Daily Photo

Rather than post the photo first this time, I'm going to tell you why I chose this particular one. You see, I was at the supermarket today buying peaches. Why? Because peaches are my favorite fruit (and these are seriously delicious!). That was going to be my photo (well, I guess I ruined part two)... Anywhoo, that wsa up until you sent me this ridiculously cute text message as I was walking back to my apartment. It really came out of nowhere (well... It was in reply to my questions here on my blog) but still, it was random. But it was so sweet. You followed it up with "Kaelah Dawn Popsicle Stick" and it was the cutest thing ever. You are truly amazing. I know you've already seen this, but others haven't and I'll never run from an opportunity to show how genuinely fantastic you are.

But I don't want to leave out my sweet peaches! They have a meaning, too! Peaches are my favorite fruit, as I said above. They're yummy and I love the color peach as well. Not to mention I call Georgia my sweet little peach and I've always thought my future would look nice in a sweet southern/coastal town of Georgia. Everything about the south just makes me feel at home. I want to have a peach tree in our backyard. Just so you know. This is my little "well I told you that one time!" bit so I don't have to explain it again a few years down the line ;). I really want a little peach tree though. It'd be the perfect addition to our little house. I'm getting so excited about finding a place with just you. Just us. It sounds so lovely! It'll be a bit of a stretch financially, but I know it's something we can do. It's time we put on our big kid britches and grow up! I'm so excited that I'll be hugging you and kissing you in less than 12 hours! Now go get some sleep! Sweet dreams, sweet pea. ♥ [CLICK HERE to check out Mike's Daily Photo]

xoxo

Summer Dining! Welcome to the 97th Tablescape Thursday!

Hope you aren't tired of dining out on the porch. When winter gets here, they'll be plenty of time for staying inside by the fire. For now, lets play outside...as long as we can.

I didn't wait for darkness to light the candles...though, I know I really should. Let's just pretend it's getting dark.




While we're pretending...let's, also, pretend I grew this corn and harvested it today just for our meal. ;-) We'll be having a mystery guest join us...I can just see his hand to the right of the flowers.




Here's your place right here...




Golden bamboo flatware just seemed to work with this corny tablescape...







Here's a little tip...look for items to use as chargers...that really aren't chargers.




I found these large corn platters at Old Time Pottery, 50% off...which made them only $5 each.  Using non-charger items for chargers can make for a fun and interesting tablescape.








The platters came with silky green bows tied onto the handles. If they eventually get soiled or dirty, it will be easy to replace them with fresh ribbons. I could even see some fun gingham ribbons tied on the handles. Or, maybe raffia...to go with the corn theme.








I love this globe candle holder provided by Colonial Candle...




It's the only candle holder I've ever seen that will convert to hold either a pillar or a taper candle...is that cool, or what?!




This tablescape called for a simple centerpiece. I used my favorite little pitcher of daisies for a centerpiece with a bit of a country feel. Uh, what's that? You say, you see someone?




Now how do you think I grew all this corn? (wink) I had some help, you know. ;-)




No crows on this porch!




Will you be having corn cooked on the grill for your 4th of July celebration?



Chargers: Platters from Old Time Pottery, 4-5 months ago
Cabbage Plates: Bordallo Pinheiro, HomeGoods, Ross and eBay, a year or two ago
Cream Salad Plates: HomeGoods, no pattern name on back, around 1-2 years ago
Flatware: Big Lots, about 2 years ago
Glassware: Pier 1, a year or so ago
Tablecloth: Marshalls, 6 months ago
Napkins: Kohl's, about 2-3 years ago
Napkin Rings: Don't remember now
Scarecrow: Big Lots, I think...years ago


Looking forward to viewing your beautiful tablescapes!



Please Read:
If you are participating in Tablescape Thursday, please be sure to add your permalink below, and not your general blog address. To get your permalink, click on your post name. Then just copy and paste the address that shows up in the address bar at the top, into the "url" box for the picture linky. You'll also need to put your e-mail address in, but don't worry, it will not be visible to anyone.

You may see a red X once you enter your link. No one else can see the red X, it's just there in case you make a little mistake and need to delete your link and re-enter it.

I'd love for you to use the Tablescape Thursday logo button in your post. To do that, just copy and paste it to your computer and upload it to your post as you would any photo. Or, just grab the html code posted on the sidebar under the TT button.

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, thus increasing visits for all participating.

Please do not add your link below, until your tablescape post is actually published to your blog. Please don't add your post name/blog name in ALL CAPS...it tends to spread out the links in an awkward pattern. Thanks! :-)

Wedding Wednesday!

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I am in LOVE with this shoot! The beautiful dancer and the gorgeous dress! And her hair! The charming fella in the great outfit! Oh my goodness!

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Doesn't this couple just look like so much fun?! The adorable dress, the wonderful tabletop centerpieces, and the GORGEOUS styling! Swoon!

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UM HI BEAUTIFUL EVERYTHING! I know these aren't the same wedding, but they're the same photographer. And well, both of these are AWESOME.

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How about that paper flower installation, huh?! Oh my stars! I need that in my life! I love when couples take a handmade approach to weddings and it's so over-the-top-but-still-subtle like this! And those flower arrangements and centerpieces are some of the most fantastic I've ever seen! I love the wood block numbers. They'd be great for practical purposes in the home afterwards, too! You must check out this feature! [BTW, the photographer is the oh-so-talented Kyle Hale who I featured way back in the day! Cool!] OH OH OH! One more thing, the awesome paper flower installation is done by Dolci Odille and you can go oogle and drool over the blog by clicking HERE. I'm currently doing so.]

(♥)

The flowers! Ooooh the flowers! [And the bride's incredible red hair!]

Gah! I just can't help but swoon over such well-done weddings! Can I get married now?! Please?! I want my childhood, fairytale, ~dream wedding, too! You can view the original features of all the weddings by clicking on the ♥ under the photos! Now for the weekly wedding question!

How do you feel/where do you stand on the bride taking the groom's last name? Is it too traditional for you? Is it expected? What do you think of women who choose to keep their maiden name? And how about the hyphenated last name? [Okay.. there were several questions...]

Just curious! Mike and I were discussing this the other night and I'd love to know what you all think! At the end of the day, I think it's totally the bride [and groom]'s call and there's no right or wrong answer. Some have some very special reasons for wanting to keep their maiden name, and some think that taking on the new last name is expected and a perk of being married. Let's hear your thoughts!

xoxo

second looking taylor

okay. before anyone makes fun of me for this post, let me get one thing out. i'm not a fan. not of jenny humphrey, or taylor momsen. she's a poor actress and she's not very cute. BUT, i digress.

i found these pictures on googley [as our merchants sometimes call it] and i thought, 'wow, she doesn't look half bad'. she annoys me in gossip girl, and she's not that good of an actress. she was good in the grinch. but how did she go from cindy lou who in 2000 to whore of Constance in under a decade? she used to be so sweet. 

i guess that's how all actors/actresses end up, right? well, most of them. but seriously, these pictures made me take another look at taylor. she looks decent in these pictures. and i'm almost through with my gossip girl catch up. i've watched all episodes starting from the beginning, so that when i purchase my new set of dvd's, i'm all caught up to little details that i might have missed. [as you know, i watch my shows a bit differently ha, as said in previous post].

i hope that you all are having a great middle of the week. ♥

Daily Photo

Today's Daily Photo is of my ticket stub to see Toy Story 3 tonight with Liz. I miss my normal Tuesday night dates with you. Always our date/movie night! I also miss the silly fella behind the concession stand at the movie theater! The one that said he was a pirate! Oh my, he was so funny! I hope that when we move back to the Franklin area we can pick up where we left off! Can't let our bucket go to waste! I wish you could've been there for our movie. It was so wonderful. But don't worry, it's one of those that I'll be at Walmart for at midnight upon it's release. Must buy it! I'd like to get all 3 Toy Story movies so that our kids can watch them in the future! I can't believe you're going to be here in just 36 hours! So excited! [To see Mike's Daily Photo, CLICK HERE!]

xoxo

A Shade Garden, Water Features

Hi Everyone! I've been enjoying all the wonderful "Before and Afters" linked for Met Monday! Did you get a chance to check some of them out? There are lots of amazingly creative and talented bloggers in Blogland who are making their homes more beautiful by the minute!

How is your summer going? Is it as hot where you are as it's been here in Georgia? We've been having August temps all month long. Wonder if that means August will feel like June? I could work with that! :-)

I've been so wishing I had a skinny hose I could connect to my laundry room utility sink that would stretch all the way out to my decks. I've been making endless trips with gallon jugs to water my potted plants every day. I found one that was 50 feet (I think) at Big Lots...but that wasn't quite long enough. How are your potted plants holding up?

Speaking of gardening and flowers, I thought I'd share a few more pics from the Gardens for the Connoisseur, tour I went on a few weeks ago. It's a huge tour and included 12 gardens. The following pics were all taken in one garden on the tour...and this garden had a lot of wonderful water features.

Summer always has me feeling a bit nostalgic, so the Ideabook you'll find at the end of this post features an old fashioned outdoor feature...the well-loved tree swing. :-) Hope you enjoy checking it out...it may have you feeling a little nostalgic, too! :-)

Let's go on a garden tour...watch your step! The path gets a little narrow at times and we are up pretty high!












See...wasn't kidding about the narrow part. :-) Here's an idea for the next time you have a tree come down....make some stepping "trunks."


Wish you could hear the waterfall...








Lots and lots of water features...




A shady side path...


Hope you enjoyed this leg of the tour!