When it all comes together!

Don't you just love when it all finally comes together.  I do!  That's how it was for me yesterday!  I spent my time around the house straightening up and rearranging a few things that I've been meaning to get to but just hadn't gotten to yet.  You know how that goes.


Anyway, it started with one big, whew,  I'm so glad I finally found the right look moment.  Do you remember when I showed you this plate arrangement back in July in this post?

I had been working on this for some time and looking for just the right plates to add.

To refresh your memory I added the two blue Vera Bradley plates to complete this arrangement.  I was very excited to have found them at the beach this year at one of my favorite stores.  They had just the right colors for this dining room and were just the right size.   But after living with them for a few months they just weren't cutting it for me!  I hate when that happens!  Does that ever happen to you?  Well, it does me, and that's when you realize you aren't done yet.  You keep on looking for something else.

So when I saw these two plates at Marshalls I thought that's it!  They are perfect!  That will be it!

They are black with off white, and who doesn't love toile right?

So pretty and what a deal at only $2.99!  Well, I'm not even going to show you what they looked like on the wall.  Sadly enough I pulled the price stickers off before I got them on the wall and then realized I liked the Vera Bradley plates way better then these!  I resigned to keep the toile plates and use them for some of my tables capes.

Then as I was out and about this week I decided to stop in at Belks.  I haven't been by there in awhile and I was thinking I really need to stop by and check out their clearance china.  I don't know about your Belks, but ours puts china on clearance all the time.  I love to look through their clearance and find small pretty dishes and saucers to use for candle holders.  I once found a pretty white for Wedgeford china dish for only one or two dollars.  I know right!  I like to give these small dishes with a candle as gifts from time to time.

Okay back to my story, while looking through the clearance dishes I found two more salad plates that I knew would be perfect.  The colors were right, I liked the pattern and OMG!  They were on clearance for $1.89 each!  I brought them home put them up and that's when the WHEW moment arrived.

This looks sooo much better to me.  I like how they blend with the other dishes better then the Vera Bradley plates I had.

They have a white (not off white) background and a gold rim..but not too gold, like the frame below.  It 's going to get a before and after treatment of it's own soon.  Don't fret I know just what to do with that!

These are from the Biltmore for Your Home line of fine china, exclusively at Belks.  LOL!

The pattern is Crochet Flower.  Very pretty name huh?  I love it!

Now don't worry the Vera Bradley plates are staying in the dining room because I do still absolutely love them.  I just need to get some plate hangers for them.

They will look excellent stacked on top of each other here above this chair!  That way they are not competing with any other plates.

Then as if that wasn't enough I did more cleaning and organizing in the black sideboard in my dining room and came across two of these gold plate stands that I wasn't using.  I knew I had one, but had forgot I had two.  I put the black toile plates in my cabinet and then pulled them back out. 

I had another wait a minute moment, I know where these need to go!  Didn't they look kind of fallish to you with the wheat and everything?  I know I said I like to keep my mantle streamlined but these plates were begging to be displayed. 

I actually think this is still pretty streamlined though.

And I love this set up!

I think I have gone dish crazy lately since tablescaping.

But I sure do like this look a lot better too!  Who doesn't love toile right?

I am linking to Arties Vignette Fridays.

Hope you enjoyed the changes, thanks for stopping by!

Mary

Barnyard Tablescape

OH MY!  It looks like someone has left the barn door open again! Funny thing is, all the roosters and the ducks have come together to gather round the table.  So what's a gal to do when this happens?  Well, I'll tell you what she's to do, she's to throw a barnyard bash that's what.  Invite them on in and sit them all down and serve up a feast, like any good host would do!

Come on in now, don't be shy!

I've got the perfect little table cloth I picked up at an estate sale this summer.  It's just the right time of year to bring it out too, don't you think?

Then I set out my green terracotta dinnerware.

And look what happened, those cocky little roosters jumped right up on the table.

They think they are something because they were bred from Fitz and Floyd.  Hoo-hoo-hoo!

I wasn't about to be deterred I kept setting the table and put out my everyday flatware.

And my pretty iridescent blue goblets.  Well, we were having company for dinner you know!

Of course word got out about those roosters taking their places at the table like that.

So the ducks just couldn't have that!

Oh no!  They jumped right on up there too!

And claimed their spots as well.

I really was trying very hard to ignore all the commotion they were creating.

So I offered them a bountiful harvest to enjoy.

I thought they would also enjoy some pretty napkins since they were guests in our home.

When all of sudden one of the more gentrified ducks decided he would be in charge of the napkins.

As you can imagine this didn't go over well with the roosters, and one had to sit nearby to keep watch over the napkins as well.

Then another claimed the creamer right away.

Before I knew it, there was even one who said he would be in charge of lighting the candle, and so he did!

All the while, this great big rooster was walking around the table strutting his stuff.

He got right into my flowers after dragging in a bunch of leaves from outside!

I recognized it right away.

It was obviously the king of the coup from that Fitz and Floyd pen.

Aren't they something?

It was starting to get crowded and things were getting out of control fast.

So I quickly asked the blessing and served up everyone who was seated.

And we had one interesting evening at the table tonight.

Can you imagine?

I am joining http://happierthanapiginmud.blogspot.com/ for her first Barnyard Bash

and

http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/ for Tablescape Thursday.

I hope you get a minute to stop by these two fun and beautiful parties for more  interesting posts!

Thanks for stopping by I really do appreciate it!

Mary

Lookout! More Creepy Crawlys are on the loose!

Last week before watering my plants I was looking at one of my deck planters and wondering why the potato vine plant was loosing its leaves.  My other planter looked just fine and those vines seemed to be thriving quite well despite the heat of this summer.

Strange that this one vine in the middle is also doing so well....

...when the vine on this side looks bare like this, and....

.. the vines on this side look like this!  What has happened to these leaves?  They certainly aren't laying on the deck, all dried up!  Then the Mr. came out and put it all into focus for me.

Look what he spotted on my plant.  YUCK!  Just what the heck is this?  I've only seen this type of thing once before on tomatoes plants one year.  We were also trying to grow those on this deck too.

No, that is not a potato vine leaf all twisted up!

 

It is a creepy crawly of the worst kind!

Just look at that weird no faced creature!

I am sure he is getting his wonderful color straight from the consumption of my potato vine leaves.

Disgusting!  I am not a fan of this thing!

So next time your leaves start to disappear take a closer look, you might just be surprised at what creepy crawly creatures are lurking right before your eyes.

Joining http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com/ for Outdoor Wednesday. 

Thanks for visiting me today, hope I haven't grossed you out too bad!  LOL!

Autumn Mantle Decor

Hi!  What a wonderfully busy weekend!  A special thanks to you who took the time to comment on my latest post.  I want you to know I appreciate your advice and comments. I really do agree with those of you who commented!  I have to say, it was so refreshing visiting whatever blogs I wanted to this weekend without stressing over it.  It is such a blessing to have YOU who relate, pray, and encourage as I continually strive to find the right balance between my blog life and my real life.  Thank you again!


I am also so very thankful for parties like Tabletop Tuesday @ http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/ that allow me to share my love of decorating, especially seasonal decorating!  What a wonderful time of year this is to decorate!  I hope you'll join me and many others today as we share various styles of vignettes.


Fall decorating is in full swing at my house.  I've even added a few new goodies that were, Oh, so hard to resist!  Gotta fill up that new "fall box" I'm creating this year ya know.  LOL!  Today I'd like to show you my vignette on the mantle over the fireplace.

You probably were expecting lots of goodies all over this mantle weren't you?

I have always leaned towards a very streamlined look on my mantle and only recently did a very busy vignette on it this summer with the sailboats as shown in my header.  I'm not sure why, but for some reason I really like to keep this area more simple.  Maybe because the fireplace itself is so large that I prefer to keep it more the focal point of the room than all my knick knacks.

You will see that I have my constants that stay the same year round.  They are the off white candlesticks.  I love how they compliment my mirror and sconces.  I have been advised to put up a different darker mirror or print or something more bold, but I really don't want to do that.  This is what I like!

I made these two floral arrangements several years ago.  Previously they were the only fall decor on this mantle during the season.  I love the rich colors I used to create these topiary style arrangements.  I also just love the plaid ribbon I made the bows with.  I always make all my own bows, as it is so easy to do.

Here is my newest addition, these sweet little birdies from Michaels.   They are such perfect fall birds!

I originally thought I would paint the gold swirls on the brown birds to another color but after getting them in my house and seeing them with the rest of the autumn decor I have decided to leave them as is.

The basket I picked up at a yard sale this summer got a few florals too.  They came from Michaels also.  I had too many for another arrangement I did for the front porch.  You'll have to keep watch for that post!  It's decorated and ready for show just after I give the porch a good fall cleaning!  Large front porches really get soooo dirty!!!

Well, that's it for now!  Oh, did you notice I took the blue slipcovers off of my pillows too?  It's back to the brown color for fall.  Love that trick!

  It's taking quite a bit of self control here not to go all over the house and show you everything else.  You'll just have to keep coming back for more now, Okay?   Trust me, there's more, lot's more!  Did I mention how much I love seasonal decorating?

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful day!

Labor Day Break

For my regular followers, I wish you all a very happy Labor Day weekend!   I am going to take a break from the labor of posting to get caught up on all your wonderful blogs.   For me this also means I'm probably holding back on commenting on some of your wonderful posts too!  I've been doing this somewhat for awhile now as it seems the only way I can visit more.   This doesn't mean I don't care about your post it just means I need more time to visit more friends.  I hate it when I loose a friend, even an online friend.  I do pay attention to my friends who follow and feel sad when someone leaves.   I really am trying to keep up with everyone but honestly, I just get so overwhelmed at times.

It is not easy for me to create my own posts to share, visit all of you who comment, visit those I follow and visit everyone in all the parties I join!  Okay, let me say it now, I am not a super blogger!  I probably never will be.  It is very hard for me to keep up even under the best of circumstances.

Lately the circumstances in our family (both our extended families) have not been the best, and have left us with a sad resignation of things to be.  This is the way of life at times.  We do know that God is with us and it is in his hands and for that we are so grateful.  I tell you this because I want some of you to know if I am neglectful at times it is because life's circumstances have taken over.  So, if I have offended any of you I am sorry.  I love reading and "looking" at all of your wonderful blogs and golly there are soooo many!  So please bear with me as I take some time this weekend to enjoy your wonderful posts and continue to spy and lurk on you awhile and rest up a bit.  

Hope you enjoy your Labor Day too...labor free!
Have a good one!
Mary