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Saturday, April 30, 2011

Fleet Street and the Free Press


Fleet Street in London is no longer home to the British press, but the name can no more be separated from media than peanut butter can be separated from jelly. To read about the history of Fleet Street, you can visit Wikipedia here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleet_Street.  You can also read about the connections to Sweeney Todd, law and finance powerhouses, and find a link to the London Monopoly version. I found this charming picture here.



I confess, until the past week, I really had not been keeping up with the royals. I have even been to England this year, and I just missed this whole engagement. But to be fair, I have had a very sick child for the last six months. I immediately started thinking of a British/royal wedding tablescape, but I abandoned the idea and settled on Fleet Street when I heard that Kate Middleton has never really talked to the press about her relationship with William. Ever. Even when they broke up. And as much as tabloid news drives me crazy, I am so appreciative to have a free press, such that it is, I thought I would mention it here. 



Free press is something many people will never know, and even those of us that do have a free press often have to question the degree to which it is manipulated. Nonetheless, I am free to write this blog, and you are free to read it, as long as where you live allows it. Publishing freely is a precious gift indeed, and I didn't want the opportunity pass to recognize it - especially because I have THE perfect plates! And they are British, to boot!



I plan to serve fish and chips on these plates!



For tartar or cocktail sauce:


I have to admit though, I think these plates were such a steal at TJ Maxx because of the punctuation mistakes! I can't wait to get food on these to hide the lack of necessary apostrophes! In fact, there were dinner plates and bowls, but I couldn't bring myself to buy them with the mistakes!


Enjoy!
-Andrea



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Friday, April 29, 2011

Great Blog Finds! #4

I wish I could spend all day reading other people's blogs. I love the tablescaping blogs, but I also love the DIY blogs, too. This week we have another combination of sites.

I also have started reading comments people make on DIY blogs saying something like, "I wish I could get up the nerve to try this." OK, people. I have just started taking the plunge. I seriously think you should, too.

Here are some favorite finds this week:

1) If you are considering DIY, this is a great comprehensive site with lots and lots of reader posts, too. I really could spend all week on this site. I swear, this site is unbelievable. You HAVE to check out the farmhouse tour, the tutorials, and the project parade!

http://thediyshowoff.blogspot.com


2) You'll just have to read it for yourself. I am eying (this is the correct spelling) all of the furniture in my house looking for a piece to argyle.

http://megschmitt-neveradullday.blogspot.com/2011/04/argyle-changing-table-for-baby-gabe.html


3) And this is just cute. I love how many Easter tablescaping ideas are crammed into this post. I have bookmarked it for next year!

http://www.jcsloft.com/2011/04/tablescape-tuesday_12.html


4) I love this idea.  I am so impressed with the makeover of this piece of furniture!

http://thehusaileybunch.blogspot.com/2011/04/put-your-stuff-away-my-lovelies.html


5) I also had to honor the bloggers who managed to squeeze in a royal wedding tablescape. I had considered it, but decided on a Fleet Street post instead.  Here are three that I found to be pretty darn charming:

http://www.lifeisaparty.ca/?p=2531
I like this post because of the originality. GREAT ideas. And with a post on the Brits, one simply MUST have roses!
Royal Wedding 036

http://carolinajewels-table.blogspot.com/2011/04/royal-wedding.html
I had to include this one because of the cute buttons and the Spode china. Hats of to the British for their china. Without the British and their love for china, all of our tablescaping blogs would be so different!
Photobucket

http://purplechocolathome.blogspot.com/2011/04/royals-tablescape-something-to-nosh-on.html
And this is just classic. The plates! The food! I really wanted to come see this in person.



6) And to honor May Day, this May pole post is GORGEOUS!

http://henriettas-house.blogspot.com/2011/04/may-day-tablescape.html




Thursday, April 28, 2011

Tablescape turned Workshop: Inspired to do More

What has happened to my table? Have you noticed I have done more porch settings lately?

Well, it is because my kitchen table looks like this:



Blogging has engaged me in reading far more blogs that I ever have previously. And it is so enriching and fun! What great ideas! I have been inspired to do more than just set my table and play around the edges of the house. And the first room on the re-do list is my daughters' bedroom. I have decided to replace the beds in my girls' room. And while I am at it, it's time to refinish the furniture. Which I have never done before. 


A few weeks ago, during a brief 2 days when Emma was feeling better, it was time. The furniture had been mine as a child and belonged to my parents as newlyweds. I inherited new twin beds for the girls' room and all of the Ralph Lauren and matelasse linens to go with them. The room was painted an off-white in 2009 and decorated with an odd shade of blue.



The new linens are greens, reds, golds, florals, etc. 




So I considered painting the furniture and adding an antique-looking freehand motif. 


Which is exactly what I did. 


















I am not done yet, but this is what has happened so far.




I haven't had a chance to refinish the hardware yet. I have decided to hang curtains and valances over the beds. I wanted to hang some art work above the beds as well, so I painted some silhouettes of the girls between coats on the furniture. Excuse the mess in the kitchen while everything was in progress.





We have not figured out the room arrangement yet. It is tough to fit everything into their room without throwing out toys, which include huge American Girl items like Tiki bars and theatre seats. I am still trying to figure out where those things are going to go.


I will keep you posted as I continue to update their room. And I have big plans for my son's new Lego room!


-Andrea



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Sunday, April 24, 2011

Easter Times Three


If you have visited us before, you know we sometimes each take a pattern and design different tablescapes with it! We create tables without seeing what the others do. There are three different posts below: grandmother, mother, and granddaughter. Visit them all to see our different takes on it. They are are all very different and dazzling! What a fun surprise for the three of us! Please click on our sponsors' links right and below and PLEASE leave us comments! :)

Thank you for stopping by!



Diane - First Generation - Click >>  Easter on the Cheap!

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Andrea - Second Generation - Click >>  Impromptu Easter Buffet

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Emma - Third Generation - Click >>  I love my "Peeps!"



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I love my "Peeps!"


One of my favorite things is my mom's engraved William Arthur stationery. When I opened the Peeps this morning, the yellow reminded me of the pretty note cards, envelopes, and a china she has that she has not used for the blog yet. Even though today was a busy day, I asked her if I could set a quick table.


I had to hurry. I set this table between church and a trip to my grandmother's house. I love the black and yellow!  Don't you think my mom's stationery reminds you of it?




My plan was to add more Peeps, and I wanted to put toothpicks in the Peeps and make paper flags as a place card. I ran out of time! When you're 12 and your parents tell you it's time to go - they mean it! 





Happy Easter!
-Emma


Note from Andrea:

Place mats - Kmart
China - Ebay - Tabletops by Sheffield (I don't know the pattern name.)
Crystal - Ebay - Perspective by Noritake
Tea light candle holder - Marshall's, $3.99
Silver - Sir Christopher by Wallace
Pitcher with honeysuckle - Pier 1 and about 15 years old
Stationery - William Arthur - purchased from finestationery.com - I have no affiliation with them, but they were awesome. I had a new engraving plate made for this set of stationery when everything was on special. Super professional and very happy with the results. Will use them again and again... Also, I like Amy Adele on the internet, too. No affiliation there either, but I love their kids' notes.









Thursday, April 21, 2011

Happy 100th Birthday, Mother!


Dear Mom,
So wish you were here. I am having a little celebration to honor your 100th birthday.

I am serving strawberries and chocolate cake – your favorite. It reminds me of the stories that you used to tell about World War II and how all of the neighborhood ladies would pool their sugar rationing cards to buy sugar, so you could make fudge for everyone. I can certainly understand. Your fudge was wonderful!
I know how much you loved flowers, so I am using plates with flowers and a big bouquet on the table. I remember how you loved to dress in clothes with bright colors and flowers on them and the arguments we had, because I would wear only plain clothes. Guess what? I still wear plain clothes, but I always think of you, when I see the flowered ones.


I put the flowers in the Niloak winged victory vase that you gave me. I am really sorry that my friend broke your matching one, when we were in the seventh grade. These green vases show up on eBay sometimes and I immediately think that I should buy you a replacement. Then, I realize that you are not here to enjoy it.

I am using salad forks from the silver that I chose, when I married. I apologize for giving you only a month to plan that wedding. However, you will be glad to know that the marriage is still going strong. We just celebrated our 43rd anniversary!
I am inviting Andrea and her two girls to celebrate with me. I wish you could know my three grandchildren. You really would love them. They all are such interesting people and all three are voracious readers like you and I. Thank you for giving me your love of books and all of the arts. Those gifts have made my life so much richer, than it would have been without them.



About those grandchildren – did you know that on the day of your memorial service, Andrea told me on the steps of the church that she was expecting our first grandchild? What a bittersweet moment that was! However, it was such a wonderful blessing! You will also be thrilled that the baby was born on your mother’s birthday and she was named “Emma” like your mother.
I am showing a photo of you, when you were young. It is appropriate that you are sitting in the middle, since you were definitely the middle child. Your older brother and sister are not in this photo, but it must have been interesting to grow up with three older and three younger siblings.
Well, I guess that I had better close for now, but I wanted to let you know that I did not forget this important day. I, also, wanted to tell you that I love you and miss you, but most of all – Happy 100th Birthday!



Love,
Your daughter, Diane






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http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com
http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com
http://shabbynest.blogspot.com/
http://bargainhuntingwithlaurie.blogspot.com/
http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/
http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/
http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/
http://romantichome.blogspot.com/
http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/
http://houseinroses.blogspot.com/
http://www.atthepicketfence.com
http://iloveprettylittlethings.blogspot.com/
http://www.frugalityisfree.com
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