Coffee Mugs

I'm a woman who likes her morning coffee!

My children know this! 

When Sara was little she picked out this mug for me on Mother's Day

I've kept it ever since!  

Last Mother's Day Sara & Tiger gave this to me!

I love it!  From a newborn to a two year old! 

I drink from this most mornings!

Yesterday my other daughter found this and sent it to me as a gift!  I think it says it all!

It is a travel mug and just perfect! 

So thank you to my sweet daughters and my darling grandson for three of my favorite things from three of my favorite people! 

Joining Claudia at 

A Favorite Thing! 

Wishing you JOY,

Linda

Charlie Kitty

Charlie has settled in pretty well to his new digs!

He stays close to me but I see him getting more comfortable every day! 

Today this made me so happy!

I've been waiting for Charlie to discover this window so he can sit and look outside.

Now that we have moved we no longer have the screened porch 

which was Charlie's favorite place!

Seeing him enjoy looking out the window is a favorite thing!

Mama are you taking my photo again??

Yes my sweet kitty boy I am! 

I'm joining Claudia for

A Favorite Thing

Wishing you JOY,

Linda

Decisions!

I have had to make some hard decisions about my collections!  

I have collected Waechtersbach mugs for several years!  During this move I decided to edit out a few I just don't love....hard to do but!

I did get rid of 4 mugs!  The sailboat was given to a friend and the others were donated. 

I also collect pottery planters

Over 15 years of collecting.  I decided to edit out a few that again, 'I Don't Love'.  

These were all donated

Along with these three....no regrets yet!

I also thought about donating this set of snack plates and coffee cups

Blue Ridge Pottery

I love the blue with the grey fleck and decided to keep these.  When my blogging ladies come to visit me in my new place, I think I'll use them!

It is hard to edit down our collections, but over the years some you love more then others and it's great to lighten up and keep the one's that are truly special to you.

I'm joining
A Favorite Thing
Seasonal Sundays

Wishing You JOY,

Linda

I Love Blogging!

I really really do love to blog! 

The best part is making new friends, and when you get to meet those friends in person...Awesome!

This week I was able to meet Kathy from Happy Mrs. C!  She and her husband Jeff live a few hours away from me and we have been planning to meet for a couple of years now.   Finally Kathy and I managed to meet half way and enjoy a wonderful lunch!  We chatted like we had know each other all our lives!

Kathy is going to have a booth on the Worlds Longest Yard Sale this year so I took her a carload of items since I am downsizing.  I plan to visit her and maybe even help in her booth in August! I know Kathy and I will again chat like we have know each other forever!!

This week I also had another blogger get together at my friend Sue's (Rue Mouffetard) home.  It was a birthday celebration for myself and another good friend Denise.  Sue went all out with a beautiful table featuring my favorite pink and.....wait for it

FLAMINGOS!

Sue gave each of us one of the 100th Anniversary Ball jars with yummy lemonade cookies in them.  She added these adorable little Flamingos!

The table was stunning!  The quilt in shades of pink and green was a perfect backdrop for pink polka dot dishes and white milk glass.

Pink Flamingo straws...loved them, with our choice of Pink lemonade, iced tea or water!

Oh and the amazing Pasta Pesto Salad! 

Sue making sure the table was perfect and it was! 

She served Italian Wedding Soup, made to order turkey club sandwiches, the pasta and fruit.  

It was all so good!

Dessert was mini cupcakes and key lime pie!

We ate and chatted for a couple of hours! 

I love blogging friends!  Oh and there were gifts!

Yes I'm spoiled and I love it!

Cheri (Chez Cheri) gave me the Paris je t'aime book...it's for photos and very cool.  Sandie (Chatty Crone) gave me this darling little Love book to write in and some adorable ceramic birds.  No photos of those as I already packed them! Whoops!  Denise, the other Birthday girl, gave me those cute as pie green gardening gloves and some other items also already packed!  Denise received her own wonderful gifts but I failed to get photos.  Of course I forgot my camera and took the shots of the table with my new  smart phone...not bad! 

Our hostess Sue gave me this adorable Flamingo throw from IKEA!  Isn't it cute!

AND....Kathy gave me a gift when we met for lunch!

This adorable watercolor of 'me' shopping in Paris! 

I can't wait to find a sweet spot in my new home for this! 

So yes, I love blogging! 

I've met some friends who have been close for several years now and a new friend I've met in person for the first time.  And I'm still hoping to meet YOU someday!

Linking to 

A Favorite Thing

Seasonal Sundays

**Please visit Deborah at The Fairfield House.  Her Mother will be celebrating her 80th Birthday this month and Deborah is hoping to have 80 handmade paper butterflies to hang in her Mom's room.  Her Mother has Alzheimer's and it's left her lost and depressed.  Deborah is hoping to make this a very special birthday and her Mom loves butterflies.  They need to be to her my June 25th, and I'm hoping some of you can help out.  I'm going to make one tomorrow and mail it Monday!**

Wishing you all JOY,

Linda

Heirlooms For My Daughter

When I was a Senior in High School my Dad was in Viet Nam.  While serving there he was able to purchase at an incredible price a set of Noritake china for me.  He sent a brochure and I picked out the pattern I liked.  I tried to keep it simple but classic.  Noritake Montblanc!

This ivory colored china with a silver rim and a small white raised pattern seemed perfect! 

A large box arrived finally and there was my china. 

 It was prettier then I even imagined...and so much of it!

Place settings for 12...yes 12!

Dinner plate, salad plate, bread plate, soup bowl, berry bowl, cup & saucer! Also serving pieces! 2 platters, 2 bowls and a gravy boat! WOW!

Last week this China was passed down to my daughter Sara!  For Mother's Day she received a china cabinet and was finally ready for 'her' dishes!

These have seen many a family holiday dinner and hold many memories.  Now they will make new memories with my sweet daughter and her family!

Last week Ashleigh was visiting from California and we were able to have a family dinner at Sara's. She used her 'new' china!

She still needs a tablecloth and napkins but wants to pick those out herself!  This table was Blake's Grannies and will be refinished soon!

Along with the China I took Sara another heirloom!

This set of silverplate was a wedding gift to my parents and was passed down to me 

and now to Sara!  

It goes so well with the dishes I wanted her to have it also!  The pattern is Rogers and Bros Starlight and is from 1953 and is 60 years old.  The China is a mere 45 years old! 

Two of my very favorite and precious things....now passed down to my daughter! 

Ashleigh was not interested in the china or silver, but there are other family pieces she will receive when she is ready!  

Visit Claudia and see what others are sharing at

A Favorite Thing

Wishing you JOY,

Linda

Charlie Kitty

My sweet kitty Charlie is one of my favorite things in the world.  Here he is sleeping with another of my favorite things......

My laptop computer! 

Sharing this with Claudia at 

A Favorite Thing

Wishing you JOY,

Linda

Window Glass

I like to set glass in my front windows to catch the light.  One of my collections has a permanent place in the dining room window...my pretty Blue Birds of Happiness.  Not all of mine are made by the famous Terra Studios, but most of them are.  I've found them all at thrifts and yard sales. 

Here is what the window looked like for quite awhile.  I love the blue glass pitchers also.

Recently I decided to change it up a bit and while in Hobby Lobby found two items for my window.

These pretty little glass tiles.  

Dragonflies are very special to me!

There were two patterns and since I couldn't decide which one and they were 1/2 price...

I got both!

So these are some of my new favorite things along with some of my old favorite things! 

Sharing at 

A Favorite Thing

Sunny Simple Monday

Seasonal Sunday

Wishing you JOY,

Linda

My 'Favorite' Helper

If you are a Cat Mom like me, then you know how much they love to be a part of everything you do!  When I'm working on a new tablescape, I often do it in stages, take a break and then look at it again to see if I like it or do I need to 'tweak' it some more.  Sometimes 'someone' just wants to help!

Or just take a nap!

Thanks Charlie! 

I want to send warm Mother's Day wishes to all the Mom's out there! 

A Big Hug to my Mom in Texas and

Hugs to my daughter Sara who is such a great Mom to my sweet Grandson!

Wishing you all JOY,

Linda

Linking to

A Favorite Thing

Seasonal Sundays

Sunny Simple Sunday

Bon Appétit

One day a package arrived at my house

It was from a blogging friend

Just a little 'surprise' for me said

Susan @ My Mother's Apron Strings

Susan is this incredible baker who makes the most amazing food ever!  She also makes these adorable aprons and has a give away each month for one.

This is the April giveaway apron!

She is also the maker of the apron that is on a journey,

 The Sisters of the Traveling Susan Apron

I am sister #8 and I must say I loved my time with the Apron.  

It is still traveling and is with Finding Home who blogged about it today!

Susan and I have become good blogging friends and so when this package arrived at my door I was so excited to see this..........

My very own special apron! 

Susan said when she saw these fabrics she knew she had to make this for me! 

 I love it of course!

This will be me in September

(well without the blond hair and the killer body but you can't have everything!)

J'Adore Paris, J'Adore this apron and J'Adore Susan!

I can't thank you enough for this special surprise! 

I promise to get a photo of me wearing it! 

I'm joining 

A Favorite Thing

Sunny Simple Sunday

Seasonal Sunday

Wishing you JOY,

Linda

Porcelain Art

Art is subjective!
Art is all around us! 

This is some of my favorite art done in porcelain

Egg Coddlers!

(not what you were thinking?)

This is the egg coddler that started my love of this beautiful 'porcelain' art!

Made by Royal Worcester

On a trip to London, my Mom brought this back to me as a gift. 
 I was taken with the beauty of the design and how charming it is

The other side of the coddler shows a peach and this pattern is called Evesham.  Many years later I found another one in a thrift shop and was thrilled.

Over the years I have found a few of these coddlers and if they are at a decent price, I have added them to my collection.  This pattern is Birds and is also made by Royal Worcester as are most of my coddlers.

I have one by Coalport that my Mom also brought back from London and has now given me for my collection

This one is made by Wedgewood and the pattern is Charnwood.  It's ring on top was broken when I rescued it from the thrift shop.

They come in a couple of sizes and here I have a larger version with the same pattern, Strawberry Fair.

The other side of the small size has this great butterfly on it!

This pattern is Woodland and is one of my favorites because of the soft colors

Fruits and flowers are very popular designs
This pattern is called Lavinia and features vines, blossoms and blackberries

The two from England were gifts and the others were all found at thrift shops, estate sales and yard sales.  They are one of my favorite collections!
Egg coddlers are used to cook eggs in hot water!
Read about them HERE and HERE

Joining these fun parties!
Thrifty Things Friday 
A Favorite Thing
Budget Decorating

Wishing you JOY,

Linda