FALL IS IN THE AIR-AND If You Visit Me At The VA YOU Might Be Falling Down

I really need to get myself in gear,

get my pictures loaded onto my computer,

get them to Picmonkey,

 and then share them here.

I am WAY behind in doing that.

Not that I have anything else to do or anything.

So, that being said-

I have a few shots of the dining room dressed

as it was for Fall.

Here is the bombe chest

with Grandmother Clara's 

Silver Tea Service-
It needs a good polishing right now....

From a bit further back...

Did you notice my little lamps are

WEARING HATS?

I got those after season last year.

They are DOG HATS 

from the Pet Section....lol

I think I paid 50 cents apiece for them.

The dining room table arrangement

started with my old turquoise basket.

The little old blue level is from my farmhouse.

It was along the cellar wall.

See the MIX sign tucked down in there?

It was "stolen" by my girls from an abandoned building where my father used to go.

I have no idea where it came from.

The POE card/tag was part of a giveaway from 

Vera-Row Homes & Cobblestones 

a couple of years ago.

My poor crow 

is looking a little worse for the wear.

Looks like he got in a fight 

with another crow and lost.

And just a peek at 

the backside:

I am loving the blue mixed in with 

the colors of fall here this year.

Lots of other stuff to show you

when I get my pictures loaded so 

BEAR WITH ME!

Oh- and did YOU get YOUR flu shot yet?

We HAVE to have them to work at the 

VA Center.  

I never get them but I sure would not want

to infect any of our older vets-

many of whom are already in 

weakened physical conditions-

so, I will have to get one next week.

I have never had the flu in my life-

knock on wood-

(or laminate-your choie)

I am thinking about offering 

those sweet old veterans

FLU SHOTS

right at the front desk.

Aww...C'mon

It's the Irish in me.

It would make me father proud!

And, I would actually give them

out for free.

Don't you wish you were in my line?

Have a Happy Wednesday!


I have a few new things listed today
in my Etsy shop if you are interested..
the LAST of my pumpkins
and a few other things.
A Cottage On The Cove Etsy Shop

CHRISTMAS IN THE DINING ROOM

OKAY- Which one of YOU BRATS

asked me to post more pictures

of my 

Christmas Decorating?!

Like I don't have 

ENOUGH TO DO!!!???

Well, you know me---I am a sucker

for all my followers.

AND because I LOVE YOU

I am going to show you the 

DINING ROOM

even though the 

Table. Is. Not. Set.

Now- 

IF I REALLY LIKED YOU

I would hustle right to the dining room

and do a nice little tablescape

and then take pictures of it--

Ain't happening, honey.

What you see is what you get.

Ready?

Pieces of the Centerpiece!

Oh! Dear Deer!  

My Woodland Santa-

He's a cookie jar--shhhh-He doesn't know that!

If you look real close you can see me

reflected in the gazing ball--

now-there's a dumb blond for you!

You need some roses and greenery 

for a centerpiece, right?

Step back--step way back....

The sun was shining bright this morning

and it just caught my eye---

In the corner is a French themed tin

filled with rosemary and fairy lights.

Tie backs for the drapes which are shot through

with silver-

From the kitchen-

I sure do miss my beautiful

crystal chandelier which is now

in storage waiting for my 

next home.

I did gussy this one up with a 

few baubles---

Yep- I should have ironed those 

slip covers before I slipped them on..

I'll get right on that-

Thanks for noticing!

From the entry hall-

The left side--with built in hutches--

From entry hall-looking towards 

side porch-

Yeah- not sure what happened there-

Whole picture is a bit wonky...

Oh- well--that's what you get for 

rushing me!

A night time shot-

Another daytime view-

I'll get right on ironing those creases out...

and maybe I'll even set the table for you

on those cute, glitzy snowflake place mats.

WHAT? WHO SAYS

you shouldn't use place mats on top of 

A TABLECLOTH?

Ask me if I care!!!

I think I am getting more like 

MAXINE by the day.....

Now- if you are 

REALLY NICE TO ME

I just might do a few more shots of 

CHRISTMAS at the CRAZY HOUSE

in a couple of days!

DO YOU LOVE SILVER LIKE I LOVE SILVER?

I was lucky enough to be entrusted

to care for the silver that belonged

to one side of my husband's family.

I had two sick little girls here yesterday

watching movies which left me

free to do something-

but not so much that I would be

out of sight.

So.....

being the dutiful little wife I am

only my true friends know what a joke THAT is

I decided to polish the pieces that had been

sadly neglected since late spring.

Now, I know a lot of you like tarnished silver

but I feel guilty if I let this get tarnished.

Here she is-

BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL!

Notice how wonky the top of the candle holder is?

That is from years and years and years of

REAL USE.

Real silver is actually pretty malleable-

not hard at all.

Don't ya love it?

The tops do snap down tight and 

I should have done that for

the pictures..

but - I keep them slightly ajar 

so they don't get yucky inside.  

I am always afraid that I will seal some moisture in.

The coffee & tea service sits on the 

bombe chest in my dining room.

The drawers store linens and stuff.

The picture above the chest was a landmark in

Green Bay, WI.

Kaap's Restaurant was famous for its

ice cream treats and chocolates.

It is the first place my husband ever took me when

I came to visit his family before we got married.

Sadly, so sadly, progress has destroyed that street

and all the wonderful shops and stores that were there.

So---the silver looked like this when I started...

Pretty sad and kind of embarrassing!

 I used my special secret tools for cleaning...

Maas (and the other if I run out) 

and old diapers to polish with.

If you use these make sure the diapers are clean---just sayin'......

I won't bother to tell you I could only find two RIGHT HAND GLOVES.

Did you ever try to use a rubber glove 

wearing it on the wrong hand?

Can't turn these inside out because they are lined...lol

Yeah- You look  as stupid as you feel doing that.

Well, maybe YOU don't - but I do!

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER use TARNEX

on good silver...

I won't even go into all the reasons why...just DON'T!

A few more pics to show you how I worked my fingers to the bone...

Oh---and this is MY SECRET!

See the candlestick below?

It is sitting on one of  Grandmother Clara's coasters.

TA-DA!!!

I am so flipping clever that I can't even believe it myself sometimes.

Look!  It is...

A hiding place for a few nails and screws 

cuz you just 

never know when you are gonna have to nail something to the wall.

I have SECRET TOOLS, too.

They look like a shoe (hammer) 

and a butter knife (screwdriver)

Please keep these secrets to yourself.

MyHero gets all worked up 

when I use stuff like that

for little household jobs.

He is SUCH a spoil sport.

I love these special things.

It is my husband's 

sterling silver Christening cup and 

my youngest son's Christening cup.

Both are engraved with their names and birth dates.

The little fork and spoon were used by all the kids.

SweetCheeks did NOT want to give it up.

I think she used it until she was almost five.

Well, that was my big adventure yesterday.

I am off to make myself a cuppa coffee...

Which reminds me-

I came across the most 

delightful poem the other day.

It just speaks to my heart and I am sure it will

TOUCH SOME OF YOUR HEARTS, TOO!

J.Dewitt

Y'all  have a nice day now, ya hear?

oh..and if you didn't sign up 

for my give away yesterday for

Somerset Life

you can still do that by clicking here

A Peek At The Dining Room -It's PURTY- I Promise

Some of you know that I purchased some 

WAVERLY FABRIC

for the dining room

last Fall before Thanksgiving

and BEFORE I got pneumonia.

You can see that post by clicking here.

So, I DID get the drapes made

and I DID get them hung.

I had enough left to make a

"runner" for the center of the table.

It's actually a big square that I placed in the center

because I also want to be able to use it as a topper

on my round dinette table.

Yeah- I'm dual purpose clever like that.

I will do a whole post about 

the whole room shortly.

Meanwhile,

Here is the edge of the curtain over the

dining room doors that lead to the side porch.

I guess I should have pulled the curtain back a bit 

off the picture of the 

FRENCH RABBITS.

That's what that picture was sold as
when I bought it about 15 years ago
 but I am pretty sure those are

HIMALAYAN RABBITS!

The little collection below all has meaning for me...

Clear glass from some of the kids- candles in crystal

from some other kids.
The cutting board was a gift from our good friends,
Jeff & Barb.
We visited their beautiful home in 
the Carolinas here.
He is a wood worker extraordinaire.
Also on that cutting board is a

 Green Bay soda bottle 
from my friend, Kris,

@ JunkChicCottage..

She left the price tag on so I would know how much she loves me.lol

Anyway,

I did set the table with some dishes

I have had for a while.

These suckers are HEAVY!!!

They are sitting on chargers that are monogrammed

that belonged to my hubby's grandmother Clara.

The dishes are Isabella by JCPenney
(believe it or not)

My daughter might, or might not be, trying to get them away from me

too bad for you, baby girl.

 And..here they are again-

those wonderful monogrammed napkins

that my oldest son gave me for Christmas.

Just so you know-

this is what that dining room wall looked like when we moved in.

I know- crappy picture.

Here is a brief after...

Side by side:

That is NOT all I have to show you but I do have a

few things to FINISH because I certainly don't want you  to 

SEE THIS!!!!

Yeah--THAT would be embarrassing to have you

SEE THAT!

Have a wonderful Thursday...

and remember YOU TOO can show the messes

real life creates.

Dining Room- The Great Cover Up

I have been working in several areas

of the house while I have been away.

The dining room was what started it all.

WHAT is THIS?

I am not quite ready for the full reveal yet

BUT

I will show you the slip covers I made for

THE DINING ROOM CHAIRS.

I have a bolt of cream colored duck cloth

that I have carried around for MANY years.

Time to use it!

Here is what the chairs look like.
MyHero loves them so I only wanted to
spiff them up for Christmas-
not alter them permanently.

I made some easy peasy slipcovers.

The decoration is just pinned in place.
Don't you just LOVE it?
I have had red and green for Christmas for about
a thousand years.
It is fun to do something a bit different this year.
I will be showing you the whole dining room in a couple of days.
I have some "projects" hidden in the corner that 
I have been working on when there are no
BLABBERMOUTHS 
hanging around the house.

I might have had to run to Walmart
for a couple of those cheap pillows though
for fillers.
Look who else has been in Walmart!

It's Super Creepy Santa!
IF he asks, 
"Would you like a piece of candy, little girl?"
Do NOT- I repeat-DO NOT take it!
Run away screaming!

The SMILE That Will Make YOU Smile- Guaranteed!

I told you a few posts ago that when

the girls stay here I try to use the

FANCY DINING ROOM

at least once in a while.

Well, it is now our new

TRADITION

that if they stay the night we have

a nice meal with "formal" place settings.

You remember my table from here?

I used my red transferware for the 

girls' special dinner of salad

and homemade spaghetti and meatballs-

a family favorite.

The flowers were gone but I had another

large candle that I used centerstage.

The girls always have fun waiting for dinner.

I  took several shots of them chit-chatting together.

We have lots of SMILES and laughs

at our table.

But sometimes it is nice to get a picture

of them that is just a tad "calm" feeling!

A picture of smiles rather than laughter.

NOW for the picture that will make

YOU SMILE.

This is the one that TAKES THE PRIZE.

I said,

Girls, give me just ONE SMILE 

where you aren't showing

YOUR TEETH!

Can you GUESS which one is 

LITERAL LULU?
Here's the KICKER-She 
WAS NOT TRYING TO BE FUNNY!

I'll be around today if I can find a bit of 

sanity in a corner somewhere.

Have a blessed Sunday!

Red Transferware And Red Roses

Remember the other day when I asked you

What would YOU do for a dozen red roses?

Well, I had to censor some of your answers.

Anyway,

I thought a 

DOZEN RED ROSES

deserved a table set using 

RED TRANSFERWARE

and Ruby (or Cranberry)Thumbprint glasses.

I have a mix and match of pieces.

I got many of them when I helped my friend's,

Tom & Ruth, get their house ready for sale here.

Ruth has always been a collector of many things

and I was lucky enough to get the pieces

of red transferware that she had.

I combined them with the few pieces I had

to set this table.

The candlesticks are sterling silver and belonged

to Grandmother Clara.

The vase in the center is crystal 

from Poland and a gift

from a friend when she moved away.

It belonged to her mother.

It weighs more than my left thigh...

okay- I might have lied about that.

Close up of the vase.

The clear glass candle holders were a gift 

from my son-in-law for Christmas.

There were a few special pieces like the gravy boat.

Another shot overall.

And this shows the chandelier 

and the built in hutches 

that flank the fireplace.

Well, hubby is out of town 

so no dinner party tonight.

Time to snuff out the candles with my new 

CANDLE SNUFFER.

Does the word candle SNUFFER make you feel like SNICKERING?

My three granddaughters 

got this for me for Christmas.

Down goes the Birdie!

Out goes the flame.

Hmmmm.....MyHero is gone...

You know the old saying-

While the CAT'S away the MOUSE will play.

I could just go WILD & CRAZY, couldn't I?

My friend, Jettie, posted something to help me get

started with the CRAZY part!

I sent for TWO starter kits.  

If ONE is good TWO must be better, right?