How long has it been since you had an old fashioned Pineapple upside-down cake?

The Pineapple is one of my favorite stand by decorations.

Fruit,  as decoration,  lasts longer than flowers. And they're ready to pick as you pass by. 

This upside-down Pineapple cake is not upside down yet.  It is too hot to turn over...we couldn't wait.

 Now then, it's upside-down and so delicious.

Recipe follows.

After about a week,  in one of my urns, the Pineapple is ready to cut into pieces and  eaten as is or made into my old fashioned Pineapple upside-down cake.

Line baking dish with

1 fresh Pineapple cut up into small pieces

4 Tb unsalted butter, melted

½ cup of brown sugar

Mix together

1¼ cups sifted flour

½ cup sugar

½ tsp sea salt

2 tsp baking powder

½ cup melted butter

½ cup of fresh orange juice

juice from ½ lemon and

2 Tb grated lemon peel

Mix all ingredients and add one beaten whole egg.

Beat two minutes by hand with wooden spoon.
Pour over Pineapple mixture.

Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Let stand 5 minutes, turn upside down.

Have a  great week my dear

Blogging Friends.

Gina

Today I'm linking to  http://nominimalisthere.blogspot.com/
Also joining  http://blissfulrhythm.blogspot.com/

See how Easy

A few days ago I posted a tablescape.
http://ginaceramics.blogspot.com/2012/03/sandwich-bag-flower-arangement.html

 On the table was a small French Moustiers Plate

My Friend Mark, of All Things Ruffnerian

http://allthingsruffnerian.blogspot.com/

noticed it right away. 
He wrote "I like the almost calligraphy-like brushwork"

That gave me an idea.
Why not copy the design and this time paint the images onto Dinner sized plates.

First you smooth out the surface of the once-fired clay (bisque) plate with sandpaper.  Then, center on banding wheel and draw a pencil circle (helps center the design).

Transfer design onto plate with Saral copy paper.
Paint design.  Brush on clear glaze.
Pencil lines and red transfer lines will burn off during firing. 

Now ready to go into my Kiln

Plates on several bottom shelves and smaller items on top.

In the corner of my basement the kiln  has almost reached 1800 degrees.  It will shut itself off.

The firing took 8 hours, then cooled for another 10 hours.

The small perforated plates are original, hand painted French Moustiers Plates, the Dinner plates are only one day old and hand painted by me. 

Would you like to learn how?

I will be teaching several 2-day workshops in June, July and August.

No prior experience necessary.

Have a wonderful weekend my dear

Blogging Friends.

Gina

Just over the Fence

She was born just over the fence from my house.

Two days ago she was born.

A registered Miniature Hereford.

Little girls are much more independent than boys. 

She was born in the middle of a snow storm. 

Her mothers milk to drink and new snow to eat, what could be better!

On my walk home this morning, new snow, a new calf and the bluest skies for the first day of Spring.

Have a great week my dear

Blogging Friends,  

Gina



Sandwich Bag Flower Arrangement

Have you heard of the Sandwich Bag Flower Arrangement?

Of course you haven't.  I made it up.

I needed something low and colorful for my St. Patrick's Day Dinner table.

My garden is still asleep. 

Your grocery store or garden center always has a few blooming plants in small containers.

Take the plants out of their containers, give them a good drink of water and place one or two plants into each plastic sandwich bag.

Add a little water to your centerpiece container, add the flower sandwich bags. 

Hide plastic bags by filling open areas with trailing greens or left over cut flowers

  This is the one arrangement you can plant into your garden once the flowers have faded. 

Happy St. Patrick's Day my dear

Blogging Friends

Gina

How to enjoy Hellebore in the house

The beautiful Hellebore (Lenten Rose) is showing up everywhere.

Their exotic looks make them a favorite.

Once they drop their seeds,  place in a little water and let mature.  They will stay like this for months.

In my garden they bloom at the same time as my daffodils

The flower on the right has formed its seed pod.  Now is the time to cut them and they will last for days in water. 

When they are at this earlier stage,  cut a slit with a sharp knife along the entire stem and place all the way up to their heads in water overnight in a dark and cool place.

Prop their heads up a bit so you can see into their beautiful faces.    Insert a 2 to 3 inch long piece of florist wire into the side of the stem and through the head of the flower, make a little hook at the end and pull back until you can't see the wire.

Have you noticed  how beautiful their leaves are?  I use them throughout the year for many flower arrangements. 

Have a great remainder of the week my dear 

Blogging Friends.

Gina   

Today I'm joining  http://nominimalisthere.blogspot.com/

Today I'm also linking to  http://rosorochris.blogspot.com/

I'm also joining http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/

Today I'm joining http://dearlittleredhouse.blogspot.com/

Mein Temperament Vogel

My Temperament Bird

You will see why he is called Temperament Vogel



No words needed.

Now we're not sure.

My Father was a very fine woodcarver

http://ginaceramics.blogspot.com/2011/06/my-father-was-different.html

My Father believed that something simple is just as beautiful as something fine.

He carved the bird for my office so my clients could tell what kind of mood I was in.  I'm now retired but the bird still sits on my chamber door.

...For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being

Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door,

Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,

with such a name a "Nevermore"...

Edgar Allan Poe

Gina