Manic Monday...saved!

You know those days?

The ones that go on  forever......

Looong work days, with no end in sight?
I had one of those.
A typical Manic Monday!!!

My saving grace was being picked up by a handsome young man, my son.

Coming home and immersing myself in fixing the evening meal.

...... a perfect way to end a hard day.

a pretty table..

Good conversation.....

loads of laughter.
Boys weaving in and out of the kitchen...

Chatting as I cook.
Great Grandma's hand made linens....

Silver from another Great Grandma.

 
Plates I got at Wal Mart years ago...

And pretty glasses embossed with delicate roses from my Mother in Law.

All the special memories and uplifting conversation with giggles and guffaws, 

talks of how  the day went .....

the clatter of silver ware and glasses...

Aaahhh.... my Family!!!!
They make my manic Mondays all better.
The tension melt away.

Chime in the Bangles'...

remember... "Just another manic Monday...... ooohhhh oohhh

 ......... wish it was Sunday.... "

Remember , those were the days. Summer time and the Bangles.
......Susanna Hoffs singing  (hahahahaha).... 

Off to enjoy my meal of Cuban black beans and rice  and some chicken.
With 3 handsome men.

Getting my dinner on!!!!



Cheers, Gee

Sharing on the following:

 


 

The prettiest serving tray

Tea or coffee in bed....

now that's a wonderful thing, no?

With some pastry? Great Grandma's linen napkins and a delicate china cup?

Mmmmmmm....

I am a huge fan of after dinner coffee. Now, not always is that served at the table.

No... sometimes we have it in the bedroom, or in the family room with our feet up reclining after a long day.
Nothing like a beautiful tea tray , set up with beautiful tea or coffee cups and linen napkins, and something sweet and delicate to nibble on. 

So.... it all started with a picture frame from my stash.

  As many of you know, I paint.  So I buy frames . Lots of them... all the time.

 Some inadvertently become serving trays .

Like this one from a few posts ago.... It's in the shop.

So.... a reclaimed wooden frame, some paint, a piece of wood to become the bottom.

Some more flat white paint.....

and a plan for the design.... 

a few hours to dry and cure...

......some 200 grit sand paper to distress the entire thing.

 Gives it a more 'lived in look' .

A bit of Minwax Natural and some 0000 steel wool to buff it up......

......  choose some sexy drawer pulls as handles....

Smile nicely and flutter some eye lashes at the Mr. and ask him to drill holes and attach every thing ... please... pretty please ...

Which he does. He's awesomely sweet like that!!!

And Voila!!!!

 The prettiest serving tray with delicate red roses and leaves was born.

I am thinking there will be many a coffee or tea served on this pretty thing.

Breakfast in bed on the weekends....

It's quite large... there will be room for scones and clotted cream as well. 

Some chocolates too, I should imagine.

A fresh cut flower... mayhaps?

Oh yes... I even see wine and cheese, with crackers and olives in the sun room. A little grapes and figs thrown in just for good measure....

But don't you agree?

This is a very pretty serving tray...

With it's red roses....

and twirling vines...

and delicate leaves....

Tea anyone??

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers, Gee


Sharing at...

A few of my favourite things...

Today was a day to play with my dishes.

 I really don't need an excuse.

I went into the cupboards and took out a few  of my sets and traded out ....
( this happens every 6 weeks or so)

I have a problem ,obsession , luv of all things relating to dishware....

..... and flatware and glasses and napkins.....

Got these out because I just luv them, and they are apple shaped.
Look at them, what's not to luv??

Researched them today, and found out they are Hazel Atlas Apple dishes.
From the 40's, 50's and 60's.

Pictured here are 2 different sets. I have 3, some not pictured. Just noticed....

The collection started when my MIL gave me a large apple bowl and 8 smaller ones. Plain apple shaped glass. Like a salad set, or a dessert set.

 The fact that they were from her Grandmother made the gift even more special to me....
( I luv things with history)

Then , when my sister heard the story, she added to it the next Christmas with the apple saucers and little tea cups (pictured here). I was beyond happy!
They are also Hazel Atlas according to my research. 

Now the bowls and medium plates with the flower in the centers, I found on an Antiquing shopping day with the Mr.  They are the 'Harvest Apple' design.

Aaaaahhh, the flatware. Quite the story behind these... they are passed down to me from the Mr's great Grandmother (paternal). They were the flatware she had for her 4th marriage. Great Grandma lived to be 101. She was quite the character. 

The napkins, also inherited, are from his maternal great grandmother. She made lots of table linens by hand and I have quite a nice collection. These particular ones

are linen with handmade lace inserts and fine stitching on the edges. Beautifully done!!

My addiction appreciation for dishes and all  the wonderful things I inherited makes for wonderful conversations with friends.

Such history behind so many of my collections....
The fact that they are inherited from my family, and I can relate the stories, makes it all the more dear to me.

The table cloth, also linen, was given to me one Thanksgiving my non other than my MIL.
She feeds my appreciation. 

Just noticed that the little basket (also special to me), This was given to me by a client last Holiday Season filled with home made goodies.

My Harvest dishes... Hazel Atlas Apple and Hazel Atlas Harvest Apple.... soon to be filled with hot apple crisp topped with French vanilla ice cream.
Come on over!!

Recipe passed on by another grandmother... it's the BEST!

Thanks for stopping by...

Cheers, Gee