One Plate Short

Once again I find myself one plate short of an even number after finding a new pattern of dishes that I just couldn't resist.  Instead of fretting over it I have decided to embrace the message I have received in my quest to find one more plate.

Recently you heard me talk of my desire to rid myself of all the clutter.  Part of what spurred this on was finding these new dishes.  I immediately fell in love with them and wanted them so badly because I knew in fact these would be dishes I would use often.  I almost talked myself out of them because I have so many other sets filling up my cabinets after a few years of tablescaping.  Can you relate?  I decided instead that it would be better to rid myself of a few other sets to make room for these.  For those of you who asked, that is still a work in progress but slowly the decluttering is coming about.

This is dish number seven.  When I first came across these at TJ Maxx I only found three.  I decided I would get them anyway because surely I would find at least one more.  Several weeks of popping in and out of both TJ Maxx and Marshalls finally resulted in me finding only four more dishes, but only after I also found a few serving pieces as well.  LOL!  I am still hopeful that one day I will find one more dish so I can have a set of eight.   Somehow though, I think if I do I will most likely find four more again which will still result in me being one plate short.  But that's okay because here's what I discovered while pulling this setting together.

Instead of setting the table for eight as I usually do for Thanksgiving I have set it for only six.  You see, I can get by with that this year because I'm not hosting Thanksgiving here.  I am going to my mothers house, so this setting is really not even going to be used except that I've set it to share with all of you.  Let's just say this is OUR Thanksgiving table shall we?  

This is for all of you whom I consider my tablescaping sisters.  You are part of a family of bloggers that I always enjoy getting together with when time permits.   

I am so very thankful to each of you for who you are.  Some of you have remained my blog friends for awhile now and that is so very special.  In this busy world of changing times I really do appreciate you who have managed to stop by every so often and keep in touch.  You understand that we all have different agendas for blogging and mine is simply just sharing.  You all were there to fill a void when time was plenty and gave me so much inspiration and encouragement, thank you.  I will always be grateful for that and for the connections I have made through this blogging adventure.

 So grab a chair and I'll share my latest finds with you and just a little more.

My place setting starts with my dinner plates from Lenox.  Since they are an off white color I knew   my newest dishes would go well with them.  

The background of my new turkey plates is the same shade of off white.  This pattern is made by Royal Stafford.

I just fell in love with the color of these and the pattern as well.  I love the scene of the farm in the background and the fruit and flower border.  But... did you happen to notice the rope pattern on the border as well?  I would say that it also has somewhat of a nautical flair too doesn't it?  Well, I think so anyway.  Haha! 

I've pulled out my grandmothers crystal that is etched in gold.  It has just the right colors for this setting and reminds me of her as well. 

 At this time of year, memories of family members past always surface. Some memories are joyful and full of happiness and good times. Such is the case of my memories of my grandmother.   Sometimes families are left with bittersweet memories of loved ones of a life that struggled that ended tragically.  I share this with you because it is a reality for many including my family in regards to the loss of my sister.  It has been many years since she passed in 2003, but I can assure you our love for her has never diminished as I know those of you who are missing loved ones has not either.

So how do you cope during these times of the year when all the memories come flooding back?  I choose to cope with them by just simply being thankful.  I am thankful for the good times shared and for the beautiful memories that were made. 

I am also thankful for those whom are a part of my life now.  I am thankful for those who can and who will relate.  I am thankful for those who understand that this world often carries sorrow as well as joy.  I am thankful for those who know that a willingness to lift others up is of a godly nature.  Coming along side of another and meeting them where they are is at the heart of Jesus himself.  I have been there and received this understanding from others during the toughest of times.  Now, I often try and bring it to the table for others.  Sometimes all it takes is a listening ear, a smile or a hug from another especially this time of year.  It is sad that so many people do not have anyone else to lift them up or worse do not let others help.  I say just do it anyway!

So for any of you who may be a bit sad I've lit this candle for you too.  Remembering the good times and embracing the light of those you have loved is truly a blessing.  For those of us who are believers it is also comforting to remember that one day you will be together again.  

I brought this hurricane from the den to use as my centerpiece for this setting because it just seemed to fit so well this year.  It has a scented candle that smells of orange and clove.  Mmm!

The turkey shakers were found last year at Ross.  I love how colorful they are.

Speaking of colorful how do you like the table runner.  It was a spur of the moment purchase from Joanne's several months ago.  I just love the paisley background and it even has a reversible side that has only the pattern of the boarder on this side.  

On my sideboard is the two serving pieces I found while searching for an even number of plates.

One day I found this large bowl at Marshalls and then....

...later I found the small bowl at TJ Maxx.  I love that they fit my plate holder so well.  Boy, do I have some eliminating of other pieces to do now.  LOL!

I was reminded by another blogger, to bring out my Turkey platter when I saw she had featured hers.  I shared this one I inherited from my inlaws with you last year.   I had forgotten all about it but am glad I was reminded of it.  Thank you Sharing Shadymont! 

I was tickled to see it seemed to coordinate pretty well with my new dishes too.  It's not exactly the same but sure does have quite a few similar pattern designs, don't you think?

Having this platter displayed brings out more beautiful memories of two more loved ones we have lost and miss, both my mother and father in law.  I think I will hang on to this platter for quite a while longer.  Heehe!

Thank you so much for coming to the table today.  I hope you enjoyed my settings as well as my message.    Time is so short and getting together or coming along side of another really is so important.  It's what creates memories that really do last a life time.   We all touch each others lives in one way or another, even in blog land. 

Setting a beautiful table for those you love is wonderful way to share yourself with others.  Thank you to each of you who have helped me to embrace this world of tablescaping.  I am ever so grateful.  I pray each of you will also be celebrating Thanksgiving with family or friends somewhere.

Most importantly if you find yourself thinking you are one plate short like me, maybe you just need to look at it a little differently and you will see that what you really have is an extra space for someone else who just might want to join you given the chance.

Please stop by the following parties to see some more great tablescaping inspiration and ideas.

Let's Dish

and

Tablescape Thursday  

Happy Thanksgiving Y'all!

(Big Hugs!)

Savoring Our Fall Weather

Hello friends!  I have not dropped off the blogosphere I've just been working way too much overtime lately.  Unfortunately it doesn't seem to be letting up anytime soon.   However, I am not letting that stop me from taking the time to stop and enjoy the beauty of the season and the simple joys of life whenever I can.

I don't even have to go anywhere to catch a glorious glimpse of fall splendor.  This is the view out of my den windows into the backyard.

Looking into the woods shows me a wondrous mix of color.

Looking down at the woods I am also in love with the new carpet of leaves that have fallen to the ground.  It's so pretty in person!

In my front yard I have a crepe myrtle that is so full of mixed colors this year.  It is so amazing!

Here's a closer look. It looks like my tree has been tye-dyed with fall colors.

I hope you all are enjoying the colors of the season in your neck of the woods as much as we are.

Thank goodness it's not quite winter yet.

Happy Fall Yall!

I desperately need to Declutter!

It's official!  I have decided now is the time to truly start decluttering my life.  Seriously!   I'm not just talking about the small stuff like cleaning up this space here, although this is a great place to start.  Let me try and put it all into perspective for you.

Sitting on this table is one of three umbrellas I've been carrying around in my car.  This one is somewhat broken but my favorite color of the three.  I think it's time to say goodbye to this green umbrella.  Surely, I do not need three umbrellas do I, especially one that is broken?  The library book will need to be returned, it's overdue!  The candle is one of a whole cabinet full of unburned scented candles.  They will be hard to part with but I am sick of all this unused and accumulated stuff.  The bag below this table is full of clothes from my closet that I cleaned out a few weeks ago.  It's still sitting on the floor here waiting to go out of the door.  

I was so tired of seeing clutter that I eliminated some items from my fall display here in order to make it more appealing to me.  It still seems a bit junky, but did you notice the magazines below?  Two baskets and a bottom shelf under the table full of them!  Why?  How long will I live with it looking this way?

This stack of magazines in my bedroom I have had for well over 6 or 8, maybe 10 years.  No kidding! I am sure I brought this from our old house.  I am being brutally honest here because ladies, I am just tired of it all.  I have decided it's not only time to get rid of the magazines but the magazine racks too.

Now if you think that's bad just take a look at my dresser.  Yes, I have so much schtuff here it's crazy.  And what do you think is in that JC Penney bag?  I'll give you a hint...it goes very well with the rest of the schtuff on this dresser.  Why?  What made me think I needed more jewelry just because it was on sale?  I am going to have to put a habit into practice that a very dear old customer from my old store taught me.  She said to always get rid of something when you bring something new into the house.    Now doesn't that make great sense?  I think so.  Only, I am way overdo and have so much junk to get rid of.

Take this set up here above my toilet into account.  These little chotzkies are cute but they really do not do anything for me as far as decor design goes.  I am so over this.  Why do I want something to look "kinda" cute and have no valuable use in my bathroom sitting around collecting dust?  I don't.  They will have to go.

Do you remember me posting about wanting to put the plates I bought on the wall in a pattern above my sofa?  Well, I was thinking it may be a bit too much so I ended up moving these sconces from bedroom.  I love the palm trees in here but am thinking it's a bit too cluttered looking.  What do you think?  

I even had already bought another new pair of sconces (like I needed a hole in the head) then decided those were too large and maybe too goth looking for my taste.  

So here they sit under the overly loaded foyer table.  I was thinking of putting them up beside the mirror in here...now I am thinking yard sale, maybe!

The dining room is so cluttered and full of junk I've been purchasing to put around but have failed to find the time to do it.  When I get home from work the last thing I feel like doing lately is decorating.  My days off have been spent resting because I am so tired.  Or I spend my time off dreaming of what I need to make my space more appealing.  But I am tired of shopping for the right look lately too.  I feel like I already have the look I really want.  I think it's just hidden under all this crap I have accumulated over the last several years.  I feel like my home is starting to look more like an attractive consignment booth then my own space.

I made great strides with decluttering the porch this summer but left one little corner full of stuff I wasn't ready to get rid of.  Now, I'm ready to yank a few things off of this corner now too.

Do you ever feel this way too?

I'm not sure what's going on but I really do want to streamline things ALOT lately.  I would love nothing more then one day to have a small little cottage home on the lake that we love so much.  It seems we will never get there.  We always say what would we do with all this stuff?  When we see a home that I like, the Mr. reminds me; "You won't have room for all your stuff. "  Well ladies, I don't want stuff to get in the way of my dreams any longer.  I don't want anyone to have to deal with these things when I'm gone either, but honestly I don't know exactly where to start.  So many things hold memories but again do I really need so many chotzkie style memories?  I don't think so.

  Have any of you ever really dealt with this?  How did you decide what to get rid of and what to keep?  If any of you out there are still reading my blog I would love your advice.  I do believe I am more ready then I have ever been to begin eliminating the junk and the excess and making room for  true comfort and style.  

It's time for a real life

Met Monday 

What do you say?

My New Barstools

After cleaning up the kitchen tonight from dinner I just couldn't help but smile again once more at my latest find.  Then I realized I haven't even shared these with you yet.  Shame on me!

Here is what has me smiling in the kitchen.  My new (to me) bar stools.  How do you like them?  I took these pictures of them a few weeks ago to share with you but never got around to it.  

Here they are, exactly as I purchased them.  There were actually three available for sale and I was really struggling about buying the third one because I only wanted two.  Even though they were being sold individually, I was feeling obligated to buy the third one because who leaves only one stool of a set behind? Luckily for me the  problem was solved when I saw that one of them had some damage on one of the cane backs.  Whew!

I absolutely fell in love with them on the spot.  They are exactly what I have been wanting in a bar stool for my kitchen.  Funny how things just seem to come about when you are not looking for them.

I love that they have curved legs...

...and a can back seat.

Just look at the details on the seat back,

legs, 

and feet! 

For now I'm even very thrilled with the seats as well.  They are covered with a plaid vinyl that makes cleaning them a breeze.  One other very thrilling feature is that they swivel too.  Woohoo!

Of course, I'd be lying if I didn't admit that there is just one small detail that kinda bugs me.  Can you guess what it is?

Yep!  That's it.  Those brass foot rails on the bottom of these stools are not too pretty are they? I really do like that they are there to put your feet on and want to keep them but am debating on what to do.  I want to paint them with ORB but the Mr. seems to think it will be worse to paint them because the paint will get rubbed off by shoes.  The brass finish is already worn slightly to metal on some areas, so I think he has a valid point.  But, I still think I'll paint them though as soon as I get more free time to do it carefully.  

What would you do?

As for the color of my bar stools, I am pretty happy with them as they are for now.   I have kicked around the idea of painting these chairs a distressed black to match my kitchen chairs though I am not totally sold on the idea as of yet.  The funny thing is, these bar stools are just about the exact same color that my kitchen chairs used to be before I painted them black. I know right!

Well, I hope you all have a wonderful week and as always,

thanks for stopping by! 

The Many Faces of Facebook

Hi Friends!  Just this morning I was reading a blog that inspired this long wordy post from me about  my thoughts on Facebook.  If you have the time, interest and or are wrestling with the concept of Facebook I hope you will indulge me and read on.

Like many other millions of people out there I have whole heatedly jumped onto the Facebook band wagon and am highly in favor of it.  Why?  It's all about the connection for me.  I have found it to be a wonderful way to keep up with others in my life that I otherwise may not have devoted as much time too.  For many that sentence seems very cold and self serving.  But let's face it, I am also sure that there are many whom I have connected with who would not have made the time to keep up with me and my life as well.  It works both ways!  We all get very busy with work and family life and all of the other crazy hectic things we are trying to do or have to do whether we want to or not.

What Facebook offers is a chance to peek into the life of another and either connect, smile or just relate in general.  It does not force you to actively participate if you do not want to.  You don't ever have to comment if that is your choice and some days that is my choice.  In my opinion, one of the best features FB has is the LIKE button.  I wish blogs also had a like button so very much!  It's such a great way to communicate your approval, agreement or pleasure about something someone has posted without having to totally engage in the time it takes to comment further.  This little like button frees you to connect briefly with someone while also giving you more time to spend commenting on other things you feel more compelled to respond to.  The like button is a wonderful feeling to receive too.  It shows you that someone has read what you have posted and accepts what you have had to say.  We all want approval and to be accepted.

It is true that some on FB probably post just to get Likes.  However if that is your only opinion of why people are drawn to FB then you have totally missed the point.  Plain and simple, most people are on FB for the connections.  We all want to make connections with others in life but we all have different needs and ways in which we want to go about that.  FB allows you to be in control of how you do that.  It is not the end all and the be all to the connections we make with people in life but it is merely one other way to go about it and broaden our connections.  I liken it to a telephone with a party line and a private line all going at once.  You can be a part of it or not anytime you choose and are able too.  Very multi purposed!

Many who don't get the idea of sharing your life online probably haven't grasped that you are in control of what you are sharing with whom.  You can share info broadly with a group of friends or privately with only a few or even just something more personal with just one.  You can do all of this in just a few easy clicks of the keyboard at any time whether those friends are online or not.  The beauty of FB's popularity is that some of your friends who are connected to FB will eventually check in and see what you have shared and can connect with you at their own leisure and time permitting just as you do.  I don't use FB to connect with someone when I know I need an immediate answer unless I know they are on FB regularly.  I don't let FB replace those more personal connections in life but I certainly would not want to cut out the re-connections with those that I have online.  I truly get that I may not be in someones inner circle or they in mine but that does not mean I am not interested in them at all.  I have even been pleased to find that I have more in common with some then I thought did just by reading what some share.

The ultimate answer to why share?  To connect with others!  I personally am a little more selective of whom I accept as one of my friends on FB.   Unlike the younger generation who seem to add everyone under the sun as their friend I usually only add someone whom I have known or am inclined to think I want to know more of.  I know others who have a large amounts of friends and feel the same way but have a much broader circle then I do.  However there are those who add anyone and everyone to their friends list who are less prone to share as much.  I guess it goes without saying if your online circle of friends is large you need to be more careful about how and what you share.  Again, the beauty of FB is you can do that!

Okay now after all that rambling about why I like FB so much, let me get on to my point about the many faces of Facebook.  I wanted to write this post because one of the most enjoyable things for me about being on FB is seeing how many different ways in which people choose to connect.

The Peek a Boo's...
There are those like my hubby who only check in once in a blue moon and are dumbfounded that he has received so many Happy Birthday wishes from people whom he hasn't seen or spoken to in years.  Isn't is great?  Now he could get all grumpy and wonder why none of these people bothered to send him a card or call, but he doesn't because he is an adult and knows better then to go there.  He knows life is busy and much of that kind of thing is reserved for family and the very best of friends now days.  Instead he is amazed and joyous that so many actually took the time to stop and write a quick birthday wish on his wall even when he rarely gets on and doesn't connect with others  as often as his wife does.  There are many on FB just like my husband who only use it every so often.  That is one face of a FB user and it's okay!

The Social Butterflies...
There are those who are on FB all day long!  Well not really, but they often seem to be as they have quite a bit of continuous comments.  They are sharing everything in their life.  Some are sharing quite a bit of photos as well of all their activities.  It is easy to be green eyed jealous and take on a negative attitude about these type of people.  Don't go there!  Some are trying to promote themselves for various reasons (which usually becomes obvious after awhile) and some are just in general very chatty.   Don't allow yourself to believe that just because someone is online a lot that they have no life at all as I have heard way to many people say.  That is just not true!  It may be true that some people are fabricating a life, but for many it is simply not the case.   Many people share often because they have many other friends whom they are connected with who are also sharing their lives regularly and daily.  Just because you do not have a circle of friends like that online do not assume others don't either.  We all have different levels and attitudes of social behavior and that is easily seen when you step back to view others online connections.

The Promoters...
Remember FB is an online social connection and just like in real life many people use social connections to promote and grow their various platforms.  You will see many who are only online to promote their choice of organizations.  I have seen everything from religion, politics, charities, social groups, businesses and now quite a bit of blogs.  I think this is great and really goes back to the very basic formation of why FB was created.  Remember just because they are there promoting something does not mean you have to respond or comment or anything.  You can look at these if you choose to or not but it can be very informative and often shows you just a bit more about the person of whom ever is posting.  I like seeing the promoters!

The Expressionists...
These are the FB friends who are sharing things they like.  They are sharing quotes, pictures, you tubes videos, news articles, websites, pinterest posts, blogs, other FB sites, ect.  The list goes on and on.   Sometimes the expressionist will post their own comments along with whatever they are sharing.  Sometimes they will only be prone to share something but never comment.  Expressionists keep FB interesting.  Expressionists can also be prone to a lot of copy and paste sharing posts.  I have learned to ignore these, and try to remind myself that the motive behind why some share these is usually good so no need to get annoyed about it.  I just choose not to participate.  I do however often enjoy resharing something from the expressionists that I find enjoyable though.  I like the expressionists, they often make me smile!

The Gamers...
They are your FB friends who have utilized online gaming applications.  They are playing games online as a favorite pastime.  Let's cut these people some slack.  I can understand because I have been there as a former Farmville girl.  It can be quite relaxing and addictive at the same time.  The gamers can connect with other gamers to move up in a game status and gain more points, prizes, ect.  Some games are challenging and some are mundane.  Either way, try and remember it may be something that your friend enjoys.  There are many people who get very annoyed by gaming requests from others.  Sometimes the gamers are not sending you requests themselves the applications are.  Sometimes it is from the gamers and they are merely feeling you out to see if you would like to connect in the gaming world with them.  There is no need to get upset by this but complimented that they want to include you.  If you choose not to participate you can click no.  I don't know many adults who would be offended that you choose not to play.  However I can see how they might be offended by someone who puts them down for playing.  No ever puts people down for attending sporting games do they?  So don't go there with them about online games, okay?   If you are getting a lot of requests you can block the app entirely so you no longer need to see it.

The Lazy Bees...
That's the group I am in.  Woohoo!  We are the working crowd who are a little bit older and tired but still want to reach out and make a connection with others.  We often have expressionist quality's and sometimes even a bit of a promoter in us as well.  We check in often to see what is up with whom but with a grain of salt attitude.  We do care very much about others but also know FB doesn't always portray someones entire life.  We want to see what others have to share but do not always feel the need to comment.  We push the LIKE button often because we are lazy after a long day.  We usually are sitting on our laptops and watching TV and FB simultaneously.  We like to multi-task!  We are trying to squeeze in a few social connections in a very exhausted life.  LOL!  We want to hear your rants and your praises.  We want to know about your ups and downs but often do not know what to say.  We try to keep things upbeat but don't mind sharing the realities of life at times too.  We open our hearts and connect deeply occassionally but really enjoy just shooting the breeze too. A favorite past time of lazy bees is connecting with others during actual events and sharing comments online.  Football season brings the lazy bees to life!  It's so fun to see the screen lighting up with all the cheers and scowls during football games.  Lazy bees also know how to use mobile devices during those times we are not so lazy.    Grammys and Music awards are another fun lazy bee past time.  We love to make comments about our stars and chat about everything from their looks and outfits to their voices and speech's during the show.  It's so fun to share this with so many others during the actual time of the show all from the comfort of your very own home.  We do this because we are lazy!  We're tired, but we ain't dead yet and we still want to connect.  We know you are busy too and we just simply enjoy the connection with others in a world where sits on the front porch with friends are very few and far between.


Well, that's my take on Facebook and all the bonus's of it.  Don't knock it until you've tried it!  Always remember how you use FB will not be the same as another.  There will be others like you and there will be others who are motivated entirely differently.   The choices are yours!  Thank you Mark for creating such a great tool for all of us to enjoy!  We really do appreciate it!!!