Cup Tuesday @ Artful Affirmations  
Friends Sharing Tea @ Bernideen's Tea Time Blog
Tuesday Cuppa Tea @ Antiques & Teacups 
Teacup Tuesday @ Martha's Favorites
Tabletop Tuesday @ A Stroll Through Life
A Return to Loveliness @ A Delightsome Life
Cottage Style Party @ Lavender Garden Cottage 
Tending the Home Tuesday
The Bliss Project Linkup @ Grace-Full Intentions
Whole-Hearted Home Wednesdays 
Encourage One Another @ Deep Roots at Home
A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Homemaking Link Up @ Raising Homemakers
Home @ Rose Chintz Cottage  
Inspire Me Wednesday @ MamaBuzz
What's It Wednesday @ Ivy and Elephants 
Sheltering Linkup @ A Sheltering Tree
Shoe Lace Linkup @ Living In the Shoe
Thursday Favorite Things @ Katherine's Corner
Strut Your Stuff Thursday @ Somewhat Simple
Pearls and Lace Thursday @ Faith, Grace and Crafts
Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home 
Open House @ Bernideen's Tea Time Blog 
Share Your Cup Thursday @ Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson
Thoughtful Thursday @ Found the Marbles
Thrifty Things Friday @ The Thrifty Groove
Inspiration Friday @ Dear Creatives
Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home
Friday Free For All @ Young & Crafty
Family Fun Friday @ Moms and Munchkins 
Family Fun Friday @ Happy and Blessed Home
Farm Girl Friday @ Let This Mind Be In You
Show and Tell Saturday @ Be Different, Act Normal
Or So She Says...
Show and Tell Saturday @ Sassy Little Lady 
Saturday Nite Special @ Funky Junk Interiors
Finding the Pretty & Delicious @ Your Homebased Mom
30 Min. Linkup @ 30 Days
Sharing Creative Ideas @ Made By Joey    

Secrets Over Sweet Tea by Denise Hildreth Jones Book Review

From the Publisher: "Secrets over Sweet Tea follows the lives of a boisterous pastor’s wife, a polished news anchor, and a beleaguered divorce attorney as they intersect on the tree-lined streets of Franklin, Tennessee, when scandal threatens to topple their carefully constructed worlds. Jones touches on delicate social issues, such as infidelity, gossip, rape, and divorce, yet keeps her novel light with the Southern humor and charm she is known for to balance the novel’s message."

I stopped reading the book very early into it.  I am uncomfortable reading about other people’s sex lives and the first bedroom scene in this book made me feel uncomfortable.  

One of the reasons why I avoid secular fiction, in favor of Christian fiction, is that I don’t want to read about the sexual encounters of others.  This book actually contained a couple of sexual references regarding the preacher’s wife right from the get-go and that turned me off.  Some things should be left sacred and, in my opinion, writing about the sacred act of making love somehow demeans it.  I understand that this is one of the new “big things” in Christian literature---to take what secular authors have smeared and try to make it holy.  However, I wonder if Christian authors consider that they’re not just writing for happily married people.  

What about the single woman who reads this scene and inserts the face of someone she knows into the imagined scene?  That’s commiting adultery in one’s heart.  What about the unhappily married woman who uses this scene to draw comparisons to her own husband and lacking sex life?  

I understand that it is very likely the author used these scenes and descriptions to set the stage for the bigger story her book was trying to tell.  It's very possible that I am just not meant to be ministered to by this book at this time.

I am disappointed that I was not able to read the book as the description was attractive.  However, I’m not willing to let someone else’s lovemaking scene, even if it contains fictional characters, run through my mind and distort what is going on in my real life marriage.

Visit Denise Hildreth Jones at Reclaiming Hearts.

I received a free copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers to review.  All opinions are honest and are my own.

When Irish (Buck) Eyes are Smilin' {Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls}

It's almost time for my favorite holiday, St. Patrick's Day!  A couple weeks ago, I showed you how to make my yummy Chocolate Vanilla-Mint Fudge. Today I'm showing off Irish Buckeyes!

Like the fudge, this one is super easy too!  See this pretty green sherbet cup?  My mom used to serve my brother and I Jell-O and pudding in these.  I love green and pink Depression glass!

Feel free to pin it so you'll have the recipe handy when you're ready to try it out.

Irish Buckeyes

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

3 tablespoons butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1 bag white chocolate chips

green food coloring

(mini chocolate chips are optional)

Mix the peanut butter and butter until creamy, then mix in the powdered sugar and vanilla. You can also add mini chocolate chips here too, if you've got to have that chocolate fix!  Roll into balls and place on a sheet covered with wax paper.  Melt white chips and stir in desired amount of food coloring.  Using a toothpick, dip balls in melted mixture and let harden on wax paper.  You can use almond bark for this too, if you'd like, but something funky always happens to my almond bark when I add food coloring and they just don't turn out as nice. 

Thanks to Lisa Lynn at The Self-Sufficient HomeAcre for featuring this recipe!

Thanks, also, to Renea at Cupcake-n-Bake for the feature!

A Titanic Tea Party with Homeschool Lesson Plan Ideas

One of my favorite things about homeschooling is that we have all the time in the world to do fun things at the drop of a hat.

We're all history buffs around here so I try and find creative ways to fit a history lesson into whatever other things we're working on.  I love to incorporate historical facts with Bible truths for fun devotionals for my kids.

A few days ago, we had a Titanic Tea Party.  I made them an invitation and had them dress up in their fanciest costumes.  They all came upstairs and sat around the tea table and I handed them each a character card. 

 I put a picture of an actual Titanic passenger on one side and a short biography on the other.

Avalon was the nurse and stewardess, Violet Jessop.  Lynzie got her all fixed up in her nurse's apron and cap.  By the way, Avalon will be 4 this Friday, March 1st!

Selah portrayed Mrs. Sylvia Caldwell, a missionary who claimed to have heard a crew member say, "God himself could not sink this ship", upon boarding the Titanic.

Elisha was American businessman, Benjamin Guggenheim.  We all agreed that Guggenheim acted most heroically by refusing to take a place on the ship that could be given to a woman.  He went down bravely and in his best clothing.

Michael was Captain Smith.  While the Captain made some bad choices that might have led to the Titanic's demise, he ultimately did the right thing by staying with his ship and taking responsibility for the disaster.

Cainan thought it was pretty awesome to be John Jacob Astor, the richest man in the world at the time---until he found out that Astor, like the other men at the table, did not survive the sinking.

Lynzie had studied the Titanic's history previously so she was familiar with her favorite character, the "unsinkable" Molly Brown and her bravery in trying to convince those on her lifeboat to go back and look for survivors.  Isn't her dress perfect for the occasion?  We found it at a yard sale last summer---love it!

They took turns "introducing themselves" and then I gave a lesson linking up the prominent passengers' actions or attitudes with Biblical truths.  It was a lot of fun and I think it got them thinking about issues like pride, duty, and priorities.

We used this set of Abingdon china that my mom gave me.  I believe it was put out in the 1960s.  

We love to use it for Lynzie's birthday tea parties, as well as whenever we have special guests.  I figured the Titanic passengers would enjoy a little "Grape Kool-Aid Tea" and banana bread.

It was a great party and a fun learning experience.  See the pretty doily under the bread plate?  Elisha made that for me last weekend.  I love it!


Thanks to the girls at NextGen Homeschool for featuring this post

This post was also published in The Christian Home magazine, Issue #118.

I hope you'll join me for this week's Homemaking Linkup.  I love to feature some of the neat posts that are linked up so please make sure and put my button or a text link on your blog so you'll be eligible to be featured!




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Here are a couple of my favorites from last week's linkup:

Melody at Countrified Hicks shared her easy recipe for Pumpkin Muffins using a Spice Cake mix.  I can't wait to try it out!

This article on The Benefits of Fresh Air got me craving a brisk walk outside!  Visit Healthy Body Equals Healthy Mind for inspiration. 

Thanks to everyone for the great posts!  

Now for the linkup.  Please remember to return the favor by adding my button or a text link to your post.  Have a great weekend!



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Teach Us to Number Our Days

"Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about it's own things.  Sufficient for the day is it's own trouble."  ~Matthew 6:34

This morning I woke up, stretched, and did what hundreds of thousands of other Americans also did this morning...

Checked the IRS website for my tax refund.

With sleepy eyes and arthritic fingers I clumsily Googled search terms like:

• Where's my 2013 refund?
• What day does IRS direct deposit refunds?
• What time of day does IRS direct deposit refunds?
• Why do I not have my 2013 direct deposited refund yet?

Let me stop right here and acknowledge my mother who is thinking, "Sarah, you just need to be patient.  God will work it out and everything happens for a reason.  It will come when it's supposed to come."

But I've got things that need taken care of!  Oh, and by the way, I need them taken care of now.

"To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under Heaven." ~Ecclesiastes 3:1  (There's another shout-out to Mom...Beatles' #1 fan!)

Isn't that the way we all think at times?  How quickly we forget that no matter how much money we have in the bank---or supposedly on it's way to the bank---God is still, and always will be, our provider.

Instead of counting the days, I need to make the days count.

It's not just the anticipation of tax refunds that cause me to pace the floor and foam at the mouth.  I am an equal-opportunity worrier.  In addition to my lack of patience in this area, let me point out some other things that I don't like waiting on:

• My husband's job applications to be reviewed and employers to call
• The final days of a pregnancy that seems will never end
• The beginning of a pregnancy that seems will never come
• My kids to go to bed so I can do something alone

Did I just write that last one?  Yep...I'm nothing if not real.

Wow! What time is being wasted!
So much interaction that's not really happening.
So many distracted responses that have no meaning.
So little engaging.
So much missed.

"So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."  ~Psalm 90:12

This article was published in Issue #103 of The Christian Home Magazine.

  Hope In Every Season is on Facebook!  If you like what you've read here, please follow me and keep up with the latest posts.

Linking with:

Thursday Favorite Things @ Katherine's Corner
Strut Your Stuff Thursday @ Somewhat Simple
Legacy Leaver Thursday @ Leaving a Legacy
Thriving Thursday @ Serving Joyfully
Desire to Inspire @ A Royal Daughter
Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home
Open House @ Bernideen's
Thoughtful Thursday @ Found the Marbles
Essential Friday @ Essential Things Devotions 
Show and Tell Saturday @ Be Different, Act Normal
Or So She Says...
Show and Tell Saturday @ Sassy Little Lady 
Modest Monday @ The Modest Mom
Teach Me Tuesday @ Growing Home
Courtship Connection
Women Helping Women @ Teaching What Is Good 
Domestically Divine @ Far Above Rubies
(Titus 2)s Days @ Time Warp Wife
Tending the Home Tuesday
The Bliss Project Linkup @ Grace-Full Intentions
Wisdom Wednesdays @Simply Helping Him
Winsome Wednesday @ My Daily Walk in His Grace
Whole-Hearted Home Wednesdays 
Encourage One Another @ Deep Roots at Home
A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Homemaking Link Up @ Raising Homemakers

Chocolate Vanilla-Mint Fudge for St. Patrick's Day

You might be surprised to know that St. Patrick's Day is my very favorite holiday!  There's no one big reason why, in fact I'm not really sure myself.  I have happy memories of the St. Patrick's Day festivities in my hometown and I love all things Celtic---maybe I just love having another excuse to make treats.  Ha!

I've been writing a series called Great Grandma's Kitchen where I feature recipes that I've found in the big box of cookbooks and recipes that once belonged to my great-grandma and great-great grandma.  They're treasures for sure!

Recently, I was looking through a recipe box, trying to find something chocolatey to show off, and I came across several versions of the same recipe.  Most everyone is familiar with "Magic Fudge"---the kind where you just mix up chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk---melt it, chill it and eat it!  Well, according to grandma's recipe box, this one has been circulating for awhile under a couple of other assumed names!

This Nestle® version from 1957 is called, Safety Fudge, and involves melting the chocolate chips over hot water (double boiler method) to make it "safe" for children to make.  The tag line invites moms to "let junior chefs make it" and suggests adding peanut butter, nuts, raisins, Nescafe®, or gumdrops.  Gumdrops?  Well...maybe.

A little later version is called 12- Minute Magic French Fudge and was put out by Eagle® Brand.  What makes this one "French" is beyond me, but maybe they were playing to a '60s fad.

Here's my version.  Maybe someday my great granddaughter will be sharing it with her friends!

Chocolate Vanilla-Mint Fudge

2 c. chocolate chips

2 c. white chocolate chips

14 oz. sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp. peppermint extract

green food coloring

Line the bottom of a square pan with wax paper (I used an 8 inch pan) and set aside.  Place the chocolate chips and half the can of sweetened condensed milk in a bowl and microwave/stir until smooth.  Pour into the pan and spread evenly.  Place the white chocolate chips and the rest of the milk into a bowl and microwave/stir until smooth.  Add peppermint and food coloring, stir well, spread evenly over chocolate fudge.  Use a knife to swirl parts of the two fudges together for a pretty design.  Refrigerate until firm then place on the counter until it reaches room temperature.  Run a knife around the edges of the pan and turn the fudge out onto a cutting board.  Remove the wax paper and cut into squares.

Linking with:

Happy Homemaker Monday

The Art of Homemaking
No Place Like Home

Inspiration Monday @ Your Homebased Mom

Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Motivate Me Monday 

Modest Monday @ The Modest Mom 

Living Proverbs 31

Inspire Me Monday @ Create With Joy 

A Round Tuit @ Creating My Way to Success 

Making Your Home Sing Monday
Make It Pretty Monday
Our Home of Many Blessings

Origami Owl Giveaway

I'm happy to introduce Patricia from A Taste of Something Unimaginable, who is teaming up with Origami Owl, to bring my readers a great giveaway!

Here's what Patricia has to say about her experience with Origami Owl:

A Giveaway Event Brought to you By

A Taste of Something Unimaginable

and Owlcharmyou.origamiowl.com

Welcome to the Owl Charm You giveaway event. For a while now Origami Owl has been making amazing necklaces that are built to tell a story. Completely personalized to describe your life. I had seen pictures of these necklaces floating around on Facebook, but I did not know just how many charms there are to choose from. It took me forever to go through all the charms because I just couldn't decide on one! There were so many cute charms that could have described something about me. Once you actually receive the necklace you open the adorable box and you actually put the necklace together yourself. I was worried about this at first but it is actually really easy and fun.

The independent designer who worked with us for this giveaway event was Leslie Rhoads, and you can purchase your own living locket from her website http://owlcharmyou.origamiowl.com!

Now on to the good stuff. One lucky winner will receive a gift card to make their own Origami Owl necklace! I know you all are as excited as I am about Origami Owl. 

You can win it from the rafflecopter below.


a Rafflecopter giveaway