Showing posts with label Mosaics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mosaics. Show all posts

9/13/2010

An Autumn Dining Room in Mosaics

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Hello my friends...I hope that you're having a fabulous day!
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As many of you know...I have been on a bit of a blogging break so that I could get my autumn decorating done. I've had sooo much fun and everything is looking so pretty at my place! It's definitely looking different...with all the warm, rich autumnal colors replacing all the white and "spring green" that I used in my home's spring/summer decor. I hope to start getting a few photos this week to share with you!
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In the meantime...I thought I would share a post from last year...a couple mosaics that I created of my autumn dining room! I had fun playing with a few photo effects from PhotoBucket again...hehe! I hope that you enjoy!!!
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October 4, 2009
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An Autumn Dining Room in Mosaic

Photobucket

It's Mosaic Monday!

Hello Friends...so happy to see you today!

I'm joining in with Mary over at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday. Please go pay Mary a visit...she always has the most beautiful mosaics...and while you're there you can check out all of the other Mosaic Monday participants! Thank you, Mary for hosting this marvelous Monday meme!!!

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An Autumn Dining Room in Mosaic

I have had so much fun doing my autumn decorating the last few weeks! I've also had alot of fun playing with photo effects and making mosaics!!! I wanted to share a few of them with you today for Mosaic Monday. My inspiration? My newly decorated "Autumn" dining room!

Below you will see a photo of my little red French Country dining room. I used this photo to make the mosaic above. I used Photobucket's photo effects to achieve this look. First I took the photo and used the photo effect called "sketch". Then I took the sketched photo and used the photo effect called "tint"...achieving the different autumn colored photos. I then took the autumn tinted photos and made the mosaic...and Voila!...my dining room in the beautiful shades of Autumn!!!
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Photobucket

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Colored Sketch of my Autumn Dining Room

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* I used various photos of my newly decorated dining room to make the second mosaic pictured above. Again, I used Photobucket's photo effects. I took each photo and used the effect called "colored sketch". I just love how this came out! The "colored sketch" effect really accentuates the color and patterns...can you see Autumn?

Below is the "real photo" mosaic of my dining room. These are the photos that I used to make the "colored sketch" mosaic...just to give you an idea!
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Photobucket

* Well my friends...hope you enjoyed my little red French Country dining room in mosaic today! I sure had fun making them!!!

Thank you so much for coming by for a visit...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 marvelous Monday, my friends!

12/30/2009

2009...A Year In Tablescapes

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Hello my friends...Happy New Year!!!
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My...oh my...here we are in a brand new year...2010!!! Today I'm celebrating all the great things that the Lord did for me in the year 2009...thanking Him for all of His many, many blessings to me and my family!!! I am also thanking Him for the brand new year...2010!!! Sooo many great things transpired this past year and I'm looking forward to 2010 with great anticipation!!!
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I am joining Susan over at Between Naps on the Porch...for Tablescape Thrusday! Please go by Susan's and see what she has for us today and while you're there...you can check out all of the other Tablescape Thursday participants! I would like to offer a special word of thanks to Susan for hosting this fun filled tablescaping event every Thursday of this past year for us! That is alot of tablescapes! Hehe! I appreciate you, Susan!!!
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Wow...2009 really was a great year for tablescapes! I have thoroughly enjoyed all of the beautiful and creative tablescapes that were posted for Tablescape Thursday this past year! And...I can hardly wait to see...what all of you creative and talented tablescapers...will turn out for 2010!!!
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Today for Tablescape Thursday, I thought I would celebrate a few of the tablescapes that I created in 2009...so without further ado....
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2009...A Year in Tablescapes!

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" A Love Affair" A Valentines Day Tablescape
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Posted February 12, 2009.
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If you would like to see more of this tablescape....just click HERE.
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"Green in the Spring" Tablescape
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Posted on March 18, 2009
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If you would like to see more of this tablescape...just click HERE.
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"Brume de Rose" Tablescape
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Posted on March 25, 2009
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If you would like to see more of this tablescape...just click HERE.
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"Dollar Store Tablescape"
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Posted on April 1, 2009
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If you would like to see more of this tablescape...just click HERE.
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"Good Friday Brunch" An Easter Tablescape
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Posted on April 8, 2009
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If you would like to see more of this tablescape...just click HERE.
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"To Mama With Love" A Mother's Day Tablescape
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Posted on May 6, 2009
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If you would like to see more of this tablescape...just click HERE.
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"Water" A Seaside Tablescape
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Posted on June 3, 2009
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If you would like to see more of this tablescape...just click HERE.
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"Rose Faeries" Tablescape
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Posted on July 29, 2009
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If you would like to see more of this tablescape...just click HERE.
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"Tea for Two"
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Posted on November 2, 2009
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If you would like to see more of this tea party...just click HERE.
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"A Summer's Ode" Tablescape
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Posted on September 2, 2009
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If you would like to see more of this tablescape...just click HERE.
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"Autumn...Sweet Autumn" Tablescape
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Posted on September 30, 2009
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If you would like to see more of this tablescape...just click HERE.
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"Autumn With Antoinette" Tablescape
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Posted on October 21, 2009
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If you would like to see more of this tablescape...just click HERE.
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"Silver Elegance" Red Transferware...A Christmas Tablescape
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Posted on December 16, 2009
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If you would like to see more of this tablescape...just click HERE.
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"Silver Elegance" Olive Green Transferware...A Christmas Tablescape
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Posted on December 16, 2009
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If you would like to see more of that tablescape...just click HERE.
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"Christmas in the Woodlands" Tablescape
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Posted on December 21, 2009
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If you would like to see more of that tablescape...just click HERE.
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Well my friends...there you have it, "2009...A Year in Tablescapes"! Thank you so much for coming by today...I hope that you enjoyed a "look back" at a few of my tablescapes from 2009!
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Do you have a favorite?
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Although I really enjoyed putting all of these tablescapes together, I have a couple of personal favorites, "A Summer's Ode" and "Silver Elegance". Both of these tablescapes really define my favorite design styles!!!
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Sending you my warmest wishes and blessings for a fabulous New Year!!! I'm looking forward to another year of sweet friendship and fellowship with you!!!
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Love ya'll,
Chari

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10/04/2009

Mosaic Monday

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An Autumn Dining Room in Mosaic

Photobucket

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It's Mosaic Monday!

Hello Friends...so happy to see you today!

I'm joining in with Mary over at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday. Please go pay Mary a visit...she always has the most beautiful mosaics...and while you're there you can check out all of the other Mosaic Monday participants! Thank you, Mary for hosting this marvelous Monday meme!!!

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An Autumn Dining Room in Mosaic

I have had so much fun doing my autumn decorating the last few weeks! I've also had alot of fun playing with photo effects and making mosaics!!! I wanted to share a few of them with you today for Mosaic Monday. My inspiration? My newly decorated "Autumn" dining room!

Below you will see a photo of my little red French Country dining room. I used this photo to make the mosaic above. I used Photobucket's photo effects to achieve this look. First I took the photo and used the photo effect called "sketch". Then I took the sketched photo and used the photo effect called "tint"...achieving the different autumn colored photos. I then took the autumn tinted photos and made the mosaic...and Voila!...my dining room in the beautiful shades of Autumn!!!


Photobucket

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Colored Sketch of my Autumn Dining Room

Photobucket

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I used various photos of my newly decorated dining room to make the second mosaic pictured above. Again, I used Photobucket's photo effects. I took each photo and used the effect called "colored sketch". I just love how this came out! The "colored sketch" effect really accentuates the color and patterns...can you see Autumn?
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Below is the "real photo" mosaic of my dining room. These are the photos that I used to make the "colored sketch" mosaic...just to give you an idea!
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Photobucket

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Well my friends...hope you enjoyed my little red French Country dining room in mosaic today! I sure had fun making them!!!

Thank you so much for coming by for a visit...please leave me a comment and let me know that you were here...I'd love to visit with you!!!
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Love ya'll,
Chari
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9/27/2009

An Autumn Dining Room at Happy To Design!

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It's Metamorphosis Monday!
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Hello my friends...I hope that you're having a marvelous Monday!
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It's time for Metamorphosis Monday hosted by our very own Susan over at Between Naps on the Porch! Thank you, Susan for hosting this fun filled Monday event!!! Please go pay Susan a visit today and see what she has for us and while you're there you can visit all of the other Met Monday participants!
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I am also joining in with Mosaic Monday today...I have a couple of photo mosaics that I would love to share with you! Mosaic Monday is hosted by Mary over at Little Red House! Thank you, Mary for hosting this marvelous Monday mosaic party!!! (Whew...say that fast 3 times! Hehe!)
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Autumn is Officially Here!*
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Last week for Metamorphosis Monday I posted my living room's new autumn decor. If you would like to see that just click HERE. This week I would like to share with you a few of the seasonal changes that I've made in my dining room!
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I love my dining room!!! It's a bit eclectic but follows the lines of French Country design. We have a very "open" floor plan in the living area of our home...the living room, dining room, and kitchen are basically all open to one another. I have decorated these rooms in shades of olive green, deep red, and gold...very deep, rich colors...which are very conducive to warming up my home for the autumn season! I love autumn and I love my home in all of its autumn finery!!!
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So without further ado...here is my French Country dining room!
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Happy To Design
Autumn 2009
Photobucket
Autumn mosaic of my french country dining room...Autumn 2009
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I created this photo mosaic using the photo of my dining room (pictured below). First of all, I took the photo and used Photobucket's photo effect called "Sketch"...this made the photo look like a pencil sketch. Then I took the sketched photo and added the photo effect "Tint" to get the different autumn colored tints...then I used Picasa to make the mosaic. I have been playing with photo graphics alot lately and having so much fun! Hehe!
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An Autumn Dining Room
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My husband built this home in 1998 B.C. (B.C. standing for "before Chari"...hehe!) The original part of this house was built in 1927...honey added on to the front, the back and also added on a second story. It's a beautiful home...my honey is quite talented!!!
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The dining room is in the original part of the house and still has the old original wood flooring. I painted them a charcoal gray color...over time they have taken on an old distressed looking patina! Or in other words...they could use a fresh coat of paint! Hehe!
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Two of the walls in this room are olive green...two are a deep red color! I really do love these deep, rich colors...it's just me! I decided to use white furniture in this room since the wall color was already dark. I really do like the contrast of the white furniture against the red and olive green! The dining room table was a treasure find at an antique market...it also has a distressed finish! I love the old column looking legs on the table!!! The buffet was an old brown colored dresser that I refinished. I love the "frenchy" style of this piece!!!
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Autumn and the Dining Room Buffet
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Ooops...I'm just now thinking that I should have added a photo of this buffet "before" the autumn decor!
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An Autumn Vignette
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The runner on the buffet is perfect for autumn decor! It's the most beautiful shade of olive green and is emboridered with a floral pattern in dark reds and gold. Can you see the long fringe on the ends of the runner? Soooo pretty!!!
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The two buffet lamps come from Vanna over at Delusions of Grandeur. I just adore these lamps with their pretty crystal prisms!!! I think the lamps are a beautiful addition to the buffet!
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New Floral Arrangement
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I created a new autumn floral arrangement for the buffet...adding long stems of autumn leaves, wispy brown grass, and a few dark red flowers and cattails to a large gold colored pitcher that sits on a matching plate!
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Autumn and Antoinette...
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Hehe...okay, so I named my french girl bust "Antoinette"! Antoinette is sitting atop a couple of old books...an autumn garland of berries graces the bust...and a couple of little brown embossed birds and pumpkins make for an autumny vignette! I just love these little brown birds...they have little acorns embossed on the sides...found them on sale at Michaels for just $1.99!
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A couple of fun photo effects! I used Photobuckets "Color Sketch" on the photo above.
 On the photo below I used an effect called "fresco"! Pretty...don't you think?
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You can see the pretty buffet runner a little better in this photo.
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"Artsy" photo of the florals!
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This is the left side of the buffet. Using three silver candleholders with off white tapers...my silver teapot with patina, and a couple more pumpkins! Hehe...don't you just love the word patina? It covers a multitude of sins or...uh, I mean tarnish!!!
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Autumn Table Centerpiece
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Just keeping my table centerpiece simple since there is so much going on at the buffet! This is an old distressed looking french table tray...filled with autumn pears! To each side of the tray are my newest treasure finds...Roseville candleholders! My honey found these in a box of old things over at his Dad's house...they were so dirty you couldn't even make out the color of them! I didn't even know they were Roseville pottery till after I got them washed up! He found two candleholders and a small jardinare.
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This is Roseville's "Clematis" pattern in autumn brown...ca 1944. I am thrilled to have these pretty pieces and they are so perfect for autumn!!!
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My Window Bench
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This is a bench that my honey made in wood shop when he was in high school. I found it outside behind his shop when I first came here...of course, I saved it and brought it in the house! I painted it the same color of olive green that is in the insets of the buffet and then added a black glaze over the top. Oh yes, and I added a little french scroll piece to the front of the bench...just a little added interest!
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Pillows...Pillows...Lots of Pillows!
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Ohhh my goodness...this is probably "overkill" but I just love pillows and lots of them! The gold ambussen pillow was made in Germany...a souvineer from our honeymoon trip to Europe. I made the two red floral pillows to each side of the gold pillow. I found the pretty bolster pillows awhile back...fell in love with the color, fabric, and pattern!!! Honestly, I just threw the bolster pillows on the bench when I was doing my autumn decor in the living room...and here they still sit! I kind of like them here...no one really wanted to sit down here anyway! wink!
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Autumn Ambiance
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Here in Colorado...along with Autumn comes the cool, crisp weather! It won't be long and we'll have to build a fire in the old wood stove! In fact, our heat has already been running this week! Right now the wood bin is empty but it won't be for long. There's nothing like a warm fire on a cool autumn day or night...autumn ambiance! Hehe!
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Just a couple of "artsy" photos!
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I took this photo looking into the buffet mirror...this is the reflection you see in the mirror of my autumn dining room!
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*Autumn 2009 at Happy To Design
Photobucket
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This is a photo mosaic that I created using a few of the photos that you seen above...using Photobucket's "color sketch" effect! It really does show all the beautiful, deep rich, autumn colors of my little french country dining room!
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Well my friends...I hope that you enjoyed the tour around my dining room today! I'm so happy that you came by...please leave me a comment and let me know that you were here...I would love to visit with you!!!
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The DIY Show Off
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*I'm hooking up again this week with the DIY Show Off: Fall Festival! This is a fabulous Fall party with so many great ideas! Just click on the button above...it's magic...it'll take you right on over to the DIY Show Off!
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Rednesday is hosted by Sue over at It's a Very Cherry World...won't you go and visit with her...there is all kinds of fabulous RED to see! Thanks Sue for hosting this fun filled "RED" party...ahhh, RED...my favorite color!!!
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Happy Autumn!!!
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Love ya'll,
Chari
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8/30/2009


It's A Blue Mosaic Monday...
With an Update!

Hello my friends! It's time for Blue Monday with a blue mosaic! Blue Monday is hosted by our very own Sally over at Smiling Sally. Thank you, Sally for hosting Blue Monday! Please drop by Sally's and see the beautiful blue that she has for us today and while you're there...please visit the other Blue Monday participants!

For today's Blue Monday post...I created a mosaic so that I could join in the mosaic party hosted by Mary over at Little Red House. Mary, thank you so much for hosting Mosaic Monday...I've had so much fun making photos mosaics!!! You won't want to miss Mary's fabulous mosaics that she has created for us today...please pay her a visit and check out all of the other mosaics created by participating bloggers!


............Ahhhh....The Blues of Provence!!!
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Ohhhh....those beautiful frenchy blues!!!
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All of the photos in the mosiac that I created were taken in Provence, France (photos courtesy of the internet). Provence is a region of southeastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. I have had the privilege of traveling through this beautiful region...ohhhh so beautiful! When I think of Provence...I think of the famous European/French painters...like Paul Cézanne who was born in Aix-en Provence. Other well known artists...Renoir, Matisse, Picasso, and even Van Gogh spent time painting in Provence! And...what did so many of their famous works from this region...have in common?
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BLUE!!!...the soft baby blues of the sky...the aqua blues of the water...the vibrant blues of the provencal linens ...and the earthy blues of the grapes! * *
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Sooo many fabulous frenchy shades of blue!!!
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Isn't it funny...when I think of France...I think of blue....
and I think of the fleur de lis!!!*
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My New Frenchy Blue China 



Lamberton Fine China
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Ohhhh...I am so excited to share with you today...my new fabulous frenchy find! This beautiful blue china was manufactured by Lamberton China USA and the pattern is called "Puritan".
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Photo of the manufacturers mark...
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History of Lamberton Fine China
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*I was really curious...I had never heard of this china manufacturer before so after doing a little research...this is what I found. Lamberton Works was founded in Trenton, New Jersey along the Delaware River in 1869. Later purchased by Maddock Pottery Company, and then by Scammel China Company in 1901. Scammel continued to use the Lamberton name on some of the pieces. Lamberton china is considered fine-grade semi-porcelain and avidly collected.
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I was doing a little "window shopping" on ebay a couple of weeks ago and ran into this beautiful china. It was love at first sight!!! I love, love, LOVE the pretty fleur de lis and laurel garland....Ohhhh, and the beautiful shade of blue!!! To me...it just doesn't get more "frenchy" than this...blue and the fleur de lis!!! A fruit basket surrounded by laurel garland can be seen in the center of the plates. There is just a hint of yellow on the fruit and tips of the laurel.
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A close-up...
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I found six bread and butter plates for a total of $9.00.
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six dinner plates for $8.00 ea.
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I thought this was an extremely great deal...considering the bread and butter plates sell for $9.99 ea. at China Replacements Ltd. The dinner plates sell for $29.99 ea. Now I'm looking for other pieces to complete this pattern! In the meantime, I can use them with my white ironstone.
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A couple of great books...especially if you like French Country decor.
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"Country French Living" by Charles Faudree.
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"Creating the French Look" by Annie Sloan.*
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...Now for the Update...
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A couple of weeks after I found the Lamberton "Puritan" china with the beautiful blue "fleur de lis" on them...I found another set of Lamberton China on ebay...and just had to have them!!! Ohhhh...they are soooo beautiful!!!
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*Up for auction was a set of six dinner plates...I only paid $15.00! I just couldn't believe my good fortune...just look at these beauties!!!
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I just love the beautiful "french" blue banding...and ohhhh...look at the gorgeous gold gilding! I adore the frenchy scrolled pattern!!!
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Close-up of the beautiful gilded scrolls!


The ebay listing mentioned that this was a very "rare" pattern. I'm wondering...I have searched and searched the internet (including China Replacements Ltd.) to no avail. I cannot find this pattern anywhere. If anyone knows anything about it...I sure would appreciate you letting me know!
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This is the manufacturers mark on the back of the china...it is definitely Lamberton China but it doesn't have a pattern name???






Now...for the sweet reveal!!!




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The photo above pictures the new Lamberton china dinner plate with a bread and butter plate from the Lamberton "Puritan" pattern.
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I just couldn't believe that they both had the exact same color of french blue banding...and if you look...you'll see that the Puritan "fleur de lis" pattern has the gold gilded bands around its edges!
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These two patterns just look like they belong together...don't they?
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I was so excited when I found this second set of dinner plates on ebay!!! Now I can mix and match them for a tablescape!!!
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Ahhhh...those frenchy provencal blues!!!
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I just love it!!! I can't wait to set a french table with my new china!!!
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The two Lamberton China dinner plates...side by side!
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Well my friends...thank you so much for coming by and taking a peek at my newest "treasure find"...I was so excited to share them with you!!! Don't forget to go by Sally's place for Blue Monday and Mary's for Mosaic Monday!!!
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Love ya'll,
Chari