A Table of Many Faces

I was inspired by this picture from my new issue of House Beautiful magazine 

to make a change with my entryway table.

 I decided to enlarge my table  so it could hold a better arrangement of things.

I already owned a 38" glass top that we weren't using any longer so I laid it on top of the 30" top of this table and it helped immensely.

I simply re-used things that I already had on the table and added the box 

on the right and a couple of magazines below the faux book/box.  I angled them like in the picture and added flowers to the vase that I centered like in the picture. I already had the candle holder but mine is much taller.  My burlap tablecloth is too short now and I need to figure out what to do with it.  I could add a band of color below or something like that. 

I did try it with a white candle but it looses something. 

 I'm keeping extra votive size candles and holders in the box.  Mixing the different scents in one box ends up to be a treat- it smells so good to open it up!

This votive is all glass with an interesting finish on it.  The brilliant gold is so reflective it looks like it has a candle lit in it all the time.  The dark exterior makes it look like it's metal.

I've showed this table many times with different arrangements

some much better than others!

 As you can see adding the extra 8" made a difference

My table still isn't as big as the inspiration photo but I'm real happy with the extra size I gained by adding the glass top.

This is one of those compressed board tables I ordered from Ballard Designs a few years ago.  It has room underneath to hide a few things which comes in real handy!

I'm joining the following parties-
Dwellings- The Heart of Your Home for Amaze Me Monday

A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday 

Ivy and Elephants- What's it Wednesday

A Delightsome Life- Home and Garden Thursday

Thank you Kathy for the feature

Have A Daily Cup Of Mrs Olson- Share Your Cup Thursday #100

French Country Cottage- Feathered Nest Friday

It's that time of year again!

Well- here we are one more winter has gone by and we're back outside working on our yard.

I raked and raked to get the old grasses and oak leaves out of the bed.  I was so mad to see how the oak leaves managed to cover my entire garden bed.  I'm sure they provided some insulation so perhaps that's a positive way to look at it.

 My Queen Elizabeth Rose looks terrible.  I think those deep freeze temps we had this winter took it's toll.

I cut it down real short in hopes that something will come alive.  This is why I don't invest much in roses.  I may be premature- I guess I'll know in the next two weeks.  There is some white stuff on it too that looks like mildew- probably not good either?

  As evening was setting I noticed a turkey fly up into the tree.  They sleep up there which I find interesting.  Sorry about the poor quality picture.

She's settled down on the branch for the night.

I took this on the 22nd.  We had a snowfall during the night.  It was the last laugh from nature I guess.

Thankfully it warmed up and we had some nice rains that got rid of all of this!

I took this on the 27th!  So thankful for the rapid change!

We brought out the lawn furniture from the storage shed and I put out some pottery pieces to stare at and and dream about what I'll be planting.  

The Great Flood

Boy what a difference a day makes, or a week! 

Just last weekend I was at my Mother's for Easter and Friday night one of my sister's gets a panic call that there is standing water in the kitchen and it's moved into the living room!  

That's saturated carpet you're looking at and as it turns out the little bathroom off of the utility room sprung a leak at the toilet.  The house is built on a slab so there isn't anywhere for the water to go.  There is a drain in the floor in the utility room but it couldn't keep up.

So the next day one of those companies that handles flood recovery came to the house to start sucking out the water and trying to dry everything.  They pulled the moldings off too create separation from the drywall.

Sister Sherry has taken Mom to her home to stay through all of this.  They had to turn the water off to the house and obviously she can't walk around there very easily at this point.  Time to contact a plumber and fix the problem that started all this!  Hard to believe that in just a few days how things changed!

The furniture was hurriedly moved away from the soak zone to keep it from sitting in water- mind you this started around 9 pm Friday night. 

 So thankful my sister and her husband were able to help her out,

They spray some material on to inhibit the growth of fungus/mold.  They've got demhumidifiers and dryers running, but I hope the insurance company will replace the carpet because somehow it seems to me that the carpet will never be the same after this. 

My sister Jen has been updating me with pictures and information.  Isn't it wonderful how these smart phones can keep us connected in an instant!

I'm so grateful my sister's are there to help Mom out like this.  I always feel so guilty being so far away.  

Feeling Nostalgic

 This pictures was taken of 3 of us in 1958 across the street from the house.  Sherry is holding me, and Jen is smelling a flower from the apple trees.

I wish it was still like that across the street, but now it's all houses.

Other than that I got outside, and did some spring clean-up over the weekend and brought out some pottery so I can dream about what I'm going to plant in them.

  I guess I'm going with white pottery on the deck this year!

I'm joining
Between Naps on The  Porch for Metamorphosis Monday

Easter and Family Time

We had a pleasant visit with the family and the weather couldn't have been better for our Easter party. It was 70 degrees and the only rain we saw came later on Monday. 

 I used my mother's fine china (Mikasa Remembrance) and

some Easter colored paper napkins.  I forgot to bring my cloth ones.

I made up a center arrangement with things I brought down from my house and a couple of Mom's candlesticks

Mom used to be active in a ceramics class and made things like the bunny she gave me that I used in the garden cart.  I surrounded it with more rabbits and chicks and as you can see even my green matts that I used at home.

We live 250 miles north and it's too much for the whole family to come to my house so I come down for the holidays.

 I used faux eggs and seated this egg holder in a bed of excelsior in the woven nest. 

 I bought Mom some cut tulips.  I found this pitcher on the hutch and since it was covered in flowers I had to use it!

Pretty!

I set up a mini station for punch and snacks on Mom's tea cart.  I forgot to take a picture before anyone had started to use it. I used things from around her house. 

 A special surprise when one of my nephews showed up that we never get to see!

Greeted by everyone with big hugs!

 My niece Jess made a lamb cake and she stuck a Happy Birthday on it for me.

(It was an add-in per my daughter's request- my birthday was in March)

His little ears didn't show up much in the picture I took but it was cute!

Mom's living room is combined with the dining. We had the table extended fully so it uses some extra floor space.  My Mom's home stopped in time after my Dad passed in 1991.  Other than some paint and carpet things haven't changed much.

 I emptied the coffee table and re-did the layout. I added the runner and the lambs and put the grass and eggs in her crystal basket.  I staged all the candle holders around and selected a few of her blue and white decorative accents to add to the vignette.  She really liked the angle I created and the change with the candle holders so I think that might stick for a while. 

I did something similar for Easter a year ago.  You can see the link to that post "here"

On our way home we stopped in Frankenmuth, MI to have dinner at Zehnders.  This was a display at a water fountain that's not running just yet.

The whole town is set up with a Bavarian theme.

This is the restaurant. Famous for their family style chicken dinners.  You get so much food that you have more than enough for another meal from it with take-home.

These magnolia trees had started to bloom and the fragrance was wonderful!  The air was just right and you could smell them as you walked by.  What a perfect end to a nice warm and happy weekend!

I hope your Easter was great too- I sure needed it!  

I will be joining

Between Naps on the Porch for

Tablescape Thursday

I Went To A Garden Party

Okay maybe I really didn't go to a garden party but I did go to the garden center I wanted to get to when I went down to see the family for Easter and we did have a party!

My Mom (age 91) She enjoyed the tour

A bounty of color!

Orchids are amazing

The pool where the mermaids were in my last post.  A company that puts in yardscapes must be paying to have this display at the garden center.  I saw some signage with their name.

  

We both liked this metal gazebo and I wanted that fairy but it was slightly out of my budget!

My big purchase-  4 succulents.  I have two at home 

that I plan to pot up with these.

Mom decided cut tulips were plenty so I got her a bouquet of these

fancy tulips.  I used one of her decorative pitchers which just happened

to be covered in it's own floral bouquet!

Pretty!

Easter party.  There were more people but this was the only shot with people at the table.  I blurred it out to protect the innocent!  LOL  I'm the 2nd one on the right in the floral shirt (go figure!)

On Monday we went home and stopped in Frankenmuth, Michigan 

a Bavarian themed town.

We ate at Zehnders Restaurant

It was 70 degrees- amazing!

The magnolias were starting to bloom.  The air was just right

and we could smell them- it was such a treat!

So that was my Easter weekend- turned out great! 

Thankful to see family and enjoy great weather!