Royal Sealy in Fall Colors

After visiting the thrift store where I found the Paragon cup and saucer, I went to the hospital guild thrift shop where I spotted another yellow cup and saucer. It was marked $3.00, but I asked if I could have it for $2 and the sales lady graciously agreed!

This is a vintage set made by Royal Sealy of Japan. It has a luster finish and its floral pattern is done in browns and yellows, just right for this time of year.

Here is a mosiac showing some of its features:

The teacup rests on a pedestal stand, and the entire outside is embellished with blooms:

The saucer is also patterned with flowers and the edging is pierced all around:

The inside of the cup is decorated by a single floral motif:

The cup handle is intricately formed and is edged in gold, as are the rims of the cup and saucer.

This cup would grace a fall tea table quite nicely.

I am linking today’s post to:

Mosaic Monday with Mary at Little Red House.

Tea Cup Tuesday, co-hosted by Martha at Martha’s Favorites and Terri at Artful Affirmations.

Tea For Two Tuesday at the Plumed Pen.

Teapot And Tea Things Tuesday with Wanda Lee and Pam at The Silken Purse and at Breath of Fresh Air.

Tea Party Tuesday at Sweetology.

Tea Time Tuesday hosted by Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage.

Tea Time Tuesday hosted by Lady Katherine at Lady Katherine Tea Parlor

Bargains in Blue and White

I like my covered dishes and they always catch my eye when I’m out thrifting. Week before last I stopped in to one of my local thrift shops and quickly spotted this blue and white covered dish. I took it down and was surprised to see the price – all of $2.00


Than I saw that it has a small chip right on the inside lip of the dish, just where the cover rests. The piece was rattling around in the bottom.

I decided it would make a good display piece or floral container or storage bin of some sort.. and ehh…I have plenty of serving dishes suitable for table service!

A couple days later I was in the shop again and saw three matching blue and white pieces, unpriced. Upon inquiry I was told $3.00 for the set. Included is a small teapot and lid, sugar and lid and creamer. The sugar has a small chip to the inside, on the edge where the lid rests.




So now I have a charming blue and white suite for display.


With the addition of a blue and white French style jug by Godinger (found at TX Maxx) and a couple navy bound books, and two covered pumpkins,
I have a nice shabby chic fall tabletop vignette for a corner of the bedroom.

I am linking today’s post to
Blue Monday at Smiling Sally.

Mosaic Monday with Mary at Little Red House.

Show Off Your Cottage Monday with Cielo at The House in the Roses.

Table Top Tuesday hosted by Marty at A Stroll Thru Life .

Fabulous Craigslist Find Yields In-Progress Change

"This is a great buy…five people called about it!" So said the delivery man as he and a younger man brought in my new piece of furniture last Friday. On Monday I was looking through the furniture section of Craigslist.com and saw this listing (with this spelling):

"$60.00 Moheganoy 5 drawer desk. Very nice and clean. Has glass top and pull out writing shelf. Will deliver for small fee."

I emailed right away asking for the dimensions and for cost of delivery to my town. Tuesday came and went and no reply. On Wednesday I wrote again asking if it was still available and got the reply, yes, and shipping would be $40. I wrote again asking for the dimensions. You see, I was looking for a piece to serve as a small buffet in my dining room; I’m tired of serving from the nearby kitchen counter and or stove.
On Thursday I got the measurements, and I quote:

"42 inches wide,19 deep,34 high.like new condition,not a scratch.come take a look."

I called, said I wanted it, and set up delivery for the next day at 3 pm.
Meanwhile I had measured the space but it was just too small. [My dining room is just 11’ x 12’ and I have a large-scaled Drexel table and eight chairs, plus a large breakfront cabinet.] Now, when I spoke to him on the phone he had reiterated that it was is great condition, and worth at least $300. I could not let it go at such a great price -- $60 plus $40 was just $100 for a fine piece of mahagony furniture (even though I had only seen the following not too clear photos in the Craigslist ad.

Anyway, I cleared a space in the Living Room between two chairs in front of the windows. Previously, I had had this 22" round skirted table between the two chairs (Not having planned all this, I didn’t think to take pictures while the table was still in place in the living room.):

The doorbell rang about 1:20 pm (he had called to move up the delivery time) and there was a small truck with two men who brought in the "desk," all wrapped in quilted padding. Unwrapped, it looked brand new. The seller showed me the Century Furniture tag in the left top drawer.

I was amazed at the beauty and quality and newness of the piece. Also, that it would work perfectly as a serving piece in the dining room – if only I could make room somehow. Indeed it was not a desk at all, despite the slide out shelf! What exactly was the piece – a console, a chest of drawers….??? Here are some pics I took of the details, including the glass top shaped to the curves:

Here it is in place between the chairs:

Well, as someone who loves researching things, I soon got online to determine what the piece is designated as by the manufacturer. After some futile searching of the Century Furniture industries website, I finally found a store that listed and pictured my piece. Now I knew just what it is:

Century Furniture Living Room Drawer Chest 679-704, from their Traditional Classics collection. This is the catalog photo I found on a furniture store website: The Product Description read:
"Features chamfered corners with decorative fret overlays. The serpentine drawer fronts are trimmed in beaded molding and accented with brass drop-bail pulls. Pull-out tray at top provides additional display space."

Yes, this excellent piece would be perfect for my dining room.… As soon as my brother, nephew, or brother-in-law comes by here, I’ll try to squeeze it in. In the meantime, it looks nice in the living room --

As the seller indicated, the piece fits in and looks great with the other mahagony and cherry furniture in my living and dining rooms. Here is a mosaic I've made of the furniture in the two rooms.

I plan to store some flatware in the two smaller drawers, and place mats, napkinsas well. However, I have not put anything in it in case I do move it to the dining room. So this change is still very much in progress!

Visit Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for more Metamorphosis Monday posts.
Also, visit Mary at Little Red House to see the mosaics prepared by other participants, and Rhoda at Southern Hospitality for more Thrifty Treasures.

Mosaic Monday - Summer Flowers

On my return from my California trip I found my garden pretty wilted by the heat and lack of water while I was away. But there were still some blooms and I've made a couple mosaice for Mary's Mosaic Monday event.

The Stella d'Oro daylily and Rose of Sharon plants were given to me last June by a friend. The hydrangeas and impatiens were bought at area garden centers.

This mosaic features hydrangeas. They are Endless Summer and were planted in 2008.

Be sure to visit Mary at Little Red House to see the mosaics prepared by other participants.

Getting a New Start On A Healthy Lifestyle

I’ve just returned from a stay at Weimar Center for Health and Education. I was a guest for the 18-day NEWSTART Lifestyle Program. I felt this would help me get on a healthy diet and exercise program, since I was diagnosed with diabetes the day aftter my stroke in April. The program promises to:
Reverse Diabetes
Restore Hearts
Relieve Arthritis
Renew Immune Systems
Shed Pounds
Lower Cholesterol
Increase Energy
Enhance Vital Capacity

We had private rooms with bath, (and fresh towels and bath mat daily) hydrotherapy and massage, health lectures, cooking school, walking along trails, getting to know the other guests, many of whom became wonderful friends. We encouraged each other, and celebrated when anyone lost pounds, lowered cholesterol, lowered blood sugar, etc. Our delicious meals were made from "whole foods eaten whole." We were happy to take home a thick recipe pack prepared by the cafeteria staff, the Newstart Cookbook, and other recipe handouts.

The Weimar campus is in northern California and I enjoyed the beauty of the setting – towering trees, shrubs, and flowers. It is truly a haven with the stately Ponderosa pines and other tree varieties, many types of shrubs, and bright flower beds.

The first mosaic below shows:
The flagpole (2d photo) stands in a circle where guests walked round and round. There were also twelve miles of walking trails.
The Gazebo was site of early morning Stretcherizes. This was followed with a walk around the Half Mile Loop.

The second mosaic shows
Sections of the Half Mile Loop Road

The final mosaic includes:
Magnolia tree in front of Weimar Inn
Sequoia tree
Daylilies on right front

Today’s post is linked to Mosaic Monday hosted by Mary at Little Red House. Go there for links to other shared mosaics.

Napkins in Rings

I found photos of tablesettings I’ve posted about in the past year or so, and decided to put them into a Mosaic for Mosaic Monday hosted by Mary at Little Red House. Go to Smiling Sally for more Blue Monday posts

It was fun to review all the table settings from past posts and see the napkins and napkin rings I have used.

FIRST MOSAIC

The pink napkin in porcelain calla lily napkin ring is from my most recent tablescape.

Below it is a cream napkin with lace corner in a daffodil napkin ring, set on a blue and white plate.

A white with blue napkin is fitted with glass Avon "Cape Cod" napkin ring for an Independence Day setting.

A soft pink napkin is in a gold-plated napkin ring for a Mother’s Day table.

Below blue and white napkins are set on blue and white dinner plates and glass salad plates.

A SECOND MOSAIC

A ceramic banana napkin ring holds a white napkin with a colorful geometric print.

Under it is a Lenox "Holiday" napkin with matching porcelain napkin ring.

Bottom left a simple silverplated ring holds a green and white napkin.

An off-white napkin embroidered in brown is held with a ridged wooden napkin rings.

The daffodil rings are used with light gold napkins.

I am glad you visited today. Please come again. I would enjoy reading your comment.