Battenburg Lace Curtains on a Late Summer's Day

Walking down the second floor hall the other day, I glanced into the bathroom.  The afternoon sun streamed through the battenburg lace curtains and even illuminated the nearby  rose-covered shower curtain.

A light breeze made the curtains billow back and forth.  Such a sight is one of the reasons summer is such a beloved season.

Washing the upstairs bathroom window, including the outside, became a very big chore this summer. The window is very high above the ground.

 Because it's so old, it's hard to take apart but that's totally necessary in order to get the outside really clean.

 Thank goodness for my husband who helped me tremendously and who was very patient while my perfectionism kicked in.

In my book, if windows are going to be washed, they need to be sparkling before being replaced.

Battenburg lace has always been a favorite of mine. A lace maker in America developed  the lace and named it after  the Battenburg region of Germany, according to the E. How website.

Apparently, the lace maker hoped the lace would become popular with Germany's elite residents. Well, I'm not German but it's very popular with me!

The windows in this house are very large and old. Sometimes finding the right curtains for them is very challenging. Luckily, I found the Battenburg cafe and valence. Both came from thrift shops and on entirely different occasions which was quite a lucky thing.

As for the shower curtain, we inherited it from the previous owners of this house.

While I usually replace all curtains, etc. , this shower curtain remained because it was so pretty.

The embossed pink roses sprinkled all over the gauzy material are greatly appealing. Each year the curtain  is taken down and gets a thorough washing and  ironing (no small chore). 

Now if it had been a rainy day on the afternoon I happened to glance into the "necessary room,"  this particular post would never have happened.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS A GOOD COLOR FOR A BATHROOM?

For Susan's Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday: From a Pile of Leaves to a Mini-Brick Patio!

Today I'm doing a happy dance.   Here's why. 

Since my husband is a jack-of-all-trades, I asked him to create a little patio area in our backyard, complete with a small fountain.  See how wonderful it is to have such imagination as well as a versatile husband?  I tell my ideas and my husband puts them into reality. ha! What a great arrangement.

Anyway, there came a moment of discouragement when he said bricks were far too expensive to buy. I would have to settle for gravel, instead.  Not.

A call to Restore, a big recycling store, the proceeds of which benefit Habitat for Humanity, revealed they had bricks!  Guess how much they were?  40 cents each. Now that's a bargain and a half.

Three or four trips later, in the trusty old 12 year old hatchback car, my wonderful husband delivered a big, gigantic pile of bricks, ready to be transformed into a beautiful mini-patio.

First, a huge pile of leaves from last fall had to be raked and bagged. My husband enlisted the help of a friend to do this wretched task.

(After the old "mountain" of leaves disappeared, this is what the project looked like:)

After clearning the ground, at last, he measured the brick area using geometry! He put a stick in the middle of the area and attaches string.  Then, somehow, he got a measurement of how the bricks should be laid out in perfect symmetry.

 Now if you think this explanation borders on ignorance, you are absolutely right. Never, ever has any geometric reasoning made sense to me. The most important thing is it worked for the patio!

He started laying out the bricks.  When he came to an area that needed the bricks to be rounded, he chiseled into the regular brick and voila! , a rounded piece evolved.

(Taking shape):

Can you believe that in one day, yes, one day, he laid out the entire patio?

The next day, my husband, the brick layer,  covered everything with cement for grouting.
(Wheelbarrow plus buckets of cement and Honey Cat supervising water drips from the hose):

(Yuk. Sloppy grouting gets applied):

By the end of the second day, my husband completed the project.  Then he planted white and red impatiens near the patio.  Now, we will have to be on the lookout for a fountain and maybe even a little bench or lounge chair or two.

  I love looking out the back door and seeing the mini-brick patio. The whole project is a shining example of "where there's a will, there's a way."  Talk about a metamorphosis!  A former pile of rotting leaves has been transformed into a very sweet brick mini-patio. Hip hip  hooray! 

If there were such a thing, I'd submit my huband 's name for the "brick mason" of the year award.

Now hop on over to Between Naps on the Porch to see other metamorphosis projects by simply clicking  on Susan's button in the sidebar.

DID YOU HAVE SPECIAL PROJECT AT YOUR HOUSE THIS SUMMER?

Sunday Morning Breakfasts: Occasions to Rejoice

It's important to establish traditions since they add to the enjoyment and spice of life.

A fairly new tradition around here is serving special Sunday morning breakfasts to a couple of very dear family members. Because they both work full time jobs, it's impossible to get together during the week. But come Sunday morning, they are willing and able to join our family for breakfast.

It's fun to think of different menus as well as table settings. I love to make everything look lovely, right down to colorful, different designed napkins and matching floral arrangements.  Some weeks it's kept fairly simple; other weeks crystal glasses and more elegant serving dishes are pulled out.

 Each week  different patterns of main plates are used for the breakfast since variety adds a little zest!

The menu has been varied, too. Some weeks it might be blueberry pancakes and sausage with real maple syrup. Other weeks, mushroom/tomato/cheese/and onion omelets with crisp bacon and toasted wheat toast or homemade corn muffins are on the menu.

Shown here is berry medley, a combination of blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries, simply sprinkled with a little sugar and served in a pretty glass dish! Simple and sumptuous!

Here's a pretty white tablecloth with blue flowers that decorated the table at a recent breakfast:

It's great to see these family members and make them happy by serving a special breakfast. Sometimes even more people are invited to join us. It's a nice tradition, don't you think?

The weeks I'm unable to host the breakfast, I actually miss it, even though it's a lot of work.
Wish I could invite all my dear blog friends, one by one, to Sunday morning breakfast. Wouldn't that be fun?

DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TRADITION YOU HAVE ESTABLISHED? WHAT IS IT?

A Gathering of Birds

Want to see a little birdie vignette on a triple mirrored shelving unit in an upstairs bathroom?

Three birds sit together. One has his wings covering his eyes.

Another is a fat pink ceramic baby bird. The third, and hardest to photograph, is a transparent bird.

Behind the birds is a colorful bird card by Artist Noelle Horsfield (see an August 24th post on her on this blog). 

The second and third shelves hold a colorful paperweight collection.  Placing the paperweights on mirrored surfaces doubles their appeal.

It's fun to create little scenes such as this in one's home.  With birdies in the picture, it's truly one way to make a "home tweet home."

DO YOU DECORATE IN THE "NECESSARY ROOM?" 

For Cindy's Show and Tell Friday: Rescued: A Pink Velvet, Tufted Chair

A dear friend from high school days knows my tastes in interior decorating and furniture. Luckily, she's a yard sale fanatic who goes to sales frequently. Almost always she finds quality pieces at great bargain prices. She rarely ever pays the asking price since she's a savvy negotiator.

One Sunday morning, the doorbell rang. It was my friend. She had a kind of worried look on her face.

     "I didn't have my cell phone," she said, almost out of breath.  "There's a great chair at a yard sale but I didn't buy it because I didn't know if you would want it.  Do you?" 

She described the chair and, of course, it sounded like a perfect addition to our living room.  It had curvy wooden legs and gold-headed tacks in a design on the end of each arm.'

    "Okay," she said, rushing out the door. "I've got to go back and get it before somebody else picks it up. It might even be gone."

   "Wait," I yelled out to her. "I'll give you the $25." 

     "Pay me when I get back," she called back, getting into her car, closing the door, and speeding away.

A short while later, she returned with the chair sticking out of her car. It looked pretty perfect to me.

     Now that's what I call a great friend, don't you?

HAVE YOU FOUND NICE FURNITURE AT YARD SALES?

For Dayle's Simple Pleasures Party: Raspberries

Raspberries need nothing to make them taste better.  They don't need whipped cream or tons of sugar.  When popped into one's mouth, the burst of sweet and tart flavor delights the tongue and taste buds.

Raspberries, for me, are true simple pleasures. 

All through my childhood, my father grew raspberries on bushes behind the garage in our backyard.  He loved going out and picking them for us kids. Even when the juice stained his fingers and the vines pricked him, it didn't matter a bit to him. What mattered was giving a treat to his five daughters.

On rare occasion, my car drives by the house where we grew up. Usually, I prefer to take another route rather than dredge up all the old memories.  My mom and dad have both gone to the other side of life and that  house is too filled with memories of them.  It makes me sad to see it. 

By one day recently,  I drove by. All the raspberry bushes are gone now, too, as well as the garage.  How things change!

In the supermarket, when I'm in the fruit section,  raspberries always come to mind.  I'll pick up the half pint package, look at the price, gasp with horror, and then put it into my shopping cart anyway.

    "Daddy would approve," I tell myself. It's probably because along with the luscious taste of that first berry, a lifetime of memories come flooding back.

Yup. Raspberries, to me, are among life's simple pleasures.

Today's  Simple Pleasures Party is hosted by Dayle at This and That. Please go to   http://alittleofthisandthat2.blogspot.com/    and read all about other peoples' ideas of what constitutes a simple pleasure! Thanks for hosting, Dayle.

We should never forget the simple pleasures in our daily lives.

A Magical Wedding Creates Happy Memories

Weddings are among life's happiest occasions.

(Here are the lovely table settings at a wedding recently attended)

 

A man and woman falling in love is always cause for celebration.

When the happy couple decides to marry, they become willing to pledge their love and commitment to each other in front of God, friends, family, and society. That's special and admirable.
 

At a recent wedding, every detail had been carefully tended to and the result was an affair to remember. So much work, time, planning, and money must have gone into the wedding.  Stunning floral arrangements, attractive table settings--- complete with black napkins---,  an exquisite wedding gown, champagne toasts, sparkling glassware, flickering candles and almost 200 people joining in the celebration all made the event an evening to remember.

(This gorgeous chandy sparkled from up above)       (These votives sparkled down below on tables)

In order to protect the privacy of the bride and groom, their names and identifying photos will not be shown on the blog. However, I wanted to share some of the day's special touches with you, my dear blog readers.

(Each guest took home this  sweet little favor.)               (Inside was a chocolate dipped fortune

                                                                                          cookie and almonds)

Whenever I see something special or experience a happy occasion, my first inclination is to share it on my blog so I hope you enjoy these random  photographic wedding remembrances.

The bride wore an enchanting gown that had exquisite details such as adornments running down the entire back. Tall and slender,  she carried herself with grace and elegance.

Best wishes to the bride and groom. May their lives together be blessed with deep love, caring, respect, loyalty, and eventually, children.

                                                                        The End

                                                                         

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT WEDDINGS?

Noelle Horsfield, Today's Guest Blogger

Noelle Horsfield

Thank you to Susan for asking me to write a guest posting for “Writing Straight from the Heart.” I truly appreciate the opportunity and hope that I don’t disappoint all her devoted followers! 

First, let me tell you a little bit about my work in general. I create lovely cut paper collages using a wonderful palette of papers in a myriad of colors, textures, and patterns. I am interested in presenting my viewer with images that both celebrate our unique diversity and unite us in our humanity. I approach each new subject as an exciting opportunity to unite these beautiful colors, patterns and textures with my own sense of wonder at the world, creating a meaningful piece of art that will delight and inspire my audience.

For this particular collage, entitled “The Littlest Birds Have the Bravest Hearts,” I wanted to celebrate the idea that those who seem to be the weakest are actually the ones who, when called upon to do so, are able to make the bravest choices, beat the steepest odds, and overcome the greatest hardships.

When asked to choose someone or something that represents bravery, most people would probably opt for a classic example of a noble beast like a lion or a heroic soldier or firefighter…all wonderful examples of brave and fearless individuals.

However, I am always inspired by those beings among us, be they humans, animals, or even the odd flower blooming and growing in a sidewalk crack, that are able to survive and even thrive in the face of adversity.

In short, I believe that, because of what is often required of them, the “Littlest Birds” really do have the bravest hearts.

NOTE FROM SUSAN:  Many thanks, Noelle, for being today's guest blogger.  I hope all readers will check out Noelle's website, read her blog, and look at her wonderful art at http://www.noellehorsfield.com/  

Guest Blogger: Noelle Horsfield

Strolling through the Red Lion Inn Gift Shop in West Stockbridge, Massachusetts, I spied the most adorable note cards.

My favorite depicted the above colorful bird. The cards came in different sizes and I selected a smaller version.

Once home, I put it on a little gold easel near three birds from my collection. It's an adorable and picturesque display.

The name of the artist who created this little gem was on the back of the card---Noelle Horsfield.  Via her e-mail address, I asked her if she would consider being a guest blogger on this blog. Noelle was kind enough to respond affirmatively. She indicated she would love to be a guest blogger and even felt honored to be asked.

So tomorrow, be sure to stop by and read Noelle's post! It's very exciting that she agreed to do this. She's a very talented artist.

Tune in tomorrow!

Tranquil Moments: Look Up Into Trees

One of the best parts of summer is stretching out in a lounge chair in the back yard and looking up into the trees.

It's amazing to think how many hundreds of years old they are. They tower above like gigantic works of art by Mother Nature.  Their leaves number in the millions as they wave gently in the breeze.

Their patterns are so varied and magnificent. Only God could have created such masterpieces.  Clouds dot the blue sky above them and an occasional bird flies gracefully by.

During such moments, it feels so good to be alive and privvy to this kind of beauty.

The late afternoon sun is now going down. Time to go into the house and start cooking supper.

Goodbye lovely trees.

Thanks for calming a soul
for a few precious moments.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE TREE?