My China Hutch...A Mini Metamorphosis!

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My french country dining room...August 2011

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Hello my friends...I hope you're having a fabulous day!

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Wow...seems like summer is winding down pretty fast and I still have a couple of projects that I would like to complete before autumn arrives.  My head is spinning and I'm still wondering where all of my time went this summer.

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I did complete one little project that was on my list of "summer to do's".

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If you look at the photo above...you will see a small china hutch.  This beautiful hutch belonged to my dear, sweet Grandma.  It is truly one of my most cherished possessions and I feel so blessed to have it.  This small hutch fits perfectly into this corner of my dining room...just like it was made for this space.

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My china hutch...dressed in summery whites and apple greens!

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As you can see...the interior walls of the hutch is composed of semi-dark wood.

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I have wanted to "lighten up" the interior of the hutch for soooo long!  Oooh...I just can't tell you how many times that I wanted to get the paint out!  But...since this hutch is a prized family heirloom, I just can't bring myself to make any permanent changes to it.

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Soooo....I came up with a solution!  Scrapbooking paper!!!

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I found this fabulous...frenchy toile...scrapbooking paper at Hobby Lobby.  As soon as I seen it...I knew it would be perfect for my china hutch!  It has all the colors of my dining room...red, olive green, gold, and gray...and I just adore toile!!!

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This was such a quick and easy project.  It only took me a couple of hours to cover the interior of my hutch with the paper.  I just used double-stick tape to adhere the paper to the walls.  It seems to be the perfect solution...I have lightened up the interior...and I can take the paper off whenever I would like.  Voila!!!
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**My China Hutch...."After"

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I have to tell you...I really had a difficult time getting photos.  I have a very large window on this side of the dining room...so I always get "glare".  I just couldn't capture the true color of the hutch's newly papered interior either.  The photos make the paper look like it has a pinkish tint but in real life...it doesn't look pink at all.

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Close-up photo.  This photo shows more of the "true" colors of the paper.  I love how it turned out!!!

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My hutch is dressed in summer white and apple green. 

It won't be long till I change out the summer dishes for my autumn dishes.

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My New French Script Pillow...
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I recently had the good fortune of winning a gift givaway that was hosted by Sherry over at No Minimalist Here.  Thank you, Sherry...I love, love, LOVE my new frenchy pillow!!!

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My honey made this bench, that sits under the window in my dining room, when he was in high school.  When I first moved here, I found it outside behind this shop...I saved it!  Hehe!  I added a frenchy scroll design to the front of the bench...painted it...and recovered the cushion.  It fits perfectly under the window.  I just love decorative pillows...bet you couldn't tell!  Hehe!  My bench is perfect for displaying a few of my favorites!  I change them out with the different seasons.  This spring and summer, I used apple green and white in the dining room's decor.

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My new french script pillow goes nicely with the summer pillows...don't you think?

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Well dear friends...hope you enjoyed my little china hutch's new "mini makeover"!

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I am joining these fabulous parties...

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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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Thank you, dear ladies...for hosting these sweet parties for all of us to enjoy!

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Well dear friends...thank you so much for coming by today!  Please leave me a note and let me know that you were here.  I would love to visit with you!

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Warmest Summery Wishes!

"Hop...Hop...Hoppy Spring!"

Hello my friends...I hope you're having a fabulous day!

It has been a busy, busy week at my place! I am sooo excited...my daughter and five grandchildren from Texas are coming for a visit. They will be here this weekend. Of course, there is the normal cleaning, laundering bedding, etc. that I am doing but I am also busy doing the "Grandma Thing"! You know...shopping for surprises and baking cookies and fun things like that! Hehe! On that note, I just wanted to let everyone know that I will be taking a bit of a blogging break (starting this weekend)...so that I can visit with my sweet daughter and grandbabies! Please be patient with me...I promise I will be back to Blogland before you know it!

In the meantime...I thought I would share just a bit of my latest additions to the spring decor at my place. Starting to gear up for Easter! I'm hoping that my grandchildren will be here for Easter but if not...maybe we can celebrate a little early! I can hardly wait to do an Easter egg hunt with them! It has been sooo long since this Grandma has been able to do that! Ooops...I can see that my excitement has taken me on a little "bunny trail"! Hehe! Speaking of bunnies...I have taken all of my sweet little bunnies out of hibernation and have added a few to my spring vignettes. I hope that you enjoy!!! *

"Hop...Hop...Hoppy Spring"

Here we are in my french country dining room. *

A view of the springtime vignette that I created for the dining room buffet. I know that many of you have already seen this vignette...but I did change a few things in preparation for Easter!

Bunnies...bunnies...and more bunnies! *

As you can see...I have chosen a color palette of white and spring green for my spring decor this year. I love white ironstone and thought this would give me the perfect chance to use a few pieces from my collection.

I have used several pieces of white ironstone throughout my home this spring...in the dining room, on the living room mantel, and in my kitchen as well. Since I have already shown the spring decor for my buffet, I won't go into the details of how I created it...but if you would like to read about it...you can just click HERE. And...if you would like to see the spring decor for my living room mantel...you can just click HERE. *

Ahhhh....here is the first little bunny that has come to visit! Isn't he sweet? I love the floral garland around his neck! *

A large cloche with green apples anchors the right-hand side of the buffet. The apples bring that pretty splash of spring green to the vignette! *

*Just a little note here: I had a beautiful sunny day to take these photos. The brilliant shade of red that you see on the dining room walls is "au natural". I really do love the red walls in my dining room. During the daytime, they are the most beautiful shade of red. They just make me smile! During the evening hours, the red wall color takes on a deeper shade of hue...very rich. I love that too! *

Another cloche with an olive green transferware pitcher full of spoons anchors the left hand-side of the buffet. *

I recently added this pretty spring green, leaf shaped plate under the small white ironstone pitcher. Another pretty "pop" of that fresh, spring color! *

And...of course a springtime vignette has to have a few sweet birds! *

A close-up of the bunny. *

A "Hop...Hop...Hoppy Spring" vignette for the dining room table. * A couple of sweet bunnies have come to visit here as well! *

A bunny soup tureen sitting upon a silver tray is the star attraction for this table centerpiece. A large silver soup ladel is ready for service. *

I found this tureen at a thrift store a few years ago. With my love of white ironstone...and bunnies...this was a great treasure find for me! Ohhh my...I was doing my "happy dance" when I found this pretty piece! It is a nice sized soup tureen...measuring 12 ins. in length and 8 ins. in height with the lid on. *

I ordered this sweet bunny from Pottery Barn last year at their "end of the season sale". He was a mere $7.00. He is a stately fellow measuring 12 1/2 ins. in height. Isn't he a beautiful bunny?

Nearly all the bunnies that I collect are white! *

A "Hop...Hop...Hoppy Spring" vignette for my old enamel topped farm house table in the kitchen.

I just adore this table. I rescued it from the patio when I first came here. I love the old chippy legs...perfect! *

A tall, distressed gray, wire cloche sits in the background. I added a bouquet of springtime tulips to an old white ironstone pitcher. Just to the right is another old pitcher...a creamware piece that I found while thrifting. I filled it with one of my latest treasure finds...old silver knives and forks that belonged to my husband's grandmother. A glass canister is filled with old cookie cutters...another sweet treasure that belonged to my late mother-in-law. I will be using these this week to bake cookies for my grands!

Bunnies...bunnies...and more bunnies! *

An old french table tray is filled with a few olive green and tan dinner napkins. A trio of playful bunnies are resting on the napkins. I think they found the three green (ceramic) eggs and have been playing!!! *

Mama bunny has turned her head to their mischievous behavior! Hehe! *

An old rusty farm basket is filled with a few springtime items...and sits underneath the table. *

My honey was recently cleaning out his late parent's basement and found this awesome metal farm basket! I love the rusty patina! I added a large crock mixing bowl, a smaller crock container, a few galvanized buckets for planting, an old glass milk bottle and a couple of woven placemats to the basket for this little vignette. *

My dining room window and old french farmhouse bench. *

I recently replaced the red and gold pillows that decorated my old, chippy farmhouse bench...for two springtime pillows. Again...they have that splash of spring green that I am using in my color scheme for spring this year. A pedestal with my garden cherub is sitting in the corner of my dining room. He is holding a gray satin ribbon with a key. Just above the cherub you can see the stained glass window that my honey put in when he was building our home. The stained glass came from his mother's stained glass. She was a very talented stained glass artist! So this little window is such a precious gift!!! *

Well my friends...I'm so glad that you came by today! "Hop...Hop...Hoppy Spring"!!! I hope that you enjoyed a few of the changes that I have made to my springtime vignettes! * *

I am joining these fabulous parties....

Table Top Tuesday...hosted by Marty over at A Stroll Thru Life. *

Wow Us Wednesday...hosted by Kim over at Savvy Southern Style.

Open House Thursday...hosted by Sherry over at No Minimalist Here.

Feathered Nest Friday...hosted by Courtney over at French Country Cottage.

Home Sweet Home party...hosted by Sherry over at The Charm of Home. *

A Few of My Favorite Things Saturday...hosted by Laurie over at Bargain Hunting and Chatting with Laurie. *

Thank you so much ladies...for hosting these fabulous parties for us to enjoy!

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Thank you, sweet friends...for stopping by today! I always enjoy your visits and sweet notes! I will be pretty busy visiting with my daughter and grandchildren the next couple of weeks....but if you leave a note...I will get back with you when I return!!!

I also wanted to mention that I will be cancelling the Sunday Favorites Repost party for the next two weeks. Thank you, for being patient with me. I plan on really enjoying my family!

"Hop...Hop...Hoppy Spring"

Christmas in March...A Family Treasure Find!

Hello my friends...I hope you're having a fabulous day! *

Have you ever experienced Christmas in March? Well...I have! But I must admit...I think this is the first time. Hehe! My honey came home the other day with two big ol' boxes under his arms. He had been cleaning out his parent's basement. Both his Father and Mother have already passed on and we have recently acquired their home and belongings. *

Family Treasures...Two Vintage Nativity Sets

Sooo...Honey placed the boxes on the floor and began opening the first box. He carefully unwrapped the treasures that were inside. To my total surprise...a little olden Nativity set began to fill the floor! Onto the second box...another sweet Nativity set was unwrapped...very carefully! I placed the first Nativity set into an old, rusty wire basket that honey had also found in the basement. Isn't the wire basket just scrumptious? I love it! There the marvelous little pieces sat...until I could give them a much needed but gentle cleaning.

Want a closer look? *

Closer still? Ohhh...I really am being a tease...aren't I! Hehe!

There are a total of 23 pieces to this beautiful vintage Nativity set. *

Mary, the mother of Jesus.

Isn't she just precious? As you can see...she needs a gentle cleaning. Years and years of use are layered upon these sweet pieces. My honey told me...as he was unwrapping them...that he had so much fun playing with them when he was little! Ahhhh...I can't tell you how much that warms my heart!!!

This vintage Nativity set was a Christmas gift to my father-in-law when he was 10 yrs. old...in 1944...from his mother and father. I can just imagine the excitement as he unwrapped each piece! Like father...like son!

Vintage Chalkware Nativity...

I have seen this type of Nativity set before but I really didn't know to much about it. After doing a little search on Ebay, I found a few similar sets and read all that I could about them. I know that this particular set is at least 67 yrs. old because a few of the pieces had been hand marked. Hand written in pencil was this inscription...

"Dwain...Christmas, 1944...5th grade...10 yrs. old"

My honey didn't know much about the "particulars"...just that they were a Christmas gift from his Grandma and Grandpa...to his Dad. Whether they were new when they were given...or whether it was a family treasure that had been further passed down...we don't know. I did find a couple of chalkware Nativity sets that were very similar...in size and in the colors that were used....that were manufactured in the 1920's. If any of you know anything about this type of Nativity set...I would love to hear about it!

The second Nativity set...

I think this Natvity set is much newer in age. My honey said that this pretty ceramic set was his mama's "pride and joy"! Isn't it lovely?

A close-up of one of the camels.

This Nativity really is beautiful, I can see why my mother-in-law loved it so! The pieces are so intricate...just exquisite! The set was done in white with a beautiful blue glaze brushed on like an antiquing effect.

Here it is...all cleaned and set up.

Sooo very beautiful...and sooo very precious!

Here is the vintage chalkware Nativity set...cleaned and set up.

Do you see the angel overlooking the Nativity scene? She is sitting atop the large hat box...looking on!

I will use the hat boxes to store these family treasures in...until next Christmas! And then...I will carefully unwrap each little piece and display them sooo proudly in our home...remembering the sweet family that has already gone on to be with the Lord and how these precious Nativity sets brought joy to them!

The baby Jesus!

Born in a lowly manger of the virgin Mary...to be the Saviour of this world! I am sooo thankful for His precious gift to me...and that I can call Him my Saviour!!!

I am joining these fabulous parties today...

Vintage Inspiration Friday...hosted by Debra over at Common Ground.

A Few of my Favorite Things Saturday...hosted by Laurie over at Bargain Hunting and Chatting with Laurie.

Thank you Debra and Laurie...for hosting these fabulous parties for all of us to enjoy!

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Well my friends...I'm so glad that you stopped by today! Thank you for letting me share a little "Christmas in March" with you! Hehe! Please leave me a note and let me know that you were here...I would love to visit with you!

Warmest Spring Wishes!