I Like Inclement Weather

 When we get an occasional grey, rain all day 

in South Florida, it  gives me just the excuse

 I need to indulge a few home comforts.

I don't need to rush off for my 

usual morning tennis game.

We put our 'must-do's' on hold for a day.

 It's too wet to go anywhere.

There is no 'outside' beckoning us 

to participate.

So we plan our day:

First: breakfast in bed.

Second: We have a DVD movie to watch

 in the afternoon.

Third: Have something roasting low and slow

 in the oven to fill the house with a great 

aroma and that makes us look forward 

to a comfort food dinner.

In between we do get in a few household

 chores done and a little puttering.

When we lived in Illinois, we would often

 spend snowy Sunday mornings bringing

 breakfast and the Sunday paper up to our

 3rd floor bedroom. It was a great treat 

after a long work week. We'd wile away hours

 enjoying breakfast, and reading the paper. 

Sometimes we'd watch an old movie, 

 and pour more coffee. The view out of our

 large window looked out over the snow-filled

 treetops onto the lake. 

It was a spectacular winter scene.

Her's the view out of our bedroom window at
the pool, patio and lake beyond in Florida.

So now I pour some tea and get my book

 and my little doggie and go nowhere.

Gotta love that!

Cheers
links to: Between Naps on the Porch,
Coastal Charm, A Stroll Thru Life,

Valentine's Teapot

I have wanted this Emma Bridgewater

 teapot for years. This year I dropped  

a few hints for Valentine's Day.

Ok, they weren't exactly hints. 

I didn't want to risk any confusion.

I said...This is what I want for Valentine's

 Day....but, it's just a suggestion.

No flowers, no chocolate, no dinner, no gift

 cards for massages.( I still have to use the 

one from last year very soon.) 

Just this adorable Pink Hearts

 tea pot from England. It's all I want.
....If you're in need of ideas.

Here's the EB web site. If you order now they 

will arrive in time....but it's just a suggestion. 

Oh, and they are on sale.....this week.....

if you should want to order anything.....
just a suggestion.

The mugs and creamer are on sale too. 

I think two mugs would be sweet....

and two plates for dessert.....

I was giddy with excitement when this 

pretty box arrived last week!

 Afternoon tea for two, or morning coffee, or
hot chocolate.

I love teapots and
this one just makes me smile :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Links: Between Naps On The Porch,
The Charm Of Home, Common Ground,
The 36th Avenue, My Romantic Home,
How Sweet The Sound

Lovebirds

 I've had these two lovebirds forever...

if you count over 40 years forever!

They were a Christmas gift from my friend

 Nancy. This ornament has been on my tree 

every year and I keep it out for February

 because they are perfect for Valentine's Day.

 This year I hung them inside my vintage birdcage.

 I made a nest of hand carved wooden 

hearts. They were a gift from my friend

 Gail in California many years ago.

I'm very sentimental.

This fabulous pink hearts Emma Bridgewater

 teapot arrived straight from the UK.

It's a gift from my Valentine this year!

 It came along with two mugs and a creamer.

 Perfect tea for two.

I love, I love, I love it!

(a little Jane Austen nod)

XOXO

Links: A Stroll Thru Life,
Savvy Southern Style,
Stone Gable

Seeing Red

When I pack up the Christmas decorations 

I keep all the hearts and red decor items

 separate so that I can

 use them thru February.

That means I keep out the toss pillows

on the breakfast chairs. 

I keep the red-checked pillowcases on

the wicker chair cushions too.

I add a bright red rag rug by the sink.

I add a little Valentine's decor.

 I put the red hearts garland in a 

few apothecary jars on the sofa table.

Two red heart ornaments hang from

the ivory candlesticks on the bar counter.

 I added the red and white checked hearts
 vinyl tablecloth to the back of the kitchen
 cabinet again this year and added
all of my red and white china.

 Extra plates are in the chicken feeder. This
 has been a great spot to rotate my seasonal
dishes and have them handy to use daily.

 I bring out my red Le Creuset cookware and 

the red Chantel kettle. I use that to boil

 water for a proper pot of afternoon tea. 

A few kitchen essentials in red sit next to the

 stove on the Longaberger wrought iron 

stand on the Hearts and Pines plates.

 The red checked valance/turned table runner
stayed on the island. A pile of heart-shaped
cookie cutters in various sizes are used to cut
 toast, brownies, pie crust trims or scones.

One of my thrifted throws in red and white is

tossed on the back of the family room sofa.

 I used the hearts and stars wooden garland
 on jute string to add a little color to the the
 bowl of pinecones on the coffee table.

I added collection of brass heart boxes

to the table runner (two placemats) 

on the coffee table. 

~~~~~

 I keep all the red decorations along with
napkins, bows, pillows and covers in a
separate box to make it easy to pack away.
That way I can pull it out again and
use some of it for July 4th.

Cheers!

Links: Under The Table and Dreaming,
Bargain Hunting & Chatting with Laurie,
The Girl Creative, The Tablescaper,

Between Naps On Then Porch,
Coastal Charm

I Need To Stop Watching Downton Abbey

Yes, it gives me ideas:

about breakfast trays,

 and English breakfast tea or coffee kept hot
 in a hotel silver thermal carafe, and crustless
 toast served in a shinny toast caddy,

 and a small Waterford crystal cream pitcher, 

and roses,

 and lace, and mornings that aren't rushed, 

 and English transferware for breakfast china.

I think it's almost ready for a Downton
morning breakfast service in bed.

I still need to gather a few more things,
the crystal jam pot, the sterling.....
 and breakfast, and maybe watch the
latest episode too.

Cheers!

Links: Stone Gable,
Savvy Southern Style,
No Minimalist Here,
The Shabby Creek Cottage,
Between Naps on The Porch,
The Charm of Home, Common Ground,
My Romantic Home,
How Sweet The Sound

How I Reuse Jars

I love jars. I hate to toss them into
the recycle bin when
I can recycle them back into use.

They make great free storage. 

I asked Larry if he thinks I love jars.

He said, "Have you ever thrown one away?"

I had to think about that one.

So, I thought I'd show you how 

I use some of my jars. 

Different jars for different jobs 

in different rooms.

These go in the laundry room.

 I like to keep the same jars in a section. 

Jam jars on top and spice jars below.

It looks neater and it satisfies my
OCDD, that I wrote about HERE.

When Larry recently lost the tiny screw 

to his glasses he asked me, 

"Do have one of those tiny eye glass 

repair kits?"  Of course I do!  

"Where?" 

 In one of the small (Spice Island) jars in the
laundry room cabinet on the turntable.
I love turntables too. I wrote about that
in "10 House Things I Can't Love Without"

 I knew it was there, because that's 

where I keep all that

 'small-don't-know-where-to-put-it' stuff. 

So I know where to find it again!

You know..the birthday candles, thumb-tacs,

cup hooks in 3 sizes, safety pins in 3 sizes,

push pins, wunda hooks, eye glass repair kit,

sewing machine repair kit, craft pin backs,
staples, sawtooth picture hangers,
wood plug buttons, pin-on hooks,
 several jars for small screws,
 mini replacement lights, outlet plugs,
 lamp finials, jingle bells, eye hooks,

small crafting supplies, etc.!

So, that's my system...cabinet closed!

Cheers!

See more crazy things I reuse HERE.
Links: The Girl Creative,
The Tablescaper, My 1929 Charmer,
Under The Table and Dreaming,
Between Naps On The Porch,
A Stroll Thru Life, Coastal Charm,