Quick and easy.

Shiny copper pots for the holidays.

Maybe you use your copper pots every day, as I do, or you like to have them sparkle for the holidays. 

There is a painless and quick way to make them shine. 

All you need is CLR (available in every hardware store) 
coarse salt, a lemon, a sponge and gloves. 

No need to scrub,

just glide a corner of your CLR soaked sponge over pot.

Dip a lemon, cut in half, in coarse salt and rub.  

Let rest a minute. 

Wash with soap and water.  

Dry immediately or it leaves streaks. 

One more pot to go. 

Caution: do not let CLR stand on natural stone surfaces.

Unlike copper polish,  
CLR rinses clean and does not leave a residue. 

(CLR meets U.S. EPA Safer Product Standards).

I use my copper pots every day. 

They hang from bicycle hooks. 
More friendly than metal hooks. 

Wishing you a happy week.

Gina  

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving dear friends.

Wishing you an extra special day with family and friends.  

Gina 

https://betweennapsontheporch.net/
https://tentoesinthewater.blogspot.com/2018/

More Gold

Just in time for the holidays
Gold leafing, Part II

Not just acorns.
Gold leafing candles is even easier.





You will need a little book of metal leaf
(make believe gold)

and a bottle of Adhesive Size (glue).
You can even antique the gold (left bottle)
or be even more authentic by painting an undercoat of red basecoat (bottle on the right). 

Paint lower part of candle with rabbit skin glue (Size) 
Wait till glue is tacky, about an hour.
Lay on gold.
Carefully polish with soft cloth or sheep skin until smooth

When completely dry you can even scribe a pattern into candle. 

Gold leaf applied to lower part of candle.  
Wrapped in plastic and forgotten.

What a surprise. 
Probably couldn't repeat this patina if I tried.





I gilded these columns which lead into our dining room.

There are so many applications.

See how special. A few candles with gold leaf, a few pomanders,  and fresh greens and a centerpiece is born.  

Thank you dear friends for stopping by.  I am always so happy to hear from you.  

Gina 

There is time to play a little.

The golden Acorn
Part I

So appealing and special for Holiday decorations. 

My charming friend Sieglinde sent these extra special acorns to me from Texas. 

We decided that we also liked them just the way they are.  

But, you have known me long enough to know about my penchant for gold. 

A simple 2 step process.

It is the gold leaf  ($12),  actually called metal leaf in craft stores,
 I use for craft projects. 

The Genuine Gold Leaf  ($80) I use for more important projects. 

The difference, metal leaf will eventually tarnish. 
 Real gold does not. 

 I couldn't help myself, I had to add a bit of gold to at least some of the acorns.

I used a gold pen on the acorn on the left. 
 Not shiny enough for me. 

Pour a little glue (specially designed for gilding, available in any craft store), into a small container and paint each acorn. 

Acorns painted with glue will slowly turn from white to clear. 

After about 20 minutes,  acorns will turn shiny and tacky.  

You now have about an hour to apply gold leaf.  

Lay on gold leaf and polish with a soft cloth.

Even one little acorn is charming.

And you have learned a new and golden craft. 

Your friendship is very important to me. 
Thank you for your comments.

Gina

https://tentoesinthewater.blogspot.com/
https://betweennapsontheporch.net/

Good Morning.

A calorie conscious, well known Chef, asked his television audience:

what would you omit, the butter or the preserves from your toast? 

In unison, they all duty fully responded:  the butter, of course.

Preserves only.

No Thank You!  I would rather have none.

I must have butter on my toast AND my home-made preserves.

It's what I look forward to.  Every morning, a cup of coffee and a piece of toast with a moderate amount of unsalted butter and a BIG dollop of my home - made preserves.

And a very Good Morning to you  my dear

Blogging Friends.

Gina

Partial repost 9/13/12

https://tentoesinthewater.blogspot.com/2018/11/

https://betweennapsontheporch.net/

What is it?

Have you used one of these?

Looks a bit dangerous, doesn't it. 

I'm not much for gadgets but this one works.  
I have used it every fruit season.
It saves hours of time.  

It's an apple peeler. 

 By simply turning the handle it peels, slices and cores apples. 

It also peels pears and potatoes. 

All you have to do is add a little sugar to apple  slices and cook until soft. 

Freeze or bottle. 

You can even bake a loaf or two of 
Apple Sauce Cake in the middle of winter. 

I am curious.  
How many of you have used this peeler ?
I would love to know. 

Have a great week dear friends.

Gina  

https://betweennapsontheporch.net/

No sign of leaving.

Aren't they supposed to go South? 

Or is it North?

They show up every morning.

You can set your clock by them.

They gorge themselves on fallen apples and pears.

What will they do when the food runs out and they missed their migration?

They will figure it out, you say?

Most of them were born by our pond.
This is the only home they have ever known. 

Have a wonderful week dear friends. 

Gina

https://tentoesinthewater.blogspot.com/2018/11/