Setting the table for simple pleasures

Setting the table is one of my most enjoyed simple pleasures of life:

On a particular afternoon, I started setting the table for the company of my family — another simple pleasure:

I used my “Simple Pleasures” quilt to dress up the table:

Nothing too fancy, I just used my Spode Blue Italian, mixed in with a [...]

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My Beloved Camelback

For Blue Monday this week, I decided to tell you a little bit of my beloved camel back. No, not the recreational water system camelbak (haha):
But rather, my camel back couch:

If I had to pick out a favorite piece of furniture, I would probably most likely pick my camel back couch. During one [...]

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Creative Machine Embroidery (May/June 2009) – please scroll down for new posts!

The new issue of Creative Machine Embroidery is out!

My cafe curtain project with a primitive Americana look is featured in the magazine:

The cafe tier window treatments are not hard to make, so you can quickly whip them up and jump right into some machine embroidery fun!

I don’t have a place to use these [...]

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In Progress: Quick and Cheerful Pillow

The quilt I have designed for Quilter’s World using the Once Upon a Christmas collection by Benartex has been more difficult than I thought. I have had to engage in some Math and geometry “work-out” pertaining to the quilt design before I can proceed with making the sample quilt:

To give myself a [...]

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A baby girly tablescape

Coming up with an all baby girlish look was fun for me. The conventional “pink for baby girl” color scheme was easy with the Royal Albert Lady Carlyle pieces I already have. I added the silver tea service for a slight contrast:

A baby party would not be complete without petit fours decorated with [...]

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Have you put up your Christmas tree?

I have truly enjoyed seeing your gorgeous Christmas trees you had put up for Christmas… I was just wondering how long you keep them up! Mine are still up…

[Well, as you can see, mine aren't REALLY the real big and tall trees. I didn't put one up for Christmas last year. [...]

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A Peanuts Christmas

The Peanuts Gang is always a part of Christmas at my house although we don’t have an extensive collection of Peanuts related things.  Their Christmas special remains one of our favorites.  So, this year, I set aside a corner on the kitchen counter for our Peanuts collection:

I want to wish you a very joyous Christmas!

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Thou didst leave Thy throne

Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown,
When Thou camest to earth for me;
But in Bethlehem’s home was there found no room
For Thy holy nativity.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.

Heaven’s arches rang when the angels sang,
Proclaiming Thy royal degree;
But of lowly birth didst Thou come to [...]

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Christmas on the mantel

I thought I would show you some Christmas accents I have added to the mantel:

Byers Choice Williamsburg Carolers in the midst of permanent garlands and fruit sprays:

A bit of brass accent – you can sort of see the Colonial Apple Cone stocking hanger (on the lower right) and a Florentine brass candelabra:

Speaking of stockings, I [...]

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It’s beginning to look a lot like…

… CHRISTMAS in my house! I managed to get most of all my Christmas stuff up for this year! I love to decorate for Christmas — each year I try to come up some new ways to display what I already have. Oftentimes I have to re-do certain displays multiple times [...]

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