Deborah Vogts's Blog, page 48

This Week's Recipes

Here are this week's new additions at Country at Heart Recipes.Enjoy your weekend! 
Vegetable Beef Soup
Mixed Berry Scones
Homemade Pasta

Book Preview ~ Because You're Mine

Because You're Mine, by Colleen Coble
Alanna has been plagued by tragedy. So it should come as no surprise that in the beauty that surrounds Charleston, all is not as it seems.When her husband is killed by a car bomb while their band is on tour in Charleston, Alanna doesn’t know where to turn. Her father-in-law is threatening to take custody of the baby she carries, but the one thing she knows for sure is that she can’t lose the last piece of Liam she has left.Their manager offers her a marriage of convenience to gain her U.S. citizenship and allow her to escape her father-in-law’s control. It seems like the perfect solution . . . but her doubts begin almost as soon as she arrives at Barry’s family home, a decaying mansion surrounded by swamp.To make matters worse, Liam’s best friend survived the car bomb. She’s never really liked Jesse and now she can’t seem to get away from him. When he takes Liam’s place in their band, it’s almost more than she can bear.But then things start happening. Things that could easily cost Alanna her life—or the life of her unborn child. Are they merely coincidences? Or is there something much more sinister at work? Buy the book HERE.  Best-selling author Colleen Coble’s novels have won or finaled in awards ranging from the Best Books of Indiana, the ACFW Carol Award, the Romance Writers of America RITA, the Holt Medallion, the Daphne du Maurier, National Readers’ Choice, and the Booksellers Best. She has nearly 4 million books in print and writes romantic mysteries because she loves to see justice prevail. Colleen is CEO of American Christian Fiction Writers. She lives with her husband Dave in Indiana. Visit her website a www.colleencoble.com 

This Week's Recipes

Here are this week's new additions at Country at Heart Recipes.The Vogts Sisters travel to Topeka, KS to perform at a Last Minute Folk Concert.Learn more HERE.
Valentine Menu Ideas
Broccoli Ham Quiche
Featured Author, Tamera Alexander, shares her recipe for Cordinia's Tennessee Teacakes

DIY Crafting Project ~Decorated Milk Can Treasures

This past fall I managed to complete a craft project that I had been wanting to make--Decorated Milk Can Treasures. I had "inherited" a set of old milk cans from my grandma that I knew would make a wonderful housewarming gift for my daughter (and me). 
First I researched DIY ideas on Pinterest and finally settled on a design I liked.Next, we had the cans sandblasted rather than trying to remove the rust with chemicals.I wrapped the handles with painters' tape and spray painted each of the cans--one a Rust-Oleum Wildflower Blue Satin, and the other a Krylon Gloss Cherry Red, giving them both two coats. Then I accented the lid, handles, and rooster design with a Rust-Oleum Brown Hammered Paint and Primer. I made a rooster template out of cardboard using a picture I found online and taped it to the dry painted cans.To finish the project, I decorated the cans with some rafia and a set of cow bell ornaments.Unfortunately, I failed to get a picture of the red can before giving it to my daughter,but I love the blue can that earned a place in my kitchen.What about you? Do you have a favorite DIY project in your home?

Book Preview ~ Child of the River

Child of the River, by Irma Joubert

A compelling coming of age story with an unlikely and utterly memorable heroine, Child of the River is a timeless tale of heartbreak and triumph set in South Africa at the dawn of apartheid.Persomi is young, white, and poor, born the middle child of illiterate sharecroppers on the prosperous Fourie farm in the South African Bushveld. Persomi’s world is extraordinarily small. She has never been to the local village and spends her days absorbed in the rhythms of the natural world around her, escaping the brutality and squalor of her family home through the newspapers and books passed down to her from the main house and through her walks in the nearby mountains.Persomi’s close relationship with her older brother Gerbrand and her fragile friendship with Boelie Fourie—heir to the Fourie farm and fortune—are her lifeline and her only connection to the outside world. When Gerbrand leaves the farm to fight on the side of the Anglos in WWII and Boelie joins an underground network of Boer nationalists, Persomi’s isolated world is blown wide open. But as her very small world falls apart, bigger dreams become open to her—dreams of an education, a profession, a native country that values justice and equality, and of love. As Persomi navigates the changing world around her—the tragedies of war and the devastating racial strife of her homeland—she finally discovers who she truly is, where she belongs, and why her life—and every life—matters. The English language publication of Child of the River solidifies Irma Joubert as a unique and powerful voice in historical fiction. Buy the book HERE. International bestselling author IRMA JOUBERT was a history teacher for 35 years before she began writing fiction. Her stories are known for their deep insight into personal relationships and rich historical detail. She is the author of eight novels and a regular fixture on bestseller lists in The Netherlands and in her native South Africa. She is the winner of the 2010 ATKV Prize for Romance Novels.

This Week's Recipes

Here are this week's new additions at Country at Heart Recipes.The Vogts Sisters travel to Wichita this Saturday to perform at The Artichoke Sandwich Bar. Learn more HERE.
Philly Steak Sandwiches
Crab Rangoon
Superbowl Party Ideas

A Visit to the Pioneer Woman Merchantile

This past November, our two younger daughters and my mother-in-law had a girls' day out to visit the Pioneer Woman Mercantile in Pawhuska, OK. We made the mistake of planning our trip on Veteran's Day--along with a few hundred other folks, so the lines were extremely long. We waited outside for over an hour just to get inside the Mercantile.
Once inside, we were unable (or unwilling) to stand in line for the cafe (45 minute wait) or the bakery (60 minute wait). So, no delicious, yummy crescents for us.SAD, Sad, sad.
We did manage to walk out with a few fun items.I love my Rooster Door Stop 
and my Rooster Appetizer Dish.
I hope to return there one day--on a not-so-busy day.What about you? Have you made a trip to the PW Mercantile? 

Book Preview ~ A Note Yet Unsung

A Note Yet Unsung, by Tamera Alexander


A master violinist trained in Vienna, Rebekah Carrington manages to wheedle her way into an audition with the new maestro at the Nashville Philharmonic. But women are "far too fragile and frail" for the rigors of an orchestra, and Rebekah's hopes are swiftly dashed when the conductor--determined to leave his mark on the world of classical music--bows to public opinion. To make matters worse, Adelicia Cheatham, mistress of Belmont Mansion and Rebekah's new employer, agrees with him.

Nationally acclaimed conductor Nathaniel Tate Whitcomb is Nashville's youngest orchestra leader. And despite a reluctant muse and a strange buzzing and recurring pain in his head, he must finish composing his symphony before the grand opening of the city's new symphony hall. Even more pressing, he must finish it for the one who first inspired his love of music--his dying father. As Tate's ailment worsens, he knows Rebekah can help him finish his symphony. But how can he win back her trust when he's robbed her of her dream?

As music moves us to tears yet makes our hearts soar, A Note Yet Unsung captures the splendor of classical music at a time when women's hard-won strides in cultural issues changed not only world history--but the hearts of men. Buy the book HERE. Tamera Alexander is the USA Today bestselling author of numerous books, including A Lasting Impression, From a Distance, and To Whisper Her Name. Her richly drawn characters and thought-provoking plots have earned her devoted readers worldwide, as well as multiple industry awards. After seventeen years in Colorado, Tamera and her husband now make their home in Nashville, Tennessee. Visit her at http://tameraalexander.com/

This Week's Recipes

Here are this week's new additions at Country at Heart Recipes.Have a great weekend! 
Banana Nut Bread
Chicken and Noodles with Mashed Potatoes

Favorite Sourdough Recipes

Another Craft Project - Wine Cork Wreath

This past Christmas I made a couple of wreaths, decorated with some wine corks I had been collecting. I kept one for myself and gave the other one to our oldest daughter and her husband.

To begin, I started with an 8" grapevine wreath I bought at Walmart for $4.99.

Then I wrapped it with half of a 6' grapevine cluster garland (one for each wreath) that I purchased at Hobby Lobby when it was on sale for half-price, and attached it to the wreath with hot glue in a couple of places to make sure it wouldn't come off.

Next I attached the bow to the wreath with some wire, and then began the process of attaching the wine corks with hot glue. I used my favorite wines and tried to cluster them by groups. I finished the project by accenting the wreath with a large cluster of grapes.
I love how it turned out! What about you? Do you enjoy making your own wreaths or wine cork crafts?