WE HAVE A WINNER! GIVEAWAY #5

Finally it is JUNE!

I am now in the final days of my 50's

Time for lots of reflections as I move on to another decade

Oh you want to know the winner

of the CSN gift card?  

OK!!!

I had 67 comments on this post!  Thank you all for entering and after Random.org did his picking

#44

Diann said... 44 So many things to choose from. I would love to get some dishes to match my recent teapot. But, I would also love to get some fun things for out on the patio.

Diann at The Thrifty Groove!!

If you don't know Diann you should!  She has a great blog all about Thrifty shopping and living and she is just a great gal! 

 Diann I will contact CSN with your email address today!

Whew.....now are you ready for the LAST giveaway

of my Birthday Countdown to the BIG SIX-O?

Good!  Check back later for the post on the final 

box of goodies....I'm calling it

"SOME OF MY FAVORITE THINGS"

Always,

Linda

T is for TEAPOTS

I'm #1....I get to be the first post on this weeks Alphabe-Thursday because Ms. Jenny told me she likes me BEST!  Really that's what she said...Oh that's not what she told the rest of the class....It's because she needs to keep an eye on me so I don't disrupt the class.....sigh....I knew it was too good to be true!  :(  

This weeks letter is T

 T is for Teapots!

Let me first apologize for the photos just as I started my session a huge storm came and it got very dark...but nothing stops a blogger

ahem....onward

This is my very first teapot and my favorite

Years ago I lived on Cape Cod and worked at Woods Hole Oceanographic (that experience needs a whole post of it's own)

I lived for awhile in an apartment over a garage with a roommate

She had this old teapot and she didn't even know where it came from.  I fell in love with it and used it for tea daily.  When we moved on she gave it to me.

It was old and chipped and well loved when I got it 

It is a HULL USA Teapot

This teapot was found at a Thrift and was the nastiest thing covered with grease and dirt...but it needed a good home and once it had a good cleaning it is quite charming

More orange-red it is made by Universal Pottery, Cambridge Ohio

This pot isn't in great condition and was purchased at a Thrift shop

I used it as a decoration on top of kitchen cabinets in another home so the glued lid didn't show, it is in Baltimore Green

This Burgandy teapot is the same as the green one but it has the tea infuser with it and no glued up lid

Both of these teapots were made by the Hall for the McCormick  Tea Company as a Premium, these colors were most likely produced in the 1940's

This teapot is in great condition!

This really sweet yellow teapot is one I bought at an Antique Mall several years ago,   I love the hooked lid

Made by Hall this pattern is called PARADE

This is of course a Fiesta Teapot

Recently acquired I love the color 

It is Periwinkle (the photo is terrible, it's really a pretty color)

Most everyone is familier with Fiesta

This color was made in 1989-2006

So this is my T is for Teapots.  I used many of these to decorate in another house and now they have no where to live.  I won't part with the original green one but the others maybe looking for new homes soon.  Still I love them all!

So check out all the other T posts here

at Jenny Matlock

I am also linking up with

With Suzanne over at Colorado Lady

Always,

Linda

REDNESDAY - JUNE 2ND

It is Wednesday and time to show off our Red's at

It's A Very Cherry World 

When I saw these items I knew they would be perfect for today

This really sweet table runner is in some of my favorite colors

Red, Blue and White!

And this 99 cent red basket makes me smile

Gotta love the cherries!

I have been wanting a Rubbermaid dish drainer in Red but didn't want to spend the $$, found this at the thrift (looks brand new)

Now it's mine and I'm very happy!  I hand wash most of my dishes.

I found this cute tile and these napkin rings for 50 cents

they will be in a future tablescape for sure.

So be sure to head over and check out all the other Red's

Happy Rednesday!

Always,

Linda

WHERE DO YOU KEEP IT ALL???

If you are a 'dishaholic' you will get the question

 Well today I'm going to show you..

I am joining THE TABLESCAPER  

to share my storage.  How fun to see where everyone keep's it all...

This is my 'Dish Closet'

It is a small walk in closet in our TV room

I have added several of those closet organizers

(all thrifted)

That is a lot of dishes.  I try to organize by color.

The top shelf has rolled up placemats

Boxes hold napkins sorted by color

Large items on the very top shelf

Some placemats on a multi-clip hanger

Tablecloths hang on multi-pant hangers

This closet still needs some more organization but it's getting there

Now on to the Dining Room and the Hutch

On the top are several apothecary jars 

Inside is mostly glassware.  Shelves of water & wine glasses.

Tea cups, salt & peppers and other decorative items

Lots of clear glass serving pieces

This hutch was Mr ALC's Mothers and I love it

A thrifted tea cart is a small storage area also in the dining room

In the kitchen my high up cabinets hold mostly Christmas dishes

This corner cabinet

Holds most of my Pyrex collection and is a wonderful display

Now we go downstairs to the basement

This is a work in progress

This very old hutch needs some TLC but at the moment

it holds most of my Milk Glass collection

This bookcase needs to be organized for some holiday decorations

I try to keep the heavy dishes up stairs because I'm old and hate carrying them up and down but items I use less frequently are going to be stored down in the basement.  I have plans for more shelves and or another hutch for storage. 

And of course some things are still in boxes waiting for a home

So that is my answer to 

Where do you keep it all!  

Go check out others storage and you will be impressed.

It makes me feel better about my dish obsession!

Don't forget the last day for the #5 Giveaway is June 2nd

Always,

Linda

DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS!

If you are a regular reader of A La Carte you know I have ties to Texas...in fact I was born there!  June 9, 1950 in Corpus Christi!

So I am a Texan because as my Mama says...

Once a Texan always a Texan!!

I have a collection of items with the 

Don't Mess With Texas 

slogan on them.  I love the red white and blue

and the Texas Star

I thought I would share with you the origins of 

"Don't Mess With Texas!"

The phrase is a registered Trademark of the Texas Department of Transportation and is part of a statewide advertising campaign started in 1986 to reduce littering on Texas roadways.

The phrase was prominently shown on road signs on major highways, as well as in television, radio and print advertisements. The campaign is credited with reducing litter on Texas highways 72% between 1986 and 1990.

More than its immediate success at reducing litter, however, the slogan became a Texas cultural phenomenon and the slogan has been appropriated by the citizens of Texas for general use.

Though it appears on countless items of tourist souvenirs, the phrase is actually a federally registered trademark; the department has tried at times to enforce its trademark rights, with limited success. The slogan is a frequently cited example of Texan cultural elitism.

Twenty years after its introduction, the success and popularity of "Don’t Mess with Texas" has earned it a spot among the best advertising slogans ever. "Don’t Mess with Texas" has been awarded a plaque on the Madison Avenue Walk of Fame and a place in the Advertising Hall of Fame a distinction given to only two slogans annually.

"Don’t Mess with Texas" is also the official motto of the Virginia-class submarine USS Texas.

This is a fun collection for me

And one of you will get this

If you win my final Birthday giveaway
A few of my Favorite Things
Check back for the details on June 3rd

I'm joining up with my friend Troy for his weekly party

I Refuse to Recede

 

There is a very cool 'tie-in' to Texas

OK, here's a hint

So be sure to check it out!!

Always,

Linda