Vintage Tablescape

I was motivated by these gorgeous plates that I l-o-ve for so many reasons...chiefly...their price tag of $1 each!!

They are gorgeous standing alone, but I've never had quite the right base for these fabulous vintage salad plates that I picked up years ago at an auction for $10 for the set of 6...

I have always wanted to pull in these vintage glasses with these plates...

Let the Games Begin!

  I had extra plates, so I wanted to use those as elevated serving dishes...I flipped some plain bowls upside down and made a little wreath to go around the base with a pink and white berry garland.

Then I shopped the house for  these little bowls that I thought I was going to collect after I picked up the vintage plates...

The carrots are for some-bunny who might drop by this weekend…

 

The tablecloth is double sided and I picked it up at Goodwill.  I can't really remember where I got the quilted piece in the middle, but I liked the tie of frilly and vintage it provided on the scene.

Under each glass is a vintage crochet coaster (and I'm actually selling this set of 8 in my etsy store).

In each glass is a little stir stick...each one is different so it helps keep glasses straight when mingling...

The napkins are vintage linen with a bit of fancy work cut out on each.

  I often don't set the end of our long table to keep the setting more intimate and to allow space for taller decor that would otherwise block conversation across the table...

 

I kind of like the way this little bird is peeking out to drop off a hyacinth and remind us of spring's arrival!!!

Well…any-bunny want to come over for dinner????

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Plus...I realized once again...I am under $100!!!
Tablecloth $6
Napkins $4
Dinner plates $9
Salad plates $10
Berry Garland $6
Bird $1
Hyacinth - free
Green vase $1
Candle & wreath $5
Tulips & pot $9
Glasses & stir sticks $25
Coasters $12
Carrots $2
Jadeite bowl and eggs $10
And...this was $100 over 10 years!!!


Last Day for Book Giveaway and Jewelry Giveaway might want to check it out!!!

Jewelry Giveaway!!

Featured by Becky at Between Naps on the Porch

Click Here to Win!!!

(No strings attached)

Drip, Drip, Drip

Does a clicking pen bother you? drumming of fingers on the desk? humming? leaky faucet?

We all have our ‘thing’ that makes us crazy! Well…God has some of those too…and a leaky faucet is one of them.  Before you go running for your pipe wrench…read on…

“A continual dripping of water,

and a contentious woman are alike”

Proverbs 28:15

 

Now, before you think about some other crabby, naggy woman…think about the last thing you ‘contended’ for…

 

In a book I began reading a while back, a husband was affectionately describing how his friends envy his wife.  Now I don’t know if she was a trophy to look at, but what they envied was her calm, cool demeanor. 

Of course, the other wives chatted over coffee that it was easy for her because she had a thoughtful husband.  He was always making little repairs around the house and never forgot important events or commitments…

His story is that his wife rights him a list and leaves him clear reminders and never mentions it again.  He admits to thinking of it as a game and often works harder and faster to get it all done to please her!

CONFESSION TIME…in the last 11 years my husband has asked me to write him lists more times than I count!  I’m sure I’ve written less than 11!!  He grew up in a home with a white board on the fridge for writing everything down!  I think of it as cluttery and ugly…he thinks of it as well – normal.

You see…I also ‘contend’ in my mind that it seems bothersome or demanding to make a list…

Well…At the end of the chapter the book asks you to think of and pray about one thing you could for your husband and have stubbornly chosen not to….you already know mine…

As I prayed though I had a flash in my mind…

(now I don’t consider this a prophecy or anything)

But I pictured my cool enamel tray  hanging as a write on/wipe off board on the fridge…

It’s taken me several weeks to remember the magnets at the hardware store…(maybe I need a list!)

I have laid down my contention…

 

  … now I can finally read the next chapter!!!

PS…I know it’s not the prettiest thing I’ve ever showed you, but it looks pretty good compared to his way…

Another Book Giveaway

It may become a bit humbling once you see how many books on marriage I actually have...

But...Our Lord knew that stubborn girls like me might need some advice when he said "Likewise, that the older women...teach the younger women to love their husbands..." (Titus 2:3-5) and a whole list of sometimes very challenging aspects of a woman's journey here on earth...

I have had some wonderful women to teach me through example, friendship, and love in my over 11 years of marriage...yet I also remember some times that I felt totally lost! In those times, I would turn to older women who would reveal themselves through print.

This is one of these...written by Theda Hlavka, wife of 30 years and speaker at FamilyLife...recommended by Dennis Rainey.

If you think you will enjoy...please leave a comment and I will pick a winner next weekend...

Promise Overdue: A peek at the Chicago Flower and Garden Show

Right away I noticed tulips and hyacinths tucked into every kind of landscape! I L-O-ve this!!! In the northern tundra we wait soooo long for spring to bloom. Spring bulbs give us color before our shrubs and perennials have warmed up for the season. The whole left from spring bulbs is the perfect place to fill in annuals for color punch the rest of the season…

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Another trend that I L-O-ve was the frequent use of kale and purple cabbage. Again, I L-O-ve this because it lends cool-tolerant color for early spring and late autumn.

This picture shows cacti…but replacing it with kale would be a really great statement especially for our lucky southern friends…the kale could last all winter!!

My favorite is always LUCIOUS containers!!!

Dusty Miller is a fun surprise here…

The boxwood is a great backdrop for this colorful mix of bulbs, annuals, and trailing vines…

This monochromatic scheme brings elegance and tranquility --- plus it can be over-wintered indoors…prolonging your investment

Oh…and did I mention we had fun??

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Maybe too much fun!

I've been featured!

I'm celebrating my first blog feature!!! Becky at Beyond the Picket Fence loved my "Over The Top Vintage" style. To see other great ideas for under $100 click the link below and enjoy!!!
Don't worry...I'll be back with more ideas soon!



Don't forget to grab your free flower fixer and enter to win this week's book giveaway!! I will draw on Friday...

Spring…

Couldn’t help but post….

I was even getting hot moving all these pots and plants around today!!!!

YIPPEE!!!! Happy Spring!!!!

Ecclesiastes 3:2 There is… A TIME TO PLANT!!!!

Five Dollar Flower Fixer

Ok…so here it is…

Five dollars.
Five minutes.
Five questions.
Five plants.
Five days.

I L-O-ve container gardening or if you want to be simple about it…I L-O-ve pretty pots!

I wish I had time to go all around town just volunteering to fill up people pots with luscious, gorgeous, fillings!!!

If you’ve read even a bit about me…you know that I would do it if I could…but here’s the next best thing.

Follow these five steps…

1) Send me an email (flowerfixer@att.net)

Subject: Flower Fixer

2) Pay $5 through my etsy shop.

3) I will send 5 questions to your email. (Include a pic with your question responses if you would like)

4) I will respond with customized recipe plans for your container within 5 days

It will include:

> Design layout and planting instructions

> Full color photos of the 5 plants in your custom design

> Approximate cost of the suggested plants

> Tips for planting and care for your custom plants

5) Buy plants at your local garden center and…get your HANDS DIRTY – IT WILL BE BEAUTIFUL!!

A few notes…

- If you are not happy with what you get for your 5 bucks…I’ll refund it…I’m not trying to get rich…just sharing my L-O-ve for flowers!!

- If you would be so kind to leave feedback in the store or here in a comment…I would be very grateful!!

- I can do similar plans for vegetable gardens, flower beds, multiple containers or landscaping…just ask…

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- If you live local and can’t stand dirty hands…well…if you throw in a few chocolate chip cookies…I’m pretty inexpensive labor!

- If you live in a far away exotic, warm place…if you throw in travel expenses…I’ll throw in labor free! :)

I’ll stop now with the bad jokes, but the first three people to send me the email…will get FLOWER FIXER FOR FREE!

Fun for me – Thanks to you

I have been just “tickled to death” (insert southern accent please) to have so many readers so early in to my blogging journey! I’ve seen various giveaways for various prizes done for various reasons in various ways….so…I’m not even going to pretend that this is any ingenious contrived variation…

(My sisters are no longer reading because of those last 3 words!)

My point is…I have nothing cool enough to give away to attract a lot of attention or make you feel like you’ve won the blogs version of the lottery – sorry.

I do however have a stack of books that I have enjoyed that are in great condition! So…I will be posting a book giveaway each weekend for a while and if it’s a book you would like to have then post a comment telling me briefly why you want it…I’ll contact you by email if you win, so I can ship it to you. I will feel good that someone else will enjoy the book and you can feel good --- well, because it’s FREE!!! I L-O-ve FREE!!!This week’s book: In Praise of Stay-at-Home-Moms by Dr. Laura

Feel good, easy to read book. Leave a comment if you want it.

Have a great weekend!!!!

Over the Top Vintage

I brought home some of my freebies stored at my moms. (Yes I said some – and ‘stored’ means used as decor in her house until I find a place for it in mine) ~thanks mom~.

I knew I was going to be putting the dresser in the office-bedroom to replace a table and plastic 3 drawer container that I use for fabric and linens…

It needs new knobs and maybe a paint job (maybe) but the detail is wonderful and the storage - even more wonderful!

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Sitting in this room was also this cherry picker ladder that I L-O-ve but I can’t ever find a place for because it’s 5’ high and 4’ wide
Only I would even consider this!

I started feeling it when I added this picture and tucked the chair – oh…yeah…the chair! I found it sitting next to the road last week…I didn’t have room for it in my car at the time so again ~thanks mom~.

Maybe I’ll do a slip-cover or reupholster it…

but maybe its my tid-bit whimsical…

Next I added this old 5 loaf bread pan that I’ve recently started using to organize a few random things…
I added all the pieces I needed to function there….storage boxes, laminator, a couple of books…and then I thought of my blue Ball jars from Kane County!! Yippeee!!! More containers for sorting pens, nailfiles, etc….
So here it is…I may wake up in the morning and hate it, but I’m thinking I just might L-O-ve it too!!

Not only is it vintage and made of pieces I L-O-ve, but it TOTALLY qualifies for the Under $100 party at Beyond the Picket Fence…

- Chair FREE from curbside
- Dresser FREE from estate sale…
- Globe $10 – antique mall
- Picture $5 – garage sale
- Ball jars $10 – flea market
-Bread pan $20 – antique mall
- Photo storage boxes $6 – Goodwill
- Pillow $3 – Goodwill
- Fabric $6 – clearance sale
Bible - PRICELESS
TOTAL $60!!!

Even…laminator $20 & label maker – free gift…leaves me with $20 left to add to the project…hmmm….
This is also featured in “Vintage Thingy Thursday” at Coloradolady.

Notice there is extra space in the drawer…I’ve cleaned out some vintage linens and those will be available soon in my up and coming etsy shop…check back if you think you might L-O-ve my linens:)

Join me soon for "Shop Your House" Weekly Linky Parties...


Oh...and did you see my new button??

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