Stick Close To Home

Tea Cup Tuesday

2010-05-10T20:45:00.008-04:00

Yesterday I had joined Cielo @ The House In The Roses for her Victorian Tea Party in honor of Mother's Day on my other blog and I got an invitation there from Martha @ Martha's Favorites to join her and Terri for Tea Cup Tuesday (thank you, Martha!), so I decided to post it on this blog. I used this tea cup from a set that once belonged to my grandmother:

These dishes were my grandmother's 'everyday dishes', she also had a set of china that she used for special occasions, but I always loved the simple rose pattern of these dishes. The set includes dinner plates, luncheon plates, and these cups which she used for both coffee and tea.

The set also includes a teapot:

And it includes a small cream pitcher:

And also a sugar bowl:

I've always thought this set was so pretty, I love the creamy white color, and while it looks somewhat fragile, it's really a very sturdy set.

I've set an extra place for you.

And I also have almond chocolate chip biscotti, and ginger biscotti, and apricot scones that my husband picked up at the outdoor market at Union Square Park in Manhattan. They all taste wonderful!

Won't you join me for Tea Cup Tuesday? There's so many pretty tea cups to see!

Grandma Chic

2010-04-19T20:21:00.000-04:00

I've been hearing the term 'Grandma Chic' for a few years now but I never really knew what it meant, so I went in search of it.
From the information I have gathered 'Grandma Chic' is a style for both home decorating and a style of clothing, and it's also a term that has been coined for 'women of the age of wisdom' who carry themselves with a style befitting elegance.
Decorating in the style of Grandma Chic is very much like decorating in the style of Shabby Chic, but you don't have to adhere to the strict guidelines of white and pastel that usually accompany the Shabby Chic palette. While Shabby Chic brings to mind light and airy, Grandma Chic can be all that, but it can also be dark and heavy.

DECORATING GRANDMA CHIC

DRESSING GRANDMA CHIC

GRANDMA CHIC WOMEN
(Women of the Age of Wisdom)

I think I like Grandma Chic ~ A LOT!

Irish On My Mind

2010-03-01T00:12:00.000-05:00

My Mom was Irish and German, and she married my Dad who was German, but she favored her Irish roots and she passed that favoritism on to me! I love all things Irish! And especially at this time of year with St. Patrick's Day so near, it brings to mind my Irish roots, it brings to mind my Irish mother and it brings a great longing for her. My Mom was gone four years this past February, and don't listen to what people say, it doesn't really get easier, it's just that the abnormal becomes your normal. And you have days when memories tear your heart apart, and days when those same memories bring you much peace and joy. These few months are hard for me, my Mom went Home to God on February 12, and her birthday is March 25. For some reason this year her Anniversary was especially hard for me, and maybe that's because I thought it should be getting easier, I thought I should be feeling better, but I'm not, there's a void in my life that will never be filled. I have two friends that just lost their own Moms these past few months, and it's a shared sisterhood I don't wish on anyone. I think the hardest thing of all is facing the fact that you have nowhere to direct the love you have for you mother, it's bottled up inside you with no where to go, it makes your heart feel like it's going to burst. And I think that must be the hardest thing for anyone to deal with when you lose a close loved one. What do you do with all those feelings and all that love? There's no amount of grief counseling, or therapy, or volunteering, or 'keeping busy' that is going to help. Because the special love you have for each individual in your life can not be given to someone else. The love I have for my mother is very different than the love I have for my husband, you can't love your mother and your husband in the same way, nor my children and grandchildren, and it's a very different love from the love I have for extended family and friends, and vastly different from the love of neighbors and my fellow man. And for me, that is the pain of death, that is the pain of losing a loved one, more painful than the void that is left behind is the fact that there is no where to put that love.
Well, I did not set out to share that when first I sat to write this post, but my heart has a mind of it's own. What I meant to do was share with you some of the Irish things I am lucky enough to have in my home and some of the Irish things I love:

(The song Danny Boy was a favorite of my Mom's and I especially like the version I have playing here of Eric Clapton on the guitar.)

My little Irish nesting doll (she's actually made in Russia but she is labeled as 'Irish Lass').

My hand carved wooden Celtic Cross design (it's made from olive wood carved by an Irish artisan, and we picked this up at an outdoor Irish Fair in Connecticut).

A little harp that I picked up at a church sale for twenty-five cents!

A Belleek vase that was my Mom's.

A little Belleek Angel that belonged to my Mom (it's actually a bell), and a thimble made in Ireland that my sister-in-law picked up for me when she visited there, and a ceramic Irish angel pin that a friend gave to me one St. Patrick's Day, and two little pipes that were made in Ireland that my husband picked up at a church sale.

A tiny music box that I gave to my Mom when she was in the midst of Alzheimer's Disease. She still loved that song, and at the time she still remembered every word.

And here are a few things I'd be shopping for right now if my husband and I weren't following 'Dave Ramsey's Baby Steps To Financial Freedom' (his philosophy is "if you don't need it, you don't buy it"! He really takes the fun out of shopping!):
I love Fiesta dishes, and I especially love them in the color called Shamrock! Yes, I would really like to be serving corned beef and cabbage on these dishes!

And I know for sure that at $80.00 per plate (yes, I said per plate, not per place setting), I know for sure that these lovely Belleek dishes would not pass Dave Ramsey's approval:

And when we do finally achieve financial freedom, I hope to be able to one day visit Ireland and stay in one of the beautiful self-catering cottages they have over there:

And this year I will be celebrating St. Patrick's Day at Radio City Music Hall enjoying the Farewell Performance of Riverdance with my friend Barbara! (The tickets luckily were bought before we started Dave Ramsey's baby steps!)

And, finally, here is my favorite little Irish lad (well, he's part Irish anyway!):

And I want to take this opportunity to properly thank Morning T for my sunshine award! I did post about it before but I didn't express the gratitude I feel, I am so grateful to Morning T and I do so enjoy visiting her blog as she shares her life, her family, her shopping finds, her decorating ideas, and her wonderful tutorials! Thank you, T!

And I'm wishing you all a wonderful March!

Sunshine!

2010-01-17T18:04:00.018-05:00

Thank you to Morning T for passing me the Sunshine Award!

The Sunshine Award is awarded to bloggers whose positivity and creativity inspires others in the blog world.

The rules for accepting the award are:

Put the logo on your blog or within your post.
Pass the award on to twelve bloggers
Link the nominees within your post.
Let the nominees know they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
Share the love and link to the person from whom you received this award.

The following blogs inspire me by contributing to my blog with their encouraging comments, and with sharing positive and creative posts:

Antique Rose Designs
Beach Vintage
Boogieboard Cottage
Doodles By Lauren
Interior Rooms
Irene's Re-Vintaged
Rose Tea Cottage
Stella By Starlight
The Sunny Side Of The Porch
Ticking And Toile
Working On A Dream
Yellow Rose Arbor

Blue Monday and Curing My After-Holiday Blahs

2010-01-11T00:03:00.000-05:00

It's Blue Monday and I am joining Sally @ Smiling Sally! I've often enjoyed reading the Blue Monday posts of other participants when I visit their blogs but this is the first time I've posted on Blue Monday.

After looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas, and dressing the house in it's festive attire, and enjoying time with family and friends, it's always a little deflating to un-decorate the house after the New Year, it seems so negative, and while I like getting things back to 'normal', I do feel blah with nothing but the long, cold winter months ahead.

So I went in search of ideas to rid my home and my heart of the 'blahs'. A few websites I came across advised decorating the winter months with robin's egg blue. At first I thought it was a silly idea. Well, I always thought of robin's egg blue as more of a very pale pastel or 'baby boy blue', and I never associated those blues with winter, but then I heard it described as 'Tiffany's Gift Box' blue and that description was right-on:

I do love this color, I think it goes well with almost any other color, I think it's fine as a 'winter' color because it feels so cool, and yet it holds the promise of spring. I think it's a great color to chase away my 'after holiday blahs'.

And while I love the look of these rooms...

...I don't think I'm willing to undertake a big paint project right now.

But I do like the idea of adding pillows...

...and throws...

...and lamp shades...

...and vases...

...and picture frames to my home.

I even like the idea of adding a bit of robin's egg blue to my kitchen...

...but I don't think I'd go as far as adding this to my kitchen!

And aside from my home, I love the idea of this color for clothing...

...and shoes!

And it looks like somebody else agrees with me!

(She looks adorable!)

And if you're into 'western wear'...

...you can even get boots to match!

So I've found lots of ways to alleviate my after-holiday blahs with robin's egg blue.
I don't know if I'll go as far as polishing my nails robin's egg blue, but I might!

Happy Blue Monday!
Please join Smiling Sally and click on the other participants for some more Blue Monday!

Kitchens Now And Kitchens Then

2010-01-02T00:12:00.000-05:00

I was browsing the web looking for the latest trends in kitchens and I came across these pictures:

While I do love all the modern conveniences these pictures of the 2010 kitchens might offer, and while I am trying to organize my house and simplify my life, I did find these kitchens all a little too organized, too cold, and too minimalist for my taste.

Now compare the latest trends for kitchens in those 2010 pictures to the latest trends in kitchens in 1910:

I have to admit, I do love today's technology, but there is something about these old 1910 kitchens that I am so attracted to.

Well, to tell you the truth, my dream kitchen would probably look more like this:

Or this:

Or even this:

What about you, which would be your preference?

Vintage New Year Greetings

2009-12-31T10:20:00.000-05:00

I came across these sweet vintage postcards wishing a Happy New Year:

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

Blessed Christmas

2009-12-23T13:30:00.003-05:00

I want to wish everyone a very Blessed Christmas and many Blessings in the New Year!
It's been a pleasure visiting each and every one, and it's been wonderful getting to know you through your informative, entertaining, appetizing, instructive, beautiful, spirit-filled blogs!

White Hot Chocolate

2009-12-19T17:30:00.000-05:00

My husband is allergic to chocolate but he can eat white chocolate, and I wanted to find a recipe for white hot chocolate. I happened to be watching The Food Network the other day and Sandra Lee had a recipe for white hot chocolate on her Semi-Homemade holiday cooking show (semi-homemade is my kind of homemade!).

First thing I did was assemble all my ingredients:

Then melt
1 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Cup White Chocolate Chips
(Sandra's recipe calls for whisking together on the stovetop one minute, but I put mine in the mircrowave on high for two minutes, whisking after one minute and then again when it was done).

Then add
4 Cups Half-and-Half
(I heated that another minute in the microwave)

Then add
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract (I didn't add the peppermint since I was going to be using the Peppermint Schnapps).

Add (to taste)
White Chocolate Liquor (optional)

Peppermint Schnapps (optional)
I used both the White Chocolate Liquor and the Peppermint Schnapps (but first I put aside a cup of non-alcoholic hot chocolate for my grandson!).

Top with vanilla flavored whipped cream, and Sandra's recipe calls for crushed bits of peppermint for garnish on top, but I topped it with cinnamon.

It was a delicious treat on this cold, snowy evening, and along with some wonderful cookies my daughter had received at her job from an Italian Bakery in Manhattan (which she of course shared with us), this really hit the spot!

Tablescape Thursday ~ St. Lucia Day

2009-12-16T14:00:00.003-05:00

I am joining Susan @ Between Naps On The Porch for Tablescape Thursday and I am celebrating the Swedish Feast of St. Lucia with my tablescape.

Although St. Lucia Day is not an official holiday in Sweden it is a popular celebration marked by a ceremony where a girl is elected to portray St. Lucia, wearing a white gown with a red sash and a crown of candles on her head, she walks at the head of a procession of girls, each holding a candle. The candles represent the fire that refused to take St. Lucia's life when she was sentenced to be burned. The girls sing the traditional Neapolitan song Santa Lucia.

After this song is sung, Christmas carols are then sung in Swedish. St. Lucia Day is celebrated on December 13. Since my husband's roots are Swedish and St. Lucia Day fell on Sunday this year I decided to invite the family and celebrate in Swedish fashion.

I used the traditional red and white colors of St. Lucia Day for my centerpiece, and I used the red tulips that my husband bought for me and I put them into three small white vases. I hung three red heart ornaments on the vases.

I used my Johnson Brothers Christmas tree plates and Castle plates, and since there were too many guests for a sit-down dinner, I set everything up buffet style.

We feasted on Swedish meatballs, lada, gravy, lingonberry perserves, two different cheeses, crackers and crispbread.

And for dessert my husband made Aland pankake served with a choice of lingonberries, applesauce, fresh fruit, powdered sugar, or whipped cream. He also made individual pumpkin/cheesecake muffins, and we had heart shaped pepparkakor cookies (Swedish gingersnaps).

I like my pankake topped with whipped cream and a few raspberries.

Some of the pumpkin cheesecake muffins were topped with cinnamon sugar and some were topped with powdered sugar and raspberries.

Please join Susan @ Between Naps On The Porch for more tablescapes!

(And just in case anyone is interested in any of the recipes they are listed HERE)

RECIPES

2009-12-16T00:12:00.001-05:00

Recipes:
(My mother-in-law's recipe)
Swedish Meatballs (makes 30 meatballs, adjust for party crowd)

1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground pork
1 1/2 Cups soft bread crumbs
1 Cup light cream
1/2 Cup chopped onion
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Egg
1/4 Cup parsley
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper
Dash ginger
Dash nutmeg
2 Tablespoons butter

Soak bread crumbs in cream five minutes. Cook onion in 1 Tablespoon butter till tender.
Mix meat, crumb mixture, onion, egg, parsley, salt, pepper, ginger, & nutmeg. Beat five minutes at medium speed with electric mixer. Shape into 1 1/2 inch meatballs. (Wet hands or chill mixture for easier shaping). Brown meatballs in 2 Tablespoon butter. Remove from skillet.

To Cook In Gravy:
Melt 2 Tablespoons butter with drippings in skillet. Stir in 2 Tablespoons flour. Add 1 beef bouillon cube dissolved in 1 1/4 Cup boiling water and 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee. Cook and stir until thick and bubbling. Add meatballs. Cover, cook slowly about 30 minutes, baste occasionally.

I did not cook the meatballs in gravy, I oven-fry them after browning. 450 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

And I used both the brown gravy and a cream sauce gravy.
Cream Sauce Gravy:

1/2 Cup Cream
1 Cup Beef Stock
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 Tablespoons Flour
2 Tablespoons Butter
Salt & White Pepper to taste

Melt butter and sprinkle in flour, stir til smooth.
Add beef stock and stir.
Add cream and stir til thick and smooth.
Add soy sauce and stir.
Bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer five minutes.

Lada
(another recipe from my mother-in-law)

3/4 lb. macaroni
3 Cups milk
3 eggs
1/2 Cup sugar
salt and cinnamon to taste

Cook macaroni (longer than called for, until limp & starchy)
Mix all ingredients together
Place in baking dish
Bake at 35o degrees for one hour

Aland Pankake
(this recipe is from my husband's grandfather)

2 Cups milk
1/3 Cup farina
(boil a porridge of milk & farina)

2 Cups milk
1/3 Cup sugar
1/3 Cup flour
3 eggs
3 Tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cardamon

After boiling the porridge of milk & farina, stir into it 3 beaten eggs, milk, flour, sugar, butter, salt, and cardamon. Pour batter into large baking dish. Bake 350 degrees 80 minutes until it has good color. Cool and serve with lingonberries, whipped cream, powdered sugar, or applesauce.

Mini Pumpkin/Cheesecake:

18 paper baking cups
18 gingersnap cookies
12 ounces cream cheese softened
3/4 Cup sugar
1 Tablespoon corn starch
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 eggs
1 Cup canned pumpkin
1/3 Cup light corn syrup

Line muffin pans with 18 paper baking cups.
Place one gingersnap in each cup.
Beat cream cheese, sugar, conr starch, and pumpkin pie spice with electric mixer.
Add eggs, mix well.
Add pumpkin and syrup, beat one minute.

pour filling into baking cups, dividing evenly.
Bake in preheated 325 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes, until just set.

Chill for one hour.
Garnish as desired.

We didn't have time to bake the gingersnaps so these were store-bought.
Here is my mother-in-law's recipe for the
Pepparkakor:

1 1/2 Cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
(Sift all these together and set aside)

1/2 Cup butter (cream until softened)
3/4 Cup sugar (add to creamed butter)
1 egg, well beaten (add to sugar & butter)
1 1/2 teaspoon dark corn syrup (add to creamed mixture)

Blend the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture by fourths.
Chill several hours.
Remove, place on lightly floured surface.
Roll about 1/16 inch thick.
Cut with cookie cutters (a symmetrical flower shape is best, I could never get my hearts or my gingerbread men to look nice).
Bake at 375 degrees, 6 to 8 minutes.

Christmas Treasures

2009-12-04T08:09:00.001-05:00

Most of these Baby Jesus figures were won on ebay along with the vintage Noma Angel tree toppers except for the Angel in the middle with the flowered dress. She sat atop our tree all the years of my childhood. Somewhere along the way she lost her halo, gown, and wings, so my Mom had fashioned her a halo and wings from cardboard and covered them both with tin foil, and she made her dress from scrap material.

The Baby Jesus in the wooden manger in front of our family Angel was my grandmother's. She said it was in her family for as long as she could remember. He is a wax figure and He was made in Germany. They are two of my Christmas treasures.

The little brown Baby Jesus in front of the Angel with the blue dress to the right is one of my ebay wins. I really loved His primitive look. When my grandson Jayden picked it up he said it felt like a rock, and he asked me if I liked it because it looked like a rock and I told him yes. Later that same day Jayden came into the house with two rocks (one hollowed out and shaped much like a little bowl and the other shaped much like a babe in swaddling clothes) and he said to me, "Umma, here's another rock Baby Jesus for your collection!"
So I sit my 'rock' Baby Jesus right alongside my stone Baby Jesus each year! Another Christmas treasure!

More Christmas treasures to follow!

Not Your Run-Of-The-Mill Christmas Dishes

2009-12-02T23:02:00.000-05:00

I didn't do my own tablescape this week, but I thought I'd share some dishes that I find so interesting.

I love the traditional Christmas themed dishes, I think they add so much charm to the table, and they are such a festive touch.

But I also love unique themes and non-traditional colors for Christmas and I came across some really different plates, serving dishes, and place settings while surfing the web for Christmas dishes:

These plates below are more traditional but I love the idea of mixing the different patterns to create unique place settings:

This set too is the traditional holly, and I usually don't go for everything matching perfectly, but there is something about these hefty-looking pieces that I find so appealing.

From Ireland:

Well, these are more of a traditional pattern, but I love the square serving pieces:

From Sweden:

Look at this pretty tablescape to celebrate St. Lucia Day (December 13). My husband's family is Swedish and I think since St. Lucia Day falls on a Sunday this year I will mark the day and celebrate it with traditional Swedish fare but...

...I will be using my own TJ Maxx finds:

And I'm hoping to find these more colorful Johnson Brothers salad/dessert plates to compliment them!
And I wouldn't mind having this Southwest Christmas theme grace my table for Christmas dinner! Now this is unique!

I have joined Susan @ Between Naps On The Porch for Tablescape Thursday, she always sets a lovely, most unique table and she always generously shares her ideas!

I can't wait to see all your creations too!

Eureka! I Found Some More Christmas Plates!

2009-11-30T07:11:00.001-05:00

I found some more Johnson Brothers Old Britain Castle Christmas plates!

And I didn't have to pay a mint for them! (I had been computer shopping to add to my collection but the sites I found them on wanted anywhere from $8 to $21 each plate). But I found four more at TJ Maxx for only $3.99 each, and I also got four with the castle scene for only $2.99 each.

And while shopping there I found these vintage-looking pink ornaments for only 70 cents each!

And I added them to my Christmas centerpiece:

And it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Here our granddaughter Mia is very happy...

...to watch the train that Grandpa put up around the tree!

And our grandson Jayden had lots of fun looking at the window displays at Lord & Taylor...

...and helping to trim the tree!

And we got a big chunk of our Christmas decorating done outside this weekend too!

Hope you all enjoyed a wonderful weekend too!

Changing Tables Is Easy When You Keep It Simple (And It Helps If You Can Embrace Imperfection)

2009-11-25T21:30:00.000-05:00

My motto for the Season this year is "Keep It Simple And Enjoy"!

I am joining Susan for Tablescape Thursday, after visiting here please join our hostess Susan @ Between Naps On The Porch to view her beautiful Christmas tablescape and then click on the other participants to view some more wonderful creations.

My Thanksgiving table is usually decorated in all the beautiful Fall colors, but this year I didn't go with the traditional. I used creamy white pumpkins and I kept the centerpiece very simple. All I used was a vase of white roses.
This was my inspiration:

And so I went with it!

I kept the place setting very simple too:

I used the turkey dishes that I had found at TJ Maxx (only $12.99 for a set of four, I bought two sets):

Unfortunately there was only one set of dessert plates left, so...

...no problem, I used the plates from a set of amber dishes that once were my Mom's:

And I used the shallow bowls from the amber set as salad plates for all the place settings:

I like that the amber dishes are transparent enough for the strutting turkey to still be seen.

And once this tablescape serves it's purpose...

...it will be very easy to change to this!

My usual color scheme at Christmastime is the traditional red and green, or silver and gold, but again, this year I am breaking my tradition and going with creamy white for my dining table.

I added some decorative bead branches to the vase:

I switched out the pumpkins for a floral tray and filled it with decorative beads and Christmas decorations:

The beautiful doilies were crocheted by my very talented friend Diana and they arrived just a few days before Thanksgiving and I was happy to be able to include them in both tablescapes!

I exchanged the creamy marble candlestick holders for silver:

Another very simple place setting:

I was so happy to find these Christmas plates as they weren't the usual Christmas tree pattern I see everywhere. I also loved the color, not a true red, more of a rose/pink/red. They fit in well with the color scheme I wanted this year.

Unfortunately I could only get a set of four (I'm still searching to add to the collection), so, again, no problem, I'm Blessed, I was able to use dishes that have been gifted to me. They are a plain creamy white and I thought they coordinated with the Christmas place settings:

I also did the same with the salad plates, they don't match at all, but I thought they went well with the dinner plates:

I used these small decorative green plates for bread:

I was lucky to find these red napkins, they too were not the true Christmas red:

The cups are actually coffee mugs from Ikea, but I reach for them a lot when setting the table as they are sturdy, they hold a lot, they are not a 'traditional' coffee mug in that they have no handles, and so I use them for other beverages:

Last look during daylight:

Candlelight:

These tablescapes are not at all elegant table settings (in fact, all my table settings are exceptionally casual, they are more a hodgepodge of dishes, glassware, and flatware). Yes, my tablescapes are far from 'magazine quality', and my home never did live up to 'Martha Stewart standards', but I find as I've grown older (and now with grandchildren underfoot) I've become very comfortable with my imperfect life and I hope my guests are too.

And I wish you all a wonderful, Blessed Thanksgiving, and I hope the Christmas Season finds you taking time to enjoy special moments with family and friends, and take time to enjoy the simple things in life! (And embrace imperfection! It's liberating!)

An UN-Traditional Thanksgiving This Year And Trying To Keep Things Simple

2009-11-17T08:30:00.001-05:00

We usually have Thanksgiving at our home each year. This is the first year in awhile that we won't be serving Thanksgiving dinner around our own table. My sister-in-law very kindly offered to host Thanksgiving in her home, so my husband and I, and our children and their families will gather together there. (I will be making a turkey dinner that following Sunday for us though.)

Now, I feel that the Christmas Season is so short so I try to stretch it out for as long as possible, plus I like to get as much done as early as possible so that I can relax and enjoy the Season. So my husband and I usually spend the days following Thanksgiving taking our time and decorating for Christmas. The Friday after Thanksgiving is usually spent putting up the tree, then trimming it and decorating inside the house over the weekend. The following weekend I usually dress the front windows with a Nativity scene and my husband decorates outside the house. This year though the first Sunday of Advent is early (November 29), and I'd like to have everything done by then. So, we have our work cut out for us this year, the day after Thanksgiving the tree will have to go up and be trimmed, and Saturday I can devote to dressing the front window and trimming the rest of the house, and my husband can work outside, and hopefully by Sunday everything will be done and the family can enjoy some Christmas sights and sounds along with another 'Thanksgiving' dinner.
I don't want to go overboard with Fall decorations for the table, as Christmas will already be ushered into our home. I want to keep it simple. And since this is a break from our normal routine anyway, I thought I'd like to do something UN-traditional (I usually have all the beautiful Fall colors adorning the table for Thanksgiving dinner).

While searching the internet I came across some wonderful ideas:

This is simple and so 'homey' and inviting looking.

I already have some creamy white pumpkins on the dining table now and a lace table cloth, so something like this photo below would be no extra work at all!

Here's another simple white setting. I love the idea of the soup tureen holding court as the centerpiece with a few white roses sitting prettily like 'ladies in waiting' on either side.

I think this one below is my most favorite! After Thanksgiving dinner is cleared off the table and the last of the pumpkin pie is served, I can see this beautiful bouquet of white roses with some green boughs added and placed on a mirror, and with some silver and white Christmas ornaments strewn about.

I think my motto this holiday season is going to be "Keep It Simple"!

And The Winner Is...

2009-11-15T00:03:00.000-05:00

...well, I have to keep you in a little suspense.

My give-away package included a burlap tote from Williams-Sonoma, a wooden salad server set, and wooden salt & pepper shakers, both sets from Anthropologie, and from Pier One there was a woven star-shaped basket, decorative gems, and a set of memo notes:

Twenty-three people left comments on my give-away post and my international friends very kindly told me not to include them as they felt it would be too expensive to ship the items, but I included you ALL in the drawing.
I had the help of my grandson, Jayden, as he ripped strips of paper for me to write the names on, then folded each in half, and we used my granddaughter's little duck pail to draw the name from. Jayden mixed them all up, stuck his hand in the bucket and...

...he drew out ...

REBECCA!

Rebecca @ Life & Godliness, actually Rebecca has a few blogs, each one wonderful as she shares her faith, her family, her thrift shopping, her home decorating, her gardening, her travels, her home-improvements, and her self-improvements with us!
Congratulations, Rebecca!

You can email me at UmmasWorld@gmail.com to let me know where to mail your winnings.

Edible Arrangements

2009-11-13T16:20:00.001-05:00

Yesterday a wonderful package was delivered to us!
It was a delicious fruit bouquet from Edible Arrangements! I had heard of these but I've never seen one and I've never tasted one before. It wasn't just pretty, it really was the freshest fruit and the best I've ever tasted!

Wonderful melons, strawberries, pineapple and grapes, all arranged on skewers.

And it came with this sweet little strawberry dish and a jar of this decadent chocolate dip!

My husband and I belong to the Disney Vacation Club and each year our family takes a trip to Disney World. This year we invited along a family friend and her five-year-old son. I guess they had a good time! Along with this delicious treat was this beautiful 'thank you'!

Thank you, Melissa & Justin! It was a wonderful treat!

Saturday night (November 14) I will be drawing a name for my give-away and I will post the name of the winner on Sunday. Please CLICK HERE to enter if you haven't already!

Thanksgiving Gift Basket Ideas

2009-11-12T08:12:00.000-05:00

This year my sister-in-law is having Thanksgiving at her house. I will be making a few dishes to bring, but I'd like to get her a nice gift too. As I searched the internet for some ideas I came across this site of decorative baskets. And not only did it give me some ideas for a gift my sister-in-law might enjoy, it also inspired me when thinking of gifts for teachers, gifts for wedding and baby showers, and also Christmas gifts for friends and family.

I love the idea of gift baskets, but I also like the idea of the basket itself being another useful gift. Here are some really wonderful ideas:

Just look at this basket, it's an umbrella stand!

Once emptied of gifts, these mail baskets would be very useful!

I also love the idea of this magazine wall basket.

This one was called a 'wash day' basket but I can see it being used to hold guest towels, or in an entryway to store scarves, hats, and gloves.

And my favorites are these tote and purse baskets!

I love the idea of filling any of these baskets with personal items for those you know well. And if you don't know your hostess all that well, you can always fill it with practical items that can be used again and again such as small kitchen needs, salt & pepper shakers, oven mitts, dish towels, tablecloths, napkins & rings, etc.
Or it could be filled with scented candles and candle holders, coasters, stationary, or items that are more 'traditional' gift basket ideas such as candy, fruit, nuts, cookies, and cheese & crackers.

Veteran's Day

2009-11-11T00:12:00.002-05:00

Please remember the sacrifices made by our Veteran's. Please keep our military in your prayers as they risk life, limb, and sanity.

THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER

You need not ever know my name
This unknown soldier seeks no fame

I'm here to bring out thought from you
May your heart see more than your eye can view

America, we marched with pride
We gave our life, for you we died

How well we knew the time might come
When life could sound that final drum

Please think of us as life moves on
We tried so hard till that last dawn

Do let our spirit fill the land
Pass treasured freedom hand to hand

God Blessed this country with such love
Hold in your heart abundance of

And when you stand before my grave
Think not of one, but each who gave

by ~ Roger J. Robicheau

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

I'm Back To Give Away!

2009-11-06T12:20:00.001-05:00

I've been neglecting my blog while busy with family (lots of fun and some not-so-fun)!

(Well, we'll just forget all about the not-so-fun!)

Here's some of the fun!

And here's our Princess Mia with Princess Belle:

And here's our Prince Jayden with Belle:

And here Mario and Sleeping Beauty paid us a visit on Halloween!

And here are the things collected for the give-away (after the winner has been chosen I will also try to add something more personal that I think the winner might appreciate):

From Anthropologie there is a set of wooden salt and pepper shakers ~

Also from Anthropologie wooden serving utensils ~

(a close up of the twig-like handles)

And a burlap 'Farmer's Market' bag from Williams & Sonoma ~

(It's really a nice-sized bag and very roomy inside)

From Pier One there is a star-shaped woven basket ~

And just a few more little goodies from Pier One ~

A box of decorative gems ~

And desk notes ~

Okay, there you have it!
Please leave a comment and I will draw a name and announce the winner on Saturday, November 14!

The Little Black Dress

2009-10-22T00:12:00.000-04:00

I'm very happy to participate in Carol's "The Little Black Dress" party. Many thanks to our hostess Carol @ Charli and Me, she has a wonderful blog that is full of inspiration, advice, book reviews, Bible quotes, and prayer, and Carol also takes us along on her many travels and tours, she shares her family and her Faith, and her precious Charli, and so much more!
I hope you will click on her blog to view the others that have opted to participate in her party too!

Now I don't have just one special 'little black dress' with a story attached to it because I have so many black dresses! Black is my favorite color for clothing and as I shop I have to force myself to reach for other colors! But especially when I am shopping for dresses, black is beautiful!
My dresses aren't exactly "little" black dresses either, as I am not exactly a very little person (in fact I am something of an Amazon as I am five foot eight inches tall and tipping the scale at...No! No! Let's not even go there!).

I'm sorry the pictures are so bad, it's hard to photograph black! I am far from a professional photographer, and I am the furthest thing from a model so I did not do these designs justice at all.
Also, while trying the dresses on, I was getting tired of changing and my personal photographer (my four-year-old grandson Jayden) was getting tired of snapping pictures of me!

He did have fun at first though:
"Umma, stand over there!"

"Action!"

"Cut!"

"Oh, wait, Umma, I didn't get your shoes that time!"

"Umma, hold this book!"

"Umma, fix your hair, I don't think it looks too good like that."

And, finally...

"Umma, I quit!"

Me too, Jayden! Good job!
(Actually the pictures are a little blurry, but very good for a four-year-old, and he did a great job of centering! Much better than I do!)

First I'll start with two favorite black jackets I like to wear with these black dresses (and with other dresses too).
I love this little brocade topper, I like it's boxy shape, big buttons, and three-quarter ruffled sleeves:

This black jacket is also a favorite, I love the peplum style, and the material is comfortable.

I tried to get a picture of the pretty seam details but I'm not sure if you'll be able to see it.

And here are some of my favorite black dresses (I didn't spend more than $100 on any dress or suit, and most were under $50 and purchased at TJ Maxx, a few were purchased on sale at Macy's, and a few were purchased on sale through on-line catalogs):

This is a plain long black velvet dress. The thing I love most about this dress is the blue/black velvet duster that came with it. My daughter used this dress once in high school when she had to dress as Stevie Nicks!

(Look, see my heel slipped on the floor there and I caught myself on the file cabinet and Jayden was laughing, I think that's why this one is blurry!)

This dress is very comfortable and I reach for it a lot. It's an empire waist style and I love how it's gathered at the bodice. The details of why I love this dress do not show up at all in the pictures!

(Jayden didn't laugh while snapping this one and it's pretty good, but I was laughing at him yelling "Action!")

I wish you could see how pretty this gathered bodice looks. Oh well.

This is a very simple long black dress, vee neck and aline. This dress I've had for years and years, and thankfully due to the A-line style, it still fits!

This is just a plain shift style black dress. This one I've had for years and years too, but this one was tight when I tried it on (it's on under the jacket in the first photo). Time to think seriously about dieting! Well, even if I lost the weight, it's too short for this old lady now, time to pass it on I think. (And that way I can keep satisfying my sweet tooth too!)

I love this simple Evan Picone dress. I especially like the white piping and the double hem. I got this dress in TJ Maxx for fifteen dollars!

In the warmer weather I usually wear this dress with a white cardigan (I couldn't find it though, I guess I stored it away for the Winter already).
At this time of year I wear one of the black jackets or a black cardigan, which I should have had on to cover up a little more!(When Jayden snapped this one I was saying to him, "It's not a video camera!", because he wanted me to dance!)

This is a mid-length evening dress, with three-quarter sleeves and it's a faux wrap style, with a handkerchief hem and with a jewel detail at the waist. I love the style, I really don't like the jewel details though. This dress I had bought to wear to my niece's wedding when I heard she got engaged. But then she decided to have an outdoor picnic wedding! So I haven't gotten a chance to wear this one anywhere yet.

This is a shorter evening dress. I like the ruching at the waist and I love the double straps.

This Dana Buchman black suit is more a Fall/Winter weight suit, but I've worn it at other times of the year. I've worn this to a lot of functions, I feel like it's dressy enough for a special occasion and it's plain enough for a not-so-formal occasion. Sadly, lately I've been wearing this suit mostly for funerals.

The suit jacket has a velvet collar and velvet cuffs with a pretty scroll work design.

It's hard to see in this picture but the jacket has velvet covered buttons too:

(Here Jayden was saying, "Don't look at me, Umma, read your book!")

Detail of the cuff:

Okay, now I have many, many shoes to go with these dresses but I won't show you my whole shoe store, I'll only show you half:
Again, the pictures are not great, and I guess it doesn't help that I propped these black shoes on a black dresser top to photograph them!
And also it's very hard to take good pictures of shoes when you are wearing them! Oh well.

These Steve Madden Mary Janes are a favorite pair. I love the plaid, I love the button closure, and I love the comfortable heel size.

These next ones I love more for their comfort rather than the style.

These black suede shoes are very comfortable too and I loved the white stitching on them.

I once had a pair of Steve Madden black suede Mary Janes with a three buckle closing that my sister-in-law Susie loved, so I gave them to her. Then I happened to spot these Naturalizer Mary Janes that looked very similar (only one strap, but I still loved them!):

I like these sparkly mules, the heel is high, but with the open back they are still comfortable.

These shoes are very similar but with a much lower heel, good for when I am walking long city blocks!

These pretty silver slides my girlfriend Barbara bought for me when I had admired a pair that she had!

I have lots of bags and purses too to go with my black wardrobe, but today I'll just show my two favorites.
I like this bag because it's big enough to fit a greeting card (great for a wedding!) along with a few other items:

And this mesh drawstring bag I love because it's very roomy, it's unique, and mostly I love it because it belonged to my Mom (I wrote about this bag in one of my 'Friday Favorites' posts):

Okay, there you have some of my black wardrobe! (I actually have lots more black dresses! And I have tons of black pants suits too, but this would be a never-ending post if I showed them all!) Now please visit Carol to view the little black dress she has waiting for you!
Carol, many thanks, this was lots of fun! Especially after I got Jayden involved in the project!

And here is my little photographer now...Smile! (Or I guess I should say...Action!)

And here he is...

...peeking at us from behind the camera!

Thank you, Jayden!
and
Thank you, Carol!

Blogging Break

2009-10-11T03:33:00.008-04:00

I'm taking a little break from blogging and hope to return late October or early November when I will be having a giveaway!

I've enjoyed participating in a few Tablescape Thursdays hosted by Susan @Between Naps On The Porch, and I had a great time too at the Rooster Party hosted by Barb @ Bella Vista, as well as Rhondi's Welcome To Fall Party @ Rose Colored Glasses, and I've also enjoyed visiting the blogs of so many friendly, creative, generous people!

You've all given me so many wonderful ideas and I thank you all!

Before I take my break I'd like to show you these once poor, sad looking roses I picked up at the grocery store. I was looking for a bouquet of Fall flowers for my dining table, but I saw these pathetic looking roses, wilting, and I felt sorry for them, and something told me to pick them up and take them home. I wish I had thought to take pictures of how bad they looked! They were so sickly looking that I didn't bother to put them on the dining table at all, I just cut them down very short , more to prop them up because they just kept bending and drooping, and I stuck them in a vase on my kitchen window sill. One of the stems was broken so I put that one in it's own separate little vase, and I sort of forgot about them.

Well, two days later this is what greeted me as I went to my kitchen sink:

And five days later they are still going strong!

And here's the little broken one, it never really opened, but it's still standing proud!

I'm going to try and participate in Carol's "The Little Black Dress" Party over at
Charli and Me on October 22 (let's hope Blogger cooperates this time and publishes my scheduled post!). It sounds like lots of fun and if you'd like to participate too you can find the details here.

See you all when I return!

Fall ~ What's Not To Love?!

2009-10-05T12:12:00.000-04:00

I LOVE FALL!
There's so much to do, so much to see and enjoy, and so much to look forward to!

There is of course Fall foliage:

There's beautiful Fall flowers:

There's Fall attire:

And there's pumpkin pie and pumpkin cookies!

There's jack-o-lanterns and candy corn!

There's fresh farm stands and bushels of apples:

There's warm soups and hearty stews:

There's crusty breads:

There's warm apple cider:

And there's Pumpkin Spice Latte! Yummy!

There's raking leaves:

And there's jumping in leaves!

There are kids in costumes!

There's decorating the house in it's Fall Finest!

And at the heart of it all, there are Blessings to be so thankful for:

Family

Faith

Freedom

HAPPY FALL TO ALL!

Tablescape Thursday ~ Almost Vintage

2009-09-30T19:12:00.005-04:00

It has been a pleasure these past few weeks to participate in Tablescape Thursday hosted by Susan @ Between Naps On The Porch. If you love dishes and beautiful table settings visit Susan, you will not be disappointed, she always sets a lovely table and welcomes you onto her wonderful porch. After visiting Susan you can click on the names of other participants to view even more tablescapes.

Most people who know me well, know that I love anything vintage, and I also love what I call 'almost vintage', it can be brand new reproductions, I do not discriminate, I still love the vintage look of these things and I will welcome them into my home.
Today it is my turn to have the girls for lunch again, there will only be four of us, and I have set my dining table for us with some of my vintage and 'almost vintage' finds.

I started with vintage linens that I had picked up at an estate sale on Long Island, NY.
I usually 'roll' my placemats and napkins around empty paper towel holders to keep them from wrinkling, but my husband's grandmother had taught me that linen tablecloths, placemats, and napkins should be ironed with perfect creases in them. She said that sharply creased linens were acceptable and easier to store (she was right about that!), but she said that soft or unsharp creases had to be ironed out.
I didn't do very well, the more I tried to get out the soft folds, the more wrinkled they became! My apologies.

Okay, let's focus on the positive now.

I love the detail work on the placemats and napkins ~

The luncheon plates belonged to my husband's grandmother.

The salad plates I bought myself at TJ Maxx a few years ago.

And the little dessert plates belonged to a friend's grandmother, she very kindly gifted them to me.

I love the design around the rim of these plates.

Both the platter and the serving dish at one time graced the table of my grandparents.

I took an old floral tin that was my Mom's and filled it with some silk flowers to create a very simple centerpiece.

The vintage looking glasses are actually reproductions that I had purchased at Anthropologie (on sale last year).

I have an extra place setting. Won't you please join us?

Please visit Susan to view the tablescapes of her many followers.

Also, Doodles By Lauren is having a GIVEAWAY today! Go leave a comment and maybe you will be the lucky winner of a beautiful one-of-a-kind original artwork by Lauren! The drawing is today so hurry!

Fall Finds

2009-09-26T08:00:00.003-04:00

While helping a friend search for something online I came across a website called Joyful Bride that sells favors for weddings and bridal showers, and they also sell favors for baby showers and other type parties. I clicked on their 'Seasonal' merchandise and was happily surprised to see many unique Fall decorations at very reasonable prices.

Lots of Fall candles!

Pretty tea light holders.

I wouldn't need a Fall wedding as an excuse to use these pretty little wedding cake candles in my Fall decorating.

This is such a pretty way to display place cards.

These are a little more rustic looking and I think they're adorable!

I also like the natural look of these candles.

I loved the idea of these soap leaves!

I think any of these would be a beautiful addition to a Thanksgiving tablescape.

Also you might want to visit Doodles By Lauren as she's having a GIVEAWAY to celebrate her 100th post! Lauren is a very talented artist, she creates wonderful children's art and I have been lucky enough to acquire a piece of custom art work by Lauren for my granddaughter Mia:

Change Of Season ~ Change Of Wardrobe

2009-09-21T20:40:00.003-04:00

Summer garments...

...of pale pink and cream floral patterns, and the many shades of cool blue...

...give way to...

Fall attire!

It's fun to dress the house in plaids, (and pumpkins, and scarecrows, and squirrels, and leaves) and all the Autumn spice colors!

Please join Rhondi @ Rose Colored Glasses at her Welcome To Fall Party!

Tablescape Thursday ~ Just A Little Brunch

2009-09-09T20:49:00.000-04:00

Please join our hostess Susan @ Between Naps On The Porch for Tablescape Thursday, she always sets such a beautifully creative table out on her beautifully decorated porch. After viewing Susan's fine design you can then click on the names of the other participants.

My tablescape today is for brunch at the kitchen counter. I'll just be making scrambled eggs with garden vegetables added to them, buttered toast, and a tomato & cucumber salad.

Today I'll be using paper napkins and one of my everyday flatware sets. The placemats were purchased last year at Bestmor's (a Swedish shop) in Olde Mystik Village, Connecticut.

The green floral tray was also purchased at Bestmor's.

I'm using the dishes that belonged to my grandmother.

I am being joined for brunch by my four-year-old grandson, and his plastic cup is part of a child's dish set purchased from Ikea.

The butter dish was purchased at an outlet mall in a store called Kitchen Gadgets.

The coffee mug was from an Irish shop, it's part of a set that I've had for years.

The pink depression glass serving bowl belonged to my grandmother.

Okay, everything's just about ready.

It looks like my little man here is hungry!

I have plenty! Would you like to join us?

Then you can view all the other tablescapes at Between Naps On The Porch!

I Could Live With This!

2009-09-06T11:21:00.029-04:00

I obviously have very eclectic taste.
I could easily live with any of the following:

I think my home must be a decorators nightmare for my home is just a hodgpodge mess of decorating styles. I wish I could just find one style I love and stick to it, but I haven't been able to do it thus far. Does anyone else have this problem or am I unique in this?

Tablescape Thursday ~ Looking Forward To Fall!

2009-09-02T20:01:00.000-04:00

Please join Susan @ Between Naps On The Porch to view her always beautifully creative tablescape and then click on the others who have opted to join in the fun this week!

Today I set the table in the dining room for a family dinner tonight, I'm happy the Fall season will soon be upon us so I set the table with that mind.

Once again I am using some leaf-shaped doilies as placemats:

Our dinner plates and salad plates are from one of our everyday sets:

The bread plates are actually a set of dessert plates that I had picked up at TJ Maxx last year:

I'm not crazy about the bowls that came with this set, so I'm using some other bowls that I found a few summers ago in a little shop in Southampton, Long Island, NY:

(There are two of each color and design.)

The flatware and the amber crackled glasses are also from everyday sets:

The napkins were bought at the Ralph Lauren Home outlet (on sale they were packaged four @ $5.99):

The napkin rings were purchased at the Pottery Barn outlet store (on sale for ninety-seven cents apiece):

The centerpiece is a large vase that I had purchased at Bombay many years ago and I filled it with silk flowers (they're not really Fall flowers or colors but I have a weakness for Bells of Ireland):

I surrounded the vase with the trunk candles purchased at the Pottery Barn outlet (I used one of these in another of my tablescapes a few weeks ago), and I used some other items from around the house that make me think of Autumn:

I used my little owl votive holder too, just because he makes me smile!

Happy Tablescape Thursday!
Happy Fall!

Be sure to join Susan @ Between Naps On The Porch for more tablescapes!

Kitchens I Love!

2009-08-30T14:17:00.000-04:00

These are kitchens I could feel very much at home in. And every one of these kitchens has a vintage quality to it. And most of these kitchens are white and bright. So when we renovated our kitchen and I had the opportunity to create anything my heart desired, why did I choose a style of kitchen with a more modern edge rather than vintage? Why did I choose cherry wood cabinets instead of white or a chippy painted finish? And why did I choose Dakota Mahogany granite counter tops instead of wood or white marble?!
I know my husband is still very happy with the choices I made (he always says that shabby chic is not good for resale value as it only appeals to a small market ~ keep it simple is his motto), and while I am not UNhappy with my choices, the shabby chic girl inside of me is still longing for tattered elegance.

Picture Sources:
The Lettered Cottage
Cottage Home Decorating
Coastal Living
Country Living
Retro-kitchen
New Orleans Lady
Dominion

Tablescape Thursday ~ It's A Rooster Party!

2009-08-26T15:46:00.036-04:00

I have used my rooster dishes to celebrate both Tablescape Thursday hosted by Susan @ Between Naps On The Porch and also the Rooster Party on Friday hosted by Barb @ Bella Vista. A big thank you to both of these talented, creative, generous women!
Please visit Susan for Tablescape Thursday.

And then make sure to visit Barb and join in the fun of her Show Us Your Roosters Party!

I have been participating in Tablescape Thursday for a few months now and I've enjoyed visiting the many innovative blogs that have been giving me so many tips and so many wonderful ideas! Today my tablescape is all about the rooster!

I started my tablescape off by laying down a runner with colors that complimented the colors of both my dining table and my dishes :

And I also used lace placemats in the shape of leaves:

I used my rooster dinner plates and salad bowls for this place setting:

The napkins were purchased many years ago with matching placemats and pot holders (long ago discarded).

The glassware was purchased a few years ago at Target.

The flatware is one of our everyday sets, a recent purchase from Target.

The salt and pepper shakers were purchased at a small country store.

I'm not really into country decor, but there is something about roosters that I love so much!

Two serving dishes came with this dishware set, they are a perfect size for holding side dishes of vegetables.

The serving pasta platter doesn't belong to the dishware set, I purchased this because I loved the gigantic size of it, we can load it up with a whole twenty-five pound turkey at Thanksgiving! Plus I loved the handsome rooster!

I have many, many, many roosters, unfortunately most of my roosters are wrapped carefully, boxed, and packed away in the attic. And it's still much too hot here to climb into the attic to retrieve them, but I do have a few favorites that I keep out always. These two little ones I usually keep on my kitchen window sill, the glass one is so beautiful with the sun shining on it, it acts like stained glass and gives me little rainbows all over my kitchen in the mornings. The other colorful one is a gift that my Aunt brought back to me from her trip to Portugal.

This glass one my friend gave to me for my birthday this year:

And this one from Portugal is hand painted and I think it's beautiful:

These other two that I've used on my tablescape are also very special. The big one was given to me by a few friends as a gift when I was going through a rough time. And the tart warmer was a gift from one of my sons for Mother's Day. I loved that he remembered that I collected roosters!

I keep the big one on my kitchen counter and it is a nice reminder of supportive friends:

I also keep the tart burner on one of the kitchen counters and he fills my home with wonderful aromas!

Please visit Barb @ Bella Vista and click on the other participants who have joined in the fun of her Rooster Party!

Tablescape Thursday ~ We Want To Be Alone!

2009-08-19T16:14:00.000-04:00

My husband and I should be empty-nesters by now, but not only do we still have grown children living under our roof, we also have our four-year-old grandson sharing our lives and our home with us. And while it's very nice to have a fun-filled house, on the rare occasions when we have a quiet house, it is most welcome!

On this quiet late summer afternoon we decided to do an early dinner. My husband popped in a movie and I set up a little tablescape on the big ottoman in the livingroom.

First I set down a beautiful table runner that my husband's grandmother had embroidered.

Then I used the dinner plates we had recently purchased from the Williams-Sonoma Outlet store for only $3.99 each!

I love how the swirl design of the dishes mimics the swirl design of the embroidery pattern.

Not only was I drawn to the soft swirl design when I spotted these dishes on the store shelves, I also loved the colors and the price was right, so I just had to have these plates!

I loved both the yellow and the blue and I was having a hard time deciding which color to purchase. I don't have any blue in my kitchen, and the yellow was much better suited to coordinate with dishes I already own, but the soft blue was calling to me. In the end I went with yellow for the dinner plates and blue for the salad/dessert plates.

The flatware is our everyday set purchased from Target.

The napkins and napkin rings were all purchased at the Pottery Barn Outlet store. The napkins were $1.97 each, and the rings were only ninety-seven cents each! I love the napkins, but I'm not really all that fond of monkey napkin rings, but at that price I couldn't pass up these little guys!

I guess I can always try to hide them under the napkin, but...

...they are really growing on me!

The glassware we're using are two Ravenhead English Dimple Pint Beer Mugs purchased years ago at a local church White Elephant Sale. We won't be drinking beer though, it will be lemonade with dinner for my husband, and iced tea is my choice.

The centerpiece is just a simple trunk candle purchased from Pottery Barn for $3.95. As late afternoon turns into evening, this candle will be lit and we'll sip a nice after dinner grappa to enjoy with our dessert.

Wait a minute! What's this little smiling dimpled face peeking at me from behind those dimpled beer mugs?
When did the rest of the crew sneak back into the house?!
Oh well, I guess we'll be setting a few more places for our early 'alone time' dinner! And I guess we'll be popping a Disney movie in to watch, and dessert will be ice cream sundaes instead of grappa. (Sigh)

But that's okay.

My husband and I both know how truly Blessed we are to be surrounded by the joyful noise of family, (and we also know how Blessed we are to survive the strain of all this joy), we really do live a fairy-tale life, but I still think it doesn't hurt to have a tangible reminder sitting and staring us in the face:

Please join Susan @ Between Naps On The Porch, she is the hostess of Tablescape Thursday, go here to view all the participants beautiful dishes and unique tablescape creations.

Tablescape Thursday ~ Mojito Monday

2009-08-10T21:30:00.039-04:00

I am happy to once again participate in Tablescape Thursday hosted by Susan @ Between Naps On The Porch. Please visit Susan's wonderful blog to view her always so beautiful tablescape and click on the others who are joining in the fun this time to view their creations!

I'm using Tablescape Thursday to highlight one of the highlights of my week!
Mojito Mondays!
Well, it's not just the Mojitos that highlight my Mondays, it's also the fact that my husband has been taking a lot of Mondays off from work, and then we usually take a drive to enjoy the beach, and we come home and relax by making ourselves a couple of Mojitos. I found an amazing recipe for the perfect Mojito from Bill @ Affordable Accoutrements (you can find the recipe here). My husband and I enjoy his recipe very much!
We first debuted Bill's recipe at a family party and it was a big hit!

We usually take these wonderful drinks outside on the deck. Now, I do nothing fancy, but I think using your 'everyday' kitchenware can make a very nice little tablescape, granted it's not as beautiful or grand as using 'special day' tableware at a sit-down dinner, but it can still be a pleasant table to sit at. And I think using familiar, everyday things creates a comfortable atmosphere.

I usually walk in the door and quickly gather up whatever is at hand:

This time it was two nice big glasses I had purchased earlier this summer at Target:

And a small white colander, also a purchase from Target:

I also took out two vintage shell dishes that I had purchased years ago at a flea market:

And this little lime shaped cutting board that I got as a gift years ago:

This is a perfect summer drink!

Along with our wonderful Mojitos, I have filled the colander with fresh vegetables:

And I used the little shell dishes for our favorite dipping sauces:

(This is the lazy man's [er, woman's] version of a mojito salad, fresh vegetables and papaya/mango/tomato salsa to dip them in!)

It's really a very informal, relaxing, refreshing treat on a summer evening!

On the second round we were running out of mint leaves so there was a bit of a disagreement on who would get the most mint in their drink. Guess who won?

Nah, I'm just kidding! I split them up evenly.

Good food, great drinks, and the best company, right in our own little corner of the world!
Can life get any better?

Happy Tablescape Thursday!

Grace Under Fire

2009-08-07T00:25:00.000-04:00

The Blushing Hostess Entertains is honoring Jackie Kennedy Onassis' birthday (she would have been 80 now) by asking readers to share their stories of grace. Please go to this site to read the stories, poems, memories, and pictures that are being shared.

I am shortening a very long story into just a few sentences for this post.

Grace ~ the exercise of love, kindness, mercy, favor; the disposition to benefit or serve another.

My mother was a woman of grace, poise, refinement and dignity. Unfortunately a little of her polish was lost to Alzheimer's Disease in her last years of life. My Mom spent her last fourteen months within the confines of a nursing home, where other gracious women were in charge of her care. These nurses' aides treated my mother with the utmost respect despite my mother's tantrums and outbursts. These women acted as her guardians and protectors. At the risk of losing their jobs, these women reported an abuse they witnessed perpetrated on my mother by a Licensed Practical Nurse. These women were not supported by their superiors, in fact, they were denigrated and belittled. They were told they were "foreigners and didn't really understand the meaning of the word 'pushed'". They were transferred off of the Dementia Ward because they had felt a duty to my mother and informed the family of what they had witnessed, as Administration was trying to cover up this abuse. These women took a great risk in the interest of safeguarding my mother and the other patients that they felt a responsibility for on their ward. I will forever be in their debt for their acts of bravery. These women acted with the utmost grace under fire.

Below are just a few photos that also suggest to me the personification of grace:

Happy Birthday, Jackie!

Tablescape Thursday ~ Having The Girls For Lunch Today

2009-08-05T17:03:00.000-04:00

A few girlfriends are coming for lunch this afternoon, so I thought I'd use this table setting to participate again in Tablescape Thursday hosted by Susan@Between Naps On The Porch. Please go to her blog to view all the beautiful dishes and creative table settings. Susan and her followers are all a font of wonderful ideas.

I started my table setting by using a rose patterned coverlet as a table covering. I thought it was pretty for a summer luncheon.

The flowers were actually the table centerpiece from a wedding that my son and daughter-in-law attended, my daughter- in-law very kindly gifted them to me, and I was happy to be able to use them for my lunch table.

I used my green everyday dishes as a charger.

Then I used these small white plates (that I had picked up in TJ Maxx) for our lunch plates.

The plates that I used for appetizers are an assortment of bargain store finds, flea market finds, and one belonged to my grandmother.

The glassware was picked up at a church sale for twenty-five cents apiece!

The glass pitcher (I'll be filling it with iced tea), the butter dish, and the cake plate all belonged to my grandmother.

The napkins were purchased at our local grocery store.

I'm using my everyday flatware which was purchased at Target earlier this year. And the little appetizer forks were purchased at Ikea.

The little bowls that I'll be using for condiments were purchased on sale at Anthropologie, and the little spoons are from Ikea.

The tray I'll be using for appetizers is a Shabby Chic design by Rachel Ashwell and sold by Target a few years ago.

And the tray I'll be using for sandwiches was purchased a few years ago at TJ Maxx.

I have a nagging feeling that I've forgotten something.

Well, I'm sure I've forgotten something, I always do! Can you think of anything?

Oh, well, we're all friends, I'm sure they'll forgive me.
Enough fretting about the table anyway, I have to get busy in the kitchen now!

Happy Tablescape Thursday!

A Favorite Store

2009-07-31T15:23:00.009-04:00

One of my favorite stores is Anthropologie. It's actually a very unique store with an inventory of wonderful items for the home, for the bath, toiletries, clothing, and accessories. Anthropologie sells everything from furniture to coin purses.
Their pieces however are priced a little too expensive for my budget, and their clothes are made with a much younger woman in mind, but I go there mostly for ideas and the occasional sale item. I love to just browse these stores for inspiration on how to accessorize and display home decor.
And I love how so many of their articles and displays have a vintage feel to them.
If you've never had the pleasure of shopping Anthropologie, just look at these pictures and you'll see exactly what I mean.

Check out the vintage looking dishes and glassware, and the linens and aprons in the pictures below.

Don't you love all the colors? I want one of each!

And in the picture below my eye went right to the colanders. What attracts you most?

I love how so many of the items are displayed on vintage looking furnishings.

I even enjoy looking at the displays they have outside their entrances!

'Hope you enjoyed shopping with me in one of my favorite inspiration spots!

Tablescape Thursday ~ Just A Little ReTREAT!

2009-07-29T19:00:00.001-04:00

Please go to our hostess Susan @ Between Naps On The Porch for a view of some spectacular tablescapes.

I'll let you in on a little secret. I have a sweet tooth, well, that's not such a big secret really. But I like to indulge my sweet tooth sometimes with a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack. And I try to secrete myself away as I spoil myself with both a little treat and a little retreat.

Look here, today I've set myself up out on the side deck off the sun porch.

I like to sit in this wicker chair.

And for my treat today I've pulled out of the freezer some grapes (before they went into the freezer they were washed and placed in a zip top plastic bag with a box of cherry jell-o powder, then I shook and shook them to coat the grapes. My blogger friend Sandy shared this 'sweet little recipe' with me), and I made myself some lemonade. I also surrounded myself with a few treasures that make me happy just to look at them. And I sat down to enjoy my little feast.

This glass was purchased last year on sale at Anthropologie (one of my favorite stores!).

These little bowls are all from Anthropologie too.

This is some of the beach glass that my brother-in-law has collected for me on the beaches of Long Island (I have vases and vases full of these jewels!)

The potpourri was purchased at Ikea.

My napkin is actually a vintage tea towel bought at a church flea market for ten cents and the napkin ring was on sale for $1.00 at Pier One.

The dish is part of a set (I have two of each: grapes, lemons, pears, and apples, and I have mugs that match). I love the basket weave design around the rim. I bought these dishes on sale many years ago but I can't remember where they were purchased. They only say 'made in Portugal' on the back.

The chippy vase is from Michael's craft store along with the little silk rose bouquet.

The rock was collected on a beach in Maine by a good friend and she handpainted it before she gave it to me.

Okay, I guess I'm done since there's nothing left of the grapes except the stems.

I guess it's time to clean up and force myself back into the real world...

...and leave behind my little retreat, all refreshed...

...to go back inside to where another 'treasure' is offering me a happy greeting!

Now that you know my deep, dark secret, don't let the cat out of the bag! And next time maybe you'll join in and indulge with me! I 'd like that!

Driftwood Beauty

2009-07-26T00:53:00.012-04:00

I wish I had 'before and after' pictures for this post, but the 'after' pictures are going to have to suffice.
While beach combing last week my family and I found lots of treasure in the form of seashells, rocks, and beach glass (my husband found a beautiful shade of blue and I was lucky enough to find a rare pink!).

But the crown jewel was that I also found a wonderful piece of driftwood. It was actually a beautifully worn and weathered oak plank. A very long, very thick, very heavy oak plank that had weathered to a beautiful color gray. My brother-in-law, Donald, very kindly offered to haul this massive plank home in his car, he was going to be golfing with my husband this weekend and he would drop it off then.

Well, he not only did me the favor of dropping it off, he first fashioned this beautiful rustic shelf for me out of that plank of wood! I absolutely love it! A thing of beauty created by Mother Nature and further enhanced by Donald.
Now, this to me is eye candy!

We all agreed that this weathered beauty belonged outdoors, and we also agreed that the outdoor sink would be a nice home for it.

Tablescape Thursday

2009-07-22T10:00:00.001-04:00

This is my second time joining in the fun of Tablescape Thursday hosted by Susan of Between Naps On The Porch. Susan's charming blog reflects her lovely home and her equally lovely spirit. Visit Susan's blog if you'd like to participate and click on the list of other bloggers who have joined Tablescape Thursday to see some of the wonderful creative table settings that have inspired me.

I thought we'd have breakfast on the sun porch this morning.

A happy find at the TJ Maxx discount store!

Many years ago my Mom's jelly purchases became dessert cups and drinking glasses for our family once the jars were emptied. I still happily use them for my own family and friends!
I've also been Blessed with the rose print dishes that belonged to my grandmother.

A pretty flea market purchase.

We'll be having frozen blueberries with cream poured over, and sour cream walnut cakes with butter. Now, don't knock the frozen blueberry concoction until you try it. Just defrost the blueberries a little until they are semi-soft and pour the cream over them, it's a delicious cold breakfast treat on a warm summer morning! And I love it with an iced cold glass of cranberry juice. Come on, give it a try. You might like it!

Now on to the sour cream cakes (warmed in the oven) and fresh-brewed coffee!

Sweetener?

Cream?

Uh-oh, only one left!

Oh, come on, we'll share!

I'm full!

How about you? Did you have enough?

Let's clear this mess out of the way.

Who's turn is it to do the dishes this time?

What's that you say? If I wash them, you'll dry?

Oh, don't bother. I'll just let them soak for awhile. You can run along!

You can do them next time!
Please come again!

Pretty Paper

2009-07-17T20:54:00.000-04:00

I found a wonderful blog @ Cherry's Jubilee! Cherry also sells many wonderful handmade items at Esty.

I was lucky enough to grab these goodies:

(Once we make over our foyer, I think I am going to hang this one with the key out there.)

I have a thing for baby clothes (especially vintage, and I have some sweet little outfits from my mother-in-law that my husband wore, and I saved a few things that our kids wore), and I've been on the lookout for vintage baby hangers too. I've been hanging the clothes in the windows of our back sun room and I was so happy to find this baby garland at Cherry's. I think it compliments my collection very nicely. Thanks, Cherry for these beautiful creations!

Isn't this just the sweetest?

The baby, the button, the polka dots, the scallop, the ribbons, it just makes me smile to look at it!

Table For Two (or rather 'Counter For Two')

2009-07-15T16:28:00.023-04:00

This is my first time participating in Tablescape Thursday which is graciously hosted by Susan@Between Naps On The Porch. Susan's creative ideas have enhanced her home and have been an inspiration to me.

My friend Barbara and I like to get together once or twice a week and we sometimes treat ourselves to something sweet with a cup of coffee at the local donut shop.
Sometimes we host each other in our homes for our sweet treat. We are very informal and enjoy entertaining each other at our kitchen counters.

During the summer months we will treat ourselves to something along the lines of these little strawberry shortcakes drizzled with chocolate syrup.

Barbara and I each have our favorite plates. Mine is the pale pink petal plate, and Barbara's is the darker pink.

And of course we have to have our iced coffee!

One dishtowel spread out on the counter serves nicely as a placemat for us both!

Now when the weather turns cold, we turn our attention to hot coffee, and we sample lots of different flavors. Our favorite on a crisp Fall day is cinnamon!

We satisfy our sweet tooth with something like these delicious chocolate mousse-filled cakes, topped with a little whipped cream. Yummy!

There's always room for one more if you'd like to pull up a stool and join us! The more the merrier and if the kitchen gets too crowded we can always move on into the dining room!

All my finds are from thrift stores, flea markets, yard sales, or discount stores such as TJ Maxx, Target, and Michael's. There's nothing fancy, you don't have to 'dress', just come as you are, relax and sit a spell with us!

Contemplating A New Outdoor Space

2009-07-08T07:15:00.000-04:00

Our double lounger has seen better days.

The cushions are shredding, but the frame seems like it's in good condition. I've been pricing replacement cushions, but as they are no longer available from the manufacturer we would have to have them custom made. That is a very expensive endeavor. So for this summer we are just 'making do' with what we have. And while I am mulling over whether or not to replace the cushions next spring, I've been contemplating the possibilities for that space should we decide to go in another direction.

We could use that area for added outdoor dining space:

The sheers in this picture below create a sense of privacy and give the feel of a dining 'room'.

This trellis too affords privacy and gives the area a room-like feeling with the roses providing a roof and some shade.

This romantic dining area is one of my favorites. It's soft and it's pretty, and it just welcomes you in.

I was thinking of using the area as a work station for potting plants in spring:

I love the idea of a big old rustic looking table with ample space underneath for storing watering cans and gardening tools. And the table could double as a buffet table for outdoor dining and parties in the summer.

I also like the idea of this cocktail table and chairs surrounding it, it makes for a nice, cozy conversation area.

And this colorful Morrocan style furniture creates an exotic atmosphere.

A collection of unique benches and chairs might be nice too:

An outdoor bathroom?

Well, I wouldn't mind having this tub, but I think I prefer a bit more privacy!

To tell the truth I do like the idea of a lounge chair, I like to lay out by the pool and watch the swimmers, or soak up some sun, or nap. Maybe an outdoor bed would be a good idea:

This one below is my favorite, such a pretty, relaxing little area:

Even if we stick with the idea of a traditional lounge chair, I'd still like for it to have a bit of interest. Maybe one of these:

What would your choice be? Do you have any suggestions? I'd appreciate the help!