Wednesday, February 7, 2024

Celebrating Valentine's Day

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Welcome to a  pretend Valentine celebration. It has been a long time since I have posted. There are times you just need a rest and the time to regroup. I've set the table for eight  today to celebrate Valentine's Day. It would make a perfect Galentine table with red and white with gold accents and a little pink. One of these days I am going to have a real Galentine party. The camellias  in my centerpiece all came from my garden and it was a thrill for me to create arrangements from my garden. We had a hard freeze forecast and my bushes were full of blooms and many buds. So I was inspired to cut my blooms and do an arrangement.
I started collecting milk glass  a few years back and it has been fun to collect. My sweet daughter-in-law gave me the compote the large arrangement is in and one of the small vases. Her mother gave me the other one. Would you believe my daughter- in-law was incredibly sweet to bring the pieces she gave me in a suitcase and her mother did the same thing. That was a gift of love!

Mirrored tiles serve as a table runner and assorted hearts are scattered along with votive candleholders on the tiles. 
Candlelight is always a plus that adds ambiance. I'm glad the old etiquette rules about not lighting candles during the daytime has become outdated. I like the reflection the mirrored tile runner adds and it seems I always use it for my Valentine tables.
The pink camellia is named Pink Debutant and the white ones are White by the Gate and  White Alba Plena. The red blooms are Professor Sargent. Fatsia seed pods add an unique texture and was fun to discover in my garden as I cut camellias.  It was very cold when I was cutting and I had to get gloves and bundle up. I don't often get this much energy but knew it would be a shame not to enjoy my flowers indoors too.
The plate stack consists of a gold charger, red dinner plate,cream plates with a wide gold border and lastly a salad plate with a smaller golden border. Ruby red goblets add more festivity with gold flatware and white napkins with a red border. 


The varigated pink and white flower is called La Peppermint. 
"YOU ARE NEVER TOO OLD TO SET ANOTHER GOAL OR DREAM A NEW DREAM." C.S. LEWIS



I was sorry I failed to do a close up of the velvet stuffed heart. There are also two other glass ones with etching that I failed to photograph closely. It seems like I am always fighting the waning light to photograph in a hurry and forget to do close ups of the accessories.


Here is a picture of one of the large hearts used in another Valentine post.

I am looking forward to a real Valentine celebration with my husband next week. I will remove all the plates but two. What are your plans? 
Again, I apologize for my blogging absence. I have had a few health issues.  Wishing you a lovely Valentine's Day. 
Blessings, Bonnie♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

Tuesday, July 18, 2023

Summertime Tea

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Join me in the garden today for tea and macaroons. I am happy to be a guest blogger for Tea on Tuesday with Pam@Everyday Living and Mary@ Homeiswheretheboatis. Pam and Mary share teatimes on the third Tuesday of each month.  

  "If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden." Frances Hodgson Burnett.





It is cool in my shady garden. You can see the overhead canopy of trees reflecting in the mirror tray.

"God Almighty first planted a garden. And indeed, it is the purest of human pleasures." Sir Frances Bacon


The vintage Chintz teapot was a Christmas gift from my kids. It was the neatest surprise.


This small Lenox basket vase holding tulips was a wedding gift, accented by a rose medallion plate, adding many colors.


The teacups were a surprise birthday gift three months later. China dishes make me feel special, and I enjoy using them even for everyday use. I decided I was not saving them for special occasions but would savor tea using them on ordinary days, be thankful for my children's gifts, and remember them.


"Summer afternoon, Summer afternoon; To me, those have always been the two most beautiful words in the 
English language." Henry James



I love how tulips drape naturally, and each flower has so much personality.

 " Friends are like flowers. They fill the world with beauty." Celeste Barnard


Macaroons are always a treat and perfect with a cup of tea savored in the garden. 
I'm always entertained and amazed by the birds. Sitting in the garden is a beautiful quiet time to reflect and count my blessings. Early mornings are especially pleasant to me.


The riser bought at a local gift shop elevated the teapot, and the gold trim matched the gold accents on the teapot and cups and saucers.



The gold mirrored tray is very versatile. I like it everywhere I use it. It usually resides on my coffee table. I bought it at Home Goods in Dallas, Texas.


The name of the vintage Chintz pattern is called " Summertime." An English Chintz pattern is an all-over, tightly grouped, multi-colored pattern, usually floral. My daughter found the pieces in an Etsy shop.
 Royal Winton Grimwades is an English brand of ceramics made in Grimwades Limited, a Stoke-on-Trent-based company founded in 1885. 



Take a closer look at the top of the teapot. The top of the lid is shaped like a strawberry. The summertime chintz pattern contains roses, daisies, violets, harebells, and other summer flowers. It was first introduced in 1932 and is still popular today.
 This teapot was made in the 60s.



The tablecloth is actually a sheet from the 1970s. I wish I had saved more sheets when patterns were so popular.



"Teatime is a chance to slow down, pull back, and appreciate our surroundings."  Letitia Baldridge

I have enjoyed sharing my tea table 
with you today. Please take the above quote to heart, slow down, and appreciate 
your surroundings. 🌸 Please join my creative friends below and leave them a comment so they will know you visited. 
Thank you, Pam and Mary, for inviting me to be your guest blogger today!


Pam~ Everyday Living



Mary~ Home is Where the Boat Is


Happy teatime! I have been deeply saddened by the passing of Phyllis Hoffman DePiano, editor-in-Chief of Hoffman Media which produces, TeaTime magazine, Victoria magazine, and Southern Lady magazine. She was a very talented and inspiring person and will be greatly missed. My thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends.

☕️🌸☕️🌸☕️

Living thankfully,


Tuesday, June 13, 2023

Summer Blessings

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Happy June! Our weather has been glorious, with beautiful spring-like weather. As Southerners, we know the humidity is coming soon, but we will enjoy it for as long as possible.
Today, I am joining blogging friends and fellow table stylists for a summer tablescape blog hop sponsored by Rita @Panoply.  Twenty total bloggers are participating. Thank you, Rita, for organizing these hops.


I've set the table on the patio today using my favorite colors, which are blue and white. I've added a little green color and texture using Bordello Pinheiro chargers.



I chose an Asian planter with a footed saucer for the centerpiece container. 
Hydrangeas are my favorite flower, and cutting them from my garden brings me much joy.



Johnson Brothers Blue willow plates coordinate with the blue and white floral tablecloth and say welcome summer. Officially summer begins June 21, but everyone will agree that summer activities begin when the kids are out of school.


You can see a little of my garden in this photo. I have a few white and pink hydrangeas but mostly blue. The last time I counted, I had over 80 hydrangeas of various kinds.  With the extreme cold at Christmas, I was afraid it would affect the hydrangeas, and grateful I did not lose any.


I do have a story to share about the Blue Willow plates. In the late '80s, we lived in Fairbanks, Alaska. There was no Amazon, or eBay, then. Southern Living magazine offered a mail-order sale on these dishes, and what a great blessing that was for a young army wife who loved dishes and did not have a source. I am still enjoying them. According to Google, The Blue Willow pattern's exact origin is unknown; however, it's believed it was first made in England during the late 1700s. There are conflicting stories about who created the pattern, too-some claim that Josiah Spode invented it. While others say, John Turner did.
There are key motifs in the Blue Willow pattern. These include willow trees, pine trees, the bridge with three men on it, a fence, a boat, a teahouse or pagoda, and two birds in flight.



Bamboo cutlery adds more texture and contrast. Blue goblets from an estate sale complete the tablescape.



This is my favorite napkin fold. It is Carolyn Roehm's signature napkin fold. 


"All which we behold is full of blessings." 
William Wordsmith


I wish all my followers and table stylist friends a restful and happy summer. I named this post "Summer Blessings" because I am thankful to enjoy a slower pace. What summer activities do you have planned?

Click on the links below to view all the summer tablescapes. Each blogger would love to hear from you.

Home is Where the Boat Is - Hydrangeas and Butterflies
Life and Linda - A Boho Alfresco Tablescape
Corner of Plaid and Paisley - Summer Plaid and Polka Dot Picnic
Living With Thanksgiving - Summer Blessings
The Painted Apron - Boats, Floats and Fish!
Pandora's Box - Summer Blues
From My Carolina Home - Welcome Summer Tablescapes
The Bookish Dilettante - Summer Tablescape:  Old Glory
My Thrift Store Addiction - Summer Picnic Brunch under the Texas Mountain Laurel
Red Cottage Chronicles - Lemon Tablescape for Summer
Hyacinths for the Soul - Long May She Wave
Dinner at Eight - A Summer of Colors

Wishing you many summer blessings! By the way, the as I close this post, the humidity has arrived!

🌿🌺🌿🌺🌿🌺🌿🌺🌿🌺🌿🌺🌿🌺🌿🌺🌿🌺🌿🌺🌿🌺🌿🌺🌿

Monday, June 5, 2023

Monday Morning Blooms

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I am honored to be invited to be a 'guest bloomer' for Monday Morning Blooms.  Pam, Mary, and Lidy are very talented floral designers that showcase their talent on the first Monday of every month. Click on the links below to view their beautiful posts.  The theme today is watering cans.
I am so happy to join them for this edition of Monday Morning Blooms.







My original plans for this post changed as the wonderful cool morning progressed. My shady garden works well for gardenias, hydrangeas, and other shade-loving plants. I had a delightful time cutting flowers and greenery and deciding where my table would be. The birds were singing, there was a pleasant breeze, and I was happy and thankful to see the fruit of my labor in my garden rewarded with lots of blooms. I wait all year for this time to arrange my own flowers instead of store-bought ones.
 I'm showing you a little of my garden to set the stage for some of my choices of flowers.

Agapanthus are scattered throughout my woodland setting.


Gardenias have a lovely fragrance and make a great scrub year-round in my garden. It has been very rewarding to root three bushes that are huge now. It is an older variety, and the blossoms are fairly large.


In keeping with the watering can theme, I wanted to use a tole watering can I was gifted some years ago as a vase. Thank you, Johanna. I feel especially grateful because it was her mother's. It has a small opening on one side. A gardenia, pink hydrangea, blue hydrangea, and some dusty miller would all fit.


My mother's smaller tole metal watering can hold agapanthus, solid leaf dusty miler, and hydrangea. If you haven't seen the solid-leaf dusty miller, it is awesome. It adds a pop of white in the garden that catches your eye and is a great filler in arrangements.


It took over twenty stems to make this large arrangement. I love my vintage can that I have had for many years. Gathering flowers and arranging them was so much fun.
 Greenery, especially variegated greenery, adds so much to the garden and to the arrangements. The texture and color contrast is pleasing. Acuba and Pittosporum are my 'go to's'. 


You can see the Acuba at the back of the hydrangeas. It also roots easily in water.


I can't tell you how satisfying it was to enjoy the gorgeous day as I styled these flowers. God has blessed me with each one. Every day is indeed a blessing. I like to talk to Him as I stroll through the garden. It is a wonderful fellowship time.


After making these arrangements, I decided to make myself a refreshing compote of berries.

The embossed tablecloth was my mother-in-law's. Her brother brought it to her from the Phillippines in the late 50s. I noticed the label says "Made in Spain." I enjoy learning the history of vintage items.
 While I was smoothing the tablecloth out, it reminded me of a long bridal veil.


The napkin is equally beautiful.


I look forward to viewing Mary, Lidy, and Pam's watering can arrangements. Thank you, ladies, for inviting me to join you today! 
Click below to view their lovely posts.


Pam at Everyday Living


Mary at Home Is Where the Boat Is

Living Thankfully, 
🌿🌸🌿🌸