Christine's Home and Travel Adventures: March 2014

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Kids' Spring Table

We had kids during our get together dinner and it will be tight to sit them with us around the round table so I set this small table by the kitchen nook for them. Besides, I know they will enjoy it more if they are by themselves.

I continued on with the spring theme here.

Lenox Butterfly Meadows napkin rings.

Hyacinth plant with white blooms was borrowed from outside by the fountain.

I layered yellow bee salad plates from Williams Sonoma, white Mikasa swirl dinner plates and MacKenzie Childs Marketplace plate chargers.

I placed some cups in a clotche topped with a bird's nest and eggs for my centerpiece.

Thank you so much for stopping by. I appreciate you all and all the hostesses.

Alma's Seasonal Sunday

http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com/

Masterpiece Monday

http://boogieboardcottage.blogspot.com/

Kathryn's Make it Pretty Monday

http://thededicatedhouse.blogspot.com/

Marty's Inspire Me Tuesday

http://www.astrollthrulife.net/

Kathy's A Return To Loveliness

http://adelightsomelife.com

Martha and Terri's Teacup Tues

http://www.marthasfavorites.com/

Maria Elena's Tuesdays at Our Home

http://mariaelenasdecor.blogspot.com/

Paula's What's It Wed

http://ivyandelephants.blogspot.com/

Centerpiece Wed

http://thestylesisters.blogspot.com/

Kathleen's Let's Dish

http://www.cuisinekathleen.com/

Share Your Cup Thursday

http://jannolson.blogspot.com/

Tablescape Thursday

http://betweennapsontheporch.net/

Monday, March 17, 2014

Wurzburg Residenz Palace in Germany

After Rothenburg, the tour bus took us to tour the Residenz Palace in Wurzburg, southern Germany, which was used as the residence of the Prince-Bishops until the early 18th century.

The palace is so impressive, so grand and so long.

It has a gorgeous Franconian Fountain in front where John and I posed for a photo.

We were not allowed to take pictures inside the building so I copied this from Wikepedia. It is the grand staircase which is part of the formal reception room. A Venetian painter Giovanni Battista Tiepolo decorated the vault with a fresco, showing paintings of the four continents: Europe, America, Asia and Africa in 1750-1753. The painting on the vault and all the baroque intricate work are so stunning, this picture does not do them any justice at all.

Sorry, I could not show you any other interior pictures. As I said earlier, we were not allowed to take pictures inside, which is too bad because the interior is stunning.

Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate your comments.

Thanks also to the hostesses. I am linking with

Travel Tuesday

http://bonnieroseblog.co.uk/

The Tablescaper's Oh The Places I've Been

http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com/

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Spring Garden in the Kitchen

Last Friday night, my friends decided to have a get together dinner here again. I am excited for spring so I decided to create a spring-y table.

My bulb pot was really showcasing a bloom of different flowers so I used it again. This pot has come a long way, I got so much use out of it.

I added a birdhouse that was just sitting on the window sill in the dining room, and a bird that I took from the family room coffee table.

I alternated 2 types of napkin rings, a flower and a watering can.

Napoleon bee flatware set.

Heavy iron bunnies for name plate holders. I bought them from Pier One about 2 or 3 years ago.

The dinnerware set is Mikasa's "Fantasy"

Bees and butterflies fly around the yard in the spring and some of them just landed here.

Birds S & P shakers

Sauce and small dipping plates.

This really speaks spring to me!

The gang.

Picture taking first before digging in, lol. They are getting used to it. It looks like a lot of food but at the end, it was all gone. We all really ate so much!

A flower shaped tea set.

The cups say "I don't go to the gym, I garden" That describes me so well.

We had a wonderful dinner as usual and then we played Guesstures and had so much fun. It was hilarious!

Thank you for the visit and thanks to the hostesses. I always enjoy you coming over and always appreciate your comments.

The Tablescaper's Seasonal Sunday
http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com/
Masterpiece Monday

http://boogieboardcottage.blogspot.com/

Kathryn's Make it Pretty Monday

http://thededicatedhouse.blogspot.com/

Marty's Inspire Me Tuesday

http://www.astrollthrulife.net/

Kathy's A Return To Loveliness

http://adelightsomelife.com

Sandi's Teatime Tues

http://sandimyyellowdoor.blogspot.com

Ruth's Tuesday Cuppa Tea

http://www.antiquesandteacups.info

Martha and Terri's Teacup Tues

http://www.marthasfavorites.com/

Maria Elena's Tuesdays at Our Home

http://mariaelenasdecor.blogspot.com/

Paula's What's It Wed

http://ivyandelephants.blogspot.com/

Centerpiece Wed

http://thestylesisters.blogspot.com/

Kathleen's Let's Dish

http://www.cuisinekathleen.com/

Share Your Cup Thursday

http://jannolson.blogspot.com/

Tablescape Thursday

http://betweennapsontheporch.net/

Monday, March 10, 2014

I am Irish on St. Patrick's Day!

Kathleen of Let's Dish is having a St. Patrick celebration party. Since I am Irish on that day, there is no way I would miss it.

I started to think green. What would be more green than my Bordallo Pinheiro bunny dishes? Well, it's almost spring too so bunnies are starting to hop on my tables. I topped the plate layers with plastic leprechaun hats from the Dollar store. They were 5 for $1 so I was able to put on on my majolica style vase too.

I won the green plate chargers from Ebay. There were 12 of them but 2 arrived broken. UPS or USPS (can't remember which one now)was asking for so many things in filing for a claim and the seller kept bouncing the responsibility back to me when I had no information so I just gave up. I was still happy cause I have 10 perfect ones. I just did not leave her a feedback because I do not like giving negative ones unless they are really, really bad.

A duck gravy saucer.

The ceramic napkin rings were from Williams Sononma on clearance from a few years ago.

I bought these 4 little bowls from Homegoods while I was in Florida, perfect for dipping sauces. I love that store, one reason we bought our home there, it is only a 4 min drive from it, lol. Well, it is also next door to my daughter's house, an added bonus.

I can't remember where I bought the cabbage S & P shakers. I've had them for a while but forgot about them until I saw them again while looking for something else in the kitchen cabinet.