Porch Party Tablescape

Tablescape Thursday is here again! Be sure to visit Susan at BETWEEN NAPS ON THE PORCH.


On April 18th our city had a Jazz Festival across the street from the side of my house. This is the 4th year they have had it and it is always lots of fun. My next door neighbor and I have started inviting our friends to come to this and enjoy cocktails and appetizers on my porch during the festival and at supper time have a cookout potluck at her house. This year we had close to 80 attending!

I didn't get any pictures during the event, because I was SO busy all day long, but I did take a picture of the tables on my porch before the party. So it IS a Tablescape post, after all!!!!



The vinyl tablecloths are from Walmart and I was glad to find some that had similar colors to the colors of my house.

Here is a picture of the festival at night from my porch.



Happy Tablescape Thursday to all! :D Jewel

Outdoor Wednesday April 29, 2009

My post for Outdoor Wednesday hosted by Susan at A Southern Daydreamer. Be sure and visit her to see all the wonderful posts!


Here is my yard as of mid-April! A Jazz Festival sponsored by my city was held across the street from my house on 4/18/09. My neighbor & I had almost 80 people over for a cook-out.

My Scotch Broom was in full bloom, with columbine to the left, Solomon's seal to the right and irises behind. I put zinnias and a gerbera daisy in the pot at my back steps.


My wisteria flowers were waning a bit, but I put annuals in my "circle."




Tomorrow, for Tablescape Thursday I will show you my table set up on my porch for the porch party portion of the Jazz Festival. :D Jewel

Outdoor Wednesday April flowers!

Outdoor Wednesday is sponsored by Susan at A Southern Daydreamer.


I took these pictures last Tuesday wanting to share them last week, but better late than never!
It's that time of year again - my wisteria arbor is in bloom!



The arbor is right on the property line between me and my next door neighbors. Originally my house and this house were occupied by mother and daughter and this is still the stairway between the two houses.
Here is a view from under the arbor, looking towards my garage.


Also, my columbine and Scotch broom are blooming.


Happy Outdoor Wednesday! :D Jewel

Target Birds on Holiday?

For Susan's Event at BETWEEN NAPS ON THE PORCH, I present the story of 4 little Target Birds. These four little Target birds lived in a lovely old china cabinet with their mother and father, the wise Target Bird Tealight Holders.

One day the young birds told their parents that they were ready to leave the china cabinet and see the world.


They dreamed of adventures in the places they had seen on the china in the cabinet.
They thought they might travel to Rome to see The Bridge of Salaro as engraved in the Spode Pink Tower plate.


They also dreamed of seeing their birthplace, China, land of peonies, as depicted in the Royal Doulton Canton plate.


They imagined visiting the North Pole and seeing snowflakes, like the ones on the Cracker Barrel Seasons of Glory plate.


They longed to see the fruit growing region of England, Evesham, like the Royal Worceter plate of the same name.


And they longed to bow down to their idol and hero, the great and powerful Spode Woodland Turkey.


Their parents told them to be careful and to keep in touch and tearfully sent them on their way. The young foursome made it to the bay window ledge, overlooking the porch, just a short flight away from freedom and all their dreams!


But then they noticed that it was dark and rainy and generally an altogether messy night.


So they returned to their snug, dry china cabinet to dream among the plates with their parents.


The End :D Jewel

Be sure to visit Susan's blog, BETWEEN NAPS ON THE PORCH, for more exciting adventures of the Target Birds!

Easter Table and Decorations for Tablescape Thursday

Tablescape Thursday is here! Be sure to visit Susan at BETWEEN NAPS ON THE PORCH.


Here is my Easter Table. By Sunday I plan to have live flowers in the glass basket and in the little blue vases, but here is the idea.



My centerpiece

Salad plates from Cracker Barrel

The egg cup will be a salt cellar and the little egg is a pepper shaker.

My last season's Target flatware caddy


Dining room mantle


Various Easter Decor

In the foyer


Billiards room - it looks like the bunnies are fleeing my husband's musket!


Bunny teapot


On my parlor organ
The double egg cup was left in this house when we bought it. I found the others at TJ Maxx.



Easter tea set


My very favorite Easter decoration - I love how the bunnies are climbing in to eat the glass carrots!




That's it for this post. Happy Easter to all! :D Jewel

Metamorphosis Monday - Younger Daughter's Bedroom

For Metamorphosis Monday hosted by Susan at BETWEEN NAPS ON THE PORCH.


This metamorphosis is my younger daughter's bedroom. You may remember that I shared my older daughter's bedroom HERE.

This bedroom started out with 2 layers of wallpaper on it, both off white. One was vinyl and easy to remove and the other was really old and paper and Stuck!!!!
Here are some before pictures.
This wallpaper came off easily.

This wallpaper did NOT!

Notice the little chandelier.

In the previous picture is the bed my younger daughter had picked out. She wanted to use my old childhood French Provincial furniture. I offered to strip and paint it, but she loved it with the gold trim and all. She said it was very "Audrey Hepburn."
She wanted a really bright room to wake up all the Victorian influence in this old house, so here it is!!!

Quite a change, right?!
My old furniture needed some touching up. The vanity had several nail polish remover rings on it and the vanity seat had broken and been thrown away. I finally found a paint to match the vanity - it was actually a green shade!!! We also found this stool at Target and just painted the trim with a gold paint pen.

Here is the mantle.

And another view/

I can't believe I don't have a picture which shows the new ceiling fan/light fixture. So much more light and the fan is nice in the summer.
Here bedding was from Target. We tore up all the old carpeting and the floors were in great shape. I will share her bathroom on another Metamorphosis Monday! Now visit Susan and see all the great changes! :D Jewel