New Valances and an Old Chandelier

Last year, we had a kitchen makeover…new cabinet doors were made and the walls got a fresh coat of paint.  This is what the area above my sink looked like after we finished painting.

What I wouldn’t give to be able to get rid of the air conditioner in the window…unfortunately, I live in an older home and we don’t have central heating and cooling.  One good thing about it though…when the hot flashes hit, it sure is wonderful to walk in front of the air conditioner and feel all that cold air!

After the painting was finished, the hunt began for new window treatments!

My countertop is pink and it’s about 20 years old.  I love it just as much today as I did when I picked it out many years ago.  My husband tried to talk me into a new countertop last year when we painted, but nope…I told him no new countertop until I could find one the same color pink!  I admit it, I’m obsessed with the color pink and believe you can never have too much of it! 

I wanted to find valances that would work with the countertop and finally found the perfect ones last week on eBay.  Of course, they’re pink too!

This vintage chandelier was also an eBay find many years ago and hung in my living room until we replaced it with a ceiling fan.  I know many people don’t like ceiling fans, but here in the South, they sure do help when it’s so hot!  It’s been packed in my closet for months and I finally pulled it out and decided to give it a facelift too.

 

After removing all the prisms, I spray painted it with primer.  Then it got two coats of Rustoleum paint in Satin White.  Imagine my sweet husband’s face when he came in that afternoon and saw the chandelier hanging from a tree branch in the front yard so I could paint it!

When it was dry, I brought it in the house and mixed pink and cream paints together for a very soft pink color.  This was handpainted on the flower rosettes.  I hung it from a coat hanger to completely dry overnight.

You can see the pink rosettes here.

Now imagine the look on my husband’s face when I asked him to hang the chandelier over my kitchen sink!  He gave me this look like I had lost my mind!  He kept trying to tell me that it was too big and I would constantly bang my head on it when I’m working at the sink.

Well, he finally agreed to hang it for me…he’s such a sweetie!  So the area over my sink received a little mini makeover this past weekend…new valances and a new (old) chandelier.

I love all the extra light in my kitchen now!

In fact, I’m just “tickled pink” with my new valances and the chandelier!

Oh, and so far…I haven’t hit it once when I’ve been standing at the sink!  Told you I wouldn’t honey!

I’m joining up with these parties:

Rhonda at Blue Creek Home for Treasure Hunt Thursday

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

Beverly at How Sweet The Sound for Pink Saturday

Thanks so much for visiting!  I hope you’ll come back soon.

DG

Patriotic Tablescape

I hope all of my blogging friends had a wonderful Fourth of July holiday! 

Our day was filled with way too much food!  We got together with my husband’s family for lunch.  Instead of grilling, we decided to have fried catfish for lunch.  To go with the fish, we had cole slaw, potato salad, baked beans, cheese grits, hush puppies, Cajun cake, banana pudding, cherry cheesecake, and pound cake.  After lunch, we were fit for nothing but lazing around the house! 

This is a simple tablesetting that I did for our Fourth of July dinner tonight.  After that very heavy lunch, it was chicken salad sandwiches and salad for dinner…not that any of us was really very hungry. 

I started with a white tablecloth and red beaded placemats.  Next I added white dinner plates and blue glass salad plates.

Red, white and blue star napkins were gathered with white napkin rings topped with a flag.

Cobalt blue iced tea glasses and red acrylic handled flatware completed the place settings.

For the centerpiece, I started with a glass cake plate.  I filled the top of it with white candles, red roses, white carnations, curling ribbon and star garland.

Two small red, white and blue candles and two flag candles, all in glass votive holders, were placed around the cake plate.

I love this Blue Hour shot!  Almost time for dinner.

Time to light the candles…another shot showing the Blue Hour.

Thanks so much for visiting me today…gotta run for now, it’s almost time for fireworks!

I’m joining Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday.  I’m also joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.

DG

 

Thrift Store Treasures

For several weeks now, I’ve enjoyed visiting all the blogs who participate in Treasure Hunt Thursday at Blue Creek Home.  So for the first time, I’m joining in with a couple of goodies I found.

While browsing my favorite thrift store last week, I came across these silver pretties.  The bottom of them is open, so I’m sure they originally had some kind of insert. 

I wish I could have found a set of four, but there were only two.  I couldn’t find any markings on either of them, so I don’t know who made them.  They’re probably silverplated.

I love the scalloped edges at the top.

Designs are embossed all around the holders.

Pyramids and palm trees can be seen in the design on the front.

Even the handle is decorated.

After leaving that thrift store, I decided to stop in at my favorite antique shop where I found these two glasses.

The top of the glasses are a smokey black color with a pretty silver scrolling design all around the glasses.

They are a perfect fit for the silver holders!

I can’t wait to plan a dinner for two using these!  I’ve been wanting to make a black and silver tablesetting, so this is a perfect excuse!

I’m so glad you stopped by!  Hope to see you again soon!

DG

Mimosa and Black Diamonds

My Mimosa tree has been in full bloom for the past few weeks and I’ve been wanting to do a tablescape using the blossoms.  Unfortunately, I almost waited too late.  Many of the blooms were gone…at least the ones low enough that I could reach them! 

Last week, I found some new salad plates and bread and butter plates at the thrift store.  The plates feature delicate pink roses with silvery gray leaves.  I love how the silvery gray design echos the scalloped shape of the plates.  This was just the push I needed to go ahead and do a tablesetting!

I wanted a change from all the pastel and summery colors that I’ve done lately, so I decided to pair the pink with black.  I started off with a black tablecloth and pink chargers.

Black dinner plates topped with my new salad plates were added next.  The salad plates are “Floral Fantasy” by Fine China of Japan.

I slipped black tassels over the pink damask napkins.  “Wexford” sherbets by Anchor Hocking will be used for dessert.

Silver liners hold the “Floral Fantasy” bread and butter plates. 

Black stemmed glasses with pink ribbons tied on  them were placed on each plate to hold butter.

For quite a while, I had wanted a set of black goblets.  When I found these a couple of years ago, I fell in love with them.  They’re called “Black Diamond” and are one of my favorite sets of glassware.  I love how the crystal diamond cut glass sparkles in the light!

Along with the Black Diamond goblets, I also used small crystal wine glasses decorated with pink tulips at the base of the bowl.

I love using this “Royal Baroque” flatware with black settings.  I just think it works well with black.

On each end of the table are 3 candleholders with pink taper candles.

A crystal vase in the center of the table holds an arrangement of Mimosa blooms.

  

The blossoms are so delicate and the most gorgeous shade of pink.  Mimosa blooms and leaves sort of close up at night…then the next day, they open back up.  I think that’s so cool!

Dinner is ready and it’s time to light the candles.

Silver sparkles in the candlelight…

A couple more shots of the whole table…

Thanks so much for coming by to see me today!  I’m joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.

DG

 

 

 

Orange Cake

I’m joining Miz Helen for another Full Plate Thursday.  Today, I’m sharing an Orange Cake recipe that I found in a vintage cookbook. 

The cake is filled with the flavors of oranges, dates and nuts.  The crowning touch is a delicate orange  sauce that is poured over the cake while it is still hot from the oven.  So yummy and delicious!   

 

1 c butter

2 c sugar

4 eggs

1 t baking soda

1 1/3 c buttermilk

4 c flour

2 T grated orange rind

1 c chopped pecans

1 c chopped dates

Cream the butter and sugar; beat in the eggs, one at a time.  Combine the baking soda and buttermilk.  Add the buttermilk alternately with the flour.  Add the orange rind, pecans and dates and mix well.   Bake in a greased tube pan at 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.

Sauce:

1 1/2 c sugar

1 c orange juice

2 T orange rind

Combine ingredients and beat until the sugar dissolves.  Pour over the hot cake.  Let the  cake remain in the pan until cold.

I’m so glad you visited today and hope you’ll come back soon!

DG 

 

Fairies in My Kitchen

I was tired of the vignette on the island in my kitchen and decided to play around with a new one.  I started out with a wooden tray, one of my favorites to use in vignettes, and covered it with pink and white napkins.

I hadn’t used my cloche stand in a while, so I pulled it out and added a sweet little fairy and some faux ivy.

I added my favorite cookie jar that belonged to my great-aunt.  I really need to make some cookies to fill it with!

Pink candles in crystal holders were added.

My sister gave this beautiful pink and white bowl to me for Christmas one year.  I decided to fill it with pink silk roses.  Oops, looking at the photo, I need to trim them a bit!

Another fairy surrounded by ivy and silk flowers was added.

I was in one of my favorite thrift stores the other day and just had to share photos of the latest goodie I found there…this wonderful vintage tole painted scale!  It’s really banged up, but I love the sagey green color of it and the handpainted flowers (although they could be just a bit more pink!)

I wish I knew where I could find one of the pointer thingies (what is it called anyway?) that shows the weight.  Wonder if a clock hand would work?

I can’t wait to use this in a vignette!  I’m thinking it would be perfect on my Hoosier cabinet.

 I’m joining Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday.  Thanks so much for visiting with me today!

DG