Paisley and Hydrangea

Only another week or so before my hydrangeas will be totally done.  Many of them fried due to the heat, but I can still spot a few shy ones hidden in the shade.

Now is the time to dry them, just put them in a small amount of water and let it evaporate. 

There is another method with glycerin, but I have never done  it.  Anyone?

I like to make wreaths with them, and use them around a hurricane candle.

You can save some to spray for Halloween…

 

Or gold…

Bad pic, but they are sprayed gold and tucked in with the other flowers.

Tonight’s table…

Tablecloth from WSonoma Outlet.

Green mat, pale green plate, pink flower shaped bowl…

Lime green napkin with a pink paisley design , green swirl flatware.

Lime green fish napkin ring, WS outlet.

Little rose flowerpot place card holders.

Green stemware, Lenox, lime green hydrangea with pink roses as the centerpiece.

When I went shopping last week with my friend A, we talked about savory and sweet. 

So for Foodie and Flashback Fri., I am showing these  Savory peach tarts.

A mini pie pan …press in the pie crust, fill with fresh peaches, feta cheese, toasted walnuts , a little chopped red onion, and a drizzle of honey and balsamic vinegar.  Bake till the crust is brown.  Tasty, and easy!

This tart is a good way to use all those cherry tomatoes that are ripening now.

Puff pastry pressed into a tart pan, halved cherry tomatoes, red onion, feta cheese and crumbled  bacon.

Bake till crust is golden brown.

I am joining Susan for Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday, and Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum. I am also joining Suzy at Kitchen Bouquets for Flashback Friday.

Thanks for stopping by!

Tabletop Bargains~ WS for .45?

Last week The Tablescaper and I went shopping.  We jumped in the Bargain Bus and headed WEST.   Our first stop was the Dollar Tree.  I am saving that for another time.

Next stop Savers, my very first time! My friend Marigene at In the Middle of Nowhere always finds good things there.  I never heard of it till she mentioned it!

And then on to  Christmas Tree Shops.

Empire weighted sterling…

4.99 Savers

Next, 5 little Teddy Bear Napkin Rings, complete with original price stickers of 2.49 ea., 5 / 1.99

Green napkins…4/4.00

I thought they might go well with these plates from Villeroy and Boch I have.  You can see them in a tablescape here.

I also got 8 of these mini cornucopias for .99.  Cute for napkin rings or place markers.

Green frosted glass bananas, 1.49.  I thought I would use them to hold cole slaw or a chopped salad, but Mike thinks they are for Banana splits!  1.49

Cute aluminum lidded bowls.  I got 4, they were 1.99 ea. 

Moving on to Christmas Tree Shops…

Made in Portugal soup bowls 1.00, moo cow milk pitcher 2/1.

Aqua plate .84

Cotton valances .47 cents.  I can get 4 napkins out of one.

The aqua napkin rings were .25 at WSonoma outlet…

and the tan napkins were .49 less 10%

Hope you enjoyed the shopping trip!  And I bet your feet don’t even hurt!  :)

What would you have bought?

Part 2 next  week!

Please join Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday!

Thanks for visiting!

Lazy, Crazy Days of Summer

Last weekend it was this…

This weekend it is this…much more casual attire!

Nana and Grandpa babysitting for our 4 gkids!  The Bay is about 100 ft away, but it is easier to keep track of them here, and there are jelly fish in the Bay!  Ouch. 

Hope you are enjoying this beautiful Summer Sunday! 

In another month or so these summer blooms will be history!

Rose of Sharon as seen through my dining room doors.

I HAVE to prune my hydrangeas.  They are growing over the garage windows. 

And look how tall they are getting here!  If I don’t cut them back they will be up to the roof next year.Some people say never cut them…I have to disagree!

Here is a very good article on pruning hydrangea.

http://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/pruning.html

I am joining Laurie for Favorite Things, and The Tablescaper for Summer Sundays.  Thanks for hosting.

The Tablescaper and I had a marathon shopping trip Thurs., but I will save that for another post!  :) I will just say my maiden voyage to Savers that my friend  Marigene at In the Middle of Nowhere always talks about, was a lot of fun!  I will go back for sure.

Inspired by a Bargain, A Summery Table

The last time The Tablescaper and I went shopping, we found these pretty bowls at the Pottery Barn Outlet.

The sign said, Emma, 75% off…

Good deal, huh?  One fourth of 6.99, I could tell you but I want you to keep your Math skills sharp! :)

Made in Portugal, so Pat at Mille Favoriti , will be happy!

I bought 4, and you know my friend had to get 12, she has a dozen fetish.  :)

BUT, when we got to the cashier, hers said no, they weren’t on sale, and mine knew I wouldn’t lie, so she gave them to me at the sale price.

And then I invited my friend over to pay for hers!  And we all lived happily ever after!

The cloth was the perfect color…from the outlet, Waverly polished cotton, 1.75 a wide yard!  I bought a lot to do my outdoor cushions one day, but I knew I had enough to make a topper.

So I went with the aqua/blue and pink combo.

PINK hydrangea and baby’s breath  from my garden  in an olive jar as a vase.  I saved it as I liked the shape.

Silver charger , white coupe shaped plate from Pier One. 

The soup bowl from PB.

And I layered a PINK napkin with an aqua trimmed one.

Napkin rings from PB Barn outlet.

I tucked a bit of diamond frost in the napkin.

An aqua stem and antique etched glass.

The Mikassa candleholders, a gift from a student many years ago, hold  PINK candles that are the perfect match for the PINK  flowers.  I planned that!  :)

Pull up a chair, there’s plenty!

Fresh from the farm local tomatoes, cucumbers and onions.  Over baby spinach, feta cheese, sugar roasted walnuts and bacon.

Blue cheese dressing, mine has Raspberry vinaigrette .

Home made cole slaw, panko fried shrimp, and corn from the farm.

I hope you are still awake!

I am joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday, Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum,
and Pink Saturday at Beverly’s and Suzy at Kitchen Bouquets for Flashback Friday.

Thanks for hosting, and thanks for visiting!

A Wedding~ Tabletop Tuesday

Yesterday we attended a beautiful wedding here on Long Island.  My son, dil, 3 little gsons and gdaughter were in the wedding.  It was my dil’s sister, the last of 4 girls in her family to be married.

We were piped into the Nuptial Mass…

You can see the wedding car and limo bus.

(Actually this was the way out, when I got to the church I realized I didn’t have the memory card in my camera,  duh, so I ran across to the drug store to get one after the Mass.)

It was a handful getting  all those kiddies to pose for pics!  My youngest gson, the ring bearer,  wasn’t in the best mood after sitting in church for over an hour!

The little boys has tan and white seersucker suits .  They looked so cute!

The junior bridesmaids looked so pretty in their pale lavender dresses.

I just loved the shoes and matching bags!  They surely could be worn with a solid color  summer dress!

 

The flowers were magnificent, some tall…

some low with votives.

The name card holders were little pots of roses.

The cocktail was held in an air conditioned garden room as well as a beautiful patio area.

The food was amazing, everything you could think of at the cocktail hour at tables as well as passed hors’d’s

This is the menu for the sit down dinner.

What would you pick?  You know I don’t eat fish, so no salmon for me!

It was a lovely evening!  The 10 piece band played everything from Frank Sinatra to Lady Gaga!

Best wishes to the happy couple!

Oh, the favor ?  Beautifully boxed delicious cupcakes.  One for each of us! I ate mine already, the thin man hasn’t touched his yet!

I am joining Marty at A Stroll Thru Life  for Tabletop Tuesday.

Thanks for visiting!

Here's the link for the shoes
http://www.davidsbridal.com/Browse_Accessories-Shoes-All-Shoes_pageNo-4