Tuesday, April 29, 2014

My Kitchen Herb Garden & My Little Wheel Barrow

I really was enjoying the spring window display that I created back at the end of February. That was when spring fever first hit me and back when a few of my herbs were planted in some of my ironstone pieces. But, with no drainage, they were definitely headed for an early demise and I had to make some changes quick!
You can find that popular post here.

I've been dying to put my little wheel barrow back on display...it's been in hibernation since it was here for my fall display.

This little magnet is just hot glued onto the glass for easy removal. It's a very special gift from my daughter Shaine. I always have it on display somewhere in the kitchen!

The variegated, pink violets were a gift from, my sweet friend, Eileen :)

The vintage window had been collecting dust in the garage and was waiting for a place to use it. It totally changed the look of our bay window. It's so much more countrified now!

Scripted cardboard butterflies are hot glued here and there.



The little birdhouse got a facelift with the phrase from my tiny stamps.

I moved our cast iron lantern from the ladder in the living room and made some changes in there, now, too!

Our azaleas are almost finished blooming, now...it's time for the rhodies to pop!

Teenie terracotta pots got whitewashed and stamped to become herb markers.

I didn't have enough pots, so I made more markers with some clothespins.

My vintage copper watering can, with it's little fluted edge, hangs in a handy spot.







The details prove the age of my 1800's beauty.

Our lovebird's stayed put in the window vignette....the cup's just a little tipsy, now!

My rusty vintage scale has had a different use...it was a really pretty candlescape in this post here.

It's now holding some fresh cut mint and herbs cut for drying.

Snipping sheers in my new, little creamer...a sweet $3 find.

Here is how it all looks together. It's gonna be really hard to make another change come fall!

Our view out back used to be a bit more private. A dead tree had to be removed last fall. I hope the new one grows real fast, 'though the neighbor's are hardly ever there...it's just their occasional home.




This was how it looked last fall.
That post is here.

Lots more changes keep happening around here, so stay tuned for more, more, more!

 Love, Hugs and Kisses,

JP
and Gucci, too!




Visiting Southport,  N.C? be sure to stop by my booth @ the Northrop Antiques Mall and see what I may have there for you!




I just found out that this post was featured @  ivyandelephants .....thank you, Patti!

Monday, April 14, 2014

An Elegant Garden Theme Dinner for Thirty

We did it... our spring dinner in the clubhouse was another dinner party success!!!

The decor's garden theme inspirations.
Now, for those of you who might not know, we live in a beautiful, community in Bolivia, N.C. called River Run Plantation. It is where our Spring Dinner Party, for thirty guests, was held in our wonderful clubhouse.

I'm part of the social committee of which I have been asked to be in charge of planning and purchasing the decor for our very special gatherings and on rather tight budget.

And since our budget doesn't allow for fancy china and crystal the dollar store, my printer, a variety of crafts and some of my donated additions managed to make it look as pretty as could be.

I painted flowers on dozens of glasses and bowls and made music sheet posies with silverware tucked inside!

Allysum was planted in white painted peat pots and votives got accents in colors to match by some who volunteered to do some arts and crafts.

It all looked so pretty, just as I'd planned.

My "honey" and I were in charge of the menu.
I volunteered him to make his fabulous chicken francese and thankfully after hours of prep and cooking I'm happy to say that the meal was a huge success!

Most photos were taken during the day....though I wish you could have seen it at night!

The tablecloths were gathered and knotted to show the floral pattern at each end.....a brilliant idea by, Eileen, one of our members of our fantastic set up crew!

For our, last three, celebrations for Christmas, New Year's and Valentine's Day we made our own chair covers.....
this time we invested a mere $2 ea. for these universal beauties.
And since they were a bit too long and I feared that someone might trip on the overflowing satin, we tied each, at the bottoms, in pretty alternating knots. 
They were all then accented with mossy, green, organza bows.

Centerpieces were created from dollar store finds. Mossy faux painted pots were adorned with herb printed cards and tied with bright green ribbons.  Live, white ranunculas, faux additions and bright green spanish moss was then planted in each. Flickering lanterns on shepard's hooks and a trio of butterflies added the finishing touch.



 Art created by residents always enhances the room and fit it just perfectly....don't you agree?


  Wisteria grows wild all over the south, so fresh picked it made the room's column a real focal point. Even the wind chime had colors that so perfectly blended with the decor of the room.


My umbrella was perfect to hold this display and decorated a door in a really nice way.

Butterflies were added almost everywhere!

What a day it was, as you can see outside!

A pot from our yard was set in the entry

 that mimicked the theme of the centerpiece decor.


My angel, my Tanya, sat nearby too!

This was a little vignette creation that I brought from home that held a candle votive inside.

Lots of moss and votives were placed in the room.

Even my straw summer hat got a garden themed look with a little bit of added glam.

A butterfly stepping stone just propped in place added more interest to a rather plain space.

This was a gift from my long lost, friend, Pammy, that never fails to make me smile...
just the way she always did!

One last look at the room's decor and I hope that you enjoyed it all!

Now, I must conclude my post with a very special "thank you" to all of my team...Carolyn (our 1st lady in charge), Carol, Josephine, Sharon, Ann, Eileen, Kate, Hannah, Susan, my daughter Tanya and my husband Ralph for crafting, decorating and cooking and of course the clean up which all made this dinner such a great success!

 Love, Hugs and Kisses,

JP
and Gucci, too!


Visiting Southport,  N.C? be sure to stop by my booth @ the Northrop Antiques Mall and see what I may have there for you!
 
A very special "thank you" to Brooke from creativecountrymom  for chosing this post to be one of those featured at her party.


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