Storage solutions or issues?

Hi Everyone!  What a beautiful day for a party, wouldn't you say?  I surely would.  I am attending a very special online party at The Tablescapers today.  It's called, the Where Do You Keep It All Party.  It's fun to attend a few special parties every now and then and I'm happy I was able to make this one.

My storage issue is not nearly as massive as some of the other table scapers but then again I've only been tablescaping for about a year now.  I have collected a few dishes over the years and when you add all the new pieces I've acquired it really has taken some create shuffling.  Here's a peek into my cabinets and cupboards to see how I currently store it all.

In our kitchen we have a built in china cabinet.  I am sooo glad we do!

This is where I store a good bit of my dishes.

Above the dishes I store candle holders and some silver on the very top.

Underneath is where I store extra flatware and other serving pieces.

It's kinda  messy, glad there are solid door down below.

Vases and compotes. Did I say that correctly? 

More cabinets hold more dishes...

...and a lot of drink ware.

I did say a lot of drinkware didn't I?  This is really become one of my biggest storage issues.  It is not easy to carefully store so much glassware.

The special decorative small linens drawer.

A napkins drawer.

More drawers to hold candle holders,

and small candles.

 

I have even more candles and decorative paper napkins in the pantry.

Above the refrigerator are a few more serving pieces.

I know, what a mess right? 

For a more decorative look I added this desk in my kitchen this year to hold additional small plates.

Love this!

Another more decorative idea was to add this stand to hold napkins in my dining room.  I really love this and would like to add a second one to balance out the room on the other side.

This cabinet holds quite a bit more of the tablescaping necessities.

Like multiple napkin rings and silver serving pieces.

Decorative serve ware.  Please pardon the wall sconces. I moved furniture around and took them off the wall and now I need to put them back on the wall. 

More messy looking cabinets with pieces stacked one on top of another.

Last year I added a new to me china cabinet.

On the bottom shelves I have a few more serving pieces and extra china.  This cabinet is limited on storage due to the size and shape of the shelves.

But I am happy with the way it displays my newest china.

I know you've seen quite a bit and are thinking I have to be through already but hang in there!   I've got just a few more spaces to share.  This is where I had to get a little creative.

Finding space wherever you can is a must.  In our extra bathroom upstairs was this great big storage cabinet.

It now holds extra blankets, table cloths, runners and sheets.  Pretty odd huh?

And our antique secretary now in the den, continues to hold my crystal.

Whew!  Looks like it needs a little dusting! 

Well, that's where I've piled everything so far.  Good news is I still have plenty of space in the basement that I could use should I ever need too.  LOL!  Just kidding!

At least I hope I am!

Thanks for joining me on this very clutter revealing tour.  It takes a lot of stuff to create tablescapes.  Be forewarned creative tablescaping also requires creative storage solutions or issues?

Have a blessed Sunday everyone!

Mary

Outdoor summer scape #2

Well, let's try this again!  Last week I created my first outdoor table scape of the season.  You can go and check it out here.  I posted it before I linked up to Tablescape Thursday then low and behold lost my ability to log back in to blogger for several days.  So that one did not ever make the party.  I am hoping I can get this one in quickly.  Who knows what's going to happen next?

This table scape was quite fun because I've been slowly putting it together without intentionally looking for the pieces.  I just kept coming across things here and there that seemed to coordinate.  I've heard that Dianne over at The Thrifty Groove has a thrifty table scape challenge monthly party going on.  I hope this will qualify.  I'll let you be the judge.

My table scape is based on blue,brown and cream color combinations.

I started with this runner that I made specifically to go on this table on my screen porch.  I purchased this fabric from Hobby Lobby from the clearance bin.  I paid around $1.00 something a yard maybe for this, can't remember exactly.  It's indoor outdoor fabric and I also made pillows to go on some other chairs I have on the porch. 

I came across these melamine plates at Hamricks of all places.  They were 75% off and about $2.50 for a set of 4.  Not bad.  I thought they were going to be a perfect match to my runner and was a bit disappointed that the blue green on them is somewhat off.  I still like them though, and am very happy to have found them.

Cute little polka dots on the side!

The napkins are cream colored given to me recently from my Mom.  Free!

The wooden napkin rings were about .50 cents for a package of 10 from a yard sale.  I had intended to paint them assorted colors but have not done so yet.

My stainless was free too.  It's my wedding pattern, Louisiana from Oneida.

The glassware is free as well.  It was my grandmothers on my mothers side.  I just love the way the gold has turned to a coppery brown color after so many years.   I treasure these!

  

My centerpiece is a basket of wine carafes turned into vases.  I purchased this set from our church rummage sale for $2.00.  It was a natural color but I spray painted it white.

They hydrangeas are from my backyard.   I love the mixed shades of them!

Cute little cream colored birdie from DT.  $1.00.

Ooops!  Almost forgot to show you these little salt and pepper birdies.  They were purchased from Cracker Barrel just recently. They were on clearance and were about .50cents each.  They are so small and sweet.  I really should have bought quite a bit more.

Well there you go!  Not to bad for thrifty huh? 

I gotta go now, it's almost time for lunch!  When are you getting here?

Thanks for joining me today!

I am linking this post to the following parties

Tablescape Thursday

Thrifty Tablescape Party

Please be sure and check out the links above for more.

I will also be attending one more special summer party this Sunday at the Tablescaper.  It's about where do you put it all.  So if your interested in seeing where I and all the other tablescapers keep our loot please be sure and come back and join us for that party too!

Have a great day and weekend!

Mary

One Step at a Time

Hey friends!  How did you like my rant yesterday?  Boy, I was so angry with blogger!  Your lucky I didn't type the words that were running rampant through my brain yesterday.  It's very frustrating to have to wait so long for website corrections and to rely on the kindness of other bloggers to offer solutions that may or may not help.  I was so angry!  Not just for me the leisure blogger, but what about all those who rely on the income of their blogs?  I do not deal well with those who avoid obvious issues.   A simple acknowledgement ASAP goes a long way in the online world.  It appears there was finally a report issued yesterday under Blogger status, sure wish this had come out a bit sooner.  (Tsk-tsk!)

Finally, this afternoon one of my favorite bloggers, Rhonda at Shellbelle's Tiki Hut threw me a lifesaver!

Well she didnt' actually throw me a lifesaver, lol, but she did offer up a real tangible plan of action for all of us. 

 You should check out her post here and see if this will help you too if you are also having problems.  I did all that she suggested, cleared my cache, changed the comments on my blog and unclicked the "always signed in" on the google box. I did not switch browsers as I am not convinced yet, that is the solution or necessarily the best option.  So all I have to say about this for now is...we will see!

But, it's a step..thank you!

 This morning I was on my way home from the bank when I approached something rather large in the road and had to swerve way over to avoid it.  It was a great BIG giant turtle crossing the road.  It was way to big to even go under the car.  Seriously!  It made me smile and I rushed home to get the camera.  I thought for sure it would be there when I got back because it was going so very slow.  Guess what?  When I got back, the turtle was gone...no where in sight, just like that!   Now how does that happen?  I'm not exactly sure, but knew there was a lesson here to be learned somewhere.

This is my newest piece of equipment.  How do you like it?  I got this last week from a thrift store when I nearly stumbled right over it looking at everything all around it.  Funny how exercise equipment can be like that...so unnoticeable. 

 It works like a charm and was a fantastic deal!  The Mr. had to go pick it up for me later because we had to bring it home with the trailer.  It is just a tad bigger in this room then my Nordic Track ski machine was.  That was sarcasm my friends!

  I had my first workout with it by helping my husband bring it up the stairs to put in this bedroom.  Man, this thing is heaaavyy!  LOL!

  Since then, I have done two other workout sessions on it and will be doing one later again today.  I am really hoping this will be a step in the right direction with the battle of the bulge.

Speaking of battling the bulge, I would also like to give a shout out for another blog friend whom I am linking this post up with today.

Let me tell you about someone who is hosting a party very similar to my Wellness Wednesday's right now.   Pam over at From My Front Porch to Yours is hosting a Wednesday Weigh In Party.

  I would like for all of you who may be interested in supporting each other in our weight loss efforts to consider this party.  I have pulled back from the linky party scene for the most part, but feel like this is one I could really use right now.  Please help me in spreading the word about this one, and consider joining us with a post about anything you are doing to manage your weight.   I don't think you have to actually list your weight, I sure didn't!   You may want to ask Pam about the rules though, since I am prone to not following any.  LOL!   Come on! What have you got to loose, maybe a few pounds?

Now back to the turtle and lessons learned.  Did you figure it out yet?  Really?  Oh come on, do I have to spell it out for you?  Okay, I will!  He crossed the road!  That's it!  That was the lesson learned.  He may have been moving slower then molasses, or slower then blogger (hehehe), or slower then everyone else thinks he should..but he crossed that road!  He made it!  Even with all that extra weight he was carrying around, he kept going.  Step by step, before you realized it, he was gone and I was left with only a memory.

Thank you Mr. Turtle for crossing my path today!  I sure wish I had your picture to share today, but then ,we might have all missed the lesson. 

 Taking each day step by step is challenging for those like me who prefer things to happen quickly.  I am prone to fits of frustration, anger and discouragement as are most of us.  God, is so not through with me yet!  But I do bounce back easily after a good hissy fit and am thankful for the friends in my life who don't try to tell me how to feel but offer up shoulders and solutions, one step at a time!

Thank you all for joining me again today

 for my Wellness Wednesday Post.

Mary