Thursday, September 29, 2011

Spring in Australia

Today has been the most beautiful spring day here in Australia. I couldn’t resist cutting a bunch of glorious purple flowers and placing them on the dining table.

IMG_1870a

I am also trying out Windows Live Writer. Fingers crossed this works because it is so much faster than Blogger.

Suzy

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Purple Passion






I just love purple flowers in the garden and I really love it when the spring bulbs start flowering.
This is one of my favourite times of the year along with autumn. If only we didn't have to have the extremes of summer and winter I would be happy!

Suzyq

Monday, September 26, 2011

Have you met my daughter?

























Here she is! She is a theatre sister at a big city hospital and I'm sure she modelled for this fabric designer. In fact I think I have actually met these two ladies with her.....they look just like Lizzie and Lou-lou!!

 
I have been madly spring cleaning and found this piece of fabric I had bought ages ago to make something(not sure what!!) for my daughter. As you can see it's been folded up neatly in the cupboard since.  I have also spent the last 3 days working in the garden so I thought I would set a cute afternoon tea table in the pergola. I love how the sun shining through the lattice has made patterns on the fabric. 


















































I'm a bit worried about the surgeon - he looks slightly dis-interested. Hope I don't ever come across him!

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Do you know what this is???

Look what I bought this week. Don’t you just love the gorgeous pale gray colour of this lovely basket.







































I already have a cutlery tray and large flower shaped serving dish that will match this.

























Mr FH and my mum thought it was really lovely until I turned it around and they saw the other side. Why would I buy a basket with the side missing????







































How cool is this???? It is a carry basket for dinner plates. Something to carry your plates out to the alfresco area.







































I can’t wait to use this.  Son No1 was telling me it was just a waste of time as I could have the plates carried out in the time it takes to load the basket. I must admit he’s probably right!!! Lol







































Suzyq
Having a few problems with my spacing - sorry!!

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Spring Green Tablescape

Wow, I can't believe it's Tuesday already! It's footy finals time here and Mr FH and I travelled to the city on the weekend to see our team play and win!! One more game to win then the grand final. Each week I try to fit in time to do extra posts and before I know it it's time for Tuesday Tea Parties.



Gorgeous spring days are on the menu at the moment!! Way too nice to stay inside so I lugged things outside and set a pretty table.


























It  all started when I cleaned out my fabric cupboard and found this lovely piece of rose floral fabric. Just enough for a table runner. 


I have this lovely green floral china. Sadly I don't have much - I actually bought a few odd pieces (just enough for a setting for two) which I have displayed on the family room walls but now I wish I had a complete set.  Like I need another dinner set!! LOL


























It really is so pretty. I love the vines twisting around the rim.

























 Even the reflection of the blue sky matches the table...

























I was trying to get some shadows on the table without it being to dark. Looks like I also have a little bug on the cloth. I guess you get that when setting a table outside.

























The last table I did outside I had rain to contend with but this time I had  the wind!

























Gorgeous spring time sunshine shining through!!

























I love these wine glasses. I must have had them for twenty years I think. I bought them along with some pink champagne glasses from a grocery store for very little and have used them so much it's amazing.




























Layers of fabric cover my old garden table. I have lots of table covers out of this lovely voile in many different colours - it just seems to add something to a simple setting.



























Suzy



Monday, September 12, 2011

Spring colours

 
I just had to set this table last week to try to catch the lovely sunrays coming through the window. I had bought this cute fabric a while ago to make into napkins but as yet that hadn't happened so I just ironed the edges under and used it as a placemat.


























 We have been having lovely spring weather which I love nearly as much as autumn. Unfortunately I am not a big fan of summer but now we have the beachhouse that certainly makes it more bearable!! I picked these pretty pale blue napkins up recently for $5 for a pack of 4.

























I thought my Robert Gordon china was just perfect for a spring time table. I love the mix of pretty florals and jazzy stripes. You can see more of it here.


























 How cute are these little butterfly tealights? I didn't have any holders (they had been left at the beachhouse) so I had to make do with what I had. These napkin rings turned on their side worked perfectly.

























These salt and pepper shakers are new - one is a birdhouse and the other a watering can. Just perfect for a spring table.

























The sun was really shining in here now....actually this photo is a bit of a give away - I had the table set up in my daughter's bedroom and you can see her bed here!

























Yummy, yummy colours. 

The wall colour in the background was the perfect match for this table!

























I think I might actually stitch these placemats up to use them again. Don't they just scream spring!!!

Suzy



OpenHouseParty@OnSuttonPlace















Monday, September 5, 2011

Christmas in July


Last weekend my family had our Christmas in July. We were running a bit late as it's so hard to co-ordinate everyone but those that could attend did and we all had a great time.






























This year we hosted the 'event' at our beach house and I set up the tables in our theatre room (which still has no furniture so came in handy!!) and set them with cream damask cloths and napkins tied with baby pink tulle.


I placed the crystal and glass candle holders on antique crystal cake plates. All the candles were cream and I scattered fake snow all around the table.



I used three tall glass vases (leftover from DNo 1's wedding) and filled them with pink and silver balls. Can you see me in there too? I was quickly trying to take photos before everyone arrived.





























Tealights with vanilla candles gave the room a lovely perfume without being too overpowering.




Silver placemats and baby pink menus were set for each guest to enjoy.





















I loved using the fake snow. Christmas here in Australia is usually so hot that it's a lovely change to have a cool Christmas!  We had Cream of Chicken Soup with crusty rolls, Roast Turkey, Pork and Chicken with baked potatoes, sweet potato crumble, asparagus with hollandaise sauce, cauliflower au gratin, steamed vegies and fresh greens. This was followed by Traditional Plum Pudding and brandy custard or Sticky Date Pudding with caramel sauce.  That's the hard part - I love all the decorating and organising but get a panicky with the cooking but I delegated a lot! LOL




See no furniture in the room except for the tables. We did have chairs but as they were of the green plastic stacking variety (classy!) we didn't bring them in until the last minute.

























A small table was set up in the corner for extra glasses (trestle tables are too narrow to add glassware) and red wine for later.

                                     Suzyq

PS We did serve tea and coffee later but I didn't get a photo of that so I haope I can still be included in the Tuesday Tea Parties!

TablescapeThursday@BetweenNapsonthePorch