Saturday, November 27, 2010

Breakfast At Our House

I can't believe that this time next month Christmas will be over....... I have been away for 3 days this week. I had to go to Perth (our capital city) for a specialist appointment as I have had a bleed in my eye (8 times actually!) so I was getting a bit concerned but thankfully after lots of tests everything has turned out OK so now I can concentrate on Christmas!  I managed to do a bit of shopping in Perth then travelled on to our beachhouse and spent a night there organising security screens and pool cleaners so I hope things are going to be ready for Christmas.
I purchased a new Christmas tree and lots of gorgeous decoration in silver. I have that already decorated and windows cleaned and all linen washed - I also found a couple of prints for the spare bedrooms which I will show you soon.

Last Sunday we had just the perfect weather so I prepared a lovely Sunday morning breakfast table outside. I decided to place the table straight on the lawn instead of using the pergola. The outdoor setting is one I picked up off the road near our unit in Perth one day (actually SNo 1 helped me and he was sooo embarrassed!) but I love the curly legs it has. It is getting a bit wonky but that makes me like it even more!!
I have used a raggy quilt I made a while ago as the cloth and just added lots of pretty bits and pieces - most of these you have seen before but they still make a pretty table. 







































Pull up a chair and I'll get you some fresh fruit and a cup of tea!!

Have a lovely week and I hope all your Christmas plans are coming along nicely. I'm making lists each day and have all the tizzy things sorted now I just need to concentrate on the food (that makes me nervous!).

Suzy 





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Monday, November 22, 2010

'Whiteness'


I was changing things around a bit the other day when I removed the quilt from this chair.  I really fell in love with it again. For years it has been covered by lots of different quilts but this week I decided it deserved to come outside into the sunshine.


























I was madly looking for a little white side table but the only thing I could find was this other old chair I had painted white.


A snowy white cloth, teacup, candle and bunch of flowers were so simple but looked just perfect to me.



I decided to add just a few strands of pretty pearls.


Sorry my lawn looks a little on the brittle side - this is nothing compared to how it will look by the end of summer. I am praying for summer rains.


Many years ago I fell in love with candlewicking. This is one of the many cushions I made. I still love it but don't get much time now for sitting and stitching. Such a shame....




I can imagine myself playing ladies in all this gorgeous 'whiteness' (is that a word??)




Suzy


 


                                          I'm joining: TuesdayTeaforTwo@ThePlumedPen
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Sunday, November 21, 2010

Christmas crafts

I've been fiddling.....



Yesterday I managed to get started on some Christmas crafts. I made these gorgeous candles to go on the table for Boxing Day (I already have my Christmas day table sorted - in my head, anyway!!). They were just plain cream pillar candles from the supermarket.



























I won't be using this candle holder but it had five spaces and I have five candles so it was just perfect for today. 




I down loaded this free music sheet (from Gail@Can'tStopMakingThings) and printed mine out onto some lovely cream paper (leftover from DNo 1's wedding invitations) and  cut them to size then joined them with double sided tape. I finished them off with a string bow.




I also made this burlap table runner (which I can't remember where I saw this. sorry!). I have lots of black wire baskets to go with this for a lovely French look.




I can't wait to use both of these. I have to take a small gift to a Christmas party so I'm going to make some candles for that.

Suzy 







Monday, November 15, 2010

White Wednesday






This is my beautiful creamy white climbing rose which is over an arch at my back door. It is just stunning. Once it starts to drop it's petals though it drives me crazy as it is just like snow everywhere on the ground! Not that we have much snow here in Australia. lol
Sadly it doesn't have a perfume - the perfume is what makes the old roses just so special. It is really pretty in a pitcher which you can see here with my Robert Gordon china.

Suzy

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Saturday, November 13, 2010

Fall Tablescape




No, it hasn't turned into autumn here in Australia but I've been looking at all the wonderful fall tablescapes so I thought I would have a go and join in.




























This gorgeous tin sign is off the wall in my sunroom. I have had this picnic basket for a few years now so I thought it filled up the end of the table very nicely.



Gorgeous handmade beeswax candles (a birthday gift from a friend) fit the colour scheme really well too.



I really liked the look of the timber table so this week I have just used woven placemats and no tablecloth.






















The flatware was a purchased last year from Target but the colour really lends itself to a fall table.



























A wooden tray all set for coffee! The coffee mugs I found oneday in the bargain bin in Spotlight (I think that is like Hobby Lobby!)  along with the pretty side plates.



I placed green dinner plates underneath and used the soup/sweets bowls from my wedding dinnerset (33 years ago).



The basket needed a bit of filling so I took a print off the wall and added a scarf and some orange flowers.


The orange napkins and taupe napkin holders bring the whole table together. I couldn't believe the difference it made when I placed them on the table.



Somehow I happened to have this lovely round green candle in the cupboard - actually I have a thing about candles. I'm sure I have just about every colour ever made! lol


I'm thinking of taking these placemats to my beachhouse to use over the summer holidays. I can see them with some washed blue beachy colours...

Not bad for a $16.00 outlay!! Four cups @ $2.00 and 4 plates @ $2.00.

 
  Have a lovely week,

Suzy

                                                  



                                                      


Gorgeous summer fruits

During the week I had a very quick overnight trip to our beachhouse (Mr FH had left his mobile phone behind!!) so I stopped at the local markets to buy some fruit and vegies to bring home. We are so lucky to be able to buy such yummy fresh produce.




I love it when the fruit bowl is full!! As we are coming into summer the stone fruit will soon be available.  Yummy!


I always have my fresh fruit in this gorgeous big white bowl in my kitchen. I thought I would share some photos with you of this end of my kitchen - usually I have photos of my tablescapes at the other end. I have a big kitchen - about 24ft long. Actually it was orignally two rooms but when we came here to live we knocked out one wall.



I love this plate rack on the wall. I puchased this from my sister's gift shop (which you can see  here) many years ago. It is very handy having a sister who can get me things for cost price!!




This cute cupboard came from another gorgeous gift shop in my nearest shopping town. I was feeling a bit down one day and saw this and it made me feel a whole lot better!!  Do you know what I mean?? There's nothing like a bit of retail therapy to make a girl feel better!




The gorgeous wire cake stand is a real favourite of mine!!  I am always amazed at how different everything can look when a little bit of effort is made with presentation. A bit like dressing up for the occasion, I guess. 



Have a lovely weekend,

Suzy

PS My mind is going flat out after seeing all the Christmas decorations in the shops. I have designed my Christmas table about 4 times already!!