Happy Dinner

I will be linking to Thursday Tablescape over at Susan's Between Naps on the Porch.  Please, click on her icon and be transported to her blog for a treat of tablescapes submitted by talented bloggers.  Thanks, Susan, for hosting us!




"Find me a man interesting enough to have dinner with and I will be happy".  Lauren Bacall.


Well, Mr. B is such a man.  After all these years of marriage, forty-seven, to be exact, we still like to share a quiet dinner and have interesting conversations.  He always makes me laugh.   He is my bestest friend in life! 

Today I decided to prepare a tablescape for such a dinner, planned for Thursday evening.  It will be simple and informal, but I always like to make mealtime an event to please the eye as well as the stomach.  

The table is set with our everyday dinnerware Franciscan Desert Rose, and the matching stainless flatware and glasses. 

In the "olden days" this little flower dish was used for an ashtray.  We use it for butter pats.

The yellow chargers are lacquerware  from Hobby Lobby.

The centerpiece is a collection of objects to help fill the space on our rectangular table.  This is my solution to help balance the table when it is set for only two people.  This suits me just fine as I have never been known to be a "minimalist".  I can always make room for something else......the "queen of clutter".

The Desert Rose compote holds a few butter pat dishes and a crystal paperweight.......covered by a clear glass cloche.

The ceramic asparagus is by Fitz and Floyd, purchased at Tuesday Morning.

The wooden Easter bunnies are very old.  Our daughter, as a little girl, chose them for part of our decorations.  They have been in the family and celebrated every Easter for 37 years.  I just love traditions and so do our grown children.  Now the grandsons enjoy them, too!

The Easter basket is by Jim Shore.  It was a gift to us a couple of years ago.  The votive candle holder is from Dollar Tree, and I think it is so cute.

The dinner music is playing softly in the background, the candles are lit, and dinner will be served, and of course, I will probably forget to serve something that I have prepared.  That is the norm for me........however, I can assure you that the conversation will be interesting and that I love having dinner with Mr. B!

Thank you so much for stopping by to visit me!  I do so enjoy your visits and love to read your comments.  Have a wonderful rest of the week and until next time................

Tea Party Everyday...............why not!

"Hole in One" lamp

I am linking to Susan's Metamorphosis Monday .....thanks Susan for hosting this fun event!!  Please, click on the Metamorphosis button and travel there to view all the creative projects by talented bloggers.




Several years ago Mr. B. thrillingly made a "hole in one" on the Wichita Falls Country Club hole #9.  This made two holes in one that he had made up to that point in time.  Later, he would make two more bringing the total to four!  In fact, in a period of about 12 years, he made a hole in one on every par 3 on the course at Wichita Falls Country Club.  I may sound as if I am bragging, and I am !  It is not everyday that a little dimpled white ball can be struck with a iron stick, leave the tee and travel through the air, land on a green and gently roll for several yards and "kerplop" into the cup, all in one stroke!

To commemorate the second hole in one, I decided to make a golf lamp for his office in our home.  Finding the perfect shape lamp body took a little time.  After many yard sales, I came up with one that looked similar to this one.  This lamp is currently on sale on ebay and could be bought there or you could thrift one.

I have found that when looking for a lamp to decoupage, it is better if the surface is smooth....no molded decorations or handles.  You can gently work around the curves by clipping your pictures ever so slightly all around the cut out edges and smoothing out the wrinkles with your fingers and /or a bone folder when applying to the lamp.

I took every golf magazine that Mr. B. had tucked away for years and delicately cutout each picture using tiny sharp sewing scissors. I tried to choose pictures that had some significance to Mr. B. and his golf game.  This truly personalized it for him.

Here is one of his most treasured photos on the lamp........

This is our son at age two with his golf club, a wood, as he was taught to play golf at an early age........the age of being able to stand up.  The little boy loved golf and played on the University of Oklahoma Golf Team for one year before transferring to Baylor University.  He is a great golfer but decided that he did not want to be a professional golfer so he changed the course of his education.

This is the base of the lamp, and you can see that I chose to cover the metal part of the base and carry the design all the way from the tippy top to the very bottom where the lamp rests on the tabletop.  Do you see the Pinehurst resort?  We had visited there, and loved the historic nature of the courses and the resort.

More views of the body of the lamp.  Notice Kiawah Island.......we visited there many times and I had to include those golfing memories for him.   Mr. B.'s favorite golfers are Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Fred Couples, Payne Stewart and Phil Michelson.

I tried to add a few quotes and famous sayings about golf.  One of my favorites is, "Golf is an easy game, it is just hard to play".

The photo in the golf frame is grandson #3 getting his first golf lesson.  I told you that Mr. starts them out when they can stand up.

In this picture you can almost see the golf ball finial on top of the lamp.  Mr. B. allowed me to use his actual "hole in one" ball for the "frosting on the cake"

I used Mod Podge to decoupage the lamp.  The green silk lampshade was purchased new to complete the project.

This is the "metamorphsis" of an old lamp to a keepsake.  The original lamp cost $2.00 at a garage sale and now it is PRICELESS!

Thank you for stopping by and I invite you to have a cup of tea with me...............

Tea Party Everyday............why not!!

PS......I could not leave without including this group of photos with Mr. B. giving grandson #3 his first golf lesson.

Love of Shell Pink Glass

I am participating in  my first Pink Saturday this week.  Click on the Pink Saturday button in the side bar and be carried away to a real treat!  Thanks for hosting this fun event!!



Being rather new to blogging, I have been visiting around and meeting wonderful new friends and viewing their blogs.  One day I stumbled on a blog with the Shell Pink Milk Glass which I truthfully had never seen before.  I learned that it was made by the Jeannette Glass Company for only two years and then discontinued.  It was manufactured in 1958 and 1959.....my junior and senior year in high school.  Looking in the mirror, and thinking back that far in time, puts it all in clear view.  At any rate, I immediately fell in love with this glass and started to collect that very day I discovered it.  That is why my 91 year old mom refers to me as "instcollector"....which simply put means "instant collector".

Here is the piece that arrived yesterday via an Ebay seller.  It is a covered compote with an intricate design.

The shell pink is the most delicate pink on earth. 

Here is my new Shell Pink Compote in a spring tablescape.  Hopefully, you can see how delicate the pink color really is.....just a glimmer of pink.  I think it is heavenly.

Thanks for allowing me to join in on this wonderful "pink" event and I look forward to meeting each of you as the weeks go along.  Have a wonderful week ahead and stop by for a sip of tea.........Tea Party Everyday...........why not!

 

Yellow Lemons.......and "blueberry"

I will be linking to Tablescape Thursday at Susan's Between Naps on the Porch.  Thank you, Susan, for hosting this event each week and allowing each of us to join in the FUN!  Click on the Thursday Tablescape link on the side of the page and be transported to a beautiful experience of tablescapes.     



Today is dreary, misty, and actually quite wintery looking.  You would never know that we have been experiencing spring-like weather up until now.  I am a  person who has to live with color around me as it does affect my mood.  My tablescape today is the result of this miserable grey day outside.

I love blue and white and yellow...my absolute favorites of all times .....followed by pink.  Lemons seem to be a "happy fruit" to me, maybe, because of their sunny yellow hue.  Setting my table with these elements, plus a few of my favorite things, should perk me right up!

The lemon tree is from Italy and is 45 years old.....I know because my mom gave it to me when my first child was born.  I told you I have always adored "yellow"....now you know that is really true.

The dishes are by Royal Doulton, "Blueberry".  These were given away at my Albertson's grocery store a couple of years ago with purchase, and I knew the minute that my eyes made contact, these dishes had "my" name on them.  My daughter told me that several years ago this pattern was for sale in Dillard's china department.  Perhaps, it was not a big ticket item, and the result was to sell the inventory to the supermarket chain.  I honestly do not know how they ended up at my market, but I am ever so happy they did!

I placed the dinner plate in the off-white wooden charger from Pier 1 and then added the salad plate.  Next, I placed a clear Depression glass plate to hold the cobalt stem for our dessert.  The pattern is called Oysters and Pearls.  I bought them early on in our marriage at an antique shop and have had them for more than 40 years. 

The beautiful cobalt blue sherbet stem is a treasure that has been in my collection for years.  One of my mom's very dear friends gave to me all of her stems which happened to be a wedding present to her in the mid 1930's.  They are by Cambridge Glass Co. and the pattern name is Tally Ho.  The color is referred to as Royal Blue which was only produced for about 8 years.  It has to be the most beautiful blue in the world!  I was told that this pattern is difficult to collect but worth the effort.  I have 8 waters and 8 sherbets.  It would be such fun to add to my collection!

This view of the cobalt stem is from above.......

I have always adored this set of cobalt crystal!  The color is fabulous and the clear stems are so interestingly shaped.

The cloche looks as if it is leaning to the left but is not.   I suppose it is my skills, or lack thereof, in photography that caused it.  Enclosed in the clear glass cloche is a gold metal bird that actually held 

Saccharin tablets before Sweet and Low was produced in little packets.  Saccharin has been around for 100 years.   Those holders are becoming very collectible now.  I can remember my grandmother having an elaborate Saccharin holder on her table.  I think hers was sterling silver with tiny tongs .  The tablets were teeny and difficult to pick up.

The yellow basket filled with Lemons is Venetian glass.

The napkins are white trimmed in yellow rick-rack and the napkin rings are teapots and teacups in blue and white design.  I have no idea where I got them.

The yellow Daisy Mums were purchased at the grocery store.

The 45 inch by 45 inch linen cut work tablecloth was purchased on the last day of a local estate sale for half price.

The placemats match the dishes and were made by Royal Doulton which is amazing as they are vinyl.  Practical they are, indeed, but sort of shocking that they were not made in linen.

My husband and I just finished our dinner at this tablescape.  I was so busy preparing the meal that I did not take any photos, but we had Green Pepper Beef, Wild Rice, Strawberry Spinach Salad,  (store bought rolls) and the yummiest Strawberries with light cream for dessert.  Mr. B commented that all the sunny yellow did brighten a dreary day for him, too.

Thank you ever so much for stopping by to visit.  It is always such fun for me to read your comments and get to know you a little better.  Come back any time and............

Have a great week and until next time.......Tea Party Everyday......why not?

Many Vases.....(unique floral arranger)

This is my first time to post on Metamorphosis Monday. 

I will be linking to Metamorphosis Monday at Susan's Between Naps on the Porch.  Just click on her button and be transported  to enjoy all the creative posts by other bloggers.  Thanks, Susan, for hosting this fun blog party!






In a previous post I had mentioned about owning this unique floral arranger and promised to show you how it works.  I honestly do not recall where I found mine, but I checked today and QVC has a 7 vase similar to this one that is new on their items to sell.  It does not seem to have the base that mine has. It is a great vase to own as it is so easy to arrange a centerpiece quickly and is very versatile.  All you do is cut the stems of the flowers the same length, add water and place flower in a vase.

The vases are actually in three sections.  The base consists of  18 small vases glued together at angles.  Each little vase is approximately 2 and 3/4 inches tall.  They are glued using a strong clear glue.

Here I show you the 5 inch round circle of glass that rests in the middle of the base to hold the top portion which is made up of 7 of the same size small vases . 

If you study the photo carefully, you will see that three vases form the base of the topper portion and then three vases attach to the base three and then one single vase in the center for the top.  I am going to add more photos so you can see different angles.

Here is the photo of it all assembled and the top is resting on the 5 inch circle of glass that is positioned on the base. 

This is a picture of how I used it for my St. Patrick's Day table.  Note that I only used the base for this arrangement. 

The five inch circle of glass allows you to place a decorative object into the center of the floral arrangement if you choose not to use the top portion of the vase. 

I hope you like this idea.  Several of my readers asked if I would tell about this vase of many vases.

Thank you ever so much for stopping by to visit.  It is always such fun for me to read your comments and get to know you a little better.  Come back any time and............

Have a great week and until next time.......Tea Party Everyday......why not?