Easter Brunch Tablescape

HAPPY EASTER!Before I left for Texas, I set the table for Easter Sunday Brunch.I used my vintage Johnson Brothers "Chintz" plates set on my tried and true cabbage leaf chargers.The salad plates are vintage German majolica.The "piece de resistance" is these little egg cups. I've been collecting them for years, and they are made in Portugal by Bordallo Pinheiro.They look great with egg candles from Pottery Barn.I found these chicken wire "placemats"...

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Texas, Here We Come!

The girls and I are off on our adventure today.Texas, here we co...

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Appreciating the Beauty Around Us

photo by Marc Rogoff"What worth has beauty if it is not seen?" - Italian Proverb "Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy." - Anne Frank"There is nothing that makes its way more directly into the soul than beauty." - Joseph AddisonI'm trying something new today and linking up to Notes from A Cottage Industry for Weekly Words to Live By.Be sure to visit for more inspirational quot...

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Faux Bamboo Furniture

This faux bamboo cabinet is currently my favorite piece of furniture.It lives in the master bathroom, doing duty as a storage piece for our towels and just looking beautiful.This is such a versatile piece. It would be wonderful filled with cookbooks in a country kitchen, or filled with linens in a hallway. I love the feel that faux bamboo brings to a room, lending a traditional look and a touch of whimsy.Of course, I have a "collection" of faux...

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Springtime in Asti

It's Springtime in Asti. The birds and the bees are very busy!The flora and fauna are beginning to emerge.The workers in the vineyard are busy..........and we got busy too, planting herbs, tomatoes, geraniums and succulents in the garden.I'm just discovering succulents and am hoping this is a good choice for these urns that don't get water on a regular basis.I think they look nice all grouped together.Red geraniums and Bacopa went in the two urns...

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The Mud Room

The Mud Room. This is technically the "entry" to our house in Asti.This photo was taken when we first moved in.Another photo of the mud room last year.We were fortunate to inherit this lovely antique "settle" from the previous owners, as well as the decorative wooden farm implements.I found these grape botanicals at the flea market and framed them myself for over the bench. I also made some feed sack pillows to personalize the space, but those wooden...

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