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Saturday, February 27, 2016

Early Spring on the Table

We've had a lot of cloudy and dreary days here these last few weeks--have you?  I usually try to "cheer up" the house (and myself) by purchasing a few new house plants, redoing my tablescape in the kitchen and the vignette on my coffee table.  I usually switch out a few other decorative items in my family room to give that room a fresher look, too.  
I finally found some nice-looking little
 succulents and I decided that
 they would look cute
 in these vintage jello-o molds
 that I've been collecting. 

I have decided that I really enjoy layering 
pieces at my table.  Do you like to do this as well?

Look at all that precious sunshine streaming in--

 I used some bamboo place mats that I got several years ago at Michael's.  Then, I added burlap chargers from Hobby Lobby.

Next, my green dinner plates topped with a salad plate (Italian Countryside by Mikasa).  The napkins came from Pottery Barn.

The wooden bowls were some that I have had for some time. 
 The flatware is Nouveau by Gorham (discontinued).

I hope you are enjoying a lovely early spring afternoon.  

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Winter White with a Vintage Rhinestone Pin

A few days ago, I decided to use some white on my coffee table. The white looks so nice and clean and reminds me of the snow we don't get very often here in central Alabama.  :(
 Here's the complete look.
I started with a burlap runner on the top of the coffee table.
I added a tray that I had made from a chippy cabinet door.
Next came a pretty candle.
Then I used a piece of ironstone to hold a few interesting items.
And last, I put a nice fresh plant in an old planter.
Here are the details.

I like the frosty ornament with the pretty pin
 and the unexpected pine cone.
When I made the tray, I added these handles.  They are old galvanized pulls that I got at a flea market several years ago.
In this picture, you can see my fireplace with the cozy jugs
and the white architectural piece on the mantel.
I got the pair of Indian juggling clubs that I purchased 
from Miss Mustard Seed at The Market on 
Chapel Hill last October.  I just love them!
Now let's look at the last detail.  
A pretty rhinestone pin.
This pin was on my grandmother's wedding dress in 1929.
It looks so nice here-admired and on display (and so much
better than in a drawer--don't you think?)
Maybe there's a spot in your home that might need a change??
I'm enjoying this new vignette, but I know it will
change in a few weeks as spring approaches.

Have you made in changes in your home recently?  

Joining the Party:

The Crowned Goat


Talk of the Town Link Party

FRENCH COUNTRY COTTAGE

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Thursday, February 4, 2016

Bees and Tea

Since Valentine's Day is almost here, I thought I write a little bit about HONEY.  Well, not like your sweetheart honey, but the honey that comes from bees.  In October, I got to help a friend harvest some honey.  I thought I was going to be watching, but he had a protective suit for me to put on so I was right in the middle of the harvest. 
It was very exciting!!

Our friend has a number of hives on his property 
and these are the ones we worked on that morning.
Before we got started, he explained what 
the inside of the hive would look like.
He made a little fire in the smoker.
It was my job to use the little billows to keep 
the fire /embers active so that they would 
produce the smoke that keeps the bees calm.
My sweet husband, without a protective suit, 
took the pictures from a safe distance.
The hive was opened and I got my first
 look at the bees inside with the honey.

He used a clean, dry paint brush
 to gently sweep the bees from the honey comb.
Can you see all the bees in the air
 in this picture?  I felt completely safe! 
He didn't take all the honey from the hives.
He left honey for the bees so they won't
 starve during the winter.
My husband told me that there were a lot of bees on my suit---
well, sure--it's because I'm so sweet! ;)

He put all the frames, filled with
 honey/honeycomb, in this box.

We went in the barn where he was extracting
 the honey from the waxy honeycomb.
He had been working on his 
harvest for awhile....he had a lot of honey!
I brought home a frame filled with the honeycomb.

The honeycomb's chambers were filled with honey. 
 When I sliced off the top of the chamber, the honey came right out.   
 Yes, it was sticky.  Yes, it was yummy.  And yes, I chewed
honeycomb.  I actually chewed enough honeycomb
 that I began to feel like I was chewing tobacco
 (not that I actually know what that's like).
I got a quart jar of honey from my frame.

My husband has enjoyed his coffee sweetened with the honey.
I watch my caffeine in the afternoons and I've
found a Tazo tea called Wild Sweet Orange. 
 It's delicious--  very fragrant and no caffeine.
   The perfect cup of tea on a chilly afternoon--
sweetened with a little bit of honey.



A beautiful fall day in Alabama.

Joining the Party:

Rattlebridge Farm

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