Monthly Archives: March 2020

There goes Peter Cottontail

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Well, with the recent announcement that we need to practice social distancing through the month of April, it looks like Easter will be hippity hoppitying right past us this year.

So . . . I thought I’d cheer myself up by setting the table for an Easter tea; imagining myself enjoying homemade quiche and scones with friends. Doesn’t that sound good right now?


I used vintage china that I collected from Etsy and a table runner that I picked up at Target.While I’ll miss the yearly visit from the Easter Bunny, the fun pops of color on the table are definitely brightening my day today. (P.S. The milk chocolate bunny in the Easter basket may or may not be missing his ears since these photos were taken.)

What’s on your agenda? I hope your day is a good one!

— Debra

TP and TLC

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I’ve been dealing with self isolation due to the coronavirus pretty well up until now, but today I’m restless and out of sorts. I’m not being productive. I’m bored with TV, I can’t concentrate enough to read, and if I look at the same posts on Instagram one more time I might lose the few brain cells I have left.

I’m angry about the people who aren’t following the rules; hoarding, not wearing masks, not thinking about others. Good stories definitely outweigh the bad though; people risking their lives to help others, keeping restaurants and stores open, sharing supplies, donating and making masks, organizing fundraisers and food drives.

I miss people. And I’m wondering, like everyone else, when I”ll be able to see my family and friends again. I’m hoping that everyone stays safe, and that everyone takes good care of themselves and others.

I’m trying to. However, my sole purpose the last few days has been obsessively tracking a shipment of toilet paper that I ordered for my parents and me. I cheered when the order went through! (It hasn’t moved from processing yet, so I will believe it when it actually arrives on their doorstep.)

Today might not feel so great. But tomorrow will be better. And I will get up, start my day refreshed and renewed, and only track my tp order once . . . or maybe twice . . . in the morning and at night . . . and possibly during my lunch break.

Take care, all.

— Debra

I see a pattern . . .

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I enjoy experimenting with different table settings. And while I’m all for the convenience of casual dinnerware, delicate vintage china is just too beautiful to leave in the china cabinet! Tonquin Plum by Royal Staffordshire is one of my favorites because the serene grand manor scene and stunning floral border make it the perfect choice for spring.

Silver bow napkin rings and placecard holders in the shape of elegant dining chairs are the perfect accompaniment to this pretty china!

Vintage patterns are readily available on Etsy or Replacements.com.

— Debra

 

Nice as pie.

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Sometimes when the world is spinning a little too fast, someone does something really nice. Like bake a pie . . . for your Dad . . . on his 80th birthday. Not just any pie . . . his very FAVORITE lemon meringue pie.

Thank you, friend.

From behind the desk . . .

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I have a love affair with desks. Maybe it’s because I associate them with writing and creativity. Or maybe I simply find them irresistible! I’m always angling to fit one more in somewhere . . . anywhere!

desk

Growing up, we shared a sweet little roll top desk that Mom bought second hand and refinished. I remember spending hours daydreaming in that tiny cubby. Later on, I was equally charmed by my school desk. It was hinged at the back, so when the desktop was pulled down, all of my school supplies (including a fresh box of Crayola crayons) were safely stowed inside.

There’s just something fun about pulling out drawers and reaching into secret compartments to discover items long forgotten . . . a treasure trove of hand written letters, Christmas cards, and childhood trinkets too sentimental to discard.

I currently have five desks in my home; one rustic and able to take abuse, one feminine and used for correspondence, one that does double duty as a farmhouse table, one pristine white and rarely used, and the darling roll top desk that Mom gave me a few years back.

I don’t own a drop down desk (yet). And although I’m not in the market for one, I love this option from Pottery Barn, as well as this one from Ballard Designs. Sigh . . .

Are you drawn to a certain type of furniture?

— Debra

Calling All Angels

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This past holiday season I was searching for ornaments on Etsy when I unexpectedly ran across a ceramic artist from Belgium. (That’s what’s so great about Etsy, you find things you didn’t even know you were looking for . . . )

As I scrolled through the artist’s site, my eyes fell upon two angel figurines that I was so entranced with, I couldn’t get them out of my mind. I favorited them and revisited them numerous times over the next few days. Finally, I bought one for myself and one for a friend.

Little did I know at the time that we would both be in need of a guardian angel. And as it turns out, the angels that I chose that day ended up being perfect for us. I have been wanting to reignite my creativity for a while, and my multitalented friend has a wonderful idea for a book.

Find my angel here.

Whether you believe in angels or not, something told me that these little angels belonged to us; a tangible reminder that we are not alone as we navigate our new paths.

As the artist says on her site, angels:

Enfold you in their healing wings
Love you unconditionally
Support you in every way!

I can believe in that.

— Debra

 

 

Cream of the crop.

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Do you fall in love with things? I do.

Some things just make me smile when I see them. Like my grinning ceramic jack-o’-lantern, my chubby copper bird ornament, and my first real piece of art; a pretty floral in shades of purple.

Other things remind me of someone I love, like the delicate chintz creamer that my Grandma gave me. I told her I thought it was pretty, and she immediately took it out of her china cabinet and gifted it to me. I was careful not to mention liking something of hers after that, but the creamer will always be special to me because she wanted me to be the one to cherish it next.

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While I may rearrange and reorganize, there are certain things I will never tire of seeing, touching, and using because these are the things that make home, home.

I often wonder who will treasure my things after I’m gone. Will they love them as much as I do?

— Debra