A SUGARY SWEET BREAKFAST....and a HAPPY BIRTHDAY

APRIL 1, 2010....APRIL FOOLS DAY..

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AND

it is JENT'S birthday.

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He is our precious SON*IN*LAW and we love him like a son...

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HAPPIEST BIRTHDAY, JENT....

(and THAT'S no April Fools joke!!) :))
We all love you so much !

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I found these adorable EASTER COOKIES at the market...I will leave the wrapping and ribbon on as these, plus a few more, will be going to GRANDS....:))

This pretty plate is vintage and belonged to my mother*in*love....
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Not only does it have beautiful PINK flowers...
it has the LORD'S PRAYER on it.
It is, indeed, a special treausre from our past.
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This is one of my most favorite of all my vintage plates...
Mr. Sweet and I were browsing through a thrift shop a few years ago
and, for some reason, this beautiful plate caught his eye.
He bought it on the spot and I am so glad he did.
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It goes quite well with my little vintage covered sugar bowl.
I use these pieces when I am feeling very 'cottagey'.....
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Aren't these little cookies just works of art....I love them all !
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Nothings says SPRING and EASTER to me like PINK tulips...
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...especially when they are held in a lovely vintage pitcher....
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...that belonged to my very favorite AUNT LILLIAN...!!
(I surely would rather have my sweet AUNT than this ole vase!!)
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I dearly LOVE pink and green together...
maybe not for my rooms but more in the way of decorations for my table...
especially in the spring and summer.
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I bought this little vintage, rose covered sugar bowl several years ago...
It really matches NOTHING I have..other than the dinner plate I showed you.
I just thought it was pretty...
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This little vintage, "in perfect condition" PIN MONEY BANK is another of my favorite pieces.
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I understand that in the '20's, PINS became very popular for ladies and most were quite expensive.

....when their husbands gave them a few extra coins, the ladies added them to their banks, in hopes of buying a beautiful pin with the money saved.

Hence the name PIN MONEY BANK.
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There's another story with this paticular bank....more on the personal side...
and I will share this story that makes me giggle with you soon ! :)
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Lots of sugary pink and...
Mr. Sweet didn't seem to mind one bit..
He's pretty cool that way!
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Actually, he doesn't mind WHAT the colors are, as long as he has

BUTTERMILK PANCAKES and fresh fruit...

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HOT PANCAKES...smothered in butter with fresh BLACKBERRIES...

...makes a wonderful pre-Easter breakfast for two...and a recipe isn't even needed !!

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HAVE A BLESSED AND WONDERFUL DAY...

YOU ARE LOVED !

I am also linking with

SUSAN for TABLESCAPE THURSDAY

and GOLLUM for FOODIE FRIDAY

A BASKET OF WHITES.....

I am joining in the fun over at

FADED CHARM COTTAGE

for WHITE WEDNESDAY
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I am always looking for pretty ways to change my dining table up

and I saw this lovely idea on .....*shhhhh.....a blog the other day.

I am so so sorry I can't remember who did this first but

if you are the one, just let me know and I will add

CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE.

:))
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I liked the idea so much that I just had to try it, too..
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I have so much fun with all my WHITE dishes...
some vintage IRONSTONE...
others just....pretty pieces in WHITE.
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The white double handled pitcher, holding the flowering branches,
is a thrift find that I stumbled across not long ago.
No markings on the bottom...
I just liked the shape..
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.....and the STRAWBERRIES....

I JUST LIKE THE TASTE !!

Seems I can never get enuf Strawberries..

and....

they ALWAYS make the prettiest pictures !

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HAPPY MIDDLE-OF-THE-WEEK...and lots of LOVE !!

AN INFORMAL TEA FOR TWO....

...and another MARVELOUS rainy day...

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Out my kitchen window....
Rain puddles beside my front porch..
I LOVE LOVE LOVE these kind of days...

West Texas has been so blessed with the rains we've had thru the winter months.

Our water level is alarmingly low and we are all so thankful for every single drop from Heaven...
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I got out my ROBINS EGG BLUE vintage tole tray...

yep...I am totally and forever in love with this tray..
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I made some mini APPLE CINNAMON and BLACKBERRY MUFFINS...
and MR. SWEET brought home some fresh BLACKBERRIES..
Got out this cutest little wee TEA/COFFEE pot that I found the other day at
GOODWILL, downtown.
I really and truly don't know for sure but I THINK it's a little TEAPOT for TWO...do you??
It sees to have the SHAPE of a little coffee pot, tho....???

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But, SOLID WHITE IRONSTONE...........oh, I am sure lovin' it to pieces...
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Now, right beside the little WHITE TEAPOT FOR TWO sat these two adorable cups..No saucers...but two of my olden white Ironstone saucers looks perfect beneath the pretty cups.

Now, I ask you....is it ok to use IRONSTONE with CHINA ?

It surely is OK with ME ....**

I know this beautiful vintage RED CLIFF IRONSTONE covered sugar bowl, in the GRAPE pattern, seems a little large for this tiny teapot. ...but as pretty as it is, it doesn't mind being bigger...not one bit.

(...and to be honest..the sugar bowl isn't bigger at all...it does appear that way in the photo, tho)
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The band on these little WEDGWOOD cups is a teal color that I just can not capture with my camera...
trust me...they are very pretty...and thin...and dainty..and perfect for a hot cup of tea.

For just a dollar each, I couldn't resist them.....of COURSE not !

With all the beautiful TEA PARTIES going on in Blogland, I am forever on the hunt for pretty items to add to my tea tables. O, and THRIFT SHOPS are so wonderful for this. So many pretty cups and tea pots out there....just waiting to be discovered and loved again!! ....the good thing.....they are ALWAYS at a price that you won't even miss !!

These photos seem to be in here TWICE...that must mean for you to take ANOTHER little muffin...they're small..

Isn't it the sweetest thing how a pretty glass dish can make muffins or just plain buttered biscuits seem special !!
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A dollop of sweet whipped cream also makes EVERYthing seem special !! :O)
(my mama used to say that she could "eat a cow chip if it had whipped cream on it !"
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I'm thrilled that you came by today...
I hope you'll make yourself a nice cup of tea, put up your feet and RELAX !
YOU DESERVE IT !!

OOO....and be sure to peek in your mailbox...maybe it's time for one of your new magazines ...

I LOVE finding one in my mailbox !!
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I am joining in with:

TABLETOP TUESDAY
TEA TIME TUESDAY
TEA FOR TWO TUESDAY
TEA TIME with RHONDI
TEA FOR ME AND THEE WEDNESDAY

COPY CATS and KNOCK-OFFS....

This is a photo in a magazine that I showed on a post not long ago...

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I am in LOVE with this look and, while I can't, OVERNIGHT, change

so many things in my cottage...

I CAN use these photos as inspiration towards THE LOOK....
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SOOO ...when I came across this cute little cubby hole shelf, $3.00 at GOODWILL...I just got it !!

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When I walked in the door with it, MR. SWEET'S eyes rolled so far back in his head,I doubted they would ever see again !! :)

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O, it is much, MUCH smaller than I would like...

I would LIKE one just like the one in my INSPIRATION photo...

but....

after I added some texture and loved items, it made my plain, long table come alive to my eyes...
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It added so much more interest without looking cluttered..

SMALL items CAN make a room look and feel cluttered UNLESS they are contained in groups, I think.

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I really am enjoying this look...

we ALL know that NESTING...FEATHERING...TWEEKING our cottages is

NECESSARY FOR THE GOOD OF OUR SOULS !!!

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SO there's a chance I will use this for awhile and *trade off* for something else as I

haunt the treasure-filled thrift markets that keep SHOUTING my name....!! :>)

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I added my little delightful MACKENZIE-CHILDS ornament, given to me

the first year I started blogging by a wonderful blogger friend, NAN.

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She has since taken a break from the blog world and.....I MISS HER SO MUCH !

I think of her every time I glance at this little glass, hand painted shopping bag ornament.

Nan, if you are reading this...know that I love you!!

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Those are little mini SAD IRONS...The regular, real sized ones were so heavy..

I wonder if the olden irons were named SAD IRONS because it made the woman of the house

so so SAD to have to iron with them ? :-)
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My olden brass keys, hanging with twine, add a little more *history* to the table...
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Yes, I am happy with THE LOOK...
and I'll be perfectly content with it....until the next magazine comes out or some of you talented bloggers show me something ELSE I WANT !!
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A few LOOK-ALIKES...some of my readers that's been with me have seen a couple of these...

POTTERY BARN did THIS....

their bookshelf...over $175.00

MY version cost a WHOLE LOT LESS...

Thrifted yellow bookcase, painted the best FRENCH BLACK and filled with MICHAEL'S *on sale* baskets...

POTTERY BARN table and stools, top photo...over $200.00
MINE thrifted for $15.00 and the stools from BIG LOTS..
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YEP....
POTTERY BARN CATALOG
has become my FAVORITE decorating book..

And, you know what ?
I LOVE the fact that I had my WICKER TRAY WITH HANDLES

BEFORE I saw this one that belongs to POTTERY BARN!
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NOW, I ASK YOU.........is that shallow.......... or WHAT !!?!!

Linking with:SHOW OFF YOUR COTTAGE MONDAYMET MONDAY...MOSAIC MONDAY and 2ND TIME AROUND...