Off to San Diego!!

So now I'm off to San Diego. I pre-wrote this post as I won't have any time between trips. I'm going down to celebrate my friend, Anita's 50th birthday. I am helping with the party. Toni (our mutual friend), Laura and I are doing a Garage Sale Themed birthday party for Anita--who is the queen of Garage sales!! On Saturday the gals are all meeting at Starbuck's at 7:00 a.m. to hit the garage sales. One of the games is to find a present there for Anita and she'll have to guess who's it's from. Then we'll meet back at Toni's around 10:30 for brunch. The tables will be mix and match (mostly mix) so it looks like a garage sale. I'm bringing down a few of my 40's vintage tablecloths.
A picture of Anita's present is at the end of this blog..so Anita--if you're reading, you better stop here!! ;-)
Anita's gift is at the end of this post...after I did it, I made myself a little house jewelry...I

made a little collage and glued it to the back of an old chandelier crystal--I got a box of 'em for a few bucks a while back at , yes, a garage sale. I added a little vintage rhinestone and bead and it hangs from black velvet ribbon. A fun little bling for my house!
Okay, so here's Anita's gift. My neighbor gave me a few glass ,um, I'm not sure what to call them..they came off a chandelier, tho. Anyway, I made a collage with the theme of garage sale and glued it to the back. It hangs by a black velvet ribbon. It was so much fun to make I can't wait to back to make more!!

I'll be staying with three different friends while I'm in San Diego, and will return late Tuesday.

Pics to follow in a day or two after I get back...

Have a wonderful week!

Off to Long Beach! (and Zac's Birthday)

Well, Steve and I are off to Long Beach--Steve on a business trip, me to read and relax. We are both looking forward to seeing Zac and Amy whilst we are there...I get to spend a day with Amy---maybe hitting the thrifts? ;-) I am so blessed to have daughter's-in-love who love Thrift Stores!!

We will also be celebrating our oldest son's birthday...he will be 28 (gasp!) on the 28th. This is a pic Zac took of us on his I-phone when he and Amy were visiting this past summer.

Zac's a great guy....there is no greater blessing (well, it's in the top 5) than to have the many prayers of this mother's heart answered. Those prayers started at the birth of her first born and has never stopped. I've heard it said that once you give birth you are never again alone in your thoughts. That has been so true for me. It has been so rewarding to see Zac grow to be the man of God that he is today. When he was 6 I began praying for his wife he would marry some day. When Zac brought Amy home to meet us 6 years ago, I felt like I already knew her--because I'd been praying for her all that time and because she was that close to everything I prayed for! Mostly I've prayed that Zac would love God with all his heart and would put Him first in his life. I know from experience that if you do that..everything else falls into place. And it has been true for Zac. Rough and difficult times come and go, but when you anchor your life in your faith, life steadies out again.

So we look forward to be able to celebrate with him.

Happy Birthday, Zac!!

Our BFF

We had our BFF's here for a visit...spent a day wine-tasting in Amador County with Dave and Laura. The following day Laura and I got to thrift-shop. But the next day, poor Laura came down with the flu! Dave went home on the scheduled flight, but Laura had to stay here for an extra two days before feeling well enough to travel. She said I was acting a little too happy that she was sick. ;-) I was just glad we had more time together--even if it was just us hanging out in the family room with me fetching her lemon/honey water or tea or an extra blanket.
I spoke to her yesterday and she said she was feeling much better...which I'm glad, because this Thursday I'm going to San Diego to celebrate a mutual friend's birthday!


Thank you to all who left those beautiful and sweet comments about my Tablescape Tuesday! I hope to play again in a couple of weeks when life gets back to normal..or at least a slower pace!

Tablescape Tuesday

Welcome to Tablescape Tuesday! After taking a little break, I am back to playing along!! Susan, at Between Naps on The Porch is our gracious hostess....please visit her blog to view all the other fabulous tablescapes!
Steve bought me these beautiful Spode dishes at Coscto before Christmas and they were my inspiration for this tablescape...a black, white, and silver theme. I was thinking icy-snowy-cold January..although we're having a heatwave here in Northern California--with the highs of 67!!

The table runner, candles and placemats were after-Christmas sale of 80% off! Don'tcha just LOVE a good deal!?

The etched glass antique glasses were my mom's....I remember her using them at her dinner parties when I was young...the wine glasses are Waterford Crystal that I got at a GARAGE SALE--another great deal--too cool! ;-)

The 'jewels' sprinkled on the mirror-stand were purchased at Big Lots...and I used silver napkin rings to hold tea-light candles...they fit perfectly!

Here are a couple close-ups of the tea-light/napkin ring holders

I loved how some of you gals placed your napkins on the plates so I'm stealing, I mean, borrowing your idea! The jeweled embellishment are Christmas ornaments...again at 80% off!

I just hooked them on the napkin ring for a little extra glitz--a technique I learned from my sister-in-love, Kathleen. The plates sits on plastic black chargers I picked up at the Thrift years and years ago. I am going to have so much fun with these beautiful plates..mixing them with various colors!

So there ya go...be sure to check out the other gals that are playing along....they have such marvelous ideas!

Have a wonderful day!

A Few Vignettes..

The "Cottage of Content" plate is one of my favorites. A gift from my friend, Anita a couple years back. Little did I know how I would fall in love with a brown and white color scheme as I have right now. It feels warm and comforting to me in waiting out the winter months. I am sure I'll go back to color once spring hits!

A collage plate I did awhile back...sits on a side table now. ~~ Click on any picture for a closer look....~~

I wrapped two glass candle holders in butcher-block paper, torn sheet music, antique lace clasped together with vintage earrings. The 'runner' is really a rose- imaged lace valance, one of two that my friend, Toni, gave me for Christmas. Thanks, Toni!!

A close up of the candle...

A portion of the mantle in the family room...We've started collecting old pictures of King Charles Cavalier dogs, since we own one now. BFF Laura found this one for me whilst we were perusing the local Antique Mall.

In the entry way--Scrabble letters of welcome..

and a small little vignette in the living room...

Have a lovely Monday!

Oh so true....

Be sure to click on picture to enlarge and read easily. It's an old Nike ad and resonated with me when I read it....

Takin' a little break....

" Forget past mistakes

Forget failures.

Forget everything

Except what you're going to do

and do it."

William Durant

...so, does anybody have a clue as to what MY New Year's resolution is? :-/ I know, it's so original. (insert sarcasm)

Well, hope springs eternal and I have a lotta hope!!

I'll be away from Blogland for a few...redecorating hearth and home after all the Christmas decor comes down. A fresh look...well, a fresher look--just using the same stuff I have. Maybe I'll post pics as I go along.

Have a lovely day!

A Guest Room--Before and After

The ornaments of your house will be the guests who frequent it.
~Author Unknown

A few months ago my Dad and his wife, Leilani, moved into a two-bedroom home in a 'retirement village'. Leilani had ordered new furniture for the guest room/office and it finally arrived after weeks of waiting. She had requested my Christmas present to her be to decorate their guest room/office. I had informed her I would do it on our next visit. When we motored down to see them after Christmas, she was all ready for me!

I had already moved a couple of tables and had Steve hang the mirror and shelf when I wised up and thought to take 'before' and 'after' pics for my blog!! ;-)

This is their new sleeper sofa. Although the rest of their home Leilani decorated in a beautiful 'Tuscan' style, she also loves the cottage look and had several things of her mom's as well as things Dad had brought into their marriage that would incorporate beautifully into this style.

The cabinet holds the computer. Leilani has plans for a window treatment made out of a quilted duvet with all the soft pastel colors in it. I moved the round table from the side of the couch to front of the window and layered it with a matlisse coverlet and lace topper.

Before I got there, Leilani had unpacked all her heirlooms and treasures and splayed them out on a table and bed in their bedroom...I just went back and forth 'shopping' for what I needed to use to display.

And here's the 'After'. The lamp on the round table as well as the tea set belonged to Leilani's mom....

also the lamp on the table Leilani had bought for her mom years ago, and recently acquired back after her mother's death. The depression glass bowl that holds the lilac colored glove both had belonged to her mother..

Here is the 'after' view of the top of the cabinet. Remember, you can click on any of these pictures for a close-up....

A more close up view. When I placed the tiered plate rack up I then found Leilani didn't have any extra dishes, so I doubled up paper plates, covered them over with doilies to hold her tea set collection! It was a temporary solution till she can get to a thrift to pick up a few plates!

Another view....the old pictures are of Leilani's grandparents...

A few more 'heirloom's on display on the shelf. I suggested she paint the cord of the lamp the same color as the wall to 'hide' it.

And on this wall--the painting was done and given to my dad by his son, Ric, years and years ago. My mom had made a collage of my dad's mom, along with her jewelry, picture, sheet music because she played the piano. I always smile when I see that collage because I remember when she made it years ago, before collage art or altered art was 'in'! My mom always seemed to be ahead of the times artistically!!

I was happy with the results and I think Dad and Leilani were happy that their whole house is now all 'pulled together' and DONE!

Giveaway Results!!!

I printed out all the comments and mixed 'em up and tossed 'em in a bowl....

then asked Steve to pick the winner.....Drum roll please......

Congratulations, Sally! Please email me your address so I can mail off your prize post haste!