Showing posts with label Masterpiece Monday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Masterpiece Monday. Show all posts

Monday, October 3, 2011

Into The Blue

Life has recently taken me

off into the wild blue yonder.



So I thought I'd share a few shots

of my blue and white collection.


Cool and calming,

blue offers a respite to my day.


A favorite color here at HFTS,

blue can offer both serenity and exhilaration.



In some cultures, many

believe that blue keeps bad spirits away.


White is the perfect compliment.


So I frequently fill a few

pieces with with white blooms.



Perfection in my mind.


The combination is timeless and unmatched.





Blue and white ~ a constant in my life.


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Saturday, August 13, 2011

Ahhhh Summertime in Maine

Bear Island Lighthouse, Built in 1839


Lighthouses & Steep Rocky Shores




Nesting Osprey & Deep Cold Waters




Acadia National Park



Simple Summer Cottages




Doors of Welcome




Seaside Vistas



Comfy Spots




Cool Summer Gardens




Queen Anne's Lace




Quiet, Sleepy Harbors




Shore Birds



Foggy Mornings



Steamed Clams




Lobster Traps & Buoys




Friendly Lobstermen




Loads of Fresh Lobster




Evening Bonfires on the Beach


Ahhhh yes, summertime in Maine.

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Monday, July 25, 2011

Cool Off with Courtly Check

The Dog Days of Summer

Or as the French say,

"Canicule"

In any language, this time of year is

HOT ~ HOT ~ HOT

But I know a place with cool temps and cool things.

Come along with me to . . .




 Neiman Marcus' Gift Gallery



And my favorite MacKenzie-Childs' look

~ Courtly Check~



 Ottomans, Pillows, and Poofs




 Courtly Checks and Courtly Stripes . . .



 With a punch of red.



 Whimsical Fun!



 A fashionable mix for the table.



 Delicate porcelain from

Mustardseed and Moonshine, South Africa . . .




 Absolutely adore these

fabulous chargers in poppy red . . .




 And the Courtly Check covered cake plate

ready to head out to a picnic.



 Bowl Full of Sparkly Courtly Check Balls



Organically Styled

Metal Accent Pieces From Donna Karan



 A Bit of Asian Influence



 Bamboo Chargers by Juliska,

topped with MacKenzie-Childs Courtly Check dinner plate,

Mustardseed and Moonshine salad plate in poppy red,

and porcelain noodle bowl with chopsticks by Donna Karan.





 Such a clever presentation with the

chopsticks an integral part of the noodle bowl design.




 Interesting Layers of 

 Color, Pattern, Texture



 Beaded Coral Napkin Ring,

Kim Seybert, NYC



 Eclectic fashion makes me smile!




I find it all

~ Pretty COOL and Inspiring ~

Tell me, what do you think?
Table styled by the talented Mr. Glenn!

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Sunday, June 19, 2011

A Place for Tea


I've been watching all the talented, creative, and extremely industrious individuals who seem to paint something every week. When I was much younger, I too, would refinish a piece of furniture every now and again. But it's been years since I actually took on a painting project!



Summer before last I came across this little thrifty treasure of a child's set of a table and four chairs. You can see it was rusty and in need of being rescued. As I said, it's been years since I've taken on a project to refinish something, but I was totally charmed by the detail of the rooster and leaves and the fact that both the chairs and table fold up flat. So this little set came home with me with the intention of a make-over.



It wasn't long before Cleo and Mr. Barnaby claimed it for their own. They didn't seem to mind the rust and the fact that I hadn't actually gotten around to spiffing up this little set. You see they enjoy an afternoon tea and were happy to have their own little spot on the terrace. If you like, click here to join them.



It also didn't seem to matter when the

animals gathered for tea on a sunny morning.



But when a sweet little girl was coming to visit her Nana who is one of my dearest friends, I decided it was time to get out the wire brush, clean off the rust, and give the set a fresh coat of paint.



To prevent the rust again,

I used a gray primer as an undercoat.



Using a spray paint made it an easy project,

but it took several sweeps to get at all the angles.



Once each piece was primed . . .



I painted them with Rust-Oleum Strawflower, a soft yellow as close to the original color as I could find. My initial idea was to highlight and enhance the rooster and leaves with a bit of color, but I haven't done that.



So what do you think?

Shall I leave it as it was originally painted,
all yellow, or give the rooster and leaves a hint of color?

What would you do?




Mary Kate wants to remind you to join HFTS

for the Summer Week Long Blog Party



You can click here to join DebbieDoos Summer Paint Party June 20th .

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