Celebrating Summer with Food and Friends

Once in a blue moon I'll use paper plates or just set out dishes on place mats with flatware and paper napkins when company is coming to dinner. But most often I just can't resist the reason to create a beautiful tablescape to share with you.

 This was the result of my whim to create when we invited our, sweet friend, Carolyn and her son for dinner last week...a black and white, summer checkerboard theme.

You may have seen, or missed, my post on our lazy susan with, Emma, my sweet, barnyard pig.

I love farmhouse style.


A few little changes were made that sparked my idea to use more of the letter cubes at each place setting.

It became the perfect way to blend the centerpiece while adding everyone's name to their settings.

If I had more time I would have strung some cord or embroidery floss through the holes to unite them.

Daisy napkin rings were perfect for the theme.

Black white and green layers mimicked the center of the table.

That's me..."JP"

Refreshingly delicious cucumber, lime and mint water was served in my grandmother's rosepoint pitcher.

Since this photo was taken I made another subtle change to the centerpiece and changed out the herb garden in our window.
It was time for a change of view...my herbs were struggling to survive, so I created a mid-summer display and will share that with you next!

 Love, Hugs and Kisses,
JP

and Gucci, too!

Can you see him? He's playing "peek-a-boo!"

 
 
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I have "Spring Fever" and My Lilac Ladder

I'm sure that you're all starting to feel it.....
the fever... 
the only one that feels so-o-o good!

Now, I've had mine for a while now. It started after our nasty winter  ice storm, several weeks ago, when branches and debris wrecked havoc all over the place. After a lot of labor and seeing how neat our yard looked again, that's when it hit me....my annual "spring fever." And of course I needed a cure, so off I went to the garden center and a flat of pansies and a few little herbs were the start of it all!

An old, wooden toolbox is the centerpiece for the table on the porch.

With realistic, faux, lavender resting inside.

This is it's wonderful detail from another past post.

Our favorite place to hang from spring through fall...

with a country vignette to sit and admire.

It's my chippy old shutter and my, hand painted, ladder.

I painted the lilacs about 15 years ago.

It's gotten pretty chippy over  the years....it makes me feel like painting, again!

"Gucci's" always lurking around!

I just love this wreath...it's simple and "springy"....not bad for a $2 fake!

Chippy, crusty love with a touch of shabby glam.

Another vignette to sit and admire.

My favorite, vintage watering can came out of it's storage...

sporting it's rusty, verdigris coat....LOVE!

 It then got moved to the wreath on the door.

It's the back entrance on our screened in porch, it enters into the Carolina room.

Vintage, green shutters and a primitive, red rocker make another corner vignette.

A rusty old campfire grate holds packages of seeds for display.

This is my birdcage, it holds an accumulation of corks and herbs. It was once in our old kitchen, you can see that post here.

I, actually, started my "springifying" outside...that post's not ready, yet. And I did do some spring changes in our kitchen with some ironstone and transferware.

You can see that post here.


I'll be back, soon, to share more changes inside and outside, too....just waiting for my jasmine to come into full bloom!

Love, Hugs and Kisses,

JP

and Gucci, too!

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

 

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A Candlescape in My Rusty Vintage Scale

Isn't it funny how some things, that most people just toss in the trash, get scapped up and loved by someone like me or maybe even you?

This rusty, old scale,  just needed a new purpose and using it as a hanging candlescape 
just seemed like a no brainer to me!

I found the perfect spot for it.... it, now, hangs in our living room's, front window.

 

 

It looks just right in between our, two, hanging, burlap planters.

 

 

 

 

 Rust with a little bit of glam...

 

my kinda style!

 

I'm sure this won't be it's only use...I'm thinkin' of a collection of old bottles, filled with fresh cut flowers, as we get closer to spring! 

 

Wanna see where I found it? It's the best place in Dutchess County!

 

 

Love, Hugs and Kisses,

JP

 

 

 

 

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Our White Fireplace & Mantel's Last Hurrah!

 The need to start some packing and a wee bit of spring fever resulted in
Our Mantel's Last Hurrah!

 Yes, that's right...a long distant move is on our horizon. I don't know how this, tremendously painful, move will go. We will be leaving our very special home and cherished offspring behind to a temporary place to call home. What to sell...what to take and how to NOT say, "Goodbye"...please, give me strength to persevere!

Thankfully, I have my new camera to make sure that we will have the best pics, we possibly can, of our home and those we are leaving behind :(

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Our fireplace was one of the many favorite features that stood out in our, formerly abandoned, house. The fireplace, once grey and charred from years of use, immediately got a fresh, white coat of fire retardant paint.
It is now our white beauty!

A mix of rustic collections with romantic pearls and lace are having their last show and will remain until we leave.

A favorite plaque takes center stage, with chippy shutters as a backdrop...

and other country favorites set off to the right...

A pearl collar necklace adds romance to a tiny white creamer filled with delicate baby's breath...

while vintage pearls and an old, ironstone pitcher command attention the left.

My new, little mirror (click the link to see more) and precious locket add a golden touch!

Vintage suitcases and a ribbon wrapped book flank the hearth, on the left, below....

a shabby, white basket holds heirloom lace, rustic strings and grandma's, very old pin....

and lace hearts on a pearl strand hangs off to the right.

Baby's breath in my little, copper, watering can and the loves of my life sit beside.

Always & Forever my babies they'll be!!!!

My posting will be slowing down, now...there's just so-o-o much that I have to do. I'll keep you posted on our progress and share some little projects, here and there, when I can.

'til next time......


Love, Hugs and Kisses
JP

Thank you to Stacey @ Embracing Change

for featuring my post

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