I can hardly stand the excitement...

My Babies are Coming Home Next Week !!!

Cole, Mr Grits and I are flying to Colorado next Wednesday! So, posting will be erratic.

Military Prayer
Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us.Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. Amen.

So...Because I will be away...

Because we will be on a plane all day next Wednesday...and returning to North Carolina the following Wednesday....the next two "What's On Your Wall Wednesday" events will be postponed. I'm sorry....the first week was a great success. But - somehow I think everyone will understand. :-)

I will try to post pics of the Happy Homecomings! These are very emotional events, so maybe I can get some good shots.

Blessings, Barb

My Rooster Give-Away....I almost forgot!

Oops! Big Oops! It's been such a week of exciting events - that I forgot all about choosing a winner for my Portuguese Ceramic White Rooster Give-Away!! Eek!

Well, its almost 1am and I did not think it wise to wake Cole to draw a winner from the basket like last time, so I used a random number generator.

Here is the number chosen...

Research Randomizer Results
1 Set of 1 Unique Numbers Per Set Range: From 1 to 37 -- Unsorted
Job Status:

Set #1:
34

And who is #34?

Sue at Our Really Empty Nest

Sue - I left you a message on your blog with my email. I look forward to hearing from you!

Thanks to everyone who participated. I look forward to the next

Pay It Forward Friday Give-Away!

Happy Friday....Barb

The Very First "Themed Thursday!"

My very first "Themed Thursday!"

KD at Southern Whimsy is hosting "Themed Thursday." If you have not been to her blog, you are missing out. Please visit KD's blog to see a full list of all participants in "Themed Thursday."

This week's theme is Blue Transferware. Love it!

So...off we go!

I have a fairly large collection of blue and white. Most of my pieces were collected during my many "flea" trips across Britian and the UK. Some pieces were inherited from my husband's late mother, who also loved transferware of all colors. They spent three years in England as a Navy family.

My collection is showcased in my Morning Room. This is one of my favorite rooms in our home. It's where I head to in the morning, coffee in hand, to enjoy some quiet before the baby awakes and the day begins. If I am lucky, I am visited by my family of deers - eating their morning fill.

The room is painted Laura Ashley Cherry. I love the crisp white paneling effect against the red.

(for those who have seen this room already...no, I still don't have my drapes and cornices) :-/

As you can see, I have several pieces displayed throughout the room...on tabletops and desktops ...

Remember this tablescape a few weeks ago using some of my blue and white pieces?

So...you've seen the room...I thought this would be a great time to show you a few close-ups of some of my favorite pieces.

This is the inside of my antique English hutch. Along with the blue and white dishes, I have antique books, more Victorian crystal creamers, and a few miscellaneous crystal or glass items.

This is a close-up of one of the shelves. Here you can see some of the old books I have amassed. Do you know what those two small glass items in the front center are? No? They are Victorian eye cups, used to wash ladies eyes because the coal and other chemicals from their make-up would irritate their eyes. (even then...women paid a price for beauty, huh?)

The center plate is one of my favorites, from Bavaria. I wish the pictures showed just how beautiful this plate really is.

The plate featuring the collection of teapots was one of my first purchases on our first visit to London.

One of my favorite and most visited flea markets was Tongeren, Belgium. We would wake at 4am to make the 1 hour drive and get there with flashlights, because some of the best deals were made while the trucks were being unloaded. I discovered my first piece of "Liberty Blue" transferware, made in England, at this market. I was far away from my homeland...and my heart skipped a beat when I saw this piece.

I asked the dealer if he had more, and he said one more...and brought out this platter...

I was hooked. I later found two more Liberty Blue pieces...

"The Old North Church"



and...(I think!) "Off to Hunt"

Love these doggies! My kitties think they are quite offensive! :-)


This is the cover to a cheese tray. Yes, I have the bottom ... somewhere ... in my garage.

This is the teacup set I used for my Tablescape "Dinner for One."

I love the chintz rose saucer .... it is simply stamped "Made in England."




I could show you more....but you need to go see all the other Blue Transferware posts for "Themed Thursday."


I hope you enjoyed seeing my Morning Room "close up." Thanks KD for sponsoring this event.



May the Only "Blue" in Your Days Be Dishes...Barb

It's Here! What's On Your Wall Wednesday...

I am soooo excited to host the Very First

WHAT'S ON YOUR WALL WEDNESDAY!

UPDATE!!!! Please bare with me while I work out some kinks. I was trying to add Mr. Linky...and well, let's just say I have some more work to do. I accidentally deleted all the comments posted earlier. I apologize. Please feel free to repost them. Also, if your name is not below...let me know, and I will add you immediately.

Please link back to this blog so others can see the complete list of all participants. Also, feel free to use either the large icon above, or the smaller one provided below...

Here are the participants thus far. Since I am having issues getting Mr Linky to work, we are going to do this the old fashioned way this week. :-)

If you do not see your name, you can email me at: barbgarrettnc@yahoo.com, or leave a comment here by 11 pm tonight, and I will add you!

1) Melissa @ Melissa's Heart and Home

2) Paula @ Sweet Pea

3) Lynne @ Lynne's Gifts from the Heart

4) Kristen @ Kristen's Creations

5) Cami @ Creating Myself

6) Kathy @ Empty Nester

7) KD @ Southern Whimsy

8) Pammie Jo @ Pammie Jo and Friends

9) Linda @ Nina's Nest

10) Gloria @ Happy To Be

(my apologies to Gloria for the wrong addy!)

11) Diane @ Four Paws Co.

12) Terrie @ Terrie's Little Piece of Serenity

13) Jan and Tom @ Rose Haven

14) Debbie @ Confessions of a Plate Addict

15) kathy b @ Count It All Joy

16) Jewel @ Carolina Jewel

17) Judy @ Gracious Southern Living

18) Linda @ Royal Touch Art

19) Kathy @ Casa-Dolce-Casa

20) Terrie @ Boosalis Bloggle

21) Michelle @ Paper Glue Etc.

22) Michelle @ From House to Home

23) Shay @ Thirty and Holding

24) Suzanne @ Southern Inspiration

25) Kimm @ Reinvented

26) Carrie @ Oak Rise Cottage

27) Skoots1Mom @ My Hand...His Glory

Here is "What's On My Fireplace Wall"

When we lived in Belgium, we would often visit the town of Brugge. (known as the little Venice of Belgium). It was an easy 2 hour drive, so whenever friends and family came to visit, it was one of the first places we headed. It was a magical town of small canals and swan filled waterways. Brugge was also known for its shops filled with Belgian tapestries and lace. I only purchased one tapestry while I was there, and have kicked myself ever since for not buying more.

I have my tapestry hanging in my formal Dining Room, above the fireplace. It was hard to find something that worked well against the brick wall. (Plastering over that brick is a "one day soon" project. )

I also wanted to stay within the European feel I was trying to create.

The Tapestry filled all those requirements and more.

Here is a close-up...you can see the intricate handwork.

This shows the botanical pattern

The tapestry is hung from a black wrought-iron rod, with large silk tassels on each end.

I found the perfect "castle-like" sconces....its as if they were made especially for this wall vignette.

Ok....yesterday, Baby Lily hinted that I like to tie in my china and place settings with the mantle. Often, I will buy extra dishes to use on the mantle. These are the same dish pattern from Baby Lily's dinner party last night.

(BTW, Baby Lily says thanks so much to everyone who attended. She can't wait to host her next event.) :-)

I hope you have enjoyed my first "What's On Your Wall Wednesday." Please take the time to visit all the participants. I look forward to next week.

May Your Walls be Filled With Treasures and Memories....Barb

Tablescape Tuesday......

Welcome to My Second Tablescape Tuesday

sponsored by

Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch

http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com

Stop by to see all the participants of Tablescape Tuesday!

This week....I am turning over my Tablescape Tuesday post to my fourth fur baby...Baby Lily. Take it away Baby Lily....

Hi, I am Baby Lily. I am my Mom's favorite kitty.

(please don't tell Bitty Kitty as she gets all attitude-ish!)

I am having a dinner party and I hope you can come. I have mailed out all the invitations...

My mom has allowed me to use some of her favorite dishes and vintage stemware. She helped me set the table....here is the place setting.

Mom said she found these dinner plates at Marshall's and it was love at first site. She started with a green placemat and added a gold charger.

Here is a close-up of the dinner plate. Mom loves all things botanical and floral. Me too! Just the other day, I ate one of her plants. Yummy!

Imagine what my mom must have sounded like when she was at Marshall's a few weeks after she found the dinner plates, and came across the matching salad plates. I bet you could hear her screaming from the front of the store. She said she almost had to arm wrestle her Aunt for them. (her Aunt didn't have a chance. My Mom really loves dishes. No....she reallllly loves dishes! Silly Aunt!)

She loves these salad plates especially because of the little bird....a hummingbird. Mom loves hummingbirds.

Here's a close-up of the bird. It sure looks delicious....oh- I mean pretty.

Here they are again...mom added a pretty red napkin ....

Now for the special touches...

Mom has a collection of name card holders. Here you see a small gold urn with Dad's name.

She also added the crystal knife rests, seen below. There are twenty four of them in her set. Good thing we don't need all twenty four. Now THAT would be some party, huh?

Mom was concerned about using her vintage stemware. My Dad inherited these from his grandmother and they are very special. The etched crystal glasses are very delicate. I promised Mom I would be very careful. Cole got in trouble for trying to grab one. He got sent to time out. (heehee) Little devil!

Mom said she wasn't happy with how plain the simple tealight looked in this crystal candleholder, so she poured in some sugar. The sugar sparkles in the candlelight.

I just love bling! You should see my Cartier diamond collar. Ok, its not Cartier - its PetSmart.

I asked mom if she could add some of her favorite pieces from her collection of Victorian crystal creamers. When we serve the salad course, each guest will have their own serving of salad dressing in these little pitchers, but for now...simple tealights allow you to see their cut glass glow. ewww.....pretty!

This is my favorite one...I put this one at my place setting.

(I'm the hostess, I can do things like that!) ;-)

So, are you ready to see my table? If you come to my party, you will see it in person. But just in case you can't make it, I will show it to you here.

And another fuller view...

So that's it....my party table.

If you come back for the very first "What's On Your Wall Wednesday", you can see how Mom decorated the mantle and above the fireplace to coordinate with the table.

(She's like that you know)

Oh, its almost time and my guests will be here soon. Now excuse me while I go lick myself clean....oh, I mean take a bath. I can't wait to see you at my party....

Hope Every Day Feels Like a Party....Baby Lily

Oh yea...mommy needs to tell you something...

If you would like to participate in the very FIRST

What's On Your Wall Wednesday

...let her know here by 9pm tomorrow night. She is trying to figure out Mr Linky, but she may not get it added in time.

We can't wait to see your "WOYWW" posts.