Downton Abbey Silver Holiday Decorating Tabletop

Simple decorating ideas are my kind

of decorating. I have these silver plated cups

that I call my Downton Abbey Cups..

They are just vintage silver cups

but I am sure they have lots of stories to tell.

(They will look more like Downton Abbey

on white linen!)

Place each cup in a circle like a wreath

and fill each with boxwood cuttings.

If you are a gardener that is the same

as saying each are filled with cheer.

If only boxwood rooted quickly

like say, mint!  

Old silver has such character!

The combination of brown, silver and gray

with some shimmer and some dull areas

has such appeal to me.

These almost blend into the tabletop.

Beautifully burnished is the best description for the cups.

Happiness is a table full of family and friends

good food helps too,

so I guess I should be looking for new dishes to make

the usual dishes are comforting but it's always good to

have a few surprises each year.

I stumbled upon a cookbook by 
Sam Choy

at a Goodwill store and it was $1.30 

Now I have the recipe for Payapa Dressing!

The list of secret ingredients is in my kitchen.

All photographs are my own from Instagram.

Connecting up with:
   Between Naps on the Porch
Coastal Charm
Common Ground

Styling Collage Photography

It's not what you have

 it's how you arrange them.

It's not how expensive the items are

it's about texture and color.

That is pretty much the rules I use

when it comes to styling collage photography.

These are my two photographs from Instagram

I love how art is in everything around us.

Both of these photgraphs were taken with my iphone 4.

You have to love the iphone...easy to carry and usually

always with me wherever I'm at.

We were very, very fortunate that we didn't lose

our electricity during Hurricane Sandy.

There were a few flickers and I waited up a good

bit during the night waiting to light candles while

the wind roared outside.

I feel bad for all of the others who had extensive damage.

Schools were cancelled for two days and many

business offices were closed as well.

Connecting up with Common Ground Linky Party

Field Notes of Flowers

This spring I am going to keep track of what's blooming, where it's blooming, and when exactly.
Our lilac bushes were not loaded with blooms like last year. Culprit is deer! It's definitely not the bushes as they are green and lush. I like to think of each blossom as a tiny goblet raised up to cheer on Spring. Cheers!

All of the mustard along the roads are like one long waving ribbon! I think they are delicate and pretty.

I would love to do needlework but there is not enough free time for that right now. The next best thing is to put my field flowers on burlap. It's pretty. Simple. I can look at them the rest of the year.

Has everyone else noticed that there are hardly any honey bees out there? The hornets and bumble bees are out, but the last few years the honeybees are a rare thing. I believe it is more than some disease. I'm certain it's all of the pesticides and herbicides. It makes me want to become a beekeeper.

October Snow

Nothing like a little snow to stir things up and then shut things down. I took a few pictures with my camera phone half kiddy because it was beautiful. There were big, wet flakes, sloppy at first and then huge flakes tumbled down from the biggest fluffiest goose ever it seemed. Fluffy but heavy enough to knock over trees and power lines.

The sugar maple tree above was aglow in the snow like a jack-o-lantern just as happy as we were.





I was very happy until I realized our power was out when I went back in the house. It rather dampened my gleeful spirit, but kids only think of fun things like sledding. Over the summer you forget how quiet a calm snowfall is. You are in the middle of a caccoon and you focus only on the things nearest you.






Our power came back on in a few hours and once again we were thankful for the important things, a home, a warm bed and our westie dog's cold nose pushing against our hands, and each other safe and sound.

Singing Chicks Original Folk Art

Songs that come from the heart are the sweetest and cannot be held back. Do you recognize a song when you hear it? All the little wonders of nature singing to us and when you live in the hustle and bustle of the city you often miss these little sweet songs.

My new painting is full of color! Like a song with the notes going all over the scales.

More about my current paintings here.

Modern Frida Kahlo Green Earth Day Garden Art

Frida's Green Garden Painting

Green means clean

and safe for the

blooming majestic flowers,

inquisitive white rabbits

singing bluebirds

very clean black cat

Be safe and green

For sale on ebay

Our World is Blue, Pink and a spot of Green

Our world has been various shades of blue and white outside the last 2 weeks. Blue ground and blue sky and a ring of pink clouds ruffling the two together. Schools were closed for 9 days and just resumed late yesterday.

Inside it's pink and white. I've been under the weather and these roses and gardening magazines have helped. Most of the time I had only one eye open. And that was only now and then.

The deer are the best snow removers. There is this little spot near the old spring where the grass is lush and green still under the snow. (They've since eaten it to the quick.) There is eight deer that come every morning and afternoon and paw away the snow to eat the grass. They are adding more green color to our blue and white outdoor world. Most all of our boxwoods are still covered in snow which is their saving grace from the deer.