Fishy Business

We are joining Susan at
Between Naps on the Porch for Met Monday. 

Check it out, there are tons of great ideas!  
Just click on the butterfly!

FISHY BUSINESS!

Well, Mom has been 'yardsailing' like a madwoman lately!!  Here is her latest haul and her newest redo...

Cute oil lamp=3.00, old lunch pail like grandpa had=.50, 

repro tin coke trays 5.00ea!!! (Dad bought these...

he doesn't know a ripoff when he sees one uses up too many resources and is banished from future sales), welcome sign for hunting cabin=5.00 (Dad too) and old aquarium stand=2.00. 

The oil lamp and stand were sanded and then spray painted. 

Oil rubbed bronze is used on the lantern and black satin on the stand. 

Next the stand was topped with a piece of marble rescued from a building demolition in Philly. 

The marble is the perfect fit and needed nothing done to it! 

The birds are Dollar Store and the chamber pot was an inheritance from Grandma's!!!  

All paintings and flowers done by Mom.

Dad just finished the stone on the front of the house and installed the door with sidelights. 

Next he will paint the storm door black. 

(Ignore the broom behind the door! which I didn't have time to move photoshop out!)

Total cost for front door vignette?...5.00!!!

Voila!!

WHITE WEDNESDAY, TOO!!

SHABBY CHIC CHANDY!

Now that we are actively involved in blogland, The urge to paint everything white has come over me!

I have had this chandelier for probably 20 years.   

It is hard to see with the little corner shelf behind it.

I remembered to take a before pic just after we Future Colonel Scarlet started to paint it! 

 

You can notice that the flowers were a creepy peach color and the leaves are green.  The overall color was a yellowey cream. 
The chandelier was made in Italy.  So, I liked it automatically!!
Hey, my maiden name is Balboa!!

After a few coats of bright white paint and some trips to Home Depot the lamp was spiffy and rewired.
Remember, this light hadn't been used or even hung in a least 20 years.

Pardon the wall color! 

That was a serious mistake I made by listening to my teenager's opinion! 

I have Marta Stewart's Fortune Cookie picked out for the walls.

The little server reflected in the mirror was a gift from my Mom

and there are parts of future tablescapes scattered around!

I found the mirror at GW for 25.00! and will be painting it white.  

I just love it and every time I look at it I feel happy!

Check out Faded Charm Cottage for White Wednesday...

Just click the picture below.

We are joining the Tablescape Thursday party given by Susan at Between Naps on the Porch please visit her site to view lots more 'fun with dishes' blogs!!

Mom, Laur and I have been busy this month  !!!

In June we graduated 2 children, attended the graduations and parties of 3 others, traveled through 6 states, attended 2 weddings, became a mother-in-law and retired (again)! Not to mention searching for a new place to live, stopping to honor the Dads involved, wishing ours a happy 73rd birthday and attending farewell parties for yourself!

Whew! And I though May was a big deal! That was childs play!

Today is the first of July and I am terrified of what this month has to offer. It better involve serious hours by the pool is all I can say!!

On to tablescape land!!

Let's start with Laurie's

Samantha quietly enters the darkened room. She breathes a sigh of relief when she catches sight of the beautifully set table. A few of her fellow graduates are about to arrive and it has been a truly busy spring.

As usual Mom has thought of everything and the table is ready for a relaxing luncheon with friends. The atmosphere is tranquil.

When the ladies arrive at the table they find pale green silk kimonos, embroidered with lavender peacocks waiting at their seats.

The damask napkins are rolled into bakelite rings balanced by chopsticks from takeout nights!

A light sushi meal has been prepared. The young women enjoy the exotic food in candlelight and the fragrance of fresh hydrangeas.

  Recapping the best and worst moments of the last four years, the conversation turns to plans for the future and each girl confesses her dreams and wishes, feeling safe in this quiet circle of friendship.

 As lunch comes to a close, Samantha hears a knock at the door. When she opens it she is greeted by two women equipped to give massages and pedicures!
"awwww mom"

 The girls are excited by their good 'fortune' and laughingly rub Buddha's belly for good luck!

orange melamine plates...walmart - 1.00ea
white smaller plates.........walmart - 1.00ea
white rectangular dish, stones...walmart
green plate....................marshalls - 3.00
napkin rings.........vintage bakelite
napkins....................vintage linen
hydrangeas.................my garden!
wooden shelf!....................tjmaxx
rice wine cups............votive holders

Just Starting Out
presented by Eileen
The young bride gently removes the quilt top from between the layers of tissue.  Mother has sent her chest filled with things acquired over the years in hopes of her marriage. 

Her grandmother taught her how to cut old clothes and found fabric into strips and stitch them together to create a quilt. It is with sadness that she caresses the fabric and feels the loss of grandma. She died before she could show Juliette how to make the tiny, precise stitches that would define the quilt.

With a chuckle she realizes grandmother would never tolerate self pity and so she continues her hunt through the box of treasures. There is the blue agateware coffee pot! The color is so vibrant and reminds Juliette of the beautiful sky over her seaside cottage.

The next thing she found were the little animals her brother carved for her, he said they would remind her of the farm. Living on the New England coast was a huge change from the farm in Wisconsin, but, Juliette was happy for the change. She loved the sea air and the craggy rock lined coast and of course her wonderful new husband!

Just today he had picked a bouquet of wild daisies for her before he headed down to the docks. Fishing was Jays life. The thought of him joining her family on the farm was unthinkable and so he brought her back to his home.

Juliette smiled as she planned the dinner she would serve him later today. For now she began to set the table.

On top of the quilt she laid out the red wooden chargers and gray metalware plates. She pulled  two bread warmers out of the hope chest and thought they would look sweet under the mugs. The Griswold dutch oven was one of the most important tools in her kitchen. Juliette used it to make all sorts of delicious meals.

Today would be a lobster bisque using milk from Louden Hill, the local dairy and lobster fresh from Jays catch yesterday.

The soup had been simmering for hours. By the time dinner was served the seafood and spices would have bubbled and mingled to become the main course in their simple meal.

For desert there were fresh strawberries picked from her very own first garden!
Juliette placed the white pitchers and crocheted napkins that were wedding gifts with special care. These were her favorite things and she treasured them.

For the last touch she added some vines around the coffee pot and filled it with the daisy bouquet.

Singing and giggling to herself, Juliette stepped back from the table to admire her work.

Something caught her eye and she turned suddenly and raced through the front door!

Thank You, Susan for hosting the party!

Met Monday goes to the Prom!!

The Best Formal Ever!!

I am joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch

for Metamorphosis Monday!!

This is my daughter Vivian in her formal from Prom 2009.

I have always made Vivian's special occasion dresses and last year while we were shopping for the right style, Vivian tried this dress on.  She turned to me with tears in her eyes. (Viv never cries) and said "I know we can't get it but, do you think you could copy it for me?"

Now, I can sew like nobody's business...but, this was a prom gown on steroids!  Just looking at the layers of tulle made me want to take a sedative.  She really looked so beautiful in it I couldn't help but buy it for her (by now we were both crying!).  We ate macaroni and cheese for the rest of that month!

Vivian said she would wear this gown to every formal occasion she would ever attend!!

I actually sprung for alterations because there were no others in her size and it was discontinued.  So they had to take it from a size 6 to a 2.  Vivian went to the prom and felt like a queen!

Here she is with her date...

Don't forget cheesy picture with little brother!!

For her Senior Prom Vivian wanted to be a little more sophisticated and so as the prom date drew closer she began to think she might want to change the bodice. Since I have tried to cater to her every whim create original clothing for her over the years, I set about coming up with a plan. We decided on a plain black bustier and cutting the gown down to a long skirt.

The original dress was extremely heavy on her shoulders...this way the weight would be on her waist and hips...which we thought would be more comfortable. It was comfortable and she loved it!

Even though I asked her not to tell anyone I made it since I had over a month to do it and yet waited until the last minute and did a rush job which it looked like in my opinion!

Hello...Gorgeous!!!

Don't forget goofy face picture with younger brother, Wesley!

.....and here...sob...sob....is the real metamorphosis....

Please stop by at Between Naps on the Porch to see some really cool Metamorphosii!!!!!

Just click here...

METAMORPHOSIS MONDAY AT BETWEEN NAPS ON THE PORCH!

Vivian goes to the Prom!!

I am goofing off resting up for Memorial Day guests...(what? am I crazy?). I still haven't posted the remaining two tablescapes! But, since I mentioned working on my daughter Vivian's prom gown I thought I would post a few photos of her in it. I might join Metamorphosis Monday for this project!!!

Anyway, if I don't post the other two table settings I will link up with Susan for next Tablescape Thursday.

My daughter loved her dress from last years' prom and wanted to wear it again this year (her Senior year). As the prom date drew closer she began to think she might want to change the bodice. Since I have tried to cater to her every whim create original clothing for her over the years, I set about coming up with a plan. We decided on a plain black bustier and cutting the gown down to a long skirt.

The original dress was extremely heavy on her shoulders...this way the weight would be on her waist and hips...which we thought would be more comfortable. It was comfortable and she loved it! Even though I asked her not to tell anyone I made it since I had over a month to do it and yet waited until the last minute and did a rush job which it looked like in my opinion!

So, here is my spoiled, moody and crabby beautiful daughter with her boyfriend Chris in their prom finery! 

Vivian and Christoforo!

 Pensive, romantic pose! 

   Me, hiding!

My daughter Vivian and my son Wesley 
   

The cover Shot!!!!