Brunch on the Deck

Yesterday I shared my deck off of the sunroom.  A place that is my view to the world from my kitchen window. I love the intimate setting it offers for a cup of coffee, or an impromptu lunch. Today I put together a little brunch with tea. I used my wedding china from France, and two of my pastel fruit motif vintage salad plates. Once I had glimpsed this faience, all the traditional wedding china choices were left behind.

Crown China Staffordshire Teapot

Being short on space, I wanted a little greenery

 without interfering with the tablesetting.

So I used two small iron urns to double as decor

 and a spot for holding the silver. 

Ivy cuttings, a vintage seed packet and a sprig of dried flowers.

Love the Country French feel of the tablecloth round,

that uses three different patterns and fabrics.

Grabbed a few pillows with vintage linens

to dress up the chairs.

Not vintage, but oh so comfortable.

I pulled this together in about 20 minutes.

Sometimes I forget that it doesn't take that long to make a special setting,

and that makes any meal more fun. 

I'm joining Sherry over at No Minimalist Here

for her Block Party Theme of Outdoor Entertainment.

And don't forget to head over to At The Picket Fence to

catch all the Summer Block Party Link Parties.

also joining in for:

Hope I'll see you here for Vintage Inspiration Friday

where our theme will be anything "Vintage Summer"

Out on the Deck for the Summer Block Party

Is "vintage" the same as old and worn out?

If so, I have tons of "vintage"

 just hanging around out on the deck, off the sunroom,

...which is also "vintage".

This old garden table has a furnace grate for a top,

married to a sewing machine bottom.

 It's setting in front of one of my white metal garden gates

and my kitchen window.

my favorite, "angel vine"

I found this little concrete lamb several years ago,

and he's developed the perfect patina.

Which is the same as,

"hasn't had a bath in a while".

Hope this Picnik "gritty effect"

is hiding the fact that my deck is in need of a paint job in the worst way.

But hey, it just wasn't happening this year.

So an indoor/outdoor rug from O.Com has helped to hide the neglect.

Yep, just buy another little rug...

Chippy white iron fencing, gate, and garden chair

and some of my many watering cans.

My husband asks me why I have so many flowers

that constantly need to be watered.

"Why do you set yourself up for so much work?"

and my answer is always the same.

I need to see beauty when I look out my window,

flowers just instantly lift my mood.

I have two vintage flower pots full of mint, I'm obsessed with it.

It's my favorite to flavor everything from orange juice to club soda.

Yummy... and don't forget the lime.

Below is a sweet topiary from Mother's Day last year.

I wintered it, but it wasn't very happy inside.

It needs lots of light so it rebelled by

having a near death experience.

Wish I knew what it was.

It needs to be "whipped into shape"!

I'll be linking to Savvy Southern Style

 for The Summer Deck and Porch Block Party.

and check out At the Picket Fence

for the rest of the links today.

and I'm also joining in on these parties:

Remember to check out At the Picket Fence

for all the Block Party Summer Themed Parties this week.

have a great day,
it's the first day of Summer!
lot's of love,

The "White" Stuff!

Hey Everyone,

 it looks as if a good portion of blogland is under a heavy blanket of white, today.

We probably have about 12 inches here and more is falling.

We dodged the ice and thankfully the power outages that usually come with it.

So today, I wanted to share some "whites" that I put together to stay in keeping with not only the snow, but add a few sprinkles of hearts for February, our month of Romance.

Remember my chairs that we used for our sunset lakeside dinner last fall?

They've found a spot in the Living Room

but today one is holding some of my ironstone and linens.

I've realized these are of Gustavian (Swedish) design.

Definitely old, but recaned. I found them for 13 dollars apiece.

I know!!!!!

love the carving on the back

We went to the Springfield City Wide Garage Sale last Sunday,

and I picked up a few pieces of ironstone to add to my platter collection from England.

This one is the same from the top photo and is Johnson Brothers.

It's in pretty good shape but has a small chip on the rim.

I have a stack of these fancy scalloped edge English serving platters on my kitchen counter.

(vintage crocheted heart I've had since forever)

This little pitcher was given to me recently by my Mother-in-law.

It belonged to her grandmother.

This Meakin platter has been used hard...

it has a small crack, and lots of pitting,

and was definitely a workhorse.

It weighs 4 pounds!!!

I found this lovely linen runner there too. 

a little taste of winter here in SW Missouri

Right outside my sunroom door on the deck

...and speaking of sunrooms,

If you haven't been by to visit Jill this morning,

we're hanging out on the porch!

I'm linking to Kathleen for White Wednesday

Stay warm and snuggly!

Happy February!

love,

Debra