Giselle + John Engagement

How to Make a Lamp from a Treasured Piece... Welcome to the 24th Metamorphosis Monday!

(Music is only a click away...playlist is posted to your right. Pics are best viewed with computer set on high resolution.)

Before we begin this Met Monday, I wanted to mention two things that may be helpful, especially for beginning bloggers. If you have participated in Met Monday or Tablescape Thursday in the past and did not receive any comments on your posts, please go to your dashboard, "Settings" and "Comments" to see if your blog settings are selected to allow for comments. I recommend choosing "anyone" if you do not wish to limit who can comment. It's very easy to change this setting...just don't forget to hit "save" once you are done. Whenever I notice comments are "turned off," I check the Blogger's profile to see if perhaps they have an e-mail listed for contact. But, unfortunately, many do not have an email listed, so there's no way to let them know that their blog isn't allowing for comments.

If you would like to have an e-mail associated with your blog (without using your private e-mail address) so folks who read your blog and have questions may contact you, you can sign up for a "gmail" e-mail account, via Google. I blogged for quite a while without an e-mail listed under my profile, but once I did create and list one, I started receiving e-mails/questions from my visitors fairly frequently. I was actually able to create an e-mail address that has the name of my blog in the address...mine is betweennapsontheporch@gmail.com. This made it easy for folks to associate it with my blog. Hope these tips are helpful. :-)

Ok, now for some Met Monday fun! You may remember the Metamorphosis Monday post several months ago where I posted about a sweet doggie I found while out antiquing. When I found him, I thought he would be the perfect size to...

...have made into a lamp. I'd been shopping for a small lamp to go on this table in my family room for some time. The room has a bit of a hunt/canine theme, so I knew this little guy would fit right in! :-)

Mary, a delightful visitor of BNOTP, saw this post and was inspired. You see, Mary had a little doggie at her home that was almost exactly like mine. :-) Isn't he cute?

Unfortunately, Mary didn't have any lamp companies in her area that create lamps from original pieces, but did she let that stand in her way? No sirree! She hopped online, ordered all the parts she needed and made her own lamp! :-) Here it is...ready for it's shade.

Mary was able to find a base just like the one on my lamp.

And, here's the finished lamp! Wow! Are you impressed as much as I am?! It never would have occurred to me that I could make my own! As you can see, you don't even have to drill into your ceramic piece to make this lamp...the pole that houses the wiring runs right up the back.

Didn't it turn out beautifully?! Mary has generously shared the list of the online stores where she was able to find the parts she used to make her lamp...they are posted below. Mary, thanks so much for sharing your information and pics. I'm just thrilled that my little doggie now has a twin brother out there in Blogland! :-)

Here are the sources Mary used...just in case you want to make your own lamp. If you do, take "Before and After" pics...I'd love to post them for a future Met Monday! :-)

Grand Brass Lamp Parts
TX Lamp Parts
The Lamp Shop
My Lamp Parts.com

Looking forward to seeing the changes you've been working on for this Metamorphosis Monday!

If you are participating in Metamorphosis Monday, please be sure to add your permalink below, and not your general blog address. If you aren't sure how to obtain your permalink or have any questions about using Mr. Linky for this post, just click HERE for detailed instructions.

Don't forget to copy and paste the Met Monday logo button to your computer so you can add it to your side bar and your Met Monday post. That way visitors will know that your are participating in Metamorphosis Monday.

Please be sure to link back to the host blog, Between Naps on the Porch, so your fellow bloggers who are participating today, will get lots of visits, as well.

Please do not add your link below until your Met Monday post is actually published to your blog.

The following blogs are participating in this Metamorphosis Monday:

A Recipe for Keeping Cool

Favorite place to blog: Out on the porch



How to beat the heat...
Number 1: A snowy, New England screen saver, available for free... HERE. (This also works with Vista.)



It's my screen saver all year 'round.




Update: This beautiful home from the Isle of Hope tour posted HERE is now my wallpaper for my computer. It makes the most beautiful backdrop!  Love it!

Number 2: Plenty of an icy-cold, pink, drink...with or without rum.




And Number 3: A nice, cool breeze from above...




Sometimes I watch the birds...









And sometimes they watch me.


Visit Beverly, at How Sweet the Sound for more Pink Saturday links.

weddingbells

This was a nice surprise. Roseanne at weddingbells wrote a lovely review of our work.

Snap & Tumble

Tanya at Snap & Tumble creates beautiful stationery and wrote a very nice post about some recent photos we took of her stationery at Shelley + Nelson's wedding. You can read what she wrote here.

Springtime Table Setting: Welcome to the 44th Tablescape Thursday!

Summer is here and I'm thinking sunshine and blue skies...




The sunflowers remind me of sunshine, while the blue and white gingham napkins have me dreaming of blue skies with white fluffy clouds.




It's hotter than blazes here in Hotlanta.! So let's cool things down with lots of crisp, cool white...white chargers, white china, white candles, white hobnail candle sticks and white wicker.




And how about a light, refreshing dessert...




Tonight we're having blueberries, raspberries, and mandarin oranges...topped off with whipped cream, toasted almonds and a chocolate Oreo wafer stix.




The Target birdies are making their first appearance since their long ago holiday.




Martini glasses from Dollar Tree make great dessert dishes...




Napkins are from Old Time Pottery...$6 for six! They are tucked down inside goblets from the Dollar Tree. Crystal tea glasses are Araglin by Waterford. Chargers are from Neiman Marcus and china is Gibson from Big Lots.




Flatware is Napoleon Bee from Neiman Marcus...Horchow has it, too.













I love this cute blossom candle snuffer from Colonial Candle! You never want to blow out your candles because of the risk of blowing the wax right onto your tablecloth or surrounding china. I did that a few months ago with red candles I used in a Valentines tablescape...I'm still trying to figure out how to get the red wax out of a white crocheted doily. Does anyone know a good way? Would love to hear your suggestions.




I love walking around snuffing out all the candles at the end of the evening...I feel a bit like a fairy Godmother with her magical wand.




Hope you are celebrating summer with sunshine tablescapes!





If you are participating in Tablescape Thursday, please be sure to add your permalink below, and not your general blog address. If you aren't sure how to obtain your permalink or have any questions about using Mr. Linky for this post, just click HERE for detailed instructions.

Please copy and paste the Tablescape Thursday logo button to your computer. Then you can upload it to your side bar and use it in your tablescape post so your visitors will know you are participating.

Please link back to the host blog, Between Naps on the Porch. This is important because it helps those who are visiting your blog, find the other wonderful tablescapes posted for this Tablescape Thursday.

Please do not add your link below, until your tablescape post is actually published to your blog.

The following blogs have lovely tablescapes awaiting your visit:

Welcome to My Town

Melissa at Huckleberry Prairie is hosting The Great American Home Tour...and I'm thrilled to be joining in! Click HERE to visit Huckleberry Prairie, where you will find links that will have you vacationing in America's most lovely home towns! Thanks Melissa for hosting such a fun party!



(Click on any pic to enlarge. If pics are cut off on the right side, try adjusting your resolution to a higher setting.)
A few weekends ago, a friend and I drove the short distance to the town square. We walked all around looking at some of the historic homes up close...you know, the ones we tend to whiz by in our car each day. I wasn't able to get to a street that had some of my favs, but here are a few that caught my eye this day.

This one was still all decked out from Memorial Day...perfect since July 4th is just around the corner! I thought I smelled apple pie baking as we passed by. :-)

Doesn't it just say all-American home town! The sign on the door said, "God Bless, America."
There's a house on this particular street that I used to stalk on a regular basis. I would drive by on my lunch hour some days, reaaaallly slowly...yea, I'm sick that way. This isn't it, it's posted at the end, but this intriguing gate is just down the street. I'd never noticed this partially hidden, wrought iron gate...until this day. There is definitely something to be said for a walking tour.

I couldn't see the house, so I thought I'd torture you, too. I'm nice that way. :-)Aren't we just dying to know what's up that walkway and around the bend?!

You'll see a lot of cute cottages today...I spent much of my time walking in neighborhoods full of delightful, little cottages...

I love the vine growing along under the eave of the porch.

This house is the kind of house that always speaks to me. It's saying, Hey, Susan...come rescue me. Look at all the angels/pitches of my roof line...you know you're a sucker for that. Come save me from this awful window A/C unit that is ruining my good looks. Just look at my porch, you could string garland at Christmas time. And how about my poor neglected yard...come make some pretty gardens for those who pass by to enjoy.

Next door to my stalker house, sits this house. I've always loved it because it sprawls down the side of it's corner lot, with multiple side porches. I wasn't able to photograph the porches for you this day due to a tall fence that has been erected. But at least we can drool over the front.

Do you see the stained glass window in the center of the peak...love the little picket fence and swinging gate.

This Tudor is on a busy main road off the square...never been able to really get a good gander at it as I've zoomed by. On this day, it was really bugging me that they had a massive piece of furniture right in the front window...behind that wreath. I'm imagining it's a gorgeous, antique highboy or linen press that's just been moved their temporarily while a repair is being made to a wall...or the room is being painted. Yea, that's it...gotta be temporary. :-)

Thanks to my zoom lens, I didn't have to risk being arrested to snag a pic of the wonderful front door. I love the ferns on either side. Doesn't it feel like the entry to a magical fairytale? :-) They just don't make doorways like this anymore...

A large home on the busy main road...I toured this one during a Christmas home tour once.

Another beautiful, intriguing gate...except this time, we actually get to see what awaits us on the other side. Come on up the steps with me and let's peak in...

Yep, this will do...where do I sign? I love the double front doors and it looks like there are screened doors to let in the nice, cool breezes.

I once walked through this house when it was up for sale. Nice house, but I was a little disappointed because it lacks a foyer/entry. When you enter the front door, you find yourself immediately in the living room. Wouldn't you expect an entry on a house this huge? It has a cool back stairway, though and a great view from the kitchen.

This little cottage has been for sale for a long time. I've been inside...yep, another home tour. It's really cute inside and has a wonderful back yard..

I'm not sure what the front of this house looks like, but here's the back. It was visible from another street and I just stopped when I saw it. My friend took this pic from the car. I'm guessing a house burned down or something and these folks just bought the lot and extended their back yard. Pretty, isn't it?

Another lovely cottage...it's my favorite kind with the multiple pitched roof lines, dormers and peaks.

I think this house has amazing potential...but I just wasn't feeling the stark black and white paint job. It looks cold and a bit scary, even in the daylight. It could be amazing with the right paint colors.

There is something about yellow houses...I already know I like the folks who live inside.

Beautiful Greek Revival...at least that's what I usually call the ones with the huge columns out front. :-) I think I see Miss Scarlet coming down the front steps now.

Oh...I like this one, A LOT! It's just a block or two down the street from the historic home where my garden club meets. Check out the semi-hidden second floor porch. You could stow away up there on a Sunday afternoon and listen to the neighbors gossiping as they stroll by on the sidewalk. :-) I love the way it's painted, you notice all the beautiful architectural accents and design, without it being too garish. Yep, this could become a fav... I will not stalk, I will not stalk, I will not stalk.

Toured this house one Christmas...they had gorgeous, large, square, boxwood wreaths hanging on the lower section of each of the front windows. I ooohed and ahhhed and then came home and did a Christmas post for the blog showing a square wreath.

They looked something like this, but bigger and prettier!

A sweet cottage....I love the wavy siding.

And another cute cottage...but why are they hiding all that cuteness behind that huge hedge? No underground utilities in these historic areas.

I think this is a Dutch Colonial...isn't it wonderful?

Ok, ready to stalk? Here it is...do you hear Jaws music?

There it is...just beyond the ivy and past the magnolias. It's on a dead end street and sits nicely back off the road...very private. And I know they are Georgia fans 'cause I've seen a big Georgia concrete Bulldog out front on their steps. :-)

I've always stalked it from the road, but my crazy, brave...did I mention crazy...friend who was with me this day, walked up their driveway (YES, he did) to get a couple of pics for you, my blog buddies.

I love the double porches, the eyebrow-arched window. This house used to be painted a pale pink...not good. Fortunately, the new owners gave it a new dress. When it had been up for sale, I checked the price...it was just under a million. ~~~Sigh~~~ Oh well, I'm really in search of that quaint darling cottage anyway, this is way more house than I need. Now, what I really want to know is...when is this baby going to be on the Christmas tour? We want in people! Don't make me stalk you forever!
Today, I was almost certain I was in Mayberry...I kept waiting to bump into Andy, Opie and Aunt Bea. The neighborhoods and houses melted into my heart...as did this sweet tree swing just on the other side of a white picket fence.

Hope you enjoyed the tour...there were so many great houses I never made it to this day. Wanna go again sometime? Leave me a comment and let me know...I'm always ready for another tour, if you are. :-)