Look what I WON!!

Cindy at Applestone Cottage  is always doing a giveaway on her blog … and Lucky Me won one of her fabulous gifts. 

A Gift within a gift..

Look at this beautiful gift bag.. isn’t it just darling with the lil birdies and their sweet lil home. My first thought was.. “Now how did that Cindy know I loved Birds so much”.. I shouldn’t be surprised because Cindy is one of the most faithful attentive Bloggers out there. As if her Blog wasn’t treat enough.... she faithfully leaves the best most sweetest comments all over Blogland. I’m so fortunate to have surrounded myself around good ole folks like y’all and Cindy… and I thank God daily for blessing me with all the friends I’ve made here.

Here it is.. My Beautiful Teapot! Isn’t she absolutely darling!! Don’t cha just love that color blue and that pearlized finish.

Cindy also sent me this sweet lil chippy butterfly votive holder!

 

The moment I saw the picture of it on her Blog I knew it’d go perfectly with my Somerset China.. But Guess What…

It goes great with everything!!

    

I feel a grand tablescape coming up..

Even the backside is beautiful!

I’ve had so much fun & delight playing with my new teapot..My husband told me I was like a kid with a new toy.. Well Duh! Can ya blame me.  Thank You so much Cindy, I can honestly say it’s the greatest gift I’ve ever won!

 

Now, if you’re one of those few that haven’t had the pleasure of getting to know Cindy at Applestone Cottage… You’ve been missing out.. Now here’s your chance… Head on over and introduce ya’selves. You’ll be glad ya did! Just click on her precious photo below and you’re there.

Blessed Hugs, Debbie

 

Thrifty Treasures.. July 09

Yard Sale Deals for July..

Money is always very tight around this time of year with back to school just around the corner.. You all know it costs a small fortune for those school supplies… so I only got to go to a couple of Yard Sales this past month. Here are a few things that I picked up.

First Yard Sale..

• Best Friends Picture Frame..  $.50

• Black Digital Camera Case.. $.50

• 3 Piece Black Velvet Cosmetic Bags.. $2.00

This will be perfect for Ashley’s room.. fits her black & white theme.. holds a 4x6 photo.

3 Piece Black Velvet Cosmetic Bags.. These are brand spankin new!!! They’re a lil dusty and covered in lint.. but nothing a lint roller can’t correct.

 

These darling Xhilaration *Target Brand* heels came from the same yard sale.. $2.00

Not a single mark on them.. I can’t even tell they were worn.

Mossimo *Target Brand* Pumps.. a few scuffs on them. $2.00.

I actually looked these up on Target’s website.. they were listed for $26.99 and are now on clearance for $13.50. I did GREAT on these.. they’ll be great this fall & winter.

Second Yard Sale:

Only picked up 2 items this weekend.. both pieces are iron with the Fleur-de-lis  and from the same sale.

I love this Fleur-de-lis Cross.. it has multiple color shades.. I’m going to leave this one it’s original colors. $1.00.

Fleur-de-lis 4 tier vertical wall plate rack.. $2.00.

I’m undecided on this one .. I’m thinking black would be better with my decor.. but I do love this rustic color.

Total for month of July: $10.00 !! Not Bad.. Not Bad at all!

 

Be sure to visit Rhoda and all those showing off their goodies this week at Southern Hospitality. Also if you haven’t heard.. Rhoda has a new web address.. which is where she’ll be doing all her posting from here on.

Click Here for Southern Hospitality’s New Page.

Have a Great Week Y’all! Hugs, Debbie

Tablescape Thursday & Foodie Friday.. Welcome Home Outdoors

 

Last Friday Ashley returned from her last week of Camp for the Summer.. Since she had been begging to dine outdoors and the weather here in Atlanta was sooooooooo nice on Saturday I decided to grant her wish. 

My Lil Honoree For today’s Tablescape & Dinner

Welcome Home BabyGirl

My pretty ceramic umbrella vase was a casualty of a really bad storm we had here earlier this summer so I needed to come up with something .. I had this old basket that fit the ticket.. I gave it a quick coat of white spray paint.. then had Jeff make me a starter hole. The wooden bottom was really thin and very easy to cut.. I used tin snips .. only took a couple of minutes an viola I had a perfect size hole for the umbrella to slip down through.

Perfect for today’s outdoor table setting.. Sunflowers. Those silk sunflowers are really getting a workout this month.

 

• Red & White Napkins … Home from Target
• Red & White Table Cloth.. Target. Got this one on clearance about 3 weeks ago for $2.50. It’s vinyl with a thick padding backer. 
• Black Metal Flower Napkin Rings.. Pier1
• White Metal Pail.. Target $1.00 section *sprayed white was silver*

• Red Stemware.. Target *purchased years ago*

 

• Bordallo White Serving Bowl … Ross
• Black Stand holding Serving Bowl … Pike Nursery. Purchased years ago.. was a citronella candle stand.

 

• White Bird Salt & Pepper Shakers… Target *available item $4.99 set*

    

• Metal Sun .. From  Kirklands .. part of a 3-piece set.

• Sunflower plate.. is by Boston Warehouse Trading Company.. picked that lil set up at Kroger… *Still available in some locations on clearance*
• Red Sedona Plate..  Mainstay.. from Wal-Mart.
• Red Mat Charger.. Wal-Mart.
• Red Place Mats … Pier1
• Cambridge Jubilee Yellow Flatware… from Ross.

• Green Square Charger… Target *recent purchase*

 

• Watermelon… Georgia Grown from local produce stand.
• It Was So GOOD!

    

As the sun sets… Skeeters start buzzing so for light and defense against those nasty lil blood suckers these lanterns perform double duty. I love that they don’t produce that nasty black stringy looking smoke.

• The lanterns are from Walmart .. Set of 3 for $9.99.. they hold 3 small prefilled bottles of citronella oil with wick included.. extra bottles of oil can be picked up also at Walmart for $1.00 each.

Dinner was a lil late.. and darkness caught up with us. I removed the Sunflower centerpiece and added the napkins so we could see one another.

Sorry these aren’t the greatest looking photos.. I’m still learning the settings on this camera.. I don’t know if y’all have this same problem.. but alotta times it looks GREAT on the view screen on the camera but when I load it on my computer .. I get this blah looking thing. Anyways.. Hunger was getting the best of me…and I only took 3 photos. After viewing them and thinking I had some good shots… I devoured dinner.

  

Ashley’s Choice for the night.. Carb & Starch Overload

• Ribeye Steaks … Well done
• Pasta Salad.. for her
• Grilled Vidalia Onions
• Baked Potatoes..  for husband .. he’s a meat & potato boy!

And Yes … I served it on a clear dinner plate.. That way everyone can enjoy the beauty of the good stuff and I don’t worry about them cutting into that steak and scratching the Melamine.

    

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit today.. All of your visits & wonderful comments mean the world to me. I also wish to thank Our Hostesses Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch and Gollum @ Designs By Gollum.. for always graciously hosting these fun and entertaining blogland events. They have both inspired so many of us to be creative wonders in creating our tables both with beautiful dishes and delicious tasty foods.

Be sure to click on the buttons below to visit each of them and all those participating in today’s party.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

God Bless Everyone! … Hugs Debbie

Outdoor Wednesday … 2009 Sunflower Festival

 

This week I’m sharing a visit to the Holt Family Farm Sunflower Festival.. 

 

The Sunflower Festival is held in Rutledge Georgia. Which is about 40 miles east of Atlanta.. and only minutes from my home. This is an annual event and is always on the 4th of July weekend.

 

It has become a very popular festival in Georgia.

Located on a 15-acre glorious sunflower farm, the festival features fields of sunflowers that you can cut.. prices start at $5.00 a bundle. There are huge shade covered Vendor Tents, live music, an antique tractor parade, a kids' play area, and delicious summer time food.

 

The Ronay Guide .. which is a guide to all southern festivals.. calls the Sunflower Festival "The most beautiful festival setting ever!” I can see why!

Acres & Acres of beauty..

Sunflowers in all sizes…

Look at this amazing sunflower stalk.. I never knew they had so many sprout off of one stem.

Busy lil Bees doing their jobs…

The sunflowers aren’t the only beauty here.. Love this rusty tin roof shack.

The most beautiful Zinnias you’ve ever seen.. in all colors.

Butterflies… everywhere.. amazing beauty.

I’ll be planting some of these Zinnia beauties next year.. The butterflies loved them.

I hope you enjoyed our trip to the Sunflower Festival… If you’re in the area next year, it’s a festival well worth attending.  Make sure you bring your camera.. and a wagon to haul all the sunflowers you’ll be picking to take home! 

For more information about the Sunflower Festival.. Click Here to visit their website. And to see more Outdoor Wednesday Treats.. visit Susan and all the others participating today at A Southern Daydreamer.

 

Happy Wednesday Y’all ! Hugs, Debbie