Victorian Influence

Popularized during the Victorian Era, the Language of Flowers expressed the giver’s sentiments towards the recipient.

In that era, flowers adorned nearly everything. Today we enjoy vintage décor, china, jewelry and stationery bearing beautiful images of flowers – conveying messages.

Women would wear flowers in their hair, men in their lapels and it was quite common to give a bouquet of flowers to a loved one or to a friend giving wordless expression

of the thoughts of the sender.

With this in mind, I was thinking of the meaning of the flowers that are adorning my garden this early spring.

Daffodils represent chivalry, crocus=represent cheerfulness and gladness, iris represent faith, wisdom, promise in love, wisdom and valor and hope, Christmas Rose/Helleborus represents relieve my anxiety and snowdrops represent hope.

It is such a lovely thing – to ascribe meaning to the lovely flowers that grace this earth – especially if they’re meant to express love and cheer.

I think I would like to learn more about flowers, flower combinations and their meanings.

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Paintless Transformation

China Cabinet

I inherited my dining room set from my parents. They bought it at an old antique barn in South Carolina in the 70’s.

I have loved the wood graining and the lines. Last year, I transformed the chairs and the table – 

they either needed to be refinished or painted after long years of hard lovin’. I did both to the table and painted the chairs.

I am reluctant to paint the hutch. It is in very good condition, but I wanted to do something to brighten the interior.

before

So, I came up with this solution. I took an Elmer’s Foam Board – easily found at craft stores – measured the back wall to each shelf and cut a piece to fit within using a blade.

I chose a solid, sage green fabric to complement the fabric used in the dining room and on the dining chairs.

I used a Fiscars Rotary Blade to cut premeasured strips of cloth. I steamed each strip of cloth to remove any wrinkle. I then applied Spray Adhesive to the Foam Board aligning one edge at a time and rolling out the fabric as I went. The foam board easily slips into place and can be removed using a butter knife.

The possibilities are endless – you can use any color or pattern of fabric, wall paper, craft paper even paint to apply to Foam Board to change the background to your hutch. 

I can see now that I may change these out seasonally as I change things around in other rooms. 

This application could easily be used on bookcases, open hutches, desks – anything with shelves and a backwall.

Thank you so much for stopping by! 

If you give this a try let me know!

I am sharing this post with these Delightsome blog parties

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Metamorphosis Monday

Wow Us Wednesday

Masterpiece Monday

Show Off Your Cottage Monday

Furniture Feature Friday

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Early Spring

There’s a light rain outdoors as I stepped out with the cats

 to see what is going on in the garden.

I noticed our two, very large rosemary bushes at the front were filled with blooms. These are the first since the extreme pruning I gave them last year.

The Hellebores are filling up with their shy, but gorgeous blossoms.

One by one, the daffodils are bringing drops of sunshine here and there in our garden.

Still blooming, the fragrant, star-like Narcissus are shining brightly.

With our unseasonable warm weather, I have early chores to do – weeding! But, it gets me closer to the ground, closer to the soil and to the budding flowers that I so look forward to each year.

Oh, how marvelous it is to share in the beauty God creates –

 for his glory and for our appreciation.

I am sharing this brief garden update with these Delightsome blog parties:

Pink Saturday

Saturday Show Off

Flowers on Saturday

Today's Flowers

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Mary Kay Pink

Sweet Surprise

I have shared in the past the beautiful pink china my Mother-in-Law gave me several years back. She gave me a set of seven place settings. Seven, for the five of us five  plus the grandparents! She likes it when I use them when they come over for dinner.

I have thoroughly loved using them and combining them with other pieces to create tablescapes.

On Christmas one of my gifts was a set of six Mary Kay Pink Coffee Mugs. 

She shared that she had forgotten she had them and that since I used the china, she thought to give them to me! I can’t tell you how touched and thrilled I was!

Now, I am imagining a new table setting to use all these gorgeous pieces together.

But, for now – can you imagine a lovelier way to enjoy a warm cup of coffee or cocoa on a cold winter’s morning.

I can’t! Thank you  so much for stopping by! I truly appreciate you!

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Pink Saturday

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Wow Us Wednesday

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Cottage Time

For The Birds

Hurt no living thing, Ladybird nor butterfly, 

Nor moth with dusty wing, 

Nor cricket chirping cheerfully…’ 

Christina Rosetti

First thing in the Winter mornings, I can hear the chatter of the birds as they forage for their breakfast. 

Several varieties visit my garden through the winter - Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Chickadee, Mourning Dove, Cardinal, Blue Jay, House Finch, American Goldfinch, White-breasted Nuthatch, Downy Woodpecker and Dark-eyed Junco. 

The birds have spent the night expending their energy to keep warm through the cold nights and they need a little extra help finding food in the winters.

This is why I let a lot of my plants go to seed; I allow the berry bushes to retain their berries and I let the crabapple tree keep its apples. They seem to be a favorite of the Blue Jays and the Cardinals.

Along with the birdseed, I like the kind that are primarily the black sunflower seed and dried fruits, that I add to the garden’s offerings, I like to make homemade suet feeders. 

I also like to place around my garden sliced oranges or apples coated with seed. These give the birds extra energy.

Clean water and keeping the bird feeder area cleaned and swept is good for the birds and also for my garden.

I count it a privilege to share my garden with God’s precious creatures. God has so graciously provided us with beauty and wonderful music through these birds, I feel it is an honor to work along side to care for them.

I hope you also enjoy the birds as much as I as well as give them aid during these cold winter months.

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Wishing you a very Delightsome week,

images taken from Pinterest

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