What do you do when all of the balls you've been juggling start falling to the ground ... all at the same time ... and the beautiful St. Patrick's Day tablescape you'd envisioned doing for Tablescape Thursday just can't happen? That's what my week has been like. LUCKY for me no one was coming for dinner! I'm still going to show you something really pretty, but I'm keeping it simple. Does it get any more simple than a single place setting on a vintage tray ... photographed in the only GREEN room in my house? This beautiful fine bone china was handmade in Galway -- yes, Galway IRELAND --by Royal Tara. The pattern name is Trellis Shamrock. I found four 6-piece place settings at auction a few months ago. They came with the ... Keep Reading...
Another Mood Swing
Welcome to My Place to Yours! I hope you've had a wonderful weekend where you live. The weather here in East Tennessee has been beautiful ... and our daffodils finally began to smile at us. Renaissance Man worked in the yard much of the weekend ... and I worked on taxes. Ugh! I did escape for a little while, though, to trim back a few rose bushes ... and to play with Little Man for awhile this afternoon. I definitely feel another mood swing coming on! The last time that happened, I went from cool, light, and airy ... ... to warm and textured. I told you what that was like HERE. Now I'm reverting -- to cool ... and light ... and airy. And please ... Bring on the flowers! This Dutch Masters-inspired ... Keep Reading...
Spring Cloche Party: The Nest
This little nest is only 2 1/2" at its widest point ... and barely over an inch tall. I found it about four years ago when my youngest daughter and son-in-law bought their first house. It was hidden in overgrown shrubbery -- a reminder of a Springtime past ... and a hope for Springtimes to come. Last Easter, Renaissance Man's then 89-year-old mother came from Texas for a three-week visit. I knew it would likely be the last time she could make such a long trip, so I wanted her to see some of her treasures ... ones she had already passed on to our family. I displayed her set of demitasse cups and saucers -- with their sweet pink and gray flowers -- on a large pressed glass plate that once belonged to her ... Keep Reading...
Precious!
Last week when I did THIS "every place setting is different" tablescape ... ... I started thinking about the only other time I ever remember doing a tablescape with mismatched place settings. (Not mismatched DISHES, mind you, but every place setting different.) The event was the 2008 Festival of Tables at my church. (I posted about the 2010 event HERE.) Since I was also the speaker for the evening, sharing about Renaissance Man's and my involvement with Hope Unlimited for Children (which I told you about HERE and HERE), I decided to do my table using the theme of children around the world. My table was called Precious In His Sight. Unfortunately, I wasn't blogging then and hadn't learned tricks like ... Keep Reading...
THE TABLE OVER TIME: Field Trip to the Replacements, Ltd. Museum
Welcome to My Place to Yours! I'm so glad you stopped by today. I think you will be too. I've thought a lot lately about how tableware has changed through the years. Some patterns popular in 1979 when I began selecting patterns for myself ... well let's just say I'm STILL wondering what some of those designers were thinking. Fortunately for me, I like what I chose "back then" -- although my tastes have expanded A LOT in the past three-and-a-half decades. Interestingly, as I was reading blogs and emails last week, I noticed some of you referring to your changing tastes as well. I think it's time for the promised post -- and a walk down Memory Lane ... You may remember THIS post about my ... Keep Reading...
For The Love of Transferware: Just for Fun … Just for Me
During this cold winter, it's warmed my heart to see these Spode Victorian Children plates on my bedroom fireplace mantel. I love transferware! I have a few individual pieces, but I don't have a set of transferware dishes. Not because I haven't tried ... but the ones I've loved at auction just went too high. But I LOVE transferware! (Did I say that already?) A couple of weeks ago when I saw Susan's post at Between Naps on the Porch, I wanted to get in my car and drive to Queen of Hearts antique store in Alpharetta, Georgia to visit what Susan calls "Transferware Heaven!" I was overwhelmed just looking at the pictures on my computer ... I can't imagine how I would feel being there in person! The same ... Keep Reading...
The Big Event: Table Linens for All Occasions
This post includes tablescapes -- lots of tablescapes. I should tell you that most of these pics are ones I've saved in my ideas file -- and I don't know where they came from. As with all pics on this blog, please do not use them without permission -- and I can't give you permission on most of these since it's not mine to give!) I'm showing you these pictures because they all have something in common. Besides being creative! For one thing, they're all "event" settings. The season for big events is getting close, isn't it? When the snow melts, Spring parties begin ... All of these tables are covered ... ... with beautiful table linens. Linens that ... ... almost certainly ... ... were RENTED. Several years ... Keep Reading...
Gremlins in Blogland … and Vintage Linens
Wow! Last time I was here I told you about a guest post I did for Leslie at goodbye house! HELLO HOME! It's a guest post about family linens. Well, Leslie posted it -- and none of the pictures showed up ... except on HER computer. Strange, huh? Then she learned that it was a Google/Picasa Web Albums linking problem (yes, I know that's more than you non-blogging friends ever wanted to know), so she uploaded all of my pics again and re-published the post. Everything looked good. (I saw it on my own computer; the pics were there!) The next thing we knew, the entire post had disappeared. Really? What a frustrating 24 hours for Leslie! I think she brought it on herself, though. It's kinda funny actually. ... Keep Reading...
Family Linens
This week I had the privilege of writing a guest post for Leslie at goodbye house! HELLO, HOME! I hope you'll stop by HERE to read it. If, however, you're stopping by from over there, WELCOME to My Place to Yours! Whether you're a new visitor or a familiar face, I'm glad you're here ... and I hope you'll come back often! Click pic to read a post about these linens. Since Leslie and I both love vintage linens, I thought it would be fun to write my guest post about family linens. So I did -- and included lots of pics for her to share with her readers. But guess what? With one exception, I didn't include any of my own family linens. I saved those to show you here. There's nothing wrong with a little special treatment for ... Keep Reading...
Field Trip to Replacements Ltd. (Greensboro, NC)
Three weeks go, Renaissance Man and I drove to North Carolina to attend a Duke University sorority's charity ball benefiting Hope Unlimited for Children. I told you recently about our involvement with that organization -- HERE (the best tablescape ever) and HERE (why I blog). I was waking up from a nap in the car when Renaissance Man said something that made me wonder if I was REALLY awake or not... Renaissance Man: What is Replacements, Ltd.? Me: Huh? Where did THAT question come from? Replacements, Ltd. is only the world's largest retailer of old and new china, crystal, silver and collectibles!) It's the big online company where I check china prices when we're at auction. Why? Renaissance Man: Just ... Keep Reading...
Playing With Jacks: After
We've been playing with jacks at our house again. Remember when Renaissance Man and I did that before ... three weeks ago? If not, you'll want to read about it HERE -- so this post will make sense. This is the view I left you with ... the view from our kitchen window. Lovely, huh? The view that resulted from this "I'm not sure why it started to widen" crack in the 100-year-old lintel above our kitchen window... In a situation like this, the first thing you must do is get input from someone competent about old house construction. As I mentioned in my previous post, it turned out that the first person we consulted did NOT understand old houses. So that was an easy call for yours truly. If you don't ... Keep Reading...
At The Picket Fence Supports Hope Unlimited for Children
A BIG thank you to Heather and Vanessa of At the Picket Fence for their Inspiration Friday feature of my recent posts about the ministry of Hope Unlimited for Children. To see what they said, click HERE. If you missed those posts and want to go there directly, just click the titles: * The Very BEST Tablescape Ever * Why I Blog: Still Morphing ... To learn more about Hope Unlimited for Children, click HERE -- or the logo above or on my sidebar. To visit Hope's new blog, the least of these, click HERE. If the children in your life don't live like this, click the picture below to see how a measly $10 will help ... 'For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and ... Keep Reading...
A Nod to St. Valentine
I just couldn't do it this year ... I'm sooooo not in the mood for a pink and red Valentine's Day tablescape. I wanted something more soothing ... softer ... more romantic without being over-the-top-frilly. I looked around for inspiration. I found it here -- in this Capidomonte centerpiece bowl ... ... and here in this Noritake Irene china. I used a vintage pale pink linen tablecloth with matching napkins ... A vintage white-on-white embroidered runner with handmade lace trim ... Clear ribbed glass chargers ... The inspiration china dinner plates ... Clear salad plates with encrusted gold rims ... Keep Reading...
Why I Blog: Still Morphing …
I have a list of posts I hope to write ... someday. This one wasn't on the list. When I posted last week's BEST tablescape ever (click HERE if you missed it, because this post won't make much sense otherwise), I really didn't intend to write anything else -- at least for quite awhile -- about the kids at Hope Unlimited for Children in Brazil. But your comments and private emails have caused me to think perhaps one more post is needed. Before I say anything else, let me thank those of you who blessed me (and Renaissance Man) with your encouraging and supportive comments. Many of you have said you prayed for us and for the children -- and that you'll continue to do so. I hope you will ... every time the kids cross your ... Keep Reading...
The Very BEST Tablescape Ever …
I recently asked you HERE to look at this picture ... really look ... and tell me what you saw. Thanks to all of you who responded. If you haven't already done it, take a minute to look now ... please ... then I'll tell you about these girls. When I wrote HERE about my "new" husband, I told you that Renaissance Man is president of the international non-profit ministry Hope Unlimited for Children, offering hope and transformation to children at mortal risk in Brazil. Although he is responsible for the U.S. side of the organization (budgeting, fundraising, speaking to churches/civic groups, etc.) he also makes multiple trips to Brazil each year; sometimes I go with him. Before he left on a recent trip, I asked him to take ... Keep Reading...
What Do You See?
When you look at this picture, what do you see? I'd really like to know ... I'll tell you what I see one day next week. I'm linking to Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound. Happy Pink Saturday to all! ... Keep Reading...
