Blues and Greens...just because.

A couple of days ago, I bought this blue and green Easter basket...

...just because I loved it.  
Now, I know that I don't have much blue in my house, but I wanted to keep the basket, and somehow make it work. 
Do you ever do that?...see something you love and really want to keep, even though the colors don't go with anything else in your house?  

I dragged the basket all around the house and finally decided on the hutch in the kitchen.

 I used my Blue Willow and Bordallo Pinheiro cabbage plates to repeat the blue and green in the basket. 

Here are some close-ups...

I took this photo, standing on a chair, so you could see it at eye level.

I don't know what the "flower box" in the center is called. 

It looked like this when I found it at GW.

Does anyone remember what they were used for? 

Holding napkins, maybe?

I painted it cream, slapped on a bit of mushroom-y RL glaze and painted the handle gray. 

 I admire all of y'all who paint and distress furniture so beautifully, but I have no talent...or patience...for doing painting techniques. 

The things I try, always end up looking like a muddy mess. 

Well, back to the close-ups...

I was still standing on the chair when I took this photo, too. I wanted you to see the "stand" for the teapot...a cabbage bowl. 

Hey, I know a teapot on a cabbage bowl looks a little funny, but I'm using what I got.

 This pedestal came from an antique mall. It was already painted and distressed... Yay!

Believe it or not, I've had the blue napkin rings for years, but I don't think I've ever used them.

There. A new look for the hutch...and I can justify keeping the basket.

 BTW,  I added the tall blue flowers to it for a little added height.

I'll be joining these parties:

Sherry @ No Minimalist Here for Open House Party

Honey @ 2805 for Potpourri Friday

Sherry@ The Charm of Home

Heather and Vanessa@ At the Picket Fence for Inspiration Friday

Debra@Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday

Kathleen@Cuisine Kathleen for Let's Dish

Jody and Stan @ Rooted in Thyme for Simple and Sweet Fridays

Spring Bunnies

I was out thrifting early Saturday, and saw these adorable bunnies...

...and their cute friends...

...old pictures of children and animals are so sweet...

...my Easter vignette for the foyer.

I'm joining Marty@ A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday

Kim@ Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays

Sherry@The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home

Don't forget the Tartan Parade..April 1-4.

Find your tartans and plaids and join in the fun.

Alison ~ The Polohouse 

 Sarah ~  Hyacinths for the Soul

Delores ~ Vignette Design

Babs ~ Upstairs Downstairs 

The Weekend...Down South

Yesterday and today we've been working in the yard adding cypress mulch, weeding and doing Spring maintenance.
The weather has been so warm for the last week or so, and almost everything is in bloom here in Georgia. While I was taking a break, I took a few photos. Hope you enjoy them.

This is an American dogwood we planted as a twig in 2001. It didn't bloom for several years, but look at her now.

This blossom is from a wild dogwood in the side yard.

The first blooms this year from Madame Alfred Carriere climbing rose...partially open...

...and here fully open... 

...and Deutzia gracillis...sorry, I don't know the common name for it.  If you know please email me, 'cause I always get funny looks when I give the botanical names for plants.


 Thanks for visiting my garden...actually, it's more a yard than a garden, but somehow garden sounds so much nicer. 
I'm going now to put my feet up. My legs are sore from weeding, planting and putting out the mulch.
Hope you have a great Sunday.
Babs
Joining The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sunday.

Scottie says...

"Hi, everyone! I'm dressed in my favorite tartan coat and so excited, because Friday, April 6, 2012, is National Tartan Day.

To celebrate, we're having a 4 day blog party on April 1-4, with lots of fun ideas and ways to decorate."

Alison ~ The Polohouse 

 Sarah ~  Hyacinths for the Soul

Delores ~ Vignette Design

Babs ~ Upstairs Downstairs

So, get out your tartans or plaids, and join the fun.

 "I'll be on my best behavior...I promise...

...and there will be treats...for me, of course."

Revisiting St. Patrick's Day 2011

Hi, I hope everyone is having a great St. Patrick's Day, with lots of fun, and good food. 

This time last year, I had just started blogging, and since some of you may not have seen these, I thought I'd re-run my St.Patrick's Day posts from then. 

The first one is a short tribute to my husband's grandmother, Mary Jane Hamill.

The second is a little story that might have happened...

I hope you enjoy them.    

Ireland to America

As March approaches, and I'm making plans for St. Patrick's Day, I think of so many Americans with Irish roots. 
One of those who came in the 1800s, as a young girl, was my husband's grandmother, Mary Jane.

I never met her, and we have very few photos of her, but I always think of her as a courageous young girl with a dream for a better life here in America.

She is shown here, later in life, with her husband Charles.

Wishing everyone a very Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Wanting to send you best  wishes, I began "shopping" the house for things which might remind everyone of Ireland.

As I searched, thoughts of my husband's Irish grandmother came to mind, and this little Irish tale began:

It was almost tea time when the mail finally arrived.

Mary Jane placed the mail on the little tray, made a cup of tea and seated herself at the desk.

Looking at the card, she closed her eyes and  remembered her father with his wool cap and blackthorn walking stick as they walked down the lane together.

Sweet memories of long ago.

Wishing each of you a very Happy St. Patrick's Day.

The vintage postcards are from an antique mall perhaps 10 years ago.

The silver tray from Good Will

Teacup from a china set by Arcadian, "Old Rose" pattern, given to me by my aunt.

Monogrammed napkins are from Marshall's last year.

Irish cap and blackthorn walking stick belong to my husband

and the Hellebores (Lenten roses) are from our yard.

Spring Cloche

It's time for Marty's Egg-xellent Spring Cloche Party, and I'm 
egg-cited to join in. 
I thought this little cloche was cute when I bought it, but it's so skinny...

...it's a challenge getting things tucked inside...

...but I managed to squeeze a few Grape Hyacinths (muscari) into a real egg shell, and hot-glued the shell to the plate. 

A bit of reindeer moss is tucked around the edges, to hide the glue.  

Y'all are probably tired of seeing the foyer, but on cloudy, overcast days,  it's one of the few places in the house I can get a half-way decent photo...and that's with the door open. 

Are you all ready for a Spring Party?

Let's go to A Stroll Thru Life for Marty's Egg-xellent Spring Cloche Party on March 13th.

Shamrock Surprise

Last week, I received the sweetest surprise from Sarah at Hyacinths for the Soul. 
I was so thrilled, because she sent me a package O'goodies for a St. Patrick's Day vignette.


Let me show you what she sent...

First, a lovely note card showing St. Patrick and shamrocks...

...second, a box of Irish shortbread cookies shaped like shamrocks, and tied with a green ribbon...

...and third, a pair of socks with shamrocks...perfect for dancing an Irish jig. I don't know how to dance an Irish jig, but if I did, these are the socks I'd wear.


Now let me show you the vignette I made with these fun gifts...well, not the socks. I'm wearing them...

Here's how I started...
...a green ticking table cloth... 

... a vintage tray I recently found at the antique mall...

...a mother sheep and her lamb, I found on ebay.
They're wearing their shamrock collars, especially for the occasion...

...shamrock shortbread cookies which, btw,  are delicious...yes, I already ate one...or two..
...and the green ribbon from the box, used as a "napkin ring".

The doily, with the claddagh, was a gift from our son and dil several years ago. 
The claddagh represents love (the heart), friendship (the hands) and loyalty (the crown).


Since I never got around to making a trap to catch that Leprechaun, I put some "gold coins" in my glass bowl from Ireland...and wouldn't you know it...

...the little rascal magically appeared to wish all of you... 

...and from us, too...

                     Happy St. Patrick's Day!

                            For each petal on the shamrock

                            This brings a wish your way -
                            Good health, good luck, and happiness
                            For today and every day.
                                ~Author Unknown


We're all on our way to Cuisine Kathleen for her 4th Annual St. Patrick's Day Blog Crawl on March 13th. 
Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday.
Ivy and Elephants for What's It Wednesday..
 See you there.

                                                                  ~ Babs












 

Foyer Update

I know-w-w! This is almost the same foyer vignette as my last post, but I found a new platter today at a consignment shop, and I just had to show you.
Y'all probably know that I have a few pieces of Bordallo Pinheiro, and I love the color green...So, when I saw this, I just had to take it home.

  The photo's a bit shadowy, because I turned on the overhead light...didn't want to wait till tomorrow, when the sun was out, to take the photos .

Here it is closer, so you can see the pattern. I've seen a lot of Bordallo, but not this one. 
It's probably new...especially since it still had the TJ Maxx sticker still on the back...duh!  
I've looked online, but didn't see the pattern.
Anyway, if any of y'all know what it is, I'd love to know.

I like it here, and it fills in the space better than the transferware plate did.

Thank goodness it works with that green flower pot under the candle stick...at least I won't have to look for something else to elevate it.

I'm headed over to Kim's for 

Savvy Southern Style  for Wow Us Wednesday and 

The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays.

See you there,

Babs

Forsythia in the Foyer

I usually force Forsythia branches about this time of year, but with the warm temps, it's been blooming for a couple of weeks now.  
It's been a while since I've had flowers here, and I really missed them.

I shopped the house and found a couple of books about Ireland to put under the pitcher, and I needed a riser for the candle stick because it was shorter than I liked...don't laugh! 
It a cachepot turned upside down. 
Well, you know how it is. I got it into my head that I wanted to use that candle stick, and, not any of the other  8 or 10 that I have. 
Well, go ahead and laugh. It does look kinda funny, but I couldn't find anything else to make the candle stick higher...and it's green. So, it'll have to do for now.

The transferware plate has a scene with the Blarney Castle on it. Oh, and there is a bird's nest with a green egg, which you can't see very well here.

Here's close up so you can see the detail. The pattern is Johnson Brothers, Old Britain Castles.

Here's a view looking down from the stairs. Gosh, those Forsythia branches really look big from here.  
You can see I still have my sea grass rug down. I figured, since we haven't had much of a winter, no body would notice...Shhhh, don't tell anybody.


I haven't see the Leprechaun lately. He's probably up to some mischief, and I won't find out about it till later. Hmmmm. Or maybe he's gone. Ya think?


I'll be at these parties

Tuesday

A Stroll Thru Life ~ Table Top Tuesday

Coastal Charm ~Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

This and That

I hope y'all are getting ready for a great weekend. We're under tornado warnings for most of the night. I can't tell you how much I hate tornado season. 
All of you in the storm areas please stay safe.
While I'm sitting here watching the weather reports, I'll show you a few thrift  things I recently found, and one or two other things in the yard.

This little sweetie came home with me even though she's a wee bit damaged. Someone must have loved her enough to repair her and...she was a bargain, so I don't mind too much.

Would you believe this lantern was only $5.00? 
It's 29 inches tall, so I'll use it outside. Since it's faded on two sides, it'll probably get a new coat of paint.
Now, to decide what color to paint it. Anyone have a suggestion? 

I picked up this little oil painting at GW today, and just had to show you.
It really looks more like Fall than Spring, so I think I'll put it away till then.


Y'all probably remember the poinsettias that Hubby took out to the shed...

...here they are. 
Please excuse the shed. It needs to be cleaned up, but  do you see the baskets in the chair? Look closer...

...it's one of the feral cats.  They love baskets and...

...bird's nests?   :)  
No, these are grapevine wreaths, which I laid on the deck chair for a few minutes, and a "cat bird" found them.

This "cat bird's" name is Baker. She's the oldest of our ferals, 10+ years old and not that "feral" anymore, as you can see. 
It looks like most of the storms have passed...for the moment. Y'all take care and have a great weekend.
I just checked the storm alert, and it looks like another storm is on the way...guess we'll be staying up a little while longer. Did I say how much I hate tornado season?


Hugs,
Babs


I'll be joining The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays