It's an Eggstra Special Easter Tablescape

Psst!  I have a confession.  I wasn't going to do an Easter tablescape this year.  I really wasn't, I even told myself you don't have to do one.  I wasn't going to because I am not hosting Easter here at my house, instead we are going out to dinner.  In fact, I've not even done very much Easter decorating this year.  Horrible I know!  One reason is that I have been so enjoyably busy with Spring cleaning, repainting and practicing my embroidery that Easter decorating has been on the back burner of my priorities.  Another reason is that I didn't want to get pollen all over my outdoor spring and Easter decor.  It's been wickedly dusty here this spring and it's everywhere!

I finally talked myself into doing a tablescape anyway for my own enjoyment and for all of you as well my fellow tablescapers, at:

 Tablescape Thursday.

  I decided I wanted to have at least something a little more Eastery around here to look at inside.  Then, I decided to start with making some more embroidered napkins.  

So, I got busy on my machine and stitched up four different designs of Eggs.  These are called Mendi Eggs from Designs by JuJu.  Much like last weeks four leaf clovers these designs come with 12 different patterns of eggs.  So fun!

I found the yellow napkins at Ollies, have you ever been there?  It's a retail chain that buys closeouts in all kinds of things.  It's very fun to go in there and see what you can find.  These napkins were originally marked at $1.47 for the Ollies price but were on further discount and I only paid .47 cents each.  I know, that was a steal.  I would have bought more then four but that was it for the yellows.  I had to dig and dig to find the fouth yellow napkin.  They had other colors so you can bet I will be going back real soon!  They are a very nice quality weave and stitched up really nicely!

This morning I got busy and put together my Eggstra Special Easter tablescape in the kitchen.  There are very few new items that I used for my setting other then the napkins.  I will fill you in on what's new.  Everything else I already had on hand.

Much like last week, I am using some similar and some different elements to create a more relaxed tablescape.  I started with woven placemats again, this time in a round straw weave.  Then I used my Lenox Butlers Pantry dinnerware again, this time using the Buffet patterned dinner plates.  I just love this whole collection of Butlers Pantry.  It is so versatile and goes so well with so many other patterns.  I would love to add more serving pieces to my collection.

Then I topped off my dinner plate with these yellow checked salad plates.  I have had these for a few years now.  I had hoped to find some adorable Easter plates this year and actually saw quite a few I liked very early into the season.  I waited and guess what...they all disappeared really quick!  Oh well, I can't complain though, because perhaps the plates would have been to much of a distraction from my Eggstra Special napkins.  LOL!  Here they all are again shown with the place settings and each one is set in a different colored polka dot egg napkin ring because they are eggstra special too. 

 For my silverware I chose this bubbly looking hammered stainless pattern from Gibson.  I thought it would be a nice compliment to my new glassware.  Ladies, I can't tell you how excited I was to finally be able to get these clear seeded glass goblets.  I have wanted them for years and have kept my eyes open for sales on them for years too.  I even almost bought some a few years back online but they ran out before I could place my order.  I got these about a month ago at Dillards.  They are a substantial weight and very well made from Art Land.  Shortly after Christmas I saw them go on sale for $4.97 each.  They also had the colored seeded glasses on sale as well.  I wanted them that day but was already buying other things so I decided to wait.  I waited and waited and then one day I decided I was going back to see if they still had them.  I told myself if they did I would get them but I would be good and only get four since I really didn't need them, just wanted them.  Well when I walked in and saw they did, and realized they were also having a 50 percent off clearance sale, I was thrilled!  Not only did I get my glasses but I got a set of eight for what I was going to pay for four.  Whoohoo, it was my lucky day because that was all that was left in the clear.  Don't you love when that happens?  It's like it was meant to be!

  I paired them with my pink wine glasses for a little more pop of pastel color.

 Each place setting has an egg holder and small plates green plates that actually have apple names on them.  Yeah, I'm giving away all my secrets today, aren't I?

The hurricane candles are back with small glittered eggs, very easy transition here.

 For my centerpiece I brought out my porcelain bunny and added bits of faux greenery and flowers.

These cute little Easter tins came from Targets dollar bins.  Inside each tin is a burlap wrapped faux lavender from dollar tree.  

And because we are all about the eggs this year, I brought out my little salt and pepper hen from Cracker Barrel.

I wasn't planning on doing anything to my side table either but then it looked so neglected I decided it really needed something fun too.  

I came up the idea to use my Salt and Pepper roosters on each plate and add my marble eggs to make nesting plates.  Sooo cute!!! Now can anyone tell me what's wrong with this picture?

It's an Easter quiz to see who's really paying attention. 

Wink! Wink!

There you are my dreamer friends!  I hope you enjoyed this peek at my Easter tablescape this year.  The one we will not be using but the one that just had to be done because it is

Eggstra Special!

Thank you so much for the visit and I do enjoy your comments too!

Most importantly, I would also like to take this time to wish each and every one of you a very Happy and Very Blessed Easter!  

Wherever you are may you enjoy and know the blessing of our Lord and Savior, 

Jesus Christ!

Hugs and Waves!

My Embroidery and Craft Room AKA My Happy Place

Just last night I was chatting online with another embroiderer who has named her machines.  I commented I haven't done that yet, but I am sure I will eventually.  What I forgot all about was that I may not have named my machines yet but I have named my work room.  Today I'd like to welcome you to "My Happy Place"!

My embroidery room (the Happy Place) is located upstairs and is actually considered one of three bedrooms upstairs.  We have a four bedroom home with the Master downstairs.  As small as this room is it has actually served as a bedroom when the kids were small so the largest room upstairs could be the their playroom.  That was great for a few years and then it got left behind as the boys grew and decided to claim the larger rooms their bedrooms because they didn't want a playroom anymore.  I have used this room as a craft room for some years, but it's always been kind of a cast off place for unwanted furniture and very unorganized.  I tried to cozy it up several years ago when I sold jewelry, some of you may remember that.  But never have I had it so put together that I totally enjoy spending time up here as I do now.  I cannot say enough how much I enjoy this space!

In the overall scheme of posh and pretty rooms this one will not make the mark by far.  But I have been able to set up my room so that its so functional and so calming to my soul.  It's funny how you can sometimes wrestle with that for years with a space isn't it?  One of the things I am most proud of about this room is that I pulled it altogether on a very low budget.  The biggest expenses in this room are my machines, computer and supplies and that's the way I hope to keep it.  I scoured thrift store after thrift store to find extra items to make my workroom function well.  So enough foreshadowing already, let's take a look!

After walking into the room along the longest wall I set up my hooping station.  This is where all thre prep work goes on before the items go on the machine.  The hoops hang on the pegboard when not in use.  I hope to add several different sizes of hoops here eventually so thats why it kinda looks bare now.

This folding counter has been in our garage for so many years.  We actually used it to store the cat food inside.  My husband emptied it out and was about to take it to the dump when I stopped him and begged to let me take it upstairs.  It was in such a state that he didn't want it in the house.  I told let me do my magic and then you decide.  So I washed and scoured it clean then sanded it down, repainted it, added new knobs (actually old knobs we had around the house) and let's just say he had to eat his words.  He liked it so much he tried to claim it for his workshop...Not happening ladies!  LOL!

And because I wanted a girly girly room I had to add a little scented wax melter pot.  Oh, it's sets me in such a good mood!

This small cabinet I've had for awhile now.  It holds wrapping paper, gifts bags, wrapping ribbon and now also serves as a stand for my small ironing board.  I found both the ironing board and the iron at our local thrift store for a whopping total of $4.00, at $2.00 a piece.  Seriously, I was so thrilled because I quickly realized I did not enjoy running up and down the stairs to where I keep my big ironing board and iron to do the ironing I need to do with the embroidery.  That was a big issue.

Further into the room is my new computer.  I knew I would need a computer for my software but I hadn't planned on getting one quite so soon.  I had an old laptop that had crashed years ago and my son revived it for me.  I was using that but it took forever to load and was struggling to keep up.  So my husband surprised me and said let's get you a new one.  Whoohoo!  He wanted me to get another laptop but I already have a chromebook I use for surfing the net so I didn't want that.  I wanted something that would sit here and stay here.  This is command central.  A few weeks ago I decided I needed a computer chair and found this one at another thrift store.  I paid $6.00 for it.  They actually had several to choose from.  This one was in great shape no tears, stains or problems that I could see, and smelled fine, I did clean the upholstery after getting it home and the best thing about it is that is super comfortable.

Next to the computer on the bookshelves is my old Singer sewing machine.  I even have it plugged in and the presser foot right in front of the shelves so I can use it for straight stitching if I need too.

The shelves below may look like a mess to you but I really do have a system set up here.

Wrapping the corner of this wall is my large green desk where all the magic happens.  We inherited this desk from my FIL years ago and I have been in love with it ever since.  The lime green is the original color and there is a matching chair.  I don't use it in here because it's not quite as comfortable as this brown chair (another inherited chair from my FIL) and I like the way this chair glides across the carpet. 

Currently I have decided to use several flip lidded boxes to house my threads.  These are my new threads I keep on the desk. I've started investing in better quality thread now that I know how much I enjoy embroidery and want to keep my machine in good shape.  I have three long moulding plate shelves that I found for $1.00 each at the thrift store.  I've already repainted them and was going to peg them out to use to hold my thread on the wall but I've kinda shyed away from that as I'm thinking I might want to keep the threads covered from dust.  We shall see though.

Of course I had to decorate the space behind my machine ya know.  I found these frames at the thrift store, yep, really and stitched out the designs myself.  They are cute little sewing and scissors designs with embroidery words all around the background.

In the small little dormer nook are a few more functionary items.

We finally finished up this easy conversion of a shoe rack to a ribbon holder.  I had previously used this for wrapping paper, that was a mess because it kept falling off.  I saw something similar to this on pinterest on something else.  I knew it would be perfect for this.  Now I just need some more cute ribbon right?

The dollar tree really came through for me this year with these adorable mix of storage baskets in a color that I just couldn't resist.

I was storing my rolls of ribbons in this holder and my paints in a box.  One day I also saw something similar to this on Pinterest with the paint bottoms showing the colors and suddenly it clicked.   Sometimes you just need to see how to reuse what you already have.

One of my other favorite spots in this room is this little corner.  I have my rocker here next to these shelves that hold an assortment of doodad craft items and several of my books.  

I even set up a special place for Maizey so she would know she is always welcome up here with me too.  She doesn't use her bed too much though because she likes being upstairs with me but prefers one of the bedrooms that she can get on the bed to see out the window instead.  Silly girl!

Last night I worked on this dishtowel and thought you might enjoy seeing this one.  While this design is a common one, it's not really one that I bought.  I have learned to use my software a little more now and created this by using different font's that I have and I pulled the spoon from another design that I did buy.  I love what I am learning to do more and more everyday.  It's so fun!

It is such a joy to be able to be home and to be blessed with a room to call my own to be creative in.  If you are a creative person I can't stress this enough how gratifying it feels to your entire health.   It's even more enjoyable now that it finally feels like me.    I have a hard time getting other stuff done now because I just want to get back to my happy place all the time. 

Well, that's the end of the tour my friends.  I hope you liked it.  Mostly, I hope you will also see that you don't have to spend a lot to make your space enjoyable either.  You can do it, even on a budget!!!

I'm sharing this space with Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Hugs and Waves,