Paper Mache Chandelier for Castle Shed

The weather has been lovely for a week, in the low 70s. The castle shed has been calling, so many projects to do but not when it's cold out there. So I went down the rabbit hole a couple of days in the afternoon when the sun was shining.

 

I decided to make a chandelier of wire and paper mache. It will be just for the decor since there is no electricity in the shed. When finished it will hang from the center of the south turret and will be adjustable in height so I can bring it down to slip in LED tea lights. This may not be my final chandelier but I just had to work on something. Here is the start, wire and masking tape.

Then I wrinkled some white paper and tore it into strips for the paper mache. Exterior wood glue will hold up better during the rainy weather.

Time ticks away too quickly in my imaginary world in the castle shed.

Look at the basket I found at the Salvation Army thrift store. It's a larger version of one we bought in Holland in 1990 for lunch for day trips. This needs a flat base and divider for a tea pot and cups and saucers to be ready to take for a picnic tea time.

The sunny days are doing their job on the solar lights both outside and in.

Then I looked to the right and saw all those lemons. I have given away some and have baskets full on the kitchen counter and still this many remaining on the tree. Better get busy making lemon curd.

Tea Time for an Aching Heart

Two dear friends of mine have lost sons, it was 14 years ago for Janet and a few months ago for Virginia. We all love tea time and in December Janet suggested that we visit Virginia in early January after the whirlwind holidays. It was a wonderful suggestion. We told Virginia all she had to do was boil a pot of water.

 

Janet and I planned and brought everything from linens to tea settings and food. First course was savory tea sandwiches.

 Second course was scones, lemon curd and a mock Devonshire cream.

Third course was sweets and strawberries.

The sweetest thing was having two dear friends with aching hearts and time together.

Guard Dogs at The Castle Shed and Lemon Curd Soon

It has been a gorgeous weekend in Fresno, sunny and 70 degrees. Maybe that's why two of the three guard dogs at the Castle Shed are laying down on the job.

We've been doggie and kitty sitting since Thursday. Three frisky rat terriers but they have been good, grandma is spoiling them, evil laugh. So with the weather so nice I did a little organizing in the shed and look at that, through the turret window you can see lemons starting to turn yellow.

That means it will be tea time with crumpets and lemon curd soon.

Looks so inviting, time for a cup of tea and work at the medieval table while the weather is so nice.

I can go down the rabbit hole in here.

One of the mini notepads I listed on the Paris Cabinet shop last night
is handy, more about them here.  

And where is kitty? Shadow has to stay indoors.

Crumpets and Tea

We spent the 4th of July poolside with family. After great hamburgers and fixings for dinner we had TV time with the grandsons.

Today was a quiet end to a holiday weekend. Hubby and I are sitting out after finishing up the last of the crumpets I made earlier today. I also made lemon curd.

Here it is after the sun went down, we had set the table.

Holes in crumpets have eluded me with many recipes. Today I tried a recipe by Titli Nihaan from her YouTube channel, The Bread Kitchen. She has a lovely British voice, watch her make them Here.

All set for crumpets and tea. Hubby poured tea from my latest English teapot.

 Yum yum! Loved the crumpets slathered in lemon curd.

   

Now all the solar lights have come on....

 ... and one candle. Time to say good night.

Tea with Scones & Lemon Curd

The table and chairs looked so inviting in front of the garden castle shed on Saturday that I decided we should have tea, scones and lemon curd for lunch while there was still shade.

The sheer table cloth has a home in the shed so it's easy to spread it on the purple table and it's all set for a quick tea time.

The lemon curd is home made from earlier in the week, I blended some cream cheese, sour cream and touch of powdered sugar for a little mock Devonshire cream to go along with the currant scones.

The teacups and saucers are perfect for a little Easter weekend tea, sunny yellow with pops of color.

The Myott shield on the back reminds me that we still want to make the Amersfoort city shield for our castle shed.

It's pretty special, here it is on the Koppelpoort, a medieval gate in the Dutch town of Amersfoort.