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A Quick Review of this Week at Maisonvogue

9/21/2017

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A Quick Review of this Week at Maisonvogue 

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Just a quick 'hello' ....I have been so busy and not much time to blog ..but I will make up for it in the coming weeks as our Son's are coming over from my British Island home of Guernsey for 3 weeks glorious vacation  ...They will be here this afternoon and are at this very moment flying over from London to come and visit us .
We haven't seen each other , well touched each other for over 2 years ....We see each other most days on FaceTime ...I am so grateful to FaceTime.
It is 5 years since they have been to visit us in Alabama 
They have been traveling to wonderful places all over the World 
They have been here many, many times over the last 20 years 
I am so EXCITED I could burst.


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I bought two items home from Pottery this week
Here is my bird that I showed you the other week 
Now it is glazed ...I used an unusual glaze that bubbles up in the Kiln and leaves places of the clay peeking through.
It is going to be put on the new fence out in the garden ...to make us smile when we see it 
Danny will put it on today ..I will photograph it when it is ready.
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The boys are coming to my Pottery Class on Wednesday ...we will have so much fun .
They are also going to make lunch for everyone of a very old traditional Guernsey dish called Bean Jar


Guernsey Bean Jar

SERVES: 12


Ingredients450 g (1 lb) butter/lima beans
450 g (1 lb) haricot/navy beans
4 tablespoons oil
2 large onions – diced
4 carrots – diced
700 g (1½ lb) ham hock or leg of pork on bone (or shin of beef)
3 – 4 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Water for rinsing and to cover beans

Making your Bean Jar use dried beans in a slow cooker they must be properly soaked and cooked. Most beans contain varying amounts of a toxin known as kidney bean lectin, red kidney beans having the most. Throwing away the soaking and rinsing water gets rid of leached toxins and boiling the beans for at least 10 minutes with fresh water makes them safe to be added to the slow cooker where they need to be cooked on high setting for the first hour. It’s better to add salt near the end of the cooking time, as salt tends to toughen the bean skins.
  • Soak beans for at least 5 hours – preferably overnight.
  • Drain out the water.
  • Rinse and boil beans in fresh water for 10 minutes.
  • Drain the beans and drain out the cooking water.
  • Spray inside the slow cooker pot with non stick cooking spray or lightly grease.
  • In a large frying pan, gentle sautée onions until soft – about 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Transfer the softened onions into the slow ccoker pot.
  • Set slow cooker on high.
  • Add carrots and stir.
  • Add beans to the slow cooker and push meat in amongst the beans.
  • Tuck bay leaves around the meat.
  • Season with pepper.
  • Add boiling water until it covers 
  • Replace lid and cook on high for 1 hour 
  • Turn slow cooker to low and cook for a minimum of 10 hours. Bean Jar can be cooked for up to 24 hours, I usually cook mine for 16 hours.
  • Do not disturb for at least 3 hours.
  • You may need to check the water level.
  • Season with salt and remove the meat bone from the slow cooker.



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My beloved Spider Lilies are in full bloom ...I have lots all around the garden but intend to buy more bulbs for next year and splitting the plants I have as they create lots of new bulbs and all of the flowers I have came from just 2 original bulbs ....They are such a happy color as Fall approaches.
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As you can see I had an accident ...OOPPS !!  
Ha! ha! I can laugh about it now but I didn't at the time.
I made this beautiful Chocolate Pie ...full of chocolate, eggs and heavy cream ...no good for you at all 
But it was to be a treat for all of us when the boys arrive
I made it ..baked it and then it had to go in the fridge to set 
That was the problem ...I was lifting it up to put on the shelf and my injured arm just didn't co-operate
It lost all of it's strength and just gave way
This photo was taken after I had cleaned up the floor ...it was smothered in hot chocolate pie ...such a mess ...I took me ages to clean it up 
The splashes went all over the kitchen on the cabinet doors, laundry room doors-ME !! 
I had to remove the grid at the bottom of the fridge 
And it took 1 hour 10 mins to finally clean it ...
I do have another Chocolate Cracked pie in the freezer that I made several weeks ago 
I am not going to remake this pie and if I do I will make it when I know Danny is home and can put it on the shelf for me.
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This tray I made came out as I intended ...I had fun making the ladybugs and the flowers ...it was fun to glaze ...I underglaze it on the flowers and Ladybugs then covered them with wax so the glaze I poured over it would not stick to them ...I love this glaze you never know how it will turn out 
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Elsie wanted to say 'Hello' ...I just love this scarecrow's face ..it wouldn't scare me .
I have put her in a big flower pot overlooking the front garden and driveway 
With Pot Mums in front of her ...again I will post the photograph when we go out and cut the lawns today.
It's going to be a hot day again in Alabama today at around 90f/32c

Thanks for popping by 

I hope your week was more exciting than mine

But now I have 3 weeks of joy and laugher

Happy Days to you all 

Kindest Regards

Janet

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4 Comments

Dreaming of our Vacation where we will be in a few weeks time in the Beautiful Smoky Mountains

9/16/2017

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Dreaming of our Vacation where we will be in a few weeks time in the Beautiful Smoky Mountains

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In just a few weeks we are lucky enough to be visiting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park ...
We have been many times before and just love it 
Here are some photo's of our visit in May 2014 
Spring time but this time it will be Fall time ...both great times to visit.
I will let the photo's talk 
I hope you enjoy it 

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A most do visit is in Brevard ....you will find a colony of pure white Squirrels ....so beautiful and easy to spot ....Some times they come along by the car but this time they were too busy looking for food in the grass.
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Elk was reintroduced to the Smoky Mountains in 2002 ...they are thriving and there are lots of them to be seen.
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Our most favorite place to be ...Cataloochee Valley ...far away from the maddening crowd ...nature in it's raw ....can't wait to be back there.
By late afternoon this pasture will be filled with Elk ...the Bellowing of the bulls echo's through out the mountains ..filling your soul

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Gorgeous hiking tails ....this one is an easy one and takes you to 'Woody's Place'
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We met a little friend on our way ..it just came out from under a rock ...I have no idea what kind it is ...but we treated it with respect and just let it go on it's way ...
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These brilliant primitive bridges made by the Park Rangers adds a certain charm to the hike ..this is your's truly crossing over the creek.
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We always take a picnic and when we reach 'Woody's Place' we eat it on the picnic table on the back porch listening to the singing of nature every where ...there is no other place I would rather be.
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We found a Hornet's nest on the porch of the house and this beautiful Elk came to say 'hello' whilst we were walking.
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This primitive church has an old piano in it ....
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We stay in the Pisgah Inn on the top of the Blue Ridge Parkway ..and will do again this time ..with this morning view from your bedroom balcony where else would you want to stay .
​www.pisgahinn.com
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Here is the lodge ...with the Smoky Mountains as far as the eye can see .
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Several mornings we were treated by this frosty view ...as the trees are filled with morning frost ...a beautiful sight.

Thanks so much for dropping by 

I hope you enjoyed my little trip in the Smoky Mountains

I promise to take lots of photo's when we visit it in the next few weeks 

Have a happy day

Kindest regards

Janet 

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September 09th, 2017

9/9/2017

2 Comments

 

Pottery & In The Garden at Maisonvogue

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At last I am pleased to show you my Bee bowl that I made at Pottery.
Do you remember the scary glaze wash ..that looked like it had been in the fire.
Who could have imagined that it would turn out this lovely 'milky coffee' color.
I just LOVE it ...Love how the Bee turned out as well.
I love the shape of the bowl ..
So very pleased 
Do you love it too ??
So unique and a one of a kind 
Made by me ...he! he! 

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I love all the detail I put on it ..
When I started pottery I never dreamt I would be bringing home so many unique treasures.
I have used the pottery's wheel but with my injury to my arm I think I am more of a 'Hand Build' potter

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I also bought home my sweet 'Spent Tea bag holder' in the shape of a teacup ...I just loved making it ..I put some flowers on it ...I am very pleased with it.
A little of the glaze flowed in to the 'E' on the word 'TEA' but I love the glaze and I think I made the back of it just as pretty as the front 
Super pleased with the glaze ..it's called ' Textured Leopard'
I could make some more and they would make lovely little gifts for tea loving friends and family.
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The early morning sun on my Limelight Hydrangea bush ;
Below is an older bloom and it has turned in to the Limelight color.
They are at first this lovely bright off white.
I love to pick them and dry them to use in arrangements around the house.

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I had no idea what to do at pottery this week ...then I thought I would make a quirky mushroom/toadstool for my precious garden ...so here it is.
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I enjoyed carving this Daisy flower.
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The flower is a little 3D
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I love detail so I put these flowers and leaves on the chunky stem of the mushroom.
If it turns out great I will make a larger one and put a ladybug on it.
I can't wait to put a great colored glaze on it to make it stand out in the garden.
Saying "Look at Me !! Look at ME !!'

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Danny put up this single panel of fencing for me..in my bird watching corner ...I wanted privacy whilst sitting on my bench ...and I have tried and tried to grow a tree, bushes etc ..but there are too many roots in the soil ..so we put up this fence instead.
I and going to make some bird houses in my pottery classes to hang from the Japanese Maple 
And I have made a bird to hang from the fence ...I am waiting for it to be put in the Kiln ..then I will glaze it in bright colors and once more back in the Kiln and I can bring it home.
I hope that it works out really well.
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Here is the back of it and the side that people will see when passing along the road.
I want to keep it looking pretty and I intend to make bird houses at pottery to hang from it.
To make passer by's smile.

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As you can see it looks nice and cosy and if it's a windy day I may be able to sit out there longer 'bird watching' as now I have a 'wind breaker'.
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My Japonica bush is very beautiful this year it was filled with white flowers in the Spring and a large swarm of Honey Bees were buzzing around it for weeks and weeks and now I have lovely pink berries on it.
The Morning Glories under our Bradford Pear tree seem very happy and has decided to decorate the tree ...it makes me smile ..
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It has been a very busy weeks at Maisonvogue.
We are expecting our Son's to come over for a vacation with us from Guernsey, Uk ...where I am from and where they live ..just 2 weeks to go ..I can't wait ..
So I have been 'nesting' ..we have not been together for 2 years 2 months ..they are here for 3 weeks, we are going to take a road trip to North Carolina, Blue Ridge Mountains ...for about a week and hope to see some Black Bears and lots more wildlife ..I just am so excited I could burst !!
Ryan and Wayne want to come to pottery classes with me.
So they will come to meet some of my beloved friends.
They are going to make a lovely Guernsey themed lunch for everyone to enjoy ..we will go mid morning so they meet the morning class, have lunch with some of them and then we will stay till mid afternoon so they can meet my friends from the afternoon class.
Thanks so much for popping by and spending some of your precious time with me.
I am working on a bathroom cabinet, painting it  and will show you the results in my next blog

Happy days to you all 
Have a wonderful weekend 

Kindest regards 

​Janet 
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    I love anything artsy I especially love sewing and vintage prints and shabby chic ...pretty feminine things to adorn the home
    That is why I decided to create Maisonvogue 

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