Talented Time Travelers in Focus #45

YOU CAN JOIN THIS WEEK'S PARTY—STILL IN PROGRESS—HERE!

But first, let's peek at some of the pretty projects linked to last week's party.

I'm always delighted to see unique and creative ideas shared at Time Travel Thursday. 

 

So when I saw these adorable birdbath cookies—made by Lisa @ THE ENCHANTED OVEN—I knew I had to show them off!  You'll enjoy visiting Lisa to see her entire bird-themed garden party.

And if the thought of biting into one of those lovely cookies isn't temptation enough, how about a big slice of yummy pink lemonade pie—shared by Bren @ B's Bright Corner?

If your looking for a cool, refreshing dessert to serve friends and family over the holiday weekend, this sweet treat might just hit the spot.

While some of us are up to our elbows in bright red cherries, others are enjoying an abundant harvest of another juicy red fruit favorite—strawberries!

A sweet blogging buddy, Maura @ Lilac Lane Cottage, is having a bumper crop year and could use some interesting recipes.  I know you dears would be more than happy to assist!  ; )

Lest you think I'm totally obsessed with food features, I thought I would share a few of my OTHER favorite things—like BIRDS and PHOTOGRAPHY!

This is Charlie—the woodpecker!  He's one of the many beautiful subjects you will find when you visit Elaine and Ken @ K & E Photography.

I say it all the time, but it is OH so TRUE.  There is more talent out in the blogosphere than you and I will ever be able to tap into.

Case in point, Callie @ the blog of Callie Leigh.

She was one of the talented costume design assistants for this beautiful ballet.

I love, love, love porch living! 

I have two of them, as a matter of fact.  One goes across the entire front of the cottage and the other is a little sleeping porch off the master bedroom.

Anita @ CEDAR HILL RANCH loves porches, too.  And she has just completed the cutest redo of hers.  Go check it out!

Have you ever noticed how spring flowers seem to renew our spirits?

Our New England blogging friends—like Deborah Jean @ Deborah Jean's Dandelion House—have suffered through quite a worrisome winter. 

But they're finally experiencing the restorative power of spring. 

It's always special to be able to incoporate family heirlooms into home décor—and even more so, when the piece was created by a family member.

This beautiful 1928 game board was the masterful artwork of the grandfather of Debbie @ Love THE DECOR.

Although not created to be family heirlooms, these sweet little peat pots are works of art, nonetheless!

Happily, Becky @ JUNK to JOY not only created these lovelies, but she sells them in her shop.

You know how much I love to introduce newbies to all of you—my seasoned bloggy friends.

Well, meet Lisa (on the left) @ So, This is my life—with a group of her gal pals.

Be sure to stop by her place, and say, "Hi!"

What would we do without our name brand knockoffs? 

It's what makes the blogging world go 'round and 'round.  ; )

So...for a great tutorial on some really cute Ballard Designs hacks, visit Melody @ Crafty Butt.

 Now, what pretty projects and tasty treats are you tempting us with this week?

Time Travel Thursday #46 - All work and no play...

Welcome to the 46th Time Travel Thursday linky party at the Brambleberry Cottage!

Are you ready to do some traveling? Great; 'cause time never stands still!

I've been picking, stemming, washing, pitting, and freezing cherries, off and on for a week now!

And I have to admit, what started out as a fun endeavor has now turned to WORK!!!

ALL WORK and NO PLAY makes Liz a very unhappy girl!

So...

I just decided to play with my food for a couple of hours this afternoon.  ; )

My pretty white vintage basket—full of bright red cherries—looks rather quaint sitting cheerfully atop the old milking stool by the barn.

A charming 1930s china bowl makes the perfect vessel to display these delicate dainties.

And at the end of a very busy day, a refreshing cool drink makes all that effort worthwhile!

Now that I've had a few hours to play, it will be easier to get back to work and finish the task at hand.

I guess spending a week working out in the heat wasn't all that bad

'cause...

Linking to Rebekah and Bridgette's for Anything Related, Mary's for Ruby Tuesday, Diane's for 2nd Time Around Tuesday, Susan's for Outdoor Wednesday, Mary's for Share the Love Wednesday, Sue's for Rednesday, Suzanne's for Vintage Thingie Thursday, Tracie's for Cottage Flora Thursdays, Cindy's for Show and Tell Friday, Deborah Jean's/Amy's for Farmgirl and Farm Friend Friday, Tricia's for Photo Feature Friday, Debra's for Vintage Inspiration Friday, and Amy for Homestead Revival.

IF YOU LINK TO THE PARTY, PLEASE BE SURE TO LINK BACK TO THE BRAMBLEBERRY COTTAGE ON YOUR BLOG.

Talented Time Travelers in Focus #44

YOU CAN JOIN THIS WEEK'S PARTY—STILL IN PROGRESS—HERE!

But first, let's recap some of the creative projects linked to last week's party.

Janina @ Janina a la Maison is slowly transforming her "woman cave" into a sweet little spot that would make any Francophile smile.

The fabulous project redo—shown above—is one of the focal points for that space.  Visit Janina to find out how she created the lovely design on it, as well as, the cute craft on top of it.

When I saw the link for this project, by Brittany & Grant @ live your life, I was reminded of the years the Yankee and I spent deconstructing barns, old houses, buildings, etc. to repurpose the vintage wood and architectural elements.

You just cannot reproduce the timeworn character that old wood infuses into a piece.  Just take a peek at the great looking table above—constructed by Grant from old barn wood—to see what I mean.

Do you like secrets?  Here's a better question.  Can you keep a secret?

Well, there's a special one pertaining to this lovely antique buffet, and I think you'll find the details surrounding the secret rather interesting, too.

You can get all the juicy details when you visit Shannon @ Cozy Home Scenes.

I love all things wedding related—the elegant gowns, the themed decorations, the beautiful  flowers, the  unique venues...the utter romance of it all!

So , if you're like me, you'll want to be a part of Stephanie's Wedding Blog Party taking place June 10th.

Visit Stephanie @ Angelic Accents for all the details!

It's always fun to meet new people, and all the more so, when they 're from a different land and culture.  That has become one of the most interesting aspects of blogging for me—being able to meet people from all over the world.

I was recently introduced to another foreign blogging friend, Martinia @ CERAMICA CHE PASSIONE!. 

If you have an appreciation for hand painted ceramics, you will love her work!

The beautiful piece above is one of Martinia's creations.


As you can see, there was a lot of talent linked to the party last week.  So what ya got cookin' this week? 

Time Travel Thursday #45 - A Cherry Disposition

Welcome to the 45th Time Travel Thursday linky party at the Brambleberry Cottage!

Are you ready to do some traveling? Great; 'cause time never stands still!

I've been eagerly awaiting this very special time of year at the cottage—the beginning of harvest season.

Though we grow a variety of delectable apples, blackberries, peaches, pears, and plums, it will be months still before we get to savor the fruit of all that labor.  ; )

CHERRY BLOSSOMS—1st WEEK OF APRIL

But...

this IS the time of year when the cherries start to ripen and can be carefully plucked from the thin wooden branches.

EARLY CHERRIES—3RD WEEK OF APRIL

It's a delightful experience to observe all the amazing changes each of the fruit varieties go through, during their awe-inspiring transformations. 

But since we're talking about my cheery cherries, let me show you what they look like in transition.

EARLY CHERRIES—3RD WEEK OF APRIL

Unfortunately, I'm not the only one who carefully watches their metamorphosis and eagerly awaits their ripening.

By the time the young cherries begin to appear, scores of little feathered thieves start taking up temporary residence, hiding in neighboring trees.

CHERRIES BEGINNING THE RIPENING PROCESS—1ST WEEK OF MAY

A WEEK LATER

Once the cherries reach the point where red is the predominant color, the songs, chats, and calls of these cunning creatures reach an almost fevered pitch.

Are they gleefully announcing to the world that dessert will soon be served?

SEVERAL DAYS LATER—AFTER A RAIN

After days of rain, these lucious little blushing bobs have been thoroughly cleansed and are quite ready to be gently picked from their perches.

Today

The old weathered-wood ladder is in place and my extra large vintage colander is now ready to be filled to the brim with delicious, cheery, red orbs.

VINTAGE COLANDER

Tomorrow will be the first sunny day we've had in days, and I will be up at dawn's first light, in order to beat the birdies to the goods—so I can do this...

and this...

I only hope there are no feathered fiends working the night shift tonight!  ; )

Linking to Susan's for Metamorphosis Monday, Mary's for Ruby Tuesday, Susan's for Outdoor Wednesday, Mary's for Share the Love Wednesday, Sue's for Rednesday, Suzanne's for Vintage Thingie Thursday, Tracie's for Cottage Flora Thursdays, Cindy's for Show and Tell Friday, Deborah Jean's/Amy's for Farmgirl and Farm Friend Friday, Tricia's for Photo Feature Friday, and Amy for Homestead Revival.

IF YOU LINK TO THE PARTY, PLEASE BE SURE TO LINK BACK TO THE BRAMBLEBERRY COTTAGE ON YOUR BLOG.

Talented Time Travelers in Focus #43

YOU CAN JOIN THIS WEEK'S PARTY—STILL IN PROGRESS—HERE!

But let's also take a peek at some of the pretties linked by the participants of last week's party.

Nita @ Mod Vintage Life was among the group of early participants of my party, when I started it last year.

I've thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Nita, through her beautiful blog, and have followed along as she has transformed her home into her very own personal shabby-glam haven.

And while I could feature any of a number of things associated with the room above, this is what I have chosen to show you.

When Nita linked this lovely tissue paper bouquet to the party last week, I instantly thought of all the wonderfully decorative uses for one—showers, weddings, birthday parties, spring luncheons, etc.

She's promised to do a tutorial soon.  So be sure to keep checking in with her.

One of the sweetest bloggers I know, Adrienne @ La Vie Quotidienne, also has one of the most charming homes.

Adrienne has filled her dwelling with all things French cottage cozy.  Many of the items, she has made or refinished herself—like the fabulous chalkboard above.

I love the outdoors—you've noticed from all my outdoorsy posts, no doubt!

And I especially like creative uses of vintage items mingled into the mix—like this wonderful old windmill blade, in the garden of Laurmela @ Laurmelas House.

Be sure to enlarge the pic, to see the garden critter sunning itself  ; )

Here's a really cute gift idea offered up by Katie @ Ohh Baby designs.

She wanted something other than just your typical run-of-the-mill bridal shower gift for her sister.  I think this adorable garden bench of potted herbs was a terrific solution!

Go visit Katie to see how the pots can be reused and changed out at whim.

There's something really mesmerizing about the gentle sways of a windsock on a windy day.

Laurie @ Butterscotch Caramel had the "sweet" idea to create one—using items she had around the house. 

Don't you love the look of all those lovely laces whirling in the wind?

Well that's a wrap for the special features from last week's party.  But in truth, you should all be featured, 'cause you're all SPECIAL to me.  ; )

Time Travel Thursday #44 - After the Rain

Welcome to the 44th Time Travel Thursday linky party at the Brambleberry Cottage!

Are you ready to do some traveling? Great; 'cause time never stands still!

Have you ever taken the time to contemplate the miracle of rain—

its many wondrous functions?

It cleanses and refreshes the earth.

It encourages and nourishes new growth.

Without it, it would be impossible to create all the extraordinary beauty we experience in nature.

I love wandering the grounds around Brambleberry Cottage after a rain—in quiet contemplation.

It refreshes and encourages me and nourishes my soul.  ; )

Linking to Susan's for Outdoor Wednesday, Mary's for Share the Love Wednesday, Tracie's for Cottage Flora Thursdays, Cindy's for Show and Tell Friday, Deborah Jean's/Amy's for Farmgirl and Farm Friend Friday, Tricia's for Photo Feature Friday, Beverly's for Pink Saturday and Amy for Homestead Revival.

IF YOU LINK TO THE PARTY, PLEASE BE SURE TO LINK BACK TO THE BRAMBLEBERRY COTTAGE ON YOUR BLOG.