Christine's Home and Travel Adventures: February 2012

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

12 Sided Limoges Salad Plates

Sorry, I haven't been by lately. So much have been going on in my life. My brother in law passed away last Feb. 21 and we had to go to St. Louis, but now I am back, back to cleaning and of course back to doing tablescapes.

Below is my sister, Tessie and my brother in law, Alex (who just passed away), taken in Russia when we toured there. I will surely miss him especially when we are traveling. Please pray for the eternal repose of his soul and for my sister so that she will have enough strength to cope. They were married for 40 years and have no children so I can imagine how lonely she would be without him. I would really appreciate your prayers.

Back to my tablescape. The tablecloth and napkins are April Cornell's, some of the prices I chose when I won her tablescaping contest.

I have had the hobnail plate chargers, bought them from Dillard's about 3 years ago. I also have had the dinner plates. They were from Macy's which I picked up from the clearance table. I just came across them again while I was emptying the bins of dishes to be stored away but I thought, why not use them first. The 12 sided salad plates are made by Limoges in France. I won 10 of them on Ebay while I was babysitting in Florida, and they were in the packages that were opened when I got back. I tell ya, it was like Christmas again.

The same goes with these German gold and silver flatware. I got 84 pieces of them and they were ones I got from Ebay while I was in FL, so they were in the newly opened packages.

For my centerpiece, I cut out some of my yellow Carolina jessamines, which are blooming in the garden right now, and placed them in a turquoise vase. I added my 2 turquoise tealight candle holders, not sure yet if they are cabbage or artichokes or maybe a flower. What do you think?

I also have 3 other teallight candles that look like bird feeders, which I bought from Southern Living at Home (now Willow House) months ago,

Teal goblets from Pier One a few years ago and light yellow champagne glasses with pale pink rims from Ross, also bought a few years ago.

I brought my yellow and brown bird S & P shakers to the table.

Ceramic napkin holders are from New Orleans when John had a meeting there last summer.

And there it is! My table set for 2. I am not feeling too well, just a bad cold and cough, so I thought I would make it just for 2. I hope you like it!

Spring is in the air. Our azaleas in the secret garden are already blooming but not the one on higher grounds.

I am linking with Susan of Tablescape Thursday at http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com

Kathy's Home & Garden Thursday at http://blissfulrhythm.blogspot.com/

Sherry's Open House Party Thursday at http://nominimalisthere.blogspot.com/

Fresh Cut Flowers Friday at

http://rosevignettes.blogspot.com/

Sherry's Home Sweet Home Fri at

http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com

Honey's Potpourri Friday at

http://twenty-eight-0-five.blogspot.com/

Inspiration Friday at

http://www.atthepicketfence.com/
Sarah's Homemaking Weekend Link Up Party at http://bloggingwhilewaiting.blogspot.com/

Thank you to all who are hosting and to all who stopped by!

Sunday, February 19, 2012

DH Tries to Help But.......

This is how I left my kitchen when I went to Florida, that was Dec. 18, 2011. Notice the lighted pot rack but no pots. We just had it installed then.

John picked me up from the airport on Feb. 10, 8 days short of 2 months of being away. We always enter through a small hall from the garage into the ktichen and this is what welcomed me.

This is what I saw when I looked to the right. Except for the uncovered peanut butter jar, my husband is really not a pig.

He is actually trying to help. He removed everything from the countertop to clean the counters thoroughly. He moved everything to the small table near the window. That explains the clutter on the table. The dishes on the far end of the counter is what he washed by hand. I don't know why he does not use the dishwasher. I always redo what he washed because they always have lots of water marks.

There were towels and blanket throws all over the floors. When I asked what the towels were doing down there, he said he did not want to scratch the new floors. I told him it defeats having nice floors if we cannot see them, so I took them all and did laundry continuously for at least 5 days. He cut several bath towels and made them into rags. We had rags everywhere so I know he's been cleaning, at least trying to. He just does not know how to put anything back to where they belong. See that big plastic bin full of rags above? That's only 1, there were buckets everywhere full of them too.

So, I went to work, I mean REALLY worked! I cleaned and organized day and night, non stop until my back muscles ached. The first room that I tackled was the family room, just so I could at least sit when I got tired. They just replaced the floors there so none of the furniture was in place. I supervised the floor guy to move them to where I wanted them and then I hooked the TV back on.

And next was the kitchen. It is not perfect yet but it is starting to look better now, isn't it?

If you read my blog regularly, you must know about the many packages that came while I was away. I will post more about that soon. Anyway, one of the packages contained a set of hammered Ruffoni copper pots and pans. John gave them to me for Christmas. You see them hanging on the pot rack now.

The counter tops are clean and free of clutter now. I tell ya, for a while there, I could not breath easily.

The dining table is also in order.

How do you like my new pots and pans? I love them!

I got this mini teapot set from Ebay. Yes, they were in one of the packages. I placed them inside the terrarium.

I got this vintage copper fish lidded dish from Ebay also and yes, it was in one of the boxes.

Have you ever seen a plant like this before? It's so unusual! I saw it when I finally got a chance to go grocery shopping. It is a Weeping Pussy Willow.

I am so much more relaxed now. I am not completely done but the house is looking better everyday. I still have to work on the plastic bins that are full of dishes. They are still sitting in the living room. Our china cabinets are still empty but the office and 3 bedrooms are already clean, one more bedroom to go. The dining room is also clean now except for the china cabinets that still need to be filled. I'll do the living room last.

Thanks for stopping by. I am also thanking those who are hosting the memes I am linking with below.

Susan for Metamorphosis Monday at

http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com

Carrie's Amaze Me Monday at http://dittledattle.blogspot.com/

Mary's Masterpieces Monday at http://boogieboardcottage.blogspot.com/

Sally's Blue Monday at http://smilingsally.blogspot.com/

Cielo's Show Off Your Cottage Monday at http://houseinroses.blogspot.com/

Mellow Yellow Monday at http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/

Marty's Tabletop Tuesday at

http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/
Kathy's Home and Garden Thursday at http://blissfulrhythm.blogspot.com/

Friday, February 17, 2012

Krewe of Mer Mardi Gras Ball, 2012

Together again.....Debjani and me!

Last Saturday, I took a little break from cleaning the house and partied. We got an invitation to a formal Mardi Gras ball and we more than gladly obliged.

Mrs. Kumi in the center was our hostess.

All the tables were all decorated very nicely, festively and so colorful. I will share a few here.

This was my favorite!

This was our table, simple but beautiful and we got to take the glasses, napkins and beads home. You will see them on my mardi gras table at home.

Below is where I was seated, right across the hospital administrator and his wife. Do you know how hard it was to keep a conversation going? It would have been easier if they were dishaholics too, lol!