Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Bread Boards and Textiles

Good Morning everyone and welcome Through My Back Door.
The coffee is on,(DD hazelnut) and the cups are out. Please help your self and come sit down. You can see it is going to rain, so we'll just sit in here where it is dry and cozy and talk. I truly love having friends drop by for coffee and conversation. It is just a blessing in one's life to have friends.
Last time we visited we talked about bread boards and I said I would share mine. Now I don't have many but the ones I have are special.I will share a few with you today.
This one is one of my first ones. The person who made it, made it from greenwood. Want to know how I know?
They put wood on the back to keep it from warping! I like the lollipop handle.
This one is the only round one I have and I love it. The knife marks are all over it and it has the lollipop top too.
This is a one board and has burn marks on it. It also has knife marks and is 23 inches wide. I think it is my favorite, other than the noodle board.
This is the noodle board,naked. See all the knife marks. It has really been used. These are my favorite boards, have a few more that are ho hum, but these are neat.
Also last week someone commented maybe I should use more textiles and suggested I collect Family Heirloom Weavers. Welllllllll, here are a few of their goodies I have. I did put some down will probably remove them through the summer and use them in the fall and winter. Here are a few of them.
Long table runner.
Short runner on entertainment center door.
This throw can be washed and used as a table cloth.
Brown striped throw.
Large throw used only as a table cloth. I love the pewter on this.
The mustard one in the pear basket. I'll show you one more.
This is on my bed. I love their stuff and would really like change this one to a red one.I am wanting to get some bedding from The Spotted Pony, but that is in the future.  As you can see, I don't need to collect anything else. Don't know how I ended up with all that Family Weavers stuff, but I did. It all came from my favorite store, The Speckled Hen in Clinton, Tn. Check it out if you are ever in the area.
I hope I haven't bored you today and I hope you enjoyed your visit. I appreciate so much everyone who comments. It is like chatting with a friend when I read them. Thanks for Coming Through My Back Door where life is good.
betty
ps We all know life isn't about things. Those of us prim lovers know that. We know its God, family, and friends that are important. Things just make our homes and hearts cozy.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Here A Tweak, There A Tweak

Good afternoon and welcome Through My Back Door. I am so happy you stopped by and even happier I can offer you a cup of coffee. You see my electricity has been off and the coffee pot wouldn't work. Well anyway it is working to day. Come grab a cup and I just made a fresh strawberry
cake. You can have a slice of that too. Lets just relax and visit a bit. I have done a little tweaking here and there. As previously stated in my last blog, I am just not a good "vignetter."(Hey, I can make up a word if I want!) Anyway I had a couple of suggestions on the stove board, one of which I showed you earlier. This other one was suggested by ,Earlene and I did it. I really do like it, but would never have thought to have done this.
What do you think? I liked it and the felt candle Angela made looks really nice there. That basket is one I bought on the worlds longest yard sale and it just spoke to me.
Okay remember the pitcher with the flowers? Well I moved it and
this is what the walnut chest looks like now.
Then I moved the arrangement in front of the windows too. This is much simpler to me.
 What do you think? Then I looked around and thought the table between the chairs was too plain. So added a candlestick. Hmmm don't know if I will leave it.
I am not too sure about that. Anyway the last tweaking is on the German Cupboard. It is the smaller of the two and is hard for me to come up with something that looks good on it. This is for now.
 I reiterate, I have entirely too much stuff and like it all. I don't want to get rid of things I enjoy looking at. So I'll continue to move it around and see where it looks best. Lol. I guess all of us prim lovers love what we collect or we wouldn't collect. You know my motto is have only the things,(and people) you love around you. Life is too short not to enjoy.
I am so glad you stopped by again. One of these days I am going to share my dough board addiction. I just love them, don't you? You can't beat the patina of old wood.
Also there are going to be some changes to share Through My Back Door before too long. Can't wait to share that either.
Well thanks for coming Through My Back Door where life is good.
betty

Monday, June 20, 2011

To Vignette or NOT to Vignette

Good Monday morning and welcome Through My Back Door. You know the coffee is on, plain old Kona today, and there is also a peach cobbler in the oven. It is smelling pretty good too! We have had a lot of rain and it is just wonderful weather this morning. It rained Saturday, yesterday and last night. Flowers are blooming and Douglas says the grass needs cutting. We really needed that rain.
Those of you who have been coming Through My Back Door for a while, know by now, I am just not good at making little vignettes. I put a group together and there is too much, or there is too little, or there is something just not quite right. I visit other peoples PT and blogs and I get so excited at the thought of maybe I can put something like that together. Then it just doesn't look right. There are a few little things I am happy with and this is one.
I got this water gourd from Pam&Frank at ShadeTree primitives. They make such neat, authentic looking items.
Now this stove board I am VERY unhappy with! It just looks tacky to me. Any suggestions?
I like this grouping on top of the old pie safe.
I don't like this one. I have too much stuff and don't want to get rid of anything. That is a problem.lol
This one is okay. I would like to use the pinkeep in a better display. I love Debs pinkeeps. I have to have one for every holiday. Guess it is a prim thing!lol
I am at a loss in how to display my pears. This is the way they are now. Can't say I really like it.
Well I won't bore you with any more of my vignettes I like or dislike, but don't be surprised if one day I master it. I am working on trying to make an interesting one. In the meantime I am going to be visiting all of your blogs and PT trying to get ideas. Teresa over at Deppenhomestead has the most wonderful vignettes. She can put anything together and  it looks  awesome. Maybe I can get her to Come Through My Back Door and give me some pointers.
I am so happy I have you to vent to about my lack of  decorating skills. I am so ready to do a lot of tweaking and to make some changes Through My Back Door where life is good.
betty
 I took Teresa's suggestion and what do you know! I like it!
Thanks Teresa.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

The Little Things That Make A House A Home

Welcome Through My Back Door this evening. I hope you will enjoy a cup of DD Hazelnut with me today. Nothing like a good cup of coffee to finish off the evening. You know at this time of the day it is decaf. You can drink as much as you like. I am so glad you dropped in today because things are changing Through My Back Door. Thanks for all the wonderful comments left after my last post about selling because of the yard upkeep. Well God always answers prayers and He has again. As of now I won't be moving for a while. My oldest grandson is not moving out of town after all and will continue to live next door and mow. He does a good job. So that is where we are now. You will hopefully continue coming through this back door.
I have been doing some changing here and there and realized how many tables I have and how different they are. I thought I would share a few with you today.
This is my dining table. You've seen it before. Those of you who have been coming Through My Back Door for a while, know I love southern, epecially Tennessee
furniture. This is a Tn piece.
This little one drawer walnut table is from NC. It has burn marks on the top from a kerosene lamp or a candle.
This table is in my reading nook area and is a good place to sit and have a cup of coffee or work a puzzle.Have no idea where it is from and it is only about 70years old. Not really antique,but it is walnut and fits what I need it to do.
This is a little pine table from Tennessee. I love it because it has really been used. I bought it at a yard sale many years ago for only 75.00.
This is my newest and one of my very favorites. It is cherry  and was made for me in 1974 by my little friend, Mr Whitaker, from Cumberland Gap, Tn. He was 85 years old when he made it and he charged me 5.00 because he didn't want it to look inappropriate for him to give it to me. He made me two. My husband and I loved this gentleman and learned so much from him.
This is a little walnut  shaker style table I have had for so many years. It too is a favorite.
 This is a walnut Tennessee table from Gatlinburg. I bought this two years ago on the worlds longest yard sale. All of the tables I have shown you are pegged and no nails. That is one of the things I look for when buying a table.
Okay, you know this isn't a southern table. You are right, this is my New England one board top, shoe foot table. This is how it looks when I am having company and want the room to look sparse.
This is how it looks otherwise. It is perfect for the small room it is in, and has enough room to hold my computer, printer, external, harddrive,etc.It is one of my three NE pieces. The other two are blanket chests.
This is from the Rocking Horse in Ma. I can't remember the name of the town.
This is the other NE blanket chest.
Don't you agree it is the little things that make a house a home? In this case these tables are functional and decorative. Just what I like.
Thanks for coming  and sharing a cup of coffee Through My Back Door today where life is good.
betty

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Life Is Good and Lots of Fun

Good Saturday morning and welcome Through My Back door. The coffee is on, Kona, today and the air is on too. Like everyone else is saying, it is very hot here. I am so happy to see you as I have been gone for a week. So come on in, grab your coffee and I'll tell you why I think life is good and lots of fun. My daughter,Deb, her husband Michael, my son Dodd, his wife Renda and I just got back from Florida. We stay between Destin and Panama City, on a beautiful beach. It is quiet and very peaceful. We ate, laid on the beach, swam in the pool, and ate some more. We also played a lot of games. We laughed, remembered when,solved a lot of problems,lol, and ate. It was so much fun. I will show pictures later. This is one I have downloaded of us at a restaurant,called Louis,Louis. They have wonderful crab cakes. Not much filler, all crab.
The kids will get me for this one!
Another place we love to eat in Destin, is Dewey Destins. It is on the water and looks like a boat dock. The tables are all outside,and the restaurant itself, looks like a shanty. Their seafood is the BEST! They catch it early the morning they serve it. We love it and always manage a few meals there. This is three of us there.
Deb, me, and Michael. We love Deweys! I wish I had a picture of the shrimp!lol
Well I am now home, and ready to start tweaking, as soon as I go get this guy!
I have to board him an hour away. It is  so sad, but some people don't like rottweillers.  They are the sweetest, most loyal dog, but look intimidating. I board him an hour one way, but is worth it. Laura has been raising and showing rotties for years. she has had many of hers win lots of awards on the show circuit, and Dasko loves her!
That is what is important.lol
I am so ready to play house here. It time to put away more and just enjoy simplicity. I have been trying to declutter for a while now, but find it very difficult. I see something or someone special in everything I have and its hard to put things away. do you have that problem? I think for the summer, I will do that though.
Another thing I will share with you, is I think the time has come to downsize in land. I have around 5 acres and it is very hard to keep it up. I have made the decision, hard as it is, to sell this little place. I will miss my little customed house, but to everything there is a season. This is the season for change. If this is in Gods plan for me it will happen. If not, I will continue here with high grass.lol
I want to say one more thing about rotties. This is my friend Kathy Trout. she had gone into her sons sun room to look at a Country Sampler magazine. Before she knew it both dogs laid down beside her.
I wonder if Dancer and Judas got any decorating tips? I love this picture!
Our visit is short today and not many pictures. But thank you for Coming Through My Back Door where life is good.
betty

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Summer Time and the Decorating Is Easy

It sure seems like summer time here in East Tn today. Temperatures have been and are in the 90's. We have already broken records. It is nice and cool Through My Back Door and I am glad you stopped in. Instead of coffee today we'll have a glass of this.
Heavenly tea. It is so good on a hot day like this. I hope you like it. Lets sit and talk and enjoy the AC. I want to thank Adsgram for reminding me of the name of the song about the tree, in my next to last post. The name was Honey and Bobby Goldsboro sang it. Thanks Lynne.
I love summer because decorating is so minimal. You don't need a lot to make your home feel summery and fresh. For me its geraniums that do it. I also love flags. It seems a lot of us do. Is it a prim thing? Could be. We primmies seem to like the same things. I have been trying hard to do less is more. Here is my table. It is very simple and I like it.
I really like the large measure the geranium is in. Of course if its wood I love it.lol
A shelf in the bathroom. Another geranium.
 Another shelf in the bathroom.
The front door. Really simple.
The 100 year old smoke house. I love this old tobacco basket.
Debbie's back porch table. I like this. Do you? It is so much fun to decorate so simply for the summer months. When fall comes I will be ready to do it up big. How about you. I want to show you my latest pinkeep from Deb Peterson. I love her work and told her I was addicted to them.lol
Isn't this the neatest? I love it.
Before I leave to day I want to share a surprise birthday gift. If you haven't read Thru Nana's Window blog, please do. You can find it on my sidebar. Angela Phillips is one of the nicest people in blogland. She has a daughter and a granddaughter and writes a lot about their adventures. She is an excellent craftsman too. I was so surprised to find a box from her after I had posted about my birthday. She sent me a wonderful felt candle and some hang tags for every season. I was shocked. What a nice surprise. Here it is on the mantle.
I am enjoying it so much. Thank you Angela.
While we are at the mantle,lol, I'll show you my dream house. I would need one a little bigger though. Well a lot bigger!
This a Claire Murray bird house, designed after the one she grew up in on Nantucket. It was a surprise birthday gift from my s-i-l(it was his idea) and Deb. I could live in a house like this. couldn't you? It will be going out in the yard soon.
Enjoy these carefree summer days with those you love and love what you do. Life is too short not to.
I am so glad you came Through My Back Door today where life is good.