Monday, August 30, 2010

Reflections






We have had a very sad weekend at the farmhouse. Yesterday Mr FH and I were in the sheepyards working when our beautiful, beautiful sheep dog Holly ran onto the road and was hit by a passing car. We were ready to move sheep across the road and the driver had ignored our signs and was travelling at a high speed when he hit Holly right in front of me. To say we were traumatised is really an understatement!! Mr FH is absolutely devastated to lose his best friend. I had trouble sleeping last night as I kept thinking - what if that had been a child? It is just too scary to even contemplate...


Today I have put together a very simple table(chair?)scape to join Tuesday's fun - I had made these pretty cushions a while ago and I just adore the colours.






This lovely teacup and saucer was a gift from a very dear old friend - she welcomed me into this community when I came here as a young bride 33 years ago. Sadly she has passed on but she was like another Mum to me. I have used this cup and saucer earlier in a pretty red tablescape which you might like to see here.






I found this cute old chair at a local antique shop (local, as in 80kms away!). I use this at my old rolltop desk which came from my husband's family. The chair is very rickety but I really love it - I won't need to put on any weight or I might just go right thru'!






























Isn't this such a pretty chair?? How I would love a whole set of these.










































Can you see the tiny insects flying around the rose buds on the cushion?  I'm not sure what they are but they are way too small to be bees. I think gingham is such happy fabric - just what I need this week. Actually I had little Miss L come to visit yesterday (she is now 4 mths and has 2 teeth!) and little Mr L is coming to stay at the farm house tomorrow so there is nothing like grandies to cheer us up!







































A couple of dusty old books look right at home on this old chair - maybe if the chair gets too fragile to use I could use it as a bedside table - now that's got me thinking!  

Suzy


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Friday, August 27, 2010

Yummy cakes to tempt you


























Is it possible to gain weight through osmosis??? I am convinced it is. This is a wonderful cake shop I found on my recent holiday in Melbourne and I swear I did not eat one piece of this and I still have gained some (not sure how many cos I haven't looked!) unwanted kilos.  Maybe it had something to do with all the other wonderful food we ate or maybe even the yummy wines we drank......














































Lemon meringue pie would have to be one of my favourites - how yummy do these look.




Suzy

Thursday, August 26, 2010

What a find....

Do you ever get really excited when you find something 'really good' at the op-shop (Goodwill to you Americans lol)? Well the other day that happened to me. I saw this really cute salt and pepper set. Just great, I thought, for summer. You know, when you just need the shakers but not really to make a big statement. Perfect.  I puchased them for $1.00 - what a bargain as well so how could I leave them there. I brought them home and gave them a good scrub and left them to dry for a few days then this morning I filled them ready for my tablescape and put the lids on... that's when things went pear-shaped.....





As you can see they are lovely dimpled glass without a chip and pretty little silver lids......wait for it...








































I have two pepper shakers and no salt!!!!! I am sorry this photo is so blurry but I was really chuckling away to myself by this stage. Never mind, I have decided to keep them and use them like this - lucky they are clear glass so really no-one needs to look at the top. I wonder how long it will be before anyone else notices this.









































I have used my blue willow dinner set today - I have had this for quite a while. It isn't a family heirloom, just some I purchased over time at the local grocery store. You can see it dispayed in my dresser here.










































I have decided today I really 'need' some hot pink napkins. I have lots of different colours but unbelievably no hot pink. I have used pale pink napkins with this pretty cloth. This is a piece of fabric I use for the displays at my sister's gift shop.
 











Goodness me, I must have really been chuckling away -these photos are all a bit shakey!! 






This cup and saucer reminds me of my nan - she would never have poured a cup of tea in a mug like we do these days.











































I had fun today putting this table together - I hope you can all have a little laugh at something silly today.


Suzy


Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Royal Albert Chintz

A few years ago when my Dad died he left me some money - not a lot but money he had worked hard for and had saved so I decided I would buy myself something really nice to keep in his memory. I thought for quite a while before I decided on a Royal Albert dinner set in Old Country Roses design. Over the years I have been lucky enough to receive lots of accessories to match. I thought I would share it with you for this week's teascapes.


























This tall glass is actually a candle that matches the colour of the roses perfectly.






































I love cups all stacked up like this - especially when they are this pretty!!





































The chintz plates are really my all time favourite - if I could have a complete dinner set like this I would be in heaven!




































I have matching placemats and coasters in two different sizes - it is amazing how many accessories there are too match.


































 Even a guest book - please take the time to leave me a message. lol



More cups piled high.





































No table would be complete without the matching salt and pepper shakers, sugar bowl and creamer. We received this beautiful sugar spoon as a wedding present - it has a beautiful rose on the end.


Platters in all shapes and sizes...



Even a pretty little cake stand - once again I have been baking (not)!!




How stunning is this chintz?? I love this in any colour - not that I have any but I have seen lots in antique shops. On my wish list.....





This china is also Royal Albert Old Country Roses but in a more country style - not quite as dainty as the other.





I had intentions of painting this old dresser before I showed any photos but as usual time just gets away. I still intend painting it so I will keep you posted and show it to you once it is finished.



Thursday, August 19, 2010

Beautiful Pink Roses





































On Tuesday I had a trip to the dentist - if anyone knows me they will know just how much I hate going to the dentist but it's something we must do. While doing a quick bit of grocery shopping afterwards I saw this beautiful bunch of flowers. They had been reduce from $26.00 to $8.00 - what a steal.






































Once I had them home and arranged I decided to put them on our tv cabinet but I must admit the dust nearly choked me!!!LOL So I decided on this nice sunny morning to start some spring cleaning.








































I thought this little bird house fitted in really well with the floral pitcher I had for the flowers - just love that glass knob for the perch.





























This print had originally been on the wall in my family room but had been changed around a bit so I brought it back in to match the other two I have hanging above the tv cabinet.





























I added this little streetscape to the display as I thought the whole look needed something darker on this side - to even up the lovely dark green foliage. I have had these hand painted houses and church for many years. They are just too pretty to throw out.



























I can see one of my prints is hanging a bit crooked - don't you just hate that when you see the photos - so I have attended to that and now have every thing looking ok.

Spring cleaning certainly makes you feel good - now I just need to do a little more..


Suzy









Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Picnic at the farm

Well, hello friends... I am back from a fabulous little holiday with Mr FH, DNo 1 and her husband. We flew to Melbourne (about a 4 hr flight) on Thursday morning and had a super time - eating, drinking, walking, football games, theatre and lots of sightseeing. We flew back into Perth last night about midnight. I can't wait til we do it again...


I haven't downloaded any photos yet so I thought I would share a little picnic tablescape I did the other day when it was nice and sunny outside. I set it up near an old shed near our farmhouse.  I hope this will count as a tablescape without a table but I did have an old chair.









































Such a nice day outside -just that tiny bit of whispy cloud above.









































Isn't this old door just beautiful - wish I looked this good with all my wrinkles and imperfections!!









































I packed up this little old picnic hamper with a plaid rug, cup and plates in sunny red and a vintage thermos flask (yes, this was found in our old farm house!).








































Love these red accents to brighten things up a little.





























This old school chair was from the tiny primary school where I work - we have 12 students so everyone is like family there.









Yummy date and pumpkin slice with cream cheese frosting.







































Lovely striped water glasses and bottle match in really well with the plaid picnic rug.








































See how lovely and sunny it was - so nice after a cold winter. Our days are starting to warm up and get a little longer - spring is on it's way.






































An old stone step - just right for sitting on to enjoy the sun.



Suzy




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