Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Italy is the one place Mr. B and I have always wanted to visit, Tuscany in particular.
My fantasy has us wondering around the beautiful countryside, meeting a family and being invited back to their home for a true Tuscan meal.
Unless we win lotto, which would mean actually buying tickets, it will remain just a dream.
My fantasy has us wondering around the beautiful countryside, meeting a family and being invited back to their home for a true Tuscan meal.
Unless we win lotto, which would mean actually buying tickets, it will remain just a dream.
Today, to honor my Italian visitors, I decided to put together my interpretation of a Tuscan tablescape.
I had some scrap burlap so I made use of some of it by making a runner. The candlesticks were a Goodwill deal at a dollar each and the candles I have had forever. The green goblets were a clearance find at Pier 1.
The place settings started with square orange plates I purchased, on sale, from J C Penney several years ago. I then added a pretty patterned salad plate from Ross.
The flatware also came from Goodwill and were only a nickle a piece! You can't see it, well, because I purposely didn't take a photo of it, but one of the settings is missing a spoon. I searched and search for it but it was not to be found. No matter, if I did use them for company, this is where I would sit and no one would be the wiser, right?
For the centerpiece I used an urn I bought a long time ago at Hobby Lobby and filled it with faux ivy and other floral picks from my stash. I used a few bunches of grapes from the Dollar Tree around the centerpiece.
The off white napkins were, yet again, a Goodwill score. 6 for $1.00. The napkin rings are from Michael's and are actually grape Christmas ornaments.
This next photo is an homage to my GardenWeb Christmas and Holiday Holiday forum buddies. It is lovingly called "The Candy Shot". It usually involves a chair or a ladder to get a full table view and was named after the best at it, Christmas Candy, from the forum.
I hope that my friends from Italy feel welcome at my table. Someday, I wish upon wish, I would love to visit your country and maybe you will invite me to share a meal at your table.
Vi ringrazio dal profondo del mio cuore per farmi visita!
Sunday, September 25, 2011
I searched around until found a long piece of bamboo out in the shed that I must have used at some point in the garden and cut it with a hand saw (yes, all by myself!) and painted the pieces green for stems. Lastly, I tied a bunch of raffia around the stems for "hair".
The hardest part, for me, was making the faces. I am not an artist by any stretch of the imagination! Seriously, I can screw up a stick figure! But, armed with a black sharpie I did my best. I figured I could paint over any mistakes (and I did, several times).
I think that they came out pretty cute! I see Mr. B on the left, me in the center and Max, our Jack Russell, on the right. If you have been wondering what we look like, there you go :) The fun part is that I can have them with just the orange showing for Fall and turn them around to have the faces showing for Halloween!
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
The rules are so simple:
Let me know in the comments which one you prefer.
The one with the most comments will be the winner and will stay decorated until I change it out after Thanksgiving.
Please let me know if you have any questions about any of the vignettes.
Please let me know if you have any questions about any of the vignettes.
And gosh, please don't be afraid to let me know if something in any vignette needs to be changed/ moved around too.
Think of this as our project that we are working on together.
You are my trusted friends and I am open to any suggestions.
Sound like fun? I think so :)
Ready? Let's go.
Vignette1 - Pumpkin Love:
Vignette 2 - Falling for Purple:
Vignette 3 - Classic White:
So there you have it!
3 different design choices to choose from.
I am really looking forward to seeing your votes.
Vote early and vote often...wait...no...just vote early m'kay?
Find out which vignette won here
And the Winner Is
3 different design choices to choose from.
I am really looking forward to seeing your votes.
Vote early and vote often...wait...no...just vote early m'kay?
Find out which vignette won here
And the Winner Is
Monday, September 19, 2011
To be honest, I had found The.Perfect.Buffet months ago. I just couldn't wrap my head around the price. I went back and looked at it numerous times. I ran my hands lovingly across its smooth real hardwood finish. This was one solid piece of furniture! I made Mr. B go with me on several occasions, silently hoping he would tell me it wouldn't fit where I wanted it. I went home and measured over and over. Dang it! It would fit. Mr. B kept telling me to just get it. The only thing holding thing me back was, well, ME! It took a lot of self-talking but last weekend I finally hit the wall and said "Kathe, you want it, it will fit and it will look beautiful. Quit beating yourself up and just go get it!" So...I did. I went and ordered her to be delivered post haste.
It was delivered yesterday. Not an hour after the roofers left. Just as a cold driving rain started.
Luckily it was covered in plastic so my baby was safe.
No sooner had the delivery men left did I start loading her up. I could not believe all that she could hold! 3 full sets of my favorite china, tons of miscellaneous dish sets, all of my napkin rings, 2 coffee services including the coffee pot, sugars and creamers! I just kept bringing stuff to her and she kept happily accepting them!
What I love the most is the rustic planked top. It goes so well with the plank topped dining table. It is as though they are sisters of different mothers!
Here is the top of the dining table
Of course I just couldn't leave it bare for long. Mr. B was kind enough to get my bins of Fall stuff down from the shelves up in the garage. Then it was a whirlwind of everything faux. Leaves, pumpkins, acorns you name it and I was trying it all out on the buffet.
Once I reined myself in, I was able to put together a Fall vignette I am proud of.
(Excuse the dark photos. You'd never guess it but we were experiencing a day of abundant sunshine and no matter what I did, I could not get nice bright photos! Blinds open. Blinds closed. Lights on. Lights off. Cussing softly. Cussing loudly. It did no good at all!)
(Excuse the dark photos. You'd never guess it but we were experiencing a day of abundant sunshine and no matter what I did, I could not get nice bright photos! Blinds open. Blinds closed. Lights on. Lights off. Cussing softly. Cussing loudly. It did no good at all!)
I am so happy I listened to Mr. B and,well, to me :) I see so many happy times dressing her up. I see her helping me serve holiday meals in high fashion. I see her listening to me when I need someone to hear all of my hopes and dreams. Um, okay, maybe not that one :)
I do have a question though. Do I leave the picture above it or should I go with a mirror? Round or oblong? Let me know what you think.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
(read about it here) I gravitated to the most sorrowful piece of "art" in the store. Once again someone deemed it necessary to use paint sale colors on a poor defenseless animal. I have seen pheasants used in fall decor all over blogland so I wanted him. In spite of his state, he was coming home with me. I could see very easily why he was priced at $2.99. $1.50 was all it took to get him into my cart.
Can't you just see he is pleading, "Help. Me."? I'm not sure what color he will be spray painted yet. I do know it won't be oil rubbed bronze. I am open to all suggestions so give me yours and together, we will save another fugly castoff from total humiliation.
