Decorating – Page 47

Anxiously Awaiting Spring!

March 16, 2015~ Decorating

“…for behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth,the time of singing has come,
and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land”
Song of Solomon 2:11-13

Spring officially begins this Friday, March 20th, but I have declared that spring has begun at our house! Winter has been unusually cold, rainy, icy, snowy, dreary, and dare I say, harsh, in northeast Alabama! So we are welcoming spring with open arms! The bright yellow daffodils and forsythia are in full bloom along with the soft pink of the ornamental magnolia trees. Yesterday was sunny and 72…the weather doesn’t get any better than that! My sweet Daddy calls it thermostat weather! Welcome back to our kitchen, where spring has sprung!

Getting a jump on spring and Easter with lots of color on our kitchen island!

The bunnies are ready for nicer weather!

I gathered a fun cotton cloth on the granite surface to soften its hard scape!

Colorful gerber daisies in a vase with rabbit food (carrots)…so perfect for spring!

Sweet little rabbits holding moss and colorful eggs for a touch of Easter!

Chalk eggs purchased so long ago that I don’t remember from where!

Miss Bunny along with her companion was found at TJ Maxx several years ago. I love that they are welcoming spring!

Mr. Bunny’s pink coat is a nice contrast to the polka dot platter!

Early spring always brings out the forsythia!

Gerber daisies wearing their happy faces!

The teapot, sugar, and creamer are Fitz and Floyd…gifts from Butch so many years ago!

The pattern is “Herb Garden”! I have a few more pieces not displayed here!

The sugar bowl

The creamer

Such a cheerful kitchen island- anxiously awaiting spring’s arrival!

“Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love”
-Thomas Obediah Chisholm

Linking with: Pieced Pastimes , It’s Overflowing , Be Different Act Normal , Silver Pennies ,Life on Lakeshore Drive , Thoughts From Alice , Pink When , Mod Vintage Life , Coastal Charm , My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia , The Dedicated House , Dwellings-Heart of Your Home , 21 Rosemary Lane, Savvy Southern Style , Ivy and Elephants, French Country Cottage , From My Front Porch To Yours , Stone Gable , Confessions of a Plate Addict ,Worthing Court , Between Naps on the Porch , Cedar Hill Farmhouse , A Stroll Thru Life , The Style Sisters , The Charm of Home , The Winthrop Chronicles , Cornerstone Confessions , A Delightsome Life , Imparting Grace , Craftberry Bush , Posed Perfection , Katherines Corner , My Romantic Home , Chic On A Shoestring Decorating , Rooted In Thyme , Share Your Cup, The Enchanting Rose, Alabama Womens Bloggers

Bookends: What’s Cookin’?

March 5, 2015~ Bookends, Decorating

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction”
Proverbs‬ ‭1‬:‭7‬

Over the past few years, I have taken note of the multi-purpose dining room in many of my books and magazines. Most often I have seen it used as a library with bookcases along the walls, which I think is genius! Take a look at one on my Pinterest board:

(via)

Our rather small dining room has two walls of windows and is open to the living room. That only leaves one wall with just enough room for the dining chairs to pull out…unfortunately, no room for bookcases!! After removing the tablescape from Monday’s party, I decided to repurpose the dining room for the next few days as a place to sit and read through some of my favorite cookbooks! I love cookbooks that not only share recipes, but tell a story. If my dining room could talk…oh the stories it could tell! Stories of the many friends and family members that have laughed and cried together, the love shared, and countless meals enjoyed within its space! So for the next few days, I will enjoy sitting at the table and thumbing through stories of food and fellowship! Just to walk through and to see well-loved books gracing the table is bliss! I could get lost in here…and maybe I will do just that!

The dining table is stacked with some of my favorite cookbooks!

I placed a heavy throw in a large paisley pattern over the table! With books and a cup of coffee, I was entertained all afternoon!

Very little decoration on the table except a candle (red currant scent), a plate of Granny Smith apples (from Tablescape Tuesday: Let’s Party!) and a terrarium with moss and a couple of male red birds. Butch plants rye grass every winter and it is so neat to watch the cardinals as they land on the bright green grass with their brilliant red plumage!

Chef Frank Stitt is our favorite! He is the owner and executive chef of Highlands Bar and Grill, Bottega Restaurant, and Chez Fon Fon in Birmingham. He is a multi James Beard nominee and was inducted into the James Beard Foundation’s Who’s Who of Food and Beverage” in 2011!
Click here to purchase this book: Frank Stitt’s Southern Table

I use Ina Garten’s recipes often-they always turn out!
Click here to purchase this book: Barefoot in Paris

This is an old book (published in 1986) and it is special because my friend, Kathy found it and gave it to me. She always finds unique gifts!
Click here to purchase this book: Entertaining in the French Style

No Southern woman would be without several, if not dozens, of Southern Living cookbooks!

The Foothills Cuisine of Blackberry Farm is my newest cookbook. Butch bought it for me last week while we were visiting the farm! You can read more about our trip here: Back At The Farm. I love everything about this book! It is not just full of recipes and menus, but it highlights some of the “old ways” such as preserving or pickling the garden’s bounty, making cheese from fresh sheep’s milk, or curing meats! It is a feast visually and I will be trying out recipes very soon!
Click here to purchase this book: The Foothill Cuisine of Blackberry Farm

Marbled Potato Salad with Arugula Pesto!

Vegetables grown on the farm!

Peanut Butter Pie

So gracious of Sam Beall, the proprietor of Blackberry Farm and author of the cookbook, to autograph my copy!

A fun way to use your dining table when you aren’t going to be using it for meals for a few days!

The Collected Tabletop is a lovely entertaining guide and was given to me by my precious friend, Patti!
Click here to purchase this book: The Collected Tabletop

Every page has stunning photography!

Included inside the book were these creative book marks!!

Patti met the author and had her autograph my copy. Look at her beautiful handwriting…so rare today!

I recently bought this lovely book “Come to the Table” where celebration is presented as a living thankfulness of God’s goodness!
Click here to purchase this book: Come To The Table

Gigi’s Baked Carrots are presented in the perfect setting. It has been said, “that we eat with our eyes first”!

“We read to know that we are not alone”
-C.S. Lewis

Thank you for reading!
And we would love to know…what is your favorite cookbook?
Leave them in the comments below!

Linking with Pieced Pastimes , It’s Overflowing , Be Different Act Normal , Silver Pennies ,Life on Lakeshore Drive , Thoughts From Alice , Rustic-Refined , Pink When , Mod Vintage Life , Coastal Charm , My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia , The Dedicated House , Dwellings-Heart of Your Home , Savvy Southern Style , Ivy and Elephants, French Country Cottage , From My Front Porch To Yours , Stone Gable , Confessions of a Plate Addict ,Worthing Court , Between Naps on the Porch , Cedar Hill Farmhouse , A Stroll Thru Life , The Style Sisters , The Charm of Home , The Winthrop Chronicles , Cornerstone Confessions , A Delightsome Life , Imparting Grace , Craftberry Bush , Posed Perfection , Katherines Corner , My Romantic Home , Chic On A Shoestring Decorating , Rooted In Thyme , Share Your Cup, The Enchanting Rose, Alabama Womens Bloggers

Little Details, Big Impact

March 2, 2015~ Decorating

“And we know that for those who love God
all things work together for good,
for those who are called according to his purpose”
Romans 8:28

In our world today, we can get so hurried that we often overlook the beauty that shows itself in the details of our everyday living. Have you ever stopped to think that every second of our day has purpose? Everything down to the tiniest and seemingly insignificant detail has meaning in the grand scheme of life. God is orchestrating these details together for a much larger story-a story of redemption. And so it is with decorating! Attention to detail has been my trademark as an interior decorator. That extra special touch-a candle placed on a coffee table book…a small vase of fresh flowers…a collection of leather boxes. All these little details come together and make a big impact to make a room sing! And just as the smallest of details come together to form something beautiful in a home, so it is with our lives. It is our hope that we all learn to look at the bigger picture-the one that God is painting with thousands of tiny details.

Welcome to the foyer of the Fralix home. The entrance is an open two-story space with a traditional stair case and a beautiful tiled marble floor. The very large antique mirror certainly makes a statement! You can see more of their beautiful home here: Everyday Living at Patti’s, Breath of Fresh Air!, and Let The Sunshine In!

At the top of the stairs is a welcoming hallway that leads to three guest bedrooms and Patti’s office! The vintage carpet runner is Karastan.

The mural of a European scene was painted by a talented artist from Alabama! I love the soft colors!

The Queen Anne chairs are antique and upholstered in a floral fabric

The marble-topped French-style credenza is a reproduction.

A pair of antique brass and crystal lamps rest on the credenza!

The pitcher and bowl set is an antique and, of course, we know Patti’s love of blue and white!

The framed antique silk ribbon embroidery is exquisite!

The vintage hanging display cabinet holds items of interest…Donegal vase, Royal Doulton Bunnykins, Willow Tree angel, vintage porcelain doll, and crystal perfume bottles.