For My Mom (who's probably the only person reading at this point)

<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">What happened?  I blacked out. </span></div></div></div><div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmY4ASBi9u1ngKNDUMziAj2AvZwrqyZpuLNB2Oojhr2n08aMHtycK_y0uytKbteo0UoYwEehb4YSrciSAfBG9gqLNbUGsfMADGSHQH50JVY_HgQ6SGY0bC2WB0RHvxCxTSlNndFXn80ik/s640/blogger-image--1809436799.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmY4ASBi9u1ngKNDUMziAj2AvZwrqyZpuLNB2Oojhr2n08aMHtycK_y0uytKbteo0UoYwEehb4YSrciSAfBG9gqLNbUGsfMADGSHQH50JVY_HgQ6SGY0bC2WB0RHvxCxTSlNndFXn80ik/s640/blogger-image--1809436799.jpg"></a></div><br>Oh I haven't blogged in a month??<div><br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgnDiwvigUjRXIu6E_9gA0s7a4GSSKo7kEdloeBB-KTGE6agn_mIrwIQmsm7jGpNN6hF9L_SPNKVsxM2FitdJqWKGYY8Nwwu240NXlVoEyS6AXSzn7o5K-bPcn3ic3lbmqi74efdURFOc/s640/blogger-image-2125358576.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgnDiwvigUjRXIu6E_9gA0s7a4GSSKo7kEdloeBB-KTGE6agn_mIrwIQmsm7jGpNN6hF9L_SPNKVsxM2FitdJqWKGYY8Nwwu240NXlVoEyS6AXSzn7o5K-bPcn3ic3lbmqi74efdURFOc/s640/blogger-image-2125358576.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br>What?</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj57c4fnkk5cTbKvvnb4QRz1LMWYLxR1gG6WT_O6n5RhK8ebSGUB6n8iILDjAsjF2JLMhEFybhYGlRe-Dnbyn5nGZU_h9_l83z0tI1WJUzLRDfGeZEORpVPLJmPXoi7MKc9ekKDlS_o9Bk/s640/blogger-image--791845893.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj57c4fnkk5cTbKvvnb4QRz1LMWYLxR1gG6WT_O6n5RhK8ebSGUB6n8iILDjAsjF2JLMhEFybhYGlRe-Dnbyn5nGZU_h9_l83z0tI1WJUzLRDfGeZEORpVPLJmPXoi7MKc9ekKDlS_o9Bk/s640/blogger-image--791845893.jpg"></a></div><br><br>Where have I been?  Y'all, I don't even know.  Somewhere between trying in vain to hold on to the baby's last remaining thigh roll, reorganizing our toys for the 655th time and walking past the growing pile of laundry, pretending not to see it, I got out of the blog habit.  I knew I'd be back because I love blogging so much, but I just had to do it.  Someone should make that a tagline for their product "Just do it." <br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3uUBiDVhf-eths1A__4kduE6UnBpGASqw4G-bt1_5BNbOnlFKdVnI9ppZWYUvjfboBDcQat3iDyg7G_Cz-kPo0kCaF9wbESRp__4xG5Hc_xM1CJhOX-8P88HwaBODsunhVyOF7M6acVs/s640/blogger-image-1093922265.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3uUBiDVhf-eths1A__4kduE6UnBpGASqw4G-bt1_5BNbOnlFKdVnI9ppZWYUvjfboBDcQat3iDyg7G_Cz-kPo0kCaF9wbESRp__4xG5Hc_xM1CJhOX-8P88HwaBODsunhVyOF7M6acVs/s640/blogger-image-1093922265.jpg"></a></div><br><br>So now I'm back as a Mother's Day present to myself.  And to my Mom, The Suze, who maybe forgot to notice that I haven't blogged in awhile.  Just kidding.  She really doesn't know how the Internet works. I'm pretty sure she thinks it's magic. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjryquOK8p54teL0kkGOvtusVmwFEcB5Y2ittV4ZUnqTWR1XyvMJWsMnv4JBofMghEMthRv8aX7zkLNsM3J2ylZlEdLJJYSSy-P5MQN6_0Rg33YmTPZgWugoiM54qr5Dr-AuKZ1_OE0cfc/s640/blogger-image--412958465.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjryquOK8p54teL0kkGOvtusVmwFEcB5Y2ittV4ZUnqTWR1XyvMJWsMnv4JBofMghEMthRv8aX7zkLNsM3J2ylZlEdLJJYSSy-P5MQN6_0Rg33YmTPZgWugoiM54qr5Dr-AuKZ1_OE0cfc/s640/blogger-image--412958465.jpg"></a></div><br><br>True Story.  I started Beclaire House after I would share other people's blog posts with my mom and she would say, "I love your blog! Everything you post is everything I love." Such a Mom, right? Giving me all of the credit.  I didn't have the heart (or was it the energy) to tell her the posts were from blogs all over the World Wide Web and I was simply hitting the share button.  And really, those are details The Suze doesn't like to bother with.  As long as the pretty pictures end up on her screen she's happy. <br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTgk7ssabwglWrM9kZOHx-IkCgqOozlgiyQSetZWhHfk4B6BywRJWb09hxA7GnIEm3UJ4dBtREUpgwNvz4Vfq1-ERWk5lOuEjIbNEcwLd20GqOeeHzmST1_3eeaJfoXVpMRQ04F_3G3uw/s640/blogger-image--342399052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTgk7ssabwglWrM9kZOHx-IkCgqOozlgiyQSetZWhHfk4B6BywRJWb09hxA7GnIEm3UJ4dBtREUpgwNvz4Vfq1-ERWk5lOuEjIbNEcwLd20GqOeeHzmST1_3eeaJfoXVpMRQ04F_3G3uw/s640/blogger-image--342399052.jpg"></a></div><div><br></div><br>And I'm so happy to be here chatting with y'all and sharing pretty pictures again. <br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2hnRj4UlFyvOV2aPRZSyUK2GNUbuzFabpHASMppDVM88ffZguar8SAvm9ooOcE7OZV7ocPcSwBdpW9Ya6wut6f5dSx7LyiOw1XXMFQmXRtEuN1ZzgIkDL29tu_hapFvVPRrBHJ8BMZHE/s640/blogger-image-1181858184.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2hnRj4UlFyvOV2aPRZSyUK2GNUbuzFabpHASMppDVM88ffZguar8SAvm9ooOcE7OZV7ocPcSwBdpW9Ya6wut6f5dSx7LyiOw1XXMFQmXRtEuN1ZzgIkDL29tu_hapFvVPRrBHJ8BMZHE/s640/blogger-image-1181858184.jpg"></a></div><br><br>But bear with me because we are about to enter Summer a.k.a. No Man's Land.  I have not signed my kids up for one thing this Summer.  Soo we are about to get <i>a lot of quality time</i> together.  A lot. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWTLRk9q9AAKc6oL7o1NQjtrgPtT_AP3DPIdCoN1iYsZ5tVp4HUQ0sud16gAfo-zfbMZae1o7jnZPUcov7MhO2Ksaez0XW1n6s5IqTB0RDioYc2ZOMUDjRin4Wt87tb1Dx9mJXmdxcN-U/s640/blogger-image--1294776487.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWTLRk9q9AAKc6oL7o1NQjtrgPtT_AP3DPIdCoN1iYsZ5tVp4HUQ0sud16gAfo-zfbMZae1o7jnZPUcov7MhO2Ksaez0XW1n6s5IqTB0RDioYc2ZOMUDjRin4Wt87tb1Dx9mJXmdxcN-U/s640/blogger-image--1294776487.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br>It'll be good.  It'll be good. </div><div><br></div><div>* amateur iPhone photos by moi. A few new acquisitions over my accidental hiatus. I intend to blog more about them. Lots of monograms, I'm just now realizing. </div><div><br></div><div>** the last image is what happens when it's quiet. Baby on the desk (trying to find candy), his favorite Keurig cups abandoned for more precious desktop items, potential ER visit or unpleasant trip to the Apple Store almost certain. </div><div><br></div><div>*** yes, that's Britney. </div>

For My Mom (who's probably the only person reading at this point)

What happened?  I blacked out.  Oh I haven't blogged in a month?? What? Where have I been?  Y'all, I don't even know.  Somewhere...

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Go green for spring

<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />And continuing with thoughts of spring decorating.... <br /><br />When you enter my house the dining table is in full view from the entry.   In a desperation move while babysitting my 3 granddaughters, I  stuck some fake lavender in a glass jar and thought that I could get away with it.<br /><br /> I was called out on that move by a family member who was a little horrified I had fake flowers.  I admit they were not good fakes.  I defensively pointed out I had beautiful fresh, pink tulips on my kitchen table, but I was caught.  Time to make amends.<br /><div><br /></div><h4><b>Something green </b></h4><br />Nothing denotes spring like new growth, green and/or plants.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4FbPUAdnO9FqoqZ5o352eWmDVo29EpMTZurGqqn51hC6X210AKcteYCQM-bplc8c56t35nfBdj4H2hobVnWHNolLHyXRiOQCTr72tLFNWZEiQl6GUaDD_sRLHemUENZ7LgRo1F27p4Qjy/s1600/fern+in+candlelantern+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="text-align: center;"><img alt="ferns , lantern, spring decor, centrepiece" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4FbPUAdnO9FqoqZ5o352eWmDVo29EpMTZurGqqn51hC6X210AKcteYCQM-bplc8c56t35nfBdj4H2hobVnWHNolLHyXRiOQCTr72tLFNWZEiQl6GUaDD_sRLHemUENZ7LgRo1F27p4Qjy/s1600/fern+in+candlelantern+.jpg" title="Designing Home: Spring centrepiece for dining table" width="265" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Lately I've been seeing live plants in lanterns.  I like the look and feel, but my place is not a lantern kind of home.  I already tried the plainest one I could find, and moved it all over the downstairs rooms to no avail.  It went back to Pier 1. <br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgccS6lQeCLUG_lNaaMpxRsheGe47BNRsKvBoKhCK37CYlEa-AnwoOLSRdJ-U4xcpBHVfQ1rv8BDbSN1alB1TIqAU1YiYxtwbIdisRePWEq_jz_mjc6fb5vygm_kVzayV70rQuQb0I11FwT/s1600/plants+in+lanterns+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgccS6lQeCLUG_lNaaMpxRsheGe47BNRsKvBoKhCK37CYlEa-AnwoOLSRdJ-U4xcpBHVfQ1rv8BDbSN1alB1TIqAU1YiYxtwbIdisRePWEq_jz_mjc6fb5vygm_kVzayV70rQuQb0I11FwT/s1600/plants+in+lanterns+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="glass lanterns, ferns, centrepiece, dining table" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgccS6lQeCLUG_lNaaMpxRsheGe47BNRsKvBoKhCK37CYlEa-AnwoOLSRdJ-U4xcpBHVfQ1rv8BDbSN1alB1TIqAU1YiYxtwbIdisRePWEq_jz_mjc6fb5vygm_kVzayV70rQuQb0I11FwT/s1600/plants+in+lanterns+.jpg" title="Designing Home: Spring centrepiece for dining table" width="287" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I love repetition as a design statement so it's little wonder I'm attracted to these ferns. Lanterns just won't do, but repetition is possible. </div><div><br /></div><h4>Keeping it simple</h4><br />So I decided to keep my dining table decor simple  by choosing three green things massed together in a small trough planter.  I'm talking ferns, real ones.<br /><br /><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmykdFGkG-jp-CTk6M-0h7tbUcxM9b95D5X6mCTBFRI5OTepD10izweEhxRdD15T7kI5sWFVacm6sTjNzZ9GRRI2mHqNSlKPwiVycXtM6HOBQRQYyhelJXRr2PDVtprN94Kc7FZLSis1_s/s1600/preparing+planter.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="boston ferns, trough, centrepiece, dining table" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmykdFGkG-jp-CTk6M-0h7tbUcxM9b95D5X6mCTBFRI5OTepD10izweEhxRdD15T7kI5sWFVacm6sTjNzZ9GRRI2mHqNSlKPwiVycXtM6HOBQRQYyhelJXRr2PDVtprN94Kc7FZLSis1_s/s1600/preparing+planter.JPG" title="Designing Home: Spring centrepiece for dining table" width="400" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgccS6lQeCLUG_lNaaMpxRsheGe47BNRsKvBoKhCK37CYlEa-AnwoOLSRdJ-U4xcpBHVfQ1rv8BDbSN1alB1TIqAU1YiYxtwbIdisRePWEq_jz_mjc6fb5vygm_kVzayV70rQuQb0I11FwT/s1600/plants+in+lanterns+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;">I'</span></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Three small  Boston ferns, and one trough planter that is very wabi sabi (lots of cracks and rough textures to play with the ferns).  I tried them in the planter before coming home with the lot.  The candles and silver leaf bird were leftovers from Christmas.  </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4kkSVM8neQ5AEl-OWNZmGuwCzWTWmxoB7GKXidrK1KxRoR4RC0iUecAAWOco6ZqPDa9Os9KP6ePztrqbTiRgH66t7EDmnAOid_Jq2zntraU1NsewSBgLwG11wgwtv3iKXQOgLhzU0mC6r/s1600/arrange+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="silver leaf bird, candles, boston ferns, trough planter, dining table, centrepiece" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4kkSVM8neQ5AEl-OWNZmGuwCzWTWmxoB7GKXidrK1KxRoR4RC0iUecAAWOco6ZqPDa9Os9KP6ePztrqbTiRgH66t7EDmnAOid_Jq2zntraU1NsewSBgLwG11wgwtv3iKXQOgLhzU0mC6r/s1600/arrange+1.JPG" title="Designing Home: Spring centrepiece for dining table" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div> Tried the green candles, a no go for me.  I wish the bird was a little smaller, but that's what I have!<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOTVJHMYIRUMjoEYkdP6q9YBShAjAs6lUPDp9bslg397dQDbyin4E6qxIYaWOPMxXcWcF2OPj_OfDzsL-u-NTfMwGW9hcGbSNeWTTYY83i6hZOfau0X637C5JcT2s7f3Zyfm0RLaCKnweG/s1600/arrange+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="candlesticks, silver leaf bird, trough planter, boston ferns, centrepiece" border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOTVJHMYIRUMjoEYkdP6q9YBShAjAs6lUPDp9bslg397dQDbyin4E6qxIYaWOPMxXcWcF2OPj_OfDzsL-u-NTfMwGW9hcGbSNeWTTYY83i6hZOfau0X637C5JcT2s7f3Zyfm0RLaCKnweG/s1600/arrange+2.JPG" title="Designing Home: Spring centrepiece for dining table" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />Still playing with the arrangement.  This will go on for weeks every time I pass the table.  Some day soon I'm sure the lot will end up  corralled in a gray or white tray. Things always do on this table.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC424Cp5jZXEsD5D8I4Z9E18wS55cvSm6tHMHe4nECDvz53EEP2znM30mZptk-c9MnxEBl6NMNcTVmlcjiogIuHxUaSQv3fBGPtmOu-hbin4yEuiMr_InwnyBi_Ej64DKbU11dY31Q9k7F/s1600/fall+plants.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="coffee table vignette, fern, copper bird planter, green tray" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC424Cp5jZXEsD5D8I4Z9E18wS55cvSm6tHMHe4nECDvz53EEP2znM30mZptk-c9MnxEBl6NMNcTVmlcjiogIuHxUaSQv3fBGPtmOu-hbin4yEuiMr_InwnyBi_Ej64DKbU11dY31Q9k7F/s1600/fall+plants.JPG" title="Designing Home: Spring centrepiece for dining table" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />Remember this pic from a my friend Gail's house I featured in this <a href="http://designinghome.blogspot.ca/2014/11/at-home-finishing-touches-for.html">post</a>?   I envy her the copper bird planter.  A planter and a bird all in one - my idea of perfect.<br /><br /><h4>Lots of options </h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now I just have to keep these greedy, moisture seeking things alive with constant watering and misting.  I can see me carting them off to my summer house  for babysitting.  I'm  sure they will see lots of moves in the coming year- ledge in bathroom, kitchen table, window ledge in kitchen, laundry room counter or shelf.  The possibilities are endless.  That's a lot of decorating punch for less than $40. 00 and they improve my air quality! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Are plants part of your decor plan? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>

Go green for spring

And continuing with thoughts of spring decorating.... When you enter my house the dining table is in full view from the entry.   In a desper...

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Is it spring yet?

I don't know about you, but around this time of year my decor starts to look a little like I feel after a long, cold winter.  Tired and worse for wear.  I had the urge to bring some spring to my house; I tried, I really did, but mother nature had other ideas.<br /><br /><br />  I had visions  of something  like this  for my front containers with a bit of fake thrown in until the real thing is possible - that means late June here.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqs-MJ27IMk63fSzip8EZmJStqaFQS6FH5_klRYkOV4FXPfJT6JL2CPE38vKDsuf2hrFuC5gd0ZYer1EW4u73k7j-HKH5RhhrXIRStHXtOsngZ8G8bfReguYY_ff80BosTxKYRh_TpD-Jz/s1600/planter+spring.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqs-MJ27IMk63fSzip8EZmJStqaFQS6FH5_klRYkOV4FXPfJT6JL2CPE38vKDsuf2hrFuC5gd0ZYer1EW4u73k7j-HKH5RhhrXIRStHXtOsngZ8G8bfReguYY_ff80BosTxKYRh_TpD-Jz/s1600/planter+spring.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://kellydesignsofct.com/author/admin/page/5/">Source</a> </td></tr></tbody></table><br /> I bought pussy willows and some  short, purple flowers to  add to the greenery that is there.  Unfortunately the current items from Christmas are still frozen solid.   I have  what survived the raging winds and snow of winter ....<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHyRmd34PclDBX7Bg4XNcWxoCl62YAPArMnXN8nusRClDhgNDptRvzlOvNCiBtSYKkojU0wfuk_x6gXzbJk-FrNaXgb3tGjibjQ5l97skC48cGZLiynnNcuieIZXNhmox-VA5RhGjKjEeW/s1600/close+up+planter_01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHyRmd34PclDBX7Bg4XNcWxoCl62YAPArMnXN8nusRClDhgNDptRvzlOvNCiBtSYKkojU0wfuk_x6gXzbJk-FrNaXgb3tGjibjQ5l97skC48cGZLiynnNcuieIZXNhmox-VA5RhGjKjEeW/s1600/close+up+planter_01.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><br />I guess it will be red dogwood, Spanish Broom and pine for a little longer! The berries are long gone.<br /><br /><br />Then I thought what about a new wreath to hang over the containers.  I wracked my brains.  Do you know a spring motif that would look great with Christmas planters?  I  couldn't come up with one thing apart from twigs.  That wouldn't help my craving for colour.<br /><br /> My only recourse was to take in my Christmas wreath in an effort to remove a little more evidence that I am not with it.<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoH9tMK5KNqPT1Fd4e8xeABKWjFr_l2HdKWdIQQS-4FlTPPSNwvJYyVoJfA0SGweUGfxJnHZ3pYc2ejBt7u_DL9s57Y7XiRYbzukuDTY6Q_7qjijtJ0BFt3etT4hGwsZm8zky_2Lnfi8D9/s1600/CC960+french+violet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoH9tMK5KNqPT1Fd4e8xeABKWjFr_l2HdKWdIQQS-4FlTPPSNwvJYyVoJfA0SGweUGfxJnHZ3pYc2ejBt7u_DL9s57Y7XiRYbzukuDTY6Q_7qjijtJ0BFt3etT4hGwsZm8zky_2Lnfi8D9/s1600/CC960+french+violet.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cc960 french violet Benjamin Moore</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /> Then I tried to convince myself that my Benjamin Moore cc960 french violet door was my spring statement!  Feeble. But hold on a moment. <br /><br />Would this convince you?  "... evoking thoughts of strolling along the Seine with an armful of violet bouquets"  according to the Benjamin Moore site.  That's close, I chose it because of my memories of the lavender fields in France. My granddaughters have noticed that I love purple, at times it is a little too obvious!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK83eZQM1KpBvEaXD3bTO50IOU7sn8i1STI9gz0lOi90UpVw-7kKU8WcXKIbUCHxbRrMFsZdY2QOIVTk5XfJ1bgS1DdDpuxsdpC5QlwsQbPYZxWEzOXwFtGYlPtHeZyP3pQ3dM8eTLKVcF/s1600/banded+pillow.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK83eZQM1KpBvEaXD3bTO50IOU7sn8i1STI9gz0lOi90UpVw-7kKU8WcXKIbUCHxbRrMFsZdY2QOIVTk5XfJ1bgS1DdDpuxsdpC5QlwsQbPYZxWEzOXwFtGYlPtHeZyP3pQ3dM8eTLKVcF/s1600/banded+pillow.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> As in my latest pillow thanks to a scrap of lavender velvet left from </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvL65rCcuOb6Ksrl-IQk7Xb-p7yPGp0xayLY-j5NAEXHlovMXiaCkwoAHYo4_6z_vBAGWKm-aggHD8eeKa3AOQmF_XbpgpMKOgldnQ0gPh5ekfe7eSB27WXgL1c5Fyo2EHR7pA8Eji5jqB/s1600/DSCN0851.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvL65rCcuOb6Ksrl-IQk7Xb-p7yPGp0xayLY-j5NAEXHlovMXiaCkwoAHYo4_6z_vBAGWKm-aggHD8eeKa3AOQmF_XbpgpMKOgldnQ0gPh5ekfe7eSB27WXgL1c5Fyo2EHR7pA8Eji5jqB/s1600/DSCN0851.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />this little beauty my sister made for a bench in my front porch.  Don't you just love the decorative tucks that make a pattern?  My sister is a class act when it comes to sewing and decorating.  When I got rid of the nasty red accent pillows  I thought I wanted last spring, I knew my accent would return to purple and I would have to elevate this pillow to sofa status. Bye, bye porch bench. <br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp2Up9ka40V6tmxyf4nPf-GijyLoEtbYBh-2J9E1OHomrmLl64i2ZggOD6sea3Mi6M3RCGEHB5cLVed2XumkpEWdA7jhHwfaZrR8ooSbFXpxGBo5_hJefxxEDb3PMExfVJ4mFjXdOWHuRS/s1600/spring+2015+living+room_01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp2Up9ka40V6tmxyf4nPf-GijyLoEtbYBh-2J9E1OHomrmLl64i2ZggOD6sea3Mi6M3RCGEHB5cLVed2XumkpEWdA7jhHwfaZrR8ooSbFXpxGBo5_hJefxxEDb3PMExfVJ4mFjXdOWHuRS/s1600/spring+2015+living+room_01.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> If you look up you can see where the idea for purple came from.  So spring has hit my house in the form of pillows.  I admit that isn't too overwhelming.<br /><br />Where does that leave me?<br /><br />Still thinking about the  dining room table.  Still thinking..... Hum....<br /><br /><br />

Is it spring yet?

I don't know about you, but around this time of year my decor starts to look a little like I feel after a long, cold winter.  Tired and ...

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