A Summer's Tea on the Veranda...Part II

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Hello my friends...I hope you're having a fabulous day!
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Last week I set a tea table out on my cottage blue veranda to celebrate my birthday. I'm hoping to share Part II of that tea with you today.
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If you would like to see Part I of "A Summer's Tea on the Veranda"...you can click HERE.
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A Summer's Tea on the Veranda...Part II

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A Blue Floral Teacup

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Here is the star of "A Summer's Tea on the Veranda" Part II...a blue floral teacup!
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This pretty teacup is just one of the four teacups that I treated myself to...for my birthday! The manufacturer's mark reads...Royal Standard Fine Bone China of England. I'm not exactly sure what type of flower this is on the teacup and saucer...I think it looks like a "Forget-me-not".
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I recently redecorated my little veranda. Honey and I treated ourselves to this beautiful blue, cottage looking table for our 5th wedding anniversary last June. I just love it and it's sooo perfect for a summer's day tea!
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It is mid-morning...and a beautiful, sunshiny day! Just perfect for a cup of tea on the veranda!!!
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I brought a few "pretties" out to enjoy with my tea!
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A tall cloche with a few of my birthday teacups stacked underneath sits atop a glass pedestal plate, a silver basket in the shape of a teapot to hold the tea napkins, two pearl and glass mosaic candleholders, and a white teapot on a lacy metal tray...all sit upon two lace crochet doilies...one white and one off-white. Add a few soft pink and lavender soap petal roses and a "Lady in Blue" figurine...

and we have a tea...meant to enjoy!!!
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I found this pretty teapot with the delicate embossed roses at TJ Maxx for just $9.99! It was love at first sight...hehe! I decided to layer the tea napkins...using a white napkin with a lace edging and a vintage handkerchief that belonged to my grandmother. The little silver teapot napkin rings came from Hobby Lobby.
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My Blue Cottage Veranda...

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I love our little loveseat sized swing! Honey and I have spent many hours here...just enjoying time outside and time spent with one another!
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My Summer Project...

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When I decided to redecorate our veranda, I went to Walmart and purchased two sheet sets. One set had this pretty blue and sage green paisley pattern...the other set had a small floral print in the same colors which coordinated perfectly. I made a quilt to lay over the seat of the swing and a new cover for the top of the swing. I also recovered the seats of the four patio chairs and sewed chair slips for each chair out of the same coordinating sheet fabric. I made several pillows and I still have alot of fabric left! Maybe I'll make a tablecloth with matching placemats and napkins. Another project for another day! If you would like to read more about the "how to's" of this project you can just click HERE.
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Honey and I also found a small table to match the larger table.

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A Blue Cottage Veranda Vignette...

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I created this little vignette by using a couple of stacked books (some great reading while I swing), a little cast iron bird, and a cherub that is holding a vintage gold brooch and a strand of pearls in the leaf that he is holding in his hands. Ohhh...and just look at the tiny little bird that is resting upon the cherub's leaf...too cute!!!
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And Voila!!! A Summer's Tea on the Veranda!
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I'm sooo happy that you came by for a visit today! I hope that you enjoyed!!!
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I am joining these lovely parties today...
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Table Top Tuesday...hosted by Marty over at A Stroll Thru Life.
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Lady Katherine's Tea Time Tuesday...hosted by Lady Katherine over at Lady Katherine's Tea Parlor.
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Tea Time Tuesday...hosted by Sandi over at Rose Chintz Cottage and Inspiration.
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Teapot and Tea Things Tuesday...co-hosted by Pam over at A Breath of Fresh Air
and Wanda over at Silken Purse.
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Tuesday Tea for Two...hosted by Wanda over at The Plumed Pen.
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A warm heartfelt thanks to all of these lovely ladies for hosting these fabulous Tuesday parties!
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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 would love to visit with you!!!
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Have a beautiful and blessed day!!!

Welcome to the 68th "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 68th run of "Sunday Favorites"!!!

I hope that you are having a wonderful weekend! Wow...it's hard to believe that we are at the end of August! In just a couple of days, we'll be ushering in the month of September...with the autumn season soon to follow! I really am looking forward to cooler temperatures and autumn is my favorite season of the year!

Today for Sunday Favorites...I thought I would revisit a post from September 2, 2009 called "A Summer's Ode". Since we are in the last days of this summer's journey...it just seemed befitting. I hope that you enjoy!

Wishing you all a super Sunday!!!

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Instructions for Participating in Sunday Favorites

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If you are participating in Sunday Favorites, please be sure to add your permalink and not your general blog address.

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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.

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Please do not add your link below, until your Sunday Favorites post is actually published to your blog.

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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: September 2, 2009
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Hello my friends...it's time for Tablescape Thursday!

This fun filled Tablescape Thursday is hosted by our very own Susan over at Between Naps on the Porch!

Thank you, Susan...you're such a sweet and gracious hostess...I sure do appreciate all of the effort that you put into this fabulous tablescaping event!!! Please make sure that you go over to Susan's today and see what sweet pleasures she has for all of us and while you're there you can also check out all of the other participating tablescapers!!!
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A Summer's Ode...
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Today I am dedicating my tablescape to Summer!

Yes...as the days of summer seem to wane and Autumn quickly approaches...I fondly bid a warm farewell to summer with "A Summer's Ode" tablescape!!!

I have been so excited about Autumn this year...well, I'm always excited about the Autumn season. I just love everything about it...but I especially love the warm, rich colors! However, before I begin my Autumn decorating, I wanted to do an all white tablescape! Hmmm...just wondering if the rule of "no white after Labor Day" applies to dishes? I figured I better get a "move on" and get my white tablescape done now!!! Hehe!
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*A Fond Farewell To Summer....

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A Summer's Ode

And so, a summer's aged with sweet remorse,

with days a'dwindling down 'til chill's return.

Yet, September still must sing its last refrain,

'ere summer days of memory swiftly burn.

A summer's fallen from the sky, it seems,

with heat a'wavering as its days grow old.

Though bittersweet the parting soon will be,

goodbye echoes with a promise ~ made of gold.

written by Hazelmarie Elliot

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I have actually been wanting to do an "all white" tablescape all summer and now I have a very special reason to do one! Do you see those beautiful lacy charger plates in the photo mosaic above? My dearest friend Gloria from Happy To Be gave them to me for my birthday!!! Girls, you should have seen me do the "happy dance" when I opened my gift!!! I had been wanting these pretty lacy chargers for months! Thank you, Gloria...you are the sweetest and dearest friend...and Girlfriend, you know me sooooo well! Hehe!

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Soooo....in honor of you, my dear friend Gloria...I have set a special table!!! We'll have a little dinner...maybe a glass of bubbly to celebrate friendship...in honor of all the sweet friendships that we all have made here in Blogland!!! We'll finish with a nice warm cup of tea...it's already getting a bit chilly here in Colorful Colorado! A cup of tea and lots of fun conversation!!!
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I have set "A Summer's Ode" tablescape in my french country dining room. I wanted it to be a bit elegant but not too stuffy...after all, we are here to have fun!!!
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Elegance demands ambiance!!!

So with a dimly lit chandelier, a couple of lamps on the buffet all aglow...and the flickering of candlelight on the table...we are set to go!!!
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"A Summer's Ode" Centerpiece...
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The Centerpiece...
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I decided to use my white birdcage for the focal point of the centerpiece...filled full of beautiful white hydrangeas...ahhhh, so summery!!! I used an off-white lacy doily under the birdcage...and placed an off-white tassel on top...its crowning glory! The off-white picks up the colors from the damask pattern in the long table covering.
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The Elegant Ladies of Summer
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I just love these elegant ladies!!! The two porcelain figurines are made by Paris Royal and stand about 9in. tall. I think they are considered creamware...not sure. I found these little beauties at TJ Maxx a couple of weeks ago for just $3.00 ea. I just knew these pretty ladies would be perfect for a tablescape!
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Family Treasures

I am also using four candleholders that belonged to my mother-in-law. I believe the type of glassware is called "candlewick" glass! I just adore them!!!

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*Just an "artsy" photo...Do you think this beauty is looking forward to cooler weather? Hehe!
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The Place Setting
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The set of white dishes that I'm using today are quite old! This was my very first set of dishes...I was about 12 years old when I purchased these with green stamps. Do you ladies remember green stamps? Hehe! If I remember correctly, they are ironstone "Providence"...there isn't a manufacturer's mark. Soooo...you can see that my dish fetish started at a very young age! I love the shape of these dishes...subtle elegance at its best! I used a dinner plate and salad/dessert plate.
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I added a small cut glass fruit bowl. These little treasures also belonged to my mother-in-law!

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I just love the look of white on white...with a little crystal thrown into the mix!!!
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The Glassware
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The crystal goblet and small glass are both etched glass. Honestly, I don't know much about them...the name of the pattern, etc...but I love how the crystal and etchings reflect the light!

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The Flatware
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Another family treasure...my mother-in-law's stainless flatware! Not sure of the pattern but I love that they look "frenchy"! Hehe!

PS...just a little addendum...a fellow blogger let me know that this flatware is made by Oneida! Sure appreciated the information!!! Thank you, Liz!

*Addendum 2 (hehe!)...after doing a little digging, I found out that this flatware is indeed maunufactured by Oneida in 1980 and the pattern is called Brahms!

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Table Linens
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Okay...I must confess...the long table covering is really a new king sized flat sheet. As soon as I seen the colors and the beautiful damask pattern...my thought was to make it into a tablecloth. Bed linens are perfect for making table cloths because of their extra wide widths...especially if you want a tablecloth with some length to the sides! No seams!!!
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I really do love the white damask pattern against the creamy off-white background! It just has an elegant look and I love the white glassware with it!!!

Dinner Napkins

The dinner napkins are a recent find from Target...from their Shabby Chic collection! Love the bright white and pretty lace edging! I'm using my silver teapot napkin rings...a sale purchase from Hobby Lobby! Each napkin ring has a different shaped teapot...so cute!

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Would you care for a spot of tea?
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Using one of my new lacy chargers as tray for tea...so pretty and so versatile! The ironstone tea/coffee pot is manufactured by J.G. Meakins and is called Classic White. The sugar and creamer...just plain ol' cut glass! Hmmm...I don't know what happened to the sugar and creamer that went with my white Providence dishes. I'm looking to purchase them or something similar...if anyone knows where I could find them...I sure would appreciate it!

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Below is a photo that I created using one of Photobucket's photo effects called "sketch". It's the same photo that was pictured at the beginning of the post. Thought it turned out pretty!

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There you have it..."A Summer's Ode"! I bid thee summer...a fond farewell!!! Well my friends...are you ready for Autumn?

Thank you so much for coming by today...I just love when you come by for a visit!!! Please leave me a comment and let me know that you were here...I would love to visit with you!!!

Flowers...One of My Favorite Things!

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Flowers...One of My Favorite Things
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Hello my friends...I hope you're having a fabulous day!
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As many of you know, I celebrated my birthday on the 20th of this month. I just wanted to share with you...one of my gifts!
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I do believe that I have the sweetest honey ever!!! On the day of my birthday, honey came home from work with a beautiful birthday bouquet for me!!! Not only did he bring me flowers but he also took me out to dinner that evening. And...he bought be a beautiful armoire for the Tea Rose bedroom!

Yes...my honey spoils me rotten!
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My Beautiful Birthday Bouquet...

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I just adore my birthday bouquet! I soooo love fresh flowers!!!
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This beautiful bouquet is made up of several different variety of flowers in a wide array of colors. I love the square glass vase too...and ohhh, that pretty red ribbon!!!
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I placed my birthday bouquet on the dining room table...atop a new "spring green" leaf platter. The flowers looked so pretty in my red dining room!!!
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and then....
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I moved them!
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A few days later...I noticed that the sun was shining "just right" into my living room. The sunny rays were spilling ever so sweetly right onto this table. So I moved my flowers into the living room and took a few photos!
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and...look what I captured!
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I told you the sun's rays were shining ever so sweetly upon this table...hehe!
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I didn't realize that I had captured the sun's rays with their amazing color spectrum in my photo until I downloaded it onto my computer.
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I thought it was sooo pretty!!! What an amazing photo effect...and it was au natural!
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Speaking of photo effects...I had some fun! I took a close up photo of the bright yellow sunflower in the bouquet.
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Sunflowers

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I love sunflowers!!!
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I decided to take this photo of the sunflower and have a little fun with it...using Photo Bucket's photo effects. I really do enjoy playing with all the different photo effects. It's a fun way to be creative!
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Photo effect: "Cartoon"
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Of course I also used a border/frame and text.
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Photo effect: "Color Sketch"
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I use this photo effect often...I love the look! Just like a sketch done with color pencils!
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Photo effect: "Color Splash"

and below...this is my favorite photo!

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This was my favorite photo! I love the lighting!!!

I loved the way the sunlight was coming in through my living room window...do you see my little french girl bust? Thought the sunlight framed her sooo beautifully!!!
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Thank you, honey...I love, love, LOVE my beautiful birthday bouquet!!!
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I am joining these fabulous parties today...
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Show & Tell Friday...hosted by Cindy over at My Romantic Home.
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A Few of my 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 fabulous parties for us!!!
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Well my sweet friends, thank you sooo much for coming by today and taking a peek at my beautiful birthday bouquet! Please leave me a note and let me know that you were here...I'd love to visit with you!!!
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Have a fabulous day!