Classic Red,White, and Blue Tablescape

Happy Saturday!  I hope you are all enjoying the beautiful weather!  It is gorgeous in Alabama this weekend!   Today I am sharing a tablescape I did recently that is sweet, simple and fun and totally done in red, white and blue.  I truly love this color combination.  It is perfect any time of year, not just for Memorial Day and July 4th.  I actually did this during the Olympics, but I left it out for the start of the college football season.  Did I mention that the colors of Ole Miss are red and blue?  I added an Ole Miss plate on an easel and now it is perfect for a few more weeks!  

I started with a vintage quilt as the tablecloth.  I simply gathered the corners 

and tied it with red and white gingham ribbon.  

As another vintage touch, I layered a small, antique tablecloth on top of the quilt.  

I found it recently at a wonderful antique store for fifteen dollars.  I thought it was quite a bargain! 

 Next I added silver chargers and topped those with polka dot chargers in red, white and blue. 

Next I added Longaberger dishes in alternating red and blue.  

As a whimsical touch I finished each place setting with a tiny Mason jar wrapped with gingham ribbon.  I added a candle just for fun!  Bandana napkins finish each place setting. 

As a centerpiece I used a white tray that I purchased at Target.  I

 have used it so much - it is very versatile! 

I topped the tray with a vintage Ball jar filled with daisies.  Next came an apothecary jar that I filled with red hots and blue and white candies (mini York peppermint patties to be exact).  When I change to a fall tablescape the decorations become a snack... yummy!) 

You know I love Plush Pumpkins!  I even have them in red, white and blue. 

My friend Lynda gave me this darling egg plate for my birthday.  Every southern girl needs an egg plate.  This is perfect with the red, white and blue table!  Go Rebels!!! 

A final look - This tablescape just makes me smile :-)

I love this cheerful tablescape!  Thanks so much for visiting Buttercup Bliss.  Now, Ole Miss is playing so I am going to cheer on the Rebels! 

I am linking to the following:

Debbie-Doos

Imparting Grace

Cute and Easy - A Burlap Fall Wreath!

Today I am sharing with you a quick, easy project that you can whip up in less than an hour (or two at the most!)  I am sure like me, you are ready to begin decorating for fall.  I adore autumn - it is my very favorite season of the year - although I have to tell you in Alabama, fall comes pretty late!  It is still really hot here! And it will be for quite a while! But, that doesn't stop us from decorating for the season!!  It is time to bring out the fall decorations and cheer on our favorite college football team ~ another favorite fall pasttime!

To make this fall wreath you will need the following:  a straw wreath, burlap, several coordinating fabrics, a jar lid (or anything you have on hand to trace the perfect circles), sharp scissors (I had to buy a new pair because my boys constantly use my scissors to cut anything you can imagine ~ really, even shrubs!!), an assortment of straight pens, and grosgrain ribbon.

This will truly be the easiest project you do this fall!  Simply begin tracing and cutting circles out of the burlap and the three additional fabrics.  Get ready, you need a lot of circles!  Use  the larger circle for the burlap and the smaller circle for the colorful fabrics.  I just loved the cheerful fall colors in these fabrics that I found at Hobby Lobby.  I purchased 1 1/2 yards of the burlap and 1/3 of each of the others.  This is more than enough for one wreath - in fact, it may be enough to make another one.  I may be decorating my office door at work!

After you have cut out a bunch of circles, begin randomly pinning them to the wreath form -layering the colorful fabric on top of the burlap while alternating the patterns.  I found straight pins with colorful tops that matched the material.  This adds a little interest. :-).

Hmm... I just realized that I didn't take any pictures while I was actually making the wreath. I always forget that!  Please tell me you can follow my directions with out the aid of pictures.  :-)

After you have finished, simply loop a length of a coordinating grosgrain ribbon through and tie it at the top.  I actually bought two additional grosgrain patterns thinking that I would layer one on top of the solid brown, but decided to use just the chocolate brown ribbon by itself.  The other was really cute, but I decided it might be too "fussy".  When in doubt, keep it simple!

So... there you have it!  A simple, easy craft project that can be completed in a few hours and under $20.00.  That is my kind of project!!  It is perfect for our back door that leads to our screened porch. Don't you agree, back door friends are best? 

Happy fall decorating!!

This week I am happy to be joining the following parties:

Debbie-Doos

Lisa

My 100th Post - Happy Everything!

I sat down to write a blog entry and realized it was my 100th post!  Woo Hoo!  Thanks for reading my little blog. It has been so much fun to be able to share with friends and so many people I have met through blogging!  I remember when I didn't really even know was a blog was - thanks Lynda for introducing me!!  I will say again that I will never be a big blogger with thousands of followers and that is okay!  That is not the point - I am enjoying the creativity of writing, sharing crafts, decorating, the occasional recipe and more.  

Now, back to the title of this post - Happy Everything!  For my birthday in August, my sister gave me a Happy Everything cookie jar.  I was familiar with the Happy Everything platters, but I had not seen the cookie jar.  I love it!!  It is now prominently displayed in my kitchen.  I look forward to buying more seasonal attachments to use throughout the year.  They are too cute!!!  Are you interested in the Happy Everything plate or cookie jar?  Check out this website here.  

I also feel like Happy Everything sums up how I feel right now.  As you may know Hurricane Isaac struck the Gulf Coast this week on the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.  What are the odds?  Hurricane Katrina was the worst natural disaster to hit our country.  Our home was destroyed by Katrina.  In fact, this devastating loss happened less than six weeks after my mother passed away.  Needless to say this was an awful time in our lives.  I will say, however, that God used that time to teach me in a powerful way, what is truly important in life - family, friends, and faith!  Homes can be rebuilt (and ours was), but the love of God and precious family are the things that keep us going. 

On the seventh anniversary of Katrina, I was anxious about a storm in the gulf.  I am sure that anxiety was running wild throughout the coastal region as everyone stocked up on food, gas, batteries, water and checked their generators.  I am so happy to report that we made it through the storm fine!!  God is good!  I do ask that you say a prayer for those who were effected by the flood waters caused by the extreme rainfall caused by Isaac.  

From our little corner of the world, enjoy your Labor Day weekend! Happy Everything!!!

Lisa

Decorating with Collections

Today I was thinking about using things that I collect to decorate my house.  I love collecting things!  I have since I was young.  My first "collection" started when I was in elementary school when I began collecting turtles.  Why turtles you might ask? Hmm... I don't know.  Actually, I do know.  My friend, Karen, collected frogs, and I wanted to collect something so I chose turtles!  In hindsight, this makes no sense because I am terrified of any animal that belongs in the amphibian/reptile group!  So, while I think huge turtles that you see at the zoo are really neat, I would never actually TOUCH one!  Nonetheless, I collected turtles when I was young - then I moved on to collecting things that I actually liked!  Gee... collecting is so much more fun when you really love what you are collecting - Amazing!!  I went through a phase where I collected teddy bears, Gail Pittman Pottery (before it was mass produced), heavy vintage dishes (my sister called them an "early truckstop" pattern), and Longaberger baskets. 

Don't you love these "truckstop" dishes?

I currently collect McCarty Pottery.  You may see my post about McCarty here.  Another collection that is dear to my heart is my Radko Christmas (and Easter) ornaments.  I get so excited when I see them each year as our family decorates our Christmas tree.  Another of my favorite things to collect is alphabet books.  This may seem a little odd, but once a teacher, always a teacher!  I began buying Seth alphabet books when he was a toddler.  Between the two of us we have quite a collection,although I only display them in my office at work.  I also have a small collection of vintage copper pots, aprons, vintage pyrex dishes, and old silver pieces.  My favorite finds are vintage silver teaspoons.  I am so tickled when I find those with a special engraved monogram.  I notice I seem to have a "thing" for all things vintage.  Possible because as my dear friend Lynda says, "we are becoming vintage ourselves!"  So true! 

Here are some of my Longaberger baskets and a few McCarty bunnies too. 

I recently started a collection of white ironstone pieces.  I love milk pitchers and soup tureens.  I find myself looking in antique stores and on eBay for ones that are really pretty, but still affordable.  Thus far, I only have a teapot with a cream and sugar.  I really enjoy looking around for the perfect piece! I am looking forward to growing my collection.  My sister gave me two pieces of Etta B Pottery for my birthday last week.  I was thrilled!  Anita already collected Etta B, which is another Mississippi pottery.  It is very simple and pretty!  The Christmas pieces are so precious too!  I am thrilled that she started a new collection for me - Jon is probably not so sure!! :-)

An Etta B plate and tiny bowl.  

I can't decide where they will be displayed yet, 

but that is part of the fun of  collecting. 

What are your favorite items to collect?  I would love to hear about any special treasures you display in your home.  

More of Life's Simple Blessings

from National Geographic

When I first started my blog I talked about finding joy in life's simple blessings.  In fact, I wrote a post on this very topic.  You can see it here.  This past week, however, I let stress at work get to me.  I am not proud of that, but it is true!  I had a little talk with myself last Friday.  Basically, I said, "Lisa, get a grip!  Life is too precious to spend one minute of it stressed about things that truly do not matter!"  I sat down and thought of little things that bring so much joy to life. These are the things that truly matter - not trivial things that rob us of true happiness!  Here are a few more simple blessings that make me happy each day:

• Hearing Seth tell me a silly joke!  His latest one was so funny I had him call my sister, my daddy and one of my best friends to tell it to them immediately!
• Rainbows
• Peanut butter and banana sandwiches
• Birthday balloons from my two sweeties
• Playing "Just Dance" with Seth - He is truly a hoot!
• Spending time at the beach, preferably with my sister
• Enjoying a "date night" with Jon
• A phone call from a dear friend
• Watching old movies - especially "Gone With the Wind", Yours, Mine and Ours", "Love Story, and "Pillow Talk".  Don't you just love Rock Hudson and Doris Day?
• The smell of steak cooking on the grill
• Seeing stars twinkling in the night sky - what a wonderful testimony of God's handiwork!
• Pedicures
• Watching Seth accomplish a task - he just COMPLETELY mastered shoe tying!  Woo Hoo!
• Rambling around antique stores hunting for the perfect vintage find
• Puppy breath :-)
• Saturday mornings at Panera Bread with Seth - enjoying a Cinnamon Crunch bagel with my little man is just about the best thing ever!
• Curling up with a good book and a cup of coffee on a rainy afternoon 
• The sound of rain on tin roof
• When Seth says "I luz (love) you Mama to the moon and back FIVE TIMES!"

These are just a few of the simple blessings that make me smile.  What are some of your favorites? Which simple blessing is sure to make you forget about the stresses of everyday life?

Turning another year older wasn't so bad!  My sweeties think I am fabulous!!  

Thanks for visiting Buttercup Bliss,

Lisa