Pink Saturday - Love Is In the Air

I am so glad you joined Beverly & I for another PINK Saturday! Thought I would share a Valentine Tablescape with you today.

My wonderful vintage oil lamp on a PINK & white doily. I LOVE the ruffled edge on the chimney of that lamp. And a hand painted rose plate with lovely PINK roses on it.

A sweet cuddly PINK bear that was a Valentine gift of past. And I LOVE his PINK & white lollipop don't you?

I love this adorable card & I use it every year as decor.

Oh I forgot... Beverly asked us to visit a blog that is new to us & then to share it with everyone else. My choice for today is Jan at Papercraft Pleasures. She does some amazing cards & other paper crafts. I hope you will visit her & please be sure & tell her Charlene sent you. Also, be sure & join Beverly & the other girls playing PINK today by simply clicking on the PINK Saturday button on my sidebar. HAPPY PINK today & everyday!!!!

Blue Willow Child's Tea Set

Welcome to Show & Tell Friday hosted by my sweet friend Cindy. I have been a bit of a slacker for the last few weeks through the holidays & I have not participated. But, today I want to share one of my Christmas presents from my dear friend Susan. There's a little history behind this whole story so bear with me.

MANY years ago as a child I wanted a Blue Willow Tea Set because my MUCH LOVED Grandmother had that pattern of dishes. One Christmas my dream came true & Santa brought me the doll sized tea set. I was 4 or 5 years old & had a cousin about 2 years younger than I. ALL day we played tea party & after supper we went into the kitchen to wash the dishes. Standing on chairs wearing Grandma's aprons we washed & played & were so happy UNTIL.......... Jane dropped the tea pot into the water & broke about half of my new tea set. MANY tears followed & I have thought of that set often. Once in Brimflield, MA at the big flea market there I found a boxed set just like mine but, the cost was prohibitive at the time.

And then back in November Susan & I were shopping in an Antique Mall in Dallas & I saw this Blue Willow child's tea set in a display case. I told her the story of heartbreak many Christmas's past. I thought of putting the set in lay away (it's Christmas & I wasn't supposed to buying for me I told myself) but, decided not to. Susan asked me if I wanted her to tell "Honey" about it for my gift & I said "NO! I wouldn't want him to know how expensive something like that is because he'd think I was crazy". Later "Honey" asked what do you want for Christmas? And all I could come up with was The Tea Set. I gave him the information & that was the last I thought of it because a few days later a SMALL jewelry shaped box appeared wrapped under the tree.

So, on the night before Christmas Eve, Susan came over for dinner & for our gift exchange (she was leaving to go visit family for Christmas). After a yummy dinner we sat down & as I opened my box I squealed with delight!!!!!!!!!! MY TEA SET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now this set is a little larger than the doll sized one I received as a child but, I'm just a bigger child now!!!! Isn't it simply DIVINE? THANK YOU SWEET FRIEND!!!!!!

I guess I truly am having a second childhood after all I have a new doll (Noel) & now a new child's tea set! Some day I''ll worry about what I want to be when I grow up but until then I want to thank you for allowing my wander down memory lane. Do you think Grandma smiled that evening as big as Susan & I did? Susan admitted that she had even been willing to ride over there with "Honey" to buy it & play DUMB to the whole "it wasn't there" game. Hee Hee she really got me this year! OK go see the other girls & see what they brought for Show & Tell! HUGS!

Bottles & Treasures

In a corner of my Breakfast Room, I have a small white metal shelf that I have made a little vignette of a few of my current favorites treasures. It is just a little thing stuck there to fill that empty corner. I have a plate rack on one wall & I like to change out the plates as per the season or my mood.So, I thought I would share this little glimpse into a few of my whimsey's.

This shows a beautiful cut glass plate that has a few of my shaker bottles that I have collected. The tall dark blue with silver overlay (in the back center) was a gift from my friend JoAnn. To the right of that is an embellished bottle I bought from Tiffany http://wwwbeyondthevintagepath.blogspot.com/ when I went to her Holiday Sale in December.

And to the far right is another bottle with a tag filled with sparkle that was another Tiffany find as well. And the same for the two on the left of the blue & silver bottle. The one is kind of cloudy & is filled with glitter. Kind of a different look from the others. The little tiny one to the far left is part of a set of four that I found at an Antique Store & will share all four later. This one just seemed at home here with the others.

And this little treasure was something that brought back childhood memories. When I was little my precious Grandmother gave me an entire set of the Blue Willow Child's Tea Set. I have a cousin 2 years younger & that evening after playing Tea Party all day we were washing up the dishes as we had seen Grandma do a million times. Much FUN we were having until... DISASTER STRUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jane dropped the tea pot & broke many of the pieces. We both cried!

I happened upon this plate just like the plate from my original set in another Antique & Gift Mall. Not only was there the plate but a beautiful glass dome that fit over it. And sprinkled on the plate was the most beautiful glitter. IT HAD TO COME HOME WITH ME! And I know I will enjoy it for a long time to come.
And speaking of the much loved Grandmother... her every day dishes were none other than Blue Willow (I suppose that is why that Tea Set of all the tea sets I had was the most special). In dividing up Grandmothers dishes I am not sure who got hers. I did not. So, last week when I was out junking & came across the plate, tea cup & saucer in Blue Willow pattern, I knew it was meant for my little shelf.
Hope you enjoyed seeing my new goodies & hope you don't mind my ramblings as I walked down memory lane. But, isn't that what we should do... remember those we love & surround ourselves with things that bring us pleasure & happy thoughts. Have a happy Saturday. xoxo

Winter Greetings Serving Platter

Last week on Tablescape Tuesday Susan http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/2009/01/blog-post.htmlhad the photos of her beautiful Lenox China called Winter Greetings. I had seen some of the pieces but, had not seen the serving platter & accent plates with the close up scenes of the snow & birds. I HAD TO HAVE THIS TREASURE! I went to Ebay & saw two of them. One from an individual & one from Replacements, Ltd. I wanted to be sure I got this little treasure & did not want to miss it in last minute bidding wars. So, Buy It Now! And it came yesterday. I made a little vignette on top of my refrigerator using a wonderful bird feeder I have, my new platter, & a little ceramic cardinal sitting in the snow.

This is my bird feeder. I got it in an Antique shop in Salado, Texas. I have never put it outside because I do not want it to get weathered or ruined. It usually sits on my mantle in the Great Room. But, for now... it has a new home.

And here is the beautiful Platter. I just love birds & this platter spoke to my heart. I have the sweetest pair of Cardinals (maybe Red Birds I'm not sure) that come to the bird bath in my back garden. I love to watch them while I sit in my chaise lounge & read my magazines while drinking my morning CUPS of coffee. Life is GOOD! I hope you enjoyed my little treasure as much as I do. And thank you Susan for sharing. Next... the four accent plates of course. :)

Have a wonderful Wednesday!