A Santamaker's Journey

My Heart is Broken

2011-02-11T10:42:00.025-05:00

It is with a heavy heart and a lump in my throat that I share the news that my beautiful Duchess passed away last night.

She gave us so much joy in her 13 years of life, we loved her like a baby and we will never be the same without her.

My hope is that she is in doggy heaven, sassy and happy, as she was here with us before her blindness.

My house is so empty and silent now.

She left a huge hole in my heart.

I miss her so much.

She packed a huge personality in her tiny 4lb. body.

Always ready to go for a ride and greet the people at the Starbucks drive thru...

A huge treat was the Mc Donalds drive thru, when she would get a half of a french fry...

We always thought she was half cat, since she loved to get on the top of the furniture to soak up the sun....

Two years ago I had this portrait painted of her, and will always cherish it.

She hated to wear sweaters, but in the winter she would shiver so much, I made her wear one on especially cold days.

Friends thought she was part of the decorations.....

We love you , Duchie

Rest In Peace

A Santamaker's Christmas Tour

2010-12-20T23:00:00.041-05:00

Hi Friends,

So nice of you to join me for a little tour of my home at Christmas.

I have so much fun playing with my Father Christmases, both old favorites and brand new ones just created weeks ago.

This one is one of my all time favorites. He is dressed in brown velvet and from the minute our eyes met, I knew I would not be able to part with him.

Today, I had my Christmas lunch, just a small group of my neighbors and friends...

The salad plates are old world Father Christmases that I bought 6 years ago.

All together, there are 4 different designs, these are my two favorites:

The dinner plates are a red transferware that I bought at the Charlotte antique show several years ago. I was told they came from a convent. I wish I knew a little more about their history.
They must have a fascinating story to tell....

Step in to the family room...
I love taking pictures without flash at night. They are so much softer and romantic.

This was a vignette that I created this Christmas with one of my "new guys"... another of those who whispered in my ear, " please let me stay, don't take me to market"...

Here's the same picture taken with flash. While everything is much more visible, some of the ambiance is lost...

Another new creation for the 2010 collection: Simply Elegant, wears a mink trimmed animal print coat with pheasant feathers and offers many beautiful gifts.

Some of my favorite blown glass ornaments that adorn my tree...

A charming "In the Garden" Father Christmas is decked in denim and antique coat. He carries bounties from the farm as well as a feathered friend...

My dining room is always done in reds, blues and golds. I love playing up my blue and white plates with the blue ornaments on the feather tree.

My living room was a nice backdrop for this Winter White Father Christmas. So soft and regal, he is striking in his vintage surroundings.

This year I got a special order from a lady in Texas for a "western Santa". He wears suede coat and badge that reads, "Texas" over his heart. Between the lasso and the flag, I believe he fits in just fine in his new home in the Lone Star state.

This French Country Father Christmas is as charming as they get. He got a new home in Arkansas.

He pulled on my heart strings and was a hard one to let go of. This Father Christmas of the Seas was one of my all time favorites. He went home with someone at Scott's Antique Market here in Atlanta.

Be still my heart...how could I have let you go?....

Thanks for dropping by.

Meeeeeeeeeeery Christmas!

2010-11-19T09:03:00.016-05:00

Hey there!!! Happy Fall Y'all.....

Please come visit me on my front porch.

I had no idea that I'd be taking such a looooong break! You know, sometimes you just have to shift gears. I had a wonderful summer, one I'll have to share in a future post.

Fall is my favorite time, I just LOVE the colors, the crispness in the air and the anticipation of the holidays around the corner.

Did I say I love the COLORS?

This is the little red wagon I picked up at a yard sale and used as a planter...

I hope you all are enjoying the season...

Another yard sale item, the old chair with a big pot of white mums...

Please come back soon and I'll give you a little tour inside...

Thanks for stopping by!

Tulips Two Ways

2010-05-02T19:52:00.014-04:00

Tulips are one of my favorite flowers........

They look lovely no matter how they are arranged... here they are in a crystal vase.

For a fun transformation and one you'd spend a pretty penny on at the florist, here's what you need:

A large clear vase, (mine is rectangular, but you can use a regular shape), a smaller clear vase that fits inside the large one with a little room to spare...
....and one or two oranges....

This is what you do:

Put your flowers and water in the small vase...
Put that vase inside the large vase...
Then pour some water into the large vase (half way full)
Cut your orange into thin slices...drop them in between the large and small vase. They need to be wedged tightly, or they'll float....

...And Voila, Tah Dah and Presto...

You've made a designer arrangement.....

Head over to Susan's BNOTP for more !

Color Your World

2010-04-27T23:57:00.036-04:00

Sometimes the most common flowers, make the most impact:

Take the "lowly" azalea....so common, yet so bold and impactfull !

Don't forget about them, they're in your yards, free for the pickin'!

If you know me, you know that I'm a BIG fan of Blue and White Spode...

Notice anything different? I decided to add white azaleas to the pink...

Do you like them better with white? I couldn't decide...

I'm not a big fan of pink, but today, the sight of these vibrant flowers put a big smile on my face!

Join the tablescaping party going on at Susan's!

I Got My 15 Minutes of Fame, BUT...nobody told me!

2010-04-25T18:05:00.019-04:00

Last week I was bored one night and decided to Goggle santamaker...

I expected to see some of my old posts, which I have, in the past, but to my surprise I saw a link with a picture of the hutch in my porch to the HGTV website in a feature on porches!

Okay, that was flattering, (I used to post on RMS a couple of years ago and I understand that once you press the "agree"button when you are downloading your photos on to their site, your pictures and ideas belong to them), but it would have been nice of them to email me and let me know ! I have no idea when it was "published", just glad I had my 15 minutes of fame!

So here is the "article":

Decorating Patios, Porches and Decks: Make the Most of What You Have

See inspired ways for creating or transforming an outdoor room without spending a dime.

You can push the boundaries of design in an outdoor space. Think about existing furniture in a new way. Rate My Space user santamaker converted an old hutch into a plant stand, using garage-sale silverware as a whimsical accent.

more From HGTV.com

So, how is this a Metamorphosis post, you might ask?
Because this hutch has seen many faces...

I could not find a picture of it in it's original state, when we first bought it, circa 1980.... It was "blond" with some stencilling on it. It was our first major furniture purchase as a married couple and it was part of a dining room set. We still have the oak table and use it in the kitchen.

When we moved to Chattanooga in 2000, I wanted to paint some parts of it white to go with my kitchen. (Notice I had already started my love affair with blue and white.)

When we moved into a house in Columbia, S.C. in which there was no room for it in the kitchen, so I transformed it to my crafting hutch and painted it all a solid white and got silver knobs for it. It looked nice in my craft room, because I had white cabinets and everything looked cohesive. This is the only picture I have of it in this stage, you can barely see it on the far left side (profile of it).

Then we moved here and I decided to put it in the back porch, but it didn't look right stark white, so I "distressed and antiqued" it.

Got some rusty fleur de lis knobs...

Found these fun spoon and fork cabinet pulls at a garage sale:

Here it is as in the "article"... I emptied the drawers of my junque and used the drawers as planters for pretty flowers in the spring.

Here is what it looks like today:

This old gal has seen lots of days, but she keeps changing with me and my homes...

I guess we all have to take a lesson from my old hutch...(bloom where you're planted). This is a fun piece to play with.... I love to change it up all the time.

Enjoy a lot more transformation's over at Susan's place....BNOTP for Met. Monday!

A Quick Trip to Germany........

2010-04-13T15:07:00.029-04:00

Recently I had the pleasure of going to Germany for a quick trip...

I was enchanted by the Alpine buildings...

Colorful flowers every where......

Love the mandavilla wrapped around this light post...

Let's go in the shops and get an authentic Alpine outfit, shall we?!?

I'm ready for a tall glass of coke, wait....make that a cold lite beer..........

A horse and buggy ride is in our future....

Question is, which horse?

Let's hop on this one...

Is it time for dinner yet?! I'd like to eat here, I hear they make a great bratwurst......

Each sight is so picturesque...

Postcard perfect...

Oh my goodness, we almost missed this shop...

I'm in Blue and White heaven...

I'd like one of each, please... the best part of traveling is bringing back a souvenir, don't you think? Any of these plates would look wonderful in my dining room.

We've had such a great trip to Germany, I'm so glad you decided to come with us....

APRIL FOOL!!!!!! This was a "Quick" trip to "Germany" because it took us about 2 hours to drive there from N.W. Atlanta, Ga....!

This is Helen, Georgia! Located in the beautiful North Georgia mountains. It was a struggling little town full of unemployment when someone had the idea to replicate his experience in the Bavarian region of Germany. The mountains and rivers provided the perfect back drop for this fun little Bavarian town .

Hope you enjoyed the visit...
Please go see some more Outdoor Wednesday posts at Susan's A Southern Daydreamer: here.

A Surprise Tropical Metamorphosis

2010-04-11T18:52:00.038-04:00

A while back I surprised my parents-in-law with a bedroom makeover while they were enjoying a well deserved cruise for their anniversary....

Although they liked their room well enough, it didn't reflect their love for the tropics that they enjoy so much.... So I thought I would freshen up their room with ....

with new pillows, shams, bedskirt...

lamps, ...
art........

window treatments.......

I covered the top of their storage trunks with fabric from the window treatments...

added a luxurious throw...

a little tropical greenery ....

then I went to work on their bathroom...

New art and window treatments here as well....

a tropical arrangement for the vanity with Mom's favorite flowers, bird of paradise and antheriums.......

I was pleased to have found this copper art work for the wall...

and TAH-DAH.....

Paradise found............

My parents in law are the best a girl could hope for. They were so appreciative and surprised, it was really a rewarding experience for me!

P.S. I have been able to enlarge my pics by adjusting the html, but for unknown reasons it did not work tonight....has something in blogger changed, or is it my computer?! :o(

Please join us at Susan's for more transformations!

...of Bunnies..Books..and Recycled Grass...

2010-04-01T08:20:00.028-04:00

Today I had the pleasure of going to my neighborhood Book Club meeting.........

We had read and we were discussing The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer.

.

I think most enjoyed it more than I did, but that didn't stop me from having a great time talking about it.

Of course you already know the purpose of a great bookclub is to get together, drink, eat and gossip , oh yeah... discuss the book, I guess... . Well, it was interesting, but not really one of my favorite books by far.

..besides the above reasons I enjoyed the day...

Was that our hostess with the mostest has a beautiful home...

(Is this not the cutest chest you ever saw?!? .... she knows I have my eyes on this!)

all dressed up for Easter........

The food was not only pretty, it was delish...................

Look at these deviled eggs.......

Not to mention the artistically created and crafted "bee-hive butter" that she made to go with the little mini muffins..........

Now for the Recycled Grass part of the post....

Last year I planted wheat grass... so I thought I would "recycle" these photos and show them a second time! Hope you don't mind. You know how I like to be "green" and all....

It was so fun and simple... almost overnight, it grew to look like this!

See that cute little "chocolate" bunny?

Not trying to brag...but the famous Gollum gave it to me!

My dining room was adorned with the prettiest grass I'd ever grown...

I just stuck little purple silk flowers in it..........

here's one happy bunny munching on grass..........

Be sure to visit Susan for more tablescapes!

Happy Easter Everyone!

If you don't like veggie's...decorate with them!

2010-03-28T21:53:00.004-04:00

I'd like to show you a quick little metamorphosis that I created for a fun and organic look. I did this last year and thought it was the perfect time to show you all how you can take a bunch of grocery store flowers and create an artistic arrangement.

It starts off with a clear glass or vase. I used a straight vase, but a water glass would work just as well.

The next step is to go to your local grocery store and buy one bunch of asparagus. This will be perfect for you Easter table.

Then you simply take the rubber band that was holding your asparagus together and put it around the vase..... you get the idea, right? Start inserting the asparagus between the glass and the rubber band.

I got lucky, and was able to use every last one... it filled in around just right.

Now, just look around your house and find a ribbon, raffia or a piece of fabric and tie it up, trying to cover up the rubber band.

Insert your garden or grocery store flowers inside and you have a fancy smanscy designer bouquet. I believe it couldn't be simpler or more elegant.

Simple and inexpensive , if you are one of the lucky ones that gets to skip the cooking this year and just have to show up at your relatives or friend's house, the hostess will be impressed when you hand them this arrangement.

This teapot caught my eye while shopping at Marshalls. Just my style... hand painted and so cheerful.

These are called Italian Fruit.. sugar and creamer... just in case!

For more Metamorphis Monday post, check Between Naps on the Porch

Black and White with a Citrus Punch

2010-03-24T17:45:00.024-04:00

What could be more cheerful than a splash of citrus colors on a canvas of black and white?

After too many rainy gray winter days...

I went to the grocery store...

bought a couple of oranges...

a couple of lemons...

and a few sunflowers...

filled my black and white $1.00 garage sale vase...

and .... tah dah.....

homemade sunshine on the dining table...

Thanks for joining me.............check Susan's blog BNOTP for great tablescapes

Hungry for Mexican......

2010-03-21T18:30:00.039-04:00

Yes we were..............food, that is! But little did we know that going to No Mas Hacienda, a Mexican restaurant in downtown Atlanta, were we going to "feast our eyes" with beautiful Mexican art as well !

Our lunch was delicious, but the best part about it was strolling through the No Mas Hacienda gallery and gift shop afterwards.

I can truly say that there is no place like this any where that I've visited out side of Mexico.

These items are meticulously hand crafted and created.

There is a wonderful mix of old and new,

traditional and modern......

These chickens were so vibrant, they brought a smile to my face.....

I particulary identified with this sculpture... exactly how I was feeling after feasting on their delicious mexican cuisine...

Love how they mixed these elements to create a mod yet rustic feel..........

The lighting is so unique and sculptural and surprisingly affordable...

To me, this looks like a painting...

Oh yes.........This pottery belongs in my kitchen !

Hand carved doors........

Can't get enough of the pottery... and what a beautiful vignette it makes here....

I'm going to let the pictures speak for themselves........

No need for a passport, Mexico and an exquisite array of art work is as close as Atlanta...

The next time you are hungry for Mexican.. you should go to No Mas Hacienda...... not only are you going to enjoy the food, you'll feast your eyes on delicious art !

Like a Candle in the Wind....

2010-03-07T17:33:00.023-05:00

You know there's nothing I like better than a great Metamorphosis... I especially love transforming furniture ... today I have a different metamorphosis to share with you.

It's actually a love story....

The transformation of this little girl...

to a sweet and beautiful princess that the world fell in love with!

I attended, Diana... A Celebration. This exhibit was featured at the Atlanta Civic Center and it was a glorious and enchanting look into Princess Diana's world.

From her enchanted wedding dress:

· In keeping with tradition, most of the materials used in Diana’s royal wedding dress were made in Britain.

· The dress is a romantic, fairy-tale gown made of ivory silk taffeta and lace, with a fitted, boned bodice, curved neckline and a detailed finish.

· The wedding gown has a full skirt over a multi-layered, tulle petticoat, with intricately designed bodice panels. The entire gown is hand-embroidered with more that 10,000 tiny mother-of-pearl sequins and pearls.

· The 25-foot silk train is the longest in Royal history and adds a touch of theatricality to the outfit. It has been called the dress of the century.

· The dress was made of six different fabrics including 25 yards of silk taffeta, 100 yards of tulle crinoline and 150 yards of netting for the veil.

Other Interesting Facts:

· Diana’s five bridesmaids also wore dresses of ivory silk, modeled closely on her gown.

· Diana observed tradition by wearing old antique lace, new silk specially spun at Lullington silk farm in Dorset, a borrowed tiara from the Spencer family collection, and a small blue bow, sewn into the waistband of her dress for luck.

· A tiny horseshoe in 18-karat gold and studded with white diamonds, a second good luck token, was also sewn into the intricately embroidered dress.

· Diana’s low-heeled slippers were made of ivory silk, top-stitched with pearls and sequins, with suede soles etched in gold.

· The bride carried a cascade of gardenias and golden Mountbatten roses, named after Charles’ godfather, Lord Louis Mountbatten, and mixed with white orchids, lilies-of-the-valley and freesias. The bouquet also included traditional myrtle and veronica flowers, cut from bushes grown from cuttings from Queen Victoria’s wedding bouquet.

Her tiara and other royal jewels were equally inspiring...

The evening gown gallery:

There was much to see and read as well as film strips of Diana in all stages of her life.

If she "touched" you as much as she did me, this is a beautiful and very personal insight into her world and a MUST SEE exhibit if you are in the Atlanta area.

To see other metamorphosis please join Susan at Between Naps on the Porch

Nature's Paintbrush

2010-03-03T11:12:00.006-05:00

Nature's Paintbrush

Appreciating the beauty of all seasons is one of lives greatest gifts.....

Anticipating warm days and watercolored gardens is nature's reward...

For now, this beautiful frosted landscape is my reality..........

Tomorrow's promise of a colorful Spring allows me to celebrate the beauty of every season ...

I'm joining Outdoor Wednesday's today, take a look at more photos here.

A Jaw Dropping Experience.........

2010-02-21T14:25:00.042-05:00

The Georgia Aquarium graciously hosted a Blogger's Day event yesterday and I was one of the recepients of a pair of tickets to enjoy the wonders of the sea featuring...............

This was an awe inspiring exhibit based on reality and education. These fascinating giants have been around for over 400 million years. So much to see and learn. Truly a fun and educational experience!

No photography was allowed, so the following 3 photos were courtesy of the Ga. Aquarium:

A sneak peak at what you'd get to see when you go........

Planet Shark: Predator or Prey will feature:

Full-scale shark models cast from real specimens, including an 18-foot Great White shark caught in South Australian waters – the largest caught by recreational fishing.
Extensive collection of real shark jaws, teeth and fossils dating back 350 million years
Shark cages and authentic artifacts from the movie "Jaws"
An amazing "frozen in time" display featuring a real, frozen 700 lb Bluefin tuna and its natural predator, a real frozen adult Mako shark
Stories on human/shark encounters as told by survivors and shark experts
An examination of their size, biology, hunting strategies and amazing sensory systems
Detailed information on the Great White shark satellite tagging program and other conservation efforts
Captivating high-definition displays and hands-on experiences that demonstrate the behaviors and relationships of sharks

Planet Shark: Predator or Prey is being
presented through a new partnership
between the Georgia Aquarium and Grande
Exhibitions - an Australian-based producer
of museum-quality exhibitions. This
fascinating 12,000 square-foot exhibition was
created by a team of experts in the fields of
sharks, aquariums, ocean cinematography
and world-class exhibitions.

Enjoy the sea life I was able to capture with my own camera:

I like to think of these jelly fish as nature's take on modern art. I couldn't get enough of them... so etherial and captivating........

Need a little "staycation" this week? Go to the Georgia Aquarium... it will take your breath away!

Does January Always Have to Look So Bleak?

2010-01-26T11:45:00.043-05:00

Putting away my Christmas decorations has to be one of my most dreaded of chores. Not only is it a huge job, but it leaves behind the bleakness of January. Yes, there is a "clean" look about it. Simple and neat........but I find it so boring. I can't live without color and all of the little things that give my home warmth and personality. If my home is "happy", then I feel happy.

This is what my mantle usually looks like in January... nice but boring. (What's with the one blue plate on the right side ?!, did I do that?...NOT on purpose !)

This is the way I Love to see my mantle... with my Father Christmases, lit Christmas trees and the lush red berry garland lit up with mini white lights and lanterns.

This year, after taking down most of this display, I decided not to take down the berry garland. After all, Valentine's day is just around the corner and I had to leave some color up there. I worried that the "decor police" might be making the rounds and fine me for having a garland that traditionally is used for Christmas, but what the heck.........you know I'm a rebel!

So I put on my thinking cap and came up with a bird/valentine theme that would be appropriate for the berry garland...

I found this bird cage at the "Classy Flea"....

The topiary trees I bought at Goodwill.....

Okay, so I also kept my red/burgandy/mauve glass ornaments from Christmas out....
I think it makes the perfect Valentine's decoration....don't you?

I adore these hand made victorian ornaments and they look so pretty on the silver tray...
( I came so close to donating these last year because I don't really "do" pink on my Christmas tree... sooo glad I didn't!)

To me, winter craves warmth and besides a roaring fire (can't do those with these raging hot flashes of mine ...), a little red goes a long way.......... Okay..I'll shut up now! Enjoy the rest of the photos..........

Remember.........rules were made for breaking, so if you want to keep your garland and your ornaments up...go ahead... I did ! ! Do what makes you happy!

Please go to Barb's Grits and Glamor to see more table tops!
Please click over to Beth's Blog..she is the hosts a Mantel Party every Friday and it's loads of fun!

Christmas lunch in the kitchen...

2009-12-18T22:26:00.047-05:00

So "yesterday" was Thanksgiving and this week it will be Christmas.... goodness... it's a blur!

Time flies when you're having fun, though.

Every December I try to get my neighbors over for a little Christmas lunch.

I was running so late with the cleaning, cooking and of course the most important part, the decorating and tweaking that takes me hours on end, that I only got a few shots of the table before they got here...

I used one of my favorite Christmas dishes, the cardinals on a wreath of holly on top of a gold charger.

This was the first time that I bought some "crackers" and was anxious to see if they were all they are "cracked up to be"...

Well, I can tell you that they were a hit! Especially after a few cosmopolitans.... we had fun wearing the silly paper crowns, told our cheesy little jokes and played with the guessing games. So...not only do they fancy up the table, they are good for some chuckles too!

This is a little Williamsburg pineapple centerpiece that I "whipped up" in a matter of minutes. The form which you can't see is originally designed to be a floral vase (where I put the pineapple) and where I placed the apples, votive candles usually are used. I just cut some magnolia leaves and evergreen branches and threw in a couple of clusters of nandina berries for good measure.

I wish that I had taken pictures of the food ! Oh well............

I'd like to take you on a little tour of my kitchen all "dressed up" for Christmas....

I lucked upon a set of beautifully hand painted plates a few years ago which depict fantasy Father Christmases that melted my heart... (no name on the back, it only states not to use for food consumption)

A little closer shot...I think this one is one of my favorites of the four.

Uh... no, maybe This is my favorite one.....

See.........a little closer look and you can understand why I love them so much...

This one is cute too... look how loaded down he is with all those great toys and gifts...

I think he looks a little overwhelmed...like most of us at this time...

Okay, I was lying! THIS is my FAVORITE....

Look at that beautiful coat and details on his face........... Yup, love 'em all !!!

It has been only in the last few years that I've decorated my kitchen. I've decided since this is the room I spend the most time in, I would enjoy some of my favorite things in here. Don't tell anyone, but I kidnapped the doggies from the dining room as well as the topiaries from the living room to dress up my sink area.

I think he looks very happy in the kitchen, don't you?

Okay, back to some more of my favorite Christmas plates...

My mother-in-law gave me these next two very special three dimensional plates a couple of years ago.

Is he cute, or what?!

Here's the other one..........

Lovin' his little bird friends.
Each year I look forward to seeing these special plates from a very special and beautiful lady.

Did you think that I had forgotten about flower arranging?
Nope.. here's one I made for my counter.........

I also made two of these candle arrangements..............

That's it folks... thanks for coming over to my kitchen today. Happy Holidays and do something that makes you smile today!

You'll see many more great tablescapes at Susan's blog: Between Naps on the Porch

I've been tootin' my own "horn- a -plenty" !

2009-11-18T14:01:00.005-05:00

You'll have to forgive me for "tootin' my own horn.... I was so pleasantly surprised at how well my first "horn of plenty" or cornucopia arrangement turned out !

I can't say enough nice things about my teacher, floral designer, Josh Borden of Borden Design Group here in Atlanta. www.bdgblooms.com/

He is so talented and made our class so much fun and interesting to attend. He is responsible for my newest addiction... floral arranging and all of the pretty little containers and gizmos that go along with it!

All of the flowers, berries and greenery I used were real.... except the little squash and pumpkins.

It has been a week since I made this, so I'll have to make a new one for my table at Thanksgiving.

Not sure how it'll turn out since I won't be working under Josh's supervision !

I set the table around it just in case it doesn't turn out as pretty as this one, so I'll have proof of my "artwork"!

Thanks for indulging me and enjoy the rest of the photos...............

"Mama.........you're crazy!"

To see the fresh floral grapevine wreath that I made in my floral design class, keep scrolling down to the next post.

Please join all the others at Between Naps on the Porch for more Tablescape Thursday participants!

I'm not going to "fake it" anymore!

2009-11-08T17:00:00.026-05:00

Yup........I said it.......I'm not going to "fake it'"anymore, people!

Here is one of my pretty autumn wreaths that I've been using on my front door for the last several years. I made it with silk flowers and have been very pleased with it............ until...

my Floral Design teacher opened my eyes.... I made this beautiful fall wreath using REAL flowers last week. Who knew you could do this? I was stunned at the ease and beauty of using the real stuff!

Here is the trick.
Run to your nearest floral supply store and pick up this handy dandy little gizmo, I think it might be called an oasis cage...I'll have to check with my teacher. Its the oasis foam that you soak in water on the inside and the little cage keeps it nice and tight.
You then take a floral chenille stem (otherwise known as pipecleaner) and wire it onto the bottom of the wreath. Grab your flowers , grasses and leaves and you're on the way!

Ofcourse, you'll have to keep it watered and will have to replace some flowers every now and again...

I'm not going to throw away my "fake" wreath.... but as a special treat or for a special occasion, I will most definitely enjoy creating a fresh flower wreath for my door!

So I brought the fake wreath inside while I was taking the above pictures and just haphazardly placed it on the end of the staircase.... Do you see anything unusual about it? ( I didn't at first.)

I about jumped out of my skin, when I grabbed it to put it away when this scary "dinosaur"appeared before me!

Uggggggghhhhhhhhhh........ I had to act fast, as I nudged him to hop on and threw the wreath out the front door.

Here's a quick transformation..... A halloween arrangement I made for my class....

I turned the pumpkin around and.... TA DA... now it's ready for Thanksgiving!

Another small arrangement.....

Susan is hosting a metamorphosis party at her place, so why not go check it out?

The Perfect Holiday Gift

2009-11-01T08:13:00.030-05:00

Hi friends!

I'd like to introduce to you a very talented artist that I "met" in BlogLand !

You'll be amazed and impressed by the beautiful "Metamorphosis" she is able to perform

using her paintbrush and her God given talents.

Her name is Lara Harris. She is an artist from Northville, Michigan. She has been an artist all her life.
She has taken a few art classes over the years, but she is primarily a self-taught artist.
Her work is currently in private collections throughout the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK. Although she has had no formal training in art, she believes much of her ability has been a true gift from God.

While blog hopping one day in the summer, I came across her blog and was so impressed with her ability to transform a photograph of a dog, to a work of art!
I have always wanted to have my little Duchess honored in such a way and the fact that my birthday was coming up and Hubby was begging me for clues as to what I would want, I had the perfect answer to his question.
I emailed Lara my request along with two photos of Duchess and commisioned an 8x10 painting, blending some features of each .

Here is a close up of her little face......

and here is one that I loved and initially wanted this chair to be in the portrait. Lara, had pointed out that she would do that, but thought that the chair pattern would overpower my little "furbaby" and since I wanted her to be focus, we found an antique victorian chair that we substituted and highlighted the royal dog that she is!

Here is how Lara's "magic" starts:
.....the initial rough sketch

She is so detail oriented and meticulous... She sent me pictures of the process asking me if I had any questions or suggestions.

Here is the third photo she sent and she really had so much detail, I thought it was finished!

But no.... THIS is the finished product! Amazing!

Duchess looked so real, I wanted to reach out and pet her!

The minute I received it, I rushed to find the frame I had picked out for her portrait and popped it in!

Now, that's a great transformation! I love it and know that it will always be a treasured family heirloom. Thanks, Lara............one of the best gifts I ever got and she donated 10% to the United Yorkie Rescue. Truly a Win-Win !

If you are looking for a perfect gift for your family or friends that have a "furbaby" or has lost one, I guarantee that there is no better gift to them than a portrait, honoring such a special member of the family. You won't be disappointed, I promise................. AND tell her that "Santa" sent you!!!

Contact Lara Harris by email :

Loveall4him@aol.com

or/and visit her websites:

currently available on etsy at:
http://www.studiolara316.etsy.com/

Studio Lara

Painting a Pup a Day

Vintage Dog Designs

Check out some of her beautiful work:

Now, please check out more wonderful posts at Susan's Between Naps on the Porch !

Take a stroll with me to a friends house...

2009-10-29T22:27:00.032-04:00

Hey guys, Halloween is just a day away and I want to take you on a walk through the neighborhood to a friend's house....

Please excuse the "heel nippers", they won't bite........

I love walking the neighborhood, I always see something new..........

Just love the double doors with hanging baskets...those ribbons are so pretty!

This is what I wanted to do this year and I didn't get around to doing it. LOVE the monogram!

On the otherhand....this one ....NOT SO MUCH! (Think it's safe to say they lost their minds!)

Here is another favorite...again, those cone floral arrangements are gorgeous!

This "griffin" doesn't look too thrilled to see me...ummmm better speed it up Duchess!

Some homes didn't do any decorating, just look great the way they are.

This one I call the "castle house". So pretty !

Here's a close up of their front porch. (loooove those doors)

Aren't these gorgeous wreaths? This is where my Meals on Wheels buddy lives.

Shhhhhh.....don't tell my B.F.F. that I'm coming to kidnap" little pumpkinilla"....

Love how the tree frames this pretty house.....

Well, I had to get a close up of this one...they might consider calling the pest control company to spray for spiders.....

Just a tree in all of it's multicolor glory.........

Oh, wait.........here's my other BFF's house, let's just call her " Anita Walk " (hint hint)

Doesn't this look like Martha Stewart made it? It's gorgeous! So simple and elegant!

"Come on in", says "Anita"......

She made these cute little owl treat bags for her son's classmates! Isn't she clever?! Soooo cute!

Oh my, there's a lot of hooting going on here! A huge flock of owls just landed on the table!

But that's not all.......... take a look at these "out of this world treats"!! Little alien spacemen, she made from mini chocolate cupcakes, a donut hole and a marshmellow. They're covered in green frosting and their little beady eyes are actually chocolate covered sunflower seeds!
If you would like the recipe go to Duncan Hines.com.

Well, that's it guys..........
I hope you all have a HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Cozy up to the Bar

2009-10-28T17:03:00.013-04:00

I just love the Fall season... decorating the table with berries and

pumpkins!!

I have some red and white dishes that I bought at the Charlotte Antique Mart... the vendor said that they came from a convent... it has leaves running around the perimeter. I paired it with my italian handpainted plates with fruit for an interesting mix...

Sometimes we eat on the 'breakfast bar", for a change of scenery...

This plate is "Home Sweet Home" An American Subject . Currier and Ives....

So much fun to play around with different little fall accents...

I made the napkins from dish towels and the white linnen ones with the peek-a-boo battenburg lace came from an antique store.

Have fun with your dishes and whip up some inspiring tablescapes!

You will be sorry if you don't click right "ovah" to the hostess with the mostess...our very own Miss Tablescape, Susan, at Between Naps on the Porch and check out other lovely tablescape posts!

A Floral Metamorphosis

2009-10-25T22:34:00.037-04:00

Welcome to Floral Design class!

Our first arrangement was a one-sided design. This is my instructor, the very talented floral designer, Josh, teaching us how to set the shape and height of the design. See the geometric design on the right side of the board? Who knew we would have to do geometry?! One must always work with odd numbers and triangles when designing an arrangement. Here he is starting with leather leaf fern.

The next step is to put in the "line" flower (creates and defines the shape of the design ), which is a wonderfully scented flower called "stock".

Oooops, I guess I forgot to take pics of the next few steps, but I believe he put in the focal flowers next, which are the lime green fuji mums, and then used the daisies and alstromerias (the pink ones). These last ones are called filler flowers.

So there you go...... NOW we had to make one all by ourselves!!

Here we are, trying our best to replicate his masterpiece....

I have to say that it wasn't as easy as it looked. After I was finished, my oasis (the green foam you soak in water ) looked like swiss cheese. I had poked at it so much, changing the positions of the ferns and flowers, it was amazing that it was in one piece.

But....overall, I must say that I was quite pleased with myself !!

Here is mine....

And here is his masterpiece....

So you're probably wondering about the metamorphosis? Well, I loved my arrangement, but had promised my friend that I would bring it to our "neighborhood coffee" she was hosting the following day and she had decorated her home in fall colors.

So I plucked the pink flowers off and went over to my yellow and orange potted mum and snipped off three stems, and placed them where the pink ones were.

Then I spied the pumpkin soup toureen on my counter and substituted it for the grecian urn it was originally created in.

So that is my "first" arrangement ! I know it's not perfect... but I love it!

You know you'll want to check all of the other transformations on Susan's blog, Between Naps on the Porch, so what are ya waiting for?

(Please scroll down to the end. I don't understand why there is such a big gap from here to the comment section. I've tried to fix it.... anyone there know how?)

BIG GAP HERE................ why?!?

See you there!

My House by Candlelight

2009-10-20T22:03:00.029-04:00

Autumn Fires

by Robert Louis Stevenson

In the other gardens
And all up the vale,
From the autumn bonfires
See the smoke trail!

Pleasant summer over
And all the summer flowers,
The red fire blazes,
The grey smoke towers.

Sing a song of seasons!
Something bright in all!
Flowers in the summer,
Fires in the fall!

Wishing you all a wonderfull Fall!

Yard Art

2009-10-11T18:04:00.017-04:00

Last week I began a course in floral design. I loooove it and am so impatient to start learning how to make arrangements. We have been instructed in the basics of design , but so far just learning concepts and names of flowers.

So.... I went out in to my back yard and started looking for raw material from which to "play" floral designer.

Here you see my pitiful hydrangea bush... yep... I "scalped" her.

Next was my quest for greenery. Hmmm ... I wonder how this evergreen cedar bush would work... well a couple of snips here and there and she got herself a nice little trim.

Oh.. and you see the rosemary bush in the foreground? Well, even though I like to save it for my "not-made-from-scratch" spaghetti sauce, I decided it would add a little different texture , not to mention fragrance.

Under the anemic hydrangea bush, I had some little purple mums ... Okay! Beggars can't be choosy, so I added a couple of stems to my collection.

Sorry I'm such a slack blogger... I should have shown you all the different steps, but I was concentrating too hard on making it and moreover, I really didn't think it would be turn out to great, so I just went into my pantry, found an old aluminum ice bucket and used it as my vase.
You ready?!?

So here's my transformation... from yard to "yard art".

Be sure to head over to Susan at Betweennapsontheporch to see more transformations.

Something to Crow About

2009-09-30T18:01:00.008-04:00

Come on all you rooster maniacs, let's have some lunch...........

Shhhhhhhhhhhhh.... don't tell anyone, we're having chicken salad !

I found the black chargers at a garage sale for .50 each, the perfect accent for these hand painted rooster luncheon plates..

These dinner plates were from a store here in Atlanta called Old Time Pottery.

Thanks for coming by!

Thank you Susan at BetweenNapsOnThePorch.blogspot.com for hosting this weekly event. Please visit her Blog for many beautiful tablescapes!

You'll also see me over at Rhoda's Fall Party.....Southern Hospitality

Mirror, Mirror beside my bed....

2009-09-27T11:27:00.016-04:00

Here's a little "granny" to "glammy" transformation to brighten your Monday: I got this little night stand at a garage sale a while back...

You know I'm addicted to spray paint.... as many in our little "blogland circle" are...

....in fact, at Walmart they insisted on seeing my driver's license. Apparently, I had so many cans of it in my cart, they thought I may be getting "high" off of it. Well, in a sense, I AM !!!!

For this project, I chose a metallic silver.......

I know it doesn't show that well in the photo, but in the sunlight it sparkled.

Here's where it got "glammy"..... a trip to Michaels....coupon in hand.....

Bought a couple of packs of these............

And behold.............

Mirror, mirror beside my bed........

Next time I'll show you were this ended up!

Stay tuned for more great makeovers over at our fearless leader's blog, Susan at Between Naps on the Porch!I'll be joining Kimba at A Soft Place to Land.... Do it Yourself Day as well.
I will also be linking up to Rhoda's Thrifty Monday party, I know you'll seeing everyone's great finds there as well!

Morphing Week by Week...

2009-09-20T20:27:00.029-04:00

My porch has been going through a lot of change lately.....

Here's the porch set when I first bought it 3 weeks ago, from Craig's List:

Two weeks ago I vamped it into this: I love this look for summer with red and white geraniums and for spring, I think it would great with red and yellow tulips....

But this week I wanted to fall into autumn by bringing in a new fabric and some warm touches of fall.....

Hey there....come sit down and have a cup of cider!

Thanks so much for coming by to visit me, please check out all the beautiful posts on Susan's Between Naps on the Porch blog!
And I'm also hanging out at Rhondis Rose Colored Glasses. Come join us fro a Fall Partay!

Have I told you about my b.f.f. Craig?

2009-09-13T16:11:00.057-04:00

I have been spending way too much time with Craig.... of "Craig's List" lately... but it's so much fun and you never know what you might find. Better than Ebay, because it's local and there's no bidding to do, (however, once I decide I want something, I will most always try to get a lower price). I won't give up my garage sailing excursions on the weekends, but Craig's list is great for the midweek "gotta get me a treasure and transform it" cravings.

This was my last "goodie":

A full sized wicker sofa and chair.... $50 for both pieces.

Those cushions had seen better days ... I debated on wether to take them or not. But figured I could recover them until I replaced them.

Here's the chair and a little can of "magic"...

Like the wand of a magician.................and { Pooof !!!}

It transformed my front porch into a "second" living room!

Duchess approves!

I didn't end up using the cushions it came with... they were too uncomfortable and old. I had some cushions I had bought for my wrought iron chairs in the back porch that I never used, and they were the perfect size , so I covered them in " fabric" I had bought at my local thrift store.

The bottom fabric was a curtain in it's former life, $4.50.

I used red sheets to cover the other pillows.... $ 3.50

Here's a little side table I found at Goodwill the day after I bought the couch.... $11.00

After a little spray paint.... it joined the party!

The black pillows with the twine detailing I had gotten in a "bed in a bag" set that I had not used in 6 or 7 years. I found them in the back of my closet and was thrilled that it gave the "new" set the punch it needed.

See the little wicker coffee table? Found that the same day at a different thrift store.... $14.00!

Had to go back to Lowe's for more spray paint and voila! Looks right at home here. The best part is that I use it mostly to prop up my feet and Duchess loves to sit on my lap and work at her full time job..... napping!

I made a couple of smaller pillows from the curtain fabric as well.........

Here's my front door with it's summer arrangement. I love the geraniums and I like it with my new furniture...

Tomorrow I will be bringing out the Fall decor.... I'll have to say goodbye to the geraniums until next summer...

Hi guys! Thanks for dropping by..............

S

This one's for Pinky :o)

2009-08-19T19:38:00.018-04:00

On my Met Monday post, Pinky, a great friend from RMS, commented that she loved the makeover of the dining room, but was wishing that I had pictures of the tablesetting and was straining trying to see it . Well, here it is, especially for YOU....Pinky, with love:

These beachy dishes was a lucky buy it a consignment store the day before I went to Charleston, to do my makerover. Hmmmmm.. I might just have to "borrow" then next time I visit. ;)

Bon Apettite Everyone...

Hmmm...nice dining room, now if we could just get a cook!
Go over to the ever popular Susan, at Between Naps on the Porch and enjoy more tablescapes, as well as "Let there be White II" at Cuisine Kathleen's. AND....I'm participating in The Beach Party at The Shabby Chic Cottage.net

"Beach House Chic"

2009-08-16T19:30:00.039-04:00

Last week's Met Monday I posted on a craft project using frames I found on clearance, ribbon and shells. I grouped them in sets of three for a crisp wall treatment.
This week I promised to share the room I used them in, which had just recently been updated.

The room I redesigned was my dining room condo, at the beach on James Island. This is where my daughters live while attending Dental School at the Medical University of South Carolina.

Here is the only "before" picture I could find to show you. It's a view from the kitchen into the dining room. It was dark and the table was way too small. The girls complained that the chairs were too hard and uncomfortable.

I wanted to use a small buffet table in there, but everything I found was to big and bulky for this room, so I bought a plain, brown sofa table at Goodwill and painted and white washed it for a beachy look. ( Sorry I forgot to take a before shot). The only problem was that it was the same height as the dining table, so it didn't look right. What I need to do was to make it taller, so I scratched my head and headed over to Home Depot. I looked everywhere for something that I could put under the legs to make it taller, but ran out of options.... or so I thought... until I kept walking over to the fences and posts.

I saw these fence post toppers and was excited to see if they would be the right size if I just turned them upside down.....

First I sprayed them with Kilz primer....

Then I whitewashed them to match the table and EURIKA !! From sofa table to buffet!!!! They were the perfect size for the legs and if I say so myself, the perfect little shoes it needed.

This starburst mirror was on clearance at TJmaxx.... It was the perfect size and shape. Just the wrong color.... it was gold. (I can't believe I didn't take a before shot, again).
After spraying it a shiny silver and hot gluing small mirror squares to it, I was so pleased with the results.

A brass chandelier was painted ivory for a lighter look.

This great piece was found of Craig's List for $40. It was bright white and in perfect condition. I white-washed it for that beachy look and found the RELAX sign at a garage sale for $2.
The girls needed a place for purses and shoe storage, this really hit the mark.

I wanted to give them (and myself) a much more relaxed room, where they could study or enjoy a nice dinner party with friends and play cards or board games.

The first thing I decided on was the wall color. I had seen it in a model home and loved it. It's called "Seasalt" by Sherwin Williams. It's the most pleasant, clean and spa- like color. I lucked out on finding these chairs on Craig's list. Perfect color and they are sooo comfortable. I was going to skirt them, but thought that they looked more modern just like they are. I wanted to use mostly sandy colors...furniture as well as window treatments.

Thanks for coming by, hope you stop at Susan's Between Naps on the Porch and Rhoda's Southern Hospitality for some more transformations!

The Longest Yardsale

2009-08-11T20:06:00.000-04:00

The World's Longest Yard Sale took place this past weekend (August 6-9) along U.S. Highway 127 from Gadsden, Alabama... through Tennessee... and up to Kentucky. It gets upwards of 100,000 yard sale shoppers each year.

I visited my friend from Chattanooga and after a great lunch, we drove up to Signal Mountain to experience this flea market mecca!

This mountain is fairly high and the road is scary and windy. I'm so glad I wasn't driving!

This is actually someone's home... it's for sale right now, so you better hurry up and buy it, the view from here is "out of this world".

I just loved seeing all of mismash of junk, I mean treasures, that were there to be bought.
Just loving the signs.

Self service dental work........

"The buck stops here".........

I guess Elvis didn't want to miss out on a bargain either!

Do you think I could still order one?!?

Isn't this the cutest little out house? :p
Love the sign on it....

Here's an "ugly mug"....

and a little surprise inside....

Imagine seeing that after your first sip of coffee ...

I hope you enjoyed the ride. I didn't get much of anything, but I did spend the day in garage sale paradise and had a wonderful time with my friends.

For more great outdoor fun, go to Susan's at A Southern Daydreamer.

"I Was Framed"

2009-08-09T21:12:00.013-04:00

The "Queen of Cheap" is not known to pass up a bargain, so when I spotted this charming little twin frame for $1.00 I "had" to get it.

It had no glass in the openings and I had no idea what I was going to do with it, but I loved the color and shape, so I put it in my shopping cart, down here in Hotlana, they call them "buggies".

Ooooh, don't cha just love seeing the bright orange stickers on the back of stuff you like?!? Yeah, me too!

Well, I won't lie, I couldn't stop at one. Looking in the very back of the shelf I spotted 7 more....
Yep, got 'em! Still had no idea what I was going to do with them, but heck...they say that things look better in a large group, so I stacked them in the "buggie" and took them home!

Well, they sat on my dining room table for a week. With nothing but reruns on TV, I got desperate and took them out to look at them and figure out what I could do.

Then an idea came... I wanted to put shells inside of the frames, but how?

I had some cream colored grosgrain ribbon....

I flipped the frames upside down. Hot glued the ribbon to the back of the frame, vertically and then...

glued the shells to the ribbon....

Make sure the shells are not too heavy, they'll cause the ribbon to sag and strech.

These worked beautifully and I was so pleased with the results.

Here is how they look on the wall.

What room, you may ask? Perhaps the Coastal Bedroom?!? No, I'll show you a new room that I just decorated last weekend. "Stay tuned"!

I hung them in two vertical columns of three. I was hoping to use all 8, but I ran out of ribbon.
I'll have to do the last two and add them on later.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to visit Susan's blog, Between Naps on the Porch. You'll see some great makeovers! Also check in with Rhoda at Today's Thrifty Treasures, lots to see!

Help, Santa has gone "coastal"

2009-08-03T07:20:00.004-04:00

Imagine my shock, when I was notified that my bedroom would be on the cover of my favorite magazine, Coastal Living! Wow, a dream come true!

Well... it REALLY is a dream! And most likely, will remain one!
How fun! I created it using a program called BigLabs.

...............and now we return to our previously scheduled program.........

In my previous met monday post I showed you my transformation of a generic 80's mauve wingback chair:

I was dreaming of a coastal inspired bedroom retreat that would make me feel like I was at the beach. I thought these soothing colors and beautiful fabric would work nicely . Fortunately, I had no pipping to use around the arms of the chair,(and too lazy to drive to the nearest fabric store), which forced me to think outside the box and come up with an unexpected solution. I had these little white shells and they did the trick!

Here is the wall before the makeover. Pretty sad, I must admit.

This is the mauve chaise that matched the wingback chair. I wanted it to co-ordinate with it, but didn't want the same exact fabrics.

I used an ivory brocade fabric out of the JoAnn's clearance table. It is quilted and has some very nice designs on it. The back of the chair was covered with the same fabric as the wingback.

Here is a closer view...........

My little shell collection was perfect for this shadow box I picked up for a buck....

Aww.... magazine cover worthy?!?... In my mind, at least!

Those battenberg pillow shams were found at a church rummage sale.... again... a buck each!

Go ahead.........jump in!

I bought this mantle from a neighbor. She just wanted 5 bucks for it. Even the queen of cheap felt guilty "stealing" it from her .... I gave her $10 for it! It wouldn't fit in my van, so her very sweet husband put in on a dolly and carted it the hill to my house for me.

I decorated the inserts with three large shells. Since this picture, I've changed it many times. Right now, I have 3 starfish on it.

Even though, I haven't used the chairs very often, I just love the look it lends to the room.
The coral candle holders are on of my favorite details of the mantle decor. They were found at Marshalls. The seagulls were snagged at Ross.

Here is my Father Christmas of the Seas... one of the many figures that I have created and one of my favorites.

A little gold mirror I picked up at a garage sale, painted ivory and glued some shells on.

One of the many shell accents in my room.... can't get enough of the glass candle holders. They make any collection look great.

The mirror was begging to be embellished, so this sand dollar, hung by a sheer ribbon was added.

Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you got inspired to create your dream bedroom. It was one of my favorite makeovers and one I enjoy every single day.

Now, here is my ad for the credit company people:

"Fireplace mantle, mauve chairs and chaise lounge...$70 total @ garage sale. Fabrics to update and reupholster chair and chaise $85. Waking up each morning, feeling like I'm on vacation at Ritz on the beach............ priceless."

Be sure to swing by Susan's Between Naps on the Porch where you'll see many more makeovers as well as Rhoda's at Southern Hospitality Blog.com.

From " 80's Granny " to " Coastal Glammy "

2009-07-19T21:58:00.007-04:00

One of my proudest achievements as an" amateur upholsterer" is the makeover I did on this wingback chair. I got two identical "mauve" wingbacks at a garage sale a year ago and transformed one from " 80's granny " to " coastal glammy " by recovering it with a beautiful fabric with blues and tans and then punching it up with a co-ordinating solid blue. The "fun" part was when I decided to use shells instead of piping.

Here's a close up of the shells:

Next week, I'll share the room that I transformed using this chair and a chaise lounge I also recovered.
That's really my style............BUT...........

These funky and colorful chairs make me smile. They seem to say, "Color Me Happy"! I would love to create one of my own.

The question is: Where in the world could I put one of these? My home is Old world/Traditional in almost every way possible, plus the fact that I have run out of room for more chairs.

Squint opened in East London at the beginning of 2005, it was started by Lisa Whatmough a former Sculptor and Painter. Her initial desire was to showcase the antique textiles she had been collecting and found that a fusion of period furniture and fabrics made for unexpected one off pieces.

The range comprises of items such as Victorian chaise longues and iconic Egg chairs and includes all types of upholstered furniture as well as mirrors and lighting, each piece bespoke incorporating a mix of contemporary and vintage fabrics.

As Squint has grown it now makes to order, classic designs meticulously made in England and upholstered traditionally, with tied springs and hand stitched seams. Each design is priced individually depending on the final mix of fabrics used and a selection of sofa shapes can be made as bed settees.

Website: www.squintlimited.com

I have turned my finished basement, much to my husband's discontentment, from a nice entertaining suite to a "chair orphanage" of sorts. The abused and unwanted chairs that I have picked up in garage sales and on street corners , line the walls of my former respectable pooltable/theatre style room and are waiting patiently for their second lives to begin.

I found this "beauty" on Craig's List. The add title was, "Ugly Chair....Cheap". Well! I just had to run out and grab it! I think it has a lot of potential, don't you?

Maybe soon, I'll go down to the basement, and one of those orphans will stick out her leg and trip me, so that I can stop and realize that she is the chosen one!?!

Run..........don't walk to Susan's blog, Between Naps on the Porch for some awesome transformations!

Dishing about Dishes....

2009-07-15T22:59:00.028-04:00

I am excited to be participating in Susan's at Between Naps on the Porch weekly event...Table
Top Thursday! Please go visit her blog and see many many other!

One would assume that plates are for tablescaping, but I, for one believe there is so much more to do with beautiful plates, than to set a pretty table.

I have always been a big fan of using plates as art. Recently, I have starting "collecting" photos from goggle of plates that I love and arrangements that are pleasing as well as interesting.

What a wonderful arrangement this makes over the bed. My only fear is ....well....one of those gorgeous plates landing on my head in the middle of the night!

Don't these plates look amazing on this pink wall? They are actually clear glass plates, backed with fabric.

This is the most creative arrangement , which I first site, I didn't love, but after looking at it, I really like, because it has such a feeling of movement and just something fresh and unexpected.

X

Now we come to my personal favorite, the traditional and always in vogue: blue and white.

You can't go wrong with this winning combo, in my book.

Below is a photo of my dining room in S.C. I know you can't tell by the picture, but there was a pattern involved in the arrangement. I loved my blue dining room!

Here we are at Christmas...

My present dining room is painted a paprika red and really show off the blue and white.

Funny thing about this photo below, when I posted it on Rate My Space, I got many nice comments, except for one. She said, I think you could have come up with a more pleasant arrangent. It looks like somebody was just juggling the plates in the air. You know what's funny?!? That was exactly the look I was going for. I wanted them to look like they were almost in motion.

Hey, you can't just stick to plates, how about a teapot and cup and saucer?

Coffee, anyone?

These are a couple of colorful Italian plates I have collected for my kitchen.

Here are some in one of my guest rooms....

When Life Gives You Lemons....Eat them!

2009-07-09T22:34:00.013-04:00

Yesterday I shared my tablescape, "Black and White with a twist of Lemon". Today I was trying to think of what I would serve to go along with that decor.

One of the "bestest" drinks I've EVER had was a martini Lemon Drop.....
I highly suggest you try one, or better yet, make one!
This would be my choice for a nice cocktail:

Lemon Drop Martini

The fresh taste of citrus infuses a hint of
sunshine into our special season-inspired
martini. This refreshingly crisp and tasty
drink is perfect for any occasion that may spring up.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 oz vodka
1/2 oz Triple Sec
1 tsp Superfine sugar
3/4 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
ice cubes
Superfine sugar for dipping
Twisted lemon peel

Preparation Method:

Mix the vodka, Triple Sec, sugar and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice, shake well.
Pour strained liquor into sugar rimmed martini glass and garnish with a twisted peel of lemon.

For the main course I would go for a simple chicken dish

Lemon Chicken Scallopini

ngredients

1 package PERDUE® FIT & EASY® Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Thin-Sliced (alternate: PERDUE® FIT & EASY® Boneless, Skinless Turkey Breast Cutlets, Thin-Sliced)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons garlic salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup 99% fat-free chicken broth

Instructions

In a shallow dish stir together flour and garlic salt. Press the chicken into the flour mixture, coating both sides completely.
Coat a large, non-stick skillet with olive oil and set it over high heat. Add chicken and brown on each side approximately 45 seconds. Remove chicken and set it aside.
Add lemon and chicken broth to skillet and let boil 30 seconds. Return chicken to pan and push it into sauce. Cover and simmer over low heat 3 minutes until meat thermometer inserted in center registers 170° F.
To serve, set chicken on plates and pour sauce on top.

Along with the chicken, a nice angel hair pasta, garnished with basil and red peppers:

A nice salad:

And saving the best (and EASIEST) for last:

Lemon Icecream filled lemons!

Cut lemon tops off. Scoop out pulp.
Cut bottom off so they will stand up, fill with lemon icecream !
TAH-DAAH !!!!!

So there you have it! The perfect dinner party meal to go with "Black and White with a Twist of Lemon tablescape!

Have fun and join Gollum for more creative foodie ideas!

Black and White with a twist of Lemon

2009-07-08T21:18:00.039-04:00

I have an affinity to all things black and white, and for some time, I've been wanting to do a B&W themed tablescape, but wasn't sure about the accent color or any details.
The other day, my wonderful husband brought home some sunflowers for me and I thought they'd look nice in this black and white vase... and then, Voila! My tablescape bloomed in my head.

I was as happy as a pig in mud when I found the black and white damask salad plates at Marshall's...$2.99 ea.

I already had the tablescarf, stole it from one of my B&W bedrooms.

Tablecloth and napkins where "nabbed" on a Goodwill Hunting expedition. $3.60.

I decided to fold each person's napkin differently... what the heck!

The black octagonal soup bowls where also a GW find for .50 ea.

Now, if only I had just as much FUN cleaning and cooking , as I do tablescaping, I would have invited some friends over for dinner! :o)
Nice thing about blogging is that when I'm ready to hostess a dinner party, I can just look at this post and it'll be a no brainer!

To see food that I would serve with this tablescape, go to , When Life Gives You Lemons....Eat Them!
Please enjoy more creative tablescapes over at Between Naps on the Porch!

Tallulah Tassel Makes Her Entrance

2009-07-06T00:18:00.024-04:00

Back in my old Rate My Space Days, I posted my screened porch and titled it, "Meet the two old ladies I rescued from the dump".
I actually didn't pick these up at the dump, but bought them for under $5 dollars each at a garage sale. The reason I used dump in the title is because, the lady I bought them from actually said to me as I was looking at them, "Please rescue these little chairs, I have been meaning to reupholster them for years and I have finally given up on the thought. My husband wants them out of our house and is threatning to drive them to the dump!" So there you have it!
I realize that Tallulah might appeal to those of you that are "sweet" on shabby chic just the way she is in her cream colored slip. She is sooo cute!

The thing is, I am "hooked" on country french (at least out in my screened porch) and I wanted to dress her up in some cheerful warm colors . Here is the frock that I gave her......

In a previous MMonday I introduced you to Frannie Fringe, her elderly sister. This is her "before" picture......

And "after", in all of her provencial glory.........

Now that you're in my porch, I might as well give you a little tour.........
Please say" hello" to Duchess . Actually, this is HER porch , she pretty much acts like she owns the whole house....
Just about everything in here were thrifty finds.
The wicker love seat and wrought iron table are garage sale items, while the rug, pillow and carafe vases where found at Goodwill.

This little cockadoodledoo too!

My little silver tarnished tea pot is one of my favorite treasures. I won't polish it, don't ask me to!
Do you see the book next to it? It's a great little resource to have around, if you your internet is down or computer broken. Instead of going to Goggle to look up an answer to your burning question, you simply ask the question out loud, concentrate on what you are asking for a couple of minutes , then simply open the book randomly and it will give you your answer.
It works, don't laugh!

This is the first piece of funiture that hubby and I bought after getting married. It actually didn't look anything like this. It was painted yellow and brown and had stencilling on it. I had to have it.
This is actually it's third look. After I got over the yellow and brown phase, I painted it pure white and enjoyed it in my white kitchen . It look very cute with all of my blue and white dishes and blue glasses.
When we moved to our present home, I didn't have a place for it inside and decided to use it in the porch, so I antiqued it !
I'm a tweaker, so I rearrange it all of the time. I emptied out some drawers to have the flowers tucked inside...

I found the spoon and fork handles at a church thrift sale and couldn't resist putting them on this piece for a bit of whimsy.

Here is another look at it with some rusted fleur de lis knobs...

I hope you enjoyed your little tour of my porch and the story of Tallulah Tassel and Franny Fringe!
For more Metamorphosis, visit Between Naps on the Porch!