5/29/2010

Welcome to the 57th "Sunday Favorites"


"Sunday Favorites" is a Sunday meme designed to give bloggers a chance to share a favorite post from the past!!! For more information on how to republish a past post just click on the "Sunday Favorites" info. photo in the sidebar.

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Hello my friends...Happy Memorial Day...

and welcome to the 57th run of "Sunday Favorites"!!!

I hope that you are having a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! It's a very busy weekend for many of us...a special time set apart to remember and honor the brave men and women who served in our armed forces and gave their lives for this great country! I am so very thankful for each and every one of them...as well as all those who have ever served in our armed forces! I pray on a daily basis for all the brave men and women who are continuing to serve this great country...asking the Lord to bless and keep them safe! It's a subject very near and dear to my heart...my oldest grandson Bud will be leaving for Air Force basic training the end of August. He will have just turned 18 when he enters basic training. I sure would appreciate your prayers for him!!! Memorial Day is also a time to remember all of our loved ones that have passed on as well! I am very blessed to have most of my family still living, however I have lost my grandparents. The post that I am resharing today for Sunday Favorites is about my dear sweet Grandma and Grandpa...I thought it befitting since it is Memorial Day weekend!

Well my friends, have a wonderful weekend and be safe!

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Instructions for Participating in Sunday Favorites
*
If you are participating in Sunday Favorites, please be sure to add your permalink to Mr.Linky and not your general blog address.
*
Please copy and paste the Sunday Favorites logo button to your Sunday Favorites post or your sidebar so your visitors will know that you are participating. Also...please link back to the host blog, Happy To Design. This is important because it helps those who are visiting your blog, find the other wonderful blogs that are participating.
*
Please do not add your link below, until your Sunday Favorites post is actually published to your blog.
*
Thank you so much for your participation!!! I am going to really enjoy going through your "Sunday Favorites" posts!!!

Love ya'll,
Chari






Sunday Favorites

My favorite post from: August 9, 2009


It's Metamorphosis Monday!!!

Hello my friends! I hope that you had a wonderful weekend and are ready to begin a new week! There is one great thing about Mondays....it's the day that we can share some of our latest home projects...it's Metamorphosis Monday!

Metamorphosis Monday is hosted by our very own Susan over at Between Naps On The Porch! Thank you Susan, for hosting this fun filled event!!! Be sure that when you're finished reading all about my latest project...that you'll go over and see what Susan has for you today...and while you're there you can check out all of the other Met Monday participants as well!


My Grandma's China Hutch
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Today I would like to show you my Grandma's china hutch! Recently we took a vacation down to Texas and I was able to bring home with me this treasured piece that belonged to my Grandma!
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My Grandma and Grandpa were very simple people. They lived in a very small home and they didn't have much but they lived comfortably! My Grandpa gave this hutch to my Grandma as a gift for their 50th wedding anniversary! Ohhh...you should have seen the look on my Grandma's face when the furniture store truck came to deliver this...she was just beside herself with joy...and my Grandpa was so pleased with himself!!! It was priceless!!! I'll never forget that day...it is such a sweet memory for me! Now I have this sweet hutch in my home and whenever I look at it...I think of my Grandma and Grandpa and that special day!!!
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"Before"
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Here it is...my Grandma's china hutch! It's a small hutch and it fits perfectly in this little corner of my dining room!
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Decorating My New Hutch....
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I have a shelf up above my dining room window where I display a few of my ironstone and creamware pitchers. Since the hutch sits right next to this window...I thought it would look pretty to do a vignette on top of hutch...using items that were white!
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I found this pretty iron birdcage at Hobby Lobby for 50% off...I paid $15.00 for it! It had a bronze finish which I liked, but I wanted white...so out came the can of spray paint! Hehe!
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These two unfinished ceramic birds came from GW...they were marked down to $1 ea...I wasn't sure what I would do with them when I bought them...but now I know!!! The little white chickadee will look perfect nestled into the greenery that I purchased to add to the birdcage!
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Voila!!! A vignette for the china hutch!!!
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I used a silverware chest to place the birdcage on. The frenchy pitcher is a recent thrift store treasure find...ahhh, it will work perfectly for this vignette in white! On the opposite side, I placed a large pineapple finial...found it at Hobby Lobby for just $2.60...it was marked 90% off! It was gold...but not now...thanks to that can of white spray paint! Hehe!
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I had so much fun filling up my new china hutch with dishes. Of course these were dishes that I already had! Since my dining room walls on this side of the room are olive green...I decided to put all of my dishes that are green and white in this cabinet!
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The olive green transferware dishes are ironstone manufactured by Staffordshire...the pattern is Kensington Balmoral 1801. I also added my set of white ironstone called "Provencial", sage green everyday dishes from Walmart, and my new shell dishes called "Water" from JC Penneys to the hutch...and a few odds-n-ends pieces of ironstone!
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Just a photo so you could see the shelf above the dining room window...a few of my ironstone and creamware pitchers! Wow...it was really raining out the day I took this photo! Hehe!
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My dear sweet Grandma and me!
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Well my friends...thank you so much for stopping by today! Please leave me a comment and let me know that you were here...I would love to visit with you!!!

5/27/2010

Favorite Things

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Hello my friends...I hope that you're having a fabulous Friday!
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Today I want to share with you a few of my favorite things! I am joining in with Show & Tell Friday and Favorite Things Saturday. You will find the credits for these two lovely parties at the end of my post.
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My Favorite Things...
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Lilacs and crystal...ironstone and cloches...
these are a few of my favorite things!
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Lilacs
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Ahhh...spring, sweet spring! One of my favorite things about spring are the lilacs!!!
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Is there anything more glorious than a big bouquet of freshly cut lilacs in a pretty white ironstone pitcher?
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I just love the color of lilacs...soft...romantic...and ohhh...that scent!!!
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A large white embossed ironstone pitcher full of a freshly cut lilac bouquet sits atop a delicate crocheted doily. This lovely lilac centerpiece is elevated upon a glass pedestal cake plate.
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I love how the light so sweetly shines upon this bouquet of lilacs. Ohhh...and just look at how the light is dancing with the crystals on the candleholders...so pretty!!!
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Ahhh...springtime lilacs! One of my favorite things!!!
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Cloches
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Any size, shape, or color...I'm not particular...I love cloches!!!
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and...cloches filled with olive green transferware and white ironstone teacups
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...is even better!!!
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This beautiful cloche was a gift from my bestest friend Gloria from Happy To Be blog! Isn't it gorgeous? Thank you, sweet friend...I DO LOVE MY CLOCHE!!! You're the best and you spoil me rotten, Girlfriend...but I love it! HeHe!
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This pretty cloche is sitting upon an olive green transferware luncheon plate. I stacked a couple of the olive green transferware teacups and a white ironstone teacup on top of the plate. This all sits on top of one of my "Cluny Lace" metal charger plates. Two beautiful "spring green" tea napkins embroidered and made by my sweet Grandmother joins the cloche...ohhh, and one green apple!
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Crystal
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I do love candleholders with dangling crystals! They seem to fit perfectly...nestled in beside the bouquet of lilacs!
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Ironstone
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Well...I like my ironstone just like my cloches...any shape, color, or size!!! It doesn't matter...I like them all!!!
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This white ironstone sugar and cream pitcher belong to the first set of dishes that I ever purchased. I was just 13 yrs. old and I bought this pretty set with green stamps. Do you remember those? Hehe! Ohhh yes, I have been collecting dishes for a very long time!
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Well my friends...there you have it...a few of my favorite things!!! I hope that you enjoyed!
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You'll have to stay tuned for the rest of this tablescape. I will be posting it next Monday so please come back!
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I am joining these two lovely parties today!
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Show & Tell Friday...hosted by Cindy over at My Romantic Home.
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Favorite Things Saturday...hosted by Laurie over at Bargain Hunting and Chatting with Laurie.
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Thank you, Cindy and Laurie for hosting these fun filled parties!!! Please go by and see what these lovely ladies have prepared for us today! You will find a list of the other party participants over there...go and check them out!

Well my friends...thank you so much for coming by today! Please leave me a comment and let me know that you were here...I'd love to visit with you!
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Have a fabulous Friday and a wonderful weekend!

5/23/2010

Tea Time Tulips

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Hello my friends...I hope that you're having a marvelous Monday!
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Whew...it's been a busy week at my place. We're just getting home from a 3-day weekend trip to Atwood Kansas...a car show! I really wanted to participate in a few of my favorite memes this week...Metamorphosis Monday, Table Top Tuesday, Tuesday Tea For Tea, and the two Tea Time Tuesday parties! Whew...I feel like a "party animal" this week! Hehe! Anyway, you will find the information on all of these fabulous parties at the end of my post!

Now...Let the Party Begin!
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"Spring Green" at Happy To Design

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A Springtime Vignette on the Dining Room Buffet
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Along with the new Spring season came that new Springtime decor! This year I decided to lighten my home up using lots of white and "spring green" as an accent color. You know...that pretty yellow-green! I just love this color...it really is so fresh and vibrant...perfect for springtime decor!
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"Spring Green" can be found all around my home!
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This is the breakfast bar in my kitchen. A very large apothecary (beverage) jar filled with "spring green" colored apples and yellow pears stands very stately...accessorizing the bar!
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A "Spring Green" Table Centerpiece

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A simple table centerpiece of four "spring green" colored apples sit atop a white pedestal cake plate. A few other white pieces are added into the mix!
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Now for another springtime mini-metamorphosis on the dining room table...
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Tea Time Tulips


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I have been keeping my dining room table centerpiece very simple this season. Light and fresh is the look and feel that I'm after!
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A large 14 in. cloche sits atop a glass pedestal cake plate...and a small little bouquet of freshly picked tulips in a white ironstone cream pitcher...is added to the table centerpiece!
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My Special Gift...Tulips

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Aren't these tulips simply divine? Ohhh...they mean so much to me...they were a gift from my honey! He came home the other night after doing some work on one of our properties...with these beauties in hand! Ohhh yes...he hand picked them just for me! Talk about melting my heart! He told me that everytime he sees flowers...he thinks of me! Ahhh...my heart be still!!!
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So I put my tulips in this little white ironstone cream pitcher! It's very old and I just love how it looks so frenchy! It was a gift from my mother!
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A Cup of Tea?

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Okay ladies...I have to be honest...I really just threw together this little tea because I wanted to show off my tulips! Hehe!
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I plan to sit down with a cup of tea and just enjoy my pretty bouquet and thank the Lord for blessing me with such a loving and thoughtful husband!!!
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I am using a new teapot today. I found this creamy white beauty at TJ Maxx several months ago for just $7.99! If you look closely, you will see that the teapot has the prettiest little scalloped top...I love it!!!
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I have brought out two teacups and saucers from my Staffordshire Balmoral 1801 ironstone collection. I just adore this pretty olive green transferware!!!
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I found the pretty lacy table runner at the antique flea market last year. The two "spring green" tea napkins that are beside the teapot were a gift from my dear sweet Grandmother. She embroidered the prettiest cross-stitched lavender flowers on the corner of each napkin...she also made a matching tablecloth for me. This set is one of my most prized possessions!!! I loved my Grandma dearly!!!
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Now for a little peek under the cloche! Hehe!
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So very simple...a set of new luncheon plates and one green apple!
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Just beside the cloche...a large white ceramic tray filled with...yes, you guessed it...more "spring green"! A few spring green colored, rattan placemats are rolled up and tied with pretty white ribbon! I also placed a bundle of pretty spring green flowers from the Dollar Tree in with the placemats.
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New Luncheon Plates...

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I just wanted to give you a peek at my new luncheon plates. There are only four...I grabbed the last ones off of the shelf...from TJ Maxx. I fell in love with them the moment I saw them and at just $1.99 a piece...I could hardly say no! Hehe!
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There are four plates in all.
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Two of the plates are a soft green with a yellow flower.
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The other two plates are a soft buttery yellow with the green leaves.
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I was having a difficult time getting good photos of the plates...lighting, etc. But...they really are sooo very pretty! The colors are very soft and the pattern is embossed or raised off of the plate...I love that! These plates really remind me of Hull pottery....they have the same look and feel...of course they are not Hull. I would love to find more of this pretty pattern. I'm hoping to use them in an upcoming tablescape!
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While I was showing you my new luncheon plates...I put the ironstone creamer of tulips under the cloche! Ahhhh....sooo pretty!!!
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I also wanted to share with you another little treasure find. I found four of the sweetest little books about tea and tea parties at the Dollar Tree for just $1 each. I stacked the four together and tied a pretty white ribbon around them for "Tea Time Tulips" today.
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A photo mosaic of the four books. They are such pretty books...don't you think? There were several different books...more than just these four. They have some really nifty information about tea and tea parties in them, including a few recipes, poetry, etc. I think they would make a nice gift for the tea guests!
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* Ahhh...tea time with my tulips!!!
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I am joining these lovely parties today...
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Metamorphosis Monday hosted by...Susan over at Between Naps on the Porch.
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Table Top Tuesday hosted by...Marty over at A Stroll Thru Life.
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Tuesday Tea For Two hosted by...Wanda over at The Plumed Pen.
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Tea Time Tuesday hosted by Lady Katherine over at Lady Katherine Tea Parlor.
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Tea Time Tuesday hosted by Sandi over at Rose Chintz Cottage & Inspiration.
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Centerpiece Wednesday hosted by Karin over at The Style Sisters.
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Whew...told you I was a "party animal" today! Hehe! I'd like to just shout out a big thank you to each and every one of these sweet ladies for hosting these fabulous and fun filled parties! Please go by and pay them a visit and while you're there you can check out all of the other party participants!
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Well my friends...I'm sooo glad that you came by for a visit today! Thank you for taking a peek at my Tea Time Tulips! I'd love for you to leave a comment and let me know that you were here...I'd love to visit back with you!!!
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Have a wonderful week!

5/22/2010

Welcome to the 56th "Sunday Favorites"


"Sunday Favorites" is a Sunday meme designed to give bloggers a chance to share a favorite post from the past!!! For more information on how to republish a past post just click on the "Sunday Favorites" info. photo in the sidebar.

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Hello my friends!

Welcome to the 56th run of "Sunday Favorites"!

I hope that you are having a fabulous weekend! This is a busy weekend for us...in fact...I'm not even home! We left Friday for the anual "Atwood Early Rod Run" car show in Atwood, Kansas. This is an event that we try to make every year...my honey just loves cars and car shows and we always really enjoy this show! So we are away...having a blast...and won't be back home till late Sunday evening. I'm so glad that I am able to pre-schedule a post (it's really just Thursday when I'm writing this)...I didn't want to miss out on our Sunday Favorites party! Anyway my friends, I hope that you're having a wonderful weekend! I am anxious to see what all of you have posted for Sunday Favorites this week...I'll be by on Monday for a little visit!!!

Have a super Sunday, sweet friends!

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Instructions for Participating in Sunday Favorites
*
If you are participating in Sunday Favorites, please be sure to add your permalink to Mr.Linky and not your general blog address.
*
Please copy and paste the Sunday Favorites logo button to your Sunday Favorites post or your sidebar so your visitors will know that you are participating. Also...please link back to the host blog, Happy To Design. This is important because it helps those who are visiting your blog, find the other wonderful blogs that are participating.
*
Please do not add your link below, until your Sunday Favorites post is actually published to your blog.
*
Thank you so much for your participation!!! I am going to really enjoy going through your "Sunday Favorites" posts!!!

Love ya'll,
Chari






Sunday Favorites

My favorite post from: July 29, 2009


It's Tablescape Thursday!!!

Hello my friends...it's Thursday and we all know what that means...it's time for some tablescaping!!!

This fun filled Thursday event is hosted by our sweet friend Susan over at Between Naps On The Porch! So many of us in Blogland look forward to Tablescape Thursdays...it gives us an opportunity to play with our dishes! Hehe! Thank you so much Susan for all the time and effort you put into hosting this fun event...I sure do appreciate you, my friend!!!


~~~Rose Faeries~~~
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Shhhhh...if you're real quiet and look close...you'll see the little rose faeries!!!
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"Faeries Garden"

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This Rose Faerie tablescape is set in my French country dining room.
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The Centerpiece...
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For the table's centerpiece I used my apothecary jar with a little cherub inside. I placed a beaded floral wreath at the base of the apothecary jar. I just love this pretty wreath...I borrowed it from my Tea Rose bedroom where it was hanging on the wall! It goes perfectly with the colors of my tablescape...white babies breath, pink flowers, and little lavender glass beads! To each side of the wreath and apothecary jar...I used three silver candleholders with white taper candles.
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Shhh...what is that sound? Ahhhh...I think it's the sound of little faerie wings...
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If you look real close...you may just see one....
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Ohhh myyy...the faeries are sprinkling their faerie dust...this will be a magical evening indeed!!!
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The Place Setting...
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Today...for the first time...I am using my Norway Rose china. This beautiful china is manufactured by Cunningham & Pickett. I love the single pink rose in the center of the plate and the beautiful wide pink banding!!! I found this china on ebay...4 dinner plates and 6 salad/dessert plates for $11.98! It coordinates beautifully with my late mother-in-law's china, Roselet by Harmony House. I plan on using the two sets together once in awhile...just for a change!
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I am using a white salad/dessert plate from a set of dishes that I bought with green stamps when I was just 13 yrs. old. It is ironstone and called "Providence".
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Ohhh yes...I have lived with my dish fetish for a long, long time! Hehe!
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The embossed white charger plate is called "Lace" from JC Penneys. I just love the pattern on this charger...it resembles a fleur de lis!
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A close-up of the Norway Rose dinner plate.
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The Table Linens...
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This white lace tablecloth was a wedding gift from my Mother and Father. I just love it!!! It's reversible...on the side that I am using today there are pink roses. The other side is just plain white lace!
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The pink damask dinner napkins are new as well...my first time to use them! They are another treasure find from ebay...if I remember correctly I gave $9 for a set of 10. They really do go perfectly with this set of pink china! The porcelain napkin rings were a gift from my late father-in-law...he was always so sweet to me!!! I just love the delicate flowers, leaves and ribbon that is on top of the napkin ring!!!
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I used the Norway Rose salad/dessert plate as an underplate for the pink depression glass tumbler! I have a set of five of these pretty tumblers....a cherished gift from my dear sweet Grandma!!! Isn't it beautiful? The pattern of pink depression glass on this tumbler is called "Open Rose"...I just adore these!!!
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Ohhhh my...LOOK! There is one of those little rose faeries now!!! I wonder what she is thinking about?

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Ohhh...and there is another one! She's lying in the rose wreath...soooo sweet!!!
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Well my friends....I hope that you enjoyed my "Rose Faerie" tablescape! I must confess that I was a little displeased with my photos for this tablescape...it was a dreary day...no sunlight to light up the room so the lighting was just terrible! I worked and worked to get better photos and finally gave up! They're not my best by any means! We are experiencing really weird weather right now in colorful Colorado! Cool and rainy days...yesterday the temp only got up to 68 and today we are to have a high of 72 degrees! Now...how do you like those kind of temps for the end of July! Hehe! Really strange!!!
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Please leave me a comment and let me know that you were here...I would love to visit with you!!!