Cheers To Good Health

I'm gearing up for some big changes 

(I will share the news next week!), 

and instead of stressin out and going straight for

a bag handful of chocolate chips

or 

a bottle large glass of wine,

I'm turning to fruit smoothies!

Yeah for me!

My husband usually makes the smoothies in our household

(the kiddos prefer his concoctions over mine!),

but I couldn't wait for him to get home from work 

so I just experimented, and both myself and

the kids thought this combo was 

delish!

Ingredients:

2 bananas

1/4 cup frozen raspberries

1/4 cup frozen blackberries

1 cup fresh strawberries

1/4 cup Honey Vanilla Greek Yogurt (we love Greek Gods brand)

1/4 cup Coconut Milk

2 Tbsp honey

2 Tbsp protein powder

Blend together and enjoy!

Here's to good health!

Stay tuned for exciting news next week!

Cheers!

Cheree

Trip of Treasured Finds

My husband and I just returned from a quick

trip down the Washington-Oregon Coast,

where I not only found some great loot

for my space at Faded,

but also managed to stumble

upon what just might be the most

beautiful places in the Northwest.

 First up...just along the Columbia River past Camas, Washington.

 Cape Horn

 The lookout was a small spot, but attracted many gatherers,

all of whom were in awe of the vast view of

the Columbia River.

 Travelling along side the Columbia River, on Hwy 14, you will

stumble upon this...

the third oldest bridge on the Columbia

Bridge Of The Gods

 This bridge links Washington to Oregon.

 The views to each side of the bridge were

spectacular!

After crossing the bridge into Oregon,

we headed towards Portland and ran into

one of my husband's "must do's"

for our getaway...

Multnomah Falls

 Those who know me well realize

hiking was NOT on my "must do"

list for the weekend, but

with much encouragement and

bribing...my husband got his way!

And, I admit, it was well worth it!

Gorgeous!

Next, it was onto our hotel...

McMenamins Edgefield, Troutdale

 After checking in, we were off to

explore the grounds and enjoy a bite to eat at

Fire Station Pub

(Delish!)

Then

a dip (okay...a long soak)

in the outdoor salt water

soaking pool. (We waited til dark and enjoyed it

guilt free...lol!)

We ended our evening with a sit down movie in

their theater.

We watched "This Is 40" and laughed

throughout the entire thing.  So funny!

We woke up refreshed and after a quick breakfast we were off

to do more junkin! 

This is how we travelled home!  Thank goodness we didn't

have the kiddos with us!

Here's how I made it all fit at

Faded Elegance

Antique wooden yarn spools

Adorned yarn spools

Rusty tin pail

Antique children's rocker

Rickety white picket fence upcycled into coat rack

For my coffee luvin' friends...a coffee filter lamp :)

An assortment of large painted frames

A fun collection of antique travel cases.

We wrapped up with weekend with our

kids, my parents,

and this lovely view of the mountains

and Lakebay.

Cheers to being surrounded by such beauty!

Have a terrific week!

Cheree

Winter Weekend Getaway

Just returning from a quick trip down the Coast with my husband.

It was a good balance of sunny winter days,

cooler misty mornings...

a bit of junkin',

some yummy new restaurants, 

a whole lot of beautiful sightseeing,

and 

much needed time with my partner in crime.

More pics to come!

Have a great rest of your week!

Cheers!

Cheree

Sweet Treat for February

Happy February!

 

Sharing this super yummy

 

recipe today in hopes it will sweeten

 

your day...

 

 

White Chocolate Raspberry Muffins    
2 1/2 cups flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, 1 stick
2/3 cup sugar
3 eggs
2/3 cup buttermilk

(I didn't have any, so I did this here)
1 rounded cup white chocolate chips

1 cup frozen raspberries

 

Soften butter and mix it with sugar, salt and baking powder.

Add the eggs and buttermilk and mix well.

 

Last, add the flour.

 

Hand mix in the white chocolate chips.

 

Add raspberries and gently fold into batter.

 

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

 

 

Thank you to Susan and Marilyn for the recipe!

 

 

Enjoy!

 

Cheree



Maison Blanche - La Craie

Just a quick post while I'm wrapped up

in my electric blanket on this frigid night in the Northwest.

Source

I have been getting ready for an upcoming event at the antique mall, 

Faded Elegance, 

where I have my dealer space.

My once semi-organized, marginally clean 

garage is quickly filling up with antique furniture and

accessories.

(I'm not complaining, I promise!)

As most of you can probably guess from my posts, 

I love painted furniture!  I have tried quite a few

different paint brands out there.

Recently, I've tried out the paint that Faded Elegance now carries:

Maison Blanche La Craie.

Here are my thoughts...

Loving the wax!

It is hands down the best out there.  A little goes 

a long way.

The paint is unique in that it will take longer 

to dry, allowing you to 'play' with it a bit once it is on your item you are painting.

This is helpful when dealing with antiques and pieces that need

a little more TLC.

Another difference with the paint is that it dries harder, 

which is an obvious benefit.   When you are taking 

the time to paint a piece of furniture, you also want it to be 

functional and able to withstand the wear and tear of everyday use.

After the paint dries completely, it is difficult to

'scratch', even before the wax has been applied.

Here's a before pic of a solid maple antique dresser I picked up.

Lovin' the new look...

Here's to another great tool out on the market to help us

breathe new life into old pieces that might

otherwise be forgotten.

Cheers to 

Maison Blanche La Craie

available at

Faded Elegance!

Have a great week!

Cheree

Why Do I Love Antiques?

This is the first week in over six years that I didn't start off my work week

at Nest Home & Gifts.  It's a big change, but one that I needed to make.

  I will always continue to love, support, shop 

and enjoy Nest, but I am eager to pour all my 

creative energy into With A Twist.

I love the antique industry and am learning new things

everyday.

The more I am around it, the more I learn to 

appreciate it.  All of it!

I had a dear friend come into Faded Elegance one day and

this is how she described it, "It's like walking through my childhood!"

That was such a sweet statement!

And so true!

Part of why I adore this business is the emotion

that is felt when an item brings up a memory from the past.  For example,

I saw a blue-green fabric suitcase on Monday and I stopped to take a close look.

I sent the pic to my sister asking if she recognized it.

Then a flood of emotion came over me...it was my barbie case from

when I was five-years-old.

I think it originally was an Avon case of some sort, but I, 

back in 1976, used it to carry my childhood treasures. The items

in the suitcase were actually  my mom and aunt's barbies and barbie clothes

from their childhood.

I could go on and on with similar experiences I have had 

over the past few years, but you get the gist.

Do you share my love of antiques?

If so, why?

I went into Faded this week with new resolve,

fresh eyes and was ready to create warmer, softer displays.

It's cold, wet and harsh outdoors and the contrast indoors is so

inviting...

My space took on a feminine flair when I rearranged

the silver/burlap painted white wood chairs,

added additional sheer panels, more crystal and silver bar ware

and strategically placed lamps to warm it up a bit.

I'm so in love with the new Maison Blanche chalk paint

that Kimberly is carrying at Faded Elegance.

I painted this buffet in Franciscan Grey.

I'm currently working on a dresser and chose a new color...

'Magnolia'.

It's a beautiful soft white.

Pics to come!

I spent this very rainy day cleaning and restocking.

It was so warm and cozy by the time I was done,

I didn't want to leave.

Playing with all of the silver and

crystal, makes me think of who enjoyed entertaining

with these pieces.  Do you ever think of that when

you are searching through antiques?  


I do! 

I am certain that this buffet will

find a good home soon!

I marked it down so I can bring in new stuff,

so the price is a steal!

I found this darling pink and white quilt, with

a white knit throw to soften up the dark

brass bed.  It would make for a sweet little girl's room.

When decorating with vintage and antique accessories,

bringing in a modern look like this boxwood topiary

works just fine.  Mix and match your favorites and

surround yourself with what you love. 

I just brought in this cool antique garden/tool box.

The possibilities are endless with this beauty!

Still available are a few of my upcycled fence wood

frames, word boxes and vintage doorknob hangers.

I also have a set of five chairs, and a few single

chairs kickin' around (graphite, ochre

and a really rustic white/light blue). 

To make my day even sweeter, I got to chat it up
with another dealer that is also upstairs at Faded,


Katie of Inspired By Ellee.

She can always brighten up my day :) 

 Hope you are inspired to do what you love!

Cheers!

Cheree

New Year, New Chalk Paint : Maison Blanche La Craie

Happy 2013!

A New Year to me means new beginnings,

a clean slate, and a chance

to renew.

Speaking of which, I've been working with a new product that

will help you re-new old furniture.

Introducing...

Maison Blanche La Craie Furniture Paint. 

This is a fairly new chalk paint line out on the market 

and can be found at

Faded Elegance, in Snohomish, Washington.

Here's the piece before... 

And, after...

 There is no prep work, so no worries

about sanding down imperfections before you paint.

If you choose to sand in between coats,

it is healthier for you than other brands out there (the dust

from some brands can be very unhealthy for you).

I even sanded inside and had very little clean up, which is nice

since its way too cold to be working outside.

This piece is now available at Faded Elegance!

The Maison Blanche wax is lovely!

It went on perfectly smooth and a little goes a long way. 

The paint and wax comes in a variety of colors, making it easy

to transform any piece of furniture.

I do believe....

I am a FAN!

If you are interested in purchasing Maison Blanche La Craie, 

you can do so by contacting Faded Elegance.

Happy Painting!

Cheree