In the midst of chaos...

Chaos reigns in our home right now...

there is a leak under the second sink in the kitchen

i fell this morning on the way to the mailbox - both knees and my pride banged up

parts of the kitchen are painted, parts not

But,, there is always, always something for which to be thankful!

I painted the wall this lovely shade of gray. 

My husband thinks it's too dark.

It had a pinkish/purple cast when the kitchen was flooded with sunlight.

I went lighter to appease Mr. Decorator.

No.

Still looking for the right gray.

Yes, this is the sink that has a leak underneath. sigh.

But.

Alas. 

This sweet clover/shamrock which was featured in this tablescape HERE has decided to respond favorably to the home environment.

Today, this plant is doing so well.

It too, has not been without it's struggles.

It loves the north window.

How do I know?

It's been blooming for the last month!

Maybe it is the silver cache pot in which it sits?

Surrounded by the rooster lamp and the Lampe Bergere.

Or it's the favorite cookbooks.

Okay, now I just broke a nail.

I think it's time to pull a Regan.

Chill, take a nap.

What's on your plate today?

Drama by Candlelight tablescape

Welcome to Drama by Candlelight. An evening illuminated by at least a dozen candles. 

I've had this one planned for a while, but couldn't decide how to pull it all together. Nothing like a deadline to make that happen! Creativity under fire. Either you thrive on it (I do) or you falter. 

It's already the blue hour as I'm scaping this table. I pulled candleholders in all heights together, limiting them to crystal, mercury glass or silver. Although those little balls do have a yellowish cast.

The placemats and napkins came from my mother. I was with her when she purchased them decades ago. When we were cleaning out her things after she went to be with Jesus, I found these with the tags still on them. I also pulled out the black plates and the white one with the bare branches. Very wintry indeed!

 I love these black plates. With the matte and the glossy finish, they do not tend to keep knife abrasions as is the case with many black dinnerware.

Still loving these plates for their branches. 

Last shot without the candles lit. I think it helps to see the elements more clearly.

And the candles were lit. I love the parade down the center of the table, the varying heights and thicknesses create a moving centerpiece.

The swirl votive bowl is Cheers by Mikasa. Such a versatile piece. Love it!

With more crystal than metal in the candle parade, you can see through many of the candlesticks. The crystal ones certainly carry the light from above to the tabletop.

I do so love this Mikasa Parklane in candlelight!

The chargers came from Hobby Lobby last year. The black plates emphasize the black of the snowflakes on the chargers themselves. The Horchow flatware also picks up the black of the chargers. 

Silver metal snowflakes encircle the napkins that match the placemats.

With this many candles on the table.. be sure to have a snuffer at the ready!

Cast:

Table Linens - Made in Germany

Dinner Plate - Midnight Trellis plates by Home Essentials and Beyond also used HERE

Salad Plate  - Matceramica, Portulgal, also used HERE

Flatware - Horchow

Goblet - Mikasa Parklane

Candle snuffer - Thank you Faith!

Snowflake napkin rings - Dillards, also used HERE

Assorted Candlesticks - Gorham, Mikasa, and others.

Thank you for dropping by. If you leave a comment, it gives me a chance to come visit you! See you again soon I hope.. I'll be linking up to Tablescape Thursdays over at Susan's
and Ivy and Elephants - oh do drop in!!

Photo of the Week - Blue Monday

Today is Blue Monday.

Did you know it even existed? I did not.

According to Wikipedia:

Blue Monday is a name given to a date stated, as part of a publicity campaign by Sky Travel, to be the most depressing day of the year. It is considered pseudoscience.
This date was published in a press release under the name of Cliff Arnall, at the time a tutor at the Centre for Lifelong Learning, a Further Education centre attached to Cardiff University. Guardian columnist Dr. Ben Goldacre reported that the press release was delivered substantially pre-written to a number of academics by public relations agency Porter Novelli, who offered them money to put their names to it. The Guardian later printed a statement from Cardiff University distancing themselves from Arnall: "Cardiff University has asked us to point out that Cliff Arnall... was a former part-time tutor at the university but left in February."

 According to a press release by a mental health charity, the formula is:

where weather=W, debt=d, time since Christmas=T, time since failing our new year’s resolutions=Q, low motivational levels=M and the feeling of a need to take action=N_a. 'D' is not defined in the release, nor are units.

 Arnall says the date was calculated by using many factors, including: weather conditions, debt level (the difference between debt accumulated and our ability to pay), time since Christmas, time since failing our new year’s resolutions, low motivational levels and feeling of a need to take action. Writing about the calculation, Ben Goldacre stated: ... the fact is that Cliff Arnall's equations ... fail even to make mathematical sense on their own terms.

 This date allegedly falls on the Monday of the last full week of January. The date was declared by Arnall to be 24 January in 2005, 23 January in 2006, 22 January in 2007, 21 January in 2008, 19 January in 2009, 18 January in 2010. In 2011 there has been confusion about the correct date. Some claimed it was on 17 January 2011 while others say blue Monday was on 24 January 2011.

Mr Arnall also says, in a press release commissioned by Wall's ice cream, that he has calculated the happiest day of the year—in 2005, 24 June, in 2006, 23 June, in 2008, 20 June, in 2009, 19 June and in 2010, 18th June. So far, this date has fallen close to Midsummer.

Are you blue?

Candle Wraps

 

 Notice the candles on the right of the picture? They are all "wrapped".

Decorated. I mean who can have un-adorned candles?

Seriously.

When we were coming home from Dallas on our last trip there, 

we stopped at the Design Center and Western Heritage. They sit sideby side in Weatherford, Texas.

You can enter their world HERE.

 

 I knew I wanted 3 candle warps and I wanted them to sit on the buffet.

So after our trip home, I stopped at a local shopping heaven, Coyote Candle Company.

Furniture, candles, decor items. Just NO website. Hello... NO website? In this day and age. really?

 Also stopped by Tandy leather and picked up some pieces out of their scrap bin.

The leather wrap keeps the wrap from sliding down your candle.

This one has a rusted rose, a horseshoe and a turquoise nugget.

Oh yeah, a strand of turquoise that hangs down, threaded on wire.

 I had All the pieces for this cutie.. 

Thank you Michael for shaving off some of the thickness of the cross.

I use Tim Holtz distress inks to color the top of the cross.

Glued the cross on, done.

The large piece has both the ornamental wood and the once silver colored metal flower

further distressed with soldering black, paints and Tim Holtz distress inks.

Another turquoise nugget rests in the center.

 Details:

the leather wrap is 2.5" tall and 1.5" shorter in length than the circumference of the candle

I used leather weld glue and locktite

do not glue the entirety of the decoration down.. only the center as the wrap has to be able to curve

punch one hole in each side of the back/ cut ends of the wrap

thread a gorgeous ribbon through and tie in a pretty bow

Enjoy!

Thanks for dropping by today. So glad to see you here.

I'd love it if you'd comment so I can find your blog, know you were here and reciprocate!

Hugs...

Linking up to Season Sunday at the Tablescapers! See you there.

Sammeltassen, the buffet and the closet

I am sure you wondering how all this fits together. Just have a sit and I'll take you through it all.

Since I was "under the weather" this past weekend and Monday, and I still wanted to play along 

on Tablescape Thursday, there had to be dishes involved!

 But Saturday early on things were still good. The delivery person called to let me know to expect

him and our new to us buffet right after lunch. He forgot about the time change. He was trucking in from 

Santa Fe!

So I thought I'd rearrange the "Sammeltassen" or collector's trio.

They used to live in their own little world. Quite peacefully might I add,

all lined up like little soldiers in a row. 

But that was boring. And since I'm decluttering, I needed to make it look less spread out!
I've previously used them in tablescapes HERE, or HERE.

I certainly wish I had thought to take a before picture. But I also was planning a pretty cool table,

cool cause it's been a wee bit chilly.

Well except for Monday, when the mercury hit around a balmy 70 degrees. 

And we had a lovely dust storm. Ugh.

I brought the cute chocolate pot with it's sweet bud on the lid out from the bedroom shelves

so that it could come play with the dishes. 

I also pulled out some of my vintage cookbooks, German and others, my mother's, my mother-in-law's.

And my grandmother's candy dish.

A sweet bell from dear Jill. It's from Ohio, Zaneville I believe.

I wish I could remember if this was a gift to my mother or a gift to my grandmother. 

Sammeltassen (Dessert Trios) are a basic in Germany. Usually given as gifts for birthdays, Confirmation, and any other gifting event, people collect many of these and most likely no two every match.

This trio was my grandmother's favorite. She would always put it at her place. 

Underneath is the handkerchief my mother carried when she wed my father in Bern, Switzerland.

I love these dainty cups. I really should use them more often. Shame on me.

This started my obsession passion with dishes. Blame it on my Oma!

Either that, or it's in the genes.

A cute silver epergne rests in the corner. These little cups are Mokkatassen. or cups for Mocha or espresso.

This was my mother's favorite cup! I didn't know that until she took the time to share a lifetime of tidbits with me before she died. I still miss her. 

My grandmother's handkerchief, a spoon from Corey Amaro (Toungue in Cheek), and a darling original 

photo of my husband's Auntie - Fern. 

More vintage cookbooks, my husband's grandfather's knife.

 This is a piece of Hutschenreuter. Love, love transferware.

So that was early Saturday. And then decided to clean out the closet in our guest room. 

It had become the sanctuary for things that never again would see the light of day. 

Let's just be glad there are no photos. 

I found that i will never need to buy another piece of scrapbook paper or fabric. 

Ever. Never. As long as I live. 

I also unearthed some other fun things.Do you ever forget you have things?

The cleaning purging was put on hold. The guys arrived with the buffet. 

They say it's a Victorian piece. So early 19's?  I don't think so. 

It's solid wood, weighs a ton, and makes me happy.

And I found it in Santa Fe!

Remember, I'm decluttering. Simple pieces, and fewer pieces. That is the goal.

And then I found my husband's grandmother's bobbin lace runner.

In the closet. Luckily it hadn't reached the point of no return. 

My husband, the new interior decorator said I should put it on the buffet. 

I like the buffet sans the runner. simple, less dressy. It is a beautiful piece of bobbin lace, but...

Your thoughts?

Sorry about not having a table this week, but I hope you enjoyed the sweet sojourn into the Sammeltassen. 

Hope to see you again. Your visits make my day!

I'll be joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.. see you there!