Brunch on the Deck

Yesterday I shared my deck off of the sunroom.  A place that is my view to the world from my kitchen window. I love the intimate setting it offers for a cup of coffee, or an impromptu lunch. Today I put together a little brunch with tea. I used my wedding china from France, and two of my pastel fruit motif vintage salad plates. Once I had glimpsed this faience, all the traditional wedding china choices were left behind.

Crown China Staffordshire Teapot

Being short on space, I wanted a little greenery

 without interfering with the tablesetting.

So I used two small iron urns to double as decor

 and a spot for holding the silver. 

Ivy cuttings, a vintage seed packet and a sprig of dried flowers.

Love the Country French feel of the tablecloth round,

that uses three different patterns and fabrics.

Grabbed a few pillows with vintage linens

to dress up the chairs.

Not vintage, but oh so comfortable.

I pulled this together in about 20 minutes.

Sometimes I forget that it doesn't take that long to make a special setting,

and that makes any meal more fun. 

I'm joining Sherry over at No Minimalist Here

for her Block Party Theme of Outdoor Entertainment.

And don't forget to head over to At The Picket Fence to

catch all the Summer Block Party Link Parties.

also joining in for:

Hope I'll see you here for Vintage Inspiration Friday

where our theme will be anything "Vintage Summer"

Out on the Deck for the Summer Block Party

Is "vintage" the same as old and worn out?

If so, I have tons of "vintage"

 just hanging around out on the deck, off the sunroom,

...which is also "vintage".

This old garden table has a furnace grate for a top,

married to a sewing machine bottom.

 It's setting in front of one of my white metal garden gates

and my kitchen window.

my favorite, "angel vine"

I found this little concrete lamb several years ago,

and he's developed the perfect patina.

Which is the same as,

"hasn't had a bath in a while".

Hope this Picnik "gritty effect"

is hiding the fact that my deck is in need of a paint job in the worst way.

But hey, it just wasn't happening this year.

So an indoor/outdoor rug from O.Com has helped to hide the neglect.

Yep, just buy another little rug...

Chippy white iron fencing, gate, and garden chair

and some of my many watering cans.

My husband asks me why I have so many flowers

that constantly need to be watered.

"Why do you set yourself up for so much work?"

and my answer is always the same.

I need to see beauty when I look out my window,

flowers just instantly lift my mood.

I have two vintage flower pots full of mint, I'm obsessed with it.

It's my favorite to flavor everything from orange juice to club soda.

Yummy... and don't forget the lime.

Below is a sweet topiary from Mother's Day last year.

I wintered it, but it wasn't very happy inside.

It needs lots of light so it rebelled by

having a near death experience.

Wish I knew what it was.

It needs to be "whipped into shape"!

I'll be linking to Savvy Southern Style

 for The Summer Deck and Porch Block Party.

and check out At the Picket Fence

for the rest of the links today.

and I'm also joining in on these parties:

Remember to check out At the Picket Fence

for all the Block Party Summer Themed Parties this week.

have a great day,
it's the first day of Summer!
lot's of love,

Time for Some Vintage Summer Fun

Hi there, all you dear sweet Peeps!

New Day,

New Week,

And time for some Summer fun!

I put together a sweet little pendant necklace

for my Block Party Give-Away.

Vintage ladies' watch faces are so dainty,

so, I incorporated this one onto a charm,

with a Blinged Vintage Key and a teensy flower.

I'm making more this week and they'll be in my Etsy Store soon.

So keep checking back if you'd like one.

Update! Just listed 5 new pieces in my Etsy Store!

Yeah!!!

Today starts Block Party Week

hosted by our girls,

Heather and Vanessa from At the Picket Fence.

Each day this week

there will be a link-up for a Summer themed party.

Each link party has a Give-Away for participants.

So, the more you link up, the more chances to win fun stuff!

Check out At the Picket Fence

for the links to the Block Party blogs and parties!

Thanks so much for the love this weekend,

you all are the best!!!

being real

You all are just the best; the sweetest, most loving and thoughtful people that any person could ask for as friends. I literally had tears fall as I read all your comments from my last post. Thank you so much for your concern and prayers. Time to share what's been going on in my life for the last 8 years. I'll try to "make a long story short"-er.

My dad had cardiovascular disease and died from it ten years ago. I had my first heart attack when I was 49 years old; three in fact, in one weekend. I hadn't had any discernible symptoms beforehand. I had what I thought was a pinched nerve in my right arm. I never imagined you could have pain like that. It felt like my arm was being ripped off. Three of these episodes starting on a Friday afternoon, and ending with me in the ER on a Monday morning at 6:30 am.

Here's my backstory.
One thing you may or may not know about me is that I have a deep "call" from God for ministry. I have since I was a teenager, and then again as an adult in my early 40's. I've worked with women's ministries, teaching and writing Bible Studies. I call them, "not your mother's Bible Studies", but down to earth, real life, nitty gritty. Where women can talk about "whatever" and "everything" without feeling judged. I've worked with everyday moms and housewives to addicts of all kinds...and everyone in between.

So, after three major heart attacks, I was pronounced to be lucky that I was alive, but had a huge aneurysm that was inoperable. My doctor told me that I could sneeze and die.
great news to hear.

this was 8 and 1/2 years ago.

I had a stent put in and was being readied to be sent home to wait for the inevitable. My response to the doctor was that I appreciated the information, but I was going to stand in my conviction that God was in charge of my life and I had a gut knowing that I didn't have to worry; God would heal me.

The end of that week in the hospital, they did more tests and the aneurysm wasn't to be found.
this was documented,
logged,
on the record.
in my chart.
My doctor shook his head and agreed it could only be God.

But by the end of the month the stent had failed and my artery had collapsed. I spent a week in the hospital while I waited for open heart surgery. A triple bypass... at 49... 115 lbs., non-smoker, good diet...but lot's of stress and a family tree that was flawed.

My dear brother died at age 44, with a heart attack in the exact same spot, just one year after my first heart attack.

Fast forward six years,
more stress,
menopause,
and another near heart attack, with another stent.

And in the last two years I've had constant chest pain. They call it stable angina, because it's non life-threatening...just constant pain. not debilitating, but troublesome and noticeable, like a bad headache or a toothache.

sometimes hard to focus on other things.

Nothing "stable" about it.

It messes with your head, your emotions, your relationships, and it can try to mess with your faith.
That one has been the toughest part.

I've had to juggle multiple medications, add, subtract, try something new.
be sick.
be mad.
be humbled.
be fearful.

All while trusting God,
believing God,
having faith in God.
loving God.
waiting for God...

It's gotten worse since Mother's Day weekend, when I had a bad dizzy spell and woke up to pain twice as bad and resistant to medication than before. We've been trying increased medication, but the doctor finally decided that it was time to do another heart cathaterization (angiogram) to find out if there was a blockage or not.
not a fun procedure.

nothing had changed.

no blockage...which is good.
but I'm still left with pain that is basically not going away.

there are times I'd like to just give all my junk away and walk away from it.
but I enjoy that part of my life.
I'm working on paring down, and to get my life where it needs to be.

so, here I am...
still loving life.
grateful,
and determined not to be labeled or "defined" by this situation.

I love blogging,
and I'll do it as long as God has a purpose for it.
I've made deep friendships; ones that I pray go beyond the computer and a pretty picture.
You all enrich my life.
I hope I bring something of value to each of you.

I may not be able to respond one on one to each of you,
but just know,
I know who you are,
I know what you've said,
and I love you.

D

Vintage Inspiration Friday #42: Potting Bench Inspiration

Earlier in the week I mentioned that I've been working

on putting together a potting bench.

I've had a lot of great inspiration photos to pour over like these first 3 images,

found in the premier issue of Flea Market Gardens Magazine 

which is on sale now.

love this cute chalkboard paint idea for the herb pots

So many fun ideas for gardens using flea market pieces,

 plus potting benches, sheds, and outdoor spaces and dining.

I think I found mine at Barnes and Noble back in April.

(a new issue is due June 27)

here's more...

Country Living (?)

pinterest

And this is one of my favorite images from Carolyn Westbrook Home

love this green bench!

pinterest

last 3, Google Images

Below, is a sneak peek photo of my own potting bench.

I've been having a lot of fun with it.

I've made good progress with mine but I wanted to wait and share it later,

as Friday, (tomorrow) I'll be having a day in the hospital for some heart tests.

So, I may be a little late on making visits and comments.

 I didn't want to cancel Vintage Inspiration Friday,

because there were so many great links from last week that I wanted to share.

So, just keep a good thought for me and say a prayer,

and I'll be back by the end of the weekend.

BTW, if I'm ever "missing in action" go to the sidebar

 and click on Anne's button,

She'll know where I am.

You all are the best with coming up with fun vintage ideas.

here are just a few from last week...

Sherry at Sheer Serendipity

makes the most beautiful handmade headbands and combs

One of my favorite people in blogland, Olive Out,

shares finding rare painted concrete

Bee at Home

restored the most amazing armoire.

You have to peek inside!

And Glenda from My Country Heaven Cottage

shared her gorgeous ferns in all kinds of  "junk" containers.

(if you've been featured at VIF, I'd love for you to grab the button on my sidebar!)

And remember next week the theme is

Vintage Summer

and we'll all be linking up to the

Humongous Block Party with At the Picket Fence

( I have a necklace give away planned.

so be sure and join in!)

I'm linking with these other great weekend parties!

love ya bunches,

see ya soon,

love,

p.s. please link back or post a button to this post

(thanks guys!!)