Decorating for a Very Special Event - Part 2

As promised, my friends here is Part 2 of our special decor assignment:

The final 12 arrangements are done and ready to be transported to the event!!  My Dear Friend, Linda,  came and packed up and made at least three trips from my dining room table to the church so that they could be setting the tables  while I was here working on these  (they were there setting up the dishes, stemware  and silverware).

We figured out how to bring that water, that our Pastor wanted,  into the room..  and so it gave birth to The Feature Table!

 Sparkling Cider and Hibiscus Tea Ready for the guests. 

My Friend, Carol Ann,  created this Beautiful Dove Tree with some Bling...LOVE it!!

Floating Camellias ( from my Garden!!)  and Candles!  So Simple, but what a Beautiful Presentation!

Doesn't it look Beautiful?!  We added

 a simple 1-1/2 Spring Green Satin Border to the inside of the table arrangement just to give it that little extra something!

and here is The Final Result!!

We finished setting everything up, while the volunteer cooks were hard at work in the kitchen and left 15 minutes before the guests of the evenings celebration arrived. 

 I was told that everyone enjoyed the event! 

Thanks so much to my dear friend, and co-decor team member, Carol Ann, who stayed a couple minutes after me and lit the floating candles so we could have this one last wonderful image of our hard work!!

And to Linda, as well,  who made many trips back and forth to my house and then stayed for the evening to serve the food (and send me pictures via text on her phone!)  I am Blessed with good friends and a wonderful church!

I hope you've enjoyed it! It was alot of work and alot of fun!! But, after all is said and done, we got to welcome new Christians to our church, in, what we hope they thought was a nice style!!

Blessings Always~

I'm sharing here: 

Also Sharing with:

Amanda @ Serenity Now
Cindy @ Romantic Home
The Sundae Scoop @ I Heart Nap Time
Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps On the Porch
Stephanie Lynn@Under The Table and Dreaming
Wow Us Wednesdays @ Savvy Southern Style
Lauren over @ Mercy Ink 
Courtney from French Country Cottage and Feathered Nest Friday

Decorating for a Very Special Event! (Part 1 of 2) Sorry.

I've had a difficult time deciding whether or not to write this blog entry. You see, last week, my church celebrated 30 newly baptized Christians. What a Glorious thing!! I want to sing "Hallelujah!!" Actually, I want to hear Hallelujah ( My singing voice is not the best, but I do it anyway.) I was Blessed to be part of the Decor Team for this event, it was the first one of it's kind for my church.

We have had many Baptisms, but we are a fairly new church (just celebrated 15 years!!) and we are  "working" things out everyday to make the experience even greater for His Glory. I am behind that 100%!!  I was very happy to be able to a part of this event and my difficulty was whether or not this should be private to our church, and the newly baptized  or should I share it?! So on that note I've decided to share 'my side' of the experience and then leave my church and the people baptized there, their privacy, as this is such humongously private, important time for them.

I decided, after some prayer time, it was more important to share this event with you to Glorify God and the Good that He does everyday! I did get to decorate and make beautiful things and put together a beautiful room, along with my other church members, for this event and the photos, I think are beautiful and worth sharing. Not to mention, that, as usual, we made an Elegant event on a Shoestring Budget! You know how much I love that!! So, one of my favorite things I got to do for this event was buy 4 dozen beautiful roses!!! Heaven!! Or at least I believe their will be alot of them there!

These were bought 2 nights before the event and this is a shot of them in a bucket of cold water in my bath tub, Believe it or not. Unfortunately, my bathroom is the coldest room in this old house.  I still cannot get over how beautiful these were, want a couple more pictures? I sure took alot!! 4 Dozen gorgeous roses for $40!! Can you believe it? I can do so much with this many.

(These ones that look kinda yellow were green on the edges, hard to see in the photos, but quite striking and were called "Mint")

Yes, Like I said in the tub!

We also made these beautiful little bouquets of Baby's Breath for place card holders and a memento for the day! Aren't they adorable?! Each one was about 4-5 inches in height and they were laid on the napkins in the center of the place setting with each recipients name attached!! So fun!      

Now to arrange the roses? Mason Jars!!! You absolutely have to love the versatility of Mason Jars.. We ( our decor team) had decided that for this event we should stick to light, clean, bright. New! Rebirth! And our Pastor asked that water be present, in some way.  Don't you love it when someone says include "this" or 'that" with no other direction? Well, we love him so much, we let it go this time. Answer....24 Mason Jars Decorated with Lace and ribbon, satin, etc... 12 for floral arrangements  12 larger ones for water! Well, to be more specific, FLOATING candles!! A-ha!

12 down! 12 to go!

Now for the flowers!!

(First 6 done..Wheww!!!)

I just realized that this definitely a two-part post.  Laughing at myself, friends!  I apologize.  If you'll be patient with me, yet once more,  I'll post the rest tomorrow,  I promise and show you all the end results of this work!!! It's definitely worthy of two posts. I hope you're enjoying this as much as I did doing it!! 

Many Blessings~

And: Wow Us Wednesdays @ Savvy Southern Style
Lauren over @ Mercy Ink
Wanda Ann over @ Memories by the Mile

Confession Time and Truly, So Many Blessings...

Good Morning. I felt a need to write this post as I want you to know I never take your “following”,

” Liking”, or reading along with me for granted,  I am acutely aware that the gaps in my Blog may appear that I do.  You see, the more I meet people in this wonderful Sisterhood of Blogging, the more I realize that there is a reason we are able to blog, write, create…. A lot of us have time that others may not. We have “disabilities” (I prefer to say different abilities) that have kept us out of the “normal” workplace. 

I have been Blessed enough in my life to have experienced a Great Love, immense pain, Great Joy and sadness… I can tell you this, without hesitation, I am grateful for each and every experience!! Without one, I believe, I would not have had the other. This is what I believe.  I have been lifted beyond my circumstances!! I  have been Blessed with an incredible family, Parents that people dream of having, whose love knows no bounds and a faith that holds me steadfast and secure in the Love of Jesus Christ, My Personal Savior.

I refuse to “own” or let these diagnoses define me.  But, they are partially the reason that some months I can post five to six projects and others, I am lucky enough to do and share one.  Most of you have heard, by now, of Fibromyalgia. That is one of the diagnoses that I have been given, along with degeneration of the spine and knees, and an odd non-seizure, seizure disorder. There are several other little diagnoses that accompany these ones.  But, I can also share with you that I have received miraculous healing of some of these, whereas, others seem to remain for now. 

I DO NOT own these… They are a description of physical status and not a definition of who I am.  I do believe that God does not give us more than we can handle. I also know that there is a great deal many that are so much worse off than I, that I have no room for complaining. I have been Blessed!! And I am grateful for my life, just as it is!! Even as I, as you do, always strive to do more.

I hope that you enjoy what I do and what I write. Truly your beautiful comments and shares fill my heart with great Joy!! I do, however, need some breaks from time to time to deal with the physical issues.  I hope you will continue on this journey with me, if not I will be sorry to see you go, but will understand fully…  

This blog has never been about the numbers, for me, and so much more about sharing some fun, wonderful stories or recipes, frugal methods that I think to improve your home and spirit or just make you feel that life is a little prettier because of what you have been able to accomplish with very little cost.  So, I still hope you will take some of my ideas and make them your own!! I am slowly, but surely working on two new projects that I hope to be able to share with you soon.  

It is Monday, the beginning of the week filled with hope and possibilities!!! I do hope you will go out and make it a wonderful one!!  If you are stuck somewhere, where you haven’t been able to experience Spring starting yet, next time your at the grocery store or market, grab some beautiful flowers (Splurge on yourself!!)  Break them up into a few smaller vases and place them throughout your house ( I did this!! Pictures below) and let yourself escape in the wonders of the Spring feel for a little bit.  Blessing to you all for a wonderful week!!

~Theresa 

Make sure to have fun with them!!!

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." ~Philippians 4:13

What Have I Been Up To?!

Good Afternoon, Friends!! I hope this finds you all well and enjoying a beautiful day wherever you may be!! Okay, so you know how I said I was off to do some painting? If you follow me on facebook you would have read that little tidbit about where I have been.  Anyhow... as it turns out, I'm not...painting, quite yet. I purchased a beautiful 4 poster bed from the Goodwill for 59.99!! 

It's perfect, don't ya think?

I was so excited about my good fortune, I could see it all done, with a shabby chic, french finish..but alas, It was a custom made size, that is either 3 inches to small or 20 inches bigger than any mattress. Don't know what they used in it, but it had to go back. New bed is being delivered on Thursday, so I am scouring the thrift stores for a new headboard/footboard/siderail set for it. Whewwww!!   Wish me luck!

Here's something to make you smile. They sure made me smile!! Beautiful old-fashioned  vintage roses from a very dear friend!! Thanks, K.G. !

I pray you are all having a lovely day and week!! I'll Be back soon to show you what the next step in this bedroom updo is!! 

(source)

Cheers for now!!

Linked up with Brooke!!

Something We All Can Do For <$2-3!!

Hi everyone, I hope you have had a wonderful start to your week !! I wanted to share this very easy and almost free project that I just finished because I don't know anybody who doesn't have most of what it takes to do this!

A Fond Farewell!

Hello everyone!! I hope you are having a beautiful day!! This past weekend, one of our local favorites, and a five star, "not-to-be-missed!" spot in our quaint little town had to close their doors. It was a very sad loss for us.  It was a beautiful spot named Jacqueline's High Tea Room. 

(source)

There they had a fully decked out dining room,with private seetings, where one could grab a hat at the door and sit on upholstered chairs in front of tables covered in beautiful rich linens, with fine china and serving pieces in front of you and order a "traditional high tea" or a lovely lunch.

 It has been the pamper yourself, splurge for many of us for years. My Mother and other family members and friends would often give a trip to Jacqueline's as a Birthday, Christmas or Mother's Day gift, or just a good ole Ladies day out.  Well as stated, they have closed their doors and are moving on and I know all from my town and many others wish them many Blessings on their next journey in life.

So, why am I telling you about this? Two reasons really: to honor the memories made and shared there and to share some of the wonderful bargains I was able to get at their "Closing Sale".  I am super excited to tell you that I was able to find out about this in time to make their sale in their final two days!! Which, as you know me by now, was how I got a "steal" on some absolutely beautiful items!! Always good news to be shared!!! I have shared some of my "treasures" on Shoestring's facebook page and thought, to be fair, it deserved a post all of it's own.  So here are a few of incredible finds!!

 

Now, to be honest, I already had the two plates on the bottom of this 3-tiered stand.  But, I didn't have the stand!! Nor, did I know when I bought those two Beautiful Haviland tea cups that they would be an exact match to the plate that sits now in the middle of the rack. (One I picked up at Goodwill a couple of months ago) Serendipitous, I tell you!! Yay!! Great find number one!!

I just loved the look of all my "New" treasures laid out on the table as the sun went down.  Okay, if you are familiar with my Blog, I always tell you how good of a deal I got, so that you know, you, too, can get this kind of Elegance on a Shoestring budget.  Everything you see on the table I paid a grand total of $28.00 for!!  Somehow, that makes them even more special to me..

This wonderful Thomas Kinkade commemorative cup and plate "Moonlit Cottage" was a gift to me from a friend I gave a heads-up call to, regarding this particular sale. She did not get out of there for as little as I did, But then again, she has quite a bit more than I to show for it! Thanks L!!

As I stated earlier, I wish the very Best to Jacqueline and her staff, and a big "Thank you"   for the wonderful memories and yummy treats over the years!! May God Bless you and keep you.  To everyone else, go out and make it a fabulously elegant week in your home!! Hugs and Blessings! ~Theresa  

I'm sharing with these lovely Ladies:

Beat The Winter Cold With My Roasted Butternut Squash Soup!

Welcome, all! It has been below freezing here in Northern California, which has me baking and cooking a lot.  If not for the food, for the warmth it provides in the home!  
This was actually a recipe I emailed to a dear friend, she loves it so much, as do I,  I wanted to share it with you!! 

If you are a regular to my Blog you already know I don't "do" recipes the way most people do, I explain them. Once again, I can't say this enough, the "way" you make something is as important as the ingredients you use! I hope you enjoy it!