The Apple Street Cottage

Greetings!  I hope you're staying warm in your part of the world.  It's been pretty chilly here and we've been planning/working on indoor projects at the cottage.  Today,  I want to show you my 'new' craft table.   I try to use what I have before spending money on something new.  This old work table was sitting in the basement near the furnace.  My husband didn't want it, so I claimed it as my new craft table.  It was a little "rough around the edges": If you're wondering about that angled piece on the right, it held a dowel for a roll of paper.  I decided not to turn it around and use it because I just KNEW I'd walk into it constantly! You may recall seeing it in the White Is Bright post a couple of weeks ago: That area is my new Craft "Room".  It's a great space, but it is far from finished.  I plan to give you glimpses into it as things are done, so let's get back to that table.  Here is a close-up of the ...

How about a nice casserole to warm you up on a cold winter day?  It seems like arctic weather has descended on the entire United States and there is nothing like a casserole to warm you up! Hungry? There are 3 reasons why I love this casserole - besides being delicious: 1.  It's easy to make. 2.  It has veggies in it. 3.  It makes enough for 2 meals...so you don't have to cook one night!  Isn't that always a bonus? Here's the recipe: Ingredients: 3 cups of egg noodles 1/4 cup butter 1 red pepper - chopped 2 stalks celery - chopped 1 small onion - chopped 1/4 cup flour 1 tbsp mustard pepper - to taste - I just sprinkle! 2 1/4 cups milk 1 package of sweet Italian sausage - I bought links and removed the meat from the casings 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1/2 cup breadcrumbs 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 tbsp melted butter Directions:  1. Spray a rectangular baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. ...

Happy New Year!  I hope you had a wonderful holiday.  Life at the cottage is getting back to normal.  Christmas is packed away, we are healthy, and are now looking at the projects that need to be tackled. Today, I want to share one that was started before the holidays. The cottage came with a fabulous space in the basement.  The walls were finished in 3/4 inch pine boards, it had a bar, and heat.  The only drawback...it was pretty dark and dated.  Take a look: This space will be my Craft "Room". Our neighbor told us that the original owners had many parties here! Very 1950s, don't you think? The first step in this project was washing the walls with a rag and Murphy's Oil Soap.  Yes, they needed a good cleaning!  Then came 2 coats of primer and 2 coats of white paint.   This was a BIG job!  Don't let anyone fool you with a story like, "we painted the walls and it was great".  This took several days with t...