Wednesday, April 27, 2011

More organic table elements...

Hi everyone! I wanted to share a very simple table setting with borrowed china from my mom and some everyday elements.
 




These dinner plates are "Fleur Rouge" by 222 Fifths, and my mom got them at Marshalls last year. I told her they would look great with my square, rattan chargers, so she let me have borrow them. I am seriously loving square plates these days and also these chargers, which came from overstock.com last summer.


I used my Mikasa "Italian Countryside" flatware, which I also love, and the same, everyday bamboo napkin rings. I made the napkins this spring, and thought the neutral color would be really nice with only the pop of red on the plates. 


The glassware is vintage "Whitehall" by Colony and we love them for everyday! I have them in different sizes and colors. I like the cubist pattern with the woven charger. 



I know you expected my usual tall candlesticks, but I decided to do something different...for me at least! I had these hurricanes and just filled them with glass beads and candles...


Of course, I cut some branches from my mother's yard and popped them into this antique basket of my grandfather's. 




This is just another simple setting that relies heavily on organic elements of wicker, greenery, bamboo, and wood.  So easy to pull together, but makes everyone feel special! 

Thank you all so much for visiting!! I have been very negligent in visiting but we are not only in the process of finishing our CD, we started tracking some vocals on a Gospel project my mother is working on, so we are keeping long hours getting it all done. We will release the first single soon, so I will let you all know when it's up on itunes. So much to do and so little time...

I'll be joining Susan for "Tablescape Thursday" at Between Naps on the Porch, so be sure to go by there.

Thanks for stopping by!!

Anita


Friday, April 22, 2011

Make an iron and wood table in 10 minutes for free!

Seriously. I'm not kidding.  I have rearranged the living room furniture and needed a small table by my husband's chair for him to set a coffee cup, etc., so I decided to repurpose an iron outdoor table I had on the porch.


Because my father recycles and reuses everything he can find, I knew I could find a piece of wood for the top. He recently had a truck load (not kidding) of scrap wood from a building site dumped delivered here. You would have to see it to believe it:-)  So I headed to the woodshop and found the perfect piece of pine already the right size and shape. He smoothed the edges on the belt sander, then drilled two holes in the top of the iron table to secure the top.


I sanded and distressed the top even more with chains and a chisel...



I then rubbed on some Minwax dark walnut stain and finished with satin polyurethane.


For some reason, it was really shiny, not satin, so I sanded off the shine. I am going to try paste wax at some point, but didn't have any here. This is the smoothest finish I have ever achieved even on this rough, scrap wood.


So here it is...


It's just the perfect size and height to go by this chair...







I had everything I used so it really was free. I'm learning from my father...

I really wish I could remember where I got the table. I think a set of these in different sizes would be really cute. 

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you all have a blessed Easter:-)

I'll be linking up to 

Furniture Feature Friday at Miss Mustard Seed,
Metamorphosis Monday  at Between Naps on the Porch
and 
Masterpiece Monday at Boogieboard Cottage
so be sure to go by there!

Anita






Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Nature-inspired Dogwood setting...

As promised, I set a table with the Dogwood centerpiece I showed you a few days ago. I did, however have to cut new branches. Live branches do not tend to last long regardless of how much water they get, but they are worth the effort.


Wanting to keep it natural, I stayed with brown and cream tones. I used my Mikasa "Italian Countryside" dinnerware and flatware along with woven placemats from Crate and Barrel. My mom gave me the American stemware glasses.







The napkins came from Walmart a few years ago and the bamboo napkin rings are from Bed, Bath and Beyond. You have seen those a lot in a lot of different settings.



Since Easter is coming soon, I thought I would share the legend of the Dogwood in case you have not heard it before.

At the time of the crucifixion, the dogwood had reached the size of the mighty oak tree. So strong and firm was the wood that it was chosen as the timber for Jesus' cross.

     To be used for such a cruel purpose greatly distressed the dogwood. While nailed upon it, Jesus sensed this, and in his compassion said. "Because of your pity for my suffering, never again shall the dogwood tree grow large enough to be used for a cross. Henceforth, it shall be slender, bent, and twisted, and its blossoms shall be in the form of a cross–two long and two short petals.

     "In the center of the outer edge of each petal will be the print of nails. In the center of the flower, stained with blood, will be a crown of thorns so that all who see it will remember." 








The centerpiece was inspired by the English tea pot, and I have paired it with vintage "Brown Drip" cups and saucers.


I probably would have chosen darker placemats, but I wanted to use what I already have and I love the light look of these...




I hope you are inspired to go outside and let nature guide you as you set a beautiful table for your family! 
I will be joining Susan for Tablescape Thursday so be sure to go by there for a visit!

Thank so much for stopping by here! Each of you is so special, and to celebrate reaching 300 followers, I'll be hosting a Mikasa giveaway soon. I love giving away things!!

I'm off to rehearsals so I'll be visiting later this evening:-)

Anita



Monday, April 11, 2011

Organic centerpiece...

If you have been by here much you know that I love to create centerpieces out of natural materials found on the property here. Now that Spring is here, I have been out gathering a few things!



But first, let me show you where I started from...


First, I had brown in mind and I wanted to use this little teapot from England my mom gave me.


I had the faux orchid in a pot, but really wanted something real. I decided to cut some Dogwood branches and put them in these floral tubes I had so wisely saved from some cut flowers.







I used things I already had then tied all the elements together with the addition of real branches. This is definitely not my usual style of centerpiece, but I am really enjoying something different. I might even create a tablescape around this later. You'll have to come back Wednesday to see! 
I'll be joining Marty's "Tabletop Tuesday" over at "A Stroll Thru Life" and Linda's "Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays" over at "Coastal Charm" so be sure to stop by there!!

Thanks so much for stopping by my home tour! I met a lot of new people, and I cannot wait to get around to visit you all!! 

Anita



Saturday, April 9, 2011

Home Tour...

Hi everyone! I hope you are having a great weekend! We are headed off to play/sing at a wedding this afternoon, and it's a gorgeous spring day!

I thought I would put together a little home tour with photos I already had and link up to Andy over at "Poppies at Play" for the first time. So come on up to the cottage in the woods...




We'll sit and chat in the living room...


Warm and cozy with English transferware, antique walnut sideboard, Persian wool rug, vintage lamps, family photos.


Vintage print...


Turkish lanterns, Talavera pottery, vintage lamp


...just a peak at the new built-in walnut corner cabinet as yet unfinished:-)


Maybe we can sit around the piano...


The dining room is in a state of transition right now with the new built-in walnut china cabinet my husband is making. so I'll show you these photos from last summer...

Fostoria "Baroque" candle holders, Duncan Phyfe style chairs, wormy chestnut table I made...


Let's make a cup of coffee...


More Talavera pottery...


Hall bathroom...




Cristian's bedroom, also in a state of transition. We will be painting more of a dusty blue now that we have found the airplane bedding.


The master bedroom...


Inherited antique spool bed from 1860s, vintage lamps, handcrafted side tables, antique rocker and chair, vintage watercolor



Victorian era dresser, vintage hatbox, lamp, candle holders


And the master bath...



My most popular photo on Houzz...this was a pot rack my mom gave me from JC Penney, and it works just great here in the bath. Unfortunately, they do not sell it anymore.


Let's head out to the back porch...



We will have our dinner out here on the porch and just enjoy listening the the birds and the rushing mountain creek.


Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed the tour! Thanks to Andy for hosting this fun party!! Be sure to go by "Poppies at Play" and take some fabulous tours:-)

Anita