Homeward Bound

The light is what guides you home, 

the warmth is what keeps you there. 

Ellie Rodriguez

A pleasant Spring day outdoors-

perfect for some gardening 

and a cup of tea. I just discovered

straw bale gardening on Pinterest, and stepped out onto our patio to look for a good spot to place a bale. 

Brambly Hedge by Royal Doulton


There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.
Jane Austen

For charm and whimsy you can't beat Royal Doulton's Brambly Hedge beakers and teacups! I sipped a bit of Assam while dead-heading Pansies and drawing up gardening plans.

Assam is located on both sides of the Bramaputra River in India.

I had rather be on my farm than be emperor of the world. 

George Washington

Home, the spot of earth supremely blessed,
A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest.
~Robert Montgomery

See the mouse in the basket?

Where thou art – that – is Home.
Emily Dickinson

sharing this post with~

Freedom Fridays
Pink Saturday
Crafts A La Mode
Share your Cup
Clever Chicks Blog Hop
Make It Pretty Monday
Idea Box

Finishing Touches

I love Colonial homes...something like this surrounded by trees with an herb, vegetable and cutting garden in the back, as well as a dovecote. Alas, in California, homes such as these are rare. Instead, we usually have stucco covered homes with red tiled roofs and garages facing the street. We live in the wrong part of the country for elegant Colonial style houses. The good news is that I can decorate the inside of our home with the historical touches I love. My artistic side is usually limited to cake decorating, scrap booking and sewing, but I have been known to paint a wall mural and try my hand at other things if the need  arises. I could not find a floral arrangement I liked for the niche in the foyer so I made one~

What do you think for my first try? I used a blue and white vase and went to work! There are cream colored roses and white day lilies. I like using a bit of Chinoiserie among our late 18th Century decor. I think the crisp blue and white looks fabulous with cherry and tiger maple furniture, paint-grained frames, pewter pieces and banjo clocks. I gathered pictures that were scattered around the house, along with a new clock, and laid them out on the floor. I rearranged them until I liked the design, then Handyman put them up on the living room wall. I really like how it turned out! 

The pictures on the far left and far right are actually authentic documents that have a hand painted image on them. You can see one of my prized furniture pieces on the left of the sofa. It is a mini tiger maple chest on frame. I love it! 

  
The chest of drawers can be lifted off the skirted frame below, which makes it easy to move. I'm going to get a small tassel to hang from the top drawer pull. 

 




sharing this post with~
It's Overflowing 

Sunny Simple Sunday
Potpourri Friday at 2805