Pumpkins on the Patio

It's a beautiful fall day here in Alabama. 
That means temperatures in the 80's.  What a nice day to enjoy my terra cotta pumpkins on the porch.  It's too warm for a fire, but I'm enjoying this area of my yard without the benefit of the flames.

 There's a little breeze blowing so it's quite nice this afternoon.

 

 

I have planted a few pansies for when we have cooler weather.

 

 

I'm ready Halloween--

it will be here before we know it.

 

 

Now have you seen these at your local Wal-Mart? 

 Yes!  It's a vintage-style olive bucket planter! 

It's not as tall as my genuine olive bucket, so it is

perfect for the pot of mums that came with the bucket.

Aren't they just wonderful together?

Just right for enjoying on a fall afternoon.

 

 

I have a pot of rosemary on the table between the two chairs. 

 I love the smell of rosemary--so relaxing!

The comfy cushions are from World Market.

 

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Joining the Party at:


 

The Scoop at The Farmhouse Porch






Nifty Thrifty Tuesday with Coastal Charm


Mercury Glass Winter Table

   I love mercury glass!  Do you?  I started collecting mercury glass several years go and I use it to decorate my formal dining room table in the winter.  After weeks of Christmas decorations, I wanted to continue in the spirit of sparkle and decided to do it with silver mercury glass. My dining room doesn't receive much natural light so I don't always get very nice pictures of my table in the winter.  This year, though, I think I have done better--would you like to see?

 I used mostly my finials and my mercury glass trees with

 a few candle holders and my mercury glass birds.

I had been putting my decorations on just my white tablecloth.  It was an impressive display because I had a lot of pieces, but it didn't photograph very well  and I was tired of the look.  At some point this year, I decided I would add some greenery to my winter table.  I looked at the artificial greenery I had used on my mantel and thought when I took it down, I might use it on the table.  Then, I had an even better idea.....I would cut up our Christmas tree!  Our tree was super-fresh this year and was not dropping needles, so I thought, why not?? 

***Now, I have to say here, that for several years, my husband has been cutting up our Christmas tree (while it was still in the stand) when it was time to take it down.  Yup.  He takes the pruners and lops off a few of the larger and longer branches and escorts them outside.....so much better to do a few branches at a time than trying to wrestle a whole tree out the door!!! 

So this year, I snipped off the branches that I needed and when I needed more, I just went back to the tree.  I was very happy with the way things were turning out.  The tree still smelled so nice, too!

I had also decided that my white dishes looked pretty plain on my white table cloth.  I thought I would check out the area sales for silver chargers, but I didn't see any on sale.  Michael's had one for 1.99.  I needed six and I was feeling a little cheap, too, so I'm glad I didn't find what I thought I needed,  because I decided to use silver trays for chargers instead.  Why not!  IT WAS PERFECT!  Yeah!  Something I already had on hand--saving money and not having another set of chargers to store.

I have a number of silver trays.

This one is engaved and is from when

my aunt retired from teaching grade school for 34 years.

This one is engraved on the back with my wedding date

 and our names.  It also has the dates and names of my great aunt

and uncle who married in 1925 and then a cousin who married in 1976. 

I added  green glasses and green napkins with

silver snowflake napkin rings that I already had.

 

 Here's a picture from last year with the candles lit for an evening meal. 

 There's really no comparison to me.  I love the new look so much better!

  I used fewer pieces of mercury glass, but have a look that is new and fresh.

  I know I'll be cutting up the tree again next year!

WELCOME WINTER!

Joining the Party:


Between Naps on the Porch




Coastal Charm



  My Romantic Home


Table Top Tuesday with A Stroll Thru Life

WOW Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style
Party 100


Showcase Party



Time Travel Thursday

Happy Valentine's Day

I have not created a Valentine's Day tablescape before, but this year, I decided to give it a try.

I have these dishes that I got from

 Williams-Sonoma several years ago. 

Since they are red, I thought they would be

perfect for my Valentine table. 

They are Fulham by Spode.

I already had these red napkins and these red place mats. 

 I thought they looked nice together with the plates.

  

I also already had these little fabric and beaded

 hearts that I had bought several years ago. 

 I think they are actually small cocktail napkins,

but I decided to use them as coasters.

I got out my little faux boxwood topiary that

 I've had for several years but had not been using. 

 I was glad to have it out and on my table again.  

I really enjoyed taking these pictures because we actually had a sunny day. 

We've had a lot of cloudy days these last two months.

 I think my first Valentine's Day tablescape turned out great!

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Winter White

Several years ago, my local stores began to feature a lot of mercury glass during the Christmas season.  As I was unwilling to change my Christmas colors, I decided to use the mercury glass as a part of my winter table scape.  I was already using a winter theme on my table, but the addition of the mercury glass was really pretty. 

I have decided that I like shiny things. 

I have collected several boxes of mercury glass over the last five years.

  I start my table by unpacking and unwrapping each lovely piece.

 

Then, I start spreading out the trees and the candle sticks. 

 I like to have those spaced out evenly.

 

I take my Christmas decorations down before New Year's Day

and replace the Christmas finery with the shiny silver pieces.

I have several tall trees.  I secretly wish I had bought the over-priced five-tiered tree

from Pottery Barn that I saw this year.  They had some in the stores that weren't

lighted (the on-line ones were lighted) and a little bit cheaper.

Oh well.  I think I really have enough that it won't be missed.  I'm just being greedy.

I especially like to use a lot of candles on my winter wonderland table. 

  Many of the pieces that I have collected over the years can hold candles.

Around here in the south, we have to make our own snow.
 

I am trying to learn to take better pictures, but let me tell you that getting these pictures...which are okay-not wonderful, took several DAYS.  We had rain or overcast skies almost every day last week.  To make matters harder on me, our dining room only gets a little morning sun-and that is at an angle.

We have been eating our family New Year's Day meal at our home the last few years. 

 I use these antique napkins for the meal.  They belonged to my great aunt. 

 I like to keep the place settings clean and white.

Our table set for our dinner.

 

Here's our table with the candles lit.  It is a warm and pretty table set to welcome a New Year.
 

 

Joining the party at:

A Stroll Thru Life Table Top Tuesday

Our Christmas

I have not posted all the things that I had envisioned posting for the month of December.  I got off to a great start with two posts and then I'm not really sure what happened*.

I am a new blogger and I had dreamed of cozy posts of my Christmas decorations and seasonal events. I had dreams of joining blog link parties and reading everyone else's fun posts....but it didn't happen.

So here is a quick and belated tour of our home for Christmas.

This is my coffee table in my family room.

This is the view from our sofa in the family room.

The details of my mantle.

I got this sled last year on etsy. I love it.

Part of my Santa needlepoint pillow collection.

The desk in my family room.

The tree in our family room.

A table in my family room.

My German chocolate mold on my kitchen counter.

This is the table in my kitchen.

I found the Santa's Diner plates at Hobby Lobby last year and I couldn't resist!

My table in my dining room.

 The tree in our living room.

The foyer.

Our backyard fireplace.

It was warm many days in December, but we had a fire outside on Christmas Eve.

 I love to entertain, so I took a few pictures of my table,
plates and set ups during different occassions.

I love these little milk bottles.

My Mom and I had a coffee and invited friends over for a morning of fellowship.

My favorite Christmas ornament.

 An appetizer plate for Christmas Eve.

A cookie tray for a friend.

*I know what happened.  Life.  Our high school football season ended on December 2 and we attended the out-of-town game (my daughter is in the band).  WE WON the State 6-A Championship!  I took friends to the Montgomery Curb Market.  I volunteered at two schools. I decorated our home.  I helped decorate our church.  I helped with the poinsetta sale at church-unloading the truck and organizing orders. I delivered fruit from the band fruit sale.  My daughter was in the Christmas parade.  I attended the Girl Scout Leader's Meeting.  I got our Christmas cards ready and in the mail. I attended the Girl Scout Cookie Training Meeting.  I attended a Christmas luncheon. We attended our Sunday School Christmas Auction to raise money for our Christmas Family.  I had my Scout troop over to our house to decorate cookies.  I made extra cheese straws for a wedding.  We had our Sunday School Christmas party at our home.  My daughter had mid-terms.  We helped deliver Christmas presents and food to our Christmas Family. 
We went on a three day trip to celebrate our 19th anniversary.  My Mom and I had a coffee for friends.  My daughter had a Christmas Concert for band.  I made cookies for my daughter's teachers.  Oh, and I had a terrible headache and had to get a shot (I lost most of that week).  I cleaned house, cooked meals and took my daughter back and forth to school every day.  I made Christmas goodies for family and friends...all from scratch.  I shopped for presents and wrapped them up.  But I had a WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS and hope to do it all again next year.  I wouldn't do a thing different except BLOG ABOUT IT!!