Happy Fourth of July Weekend and This Week’s TFT Party

Good morning dear friends and welcome back to Shoestring Elegance, and to this week's Thursday Favorite Things party! Thank you so much for joining me/us. Before we get onto the party, I'd just like to thank you all for your continued clicks and links, you bring me more joy than you'll ever know. 

Thursday, being the 'unofficial' start to the weekend, means that I get this opportunity to wish you all a safe, healthy, and Happy Fourth of July weekend. That is, if you are in the states, if you’re from Canada, Happy Canada Day weekend and  if your joining is from somewhere else, I wish you a wonderful weekend as well! Never short on inspiration, you all did not disappoint last week either.  Enjoy a quick peek at some of last week's shares before you link up this week.  And, please do have a lovely weekend. 

Michele from Hello Lovely has us covered with her gorgeous 4th of July Tablescapes, Festive Decor & Party Ready Finds Now! Thank you! I loved them all.

Happy Summer 2022!

Good morning sweet friends! Thank you for understanding my absence last week and for your kind well wishes and prayers.  I’m happy to report my mother and sister seem to be past the worst of Covid and on the road to recovery.  Praise the Lord! Happy Summer 2022! Can you believe it? Thank you for joining us @ the Thursday Favorite Things party.  I hope you are all well and enjoying some pleasant weather.  Summer started off with a bang, here in Northern California, with 105 degrees!

Covid Hit My Family!

 Hey friends, quick little note to have you all link up to this week’s party, but I’m so sorry, I’ll try and come back and join you all later, just a little too tired and stressed out. 

Last weekend my Sister and My Mother both got Covid!  I’M not sick.  We’ve made it all this time without having to walk this path and now we’re in the thick of it. I pray you all are safe and healthy. You are all so loving and caring, that I know you’ll understand if I just provide the link this week, say "thank you for your continued contributions", and tell you that I’ll be back next week. 

Meanwhile, how gorgeous does Claire Justine make breakfast look with her Pistachio, Oat, And Cranberry Breakfast Pancakes

June Food Recipes

Good morning and welcome. I hope you are all enjoying some, hopefully, beautiful Summer days and gorgeous weather. The kids have all just gotten out for Summer break here and it seems like our population tripled with everyone out and about again. Which made me think, what a wonderful time to highlight some of the yummy recipes linked up, here, at the Thursday Favorite Things party, each week! So, without further ado, here are this week’s features! Try not to drool on your computer, it won’t be easy. LOL  

The Lou Lou Girl’s BLT Pie looks absolutely delicious! I can’t wait to try this this Summer! 

Happy June! Summer’s Here @ the TFT

Good morning sweet friends! Thank you for joining me as I, gratefully, join Katherine and all the wonderful ladies for our fabulous Thursday Favorite Things party.  Happy June!  Can you believe it?! Summer’s here.  I hope you are all well and enjoying some pleasant weather. Ours has definitely become more tolerable than last week’s high 90’s.  Great for my garden though, so I’ll take it.   Okay, enough about me, Let’s look at some of your awesome offerings from last week’s party. Again, thank you for all your wonderful comments and participation. I truly enjoy every single one of you!

Goodbye May :( Memorial Day Weekend Wishes...And, The TFT Party

Happy Thursday! The last two days were in the mid 90's, here, in Northern California, so I know May is on its way out. And, if it weren't for my garden, that I've been working so hard on, and am looking so forward to, I would say 'Bring on Fall!' But there it is. May is winding down with this weekend's Memorial Day parades and remembrances and Summer will, unofficially, be on. Alas, I have accepted that there are just some things I have no control over, so I better count my blessings and take it all in stride. C'est la vie! Okay, I'm done with my mini-rant. Welcome friends! I'm so glad you are here!

You all certainly keep me constantly inspired and interested! Thank you for joining the Thursday Favorite Things party with me and my friends. 

Let's take a peek at a few things you shared from last week's party.

I thought I had seen everything that my friend, Linda, from Crafts a la Mode had made until I clicked on this link last week! Look how creative she is with this DIY - How to turn a garden hose into a flower pot!

Spring Eats, May Edition

Hello and Welcome, friends...  Before I get too far into this week's Thursday Favorite Things party, please let me Thank You All so much for your continued and steadfast supply of inspiration and absolutely lovely comments.  I do read and cherish every single one of them and you, even if I can't always find the time to reply. I see you! I appreciate you! 

Thanks again!

Last week's party was loaded with incredible and refreshing recipes that I just loved and that (subtly) screamed Spring's here and Summer's on the way! 

Starting with Fat Dad Foodie's Easy Custard Cake Recipe

Spring Fever! (AND, This Week's TFT Party)

Welcome friends! I hope you’re enjoying this beautiful month of May.  I sure have been. Last weekend was my beautiful niece’s baby shower and I got to meet my grand-niece, Sabrina for the first time. What a Blessing. Enjoy the party and have a wonderful weekend. Be sure to take a peek at a few of the posts from last week’s party that caught my eye. Remember, each hostess has her own feature. So be sure to pop around and see who else is getting the light shown on them this week, 

Debra from Common Ground’s Lilac Basket Centerpiece with French Faience is gorgeous and perfect for this time of year, don’t you think? 

Merry is the Month of May...Mother's Day Ideas...And, The TFT Party

Good morning sweet friends! Thank you for joining me as I, gratefully, join Katherine and the ladies for our Thursday Favorite Things. 

Happy Merry Month of May! Happy Cinco de Mayo!  Happy Mother’s Day to all our Mom’s out there. May you have a blessed and wonderful weekend celebrating, hopefully, with your families. I’m keeping it short and sweet this week, as I have 62 mini cupcakes to fill and frost and even more finger sandwiches and mini scones to make for my sweet niece’s Baby Shower this Saturday! So excited for her, plus I’m being Blessed with glorious time to meet and love on my 3-month old grand-niece, Sabrina! So excited!  Let’s look at some of your awesome offerings from last week’s party. Thank you for all your wonderful comments and participation. I truly enjoy every single one of you! 

Barbara from Mantel and Table's gorgeous Pink Roses and a Blue and White Tablescape

Flower Cupcakes, Mother’s Day And The TFT

Welcome friends! Happy almost May! (Can you believe it?!)

Time’s just flying by! I can’t get over it. Mother’s Day, baby showers, and gardening are occupying my days and I’m enjoying it. What have you all been up to? Besides all the beautiful projects and recipes you are sharing here with me? 

Thanks for sharing them. Let’s take a quick look at a few highlights from last week’s party. 

Katherine from Katherine’s Corner (our incredible leader) 

shared her beautiful Flower Cupcakes for Mothers Day

What We’re Eating This April!

Hello sweet friends. Welcome back to Shoestring Elegance and to the Thursday Favorite Things party!  I hope you all enjoyed a beautiful Easter weekend. I am, ecstatically, enjoying some April showers. As you may have guessed RAIN is always a good thing and a blessing here in California. I’m still working on my garden, though, albeit with my seedlings inside for now. There is something so miraculous about watching a seed sprout and grow, with the knowledge that in a few short months it will actually be providing us with wonderful, abundant food!  If you are trying your hand at gardening this year, too, I highly recommend planting some sweet snap peas from seed, they grow so quickly and beautifully, it's quite a thing of beauty to see.

Did I mention I'm Container gardening this year? If you haven't heard about it, it's easy and can be done virtually anywhere! I chose to do this method, in particular, because it saves a ton of water, you're just watering your plant and not the ground! (definitely important in drought areas) or even just due to limited space.  You can get a better idea with this pic! The ideas out there are endless! 

(source)

Happy Easter! ( TFT Easter Edition)

Happy Easter, friends! Christ Is Risen! What a wonderful way to be able to greet you all this week. Happy Thursday and welcome back to the Thursday Favorite Things party and our last gathering before Easter. 

Before I go any further, thank you all so very much for your kind and caring comments after my accident last week. They meant the world to me. All said and done, a few sore muscles, a loaner car and repairs being made. So, I’m counting my blessings, as it could have been so much worse. 

Thank you, again, from the bottom of my heart. 

I pray you all enjoy a safe and Happy Easter with your loved ones and keep those enduring the horrors of war in your hearts and prayers this Easter weekend. 

On with a few of your beautiful features and this week’s party!

Did you get a chance to see Katherine’s Creative Easter Eggs post?!! They are simply gorgeous! 

Accidents Happen! 😞

 Happy April, friends. Unfortunately, I’m only able to provide the link up and best wishes to you all this week. My apologies. Less than 24 hours before our party, I was in a car accident. I’m fine, not at fault, but rather shaken up. And, now there are tons of car related stuff to do right away!  First anything to happen in my car for over 30 years! Thank you for being here. Please do link up and I’ll pray I’m joining you all anew next week. 

Goodbye March, Hello April! ( TFT Party)

Good morning, friends  Happy April! Well, tomorrow anyway  ;)  Time flies by, doesn’t it… I pray you are safe and well, as we gather this week  I’m still gardening! And, baking up some goodies for my brother and sister-in-law, who are coming to town later today. Thank you all for your beautiful inspirational posts and kindest comments  I’m in awe, every week! 

On to this week’s Thursday Favorite Things party! Here are just a few that caught my eye from last week’s party! 

From Jenna at The Painted Apron, you are going to LOVE her adorable Floral Ice Cream Cones!

Spring and Easter Decor Ideas!

Welcome friends! I hope you all have been enjoying these first few days of Spring  I’m sewing seeds and working on getting a garden going! I hope to share some of that with you when I get a bit further along. Happy Thursday and Thursday Favorite Things party day! Here are a few fun features from last week’s party! 

Linda from Crafts a la Mode shared a ton of Cute DIY Easter Mason Jars! I love them all!

Happy St Patrick's Day & Happy Spring 2022

Good morning and happy St Patrick’s day. Are you wearing green? Such a funny thing, really, but we usually do it anyway.  Can you believe Spring is here, this Sunday? Time just flies by. Thank you for joining me as I, gratefully, join Katherine and the ladies for our Thursday Favorite Things party! I feel woefully inadequate when I see all that you’ve been up to! So inspiring! 

I’m currently trying, diligently, to propagate some heirloom tomato seeds, so we may be able to enjoy a bumper crop this year. If we’ve learned anything in the past couple years, having our own food, fruit, veggies, etc. available in our gardens has become priceless.  Wish me luck! Now, on with your wonderful features from last week’s party. 
There were a ton worthy, these are just a few! 

Denise from My Home of All Seasons shares a lot of inspiration for Spring/Easter with her beautiful How to Design a Pretty Spring Lantern. She's done them several different ways, so be sure to check them out.

Getting Ready to Spring Forward!

Good morning friends  Welcome! I hope you all are having a happy, healthy, peaceful week. Chilly morning for me, all bundled up ( but I’m loving it), it will be hot soon enough! Happy Spring! Are you looking forward to the longer days?! 

Here are just a few of your beautiful posts from last week’s party. Enjoy, and thank you for joining us! 

Barbara from Mantel & Table’s At least 7 Teacup Gift Ideas

Welcoming March, Praying for Peace & This Week's TFT Party

Hello friends, welcome back to Shoestring Elegance! Happy March to you all. I pray that everything is just as you like it where you are. 

Please join me in praying for peace for the Ukrainian people. So very hard to watch them as they try and fight to defend their home. Very heart breaking and difficult times.

This week, I spent some time with my Mum, which is not odd.  You see, every year, about this time her flowering crabapple tree puts on the most beautiful show for all to see. And, while it doesn't last long, it is spectacular sight.  Also, every year, I try and capture its beauty, but now believe no image will ever match the awesomeness of standing right in front of it and watching it come to life.  Nonetheless, I did snap a picture to share with you, before we get onto this week's Thursday Favorite Things party. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do and that you have equally beautiful blooms showing up where you are. I am abundantly blessed and have nothing to complain about, in this place and time.

Goodbye February

Hello and welcome, friends. Can you believe we're saying goodbye to February already? Time just keeps flying by no matter what's going on in our lives,  or our world for that matter, as, I guess it should. I don't know about you, but in this time where Winter is coming to an end and Spring is on the horizon I always seem to be more reflective,  I think even more than at the "New Year".

Old goes and New arrives! Which makes me excited! We have a new great-grand in our family, Beautiful little Sabrina, just one month and so so adorable. And, now, news of another, very unexpected, other great-grand on the way! (Her) Mommy thought she was done with one getting ready to move out and the other in high school, but alas God had other plans!  Life is so much sweeter with babies.

Pam from Everday Living's sweet husband shared an absolutely beautiful Valentine's message on her blog, Unconditional Love. You don't want to miss it. Pam, I am jealous, and yet, so happy for you both.

Signs of Spring & The TFT Party

I bet many of you are looking quite forward to Spring 2022.  Whilst, I admit, I absolutely love all the blossoms and blooms and brighter days that come with the Season, I'm still waiting for rain in Northern California!  After all, I love raindrops on roses too! LoL   As for me, Baking Brioche this morning to share with family and friends. I hope you are all having a wonderful week! Thank you for coming to join me at Shoestring Elegance and this week's TFT party! Wishing you all a happy and healthy Season. 

Let's look at some of your beautiful offerings from last week!

CoCo from the Crowned Goat’s sweet DIY Valentine’s Mailbox just makes me smile.