Bea-u-ti-ful Buttes

After a long rainy New Years weekend of putting away all most the

Christmas decorations the sun finally came out! 

Hubby and I decided to go for a drive today out to our almond orchard

at the base of the beautiful Sutter Buttes. 

The velvety slopes have already started to turn a lovely shade of green with 

the abundant amount of rain we've had! 

I couldn't resist the opportunity to get out and enjoy the warm sun

and take a few photos of the mountain surroundings.

Moooo!...

I don't know WHY I have to moo at cows when I see them...

but I can't help myself!!

a little photo magic...

The Sutter Buttes are the worlds smallest mountain range.
 They were formed a million and half years ago by this now extinct volcano!

Hope it doesn't decide to wake up someday!!
I'll bet the people who work in the radio station up there
on top of it hope the same too!

A secret little culvert we discovered.
Love all the moss growing on the stones!

More photo magic!

A grazing horse becomes a painting!!

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and places to pray in,

where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to body and soul. –John Muir

Such awesome beauty!

An abandoned cat my hubby has adopted and brings food to.

He's such an ol' softy....

Inside our orchard... by next month these trees will be covered

in beautiful pink blossoms!

So glad you could stop by!

I hope you enjoyed the scenery as much as I did!

I'll be joining Susan at a Southern Daydreamer for

Outdoor Wednesday

Pop over to visit her blog for some more outdoor fun!

Warm sunny wishes to you!

Sherri:-)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! 2011

~A Time for New Beginnings~

"This is a time for reflection as well as celebration.

As you look back on the past year and all that has taken place in your life,

Remember each experience for the good that has come of it
    and for the knowledge you have gained.

Remember the efforts you have made and the goals you have reached.

Remember the love you have shared and the happiness you have brought.

Remember the laughter, the joy, the hard work, and the tears.

And as you reflect on the past year, also be thinking of the new one to come.

Because most importantly, this is a time of new beginnings
    and the celebration of life."

~***~

Taylor Addison


 Wishing you a year of Love, Laughter, Good Health and Happiness!

Hugs, Sherri :-)

Heirloom Christmas Tablescape

A Joyeux Noel to you blogging friends! 

Thanks for joining me for what will be my last tablescape for the year of 2010!

Wow! 

Hard to believe a year has past since I last said typed those very same words for 2009!

(For a peek at that tablescape click on the

Snow White Doves tablescape on my sidebar.)

Since then I have grown through blogging and have grown even closer

to the blogging friends I've made.

We've shared so much with each other... 

Our hopes our dreams and sorrows...  Our prayers for brighter tomorrows.

Thanks so much to all of you for becoming such an important part of my life!

Now before I wind up in a puddle of sentimental tears... 

Lets get on with the show!!

This tablescape was inspired by a collection of pretties

that has been passed on to me by very special people in my life.

 Also, with things that have been collected by me that will be passed on in the future!

Silver tray chargers all thrift store treasures that I've collected.

My centerpiece is made up of a glass Princess House cake stand

with a smaller silver stand on top of that.

A pretty set of silver candlesticks, gorgeous lace tablecloth,

and silver compote dish all from my sweet MIL.

I added my glass votive holders and votives.

This sweet double heart shaped silver tray and lovely silver salt and pepper shakers
as well as the lovely silver basket shown above,

were all gifts from my dear long time friend Mary.

Need a special looking bottle of wine for your holiday party? 

Create your own label, like I did here! 

You could even make it personalized and add some

 jingle bells or a pretty bow for a wonderful hostess gift too!

My wonderful Momma gave me this beautiful set of
 Onieda's "Baroque Rose" pattern silverware that she had for about 43 years. 

Of course,  

I had to use some floral, and berry pick for accents and

 as well as cut fresh pine from the yard!

Crackled glass stemware were Goodwill treasures!

Red plates from Marshall's this year.
Placemats I've had... can't remember where I bought them!

I think they came from Gottschalks, before they went out of business!

I hear they may be re-opening soon, wouldn't that be great!

White ironstone dinner plates here along with my green majolica plates.

I also used wide sheer glittery ribbon

to cover the the napkins for an extra special look!

***

I'll be joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch,

as well as Marty from A Stroll Through Life

who have both been excellent hostesses for the past year

and such an inspiration to us all!

Please stop by and visit their blog's for

Tablescape Thursday

and

Tabletop Tuesday

... and thanks for joining me!

For...

Well friends, that wraps up this final and (my favorite) tablescape for the year!!  

I hope you enjoyed it! 

May you have a most blessed Christmas and a very Happy New Year!!

Big Holiday Hugs to you all!! 

Sherri :)

Christmas with Touches of Nature

I decided to keep my Christmas decorating simple this year. 

Mostly by adding natural elements found right in my own backyard.

Here I made a cute lil homespun Christmas display on my black chair.

By just taking a faux berry wreath then added some pine greenery underneath it. 

Then adding my favorite yelloware mixing bowl, tossed some lemons in it along with the leaves, and an accent of bit more pine and berries.   

As you can see I couldn't leave well enough alone. 

Of course I had to add a couple of bows and a pick in the the center. 

This diplay was done on my butcher block table next to the black chair.
I used more mixing bowls, lemons,
and more berries and greenery on a large plaid napkin.

I had also been wanting to do one of these greetings from my scrabble letters
every since I saw it somewhere else around blogland! 

18 point word score!!
Hmm... should of went with "JOYEUX NOEL"!!

I bought this lil piggy years ago in an antique shop, it's actually is a cookie jar and I had just about decided it was time to retire it when I heard it oink and say...
 Hey I might look cute as a planter, won't you give me another chance?!

...and you thought I was just a sucker for roosters!!

A Fitz and Floyd Christmas plate here,

and a cute lil rooster/hen? votive holder I bought last year at Ross,
also a potted silk amaryllis.

Oh and more pine and real berries. 

I also added some of these cute lil holiday tags that were in my

Victoria "Holiday Bliss" magazine.

This wicker star planter, was a thrift store find.

 I had been on the lookout for a cute set of reindeer and spotted these at yard sale, down the street from my house. 

 My sweet friend Mary gave me this wonderful lil treasure. 

After deciding to retire of some of her stuff. 

I love the chippy rustiness of it!

I knew right away just what I would do with it!!

 Pine cones and greenery!

Thanks Mary!

Well thats all folks!
I hope you all are having a very happy holiday!
Love and warm wishes,  Sherri:)

I'm linking to the holiday's edition of
Metamorphosis Monday ...
hosted by Susan at Between Naps on the Porch.

also,

Tabletop Tuesday

hosted by Marty at A Stroll Through Life

Head on over for some awesome inspiration!

A White Ironstone Christmas

I hope you everyone had a very nice Thanksgiving. 

Unfortunately we had some sad news just before Thanksgiving...

My 92 year old father-in-law passed away.  

He had only been in our family a few years but he was a very special man

and will be dearly missed.  

 My hubby and I have since been spending alot of time with his
Mom trying to help her through this difficult time.

Now here it is already over a week into December!

I'm just now starting a bit of decorating for the holidays,

but having a hard time getting into the holiday spirit:(

I did put together this little vignette with some white Ironstone pieces I've been collecting for a while... and it helped cheer me up!! Yay!

The cutout vase was from Target. 

The branch and pine greenery from my backyard, (free)!

The white ornaments and snowflakes were from the Dollar Tree

These little musical angels were also from Dollar Tree! 

Aren't they sweet?!

 I considered spray painting the branch...

maybe in white or bronze but couldn't decide...so I left it natural. 

What do you think?

***
UPDATE...
I decided to spray paint the branch after Cathy's suggestion, and before Sue said I should leave it natural.  It honestly didn't make a huge difference but I do think it stands out a bit more nicely painted...


Branch painted with Krylon's oil rubbed bronze spray paint.

 These two pitchers I bought just the other day at my favorite local T/S!

The cabbage plates were from Marshall's a while back.  I thought they looked nice in the background to pull the white and green colors together.

I like to mix cut fresh greenery with artificial picks
it helps give them a more authentic look.
These picks above were also from the Dollar Tree.

 And yes... My very first official real cloche!! 
I got so excited to find this one at G/W! 
Looks so cute on this white Ironstone plate with this little green bird,
and a green and white gingham ribbon bow on it.

This little cut work votive holder also from the Dollar Tree

looks cute alongside the cut work vase. 

 Here's another little display I did in my open kitchen cabinet ...

Love my whimsical little Bailey's winking cups...
Hmm... Baileys and coffee, always sounds good
on a cold winters night around holidays! ;)

I had been wanting a cute soup tureen, and finally found this one with a fruit motif
that went well with my kitchen decor. 

Along with my collection tranferware dishes.

Well it's a start, but I have much more to do!  I hope I can get it done soon or Christmas will have already come and gone!
Time just seems to go by so fast these days! 

Maybe I'm just getting much slower than I used to be....
Nah, couldn't be that ;)

Hugs, Sherri:)

I know this is not the traditional tablescape
but since it does have dishes on a table I'll be linking to

Tablescape Thursday

Thank you to Susan our sweet hostess from
"Between Naps on the Porch".

I'll also be linking to
White Wednesday
with Kathleen from "Faded Charm".

as well as
Hooked on Holiday Tours

Okay one last one ...

Marty's Christmas Cloche Party

Please visit all these wonderful blog events
and the other participants for some wonderful inspiration!!
Thanks!!