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May 26, 2017, posted by Gina – It’s Friday and we have a round up of some interesting things to share with you: a custom-made wreath, a couple of things at the grocery store and some gardening inspiration.

I created this whimsical wreath for a baby shower. The mom and dad-to-be had selected woodland creatures as the theme in their nursery. The hostess for the shower wanted a front door wreath that could be used at the hospital as well as in the baby’s nursery. Faux ferns, woodland creatures and a name plate complete this adorable wreath.

On a recent trip to Sam’s Club, I ran into two items that caught my eye. The first one was the drink dispenser you see on the left in the picture below. I was initially thinking that the marketers of this product had reduced themselves to finding the need to add alcohol to lemonade to attract people to purchase. Upon further investigation, I saw that it’s hard lemonade kit with everything provided except the vodka. Well, they successfully got my attention!

The second were these cupcakes. The thing that attracted me to them is that they are not in typical cupcake baking cups. When Joanna Gaines of Fixer Upper opened her bakery, these are the types of baking cups she used for her 11 or 12 different flavored cupcakes. I remember watching that episode and wondering about the baking cups because I had never seen them. In doing a little investigating of my own, I found these baking cups on the internet and they are called Tulip Cupcake Baking cups complete with greaseproof paper. How cool is that? I am going to try them next time I make cupcakes. It does give them a nice homemade appearance.

The next few items are all about garden inspiration…

How inspiring is this grouping of plants in the upper left hand corner? From the worn pots to the colorful selection of plants. This photo was taken a few years ago at the Grand Hotel in Point Clear, Alabama. We always use it for inspiration.

We just might get our green thumb from our MOM. That gorgeous clematis is happy in her yard.

Good things come to those who wait. We started this collection of ferns from one single stem and a few years later we had this lush covering.

And we’ll leave you with that last photo in the bottom right corner… Isn’t it amazing that this lush greenery and park setting can be tucked away amongst the hustle and bustle of New York City. Central Park.

Have a great weekend!

May 16, 2017, posted by Gina – These days most grocery stores have a floral department and orchids seem to always be available. The convenience of putting one of these beauties in the cart is almost irresistible. Anyway, they seem to make it into our cart pretty often. We thought it might be fun to show you a few tricks to enhance an orchid whether it be for your own home or to give as a gift. Please note, this is one way to make an orchid look a little more dressed up for the short term and not the way an orchid should be planted if you want to keep it for years.

So, here you see an orchid that was just purchased at the grocery store. The container is not too bad but it’s not great either. The clamp holding the stems together is useful but also not so pretty.

Take the orchid out of the grocery store pot. The orchid will be in another pot, probably a thick plastic one. Place the orchid in its plastic pot into another pot. The pot you choose may be quite a bit larger than the one it was purchased in and you’ll need to secure the orchid in it. We used grocery store bags to push down around the two pots to keep the plant from moving around. We’ll deal with that unsightly clamp in a minute.

Gather a bit of moss around the clamp, secure it with a little raffia and then spread some moss around the bottom of the container. In this photo you can also see how we scrunched the plastic bags down between the pots.

And here you have what we think is a much more attractive presentation…

What do you think about our quick transformation? Do you keep an orchid as long as it’s blooming, then toss it and buy a replacement? Or do you lovingly tend to them for as long as possible? Do you think they’re too much trouble or worth the trouble? We’d like to hear your thoughts, so please leave us any comments you may have.

May 8, 2017, posted by Gina – It’s a manners Monday again and this time we’re talking about punctuality. You know your friends. You know the ones who will arrive early to a function and who the latecomers will be. Everyone runs late from time to time but what about being consistently late? How about showing up 15 minutes early to a dinner party? And is it ok to be ‘fashionably late” for certain events or in certain situations? If an invitation states that the event is to begin at 8pm what arrival time is considered to be “late”?

Peggy Post’s, The Definitive Guide to Manners, says that, in general, guests should arrive at or shortly after (usually only fifteen minutes) the time stated. We should never arrive early, unless requested. By this definition, I am a fairly punctual person but some may disagree. I have a friend who would call to ask if I was OK if I had not arrived by the exact time specified. It was her way of letting me know that she thought I was late. After a while, I no longer answered her calls. On the other hand, being too early is just as aggravating for the host as being too late.

Some friends and I were discussing tardiness and someone brought up an interesting point. We all feel a negative sentiment if a person is habitually late. For us it means they consider their time is more valuable than everyone else’s. I would never want this to be the case, so I do my best to arrive within 1-5 minutes of the specified time.

Here are some guidelines based on different types of events that may help you from being awkwardly early or unforgivably late:

Almost* Any Occasion or Event: As an invited guest it’s never ok to be early. You will put pressure on the host to start entertaining while he or she may be tending to last minute details. Don’t think by offering to help that’s it’s actual help. It’s not helping, it’s stressful for the host. Get a watch, early bird! *There are exceptions….

*Weddings, Graduations and Funerals: Don’t be late, in fact arrive a few minutes early so you can get seated well before the ceremony begins.

Dinner Party: Don’t arrive early, for reasons stated above. Arrive on the dot as the host will have timing in mind for the courses. It’s nice to let everyone get settled and mingle for a few minutes before serving dinner. If someone arrives late, it throws everything off.

Cocktail Party:  Though they normally last no more than two hours, it’s still ok to arrive 15, not 16, minutes late.

Bridal or Baby Shower: Be on time. As with dinner parties there is usually timing involved and the host may have prepared games or other entertainment for the shower, not to mention the opening of gifts.

I’m not hovering around my front door with a stopwatch or anything and goodness knows I’ve broken a few of these guidelines myself! I just think we should all do our best to be considerate guests.

Do you agree with these guidelines? Are you chronically late or early? Or maybe you’re the perfect guest!? We’d like to hear your thoughts and comments!

May 7, 2017, posted by Gina – I recently planted a few succulents in a favorite container and it had me wondering if our readers have experience with them or are as crazy about them as I am. Since these pretty plants have become so trendy over the past few years, I thought I’d share some information about them.

Browse through any home decorating or gardening magazine and you will come across succulents. Not only will you find them in planters but you’ll likely see succulents in flower arrangements, in flower crowns, incorporated into bridal bouquets, etc.  Suddenly, cakes decorated with “succulents” made of icing and even jewelry made from live succulents are popping up everywhere as well. If you’re considering bringing a few a these into your life, and we highly recommend it, here are few things to know:

1. Succulents are low maintenance, fleshy plants that retain water which enables them to survive in hot and arid conditions. They require very little watering but they do need a lot of sun. They come in all kinds of interesting shapes and a wide range of colors.

2. They are easy to grow. Given the right water and light, they will double in size before you know it.

3. They look great in containers. Mix different varieties together to make a texturally interesting and colorful grouping. Or just use one in a really cute vase, like the Celfie vase.

4. They make great gifts. The endless array of shapes (spiky, trailing, lotus-like, wavy, etc.), their compactness and the fact that they are low maintenance make them the perfect plant to give as a gift.

5. Wreaths made of succulents are unique, gorgeous and eye-catching.

6. They are very versatile and can be used in floral arrangements, corsages, centerpieces; the list goes on and on. We also saw some drapery tie-backs at a wedding made of succulents.

7. Be sure to give them plenty of direct light.

8. Allow them to dry out between watering. Never let them sit in water.

9. Use a fast draining soil.

10. Roots should be close to the surface.

Autumn Joy Sedum is one of my favorite succulents because of its gorgeous blooms. This is an old-fashioned garden plant that was very popular during the ’60s and ’70s. The blooms start off pink and as fall approaches they turn a beautiful copper color. If you don’t have one of these, I think you should try to find one. You won’t be disappointed. Try your hand at a succulent container or just start off with one little one. Either way, I’m sure you’ll be successful with succulents!

May 5, 2017, posted by Gina – The fact that it’s Cinco de Mayo and the Kentucky Derby festivities commence means there’s plenty of fun already built into to this Friday! We are not betting girls ourselves, but an event that combines mint juleps, fancy hats and horses with names like Classic Empire, Practical Joke, Irish War Cry and Always Dreaming, well, what’s not to love?

Michelle, being far, far away from Kentucky and Mexico, is going to celebrate Cinco de Mayo at the only Tex-Mex restaurant in Lyon, L’Hacienda. She tells me nothing is more fun than ordering your Mexican meal in French. Oh la la olé! As for us, we’ll be spending the weekend watching baseball and it looks like the weather will be on the cold side. How is that possible after being 90 degrees just last week? Anyway, grab your margarita or mint julep and settle in because we have some additional fun stuff to talk about with you!

I may be obsessed about laundry but with two boys playing multiple sports or participating in some outdoor activity, my washer was constantly running when they were growing up. Somehow, even though they are both living elsewhere, they continue to bring large piles of laundry home and then disappear.

If you saw our post last week about the bleach tablets then you know we can’t get this topic off our minds. But one of our readers left us a comment sharing the wonders of Persil Laundry detergent. Trusting our loyal reader, we went out and purchased this fabulous detergent and we love it.

A few years ago, I saw someone’s laundry supplies arranged so attractively that I went home and did the same with mine. It’s nice having everything at hand and it somehow makes the mundane chore of doing laundry a little better.

I am obsessed with these shoes! Flowers and comfort all in one. They have been ordered and will find their way to my front door very soon. How about you? Would you wear something this loud?

I thought I would give you a sneak peek at a project I am working on for an upcoming engagement party. Check in next week to see how I used these and what other arrangements I came up with on for the party.

Have a wonderful weekend and please come back to visit next week!

May 3, 2017, posted by Gina – I hosted a garden party luncheon this week and I am so excited to take you on a tour of the day. I’ll share details about the tablescapes, the flower arrangements, the patio, the garden and, of course, the food! This post is all about the outdoor aspects of the luncheon. I’ll show you around the patio and the champagne bar where a very special tea, an appetizer and of course, champagne were served. We’ll also take a look around the backyard and garden areas. I’ll post about the flowers arrangements, the tablescape and the food in the coming days. Here we go….

After greeting my guests at the front door I ushered them onto the back patio for drinks and appetizers. I served a delicious tea from the Junior League of Jackson’s Come on In Cookbook called Miss Kate’s Frozen Tea. Here is this fabulous, refreshing and totally delicious tea recipe:

MISS KATE’S FROZEN TEA
Yields 1 gallon

3 lemons
2 oranges
9 family sized tea bags
1 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
3 cups sugar
¼ cup maraschino cherry juice
Fresh mint for garnish
Maraschino cherries for garnish

Squeeze lemons and oranges. Chill juices and reserve lemon hulls. Boil 2 quarts water, remove from heat and add tea bags, mint leaves and reserved lemon hulls. Steep 30 minutes. Strain, add sugar, and stir until dissolved. Refrigerate up to 24 hours.

When the mixture is thoroughly cooled, add lemon, orange, and cherry juices, plus 1 ½ quarts more cold water. Stir well and freeze in 1 gallon ice cream freezer to slushy consistency. When serving, garnish with fresh mint and a maraschino cherry.

For the champagne bar, I used some spring green champagne glasses and had orange juice, raspberry lemonade and fruits for mixing. Serving the tea in mint julep cups was only fitting for this refreshing concoction. I used vintage, hand embroidered cocktail napkins with hand stitched hems. I just love the thought of someone taking so much time and care to make something so beautiful that can be enjoyed for years. The champagne glasses were presented on a wooden and wicker tray covered with one of the napkins I used for the luncheon tablescape.

In the photo above, you see how well old and new can marry. My vintage cocktail napkins were a perfect compliment to the dinner napkins. Everyone loved the larger napkins and so I thought I would share a bit about them. They are from Patricia Spratt for the Home collection. I love the softness of the fabric and, since they are a linen/rayon blend, they are easy to care for and hold up well with use. I am planning a post on how to clean and care for vintage linens very soon, so check back with us!

For the appetizer, I served a wonderful cheese ball that I have been preparing for years called Coleman’s Favorite Cheese Ball. This recipe is from the Junior League of Jackson’s Southern Sideboards cookbook. It was a nice compliment to the champagne and tea. Here’s the recipe:
COLEMAN’S FAVORITE CHEESE BALL
1 pound sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 pound cream cheese
1 pound bacon, fried crisp and crumbled
1 small onion, grated
½ pound Roquefort cheese
Pinch garlic salt
Worcestershire sauce, optional
With all ingredients at room temperature, mix well. Shape into 2 medium balls or 4 logs. Serves 20

Since we’re outside, here’s a little tour of my patio, backyard and garden…

Here you see my patio fireplace that I livened up with an asparagus fern which looked much prettier with this fluff of green in it. The planter on the right is filled with pinks and purples just seems to scream spring. Petunia, verbena and Angelonia are all happy together.

Surrounding the patio are some wonderful dark pink drift roses with a backdrop of Louisiana Iris. Too bad this party was not last week because the irises were blooming then. The wrought iron planter has been in my outdoor areas for years and each season it gets a change of plants. This time I filled it with fern and geraniums, keeping the plastic planters hidden with a bit of burlap. You can see just what a beautiful day it was with the sunlight dancing through my crepe myrtle.

This gives you a visual of the whole patio. We had this built after moving into our house and have enjoyed it very much.

Here’s one last look at the table before we go on to see the garden.

These are the steps that lead us into the backyard. We had these built at the same time as the patio. Previously there had been a tiny, wooden deck. I can’t imagine it without the steps now. If you have followed GDFC for a while, you may remember these herbs in this very same location last year. I keep these right by the back door for quick snipping when cooking. I have a few other herbs planted in the ground that we enjoy as well.

Here you see a view of the backyard my guests enjoyed while having refreshments.

The square stones below are what you’d see if you turned to look the other way. Many people ask me if these stones were simply laid on the ground but they were poured and so there they shall stay. There is Mondo grass between the stones and to the left is a bed of azaleas, sweet bay magnolias and camellias. All of this was blooming a beautiful hot pink not too long ago. On the right side of the photo you’ll see the infamous flower bed that caught on fire. Yes, before we had proper patio and backyard lighting, we placed tiki torches around for a party. Five minutes before our guests were to arrive, Mr. GDFC smelled smoke and realized one of the torches had fallen over and started a fire. We both ran outside like lightening and grabbed hoses and put the fire out. So, if you notice these plants being a bit smaller than the rest, you are correct. Believe it or not, we pulled ourselves together before the first guest arrived. We still get a chuckle about this while being very thankful we caught it in time.

I have once again filled this planter with succulents. They basically take care of themselves and I very rarely water them. I can’t wait to see them grow as they tend to almost double in size over a season. I placed a little ceramic bird in along with them for a bit of interest. I’ll be posting about how to plant and care for succulents soon, so check back.

This wonderful sunflower garden stake below came from a pottery studio not too far away called Pickenpaugh Pottery. I love that it won’t fade and seems indestructible. I have seen other colors they have made around town and hope to add to mine. Several months ago, I purchased a bird feeder and it has certainly been a great addition to my garden. Upon taking this photo I noticed it was half full and I just filled it two days ago. This is a Squirrel Buster bird feeder and I could not be happier with it. Obviously, squirrels are not able to get the food and it is very easy to refill. I love watching the many birds who are attracted to it. Speaking of attraction, this pair of lanterns adds some interest and drama to the patio area. I sometimes put candles in them at night and they are very pretty with the warm light dancing around.

In the photo below I walk you through my cutting garden and bed of chaste lilac trees Several months ago, I had this crazy idea that I needed a cutting garden in my yard. Everything was in place with no room for another garden so finding a location seemed to be a problem. This idea kept creeping back into my mind and so I put a plan in action. I moved a few bushes and began my search for flowers that would work well. In the photo on the left, you see agapanthus, Shasta daisies, salvia, lambs ear and some herbs peeking around. I also planted what seems like a million zinnias as I love working them into floral arrangements. I’ll update you as things begin to grow. Under the Lilacs should be the title of the photo on the right. We have six large chaste lilac trees and underneath you can find roses, hydrangeas, Indian hawthorns and azaleas. Everything is in the purple and pink family so it is a pretty and calm part of the garden.

Well I guess I would call this a hummingbird feeder if I had ever seen a hummingbird feeding. Seriously, I have done everything except for offer 401K’s to get these little birds to visit my yard. Year after year, I watch the feeder and nothing! Everyone keeps telling me they will come. I will stay vigilant! If any of our readers have suggestions, give us a shout. We will try anything. The collection of azaleas has grown in their short life and given us beautiful blooms to enjoy. I think I spy Emma checking on them.

This trellis was custom built for this wall and the confederate jasmine is about to take off. I look forward to the day it is full of leaves and blooms.

We end this tour with a mound of dark pink drift roses and a blooming magnolia. We hope you feel as though you were at the party with us! If you have any questions or comments click the title of this post and the comment form will appear at the the bottom of the page.

April 28, 2017, posted by Gina – Friday, at last! We’re ready for a little fun, how about you?

GET CLEAN AND BE SEEN
A few months ago, I found Clorox bleach in crystal form and fell in love with it. One cap full and you don’t have to worry about it spilling or splashing on anything. Fast forward to today when I discovered I was out of my cherished crystals. It seems they are a hit because the shelf in the grocery store where they reside was empty. Disillusioned, I was about to grab, the big, heavy liquid bleach when these bleach packs caught my eye. I mean how cool are these? You just throw one in with your white clothes. I hope these excite you as much as me.

I MEAN REALLY
If you read our post a few weeks ago about shopping cart etiquette then you will understand why I had to laugh today. So, the shopping cart in the foreground was of course in the parking spot I wanted. Yep, the first one after the handicapped parking. Notice that it is directly across from… guess what??? The cart corral! I mean, who does this? I parked a few spaced down and took this cart into the store with me. I promise I will not talk about this subject again but I just could not help myself. But, on the positive side, hooray for that man putting his cart back where it belongs!

AN OMINOUS SIGHT
Today, as I was running errands I found myself behind this truck. I had a lot on my mind with more errands to do than time to do them but somehow this truck caught my attention. First, it is an odd-looking truck. I wonder what it is used for? I pondered this for a minute and then realized I needed to get back on my game. But then I saw the sign posted on the back and I was curious. I could not get the “stay back over 200 feet” out of my mind. Just exactly how far away is 200 feet? I think you would need to be Superman to read that sign if you were over 200 feet away. So, I am assuming they carry something on this truck that has previously damaged someone’s car and this sign must somehow keep them from being responsible. The whole thing was just weird.

A GARDEN PARTY LUNCHEON
Next week I am hosting a Garden Party Luncheon for my cookbook club. We will be dining outside unless I have the misfortune of a rainy day. So far, the prediction is sunny and 79. I don’t think I could order a better day. While I am trying to decide on just how to set my table, this place setting keeps making me happy. Stay tuned to see the whole tablescape and all the photos and recipes from the day. It’s going to be lots of fun.

Have any comments or questions for us? Click on the title of this post and the comment form will unfurl before your very eyes at the bottom of the page. We’d love to hear from you!

April 24, 2017, posted by Gina – It’s another manners Monday and this week we’re asking, “Is chivalry dead?”. I grew up in a time when a gentleman was a gentleman. Holding the door for a lady or helping them into the car was standard procedure. Times have changed and I suppose as with all other manners these courtesies have become less and less commonplace. Women have certainly progressed since I was young but should that mean that men, or women for that matter, should discard manners that were once held sacred?

In the last few weeks, I have had doors practically slammed in my face and have been nearly shoved out of the way with grocery carts by men! I have enough of a fiesty spirit in me to want to tell them just how rude this is but thankfully something deep inside me says that is the wrong thing to do.

Being the Mom of two young men, I would be mortified if either of them did not hold a door for a lady, an elderly person, or for someone who had their hands full and I certainly would not want them to let the door slam on anyone, even another man.

We believe men and women alike should all try to be kind and thoughtful, perhaps now more than ever. Etiquette for men, including male-female interaction, is still important and never goes out of style in our book. Maybe chivalry looks a little different today but we hope it’s not dead. We consulted the Fierce Gentleman, who believes chivalry is not dead, to get a man’s viewpoint on manners. Here’s what he had to say in his article Etiquette 101.

What do you think about male manners? Do you feel chivalry is dead or simply changed? Is gentility old fashioned? To leave your comments, click on the title of this post and the comment form will appear at the end of the page.

April 21, 2017, posted by Gina – It’s another Fun Stuff on Friday when we post a round up of things that have caught our attention and we think you’d like reading about. You can find almost anything here on Fridays; helpful tips, decor, flowers, products, photos or stories we’d like to share. We hope you enjoy this week’s fun stuff!

Hunt’s Tomato Paste in a Pouch 
Have you seen this yet? This was such a great idea. Recipes often call for just a tablespoon or two of tomato paste. So, what do you end up doing with the tomato paste that remains? Do you have good intentions and put the extra in the fridge only to throw it out at a later date? These new 1.5 oz. pouches of Hunt’s tomato paste are perfect because you use only what you need and don’t waste anything. I know tubes of tomato paste have been around for a while but mostly in specialty food stores. These are in your standard grocery store next to the canned tomato paste. Maybe this excites me a little more than the average person but if you cook a lot like I do you will probably love these.

Flower Covered Cross
There is a church close to my house that completely covers a cross with flowers every Easter. I think it is just beautiful and look forward to seeing it each year. I wonder how many flowers it took to cover this large cross?

Look at this HUGE lemon tree!
A few weeks ago, a friend and I went to one of the larger garden centers in our town to look for beautiful additions to our gardens. Between the two of us we ended up spending a good bit of money. It was when we were at the cash register that the owner of the store asked us if we would each like a lemon tree. We did not hesitate. The prospect of owning our very own tree with plentiful fruit thrilled us. I thought it was so nice of the owner to recognize that we were great customers and was impressed with his gesture of appreciation. He went off to get the trees and I wondered if we’d be able to fit two trees in my car along with the other plants we had purchased. As the owner made his way back to us, I saw he was holding to very small Dixie cups with little lemon tree sprouts in them. I laughed to myself. What had I been thinking? Would the owner still be in business if he gave everyone who made a purchase a large lemon tree? It turns out my friend had the same thought as I did and we had a big laugh the whole way home. Maybe, just maybe, we can grow these tiny lemon tree sprouts into a fruit bearing tree. Believe me, you will be the first to know if we do!

Flowers in Four Hours 
This past Saturday I was busy with flowers. First, I did a centerpiece for a client’s Easter table and then I helped with flowers at my church. I thought I would be unwrapping lilies or sweeping or some small job of that nature. But when I arrived at my church and asked how I could help, I found out I was needed to arrange the large flowers for the altar. I am not sure if you have some idea of just how large these arrangements are, but trust me they are large. I had to stand on a ladder to place the flowers. We had two of these big arrangements that were done simultaneously, one by me with two helpers and one by another lady with two helpers. They took four hours to complete. I enjoyed working on them and thought the colors certainly welcomed Easter.

April 13, 2017, posted by Gina – I thought I would share all things Easter from my home to yours including décor, my tablescape and menu. You may have everything all decorated and ready to go for your celebration but if you’re still trying to pull it all together maybe some of these ideas will inspire you.

These bunnies have been in my collection for a while. The one on the right with the tie and pink jacket was painted by one of my aunts when my sister and I were children. I think this bunny might have been in my sister’s room but somehow, I ended up with it. I painted the one on the left when my children were babies. I tied a periwinkle wired bow on him and surrounded both of them with a little Easter grass.

These wooden eggs are beautifully hand painted and personalized with each of our names on them.

I saw this bust several months ago and knew he had to have a place in my home. I couldn’t pass up adding another rabbit my to my collection much less a humorous tongue-in-cheek bust of one! It seemed only fitting to give him a commanding spot on top of our mantle.

If you have been a reader for a while, you know I have adult children but that didn’t stop me from preparing Easter baskets for them. They each are receiving a new colorful, lush beach towel, teeth whitening toothpaste that REALLY works, some sunscreen and, of course, a bit of candy. They should be looking good on the beach.

This little couple is going to watch over our family as we enjoy our meal. I surrounded them with some pastel Easter eggs and some bright orange carrots.

For the table I created a simple centerpiece with tulips and and Green Ball (Dianthus).

For the tablescape: Chargers (Pier 1), Plates, Southern Living (Dillards), Runner and Napkins (Home goods), Pottery (McCarty’s and Peters), Flatware (Ballard Designs), Stemware (Lenox Hayworth), Blue Glasses (Paul Michael), Egg Bowls (Pottery Barn)

We hope you have a wonderful Easter weekend!

We’d love to hear from you. If you’d like to leave a comment, click on the title of this post and the comment form will appear at the end of the page.