Monday Morning Blooms ~ Golden Vibes of Sunflowers

Monday Morning Blooms -

Sunflowers Make Me Smile

Fall has arrived bringing 

us beautiful weather.

 We enjoyed this sunny arranngement for over a week,

but after the stems began to rot, 

it was time to restyle.

    

Years ago, a florist shared a wonderful trick 

for extending the life of cut flowers.

She taught me to gather the blooms into a tight bouquet, 

secure them together, and cut the stems short.

Instant beautiful presentation!

It works especially well for tulips.

I repurposed my sunflowers to a smaller container, 

letting the petals fall where they may, 

and set a sunflower table for two.

These Nicloe Miller Home beaded placemats

were paired with plaid napkins from World Market 

to set the stage for my plate stack.

Plaid Chargers, Willisms Sonoma

Plaid Dinner Plate, Two's Company

Whimsical Rabbit Salad Plate, Anthropologie.

I used a pair of Two's Company mugs as

napkin holders for Crown Linen Design napkins.

I appreciate the quality of these linens as 

well as the classic touch of an elegent 

crown embroideried in a corner.

I'm eager to have a group of friends and family 

gathered round our table, but for now

it's a sunny table for two.

Sunflowers Make Me Smile!

Do you have a special flower that brings smiles?

Love Your Creativity @ Life and Linda  Sundays on Silverado @ House on Silverado 

You're the Star @ Electric Red BarnHappiness is Homemade @ Bluesky at Home  Inspire Me Monday @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia  Make It Pretty Monday @ The Dedicated House   Celebrate Your Story @ Celebrate and Decorate  Keep in Touch @ Let's Add Sprinkles  Over the Moon @ Marilyn's Treats 

Tuesday Turnaround @ Bluesky Kitchen 

All About Home @ Common Ground  Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop @ Electric Red Barn
Share Your Style @ French Ethereal  Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch
Thursday Favorite Things @ Katherine's Corner   Home and Garden Thursday @ Delightsome Life

Keep Your Sunny Side Up

My sweet mother used to send us off to school saying,

"Remember, keep your sunny side up!"

It's a thought that has stayed with me for a lifetime! If we go through the day with a happy attitude, those around us are likely to feel the same.

 I've noticed that the Texas sunflowers are beginning

to show up in the flower markets.

Their sunny faces make me think of  my mother and her wise words.

I've a fondness for pretty accent pillows, especially those done in needlepoint. When I spied this pretty pillow at a consignment store on a  trip to Dallas, I knew it would have to go home with me. Just look at the detail and those scalloped edges!

It's been moving around a bit, but for now  it has landed on the chase that is on the upstairs porch.

It's just a small little porch, only room for a rocker and a chase with a small side table by each.  What makes it special is that it  looks down on our back garden, so one feels as if in a tree house.

It's a pefect spot to relax with a cup of coffee, a good book, or a needlepoint canvas that is a work in progress.

Tell me, do you have any wise words from your mother? Do sunflowers grow where you live? Joining 

Mosaic Monday @ Normandy Life Summer Fun @ Hearth and Soul

Amaze Me Monday @ Dwellings Make It Pretty Monday @ The Dedicated House

The Scoop @ Cedar Hill Ranch Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life  Wonderful Wednesday @ Eclectric Red BarnVintage Charm @ Our Hopeful Home ShareYour Cup Thursday @ Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olsen Thursday Favorite Things @ Katherine's Corner Home and Garden Thursday @ Delightsome Life Share Your Style @ Vintage Nest Vintage Charm @ My Thrift Store Addiction, 
Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage 
Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the 'soundOver the Moon @ Marilyn's Treats
Dishing It and Digging It @ Life and Linda  

Sundays at Home @ Little Farmstead

~ What's Your Choice ~ A Bowl of Cherries or A Chair of Bowlies?

ME Metal Sculpture by Enesco 1998

"Life 

is just a 

chair of bowlies!"

Mary Engelbreit coined this phrase 

when she launched her very first greeting card.

 Collection of Assorted  ME Products from 1990s

To say I'm a fan of Mary Engelbreit

and her work is an understatement!  

I've been purchasing her greeting cards since the very first ones were available.  Mary's art work was a favorite in my classroom during the years I taught elementary school, and Mary's whimsical work remains a favorite here in my home.

Fresh Oregon Cherries 
in the grocery this summer prompted 

me to gather my ME cherry things for a recent tablescape.

Hood River Cherries 

from Oregon are the BEST!

I filled one of my ME cookie jars 
with bright golden sunflowers.

Then I set the table with  ME cherry dishes 
paired with solid black dishes 
and MacKenzie-Childs Courtly Check.  

I added some cute cherry napkins, 

a recent find at Tuesday Morning.

Love the way they all stack up together!
You can see another tablescape 

that features the ME cherry
dishes paired with plaid here.

I added in the crystal 
compote for a special treat.

 ~ Cherries Jubilee ~

September 24, 2012  

 National Cherries Jubilee Day

Celebrate with your own bowl of 
Cherries Jubilee
Recipe Here

Tutorials, Tips, and Tidbits @ Stone Gable
When it comes to containers for flowers,
don't limit yourself to an ordinary vase.
Get creative and use other 
containers found around your home.
This ME cookie jar was a perfect fit for the sunflowers.

Have a Happy Day!

Joining

On the Menu Monday @ Stone Gable

Masterpiece Monday @ Boogieboard Cottage

Tuesday Treasures @ Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
You're Gonna Love it Tuesday @ Kathe with an E
Cowgirl Up @ Cedar Hill Ranch
Tabletop Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

Rednesday @ Sue Loves Cherries

Centerpiece Wednesday @ The Style Sisters

Let's Dish @ Cuisine Kathleen

Tutorials, Tips, and Tidbits @ Stone Gable

Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch

House and Garden Thursday @ A Delightsome Life 
Foodie Friday @ Rattlebridge Farm

Open House Friday @ Bernideen's Tea Time

Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage

Potpourri Friday @ 2805

Show and Tell Friday @ My romantic Home
Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home
Seasonal Sunday @ The Tablescaper

Sunny Simple Sunday @ Sunny Simple Life

Embellished with Flair

Recently we've been enjoying cooler temps,

and I'm beginning to sense a whiff of fall.

My friend Patti @ Pandora's Box 

found this beauty while out thrifting.

She immediately 

knew just what it needed!

Now this charmer lives here at 

Hyacinths for the Soul.

Part of a fall vignette 

for the sideboard in the dining room.

~ Silver tea pot embellished with flair, 

sunflowers and a favorite piece of art ~

Sunday I stopped by Barnes and Noble 

to  pick up a few magazines 

for some fall inspiration.

Then fixed myself a tea tray.

I've had this darling tray by Mary Engelbreit for more than 

20 years, and I still smile when I pull this into service.

My husband's grandmother 

monogramed this vintage tea towel.

It's the perfect size for a tray. 

Tea cup is part of 

MacKenzie-Childs' Taylor Series

All paired with Patti's version of

silver dressed in my favorite black and white.

~ A Teapot Embellished With Flair ~

MacKenzie-Childs compote 

in Fran, a sassy new pattern.

Sables, a tasty French butter cookie, 

for a bite of something sweet. 

Tutorials, Tips, and Tidbits @ Stone Gable

If you are not a crafty person like moi,

go see Patti @ Pandora's Box.

Pattie knows how to embellish with flair!

Joining

Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Today's Thrifty Treasures @ Southern Hospitality

Masterpiece Monday @ Boogieboard Cottage

Let's Dish @ Cuisine Kathleen 
Tutorials, Tips, and Tidbits @ Stone Gable

Tuesday Treasures @ Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
You're Gonna Love it Tuesday @ Kathe with an E
Cowgirl Up @ Cedar Hill Ranch
Tabletop Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life

Tuesday Tea @ Sandi's

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays @ Coastal Charm

Tabletop Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life

Centerpiece Wednesday @ The Style Sisters

Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch

House and Garden Thursday @ A Delightsome Life 

Open House Friday @ Bernideen's Tea Time

Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage

Potpourri Friday @ 2805

Show and Tell Friday @ My romantic Home
Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home
Seasonal Sunday @ The Tablescaper

Sunny Simple Sunday @ Sunny Simple Life

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