Blue Skies

I’m feeling blue today…

Happy Blue….Bright Sky Blue…Turquoise Water Blue…

Blue Eyes Blue!!!!

We’ve almost made it through Winter and there is a promise of blue skies ahead!!  My blue-eyed Mom created a sweet blue tablescape to share with you today.  Her lovely friend, Laurie Mace created the placemats and runner.  Take note of the quilted trivet, isn’t it adorable?.  Laurie is a quilter par excellance! If you are lucky you may be able to catch her browsing the bolts at Endless Mountain Quiltworks in Tunkhannock, PA. The snowflake candleholders were a gift from a secret sister at church.  The lovely oval tureen was a yard sale find for a whopping $1.00!  We have Uncle Jacks oval restaurant ware dish from the turn of the last century! Each place setting is layered, beginning with Cobalt Blue Fiesta plates used as chargers.  Next we have W.H. Grindly and Co. dinner plates in the Malta pattern. The wide band on these transfer ware plates has a trellis feel and dates to about 1900.A birds eye view of the charming quilted placemats.  Standing in as butter plates are little decorative ornaments  from Denmark. Simple white china bowls and napkins add a crisp touch while curly willow branches complete our tablescape.

Blue skies
Smiling at me
Nothing but blue skies
Do I see
Bluebirds
Singing a song
Nothing but bluebirds
All day long

Irving Berlin

We are linking up to Susan’s Tablescape Thursday Party at

Between Naps on the Porch!

Gone out singing the blues….

 

Scarlet

Teeny Tiny Tablescape with Presence!

Even though my Mom, Sister and I weren’t

together for Valentines Day this year, my

Sister wanted to do something to let us know

she was thinking about us. We each received

an email with a picture of her little

Valentine tablescape.

The message read “can you guess which is

yours?”

Mom and I hurriedly called each

other to discuss this mystery!

Mom reported that Laur had recently

attended a private showing of antique dishes.

Hmmm, very interesting!

“Mmmm, ruffled chargers! I always

wanted them!”

“They were from her Christmas cookie

exchange” Mom said.

“Drat!”

“I know which is mine” she

laughed!

“Laurie knows I collect Ruby Crown

glassware and that looks like a candy dish for

me!”

And there it was…a beautiful

pedestal dish made of Ruby Crown glass…

“How bout those two goblets? she knows I

love stemware”

“No, she bought those for that other

tablescape, remember?”

“No, Mom I don’t, okay I really like that

tiered cake plate.”

“That isn’t a cake plate!”

“She has stacked her three pink cake stands

on top of each other”

Very clever, I thought.

“Well I know she had those little pink

depression glass plates, they can’t be for me.”

“I don’t think she had any pink depression

glass.”

“Are you sure?, because I have been dying

for some! they would go great with my

green ones!”

“I think those must be it!”

“Mom, hold on..”

I quickly dialed Laur’s number and added

her into our call.

“You’re both right!” she exclaimed.

“I can’t wait for us to get together in March

and play with our new dishes!”

Gone to dig out the green depression glass!

 

Scarlet

Join us at

Between Naps on the Porch

to celebrate Tablescape

Thursday!

Open wide and say ahhhh!

About 20 years ago Mom found an old dentist’s cabinet and it was just calling her name!  She had a vision of what she would make it look like…

With all the snow….(Mom and Dad live in the ‘snow belt’…northeastern PA) they have been getting a lot of projects done.

The cabinet and the doors are wood.  You can see how dark the doors and trim were before the sanding and painting.  After the primer the whole thing was sprayed with Heirloom White.

The glass knobs are the original ones.  The cabinet is accessorized with white pitchers Mom has collected over the years and some of her prized milk bottles.  Reminders of a simpler time, when you went to the front door to find your milk and eggs!  She used salt in the milk bottles to give the effect of milk within them.

The finished cabinet hangs in the entry to her beautiful country  kitchen.  A bright spot on a winter’s day!

We are joining…

White Wednesday at Faded Charm Cottage

WOW Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Met Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

I’m off to get a glass of fresh milk!

Scarlet

 

Ice Queen drags Winter away in her sleigh!!

Crystania, the ice queen is flying over the land,

wrapped in the frosty cloak of winter made by her hand. 

slicing the ice, the sleigh blades hiss,

the thunder of hooves echo in the mist.

The slanting rays of winter set fire to the ice.

  Her late start on this journey will exact a dear price!

  Hurry! She calls to her faithful steed.

The warm breath of Spring is upon us, take heed!

To the north, where the Winterhaven lies!

We will rest ourselves there, spending  months out of sight.

Then, we return to the south and capture the night!

I remember the Snow Queen from the Hans Christian Andersen story, that I read as a child.

I was thinking this year the idea of an Ice Queen might be a bit of imaginative Christmas Decorating.  So with that idea tucked into the back of my mind.  I kept my eyes open for just the right elements.

On a trip to Goodwill I found this neat gold sleigh just crying out to be transformed!

I didn’t really remember to do a before shot of the sled!

But, the holly leaves were painted green and the little berries were wrapped on with wire.  Here is the work in progress!  After a few coats of silver spray paint, the sleigh began to look like my vision of the Ice Queens mode of transportation!  Next, I found an old tree topper angel at a yard sale for a dollar.  Here is the angel before her

makeover. 

.

In this picture I have brushed a light pearlized paint on her

face so her complexion has a colder look.

Below you can see the detail a little more.  After painting her skin and makeup, I added glitter to her hair.  I glued softer, curving feathers for a headdress and a fan of stiffer feathers for her collar.  Curling around her hair are pearls and silver bullion.  Her staff is stolen from a Santa!  I added some crystal earrings/drops to her staff and bodice.

Her waist is circled with two frog closures I inherited from my friend Amy!  Suspended from her sash with silver bullion are an abalone accented sterling pendent, an enameled snowflake, a heart pendent and a crystal wrapped in silver.

She guides her sleigh with reins made of pearls and blue satin ribbon.  Her reindeer is bridled with pearls and rhinestones.  Her head proudly displays a white feather plume and her slender neck is accented with silver mesh.  Don’t forget to notice her marabou boots to keep the chills at bay! 

It is the end of my story and she really must fly. 

The Ice Queen is eager to get to the sky.

My buffet, it glowed with the silver device,

‘Til next year, she comes back, o bright Queen of Ice!

The Ice Queen will be showing up on:

 White Wednesday at Faded Charm Cottage

 Met Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

Wow us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

 Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Chic Cottage 

Stop by and visit these parties, you won't believe the fun stuff you will see!

Gone to look for snow vanishing in the sky!!

Scarlet