If you're visiting My Place to Yours for the first time -- WELCOME! I hope you enjoy yourself and come back often. I have a special tablescape for you today! If you've followed this blog since last Summer, you may remember when I posted HERE about the Festival of Tables I participated in at my church. Well, my sister's church in Texas does something similar -- but different. Rather than simply having table hostesses decorate a themed table "just because," they decided last year that they wanted to be more creative and less competitive. They still do themed tables, but now they use items in their tablescapes that afterwards are given to their local food pantry. Isn't that a wonderful idea? From staple goods like ... Keep Reading...
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Playing With Jacks
Welcome to all of my new blog followers -- and all of you "old faithfuls" too! Thank you for visiting today. Later this week I'll be announcing a giveaway to celebrate 100 followers, so be sure to check back and enter! Renaissance Man and I spent yesterday playing jacks. No, not THIS kind of jacks. Oh, how I wish ... Available at www.amazon.com We played with this kind ... Available at www.lowes.com I love my old house, but sometimes it has a mind of its own. Awhile back when I saw this at the ceiling line above my kitchen cabinets, I knew I had to listen. Are you having a little trouble seeing it? Feeling a little blurry? Yeah, that's how I felt, too–with tears ... Keep Reading...
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More than you ever wanted to know …
Their names are Elsie and Leon ... To hear my Mother tell the story, she was about 10 years old when her family traveled to Beaumont, Texas to visit Aunt Bertha and Uncle Curtis. While they were all out shopping, her father saw this salt and pepper shaker set and bought it as a gift for Aunt Bertha to add to her extensive collection of salt and pepper shakers. At that time, a contest was going on to choose the name of Elsie's calf. (Does this sound familiar to some of you? If it does, you're showing your age ... and I love it!) Well, it was decided (I forget by whom ... I think Aunt Bertha) that this cow and calf shaker set would be named Elsie (for obvious reasons) and Leon (in honor of my Mother's father). Fast forward a ... Keep Reading...
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Auctions & Tablescapes
Today I have the privilege of being guest blogger at Between Naps on the Porch. The subject is auctions, and I've provided a tutorial that includes lots of pointers, pics, and tablescapes! If you haven't seen it, I hope you'll check it out HERE. If, however, you find yourself visiting my blog because you're coming from Between Naps on the Porch, thank you–and welcome! I hope you'll come back often. I'd love for you to leave a comment and tell me you saw my post at Susan's. Just in case you have time for some auction-themed, toe-tapping fun...check this out. Thanks for stopping by today. I hope to see you again soon! ... Keep Reading...
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The Auction Addiction
My very earliest auction memories revolve around my maternal grandparents. I remember something about box lots of dishes, but those memories are a little fuzzy. Much more clear are memories of auctions I attended with my Granddaddy. Cattle auctions. (Some smells you just can't forget -- no matter how hard you try!) Actually, I loved my time with him as we both guessed the weight of a calf before it walked across the scale. Which of us would be closer to its actual weight? (Did I really "win" sometimes ... or did he just let his little pal think she did?) I really didn't understand much about auctions back then, but I knew that the man Granddaddy called the auctioneer talked reeeaaaaalllly fast -- and I knew I was supposed to keep my hand ... Keep Reading...
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Winter Memory
Thank you to everyone who left a comment or birthday wish in response to last week's Tablescape Thursday tribute to Renaissance Man. (Click here if you don't know who that is.) Your thoughtful kindnesses truly blessed us both! Many of us have snow at our houses this week -- some of you for the first time in a very long time! Are you enjoying it from inside–where it's warm–like I am? Hopefully this poem and tablescape will help you keep the memory of its beauty alive a little longer. A Winter Memory by Joan Adams Burchell (www.alongpoetryroad.com) Fresh-fallen snow, untouched by man, tops bushes fence and tree; Click any picture to enlarge. The strong, gusty ... Keep Reading...
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Creating Winter Magic: A Snowy Tutorial
Faux snow ... it's popular for Winter decorating. Over the past several weeks you've seen it used in many different ways and places ... on many different blogs. From tablescapes to snowman scenes to Christmas villages. I've shown it to you myself. (Just click the pictures to see the original post.) My earliest memory of faux snow involved something like this ... My Grandma (who I told you about HERE) decorated her front door with spray-on snow and stencils. One year she hand-cut scenes from the Twelve Days of Christmas and stenciled them on the 12 window panes in her door. Oh, how I wish I had a picture of that! Even more, how I wish I had those stencils! Today we would cut them out ... Keep Reading...
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I’m Inspired! Look where I find my inspiration …
I'm sometimes asked where I get my ideas; for tablescapes, blog topics, you name it. That question always "throws" me, because I'm not sure I can think of any places where I DON'T get ideas. Magazines and books are full of inspiration. Topics from design to daily living, poetry to prose, laughter to tragedy: they all inspire me to feel -- and for me, feelings are translated into colors and textures and patterns. Nature itself is so full of color and movement and rhythm that I can't imagine not being inspired by it. Colors and shapes I might never have conceived putting together co-exist beautifully in nature. Art and architecture often inspire me. Simple or elaborate; each has something to ... Keep Reading...
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Is Your Home Your Castle? My brush with Alexandra Stoddard.
Boston, Massachusetts - mid-1990s While out sightseeing, Renaissance Man and I came upon a quaint little discount bookstore. Never ones to pass up a bookstore -- especially a discount bookstore -- we went inside and took a mini vacation. For us, there's something very relaxing about browsing in a bookstore ... I was greatly in need of a vacation! To give you some background, I was coming to the end of my interior design studies, graduating the next year (finally!), and older than my fellow students. My two daughters were in elementary school, so obviously I'd long ago "set up housekeeping." I had definite ideas–and dreams–about what I wanted in a home, and I was looking forward to the day when my time would ... Keep Reading...
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A New Husband
To my return blog readers, today is a departure from my "usual" Tablescape Thursday post, but I hope you'll indulge me this once. (Tablescapes are still included!) Of course, you should feel free to "move on" as well ... To first-time visitors, welcome -- and if my tablescapes catch your eye, I hope you'll check them out! I need a new husband. Actually, my current husband needs a new name -- on my blog. I realized not long ago that almost every time I've referred to him here, I've used the words, "my sweet husband." While he IS that, I started thinking that maybe that was too ... well ... "sweet" for my manly-man, so I decided to ask him about it. Our conversation went like this: ME: You know, Babe, when I ... Keep Reading...
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Just say the word …
Do you have a "word" for the new year? When it comes to my workroom, my word is DE-CLUTTER! I let things get away from me in 2010, but even though we're only two days into 2011, I've made fantastic progress! If you've read my blog for awhile, you may remember seeing the first metamorphosis. (If not, you can read about it HERE.) From this table full of unsorted auction linens... ... to these bins of organized textile treasures. It was progress -- and really nice to know what I had -- but I knew that eventually I wanted to find some open shelving so I could easily pull out and SEE my yet-to-be-laundered inventory. My criteria for storage: large, sturdy, inexpensive and (pleeeeaase) no repair or ... Keep Reading...
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Another Pink Sunset
As I thought of Winter and "pink" and what I might share with you for Pink Saturday, I was reminded of something my Dad once wrote. As we begin a new year, I think the timing's just right. I hope you enjoy it... God Has Given Me Another Pink Sunset We were returning home and turning into the driveway on a beautiful winter evening when Stephanie, my three-year-old granddaughter, whispered to her mother. "God has given me another pink sunset," she said. Texas Winter Sunset The wisdom of her comments, from one of such tender age, enthralls me. Every word has majesty and meaning. GOD The creator of the universe. And the implication from Stephanie is -- her God. The influence of a Christian home was never more ... Keep Reading...
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Snowman Finale
Welcome to My Place to Yours this week after Christmas! I hope you've had wonderful times with family and friends during all of your holiday festivities! Today I'm sharing with you a brief glimpse at two tablescapes I did while my family was together last week. They are my Christmas Finale -- although I would never call them a "grand" finale. They're very simple "real" tablescapes ... the kind I do more often than not. (Sorry if that disappoints you!) One evening I used this Debbie Mumm set with a favorite damask tablecloth ... Click to enlarge The centerpiece was a round silver tray with a berry wreath laid on top ... and a peppermint candle floated in a textured glass candleholder in the ... Keep Reading...
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The Gift of Giving…
My grandson has a tradition, although he's still too young to know it. For now, it's his parents' choice, but I can hardly wait until he understands it ... The tradition is that each Christmas, rather than purchasing a gift for his Poppa and me, he helps his parents pick out a gift for a child who wouldn't otherwise have Christmas gifts. This year, a little 6-year-old girl received the sweetest red-with-white-polka-dots dishes and a Barbie and horse set. My sweet husband and I love children, and nothing could please us more than for gifts to be given to a needy child in our honor. We also love the lesson of giving that our daughter and son-in-law are already modeling for their little one. St. Francis of Assisi said, "...it is in giving ... Keep Reading...
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Presidential Open House
My dear friend, Kay O'Brien, definitely has a Christmas heart -- and it serves her well in her role as First Lady of Carson-Newman College. The college's mission is to help students reach their full potential as educated citizens and worldwide servant leaders by integrating academic excellence and Christian commitment within a caring community -- and Kay and her husband, Randall, are wonderful role models for the students they serve. Recently, while busy decorating the President's Home for Christmas events, Kay was gracious to let me stop by and take pictures to share with you. She even let me play with her dishes! I can't begin to show you the entire house, but I'll give you a peek -- after I tell you a little interesting house ... Keep Reading...
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Decking the Halls … FINISHED
I've decked the halls as much as I'm going to this year. My daughter who lives in New Jersey comes home on Thursday night, and there's a house to clean, groceries to buy, and presents to wrap. Tonight I'll show you a few more of the changes I've made for the holidays. But before I do, there's a tradition I want to share with you... When my oldest cousin was a little girl sitting on Santa's knee, he told her to "be sure and put out an apple for Rudolph." That's how it started ... A couple of days before Christmas, we purchase the biggest, most fabulous red apple we can find. Then on Christmas Eve, all of the little ones gather 'round with a cup towel and take turns "polishing" the apple 'til it shines! Then they all trek to the front ... Keep Reading...
