The Apple Street Cottage

Even  though today was warm, we had some cold weather last week, and, I'm pretty sure more is on the horizon!   My hubby has been feeling a draft on his feet, so I decided to make some draft-stoppers.  This is one of the easiest projects to complete.  I used some leftover fabric and a couple of bags of rice.  Here's the "How-To": First, cut your fabric a little longer than the width of your door & 8 inches wide.   With right sides together, stitch around 3 sides.  I made 2 lines of stitching for a little extra security for all of that rice! I clipped the corners and turned the tube right side out. I filled it with about a bag and a half of rice.  The amount of rice needed will depend on the width of your door. Filler up and stitch-up the end.  Don't forget to measure it by your door to get a perfect fit.   I also made a loop to hang it on the doorknob for when you needed to open the door! That's it!   Just a...

Happy Monday!  I hope you had a great weekend. It's been pretty cold here and this morning we woke up to snow.  The schools had a 2 hour delay and now it's raining.  Yes, that snow is wet and HEAVY!!  So glad I don't have to go anywhere today!  Last week we were able to complete one of the very important projects at the cottage - updating the electric.  We already upgraded to breakers from fuses and changed the old outlets to 3-prong. The last step was to add some outlets. One of the most important ones to add was the bathroom.  Let me tell you the story... The cottage has a beautifully preserved 1950's pink-tiled bathroom.  The problem was that the outlet that was in it, didn't work.  So, for the past 4 months since we moved in, I've been running an extension cord from the bedroom into the bathroom so I could dry my hair.  On a side note....I burned through 2 extension cords and before the breaker box was installed, the fuses were b...

Welcome back!  Today I want to show you a dresser redo that I recently completed.  Since we did not bring our bedroom furniture with us when we moved, we needed a place for clothes! This little beauty was found in a local antique store at a reasonable price.  It had a lot going for it: solid wood in fairly decent shape no SMELL!  That's a biggie for me! Although, she was a redhead - not the color I was looking for, and the knobs?  Well, a little large for me. So, what did I do???  I sanded and taped-off the top, the top decorative molding, and the piece around the middle (don't you love my technical terms?) and stained them a dark walnut.  The rest of the dresser and the drawers were scuffed and painted white. Let me just share something with you.  I've read tons of posts on repainting furniture that sound quick and easy.  This project was easy, but not quick!  I used 2 coats of latex primer and 3 coats of white latex paint...

It's that time of year.  Halloween is over and we're gearing-up for the holidays.  I don't get carried away with decorating for Thanksgiving and I tend to like things simple anyway.   Here's a peek at the dining room: I keep the same centerpiece, just fill it with seasonal flowers.  The placemats have been around for a few years now.  They were a sale purchase! My Pilgrim shelf sitters have been with me for 20+ years.  They were purchased at a craft fair. That's all for today.  I've been busy with a few projects and recipes at the cottage so be sure to stop back to see what I've been up to! Have a great week! Linking to:   Oh My Heartsie Girl Amaze Me Monday The Sunday Showcase

The weather is turning cooler and there's nothing like a delicious recipe that is easy to make.  Introducing......  Crock Pot Lasagna Here's the recipe: 1 pound ground beef 1 24 oz. jar of spaghetti sauce 1 cup water 1 15oz. container of ricotta cheese 1 8oz. package shredded mozzarella cheese, divided 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, divided 1 egg 2 tbsp. chopped parsley 6 lasagne noodles, uncooked BROWN  meat in large skillet; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce and water. In a bowl, mix ricotta, 1-1/2 cups mozzarella, 2 Tbsp. Parmesan, egg and parsley. SPOON  1 cup meat sauce into slow cooker; top with layers of half  each  of the noodles (broken to fit) and cheese mixture. Cover with 2 cups meat sauce. Top with remaining noodles (broken to fit), cheese mixture and meat sauce. Cover with lid. COOK  on LOW 4 to 6 hours or until liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses; let stand, cover...