Monday, March 9, 2009

BLUE MONDAY:

Hi everybody! Have you noticed my new blog design? No? Okay, take a close look... oh, there you go! How do you like it? Oh gosh, I feel like I have been working on this forever, maybe I have! I am just so fussy. Now you may understand why it took three years to re-do my living room! Seriously, three years without any pictures on the walls or curtains... Fussy, fussy, fussy. I want to thank Ashley from the Cutest Blog on the Block. She got it down right with her first mock up. And I want everyone to notice the little vignette on the left side of the header. Those are some of my real journals, my own teacup and saucer, and most importantly, a picture of my mother from her high school days. She is probably looking down at me from heaven right now with that great big smile of hers and that twinkle in her eyes!

You might remember a recent post I did after Valentines Day. The Husband gave me a gift of a Tea for One set by Lenox. Well, while shopping Saturday for the wedding we were going to that night (yes, the same wedding which I posted on last week about my hunt for the perfect dress), he saw these little dessert plates from the same Butterfly Meadow pattern and thought I would like them. Aren't they beautiful? As I have said, he is kind and generous to a fault and spoils me constantly! The thing is, I now have the Tea for One and four dessert plates. Now I know I can easily down four desserts with my tea, LOL, but I think the proper thing is, and I strongly urged The Husband to consider this, is to purchase four tea cups and saucers, a tea pot and maybe throw in the creamer & sugar bowl. Is that asking for too much?? :-)

Below is the complete set. It really makes me excited about spring being on it's way.



I wish I could be taking pictures for Blue Monday of blue skies, blue water, blue flowers... but for awhile I am going to have to stick with things indoors!
I am so upset that I could not show all of you pictures from this wedding. I am sort of shy about taking pictures in public, or of having strangers wonder why I am taking pictures of them, but since this wedding was taking place at the Newberry Library in downtown Chicago, I thought I would take some pictures of the architecture of the building. The Newberry Library is a members only library for the research of the humanities. The building itself is very old and covered in ivy and the inside is very ornate, marble everywhere. However, my camera battery was "exhausted" I was so disappointed. This had to be the most beautiful wedding I have ever been to. From the restrooms to the long corridor leading to the reception room to the banquet tables, white roses and white candles were displayed in square glass vases with rose petals scattered all over the tables. In front of every place setting was a little Chinese take~out box from a cupcake bakery named More in Chicago. Inside was the most beautifully decorated cupcake with at least an inch of frosting. A hand printed menu sat on each place setting. I won't go in to the whole thing but the main course was Macadamia Encrusted Sea Bass and Roasted Beef Medallions over Balsamic Marinated Baby Boc Choy with Assorted Baby Vegetables and Herbed Rosemary Smashed Potatoes. There was a sweet table set up for dessert loaded with small cakes, cookies, brownies, fudge, truffles and candies, all hand frosted and decorated. Of course, white rose petals were scattered over the table. The music for the reception was a large band that included about five singers, two piano players, a saxophone and trumpet player and a few violinists. Oh my. We had such a good time. I met all the new people in The Husband's office and they are great people. Of course they had to like me, I'm the boss's wife! By the way, I wore the black dress by unanimous decision of my great blogger friends and it was definitely appropriate! Thanks girls!

The last thing I want to show you is a photo I took the last time I was up at the lake at a friends home. I happened to use her washroom and noticed this sweet little "window treatment. I ran back for my camera and took this (terrible) picture:




Isn't this a neat idea. If you can't tell (due to the poor quality of my picture and my lame picture taking talents) she has a coat rack (?) over the window with three sweet little bonnets hanging on it. I thought it was so unique and might give some of us ideas. My friend Sharon has the one of the nicest decorated homes on the lake. You will be in store for some wonderful pictures when I am up more in the summer and visit all my friends. Most of the homes on the lake are over a million dollars so there is much eye candy for me to blog about.

Have a happy Blue Monday and visit Sally, our hostess for today and she will have a list of all the participants you can visit to see a lot more blue!

xoxo

Janie

34 comments:

SmilingSally said...

There's even a BLUE ribbon on one of those hats! Thanks for sharing. Happy Blue Monday.

Blondie's Journal said...

I am so sorry. The last picture is of a hat rack (duh...there are hats hanging on it!). Does anybody else's brain ever just freeze up?? LOL

xoxo
Janie

The Quintessential Magpie said...

I left you a message below, Janie, but I love the new look of the blog! It looks GREAT, and I love your china and hats, too! And I bet your mother is smiling down right now! :-)

Happy Blue Monday!

XO,

Sheila :-)

ellen b. said...

Hi Janie,
Your butterfly plates are very sweet. I like them. The hat rack is a fun idea...

xinex said...

The plates are beautiful and how thoughtful of your hubby to think about you when he saw them. I am sure he will buy the rest fo the set for you. Have fun at the wedding! I'll email you soon!...Christine

Jen @ tatertotsandjello.com said...

What beautiful dishes. Perfect for Spring!!!

Jen

Anonymous said...

Hi Janie! I love your new blog dress - you're just so stylish! I love those little plates! I may have told you, but I have the dinner and salad plates, mugs, salt and peppers and a vase. I've been picking them up at Ross!
Be a sweetie,
shelia :)

Bo said...

Hi Janie...Yes, I did notice your pretty new blog but forgot to mention it yesterday! I love the special treasures you included in the header. Your dishes are so beautiful & your hubby sounds like a winner for spoiling you, but something tells me you're worth it!
;-) Bo

Cindy (Applestone Cottage) said...

I really love your new plates, they are some of my faves and the wedding sounds fabulous! Cindy

Dana and Daisy said...

Hi janie. LOVE your new blog! Beautiful. the classes you asked about are super reasonable, 165 for all three days of instruction, Not sure what your air fare will cost.. Follow the link for more info and also check out this website for options on where to stay!

http://www.eurekasprings.org/places-to-stay/

hope you can come! If not this time, maybe another.

Beth at Aunties said...

Janie,
I enjoy your visits so much! I didn't know if I should share truly what I was thinking and decided that post weekly if I can keep up I will speak from my heart:)
The wedding you described sounded delicious:) What a wonderful menu! I bet it was a FUN weeding toa ttend with the wonderful band.
Your spring butterfly plates are so pretty and so special for spring. I am so glad your hubby spoils you!
I too like your new look and know your mom is smiling down upon you more than you know. She raised a wonderful daughter!

HUGS
♥♥♥

JudyBug said...

I love your blog! It is just gorgeous!! Now I've got blog envy.

JudyBug

Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer said...

Running late this week visiting blogs....Hope you had a great Blue Monday! Love your butterfly plates!
Susan

Unknown said...

Oh, I love your new blog design. That header is perfect for this background. Those butterfly dishes are lovely, and the blue one is that perfect color blue. Hat racks are always a favorite of mine. When my daughter was a baby I had a hat rack in her room with all of her hats from the first hospital one to the Easter Bonnet she wore when she was four.
Karen

Tricia said...

Your plates are darling and definitely in need of at least tea cups and saucers to keep them company. That hat rack is absolutely adorable, what a clever idea. Does my brain ever freeze up? No, *cough*, never, *cough* *cough*!

Tabbikat's Thoughts

imjacobsmom said...

Yep, you need to go for the other matching cups, saucers & teapot. They are so cute! It sounds like the wedding was quite the affair. ~ Robyn

Anonymous said...

Janie,
The butterfly china is sooo pretty and sweet. The bonnets rack is a great cheerful ideas...Thanks for sharing...Happy Blue

Unknown said...

Hi Janie,
Your blog looks fabulous! Love the butterfly dishes!

Ms. Tee said...

Wow, the wedding sounds like it was amazing! Hand-painted menu cards on each place setting - how neat. And your new *look* is great - how sweet that you have your mom's photo in it. Hope your back is feeling better. have a good Tuesday :)

Lorrie said...

I just love your Butterfly Meadow plates, they make me want Spring and Summer right now!

I just love the hat rack window treatment--what a simple idea, yet so pretty!

Deb said...

I love the new look here and your gorgeous blog banner photo with the glitter :-) Beautiful!

Heidi Pocketbook said...

Your new blog design is cool--I'm so glad you pointed out the special vignette!

The china is so pretty, I definitely things you need to get the other pieces.....The window treatment at your friend's home is so clever!

Thanks for the bday wishes, hope you have a good week☺

myroseretreat said...

I love the plates and yes, the hats hanging from the rack is such a cute idea!

Mojo said...

And the lesson here is "always carry a spare battery"! Nice collection you've got... nice husband too, sounds like!

Debra Kaye said...

Those plates are just beautiful...thank you for sharing!

Blessings to you!

2 Dogs said...

Hi there. I've been bad to stay away so long. I'm feeling better and it's warm and beautiful here. Everything should be turning green. Hope your week is going well. Hugs hugs hugs

Laura @ the shorehouse. said...

First of all, The Husband rocks. And I too can put down four desserts to every tea, LOL!!

Thanks for your great comment on my “junque” post. :-) I WISH you could come with me on my junque journeys! I'm hoping to make it to Chicago in the spring so maybe you could take me. :-) I don’t know what the knives or silverware in general may be worth…unless they have good markings I’m not sure how to identify them at all. I think mine are old but not super old…I’m guessing they’re a generic 1930s or so but that’s purely a guess based on shape/size/price. But the price was right to me! :-)

Amongst The Oaks said...

Those plates are beautiful. I have a friend who loves anything with butterflies. She would love those. Thanks for sharing.
~Laura
and the wedding sounds marvelous!

Kathleen Ellis said...

Hi Janie!
I noticed your new blog design right away! It's lovely!!! Nice job!

I love those pretty butterfly dishes...I think it is PERFECTLY reasonable to "suggest" he bring home the teacups, saucers, teapot and sugar & creamer...PERFECTLY reasonable! You let him know I said so...see if that helps any! LOL!
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Have a fabulous rest of the week!
;-D

xinex said...

Hi Janie, I forgot to include the site where I buy the Whittard of Chelsea instant tea in my post but here it is.
http://www.teadog.com/Whittard-of-Chelsea-Tea-s/63.htm?gclid=COeM5sSgnJkCFRhhnAodaFQmCw
Hope oyu like it. Thanks for coming!...Christine

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

Thanks for coming by my blog and leaving a nice comment. I'm glad it brought me over here, because I absolutely LOVE that china! So pretty, and what a nice husband. I had not visited your blog before, so I don't know what it looked like, but it is lovely now. laurie

Carrie said...

Wonderful and thoughtful gifts! Those butterfly plates are really special...and so are the tea for one and teabag holder. I hope you will get more items in this pattern.

Thanks for your visit and comment on my blog.

Fifi Flowers said...

LOVE those butterfly plates!

Unknown said...

First of all, Love your new blog header! It makes it so special that you could add your own touches to it to make it more personal!

Your husband is so thoughtful to buy you those great butterfly plates. l was just admiring them at Macy's this weekend.