upstairs downstairs

Cloche to the Beach

2013-05-21T15:24:00.001-04:00

Hi, Everyone!
Memorial Day is just a few days away, and I'm thinking of the beach...not that I'll get to go there, but I'm thinking.
As most of you know, my entry chest is usually where I like to do seasonal and holiday looks. Let me show you what I did.

Here's Shelly, in her new swimsuit, ready for the beach.
Actually, I need one like this to cover all my "figure flaws". :)

Her beach hat has shells on it, her basket is loaded, and there's even a tiny starfish in her hand.

Here's the chest where you can see everything.
I've had the old cloche for a while, but just found the beach sign last week at the thrift store.

I stuffed the cloche with shells, sea glass, brown stem coral...

...a 1907 post card from Luna Park, Coney Island...

...and a starfish.

So, what do ya say?
Grab your swimsuit and a flag. Let's join Shelly and head to the beach for Memorial Day!

Right now, I'm headed over to Marty's for her Cloche Party on Wednesday. See you there!
Hugs,
Babs

Please visit these great parties ~

The Tablescaper ~ Seasonal Sunday

Dwellings ~ Amaze Me Monday

The Dedicated House ~ Make it Pretty Monday

A Stroll Thru Life ~ Inspire Me Tuesday

Coastal Charm ~ Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Our Home Away From Home ~ Tuesdays at Our Home

Cuisine Kathleen ~ Let's Dish ~ Wednesday

Savvy Southern Style ~ Wow Us Wednesday

Ivy and Elephants ~ What's It Wednesday

StoneGable ~ Tutorials, Tips and Tidbits ~ Thursday

Between Naps On The Porch ~ Tablescape Thursday

The Tablescaper ~ Oh, The Places I've Been~Thursday

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson ~ Share Your Cup Thursday

Lamberts Lately ~ Create It Thursday

My Turn for Us ~ Freedom Fridays Blog Hop

Common Ground ~ Be Inspired Friday

The Charm of Home ~ Home Sweet Home Friday

The Thrifty Groove ~ Thrifty Things Friday

The Dedicated House ~ Anything Blue Friday

Spray Paint It!

2013-05-14T22:30:00.001-04:00

Hi, Y'all!
Whew, I'm dragging!
Yesterday, we worked in the yard planting and transplanting. We still have more to do, and I'll show you that when we get a little farther along.
In the meantime, here's a little egret planter I found.

It didn't look exactly like this when I found it.

Really pitiful!
The glaze was rough and cracked, and the paint looked worn, but I dragged it home because I have a thing for Egrets and pottery from the nineteen forties and fifties
So, I got out the Heirloom White spray paint and went to it.

I picked a few sprigs of Leucothoe to fill the planter part. It looks sort of tropical with the egret.

It sits on the secretary with other coastal things.

~~~~~~~~ AND ~~~~~~~~~~

When I was checking out the back yard today, I managed to get a photo of "Newbie", one of our ferals...having an afternoon snoozle.

And, I'm ready for a little snoozle, too.

Hugs,
Babs

Please visit these great parties ~

The Tablescaper ~ Seasonal Sunday

Dwellings ~ Amaze Me Monday

The Dedicated House ~ Make it Pretty Monday

A Stroll Thru Life ~ Inspire Me Tuesday

Coastal Charm ~ Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Our Home Away From Home ~ Tuesdays at Our Home

Cuisine Kathleen ~ Let's Dish ~ Wednesday

Savvy Southern Style ~ Wow Us Wednesday

Ivy and Elephants ~ What's It Wednesday

StoneGable ~ Tutorials, Tips and Tidbits ~ Thursday

Between Naps On The Porch ~ Tablescape Thursday

The Tablescaper ~ Oh, The Places I've Been~Thursday

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson ~ Share Your Cup Thursday

Lamberts Lately ~ Create It Thursday

My Turn for Us ~ Freedom Fridays Blog Hop

Common Ground ~ Be Inspired Friday

The Charm of Home ~ Home Sweet Home Friday

The Thrifty Groove ~ Thrifty Things Friday

The Dedicated House ~ Anything Blue Friday

Got Coasters?

2013-05-07T21:09:00.001-04:00

Hi, everyone. Hope y'all are having a great week.
I'm still in painting mode from when I did the blue seashells last month.

I'd been wanting some new coasters to use on the deck, but hadn't found any I liked...well...actually, I haven't looked all that much.
I have a pack of plain cork ones, but they weren't doing anything for me, so I decided to paint them.
I first tried to stencil a flower, but the paint ran under the stencil and made an awful mess. So, on to plan B.

Stripes!

I painted a few stripes, but taping them was making me crazy.
So, I painted the rest of the stripes freehand.
Don't look too closely. :)

Then, this morning, I stopped by the thrift store, and ran across a pack of four stone coasters. I couldn't believe they were just $2.00. My kind of price but...

...they had a golf ball on them ~ which I didn't want. But for $2, I would do something with them.
So, I got out the sandpaper and tried to sand off the golf ball.
Finally, Hubby took pity on me and got the orbital sander, some coarse grit sandpaper, and finished sanding them. It actually only took him a few minutes.
I washed off the dust, and while they were drying...

...found some number stencils and a Sharpie pen in my craft box.

I taped the stencil to hold it in place, traced the outline, and filled in with the Sharpie.

New stone coasters with numbers!
Whoo, Hoo! Now I won't forget which glass is mine.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Hope you like my coasters.
Hugs,
Babs

Please visit these great parties ~

The Tablescaper ~ Seasonal Sunday

Dwellings ~ Amaze Me Monday

The Dedicated House ~ Make it Pretty Monday

A Stroll Thru Life ~ Inspire Me Tuesday

Coastal Charm ~ Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Our Home Away From Home ~ Tuesdays at Our Home

Cuisine Kathleen ~ Let's Dish ~ Wednesday

Savvy Southern Style ~ Wow Us Wednesday

Ivy and Elephants ~ What's It Wednesday

StoneGable ~ Tutorials, Tips and Tidbits ~ Thursday

Between Naps On The Porch ~ Tablescape Thursday

The Tablescaper ~ Oh, The Places I've Been~Thursday

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson ~ Share Your Cup Thursday

Lamberts Lately ~ Create It Thursday

My Turn for Us ~ Freedom Fridays Blog Hop

Common Ground ~ Be Inspired Friday

The Charm of Home ~ Home Sweet Home Friday

The Thrifty Groove ~ Thrifty Things Friday

The Dedicated House ~ Anything Blue Friday

Garden and Glitz

2013-05-05T12:14:00.000-04:00

When it's pouring down rain, what's a girl to do?
Go shopping!
I stopped in Queen of Hearts in Buford to see what was new. They were fluffing for Mother's Day, and there were so many pretty and practical things to see.
Here are just a few...well, maybe more than a few. Grab a cup of coffee or tea, and shop with me.

A little "porch" with a cute bench and baskets of flowers.

On the left side of the "porch", a potting bench and concrete lambs ~

Rustic furniture in another booth ~

Fun and colorful ~ They were changing things around when I was there, so I didn't get many photos in this booth.

Here's a fun idea they did with a screen door ~

Now, to the glitz ~

Glitzed up armoire ~

Embellished with vintage jewelry ~

A closer look at the top ~ see the tiara?

Even a poster of Audrey Hepburn was embellished with vintage jewelry.

Another booth had a gorgeous pink ball gown draped above the sign.

Lace doilies for a bra ~

Ooh, la la ~

A bench covered with sheet music ~

Paper flower garland above another booth ~

Flower close up ~

Thanks for going shopping with me.
Which of the looks did you like? Garden or Glitz?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I can't believe it! This is the fourth straight day we've had rain!
The sun just came out for about 30 seconds, and I can see a patch of blue sky. Yay!
I'm headed out to check on the veggies in the garden. I forgot to tie up the tomatoes.
Hugs and Happy Sunday!
Babs

Please visit these great parties ~

The Tablescaper ~ Seasonal Sunday

Dwellings ~ Amaze Me Monday

The Dedicated House ~ Make it Pretty Monday

A Stroll Thru Life ~ Inspire Me Tuesday

Coastal Charm ~ Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Our Home Away From Home ~ Tuesdays at Our Home

Cuisine Kathleen ~ Let's Dish ~ Wednesday

Savvy Southern Style ~ Wow Us Wednesday

Ivy and Elephants ~ What's It Wednesday

StoneGable ~ Tutorials, Tips and Tidbits ~ Thursday

Between Naps On The Porch ~ Tablescape Thursday

The Tablescaper ~ Oh, The Places I've Been~Thursday

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson ~ Share Your Cup Thursday

My Turn for Us ~ Freedom Fridays Blog Hop

Common Ground ~ Be Inspired Friday

The Charm of Home ~ Home Sweet Home Friday

The Thrifty Groove ~ Thrifty Things Friday

The Dedicated House ~ Anything Blue Friday

Spring Blooms

2013-05-02T10:23:00.001-04:00

Because of the crazy weather, our garden is late blooming this year. We've been so hot and dry the last couple of years, I don't mind the cooler temps and rain.
I'm also running late, but happy to be joining Alison's Favorites on the First.
Here are some of the late bloomers in my garden.

White iris ~

Lily of the Valley, and a weed ~

Huge American dogwood blossoms. I left my hand in the photo so you can see the size of the blossoms.
They're the largest this tree has ever had...must be all the rain.

One of my favorite azaleas...George L. Taber

This sedum combination probably isn't considered a flower,
but I like the color and texture. It's in a pot on the deck.

This 2011 May basket that I put together, is one of my all time favorites...you can tell, since I've shown it to y'all several times in the past. :)

What are your favorite flowers?
Please stop by Alison's to see everyone's favorite flowers, and join in the linky party.
Hugs,
Babs

A Few New Purchases

2013-05-01T17:13:00.001-04:00

Hi, everyone.
Can you believe it's May 1st already?
I hate to say it but, there's not a whole lot going on at our house today, except a trip to the grocery store. Whoopee!
So, I thought I'd show you a few recent purchases.

This is a little guest towel I bought at Queen of Hearts in Alpharetta. The oyster shell votive holder is from their Buford store.

I wish they had two guest towels with an R monogram, but, maybe they'll get more by the next time I go there.

The green compote is from Hobby Lobby ... mangoes from the grocery store. :)
The angel vine is growing like crazy. I've already pinched it back several times, but it needs another "hair cut".

"New" lamp is from GW. The shade was even in good shape, and I'm glad because looking for new lampshades is not one of my favorite things to do.
Here's were the oyster shell holder is for right now.

Also from GW is this vintage engraving/etching ?...I never know the difference...of a Berlin street scene.

It's signed, but I have no idea who the artist is. Any of y'all know?

Hubby just popped in and said he's going out to get the wheelbarrow, so I'd better go. We're adding some top soil to the holes and low spots in the yard...before it rains again. I really need to do some weeding, too.
Here are a couple of things blooming in the yard today.

The Knock Out roses in the back yard...

...and the Miss Kim lilac in the front yard.
The fragrance is heavenly.
Happy May Day!
Hugs,
Babs

Please visit these great parties ~

The Tablescaper ~ Seasonal Sunday

Dwellings ~ Amaze Me Monday

The Dedicated House ~ Make it Pretty Monday

A Stroll Thru Life ~ Inspire Me Tuesday

Coastal Charm ~ Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Cuisine Kathleen ~ Let's Dish ~ Wednesday

Savvy Southern Style ~ Wow Us Wednesday

Ivy and Elephants ~ What's It Wednesday

StoneGable ~ Tutorials, Tips and Tidbits ~ Thursday

Between Naps On The Porch ~ Tablescape Thursday

The Tablescaper ~ Oh, The Places I've Been~Thursday

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson ~ Share Your Cup Thursday

My Turn for Us ~ Freedom Fridays Blog Hop

Common Ground ~ Be Inspired Friday

The Charm of Home ~ Home Sweet Home Friday

The Thrifty Groove ~ Thrifty Things Friday

The Dedicated House ~ Anything Blue Friday

Indigo Seashells

2013-04-25T22:08:00.004-04:00

I've recently fallen in love with the color indigo, and have been trying to think of a way to bring the color into my house...because I mostly decorate with greens.
Today, I was rummaging through my seashell box and pulled out some of the pieces that weren't all that pretty.
Instead of throwing them out, I decided to paint them!
Hey, it couldn't hurt.

It's the first time I've tried this, so I wasn't sure how the paint would work on the shells.

I first painted the old sand dollars on the top side. The paint sucked into the surface so fast, I couldn't wipe any off. So, I flipped them over and dry brushed the back side. These are really old sand dollars and were an old beige color.

The large shell is rather course textured. I painted it all over...thank goodness it didn't suck up the paint.
Then, I quickly wiped it with a dry paper towel to show some of the texture.

You can see the "design" on this one the best.

I painted this one all over and quickly rubbed a little of it off.

I think they turned out ok for a first try.
What do ya think?

The paint I used was Apple Barrel gloss acrylic craft paint, in Real Navy...you know, the kind in the little bottles that you get at the craft store...just in case you like the color. :)

Hope y'all have a great weekend and think "indigo".
Hugs,
Babs

Please visit these great parties ~

The Tablescaper ~ Seasonal Sunday

Dwellings ~ Amaze Me Monday

The Dedicated House ~ Make it Pretty Monday

A Stroll Thru Life ~ Inspire Me Tuesday

Coastal Charm ~ Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Cuisine Kathleen ~ Let's Dish ~ Wednesday

Savvy Southern Style ~ Wow Us Wednesday

Ivy and Elephants ~ What's It Wednesday

StoneGable ~ Tutorials, Tips and Tidbits ~ Thursday

Between Naps On The Porch ~ Tablescape Thursday

The Tablescaper ~ Oh, The Places I've Been~Thursday

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson ~ Share Your Cup Thursday

My Turn for Us ~ Freedom Fridays Blog Hop

Common Ground ~ Be Inspired Friday

The Charm of Home ~ Home Sweet Home Friday

The Thrifty Groove ~ Thrifty Things Friday

The Dedicated House ~ Anything Blue Friday

Blogger Brunch

2013-04-23T16:21:00.001-04:00

Hi, everyone.
On Sunday, Debbie from Confessions of a Plate Addict invited me to attend a blogger brunch with her. Yay!
It was hosted by Queen of Hearts Antiques and Interiors, in Alpharetta, GA ~ one of my favorite places to shop.

It was so much fun ~ great food, getting to meet Atlanta area bloggers, and lots of time to shop before the store opened for the day.
Here are some photos I took while shopping.

Love the apple green color ~

Cute sheep head and pillows ~

A mossy garden apron with seed packets for pockets ~

So many pretty things ~

Love the color of this lamp ~

Eiffel Tower bottle openers and a chicken wire string holder ~

Pretty Spring vignette ~

A fun cow sign makes me smile ~

Nice clock and horse lamp ~

It was really hard to decide what to buy...there were so many things I wanted to take home.

The brunch was delicious.

We had cheese grits, little quiche and sandwiches, muffins, and a beautiful crystal bowl of fresh fruit.
Also, orange or grapefruit juice, to which we could add champagne if we liked. :)

Each blogger was given a generous goodie bag with our initial tied to it, and gift certificates for purchases.
We were treated like Queens!

Thanks so much to all the ladies at Queen of Hearts Antiques and Interiors, who hosted an amazing Blogger Brunch!
Hugs,
Babs

Please visit these great parties ~

The Tablescaper ~ Seasonal Sunday

Dwellings ~ Amaze Me Monday

The Dedicated House ~ Make it Pretty Monday

A Stroll Thru Life ~ Inspire Me Tuesday

Coastal Charm ~ Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Cuisine Kathleen ~ Let's Dish ~ Wednesday

Savvy Southern Style ~ Wow Us Wednesday

Ivy and Elephants ~ What's It Wednesday

StoneGable ~ Tutorials, Tips and Tidbits ~ Thursday

Between Naps On The Porch ~ Tablescape Thursday

The Tablescaper ~ Oh, The Places I've Been~Thursday

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson ~ Share Your Cup Thursday

My Turn for Us ~ Freedom Fridays Blog Hop

Common Ground ~ Be Inspired Friday

The Charm of Home ~ Home Sweet Home Friday

The Thrifty Groove ~ Thrifty Things Friday

The Frame and Rain

2013-04-19T18:59:00.000-04:00

Hi, and Happy Friday!
Thank all of you for your suggestions for the frame of my egret picture. I got lots of "votes" for antique gold, and since I'm a traditional kinda gal, that's my favorite color, too.
Here's how it looks now...

I know it looks like I just spray painted it...well, I did! But, I also used a couple of shades of gilders paste to hopefully, give it a little depth and shading.
I promise, it looks better "in person" than in the photos.

Here you can see the shading a little better. I used antique gold and German silver.
Gilders paste is a new product to me...I'm not very crafty...but it was easy to use. The ladies at the shop where I bought it, were really helpful, and explained how to use it.

Right now, its in the guest bedroom. I may do a little more shading on it, and find something to put on either side...maybe plates or sconces? It seems a little small up there all by itself. :)

I mentioned it's been raining today, and things are really greening and blooming.
Here are some pics I snapped from my front door...

I'm such a Redneck. :) I was standing with the front door open taking pics.

Here's our walkway with dogwood, white azalea and Indian Hawthorne in bloom.

Looking to the left...

...and across the street at my neighbor's house.

Of course, I called to ask her if she minded my taking a photo. She was thrilled that I thought it looked so pretty. She works a lot in her yard and there's always something in bloom.

We put the veggie plants put in the garden yesterday, and I strained my back...it's heck getting old. :)

It's a little better this afternoon, and I'm ready for the weekend. Hope y'all have a good one.

Hugs,

Babs

Please visit these great parties ~

The Tablescaper ~ Seasonal Sunday

Dwellings ~ Amaze Me Monday

The Dedicated House ~ Make it Pretty Monday

A Stroll Thru Life ~ Inspire Me Tuesday

Coastal Charm ~ Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Cuisine Kathleen ~ Let's Dish ~ Wednesday

Savvy Southern Style ~ Wow Us Wednesday

Ivy and Elephants ~ What's It Wednesday

StoneGable ~ Tutorials, Tips and Tidbits ~ Thursday

Between Naps On The Porch ~ Tablescape Thursday

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson ~ Share Your Cup Thursday

My Turn for Us ~ Freedom Fridays Blog Hop

Common Ground ~ Be Inspired Friday

The Charm of Home ~ Home Sweet Home Friday

The Thrifty Groove ~ Thrifty Things Friday

Wednesday Randomness

2013-04-17T20:15:00.001-04:00

Wednesday is "hump day", and I ran around like crazy, doing errands...and a little shopping.
On the way to the grocery store this morning, I stopped in GW to see if there was anything I couldn't live without. :)

Can you tell what I found?...

...a vintage demijohn, just sitting there waiting for me! Whoo Hoo!

After lunch, I ran to City Hall, the antique store, and then stopped by the garden center for veggie plants.

I got 3 pots of tomatoes, 1 basil, a pack of squash, and 3 peppers.

This one is called Yummy Snacking Peppers...petite bell peppers. I haven't seen this kind before...can't wait to see how they taste.

When we got home, Hubby started working in the garden, putting the weeds and leaves in the compost; and I noticed the strawberries from last year are blooming like crazy, and already have little green berries.

I'm still working on the frame you saw in my last post.
One of the errands I ran was to pick up some gilders paste to use on the frame.
I spray painted it gold, but it still needs some "help". So, I'm hoping at least one of the two colors I got will do the trick. Cross your fingers. :)

Guess I'd better get supper started. Here's one last pic of...

...the demijohn. It was $4.54. Do you think I got a good deal?

I found the tea towels on clearance at World Market a couple of weeks ago, and forgot to show you.
Love the cute graphic teapots.

I hope y'all had a great Wednesday.

Hugs,

Babs

Please visit these great parties ~

The Tablescaper ~ Seasonal Sunday

Dwellings ~ Amaze Me Monday

The Dedicated House ~ Make it Pretty Monday

A Stroll Thru Life ~ Inspire Me Tuesday

Coastal Charm ~ Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Cuisine Kathleen ~ Let's Dish ~ Wednesday

Savvy Southern Style ~ Wow Us Wednesday

Ivy and Elephants ~ What's It Wednesday

StoneGable ~ Tutorials, Tips and Tidbits ~ Thursday

Between Naps On The Porch ~ Tablescape Thursday

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson ~ Share Your Cup Thursday

My Turn for Us ~ Freedom Fridays Blog Hop

Common Ground ~ Be Inspired Friday

The Charm of Home ~ Home Sweet Home Friday

The Thrifty Groove ~ Thrifty Things Friday

What Color Should the Frame Be?

2013-04-14T19:15:00.001-04:00

Hi, everyone. I hope y'all had a great weekend.
I recently picked up this egret picture at the thrift store. I love it, but I can't decide what to do with the frame.
Y'all always have the best ideas, and I really need your help.

The overall size is about 17x19.

I haven't decided where I want to put it yet, but here it is, on the living room wall.

Sorry about the glare. It's been overcast all day, so I had to turn on the lights to photograph it.

Here it is on the wall in the guest room.

The frame needs a few minor repairs, since it's separating a little at the corners. Also, someone painted the frame without taking the glass out, and there are some paint smudges on the glass.

Here's the frame detail, showing how it's painted white with a turquoise/blue glaze.

The outer mat is brown, the middle mat is black and the inner mat is metallic gold.

The paint is chipped on the frame, and it looks like the finish was originally gold.

So ... since I'm going to take the picture apart for cleaning and repairs, I thought I'd change the frame color.

Do you think the frame would look better in an antique gold, which it seems to have been originally, or should I try something different?

Maybe a different shade of cream ... or maybe gray?
Should I try to strip the paint off to see what's underneath?

Thank you so much for your input. I'm really looking forward to hearing your suggestions.
Hugs,
Babs

Please visit these great parties ~

The Tablescaper ~ Seasonal Sunday

Dwellings ~ Amaze Me Monday

The Dedicated House ~ Make it Pretty Monday

A Stroll Thru Life ~ Inspire Me Tuesday

Coastal Charm ~ Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Cuisine Kathleen ~ Let's Dish ~ Wednesday

Savvy Southern Style ~ Wow Us Wednesday

Ivy and Elephants ~ What's It Wednesday

StoneGable ~ Tutorials, Tips and Tidbits ~ Thursday

Between Naps On The Porch ~ Tablescape Thursday

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson ~ Share Your Cup Thursday

My Turn for Us ~ Freedom Fridays Blog Hop

Common Ground ~ Be Inspired Friday

The Charm of Home ~ Home Sweet Home Friday

The Thrifty Groove ~ Thrifty Things Friday

One Equals Five

2013-04-12T19:38:00.001-04:00

Hey! I hope y'all had a great week and are looking forward to the weekend.
Thank everyone so much for all the sweet birthday wishes. My family surprised me with a little party on Sunday, and one of the things I received was a bouquet of mixed flowers.

By now, some of the blooms have started fading, and a few had to be discarded, so I decided to deconstruct the bouquet and make several smaller arrangements.
Let me show you what I made...

The first one is really simple...just a glass bottle with the two lily stems. That's in the family room.

Next, I put the two large roses in a little silver creamer for my bedside table.

Vase number 3 holds the yellow mums to brighten the powder room.

In the living room, vase number 4 holds pink carnations and little white button mums. I also added some boxwood cuttings for a filler since there weren't any leaves on the mums and carnations.

Last...arrangement number 5, is a Johnson Brothers tea pot which holds the alstroemeria. I put that on the secretary in the living room.

There you have it!
One mixed bouquet equals 5 smaller arrangements.
I hope you enjoyed seeing these. I had a lot of fun making them.
Have a great weekend.
Hugs,
Babs

Please visit these great parties ~

The Tablescaper ~ Seasonal Sunday

Dwellings ~ Amaze Me Monday

The Dedicated House ~ Make it Pretty Monday

A Stroll Thru Life ~ Inspire Me Tuesday

Coastal Charm ~ Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Cuisine Kathleen ~ Let's Dish ~ Wednesday

Savvy Southern Style ~ Wow Us Wednesday

Ivy and Elephants ~ What's It Wednesday

StoneGable ~ Tutorials, Tips and Tidbits ~ Thursday

Between Naps On The Porch ~ Tablescape Thursday

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson ~ Share Your Cup Thursday

My Turn for Us ~ Freedom Fridays Blog Hop

Common Ground ~ Be Inspired Friday

The Charm of Home ~ Home Sweet Home Friday

The Thrifty Groove ~ Thrifty Things Friday

Spring or Summer?

2013-04-08T18:10:00.001-04:00

Hey y'all ...
Here's a trayscape I did last month on one of those cold days when all I wanted to do was stay indoors.
I didn't post it then because it seemed really summery ... but, since I've been so lazy lately, I haven't anything else to show you.

It all started with the square honeycomb patterned planter I bought at that little gift shop where I bought the angel vine.
It's kind of hard to see the planter since it's under the plant and bee skep.

See what I mean? Well, I did put a nest in the tray, so maybe that classifies it as Spring?

And birds ...

Speaking of Spring and Summer...looking at our weather forecast, I think we've skipped Spring altogether, and gone straight to Summer. It's supposed to be in the 80s for the next two days.
I bought some plants today to put in the urns by the front door. Guess I'll do that tomorrow. I'll take some pics to show you when I get them planted.
Take care and have a great week.
Hugs,
Babs

Please visit these great parties ~

The Tablescaper ~ Seasonal Sunday

Dwellings ~ Amaze Me Monday

The Dedicated House ~ Make it Pretty Monday

A Stroll Thru Life ~ Inspire Me Tuesday

Coastal Charm ~ Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Cuisine Kathleen ~ Let's Dish ~ Wednesday

Savvy Southern Style ~ Wow Us Wednesday

Ivy and Elephants ~ What's It Wednesday

StoneGable ~ Tutorials, Tips and Tidbits ~ Thursday

Between Naps On The Porch ~ Tablescape Thursday

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson ~ Share Your Cup Thursday

My Turn for Us ~ Freedom Fridays Blog Hop

Common Ground ~ Be Inspired Friday

The Charm of Home ~ Home Sweet Home Friday

The Thrifty Groove ~ Thrifty Things Friday

Birthday Surprise

2013-04-07T21:30:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone!
It's been a busy week here, and I'm sorry I haven't posted or visited y'all much.
We're so thankful that we finally sold my mom's place, and to top it off ... today is my birthday!

Hubby bought me flowers, and we went to breakfast at one of my favorite "mom and pop" restaurants.
I had the usual Southern breakfast ... eggs, sausage, grits and biscuits. Sorry, no photos ... I was too busy stuffing my face.

Then, in the afternoon, my aunt and cousin arrived with bags of goodies to set up for a little surprise party.
I was really surprised, because I was in my grubby yard clothes. So, I ran to change before the rest of the cousins and neighbors arrived.

Hubby also got me a cake that was shaped like a bouquet of roses.

It was made with cup cakes ... Yum!
We also had pimento cheese and spinach dip with crackers, two kinds of ice cream ...

... and a fresh fruit bowl.

I got lots of cards and hugs ... it was the best birthday ever!

Hope y'all have a great week. I'll be by to visit everyone soon.
Hugs,
Babs

Favorites on the First ~ Lamps

2013-04-01T19:00:00.001-04:00

Hi,everyone.
Hope you all had a great Easter.
Since today is April 1st, I'm linking with Alison at The Polohouse for Favorites on the First ~ favorite lamps.

This is one of my favorites because Hubby bought it.

It has a funny spout...

...pretty handles...

...and curvy legs.

This alabaster lamp is in the office.
Y'all have seen this one a lot...mostly on the entry chest.

A little lamp on the side table in the living room.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
It's beautiful outside today, and I spent the morning working in the yard...well, not all morning, but long enough to transplant a few things and prune a little. Yay! Spring is finally here! :)

I hope y'all will stop by Alison's for Favorites on the First.
Hugs,
Babs

Happy Easter

2013-03-29T13:13:00.001-04:00

Today's Good Friday, Easter is almost here, and I've been trying to think of a new post to share with you. But, the one I did last year really says what Easter means to me.
So, I hope you don't mind if I share that post again.

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Without the Cross

Last week I was shopping in a local decorating outlet, checking out their new Spring accessories.
For several weeks, I've been looking for a cross to display, but hadn't seen one that was just the right size and style.

Then, I saw this one. It was perfect, just what I'd been looking for; so I picked it up and went to check out with the sales associate.

We chatted for a couple of minutes, and I told her I was so happy to find the cross because, I wanted to display it for Easter.

She smiled and said that she really liked the significance of the cross, because, "Without the cross, there'd be no Easter."

Her words rang so true and put things back into perspective for me. Yes, it's fun decorating with bunnies and baskets for Easter, but...if Christ hadn't died on the cross, we'd have no Easter to celebrate.

Wishing you all a joyous Easter.

Hugs,
Babs

Pimento Cheese Deviled Eggs

2013-03-25T21:32:00.001-04:00

Hi, everyone!
Are y'all planning on having deviled eggs for Easter?
We'll be having Easter dinner at my aunt's house, and I'm going to make two kinds of deviled eggs...traditional, and some with pimento cheese.

I've really been craving these, and since Easter is still a few days away, I decided to make a couple...just for a snack. :)

Here's how I make mine...

I won't tell you how to boil the eggs...I know y'all know how to do that.
After the eggs are boiled, cooled and peeled, put the yolks in a bowl, mash and add a pinch of salt, and enough mayonnaise til it looks "right"...(like you're making them the traditional way).

Then add your favorite homemade pimento cheese to the egg/mayonnaise mixture...about 1 heaping Tablespoon of pimento cheese per whole egg...or if you're like me, maybe a little more.

Mix the egg yolk mixture and pimento cheese together, and fill the egg white halves.

For a little kick, you could add a little minced jalapeno...to your taste.

Here's a tip:
When you make traditional deviled eggs, does it seem like you never have enough of the egg yolk mixture to fill the halves so they're nice and high?

Just boil an extra egg, peel and mash the whole boiled egg (white and yolk) really well, mixing with the other yolks.
When the mayonnaise and mustard, etc. are added, you'll never see the white, and you'll have plenty of filling.

For those of you who don't make homemade pimento cheese,
let me recommend my favorite "store bought" brand...
Palmetto Cheese.
I'm not being compensated for mentioning it. I just like to pass along a great product when I find one...and this is as close to home made as I've ever found.
Yum!

What are y'all planning for Easter? Church? Dinner at your house?
However you spend it, Hubby and I wish you a very
Happy Easter.

Hugs,
Babs

Please visit these great parties ~

The Tablescaper ~ Seasonal Sunday

The Dedicated House ~ Make it Pretty Monday

A Stroll Thru Life ~ Table Top Tuesday

Coastal Charm ~ Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Cuisine Kathleen ~ Let's Dish ~ Wednesday

Savvy Southern Style ~ Wow Us Wednesday

Ivy and Elephants ~ What's It Wednesday

StoneGable ~ Tutorials, Tips and Tidbits ~ Thursday

Between Naps On The Porch ~ Tablescape Thursday

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson ~ Share Your Cup Thursday

My Turn for Us ~ Freedom Fridays Blog Hop

Common Ground ~ Be Inspired Friday

The Charm of Home ~ Home Sweet Home Friday

The Thrifty Groove ~ Thrifty Things Friday

Pink Plates

2013-03-23T19:58:00.001-04:00

It's all Hubby's fault! :)

We stopped by a yard sale a couple of weeks ago, and Hubby saw these pink plates and talked me into buying them.

There were only two plates, and I kept telling him I didn't have much to go with them.

But he kept saying, "They'll go with your green cabbage plates." So, I thought...maybe I could use them. They were pretty, and the price was right.

So, pink plates, green, yellow and white other "stuff" equals...

Easter Hutch.

Oh, and there were pink mugs too, but most had chips. I managed to find two without...

...and a ceramic Easter egg...also from the yard sale. Couldn't leave that since it goes with the pink plates and cups.

I found the green compote at a new consignment shop, last month...no marking on it.

More chicks! I've had these for a couple of years.

Instead of putting eggs in the egg cups, I "planted" them with these cute hyacinth tea lights.

I know you're supposed to light the wick, and then blow it out, but

I didn't have the heart to light them.

Now, the hutch is ready for Easter...thanks to Hubby. :)

I almost forgot to show you a closer look at the eggs I found at Michael's.

Love their vintage look.

They're metal and open to hide candy or toys...

Hope y'all are having a great weekend.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Hugs, and stay warm.

Babs

Please visit these great parties ~

The Tablescaper ~ Seasonal Sunday

The Dedicated House ~ Make it Pretty Monday

A Stroll Thru Life ~ Table Top Tuesday

Coastal Charm ~ Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Cuisine Kathleen ~ Let's Dish ~ Wednesday

Savvy Southern Style ~ Wow Us Wednesday

Ivy and Elephants ~ What's It Wednesday

StoneGable ~ Tutorials, Tips and Tidbits ~ Thursday

Between Naps On The Porch ~ Tablescape Thursday

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson ~ Share Your Cup Thursday

My Turn for Us ~ Freedom Fridays Blog Hop

Common Ground ~ Be Inspired Friday

The Charm of Home ~ Home Sweet Home Friday

The Thrifty Groove ~ Thrifty Things Friday

Chicks in the Powder Room

2013-03-20T20:32:00.003-04:00

Happy Spring everyone!
Hasn't this weather been crazy? Our temps have been up and down, and just about the time I'm ready to plant my outdoor containers, we get a freeze warning for tonight. Go figure!

I ran out and covered the hostas which have started emerging, and then back in the house to work on some more Easter/Spring touches around the house.

I know it may look funny to put chicks and a bucket of eggs in the powder room, but my powder room really needed some cheering up...poor thing.
I'm sure you recognize these little chicks from my Shabby Spring Tray post, and I like them with the pail, so I moved them downstairs...definitely getting my money's worth with these chickies.
I found the little pail at Marshall's. I think it was in the beach decor section, but I like it for holding eggs...for now.

Earlier today, I stopped by the grand opening of a little gift shop near me, and picked up a real topiary. You got it... a real one.

I've seen Angel Vine and thought they were pretty, but never bought one. The shop owner told me they're "not very forgiving", but since my African Violet is thriving....thanks to everyone's advice on growing it...I felt lucky and bought the Angel Vine.

Here's my African Violet...I took the photo this afternoon, and I'm thrilled that it's doing so well. Thanks y'all!

Wish me luck with my Angel Vine, and Happy Spring!
Hope y'all have a great weekend,
Babs

Linking with ~
A Delightsome Life ~ Home and Garden Thursday
Stone Gable ~ Tutorials, Tips and Tidbits~ Thursday

Easter Basket and Blue Willow

2013-03-18T22:12:00.001-04:00

I bought this Easter basket last year. You might remember it from this post, where I used it with my Blue Willow on the hutch.

This year, I'm using the basket and the Blue Willow again, but in a slightly different way.

I did a vignette on the entry chest...LOL, what else is new?

Anyway, I tucked a couple of pieces of Blue Willow in the basket, among the eggs and flowers...

...and added a few more eggs.

The bowl is a pudding bowl, and the lid is from a sugar bowl.

Beside the basket is a Booths Real Old Willow plate, and a cabbage leaf plate to add more green. I can never have too much green. :)
Well, that's all the Easter decorating I've done. I can't believe Easter is just around the corner. I'd better get busy.
I'll be by to visit y'all to get lots of inspiration...I need it. :)
Hugs and have a great week,
Babs

Linking to these great parties ~

The Dedicated House ~ Make It Pretty Monday
A Stroll Thru Life ~ Table Top Tuesday
Coastal Charm ~ Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Savvy Southern Style ~ Wow Us Wednesday
Ivy and Elephants ~ What's It Wednesday
Stone Gable ~ Tutorials, Tips and Tidbits ~ Thursday
My Turn for Us ~ Freedom Fridays Blog Hop

Common Ground ~ Be Inspired Friday

The Charm of Home ~ Home Sweet Home
The Tablescaper ~ Seasonal Sunday

Blarney and Corned Beef Sandwiches

2013-03-15T15:33:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone,

Hope y'all are having a great Friday, and looking forward to the weekend and St.Patrick's Day.

Come on in the kitchen. I'm making corned beef sandwiches.

Are you hungry?

The pub sign on the hutch is from a party we had a couple of years ago. I got out the green and gold necklaces to wear...

...so, grab a necklace or two, and I'll make you a corned beef sandwich. Let me show you what they look like...

...I made these the other day for lunch, and took a quick pic of them to show you.

They're easy to make using deli corned beef, cheese, cabbage, and a little onion .

I used Swiss cheese on these, but a nice Irish cheddar would also be good.

This time I sauteed the cabbage instead of making slaw.

Here's the "recipe". I hesitate to use that word since I rarely have a recipe for a lot of dishes...I just cook. :)

So,here's how I made them....

Thinly slice cabbage and a little green onion, saute them in a little butter, and season with sea salt.

Add a couple of tablespoons of water, or Guinness :) .

Put a lid on the pan and steam it for about 5 minutes, or until the cabbage and onion is tender.

Take the lid off the pan, and continue cooking until the liquid has evaporated.

While that's cooking, I make a Thousand Island Dressing.

Mix about a half cup mayonnaise and a slightly less amount of catsup. Add a teaspoon of sweet pickle relish, and mix.

When the cabbage is done, assemble the sandwich...

I used seedless rye and spread the Thousand Island Dressing on the bread. Put one slice of cheese on each piece of bread. Stack on the corned beef, and top with the cooked cabbage and the other slice of bread and cheese.

Grill on a griddle with butter, or on a panini press, and enjoy!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Glad y'all stopped by.

Hugs,

Babs

Linking to these great parties ~

My Turn for Us ~ Freedom Fridays Blog Hop
Common Ground ~ Be Inspired Friday
The Charm of Home ~ Home Sweet Home
The Tablescaper ~ Seasonal Sunday

A Day for the Irish

2013-03-12T22:42:00.002-04:00

Hi, everyone.

It's time for the 5th Annual St. Patrick's Day Blog Crawl at Cuisine Kathleen!

Wanting to join in the fun for St. Patrick's Day, I set up a little breakfast table by the fireplace.

I did a thrifty setting by re-purposing two Leprechaun hats that were on pots of shamrocks last year...

...white faux tulips are in a flower pot...painted green...

...and then I tucked white napkins underneath the hats, and topped them with a few gold coins.

Nestled under the tulips, Mamma and Baby sheep are wearing shamrock "collars" especially for the day.

Here's another quick table setting, because the Fitzpatricks called :) and are stopping by later, so I thought I'd invite them to stay for supper.

I grabbed the green plaid cloth from the breakfast tablescape, and found my Friendly Village plates. I like to think the little house on the plates looks like an Irish cottage.

Then for a centerpiece, I grabbed a basket and filled it with...potatoes, cabbage and a big bunch of parsley.

Last, I put a few more gold coins, filled with chocolate, in a shamrock dish. I'll send these home with the Fitzpatricks.

You know I'm kidding about the Fitzpatricks coming for supper, don't you? :) Just a little Leprechaun humor.

Here's wishing you all a wonderful St. Patrick's Day.

Hugs,

Babs

Linking to these parties ~

Cuisine Kathleen ~ Let's Dish
Between Naps on the Porch ~ Tablescape Thursday

A Little Bit of Green

2013-03-10T20:59:00.001-04:00

Hi, everyone. Hope you had a great weekend.
I didn't find anything new for St. Patrick's Day, when I was shopping, so I spent the weekend shopping the house for green things to decorate with.
Here are a few bits of green around my house.

I framed a vintage post card and...

...pulled a few things together in a corner of the living room, by the book case.

Pillows with roses, green plaid, and dogs. How Irish is that?

On my bedside table there's a Belleek shamrock vase with a few Lenten Roses from the yard. Oh, and did you notice the a green leather inlay on the top... and no, my bedside table isn't always this uncluttered. Usually, it's piled high with books and things.

In the family room...a little picture of St. Patrick, given to me by Sara @ Hyacinths For The Soul.
Actually, I just stuck the picture on top of my son's high school senior photo. Sorry Son, it's only for a few days. :)

On the side table by the sofa, I put a Celtic design candle holder with a green candle, and added a green plant and...

...a framed collection of old Irish coins...which hides the phone.

Well, that's about all the decorating I've done for now, except a little St. Patrick's Day breakfast tablescape which I'll show you next time.
Hugs and have a great week,
Babs
~~~~~~
Let's visit these parties and see what fun things they're creating.

The Dedicated House ~ Make It Pretty Monday
A Stroll Thru Life ~ Table Top Tuesday
Coastal Charm ~ Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Savvy Southern Style ~ Wow Us Wednesday
Ivy and Elephants ~ What's It Wednesday

Shabby Spring Tray

2013-03-08T21:48:00.001-05:00

Hi, everyone.
The weather was gorgeous today, and I went shopping! Yay!
I found some great new things, but I spent so much time running errands and shopping, that I didn't have time to get them ready to show you. I'm sorry...
...but, instead, let me show you the shabby tray I got a couple of weeks ago.
I love trayscapes because they're lots of fun to make, and you don't have to clean and rearrange the whole house to get a fresh, new look.
Here's the tray I found...

It's really large, and just right for loading with things to set the table.

It has neat handles, and just a bit of distressing here and there. I loaded it with spring plaid place mats and...

...some Spode Copeland plates that I've had forever...

...and little cabbage cups and saucers.

Hubby made me a shabby shamrock to use for a trivet...

...and chicken feeder. :)
I got the little chubby chicks at Hobby Lobby...love their vintage look.

Are y'all ready for St. Patrick's Day?
I'm still working on a tablescape, and looking forward to joining Kathleen @ Cuisine Kathleen for her St. Patrick's Day Blog Crawl on March 13th.

Hope you have a great weekend.
Hugs,
Babs

Let's go party with....

My Turn for Us ~ Freedom Fridays Blog Hop
Common Ground ~ Be Inspired Friday
The Charm of Home ~ Home Sweet Home
The Tablescaper ~ Seasonal Sunday

Sunny Sunday

2013-03-03T14:30:00.001-05:00

Hi, everyone!
I'm so glad to see y'all. Remember the other day when I bought daffodils? Well, I also bought an African Violet...don't ask me why, because African Violets are another plant which I don't have much luck with.

Quick...let me show it to you before it "croaks".

It's sitting in the sunny window in the office with my Christmas cactus and a peace lily. Hope it likes it there.

While the African Violet was basking in the sun, I decided to make a strawberry cobbler.
Publix had a big sale on strawberries, so I loaded up.

I used that recipe where you mix one cup of self rising flour, one cup of sugar, one cup of milk and a stick of melted butter and pour it all over the fruit...you know the one?
Updated info: For those who aren't familiar with this recipe, here's the original one using canned peaches. I sometimes substitute fresh or frozen fruit, and enough juice or water to make the equivalent of the canned peaches.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/easy-peach-cobbler-2/

I can't believe my mint is still green, even though we've had cold temps.
Yum....wish I had some vanilla ice cream to put on this cobbler.

Hope y'all are having a great Sunday. Come on over, we have plenty of cobbler. I'll even go to the store and get some ice cream for ya. :)
Hugs,
Babs

I'm headed over to The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays. See you there.