Set Your Table With Flair--Afternoon Tea Week in the Dog Days of Summer

Hello, Friends!

I don't know about you, but I need a little reprieve.  A little bit of a distraction.  I want to think of simpler, happier, (and definitely more care-free) times.  A few months ago, I shared on my Instagram a simple teatime among the spring flowers in my garden, but I never wrote about it.  Today marks the last day of Afternoon Tea Week, so I thought this would be a perfect time to do so!  I so hope you enjoy.

Back in Spring, when the weather was wonderfully fair, my little blossoms were all a-bloom; their fragrant scent danced on the light breeze.  It was a perfect time to be outdoors and enjoy a simple teatime.

I used almost no color in the setting, which, quite honestly, I questioned then but can absolutely appreciate now because of the soothing feeling it imbues as I look back upon these photos.


A pretty topper with delicate periwinkle petals and soft greens, white, and muted beiges was the foundation of the setting.  A closeup of the detail. 


Simple white bone china for the teacup perfectly balances alongside 

the elegant lines of the fluted stand.

Closer look.  A perfect serving plate for my homemade macarons, such a light treat! 

A whimsical tea kettle completes the setting.

I adore the detail of the miniature Tea-for-Two setting on the top!  So sweet!


Completed setting under the canopy of my roses.

Another look.

Thank you for joining me in this look back, and I hope it has served as an enjoyable and peaceful lazy-day reverie.




From my collection:
Topper, Ralph Lauren Cape Elizabeth Lilac Collection
Tea kettle, Butler's Pantry Collection By Lennox
Teacup and saucer, Haviland France Ranson, Marseille Collections
Fluted cake plate, Ralph Lauren Pavilion Collection




Until next time, you are all in my thoughts!

-Y

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Presto-Change-O! Making A Modern Kitchen A Classic

Hello, friends!  Thank you so very much for stopping by my blog!

The months of April through June are typically very busy in my home.  During the months of April and May, we celebrate four of our five children's birthdays, and our wedding anniversary (Número Twenty this year)!  Whew!  My apologies if posts have been sporadic. 

If you have been visiting my posts, you know we are in the middle of a complete kitchen overhaul. Now that our cabinets and countertops are installed, I felt it was time to start looking at hardware.  The cabinets we have chosen for our new kitchen are from Ikea.  If you have visited an Ikea before, you know that the cabinets are typically very modern.  Making specific choices in hardware and other decorative elements is great way to transform a kitchen!  

For a couple of weeks now, I have been trolling some of my favorite antique shops in search of drawer pulls.  My thought was to use very old or similar reproductions of antique hardware in the new kitchen.  The choice of this specific type of hardware melds well with the décor in my home, which is classic-European-meets-modern.  Here is a peek of what I found. Aren't these gorgeous!!?  I'm so excited!

I also happened upon a beautiful pillar.  I absolutely adored the lines of this pillar, so I snapped it up immediately.  This pillar will be featured underneath my quartz countertop on the corner of the slab.  She just needs a little love, which I am more than willing to give!  

Before I happened upon this gorge pillar, we had already chosen one from the local hardware store....but I felt it paled in comparison, so back it went!

The final decorative elements I found on my latest excursions were a gorgeous cast iron trivet,

a wonderful cast iron letter holder (which is in severe need of cleansing),

and the Pièce de Résistance:  a fantastic cast iron welcome sign with bell.  

Please stay tuned, I will be featuring a post explaining how to add the hardware very soon.  To give you a sneak peek, here is a snap of the dishwasher, where we have already added the hardware (please keep in mind our dishwasher is not bracketed in place yet, so this is not its final position).

If you enjoy this post, please visit the archives!  You may also visit my full profile to view my other blogs. Connect with me on my Facebook Page, Parsimonious Décor Darling.   You might like to visit my other blog hubs,

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Maaaaavelous Mirror Makeover #1

I am always trolling for ideas, as I like to keep the décor in my house fresh. I found these incredible mirrors on one such trip. These mirrors were $90 each at the Salvation Army. There were four mirrors total, two of the elaborate and two of the plainer ones. I got a great deal on these on a 50% off all furniture day, so I paid $180 for all four. What I love about these is that they were not cheap plastic or plaster. These were very heavy-duty mirrors you would have to feel yourself to appreciate the heft. I had looked at ZGallerie, West Elm, Horchow, and Pottery Barn. Of course, one can find this type of mirror, but they typically cost $200 or more per mirror. 

I began by sanding, sanding, and sanding some more.

All sanded!! I didn't want to take all the stain off because I wanted some to show through for an antiqued patina effect (or so I hoped).

Next, I used a clean paintbrush to remove any excess sawdust.

The paint I chose is a specialty color in Ms. Stewart's metallic line. Thanks, Martha!!

Time to protect the glass. I love frog tape.....

Now, the stain

Once the paint was dry, I removed paint here and there. Again, for an antiqued effect. For me, it's all trial and error. After trying the fingernail, failing, I found that using the backside of a butter knife worked.....

Here is a close up. 

And lastly, violà!! On my wall in the foyer.

.....And the other in the dining/living area. 

If you enjoy this post, please visit the archives!  You may also visit my full profile to view my other blogs. Connect with me on my Facebook Page, Parsimonious Décor Darling.   You might like to visit my other blog hubs,

The Marvelous Maison, a lifestyle blog hub and 

Frugal Fab Fashionista, my fashion blog hub. 

Follow me on Pinterest!!  Please be sure to kindly follow the board guidelines as it takes time and effort to find fabulous pins across the internet and Pinterest.  Thank you! 

All photography, poetry, and verbiage are the sole intellectual property of Parsimonious Décor Darling, and are subject to existing federal and state copyright laws and the statutes therein; thus they are not to be copied, reproduced, nor used for creation utilizing Artificial Intelligence without express permission from the aforementioned owner.

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