New Chairs

I found two Chippendale Library chairs on ebay recently.  They were at an

antique shop in North Carolina where we purchased some other chairs and a

sofa last month.   The chair above is fully upholstered and ...

this one has open arms.  I really fell in love with the fabric on the chairs.

It is a polished cotton with the most charming garden scenes.

I love the gazebo and the topiaries.  It is as though one was looking through

a charming decorative garden theme frame into a magical secret garden.

The frames and gazebos differ slightly.  I instantly fell in love with the 

fabric and looked at the chairs many times before I decided that I could not

pass them up.

They arrived yesterday along with this pie crust tilt top tea table.  

I must tell you that I have a bit of an obsession for interesting chairs.

I will be writing another post later this coming week about my love

of unusual chairs.

Until then, enjoy what is left of this weekend.  I plan to stay in as much

as possible.  The weather is dark, gray and very chilly.  The penetrating

damp cold that reminds me of the winter in London.  So I will be drinking

lots of hot tea and hot chocolate.  Even Bentley would rather stay inside!

Seasonal Sundays

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

A Texas Christmas Tablescape

The weather here in Victoria has been in the low 80's.  Although it does not feel like

a December day back in Idaho, we are really enjoying the change.  We spent a good

bit of the day outside.  You can see Bentley over on the right in this pic.  He is keeping

a watchful eye over his yard while I set up a Christmas theme tablescape on the patio.

Do you see my Azaleas that are still blooming in the background?  Amazing!

I pulled out the denim placemats with the jeans pockets.  So appropriate for this

part of the country.  We are surrounded by ranch land here.  It absolutely tickles

my inner cowgirl.

David really loves his new smoker.  He smoked a whole chicken last week

and it was delicious.  I used the leftovers to make chicken tortilla soup.  It

was really easy and tasty.  I will have to share the recipe with you.  Our

local HEB makes tortillas in house and I can never pass up their fresh

corn tortillas.  Yummy!  

I took some burlap ribbon and gathered it up to make a ruffle for under my

centerpiece.  I love this vintage red and white enamel coffee pot.  I have a

small collection of vintage pots.  The old ones have such charm.  I wonder

if one day years in the future antique shops will feature our current coffee

pots?  My Cuisinart makes great coffee but I would not call it charming.

These little santa votive holders belong to my Mom.  I have always loved them.

Well that's it for today.  Still busy decorating the house for Christmas.  Don't have a

tree yet.  Hopefully will get one this weekend.  It's going to be very busy around

here for the next few days.  I am attending a brunch on Friday and will have to rush

back to accept delivery on some vintage dining furniture we purchased from an 

antique shop in North Carolina.  Then later that evening David and I are going to

a black tie holiday ball.  I can't wait to see David in his tux!

More later ...

Tablescape Thursday

Home and Garden Thursday

Open House Thursday

Vintage Thingie Thursday

Share Your Cup Thursday

Let's Dish

Show and Tell Friday

Home Sweet Home

Feathered Nest Friday

Be Inspired

Pink Saturday

Let's spend a bit more time outside today Bentley.  I read that a cold 

snap is headed our way.

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

I Am Calling Him Angus

I was in Hobby Lobby on Friday and spotted this cute cookie jar.  Despite

my fondness for all images terrier, I passed him up.  I was on a mission

for other kinds of Christmas decorations.

But later after I returned home, I could not get that cute pup off my mind.

It's not as though I needed him because I already have lots of Christmas in the 

kitchen.  No, not needed but wanted.   So I thought about him all night.

I know ~ sounds silly, but that's how I am.

And I made up my mind that if when I returned to the store the next

day and there were any left, I would buy one.

The display had been moved forward from the place it was the day before.

The collection had diminished.  There were all kinds of cookies jars 

remaining, but only one white Westie remained.  I lovingly put him in my

cart and took him home.  Welcome to our kitchen Angus!

What's It Wednesday

Wow Us Wednesday

Bentley won't be the least bit jealous as long as I toss in a few

of his doggie treats for safe keeping :-)

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Christmas on the Potting Bench 2013

This afternoon I added some Christmas touches to the potting bench on

our back porch.  Although it is a balmy 70 something degrees, I am

pretending that it looks like it just might snow :-)

I kept everything in shades of white and green to go along with the

existing colors of white, green and pink of the porch.  

I am still not certain where all of the Christmas decorations are.  But that's

okay because I like to tweak my Christmas scenes from year to year.

Last year (see previous post) I used lots of tartan on the porch.  I think

that this year the tartan will head to the kitchen.  At least that is today's 

plan, but you never know what tomorrow might bring.

That's today's seasonal update.  More tomorrow.

Metamorphosis Monday

Make It Pretty Monday

Amaze Me Monday

Tweak It Tuesday

Inspire Me

Okay Bentley ~ let's head back out to the garage to 

find more Christmas decorations.

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley

Christmas on the Porch From Last Year

I hope that y'all had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday.  

We celebrated our first one here in Texas.  Now the left overs

are in the fridge and it's time to think about Christmas!  Well,

it doesn't feel like Christmas here. The sun is shinning and it will

be around 70 degrees today.  Beautiful day with no snow in sight.

The wonderful thing about Picasa Web is that old pics from 

previous years are so handy to refer to.  Do you remember the

decorations I had on my porch last year?  Well I pulled up some

of the pics to remind myself what I did.  I want to decorate every

square inch of our new place including our back and front porches.

But I need a little different theme this year.  I am opening 

Christmas decorating boxes and plan a quick trip to Hobby

Lobby today too.  I hope that it's not too crazy out there.  I 

usually avoid black Friday shopping, but holiday decorations

are always the exception.

Every house has a different personality and the porch is no

exception.  I think I will start with the potting bench and let it

evolve from there.  Do you decorate that way?  I usually don't have

anything specific in mind.  I just pull out a few things and see

where the muse directs me.  I don't think that I have ever

decorated the same way twice.

I left some of my decorations in storage back in Idaho.  One day when we

finally get that cabin built I will already have the furniture and decorations

up there for it.  I remember last Christmas we had plans to start construction

in the spring.  Then the move to Texas came about and well the cabin

just took a back seat.

Now we are down here near the Gulf Coast.  Maybe I 

need a beach theme for this year.  We'll see what happens.

So stop back by and see what's going on.  

Seasonal Sundays

Favorites on the First

Bentley is still in bed.  He played so hard and had so

much turkey yesterday.  He's being lazy now.

Big Texas Hugs,

Susan and Bentley