"My little dog - a heartbeat at my feet"

The quote in the title is by the novelist, Edith Wharton but it sure epitomizes my feelings about my dog. We're big on dogs around here so I thought I'd share some of my vintage dog images today for Sharing the Wealth Saturday. We have 2 chihuahuas named Baby & Sandy & a hard-headed shih tzu named Gizzy (short for Gizmo). My grandkids used to ask me who my favorite is (trying to pin me down on who my favorite grandchild is) & I'd always smile & say, "Gizzy! Didn't you know?".... so they don't ask any more. *grins*

These first two aren't really vintage but I think they'd be great project material.

For the scottie lovers!



Lovely french postcard! Pekingese cigar label
Love this old photo of a doted on pup! I need to start having birthday parties for my dogs...do any of y'all do that?


I have many, many more vintage images of dogs to share so I'll be reposting this topic several times on sharing the wealth days. Have a great weekend!

Hope to see everybody @ the show n tell tomorrow. Cerri @ http://littlepinkstudio.typepad.com/little_pink_studio/ is hosting it. It's my first time to play along in the show n tells so I'm pretty excited...they look like so much fun.

Oodles & oodles of inspiration

If y'all haven't been to BJ's @ Sweet Nothings this week, you need to head over there to see some great kitchens. She is hosting a week-long feature on our dream kitchens....either our own or one we long for. I'm not lucky enough to live in a house w/ my dream kitchen so I submitted photos of a wonderful kitchen from House Beautiful. A friend of mine shared these photos w/ me recently & as soon as I saw them, I thought, "I want to cook in that kitchen!"

If it were just me, I'd prefer a kitchen more like Tina's @ http://cherryhillcottage.typepad.com/cherryhill_cottage/ But hubby cooks as much as I do & we are usually in the kitchen together. He is a minimalist & can't stand stuff on the counter. *rolling eyes* This kitchen has charm, history, style, space & it's mega-functional....hubby & I would be very happy in it.

It's a little sparse for someone who scoffs at the "less is more" theory though so I'd add some romantic touches...the sink area really needs some dressing up. And I'd add a huge walk-in pantry w/ a vintage screen door, as well as a fireplace...with a wing-back chair nearby so that I could sit & read my cookbooks while hubby prepared dinner. (Hey...it's my dream kitchen!)

Look at that stove! *sigh* And the spice cabinet is right next to it so that's handy.

Side by side apron sinks...hubby & I could do dishes together w/out getting in each other's way. *another huge sigh*

Look at all those shelves! I might be able to get all my dishes in the same room...maybe.

If you had asked me a week ago, what kitchen I would have if I could just blink - I Dream of Jeannie style & I would have said "hands down...this one". But after seeing BJ's feature this week, I'd be hard pressed to make up my mind.... she has posted some fabulous kitchens! Go check them out! http://sweetnothingsbj.blogspot.com/

Sharing the Wealth

Well, it stands to reason that since this is Memorial week-end that I would post images related to that. Never say I wasn't reasonable! ;o)

I come from a long line of military gents, so of course I want to honor the service they, & many others, have done for our country. My grandfather & 2 uncles were Colonels & my father fought in the Korean war...forunately, they all made it through OK but so many didn't. Thank you so much to anyone & everyone that has ever fought for our freedom & way of life. We are forever indebted to you!

Love the cover of this old sheet music!

Marina's Virtual Party

Photo alert...there are many photos in this post!

First of all, I want to thank Marina for hosting this party. Thanks Marina...you're a doll! And I do mean doll... she's cute as she can be! ;o) For her "Favorite Decor" virtual party, I thought I'd share pics of my tablescapes. My favorite place in the house to decorate is my dining room table. I love to do tablescapes...I always have. My parents tell me that as a little girl, I'd set the table, make my sisters dress up & then serve beef bouillon (out of the cubes....it was the only appie I knew how to make) w/ hot dogs. LOL

You'll see that many of my tables are set for 3...that's when it's one of the grands sleep-over nights. They take turns spending the night, twice a week...one at a time. I love having them all together but they can sometimes be bratty & competitive w/ each other so I most enjoy the one-on-one time. There are also many special tables set for two...we don't wait for company to set a pretty table or celebrate a holiday & you shouldn't either! I'm only posting one photo of each table...if you want to see more detail, just click on a pic to enlarge.

Love the cake dome scene in this table! It's a Santa & sleigh ornament w/ some glittered trees on a bed of faux snow.

My snowbabies table....one of my faves!

I obviously forgot the silverware before taking this pic from Christmas Eve dinner '07.

Thsi was such a fun table! I used chocolate bunnies in my Easter decor in '07 so we had a chocolate bunny fondue dinner afterwards.

I know I promised no multiples but I just had to share this pic of the guest of honor! (we took the rhinestone button eyes out before we fondued him)

Easter brunch '07

Used a stemless wine glass over a bed of sugar & a snowman peep, in a tablescape for a dinner for all the grands.

Connor is a huge Jeff Gordon fan so I made this table in his honor, for the Daytona 500. (nope, I'm not a motor-head but my beloved grandson is. ;o) He knows I like to do themed dinners & requested one for the Daytona 500. So of course I had to do it. I'm just glad he didn't expect me to watch the race! LOL) The car is a model made by Grouchy & Connor. We all wore starting flag tattoos...I wore mine on my cheek & then couldn't get it off the next day. *grins* The kids were smart enough to wear theirs' on their arms.

Easter dinner of '07 (I lost the pics from Easter dinner this year in a computer crash)

Chris & I had a spookfest dinner on Halloween this past year!

Christmas Eve dinner '06

Mother's day brunch '07

New Year's eve '07

Thanksgiving '06 (was running wayyy behind this past year & never got pictures of my table)

Valentine's '08

Valentine's '07

We had a special Halloween party for the 2 oldest grands last year. Check out "the brains"...it was shrimp cocktail & roasted red pepper strips, w/ just enough gelatin added to mold it.

This was black punch w/ a ghost hand I made out of ice & a glove.

Our anniversary dinner '08


anniversary dinner '07

I'm not usually a blue fan but I just love this shade...I'd love to have a room done that color!

These aren't all my tables...just my favorites. Hope you draw some inspiration from them! Now I'm off to Marina's to check out the other submissions! http://wwwpurocolor.blogspot.com/ I just love parties...don't you?

garage sale finds

Remember a while back when I said I hit the mother lode of garage sales? Well this was my score. Most of it anyway. I also got 5 tea cups & saucers w/ roses...they're not the best quality but they have roses on them. ;o) as well as, 5 coffee cups & saucers w/ roses...again, not the best quality china but they have roses on them. And I got a set of 6 silverplated knife rests in the shape of a cat. I'd rather have had dogs but cats are cute too.



Look at that coffee table! I just love the chippy porch post legs & the ceiling tin top. I "stole" it for $20. I'll give everything but the legs, a coat of white paint & then distress it some. The wine rack will be easy to convert to regular shelves...and it has roses on it. The towel stand was only $7.

The large candelabras were only $2.50 each! They'll be oh so shabby chic w/ a coat of white paint & some chandelier prisms. The corbels were $3 a pair & the little mini-candelabra was only a buck. I know I sound redundant but the bust will get a whitewash...the tiny mannequin is good as is but I'll probably doll it up more & maybe change the ribbon to a different color. Look at the lovely mosaic top on the wine rack! $20


We also got the grandsons, a telescope & a tabletop electronic soccer game (cause Grouchy had one just like it when he was a boy) & some misc "guy stuff" but I won't bore you w/ pictures of all that.

Sharing my blessings!

BJ @ Sweet Nothings asked this weekend, for us to share pics of what makes us giggle. BJ & I must share the same sense of humor, because my grandchildren provide me w/ more giggles than anything else.

This little face sure makes me grin! (And he's just as mischievous as he looks! LOL)

This one takes my breath away!

This one melts my heart!

And this one makes me rejoice! Rejoice in the pleasures of being a grandmother because it all started w/ him.

But it won't end w/ these..... Little Noah will be here in Sept...I can't wait to give him a kiss.

I'm not sure what I did to deserve such wonderful blessings but I sure am glad I did it!