Spring Has Spring Indoors

This room was called the "gentleman's bar" by the realtor when we bought our house.  That's because it was owned by a bachelor and when he remodled, he made it larger than the kitchen!  Priorities!  So it is quite a switch when it goes from masculine to pastel spring decor.  Here, I've used part of my collection of LuRay dishes, a 40's era china that is perfect for spring.

Oh yes!  Quite a change!

I've used a pink kalanchloe plant from the grocery store in a twig bunny for the table.

He sits on an old Easter embroidered runner that I've had for years.

And, across the room, this little vignette 

 featured daffodils.

I'm not a huge fan of decorating with stuffed animals, but I love this cute bunny with a bee skeep on his sweater.

In the living room, this paper mache rabbit has a vintage wooden toy hoe.  I would love to find the perfect wooden rabbit to hold this hoe.

I did a post here on this sideboard display in the dining room.  I put it up early spring and keep it until after Easter.

Here's a close-up.

And over on this chest, I've used this reproduction Victorian rabbit piece.

Aren't they adorable?  There are even velvet pansies.

The guest powder room has a few Easter decorations, too.  I've used a Victorian reproduction rabbit here.

I just love the expression on his face!

And here's a velvet bird......

perched in front of a Queen's ware plate.

And this group of embroidered hand towels are ready for guests.  They arrive on Friday!  We can't wait!!!

Organza and Azaleas

If you've seen anything about the PGA Masters' Tournament held this past weekend, you know that Georgia azaleas are at their peak right now.  That inspired my table for this week.  I've always loved pink flowers with this organza and pique embroidered tablecloth, so this turned out very springy and pretty.

Soft pink and bright shades of green showed up so well on this white cloth.

Isn't this pretty?  It is so sheer that I just put a white cloth underneath it.

This is the edge with white pique and embroidery.

Here's the other inspiration for the table.  It's a handmade box that my dear friend just gave me.  It is so special and I'll treasure it for a very long time. 

Here's the stack of dishes.  It is topped with a pink cabbage leaf plate from Portugal.....

on top of a green salad plate from Target.....

placed on a white wicker patterned plate also from Portugal.

The pink stem is antique cranberry glass and the cut glass is Waterford Lismore.

The napkins are bright green linen ones from Homegoods under pique and organza ones that are the reverse of the tablecloth, but with the same embroidery.

The lucite napkin rings are also a gift and are very unusual, in that they hold a small resevoir of water so that you can add a flower or two.

Here's the resevoir on the right.

An azalea blossem and a native azalea bloom just fit and made a nice statement.

These were also the blooms I used in the centerpiece.  I filled a glass cylinder with pastel M & M's and  topped it with a glass plate holding a block of oasis. 

Our back yard is filled with these flowers.  We have probably a hundred regular shrubs and five or six native azalea trees.  I don't know the name of these double pink ones, but they are my favorite. 

This green plastic handled flatware is from World Market and looks like some very expensive French imported flatware.

These hand molded votives always add such hit of color.  I have them many places in our house.

Then for richness, I added old wooden candlesticks with these apple green Root candles.

Here's the sweet box opened with a bit of grass inside.  I can't decide what the bunnies are made of.  Some sort of molded or felted fiber.

Here's the artist's signature on the bottom.  I haven't had time to research her, but I'm pretty sure that she's from Michigan, or at least that's where Barb bought it.

These little flowers on the back are leather!

"Une Grande Fete".....how appropriate!!!

It's always a grand fete when Barb comes to visit!

Thanks again!!!!!!

To see more inspired tablescapes, be sure to log on to:

http:/betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com

for Susan's Tablescape Thursday  blog party!

The Best Spring Decoration Ever

Of all of the dishes, all of the serving pieces, and all of the decorations that I own, this hand painted wooden tray is my most precious posession.  My dad made the tray and my mom painted it.  She never took art lessons, she just bought some how-to books on tole painting and started painting.  She says that her hands won't allow her to paint anymore, so the pieces she did are all we'll ever have.  I treasure this so much. 

Here's the most special part....her sweet signature.

Do you have a most favored piece in your life?

Tartan Time Again!

It's time for Scott's Antique Market this weekend!!!  The second weekend of each month in Atlanta is always sort of abuzz with anticipation.  Two to four thousand dealers show up each month with their best offerings. 

I did a post on Craig Ringstad's incredible collection of tartan ware in February after I met him at his first Scott's show.  I was soooo blown away. 

Well, he gave me a call yesterday and said that he will be at the show this weekend!  Score!  Since he is not a regular, I can't give you his booth number until it is assigned, but I can tell you that he'll be in the north building and probably in the C area.  If you have an obsession interest in this, as I do, please stop by his booth and tell him that I alerted you to his collection.  He will be happy to educate you on all those beauties he has for sale.

Craig even said that he still has this charming little match pocket that I'm still drooling over.  I'm going to break my neck to try to get to Scott's to visit it!  What do you think?

Let me give you Craig's contact info:

Craig Ringstad

612-743-5753

ringcvr@msn.com

Wisteria and Wonderful Friends

Every now and then you have a dinner party that is so much fun that you know you'll remember it forever.  We had such a party Saturday night!  The wisteria was blooming, so it became the theme of the table and I added French zinc as the accents to go with the lavender and cream.

It was a soft look and just right for the occasion.

Each placesetting was simple and pretty.

Here's how the plates stacked up.

I started with "zinc" chargers.  These are really plastic charges from Old Time Pottery spray painted with a primer and then chalkboard paint.  Then using the side of a piece of chalk, just rub it in and wipe off.  I made these for so many people on my Christmas list this year.  I saw the tutorial on someone's blog and I wish I could remember where.  I'd love to give credit where it is due!

This looks like a Ralph Lauren pattern that I have admired, but it is Gibson china from Old Time Pottery.

Then the cabbage leaf dessert plate was added for the "something special".  These are very old and I'd love to have more.  I got them from a dealer at Queen of Hearts Antique Shop in Alpharetta, Georgia.

This French flatware adds more cream to the table.

I stuck a little bit of wisteria into every one's napkin ring.  These wire ones are from Pottery Barn this spring.  These lavender napkins are over stock from a party rental site.

I really have to learn to photograph glassware.  This is a light purple stem from Crate and Barrel and a Reidel stemless wine glass.

Every placesetting had a reproduction of a Victorian velvet bird at the top.  Aren't these wonderful?  They are from the floral wholesaler.

These salt and pepper shakers not only fit the color scheme, but felt like spring to me.

Pierre Deux makes this pewter cream pitcher.  Doesn't he make you smile?

I was going to use this basket for the rolls, but I ended up using it for something else.

This domed plate held the Parmesan crisps.  I found that I had lots of this wire look to put together.

Here's the pedestal I used for the floral arrangement.

Here's the bar set up for drinks.  It was such a beautiful day that we had them out by the pool, even though we were covered by pollen when we came in.

This was the most delicious cocktail that I've made in a very long time.  I'll post about the meal latter this week.  The blackberries made it tie in with the purple theme!!!

This is the dish of garnishes for the drinks.

Here's how I used the wire basket.  I put our monogrammed glasses for drinks in it with the lavender napkin.

These are my most favorite napkins in all of my linen closet.  They are antique ones that my mother found for us with our initials on them.  I've had them for years and they just get more beautiful with use.

Thanks, friends, for the memories!

Be sure to go to

betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com

for a great blog party of tablescapes.