EASY TABLE SCAPE

     I put together this easy tablescape last week.  It's perfect for right now --since summer is winding down and it's still a bit early for fall décor. 

I started with a lovely linen cloth that is actually upholstery fabric I got from Hobby Lobby.  Then I used two eucalyptus garlands I got a few years ago at Target-Hearth and Hand.  I pulled out almost all of my brass candle sticks.  I have a lot!  They were popular wedding gifts when we got married. I used white tapers in the candle sticks.  Last, I set the table with vintage silverplate-Adoration.  Ironstone dishes and faux wood chargers also from Hobby Lobby.  The napkins came from Belk.  

Lemon Cranberry Roll

I haven't blogged in several years...I hope I remember how to do this.  I'm sharing a delicious dessert recipe with you today.

It looks difficult, but this Lemon Cranberry Roll is so pretty for a special occasion, and it is fairly easy to make.

Ingredients:
1 (16 oz.) box angel food cake mix
3/4 cup powdered sugar, divided
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 lemon (zest the lemon and squeeze the juice--a room temp. lemon does better.  Do not zest the white of the lemon-just the yellow skin)
8 ounce package Cool Whip, thawed
1 cup raw cranberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Preheat over to 350.  Line a 17 x 11 jelly roll baking pan with parchment paper--DO NOT use any oil spray, butter, etc. to grease the pan.  Prepare the cake mix according to directions -spread batter evenly into the pan.  Bake 20-30 mins.  Cake will be brown and spring back when lightly touched in the center.  

Prepare a soft kitchen towel by spreading flat on the counter and dusting/sprinkling it with 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar.  Remove cake from the oven and remove from the pan (run a sharp knife around the edges).  The parchment will greatly help with this part.  
Once cake is out of the pan, place it on the prepared kitchen towel-browned top side down.  Remove the parchment paper and roll the hot cake in the towel to form the log shape.  Let cool (several hours).

Chop the cranberries and place in a bowl with the 1/2 cup sugar.  Stir.  As cake cools, periodically stir berries a few more times.

When cake is cool, mix the filling.  Cream the cream cheese and the remaining 1/4 cup of powdered sugar.  Add lemon zest and juice.   Unroll the cake.  Spread the filling to the edge.  Then spread the cranberries on top-almost to the edge.  Roll the cake back up and place on a serving dish with the seam side down. Refrigerate. 

When ready to serve, dust (using a strainer) the top of the cake with additional powdered sugar.  Garnish with whole cranberries and rosemary or evergreen steams.  Cut an serve with a bit of whipped cream, if desired.

These pictures aren't the best-didn't even think I would use here on my long-neglected blog.  BUT---I remembered how to blog and have posted after a long absence.  

Happy New Year!

Indoor Garden

I do some gardening and I especially enjoy my planted containers (we have red clay, so planting in containers really works for me).  It's starting to heat up here in Alabama and with that comes humidity (aka bad hair life) and mosquitoes. 

Today, I'm bringing the outdoors--

 into the dining room.

I've gathered a number of items to use

 on my table that says vintage spring garden. 

I used this idea when I hosted my garden club meeting this month. We have refreshments before the meeting and I think my ladies enjoyed my garden tablescape.  Since we were celebrating Mother's Day at our home this year, I kept the table decorated and added place settings for the meal.  

If you want to see my Mother's Day Heritage Table from last year, click HERE.

I got this rabbit at a garden center several years ago.  It was planted with ivy and did very well.  Over the years, I've replanted it, but this year I decided to just add fresh moss (you can find sheets of moss in the floral department of Hobby Lobby).  The bunny is sporting a fresh large bow--I already had the ribbon on hand.

I found little birds' nests at Hobby Lobby, too.  I used them at Easter and kept this one out for this table.  Now, here's the crazy part.....I got the bird eggs at an estate sale.  The lady apparently was a crafter and I found real bird eggs among her craft items. 

I've recently enjoyed attending estate sales and found two brass hose nozzels among the "dirty stuff" in the shed.....the moss rocks came from Dollar Tree.  
The white planter came from the estate sale, too.

Love the cool old scissors....I guess they were for the garden....can anyone help me with this???   Estate find, too.

Replacement rain gage glass cylinders, a seed packet

 for color and two vintage floral frogs. 

 A glass floral frog, another nozzel and some vintage clippers.

Another pair of clippers--these belonged to my Dad.  

You could easily use seed packets at each plate for a place marker.

I added a few plants from my back porch for color.

You could put cut flowers in a small vase instead 

of little plants if you had those instead.

I guess it was a natural direction for me to go....I love gardening and I love vintage items....a vintage indoor garden tablescape is the result when these two passions met.

I think you can use this idea for several other occassions-a spring birthday or maybe a bridal shower or baby shower.

Plates: Italian Countryside

Burlap charges:  Hobby Lobby

Napkins:  Belk

Silverplate flatware:  I need to research the pattern

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Easy Spring Herb Table

I enjoy changing out my tablescapes. Sometimes a little change can go a long way when you're busy. I have an easy spring table to share today---it's pretty and doesn't take much time to put together. 

I picked up a few fresh pots of herbs at my local store.  I picked out herbs that I will plant later for cooking--thyme (lemon and German) and oregano. I already had the clay flower pots and the small saucers for the pots.  I have a river birch in my yard and it often sheds large pieces thin bark in the winter.  I save the larger pieces because they are interesting and I'm "always" sure I can do something with them.  So this spring, I put a piece under each potted herb.  I like the way it looks--interesting texture.  

I added Italian Countryside plates, burlap chargers and vintage silver plate flatware. 

I found this wonderful demi-john at a local antique store at a great price!  I also added a lovely piece of lace for a table runner.

  

  

Are you doing anything special this spring using fresh herbs?  I'd love for you to share your ideas with me!

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Spring Break Coffee Table

I enjoy decorating my coffee table.  I don't paint or move my furniture, but I do try to freshen up my family room by making a few changes each month.  Today, I'm sharing with you a coffee table idea that I've had in mind for quite some time.  It's a vignette on my coffee table that calls out Vintage Spring Break in all capitol letters!!

I purchased the flamingo planter last November--I have to admit,

 I passed it by at the church sale a couple of 

 times before I decided to buy it.

 I then found the metal Florida souvenir bowl

 and my idea for the coffee table began to take shape.

The bowl is appealing with it's still-bright colors. I believe the bowl is from the early 1970's as it has Disney World noted on the map.

I already had the vintage postcards that I received from a sweet friend.   

I used a burlap runner (for my sand) and a blue tray I made and painted with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in duck egg blue (for my water).  I also added a few shells that I've picked up on beach walks.

My final addition to the coffee table is of course, a book about the beach--Mary Kay Andrews' Beach Town.  And, have your heard????Mary Kay Andrews has a 100 page novella that will come out on April 5th entitled, Change of Scene.  It's a prequel to Beach Town and it will only be available as a e-book.  

It all comes together for a fun Vintage Spring Break Coffee Table. It brings back memories of family trips of the past and a few trips I hope to make in the future.

What about you?  Do you have some nice spring break memories? Did you get to go to the beach or maybe the mountains for a quick spring break getaway?  I'd love for you to share a memory today!

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Home Sweet Home

And It Looked Like George Washington

I saw this sweet little lamb cake pan at an antique store a few weeks ago and I just had to get it.  It's one of the heavier pans (not aluminum).  Most people would use this pan to bake a cake.  Well, I bought it for a table centerpiece... and because it brought to mind a funny story my friend told me years ago.
I have a friend who doesn't cook...well she can, but cooking is kinda an "adventure" for her.  She has a nice collection of china...various patterns and all of them are so pretty.  I remember she once said, "I might not cook much, but I can get something at the store, bring it home and make it look good on my plates."   

She is one of the smartest ladies I know and she is well-versed on a large number of topics.  And her memory-wow-amazing!

So here's the story:

     Years ago, my friend was making a lamb cake using a pan similar to the one above.  The cake was going to be used as the centerpiece for her Easter table.  She had a friend over--"because I would never have made a cake alone."  So they were working together to make the cake and realized (when she took a sample) that they forgot to add the sugar to the cake.  So, they made a second cake. When they were taking the cake out of the pan, the lamb's head fell OFF! 

She told me that they ended up icing the PAN and using it as the centerpiece!!  She said they tied the pans together with a string and then they iced it.  She said when they finished with the lamb's ears, it looked like George Washington!

So here's how I made my centerpiece.  

I decided to start this project late in the afternoon, so I wasn't really interested in going to the store.  You can buy moss-covered wreaths in most craft stores, but I had these items on hand and I decided to use them instead.  I decided to press in the sharp edges my foam wreath--you can see how much softer the edges look now.  I just pushed in the edges with my fingers.  Then, I hot-glued the sheet moss to the wreath.  It was pretty easy to cover.  The moss shed a bit, so I was glad I did this step outside.

Then, it was time begin my Easter table design.

  This is a hydra pick. 

 You can fill it with water and then put small flowers or greenery in the small hole.   You can add flowers to spots that might prove to be problematic without the hydra pick.  I picked a few azaleas, some violas and a couple of sprigs of a kimberly fern to add some color to my wreath.

I got out this piece of hand-made lace.  

I'm not sure who made it, but I would guess it was my grandmother. 

 I know she knew how to tat.

I used a burlap charger and added my Bordallo Pinheiro cabbage leaf plates.  Yes, I think I got them with the encouragement of my friend who likes china, but who doesn't cook too often.  I added napkins with wicker napkin rings.  I used vintage silver-plate flatware.  I know I bought the silver-plate with a friend who doesn't cook too often..... It's always nice to have friends that understand that you just want things you really don't need :) 

 Here's a final look at the place setting.

Dear sweet little lamb--you make me smile for so many reasons.  

I wish you all a joyful Easter season!
HE HAS RISEN!

Sources:  chargers (Hobby Lobby), plates (Williams-Sonoma), napkins (Belk), napkin rings (Target) 

   

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                                   Between Naps on the Porch Tablescape Thursday