More Easter Decorations

A time to Embrace and a time to Throw Away. . .

Went through the Easter totes in my treasure trove.  I am so excited when I see all of the cherished decorations I have collected over the years.  Yes, next year Little Miss will have a good time decorating with all of these treasures.

I stayed with the yellow and white theme and here is what I have so far.  Of course I hung the yellow Peeps wreath on the laundry room door...

Cute Peeps Wreath

Can't believe that this wreath is holding up so well.  Still looks good! Goes with the yellow theme too.

Now to the table--simple center decor with basic place settings.  Here we go...

The setting--simple and classic.

Here are descriptions of the individual pieces...

Yellow Eggs

The planter is a flea market find for $3 and the eggs are blown and died confetti eggs.  The eggs are from WalMart--they are old and I am so glad I bought two dozen when I saw them.  Have not seen any since.  There are blue, green, pink, and yellow--of course, I used the yellow.  The cake plate is Martha Stewart.

The birds are from Michael's--white ceramic with bling.  The stand and dome are Martha Stewart.

Birds

The rabbit is from TJMaxx--I think it was in the Pottery Barn catalog earlier in the year. It is paper mache and has a sweet expression.  The dome and plate are Martha Stewart.

Rabbit

The runner and napkins are Home Goods linens--new last week.  The place settings are Ralph Lauren from Home Goods.  The glasses are vintage flea market finds.  The egg cups are Hallmark from years ago--there are pink, blue, and green cups too.  The mini cake stands are Martha Stewart.  The bunny salt shaker and chick pepper shaker sets are Hallmark.

Place Setting

So, there we have it.  Just table decorations for this Easter.  Of course, Little Miss will get her Easter basket from the Easter Bunny.  It is already pretty full--so fun.

Have a great day and week.

May all the seasons be sweet to you!

Mary

A Time to Plant and A Time to Harvest...

Spring is on its way---we are seeing signs of it every day.  The robins are chirping, the trees are budding, and the plants and flowers are peeking through the ground.  Oh yes, we are "springing forward" tonight.

Spring is full of pleasant surprises. Last year I bought four white hyacinths for my Easter/Spring decor.  I love the beauty and smell of these hardy yet delicate flowers.  My plan of course was to plant them around my front door as soon as Fall dawned, but the best plans of Mary. Instead, I plopped them on the copper boot tray under the bench in the laundry room.  Forgot all about them really.  

When I saw hyacinths in the stores this year, I bought two--white of course.  I put them in my white ceramic pots and placed them in my kitchen window.

White Hyacinth

About a week ago, I was cleaning in the laundry room and much to my delight, there they were--four hyacinths peeking out of the soil in their crude black plastic pots.  I could not believe it--those sweet smelling flowers survived! I brought them into the light and started to water them--they are growing every day. 

My Surprise White Hyacinths

Such a sweet Spring surprise! 

Getting ready for Easter one decoration at a time. Thinking I should keep it simple and classic this year since next year Little Miss will want to help and we will need to put out every egg, chick, bunny, and basket packed away in my Easter treasure trove. Here is a start--yellow and white runner and white cake stands and planters. These sweet white birds are new. 

First Easter Decoration

Thinking yellow--need some inspiration and some treasures!

Happy Spring!!!! 

May all the seasons be sweet to you. . .

Mary

A Time to Embrace. . .

So much to say and a place to say it. . .yes my blog.  I made a resolution to blog more this year and I am off to a slow start--must get with it for sure.

Some things I like. . .

There are several blogs I read regularly.  So much time can be spent engrossed while reading unique and helpful information, delighting over remarkable inspiration, and planning what to do with the information overload you have just enjoyed.  I love looking at blogs and implementing some of the best ideas.  I sometimes wonder if I ever have a new idea--are all of my plans based on projects others think up and complete? Oh well, it is fun!

1.  Ceiling Fan Fun--The Best Ceiling Fan Update.  This idea is splendid!  Here are my two projects.

Our Bedroom

You know how one thing leads to another--now our fan needs to be painted.  I am in the process of painting our bedroom and onsuite.  Now I want to paint the fan the same color as the walls--conundrum!

Our Kitchen

This fan had a single schoolhouse type light.  It needed a bulb clip-on attachment.  Works like a dream.  I know that most if not all of the decorating gurus say that ceiling fans are "out", but they do not live in Kansas where the hot wind comes sweeping down the plain!

2.  At Christmas time I always want to add new bric-a-brac to my collection.  Many blogs feature projects that change regular dollar store treasures into spectacular upscale treasures.  This is a $3 nativity--I think it looks much more expensive than that.

White Nativity

Just the three pieces and a can of white spray paint and you have this upscale nativity.  Friends saw it and commented--perfect gift for friends.  Also, it is just the right size for tucking in with other special decorations. My own idea! Yay!

3.  Valentine's decorations mean hearts and red--right.  

You have my heart!

This is a cute table decoration that is inexpensive and takes a couple of minutes to put together.  The carrier was free from my sister, the "vases" are condiment bottles, and the velvet hearts are from the dollar bins at Target.  Just cute! My own idea.

Three little things that make my world better.  Just fun!

May all the seasons be sweet to you!

Mary

Rain, Rain, Please Don't Go Away!

For everything there is a season--this summer season has been a dry and hot one.  The weather has been brutal--hot, dry, and windy.  But--that is how it is and all that will change--at least I hope so.

Started this blog in the summer--it is now November.  In fact, it is Thanksgiving Day.  Hope you are having a grateful Thanksgiving.  Dirtman and I are spending the day taking it easy.  That is strange--but that is how it is.  Let the Thankful Declarations begin.  We have much to be thankful for.

Our "mintage" turkey is in place.  Our dinner is in the crock pot.  Yes, we are not having turkey.  Dirtman is not a fan so we are having homemade meatballs (in cranberry sauce), potatoes, salad, bread, and pecan pie.  I actually made a pecan pie--first in years.  Here are a few pictures of the day.

Mintage Turkey

So much for blogging--I have blogged three times in 2012.  Good for me that 2012 is almost over--yes, Christmas is over. . .

It was a very Merry Christmas!

 and it is New Year's Eve.  I better get with the program!

Resolution #1--Try to blog!!!!

May all the seasons be sweet to you,

Mary

One Comment

When I started my blog, I had the best of intentions.  I thought that blogging would be fun (it is) and something I would enjoy (I do).  Little did I know that it would be difficult to keep up with.  But, enough whining. . .

Here we go with one more try to be a good blogger.  The inspiration came today while I was perusing A 2011 Christmas Tour--the blog has hundreds of links listed.  These links take you to blogs that tout Christmas decorations.  Not to be snobbish, but I decided after looking at 115 that I should get back to this hobby.  I can do it!  I can do it!  

So here we go.  To keep with the theme of my blog hopping, here are a few pictures of my Christmas House.

Merry Christmas

Here are three of the trees we have each Christmas--The Tree, The Skinny Silver and Gold Tree by stairway, and The Patriotic Tree in the laundry.

The Big Tree

This tree is in our dining room, the bay window is a great place for it.  The ornaments that adorn this tree are old ones from my parents, ones Coach made, and ones we have collected over the years.  When I look back at pictures of my trees during the years, they always look similar--I like that!

Skinny Silver and Gold Tree

This wonderful skinny tree is a favorite.  I have blogged about it before--it gets decorated for the seasons.  Wish I could remember how long I have had this tree.  It is made from a real evergreen tree--branches are cut short and artificial boughs are added for the decorative branches.  It is long-time favorite!

Patriotic Tree in Laundry

This cute tree is draped with red, white, and blue.  Just little and patriotic!

Well, you will see more Christmas decor during the Holiday Season this year.  Can't wait--this makes me want to go shopping and dig out Holiday decorations.  When I look outside and see the sun beaming down and the dry grass--I am jolted back to summer!

I have one comment on my blog--it is a special one and I guess one of my goals for my blog should be to increase views and comments.  Okay, but I don't like pressure!  Here is the comment from one of my besties. . .

Thanks Beth.

Beth said...

Way to go Mary! I'm proud of you for getting your blog up and going! Now you can share all your "likes" and great ideas with everyone instead of just a few. We have shared a lot over our many years of friendship including growing up in Oklahoma, college, teaching, marriage, motherhood, charm bracelets, crafts, shopping, friends and flags. I too want to share your love for Life:Beautiful magazine, but I never get mine read - sigh - maybe someday. Hopefully we will have many more years of friendship and fun things to share.

May all the seasons be sweet to you!

Mary

Good Grief!

A time to keep silent and a time to speak. . .

Well, well, well, I cannot believe that Christmas came and went, January is gone too, and February is gone, March is gone, and April is on the downhill slide--where has the time gone.  My best efforts to keep up with this blog are not enough.  It was March 3, 2012, when I started this post, two months have passed, and this is my first blog of the new year.  Oh well, you can't change what has happened, right?

A few notes on how my time has been spent. . .

One of the pleasures nowadays is spending time with our little girl--our first grandchild.  I like to call her Little Miss.  She is the sweetest, cutest, and smartest little girl ever (sound like a grandmother?).  She was four months old when I started this post and she is about all I can think about.  Coach has been busy coaching basketball and just last Tuesday (February 21) his team won their conference--they were even undefeated in the conference.  They made it to the finals for their regional substate.  Such a pleasure to watch our son doing something he loves so much and to share his celebration this year.

This week (we are talking March here) I have taken a few minutes here and there to peruse some magazines--love magazines and made a vow to stop buying so many.  You might remember that the only magazine I subscribe to is Life Beautiful, but I am rekindling my like affair with Country Living.  At one time, I had every Country Living magazine from 1975 to 2000 stashed in numerous places in my house.  Dirtman thought I should stop hoarding things so I painstakingly looked through each magazine to tear out all articles of interest.  I saved the Valentine's, Easter, Independence Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas issues--so I still have a few stashed.  The articles of interest are organized in several notebooks--I love looking through them from time to time.  In the March (page 32) issue the fresh picks: 24 fantastic finds--starting at just $3.99--that give tradition a welcome twist feature includes a state cookie cutter--Massachusetts handmade in the copper shop of one of my best friends.

Another interesting find from the current Flea Market Style magazine is in the Best Vintage Sales from Coast to Coast listings.  There are two cool vintage shops listed--Liberty Belle and Good Ju Ju.  These shops are in the historic part of Kansas City.  Need to visit these two shops soon.  Well, it is April and I have not been there--still planning.

In the Wreath Junkie post I mentioned my Peeps wreath--did not have a picture of it and promised to post it this year when the wreath was hanging in my laundry room.  Well, here it is.  This wreath was made last year, stored in a plastic hat box in my treasure trove basement stash, and it still looks good.  The Peeps are hard as bricks, but that is okay (good really) so nobody wants to eat them. 

Peeps Rabbit Wreath

Easter decorations are being packed and stowed today.  Now what.

May all seasons be good to you,
Mary

Bingo Fridays...

A time to embrace and a time to turn away. . .

For most of my early girlhood I spent every Friday night at a club that my parents belonged to.  The club was a service oriented organization that supported a number of activities.  It was nationally affiliated and my parents were leaders during most of their membership in the club--Dad as an officer and eventually Monarch of the men's group and my mom as an officer and drill team member of the women's group, the Sabettes.

I remember being ready as soon as they got home from work on Fridays to make a trip to May's Cafe for burgers and fries and then head off to the Saba Grotto to play bingo.  Often my parents worked instead of playing--calling numbers, running winning bingo cards to the front to be authenticated, paying winners, popping popcorn and serving beverages in the concession stand, or walking among the players to give assistance as needed. 


Cards with Red Number Covers

 On a few ocassions, my mom would play--she would buy cards--sometimes eight or more.  She spent the evening sliding the red covers on the cards over the called numbers.  The games were varied--straight bingo, picture frame, two bingos, postage stamp, and blackout to name the ones I can remember.  Her fingers would get tender from all the sliding so she would use a half-dollar to push the covers.  I liked to play too--about two cards were all I could handle, but my mom was patient with me and always took over when I decided that playing with the kids and running wild would be more fun.  You see, these were the days when children could be safe playing out of their parents' sights.  We had free reign of the three story building.  We played tag, hide and seek, red rover-red rover, mother may I, and other rowdy games.  We played on the stairs without supervision and took care of our needs.  My sister and I would get one dollar to spend as we saw fit at the concession stand--that would last us all night and many times I had money to bank when I got home.  If we weren't running we watched tv--my sister watched Flintstones before she was ready to play--she never missed an episode. 

I have good memories of Bingo Night at the Saba Grotto.  Recently my sister and I went on a quest to find the house that for years we explored every Friday night.  I remembered the street name and so we headed out to see if we could find the grand old house.  My sister spotted the roof when we were several blocks away--we spent quite awhile manuevering one-way streets, a freeway, and unfamiliar areas before we found it.  Of course it does not look at all the same--it is a private residence now.  I wish I had a picture of the house in the good old days to show you, but I have searched the web and exhausted every option I can think of.  Great childhood memories were made at the Saba Grotto!

The seasons are changing--Winter is upon us and so we are wearing heavy clothes, eating soup, and cuddling up next to the fire.  For me, the Winter Holidays can't come soon enough--can't wait to spend time with my son and his family.  We are hanging a new stocking this year--a pink one!

Likes--reading the Jones Design Company and other inspiring blogs, chatting with my HS BFFs over last weekend, watching Coach coach basketball, hugging my cute grandaughter, and decorating for Christmas (finally--about time isn't it!)

May all the seasons be sweet to you,
Mary