CHRISTMAS DECORATING FOR 2025

 At the Thanksgiving table someone asked me if I plan

to put up a tree this year.  Often, when people get older

they "drop out of the decorating phase" in life and I do

understand.  As long as I am able, I do plan to keep finding

joy in holiday and seasonal decorations.

I took an existing tablecloth and cut a strip off the

longer sides.  Then I added a deeper ruffle in a different

toile fabric.  I am pleased with the way it turned out.

I have had this tea cosy for a long time.  It is

made with a tea towel piece on the front by

an artist who was big in the 90's.  You might remember Sandy

Clough who illustrated so many of Emelie Barnes 

earliest books.

My other Christmas tea cosy is from

a long time back too.  I love this older Anne

of Green Gables fabric.  I rarely can find this

fabric from the 90's.

I love angels that were designed by Nicol Sayre.

Mine are all from years ago including this

sweet Nativity:

And one last collage:

On Monday we got a little snow....not much but we love it!

JULY ROSES TABLESETTING

 I went out this morning and suddenly found myself

pulling a few weeds.  I recently bought some cheap mulch which was a mistake and it seems that

there are weeds growing where ever I put the cheap mulch.  In moments I was covered in sweat because

July is hot in Missouri!

So today I did an indoor reel of my rose themed

table setting in the dining area.  I love Instagram

and have been learning to make reels.  I am not so

good at using my camera for video as I can't 

hold still yet!

I must confess that the roses are from the

market which had a buy one dozen, get

another dozen free.

The cozy is made from some older

Ralph Lauren fabric (a pillow sham cut up)

All the china represents

roses of many patterns:

MADE ONE FOR MYSELF

 

I thought I'd make a little cozy 

for myself today.

I had this fabric from years

back.

We really aren't doing anything

special.  It is cold and it

is supposed to snow

tomorrow.

Do you mind winter?  I enjoy

the slowdown myself.

I should have including some

Valentine Sugar Cookies but

 they seem to have

"disappeared".

SUMMER DINING ROOM TRANSFERWARE

 

I love using the green transferware 

in the springtime and summer and

just leaving the table set.

The garden offers free flowers at this

time of year and by cutting the top stem

 off of the zinnias it causes them to 

spread out as they grow.

Do you keep your table set?

Of course, someone can misunderstand

and think you are having people

for dinner.  I have had that experience.

I am still collecting green

 and purple

transferware.

I am loving my new French

roses runner:

Who else collects transferware

and what colors do you

collect?

HOLLYHOCK TABLE SETTING

 After doing a little "Tea In The 

Garden: with a Hollyhock theme,

I decided to do the same in the

dining area.

I used some purple transferware plates

and other pieces that were purple.

We continue to have lovely

weather and also some rain

coming our way.

I love this little topper with Hollyhocks

on it added to the center of my French

lace Alencon tablecloth.  As Dorcas

Lane might have said in 'Lark Rise to Candleford',

 "Linens are my only weakness".

HOLLYHOCKS for "Tea In The Garden"

 Do you feel how quickly time is flying

by these days?  I can hardly believe

the Hollyhocks are blooming already.

We have had a really beautiful month

of May and loved the fact that rain

came along.  The hollyhocks are now

blooming so I set up a little tea in

the garden to celebrate.  Please note

the table topper I found late last

summer which is a hollyhock embroidery

piece.

A while back I bid on some lovely

remnants of old velvet and I am

now just getting around to using

some.  My tea cozy is a rich purple

and black and definitely so much

more like the way velvet used to be

back in the day.

As I cut some stems for my bouquet, the bees were not wanting to fly away from 

the sprays I picked.  

Here is a close up of the

topper embroidery.

These Hollyhocks are

all peach colored:

People ask me how I keep the yellow

fungus off the Hollyhocks.  I definitely

get it but just keep cutting off the bottom

leaves where the most appears.

I am very attracted to old linens....

are you?  Do you like English

transferware?