Cherry Hill Cottage...

Kathy and Kellie~

This is Kathy on the left~ and Kellie her sweet daughter-in-law. Kellie is married to Kathy's oldest son Culley. I took this photo in the shop where Kellie works~ she is a hair dresser in Houston, Texas. We were at the shop that morning at 6:30 so Kellie could "up-do" Mika's hair for the bridal shoot...

Kathy wanted me to tell everyone she appreciates all the requests for her to start her own blog~ I even told her too! I've named it~Chatty Cathy's Cottage...but with great sadness she said~   

                                                        I'm to busy dusting! ; - )

Kathy's Dog Trot Entry Hall, Sunroom and Outside...

          

Kathy has a yard conservatory from Linda's Blue Gate...it's in the entry.

   

Light on...cute!

Hutch in entry~ it's full! Lets see...what do I want? = )

I love the white vintage dresser in the hall...see the glass on the top? I love that!

This home is always this clean! And Kathy does it.. = ) See the vacuum cleaner? That's to clean up after Harry...

Vintage tablecloth on a canvas....

That photo is the 4 of us~ Kathy, Ric, Tina, Tony. Taken 10 years ago on Dad and Mom's 50th Wedding Anniversary...

Church pew~ Kathy collects white ironstone platters and white framed mirrors....

Moving into the sun-room...that spray bottle is to spray Harry~

There's sittin' places everywhere at Kathy and Pete's....

Wall of windows...

This is Harry~ the African Gray Parrot. He can talk just like Kathy and Pete. He barks like the dogs. Rings like the phone...There's a little bedroom off this sun-room~ this is where Mika sleeps. Every morning Harry wakes Mika up barking, ringing the phone, and talking...He'll say, PETE!... YEA BABE... overandoverandoverandover. Mika is not happy!

Hello Harry!

This photo is flipped wrong...sorry.

Kathy and Pete are ready for the 4th of July!

You see Kathy collects birdhouses. Don't you love that old vintage bike!

See the waterfall?

Great palm...

Ceiling fans to keep cool...

 

How many goat carts do you have Kathy? I want one!

I love this chair planter!

Concrete yard birds...

Cute!

Front steps display...

I didn't take photos of the bedrooms and baths~ I'll take them the next time we visit, which should be soon. We're taking our Mother to see Kathy, Pete and their family...

Kathy was overwhelmed by all the sweet comments about her home~ As you can see decorating is in Kathy's soul. She loves her home and enjoys life...She's a wonderful sister~ loving and kind. Thanks Kathy for allowing me to take photos of your home and sharing them with everyone!

Kathy's Living Room~

   

This is the living room...I love this room! I l love that it has "french doors"...

I didn't take many photos of this room~ why? I don't know! ; - (

Kathy's husband Pete built this HUGE hutch~ It's really big when you're in the room standing by it! I love that it's black with a green beaded board back...love the black toleware trays~ and the dried hydranges at the top of the hutch!

I love those "PEAR OF SHEEP" ...Kathy give me that! See that little pear? How cute!!

Louise Drain from Tyler that made all my slipcovers/pillows made Kathy's slipcover for her sofa~ Louise is so good!

Coffee table talk...Kathy has a zillion cloches!

This is one of two slipcovered wings~ Louise did this too. The side table is a goat cart with a glass on top.

Dog trot hall and sun-room tomorrow~

Kathy's Cottage Kitchen~

           

Welcome, to Kathy's kitchen...I promise they live here. It's not a store. = ) You could spend hours and hours in here....if you like COTTAGE, you're going to enjoy this!

 

The cloths laying over the chair seats are vintage table runners~ OMGOSH! TOO CUTE!

Kathy lined the back of that cute yellow hutch with scrapebook paper...

Cute chandy came from http://www.laurieannas.blogspot.com/ . You can find it at First Monday Canton, Texas...Curtains, you can find them at Target.

Kathy is blessed with surfaces to decorate and dress! I wish I had this big cottage kitchen!

Egg cups and letter balls can be bought from LaurieAnna's Vintage Home~ http://www.laurieannas.blogspot.com/

This sweet slipcover was created by Gloria at http://www.sweetpeacollection.com/

You can email Gloria and place an order....

A huge vintage tablecloth collector...

Our Daddy did this paper towel holder for Kathy~ she found it in an old store site in New London, Texas where we grew up...It was in sad shape. Daddy cleaned it up, painted the sides black, put a wooden dowel in it, then attached it to the wooden board. Kathy loves this more than anything in her cottage kitchen...

Lovelovelove these plates~ go to this site

www.homealamode.com

Tell her Kathy Long sent you. Kathy bought 4 million plates from her! = ) You'll find cutecute stuff there!!

I've got to do this...a dog bed.

More cute plates from Home a la mode...

Email Kathy for paint colors~

[email protected]

Kathy shops antique shops, goodwill, garage sales, and is a huge ebay shopper..

Living room tomorrow!

Kathy's Home~ my sister.

    

When Mika and I went to Houston last week to visit Kathy my sister, I took picture...tons of pictures! Kathy and Pete live in Magnolia, Texas~ (we say we're going to Houston when we're going to Kathy's.) Today I'm going to show Kathy and Pete's front porch~  

Isn't this cute? It's a bed Kathy had made into a little settee...we sit on that swing and look at their horses...

This is where we go every morning~ I drink coffee and Kathy has a coke! = ) See that blue porch ceiling? LOVE IT!

Big wrap around porch...white wicker furniture everywhere.

Front door~ come in!

hello...this is a HUGE dog trot entry. All living spaces are off this space. On the first left is the living room. Go down to the next door~ you'll find a hall with two bedrooms and a guest bathroom. At the end of the hall on the left is the sun-room. That door you see goes to the back yard. On the first right of the dog trot is the kitchen/dining. The next door is a guest bath. The next door is the master bedroom/bath.

Tomorrow I'll show photos of Kathy's cottage kitchen! OMGOSH...It's so cute!!!!!!!

Sweet Bread...

 

See that 3:56 on the stove clock? That is what time I got up to bake my "Sweet Bread". Three loaves of bread...I'm so ((proud))!! This recipe came to me from my Mother's best friend Sue in Grand Prairie, Texas. It begins with a "starter" that you "feed" every 3 to 4 days~ The "starter" came from a lady in Grand Prairie that has baked this "Sweet Bread" from years..

Keep starter in refrigerator. Take out and feed every 3 to 5 days the following...

3/4 cups sugar

3 tablespoons instant potatoes (Hungry Jack)

1 cup warm water

Mix well and add to starter. Leave out of refrigerator all day. After 8-10 hours (when very bubbly) take out 1 cup to make bread. Put remainder in refrigerator.

Mix in large bowl:

1 cup starter

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup corn oil

2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 cups warm water

6 cups flour (Gold Metal) better for bread

If you want to make whole wheat use 4 cups white flour and 2 cups whole wheat.

Mix up the above then put into larger bowl that you have greased well. Turn dough over. Make sure oily side of dough is on top. Cover with foil and let stand all day or all night. Next morning punch dough down and let rest for 15 minutes. Knead 3 or 4 times after 15 minutes and divide into 3 parts. Grease loaf pans. Knead 3 parts a couple of times on floured surface. Put into loaf pans turn oily side up. Cover and let rise 5-7 hours. Should be double in size. Bake 400 for 20 minutes.

Can you imagine the wonderful aroma from 3 loaves of bread?  It was heavenly. Thanks Sue!

Bridal Shoot...

 

I'll be away for awhile~ Mika and I are leaving for Houston, Texas tomorrow. My niece Tambi who is a photographer will be taking Mika's bridal portraits.Talk soon!

                                                              ...Tina

    

Mom's Hat...

I remember when my Mother wore this hat~ she was so stylish. I love the sweet millinery flowers scattered all around...Thank you Mom for giving me one of your hats~ I'll treasure it forever.

Happy Father's Day Milton~

Milton~

You knew when to be my father.

You knew when to be my friend.

You knew when to lay the law down,

And you knew when to be the leader

And the teacher and the guide,

But when time

came to try my wings,

You smiled and stepped aside...

You knew how to be a father

Through each season

and each phase,

And with love I want to thank you

For your wise and knowing ways.

Happy Father's Day

Love~ Mika Sue

Poem written on June 16, 2002

Milton and I married in May of 1986~ Mika was 3 years old. Milton raised and loved Mika as if she were his very own. No one could tell he wasn't her birth father. The only clue was~ she called him "Milton". He did everything right, he did everything a Dad does for a loving daughter. He provided a safe home, a understanding sweet gentle way of listening. A first bike, the only golf cart in the neighborhood for all the kids to drive and ride on! Breakfast every Saturday morning, fried eggs and bacon. A church home. Sweet hugs and love when your birth Dad died. Golf lessons, rides to cheer-leading, dance, tumbling, cheer-leading camp, school. Vacations, cute clothes, your first car, your second car, your third car. College...four years of COLLEGE! Going with you to Dallas to our first "real" job interview...that was scary! But, you got the job...remember? You stood in the middle of that Dallas Mall in your beautiful business suit and cried to Milton..."He hired me, I got the job!" ...Milton was so proud! He helped you through that first year and a half of your first job...until it was time to make your first "career change" ...Milton is always there to help you with your many questions about jobs, cars, tires, insurance, cell phones, plumbing and your Mother. = )

On August 24, 2008~ Milton will have the privilege and honor of walking you down the isle on your wedding day...

We think you do everything just right Milton! Happy Father's Day...

                              ...We Love You Mika and Tina...

Top It Off...

 

OK, this is kinda silly....but have you ever thought of putting a vintage table runner on top of your refrigerator? I hadn't either. I saw it in a magazine. I loved the idea!