Hello all, and welcome to My Place to Yours. This week's Tablescape Thursday post is not at all my usual kind of post, but it's where I am this week. If you've been reading my last couple of posts, you know I've been in Brazil; we just returned yesterday. But the day before leaving for South America, a dear friend died of cancer. It was one of those "she did everything right" cases. Over the past few years she'd worked hard to move from slightly overweight to "fit and trim." She had regular checkups. But last January she was diagnosed with an invasive and aggressive cancer that managed to evade the best of tests for too long, and her efforts to find a cure weren't realized. She died at the very young age of 50 and left behind a ... Keep Reading...
The Big House
Friday when I awoke, I had no idea how much beauty the day would hold. I didn't know it would include light-filled views ... Brightly-colored placemats ... Stained glass ... ... and intricate mosaics. Quite honestly, when the day began, I expected my emotions would have nowhere to go but down. You see, I woke up Friday morning in Brazil ... prepared to go to prison. Renaissance Man and I were part of a small group representing Hope Unlimited for Children. Our task was to visit a guardless prison ... a prison where detainees police themselves. I didn't know what to expect ... but I went. I'm very glad I did. Why would I do such a thing? ... Keep Reading...
Declaring Independence
Welcome to My Place to Yours! It's 11pm in Brazil, and I'm just starting to write this post. Renaissance Man and I arrived in Campinas this morning after a crazy-busy week in the U.S. which left me with no time to do a tablescape. As I left town, I prayed, "Lord, this is the first week I won't have done a tablescape post, and I've really enjoyed doing them. But if a post is going to be done this week, you're going to have to give it to me because I'm getting on a plane and leaving my dishes behind..." Well, as always, the Lord doth provide, and I'm sharing with you a table I experienced today at lunchtime -- a very few short hours after landing in Brazil. Any day that includes cheerful handmade linens ... Keep Reading...
Old House Woes: With Gratitude to the American Laborer
Labor Day Last year at this time I dedicated a post to my husband ... with thanks for his hard work and tireless dedication to our family. You can read it HERE. Everything I said then still applies, but this year I find myself focusing elsewhere. Actually, it all began late last May when a sudden storm with hail and high winds left many yards in our small town looking like this ... We were thankful ours wasn't one of them ... but it easily could have been. You see, there was a large, old maple tree in the front yard. 5+ years ago when we bought our house and began renovations, it provided welcome shade in the Spring and Summer, beautiful color in the Fall, and gorgeous "architectural interest" in the Winter. It's the ... Keep Reading...
Unveiled: Festival of Tables 2011 – Part 2
Last week I showed you Part 1 of my local Festival of Tables ... and this week it's time for Part 2. Remember, you can click on the photo collages to enlarge them. Click twice to enlarge them again! The first three tablescapes in today's post were done by a mother and two of her three daughters. I love it when tablescaping becomes a family affair! This first table was done by the youngest daughter; she's 13. This is definitely an example of using a collection as inspiration! Be sure to notice the cute Minnie Mouse Rice Krispies treats she gave to her guests! I definitely think she's got tablescaping in her blood... So does the middle daughter. She's 15, and this is her second year to tablescape at our ... Keep Reading...
Off The Beaten Path …
I first traveled this road a decade ago -- just weeks after moving to East Tennessee. Venturing out from what had quickly turned into a newcomer's "beaten path," I took a side road ... just to see where it would lead. As the road curved ahead of me, I became more and more enchanted. The bridge over the river ... and a rolling countryside so different from anywhere else I'd ever lived. I loved it. Still do. But as I continued to drive, the eye of this girl from the South began to notice something. Do you see it? It's aggressive, invasive, destructive ... It's pervasive -- and has a one-track mind. It lets nothing get in its way ... It's kudzu ... not so fondly referred ... Keep Reading...
Unveiled: Festival of Tables 2011 – Part 1
Welcome to My Place to Yours! I have a special treat for you today. I'm going to show you tablescapes from my local 2011 Festival of Tables. I've decided to show you half of them this week -- and the other half next week. No need for sensory overload on one blog when there's an entire Tablescape Thursday celebration happening in Blogland! This first tablescape may look familiar. I shared lots of pics and details about it with you last week in THIS post. It's the table I did... But today ... and next week ... I want you to see ideas from other tablescapers. Some of them did tables at last year's Festival (I showed you the 2010 event HERE), but some are first-timers this year. I always love it when we have new ... Keep Reading...
Clark Gardens – Part 2 : THE FORMAL GARDENS
The change was subtle. In the midst of rustic grasses and casual plantings ... little touches of formality. I was at Clark Gardens Botanical Park in Weatherford, Texas. In case you missed last week's post, I should tell you that Clark Gardens is 35 acres of traditional landscaping right in the middle of rugged mesquite trees and prickly pear cactus. I've already showed you what I called the "rustic" part of the gardens. Today, we're leaving behind the rock, as impressive as it is ... and catching glimpses of brick ... and wrought iron ... and vast expanses of manicured lawn ... Don't these areas feel a bit more formal to you? Fountains -- even whimsical ones -- are on my list of "formal" ... Keep Reading...
She Sells SeaSHELL FLOWERS by the Seashore …
I'm not a "beach girl," but I know many of you are ... I saw these shell flowers at a shop in beautiful Half Moon Bay, California. Do you think they'd be easy to make? How would you use them -- or would you? I'm joining At the Picket Fence for Inspiration Friday and How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday. ... Keep Reading...
Festival of Tables: Breakfast At Tiffany’s
Welcome to Tablescape Thursday where Blogland takes "playing in the dishes" to a whole new level! If you've been following here for the past few weeks, you may have gone along with me on THIS trip to Tiffany & Co. when I was on a mission to find out What color is Tiffany Blue? Or perhaps you saw THIS Table Jewelry tablescape. I told you in that post that I'd be doing one more Tiffany's-themed tablescape, and today's the day. (Seriously, I've milked that one little shopping trip for all it's worth, don't you think?) Last Saturday was the 2011 Festival of Tables at my church. I hope next week to show you all of the tablescapes, but today I'm just going to show you the one I did -- and tell you how it came about ... Keep Reading...
Clark Gardens: A New Definition for GREEN THUMB
Welcome to My Place to Yours and the beginning of a new week! I hope you've enjoyed your weekend. Mine was really busy with everything centered around Festival of Tables. I'll show you my Breakfast at Tiffany's table on Thursday, then hopefully next week I'll be ready to show you the rest of the tables. You're going to love all of the creativity again this year! Speaking of creativity -- and one of the most amazing transformations I've seen in a long time... Last Spring when I visited my family in Texas, we took a little field trip to a place my parents and sister have told me about for several years -- but my trips to Texas have mostly been at holidays, and the timing was never right to go. So on my last trip home, ... Keep Reading...
APPLES FOR THE TEACHER: A Back to School Tablescape
Has it happened in your neighborhood yet? Have the kids headed back to school? In my community, tomorrow is the first full day of school. Unbelievable! Even if you still have a little bit of Summer left where you live, I'm sure the signs are all around you. I've been seeing them for a long time ... [pe2-image src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-vyasz9Kh4ro/TjWpEVuvavI/AAAAAAAAPvk/4ObJ7cUnY5I/s144-c-o/Blog%252520Memories.07.jpg" href="https://picasaweb.google.com/110933187416986729297/MyPlaceToYoursDesignerTestBlog02#5635596400741804786" caption="Blog Memories.07.jpg" type="image" alt="Blog Memories.07.jpg" ] These displays always make me smile. Daughter the Older LOVED school supply ... Keep Reading...
Sweet Feet
I first told you about these sweet feet in THIS post. See the 1 year picture at the top left? Here's the exact same picture -- a year later ... [pe2-image src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-foFiEoonR98/Tjy5TNsLjVI/AAAAAAAAPvk/rrcOqoGaEuM/s144-c-o/Sweet%252520Feet1.jpg" href="https://picasaweb.google.com/110933187416986729297/MyPlaceToYoursDesignerTestBlog02#5637584573304638802" caption="Sweet Feet1.jpg" type="image" alt="Sweet Feet1.jpg" ] Little Man turned 2 last week. [pe2-image src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-bQww38P5hEI/Tjy5ZUY1khI/AAAAAAAAPvk/52qXlYGcRkc/s144-c-o/Sweet%252520Feet4.jpg" href="https://picasaweb.google.com/110933187416986729297/MyPlaceToYoursDesignerTestBlog02#5637584678181769746" caption="Sweet ... Keep Reading...
TABLE JEWELRY … What Color is Tiffany Blue? – Part 2
Welcome to My Place to Yours and the continuation of last week's post which asked the question: What Color is Tiffany Blue? You may recall that on a recent visit to see Daughter the Older, she and I ended up here ... Tiffany & Co. at 5th Avenue and 57th Street in New York City. I'm working on a project, and I needed to see the color "Tiffany Blue" for myself. Apparently the exact color formulation is a company secret. As the daughter and I left her home to head to the City, Renaissance Man said, "Have a grand time!" Oh, we will! Wait! He just said to have a GRAND time. He usually says "good" or "great." Hmmm. Oh, yeah, we could have a 1K = $$$$ = GRAND ol' time! Well, it couldn't hurt ... Keep Reading...
An Open Letter to My Readers …
Dear My Place to Yours readers, Renaissance Man once told me of a young lady who -- when asked to tell her story in a worship service -- said she would try ... but that she'd never before spoken in front of a group and was very nervous. She wasn't sure she could do it. Forty-five minutes later, the pastor had to lovingly help her find a stopping place. Obviously, she'd gotten over her fear of public speaking! Some of you can totally relate, can't you? [pe2-image src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-GdHUb6Ka8aY/TjWpFqzuuiI/AAAAAAAAPvk/8TVLO1v-CqM/s144-c-o/Blog%252520Memories1.01.jpg" href="https://picasaweb.google.com/110933187416986729297/MyPlaceToYoursDesignerTestBlog02#5635596423579744802" caption="Blog ... Keep Reading...
A State of Calm
I'm so glad you stopped by to celebrate Pink Saturday with me! I've got some very pretty pinks for you this week. They were a special treat on a recent visit to a friend's home in California. She loves to garden ... and I love her garden! In our family, Renaissance Man is the gardener -- and he loves lots of green space. That style of gardening is beautiful, I agree ... but my friend Mimi has my very favorite kind of garden. The kind with lush beds and meandering paths ... The kind that draws a sigh out of me around every bend... The kind that includes both classic details... and touches of whimsy ... Keep Reading...
