B is for Black

So sorry I am running behind Teach!   You see I had to wait on my ride again from cousin Mary!  She's as nice and helpful as she can be but she's on her time you know!  Yes mam, I know you know what I mean! 


Yes mam, I got my homework done and am all ready to turn it in!  Here ya go, it's B is for Black, just like these here black spray paint cans.  Cousin Mary keeps these on hand all the time, she says you never know when you might need em.  They are the cheap kind that are great for top coats and touch ups.

 Yes mam, I do know this is no longer rainbow summer school.  No mam I am not being sassy, it's the truth!  Well yes mam, I probably could have done better then that but I was pressed for time ya see.  Why is that?  Well I 'll you why.  I am still trying to handle my antsy cousin Mary.  The poor thing, as if she doesn't have enough to be worrying about right now.  She opens the door one day and finds this laying by the front door.  She says it's an Omen!  I said, that ain't no Omen, that's just an old black hat!

Now mind you, I sure didn't tell her that looked like an old witchy poo's hat to me!  That might upset her some, especially since I think old witchy poo would love it around cousin Marys house.  Mam?  Why is that?  Cause she's got so much black around that house that's why!  Just look here!

She done painted all her kitchen chairs black this summer.

That was right after she painted the bar stools black.

She painted those barstools black cause she's got that black counter top ya know.

Do you remember she also painted that bakers rack black?

Yes mam, she sure did!

Several years ago she painted this old wicker set black and put it on the front porch.  That wasn't one of her brightest ideas.  No mam, that paint started chipping and flakin and she finally moved them inside.  She's says she doesn't know what she gonna do with these old things now.  I bet old witchy poo would know what to do with this here set!  Yessiree!

No mam, I'm not done yet!  Cousin Mary painted this little bench black that's beside her favorite chair.

Yep, she painted this hutch too!

Yes mam, she painted this desk black just recently and that mirror years ago and the coat rack for that matter too, it used to be white.  She is a painting fool!

As if painting everything black wasn't enough, she's even gone and bought stuff in black.  When she had to replace here outdoor table this year, she went and bought this black one.

Don't even get me started on how much she loves these black end tables she bought about 7 years ago.

Or this little black sofa table.

Or her beautiful black wool rug as she so lovingly refers to it!

Yes mam, now I bet you can see why I think old witchy poo might be around here!  That old witchy poo thinks with all this black around here she'd be right at home.  No mam, I don't want to warn cousin Mary, because she told me she's got two big projects she working on right now.  That's why she agreed to drop me off.  See she's on her way to the paint store right now for some more paint.

Mam?  Heehee!  You are certainly on it aren't ya teach..yep, she's going in for more black paint allright!  Why if I didn't know better, and I was a guest in cousin Marys house and saw all that black right after seeing that black hat on her porch... shoot!  I'd think old cousin Mary and old witchy poo might be one and the same!

Hey wait a minute now teach?  What you saying?  Mam?  I mean, what you got me saying here now?

No mam, I didn't mean that!!!  Whew!  That's all!

I best be quiet now so we can see everyone else homework over at Alphabet Thursday.

Have a great day Teach! 

Little Missy

I've Fallen for Lenox

I've been working on this very special table scape all summer.  Well maybe not all summer, but definitely since our vacation in July.  When we went to the beach this summer I hit the Lenox Outlet like I always do.  This year I came across an idea for a whole new look for my table settings using Lenox for my everyday settings as well.  I say as well, because I have been a Lenox girl since the day I married.  My first set of Lenox is the Charleston pattern, you can see one of my table scapes using that collection here.

While at the Lenox Outlet  I picked up four salad plates that were a closeout pattern that I absolutely fell in love with.  I was perfectly content to just enjoy these four salad plates paired with other dishes I already own.  However, when I was checking out the sales lady pointed out some dinner plates that these salad plates would compliment in another pattern that was sure to be around awhile.  Although I did not buy the dinner plates that day, we looked at them together and it was an image I could not get out of my head.  You know the feeling, love at first sight! 

Well, it's been about two and half months since I first saw these plates together and I have since come across four more salad plates bringing my total to eight.  I also now have four of the dinner plates I was introduced to as well.  Three of those I unbelievably found in a stack at an antique store recently and one I purchased retail to complete the set of four dinner plates.  Hopefully my Christmas wish list will deliver more dinner plates and serving pieces.

So with out further delay I want to share my newest everyday dinnerware collection.  I think you will love and "fall" for this pattern just as much as I do.

Here they are!

They are a beautiful slightly off white china.

With a beautiful scalloped edge.

The dinner plates are Lenox Butlers Pantry Gourmet.

Just try and tell me you don't love the edge on this dish!

 I have paired it with salad plates from Lenox Accoutrement's Cornelia Cream.

It has the same colorings with a damask border.  I just love these two patterns blended together.

The Butlers Pantry pattern by Lenox actually has several different settings. There is the original Butlers Pantry pattern and then the Butlers Pantry Gourmet that I have.  They are meant to be used together and offer a beautiful blending of dishes that coordinate well together.  Also, for all my Rooster loving friends out there, they even introduced Rooster plates in this pattern.   I am so excited about this pattern and how many variations it offers in one collection.  You can check them out at Lenox.com if your interested.  I am not being offered anything to promote this, just sharing my newest love with all of you .

Careful though, or you might be FALLEN in love with Lenox too!

Please be sure and visit many more beautiful tablescapes at

Tablescape Thursday.

Thanks for visiting, wishing you a beautiful Fall!

Mary

I made a Tassel!

Look what I made!  I am so excited!  I have been seeing all these wonderful tassels out there that our blogging friends are making and have wanted to do one myself.  I even saw some for sale at Michaels that look very much like the tassels everyone in blogland is selling.  They were not nearly as nice though! 

I have been putting it together in my head for a few weeks now and knew how I was going to do it, just not too sure how it was going to all come together.  So I finally sat down Sunday afternoon and whipped out all the items I thought I would use.

I knew I wanted to make a Halloween tassel and remembered I had some small statue figures in my Halloween box.  I decided to go ahead an unpack a few more of the smaller items too.

Then I pulled out all the ribbons I thought might be the best options to use.  Turns out I didn't quite have the size or colors I really wanted to use, but I wasn't going to let that stop me this time.  I was determined to do this without paying a dime, using things I already had.

First up was this Styrofoam base.  It was thicker then this but I cut it in half.  Now I have another piece I can use for the next one.

Next item I used was a doily similar to the one above except it was an off white one.  I have a few more of these just sitting around from a project I was going to make many many years ago. 

The next thing I used was this beaded trim.  I just gotta have a little bling you know!

Then out came the glue gun.

First I glued the doily over the Styrofoam then glued the ribbon around it.  In retrospect I wish I had glued the beaded trim around the end of the doily to make it longer since I did have more that would have gone around that perimeter easily enough.  Oh well, this is a learning project.

Then I added these ribbons I had left over from other decorating around the house.

Then I cut this fabric into strips to use.  I only needed a small amount of this.  I have had this from a costume I made for Halloween year ago.  It's not burlap but sure looks a lot like it doesn't it?  I forgot all about it until I saw several of your projects decorated with burlap and then remembered I had it.  Yippee!

I then glued the figure to the top and a little something extra, I'll show you that in a minute.   First, let me show you one more step I did on the bottom. 

I turned it over and painted the bottom with this decoupage glue.  That way the Styrofoam will not shed so easily.  I know there's other steps I probably should have take to prevent that but that's just what I did.

And here it is before attaching the hanging ribbon.

I kinda like him just like this too.  He makes an excellent candle topper, don't you think?

Here's the little something extra I added.  I went through my buttons to see what I had, and found this old upholstery tack with a nice brown and rust fabric already on it.  Easy peasy, all I had to do was push it right in!

Pretty cute!

Now here it is, with a hanging ribbon attached.  I just attached the ribbon around his hat.  I think if I were going to use him permanently as a tassel I would attach a ring to his head.  I actually even have small extra rings in my jewelry box, but I'm not committed to that idea yet.

I just love it!  I know it's not as wonderful as all the beautiful ones for sale by all of you pros, but this is my first attempt and I am feeling pretty good about it.  I hope you like it too..

What a fun way to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon! 

Please be sure and join me and my other creative friends for Metamorphosis Monday.

There always something changing on Mondays!

Have a great week!

Mary