Easy Ways to Style Your China Cabinet for the Seasons

 

Easy Ways

to Style

Your China Cabinet

by Chickadee Home Nest

As I thought about this post it occurred to me, “My blog should really be called “The Lazy Decorator,”” because if there’s an easy way to do something, or a shortcut—I’m there!

And here’s a perfect example: Many of you know that I like to decorate/refresh our china cabinet for the seasons and holidays. I find that if I leave it be for very long it starts to feel lifeless, like it’s there as a shrine, or as a “Hands off: This stuff isn’t meant to be touched and used!” That’s exactly why I took the doors off—I wanted our china cabinet to be approachable and inviting, and to serve as active storage.

Here’s how it looked before, with the doors ~

Then, with the doors removed ~

So much more inviting, don’t you think? It’s as if it’s saying, “Come on over and use the stuff here! Live with it! Enjoy it!” And, as you can see, in each of the two pictures it’s decorated for the season or holiday: Valentines above, Spring below. You can see the whole post here.

My challenge for today’s post was to keep the foundational pieces I’ve had in the china cabinet for almost three months and change only the embellishments, hoping to show you that it doesn’t take a total re-do to bring your china to life and keep it current for the season or the holiday.

Here’s the china cabinet with what turned out to be the foundational pieces that have carried me from post-Christmas until now:

From there, still keeping the foundational pieces—the white pieces—I moved to early Spring~

Notice that I left the snowy little trees, after all, it was only February and we still had LOTS of snow (and lots to come!). I even kept the deer on top, though you can hardly see them in this picture. So I simply added the violet tea cups and the violets as we i-n-c-h-e-d into Spring, because I was sooooo ready for some color and signs of Spring! You can see the full post here.

Here’s a close-up of the early splash of Spring color~

 

Yesterday and this morning we had lots of rain. Welcome, because it got rid of the last bits of snow we had left (which we thought would be around at least until, oh, JUNE!!), so I was inspired to get with the program and do a bit of Spring and Easter decorating. Yea!! AND…sunshine later in the day!

First on the list…you guessed it! The china cabinet! As I’ve mentioned before, our floor plan is very open, so as the china cabinet goes, so goes the mood and the season at our house!

So on with my challenge, and here’s today’s Spring china cabinet~

  Notice the foundational pieces remain exactly the same. I was tempted to switch some pieces out as I rummaged through my Easter and Spring bins, but nope! I stuck to my challenge of using the same white pieces one more time. A few silk flowers tucked in here and there, and the addition of my favorite Nicodemus chubby robin and bunny, and voilà! We have a Spring china cabinet with minimal effort! (I did switch the deer out for a chippy basket painted in Annie Sloan Duck Egg. It was time for them to go hibernate until winter!)

  In the early Spring version this sterling compote held dried roses with touches of preserved cedar. A nestful of eggs and a splash of color from the daffodils, and it says Spring!

These glass “cups” are votives now repurposed as vases, and the silver “vase” is a salt or pepper shaker.

Wow!! I have these “crocuses” in yellow and pink. I wasn’t sure which I was going to prefer, but once I put the pink in the white sugar bowl, I didn’t even try the yellow! Love the splash of happy color!

In its previous rendition this Pfaltzgraff creamer held vintage knives, and the cloche simply had a tiny sprig of baby’s breath. Just one little crocus for a bit of color.

Just some speckled eggs in the Waterford goblet—the colors go well with the robin and bunny.

Forsythia!! Every year I search for the first forsythia bloom…JOY! It means Spring really has arrived! For now, only in the silk version, but it does the trick!

Gotta have chickadees in our china cabinet! Did you notice they’re a salt-and-pepper set?

I absolutely love this darling little spoon, though I don’t know exactly what its intended purpose was—do you? I’ve always thought of it and used it as a jelly spoon, but I’m not sure about that. I’d love to know if you know!

  You’ve seen this darling silver cup before, I’m sure. It was in an auction box lot! What a find! In the previous display it only held the baby’s breath, and liking the white, I simply added a sprig of {faux} stephanotis.

Okay…here’s one change I forgot about! In the former displays I had a darling miniature milk glass sugar bowl where the glass one now sits. I’d had it on Etsy, and when I saw that Beverly, from How Sweet the Sound (here) holds a Blog Shop where you can add the items you have for sale on Etsy, eBay, or your blog, I added my Etsy items. Lo and behold, Beverly herself bought the sweet sugar bowl and another milk glass vase! If you have items for sale, be sure to visit her!

This little silver tray and “bronzy” spoon were already there on the china cabinet. I simply added the “grass” and daffodils. This spoon is perfect for the Spring setting—it always reminds me of a hosta Patriot leaf.

So…have I convinced you about how easy it is to update your china cabinet and enticed you to use yours as a seasonal display? I can’t wait to hear from you!

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Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you’ll leave me a comment to let me know you were here—I’m thrilled to know you stopped by, and I’ll always visit back and comment too. If you like what you see, I invite you to follow me (I promise to follow back), and please—Pin away and follow me on Pinterest too! Thank you!!

NOTE: Some of the items I use in my posts are in my Etsy shop, but many are not, simply because I haven’t updated my shop. If you see something you like and wonder if it’s available for sale, email me at coral5252@gmail.com and let’s talk!

Monday Show and Share at http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/

Mop it Up Monday at http://www.ishouldbemoppingthefloor.com

Metamorphosis Monday at http://betweennapsontheporch.net/

ModMix Monday at http://modvintagelife.blogspot.com/

Amaze Me Monday at http://www.dwellings-theheartofyourhome.com/

Making Monday at http://gracelangdon.blogspot.com/

Inspire Me Monday at http://www.myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/

Masterpiece Monday at http://boogieboardcottage.blogspot.com/

Karen’s Something to Talk About at http://www.karensuponthehill.com/

Tuesdays at Our Home at http://mariaelenasdecor.blogspot.com/

Tuesdays at The Scoop at http://www.stonegableblog.com

Inspire Me Tuesday at http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/

Tuesdays at http://theenchantingrose.blogspot.com/

Centerpiece Wednesday at http://thestylesisters.blogspot.com/

DIY Design Wednesdays at http://diybydesign.blogspot.com\

Wow Us Wednesdays at http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/

Thursdays Share Your Cup with Mrs. Olson at http://jannolson.blogspot.com/

Home and Garden Thursday at http://blissfulrhythm.blogspot.com/

Tablescape Thursday at http://betweennapsontheporch.net/

Thursdays at http://www.impartinggrace.com/

Thursday Your Turn to Shine at http://blesserhouse.blogspot.com/

Share Your Style Thursday at http://www.Commonground-do.com/

Thursday Share Your Style at http://northernnesting.blogspot.com/

Vintage Inspiration Friday at http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/

Fridays Creative Collection at http://thecardswedrew.com/

Fridays at Feathered Nest: http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/

Fridays at http://rootedinthyme.blogspot.com/

Fridays at Home Sweet Home: http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/

Fresh-Cut Fridays at http://rosevignettes.blogspot.com

Fridays at The Thrifty Groove at http://thethriftygroove.blogspot.com/

Friday Tatertots and Jello at http://tatertotsandjello.com

Show and Tell Friday at http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

Friday at The Girl Creative at http://www.thegirlcreative.com/

Pink Saturdays at http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/

Saturday at http://www.craft-o-maniac.com/

Saturdays at http://piecedpastimes.blogspot.com/

Spotlight Saturdays at http://www.classyclutter.net/

Saturdays at Be Different, Act Normal at http://www.bedifferentactnormal.com/

From my nest to yours~

Zuni

My Outdoor Office and Other Summer Dreams

I’m dreamin’ of warm summer days—aren’t we all?! A couple of nights ago the overnight forecast was for between zero and -5°…yes, that’s right: MINUS FIVE DEGREES! In March! Our grandchildren in southern Ohio have missed almost the entire last three weeks of school because of snow and or too-low temperatures!

BUT…it’s looking BETTER! Our local weatherman (the one we watch is a “he”) is now teasing us with a possible HEATWAVE of high 40s next week! Oh, joy! That has me thinking not of spring…no, I’m going in for the full SUMMER DREAMS!!!

As I glanced out to our snowy scene beyond our screened porch the other day my heart wished I could go sit out there for a spell (as you know, the screened porch is my favorite space in our cottage). I thought of the naps our babies (and yes, I too!) have taken out there, the quiet times sitting there doing “nothing” but being, the puttering and happy hours, rocking our babies out there as night falls, visits to blogging friends, birthday celebrated there…and yes, actually working out there.

Working is much more palatable when I can work here:

Just look at that GREEN! Awash in sunshine! And in the protective shade of the porch, a blooming Gerbera daisy, and the happy/going-crazy purple flowers that I don’t know what they are (help! I’d love to know if  you know!!). I’ve had that plant—in the same pot!!—for at least 8 years! Sometimes, when she’s wintering indoors, she still blooms, but she’s happiest in the summer—just like I am!

A close-up might helps those of you serious gardeners to help me identify her. The precious Gerbera was a birthday present from our grandchickadees last summer (yes, I even have a summer birthday—August—the HOTTEST month of the year, and perfect for me!).

This is the sweet note the chickadees’ sweet Mamá added to it: “Thank you for being such a good “Ata” and helping us bloom and grow! OXOX Happy Birthday.” Oh, this Ata does love that daisy!! (I used it in last summer’s Last Hurrah post here.)

But I digress…get me on the topic of summer and I’m off in every direction possible!

One beautiful August day last summer I was fortunate enough to be able to work from home, and as I do every chance I get, I took my laptop to my “outdoor office.” It occurred to me that I needed to capture the blessing—that very moment! Notice that there’s no fancy staging…no glistening glass of iced tea with lemon slices and a bit of mint from my garden. No lovely napkin, or coaster, or long and beautiful iced tea spoon. Just simple, easy, real life happening: Laptop, mouse, Bluetooth, Bible, pen and paper.

First…ahhhh…a moment (or two or three or more) to breathe, to read His Word, to reflect, to write, while basking in His glorious gifts.

 

My up-close view.

This winter I have been working hard to not complain much about His ways with the weather, as I know I don’t know much anything about His reasons. But even through my strongest effort He knows that in my little human heart I CAN.NOT.WAIT until I am feeling, seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling His summer gifts:

~ Bright sunshine (I dare not complain…we’ve had many sunny days this winter);

~ WARM sunshine;

~ Birds singing (they’re singing their little hearts out already; I think they’re as anxious as I am for summer days!);

~ The sound of gentle breezes murmuring through the leaves instead of winds howling through the bare branches;

~ Our wind chimes playing their soft, tinkling music in the breeze;

~ The scent of fresh grass and dirt waking from their long and frozen sleep.

Oh, and I’ve promised myself that I WILL.NOT complain about a hot summer! :)   Please hold me to that!

How ‘bout you? Are you as ready for spring and/or summer as I am? Are you dreaming in spring and summer colors yet? Are you the type who wants to be OUTSIDE every moment of summer? I kid that I’m like a little kid in the summer…I.DON’T.WANT.TO.COME.INSIDE!!!

Oh, and I’ve often wondered if my love for summer has anything to do with the fact that I was born in August. What do you think? Do you love the season in which you were born more than the others?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you’ll leave me a comment to let me know you were here—I’m thrilled to know you stopped by, and I’ll always visit back and comment too. If you like what you see, I invite you to follow me (I promise to follow back), and please—Pin away and follow me on Pinterest too! Thank you!!

NOTE: Some of the items I use in my posts are in my Etsy shop, but many are not, simply because I haven’t updated my shop. If you see something you like and wonder if it’s available for sale, email me at coral5252@gmail.com and let’s talk!

Sunday Showcase at http://www.bystephanielynn.com/

Sunday at It’s Overflowing at http://www.itsoverflowing.com/

Sunday Blog Hop at http://www.blissfulanddomestic.com/

Sundae Scoop at http://www.iheartnaptime.net/

Monday Show and Share at http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/

Mop it Up Monday at http://www.ishouldbemoppingthefloor.com

Metamorphosis Monday at http://betweennapsontheporch.net/

Inspire Me Monday at http://www.myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/

Masterpiece Monday at http://boogieboardcottage.blogspot.com/

Monday’s Blue Monday at http://smilingsally.blogspot.com/

Market Yourself Monday at http://sumossweetstuff.blogspot.com/

Monday Just Something I Whipped Up at http://www.thegirlcreative.com/

CraftOManiac Monday at http://craftomaniac.blogspot.com/

Mondays Something to Talk About at http://www.karensuponthehill.com/

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/

Tuesdays at Our Home at http://mariaelenasdecor.blogspot.com/

Tuesdays at The Scoop at http://www.stonegableblog.com

Inspire Me Tuesday at http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/

Tuesday at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia,

Tuesday’s Simply Klassics at http://www.simplyklassichome.com/

Too Cute Tuesday at http://funkypolkadotgiraffe.blogspot.com/

Wednesday at Tea Rose Home at http://tearosehome.blogspot.com/

Wednesday’s Hoo’s Got Talent at http://nightowlcrafting.blogspot.com/

Centerpiece Wednesday at http://thestylesisters.blogspot.com/

DIY Design Wednesdays at http://diybydesign.blogspot.com\

Wow Us Wednesdays at http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/

Wednesday Share Your Cup with Mrs. Olson at http://jannolson.blogspot.com/

Home and Garden Thursday at http://blissfulrhythm.blogspot.com/

Home and Garden Thursday at http://blissfulrhythm.blogspot.com/

Tablescape Thursday at http://betweennapsontheporch.net/

Thursdays at http://www.impartinggrace.com/

Thursday Your Turn to Shine at http://blesserhouse.blogspot.com/

Share Your Style Thursday at http://www.Commonground-do.com/

Transformation Thursdays at http://www.theshabbycreekcottage.com/

Vintage Inspiration Friday at http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/

Fridays at Feathered Nest: http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/

Fridays at http://rootedinthyme.blogspot.com/

Fridays at Home Sweet Home: http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/

Fresh-Cut Fridays at http://rosevignettes.blogspot.com

Fridays at The Thrifty Groove at http://thethriftygroove.blogspot.com/

Show and Tell Friday at http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

Friday Tatertots and Jello at http://tatertotsandjello.com

Friday Bacon Time’s party at http://bacontimewiththehungryhypo.blogspot.com

Fridays at Bloom Designs Online at http://bloomdesignsonline.com

Friday at Shine on Fridays,

Fridays at Stuff and Nonsense,

Vintage Inspiration Friday at http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/

Show and Tell Friday at http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

Friday Favs at http://www.naptimecrafters.com

Saturdays at http://piecedpastimes.blogspot.com/

Spotlight Saturdays at http://www.classyclutter.net/

Saturday Strut Your Stuff at http://www.sixsistersstuff.com

Spotlight Saturday at http://www.classyclutter.blogspot.com/

Saturdays at Be Different, Act Normal at http://www.bedifferentactnormal.com/

From my nest to yours~

Zuni

Urban Oasis

My hairdresser’s salon is on the southern edge of German Village, a lovely part of town which is described on the German Village website (http://germanvillage.com/about-2/history) as “a historic neighborhood just south of downtown Columbus, Ohio. The area was primarily developed between 1840 and 1914, and settled largely by German immigrants in the mid 1800s. Today, German Village is a model of urban neighborhood preservation and revitalization - a nationally recognized success story. The Village is mostly a residential neighborhood of sturdy, red-brick homes with wrought iron fences along tree-lined, brick-paved streets.” 
The salon is in an old brick home that, if not for committed neighbors, would look out onto a busy street, and beyond a glimpse of the Scioto River.
Last week, on a rare sunny day (rather than the wet, gray ones we’ve had), I drove up to see this:
   and this, across the street:

I left the edge of the billboard in the picture to help readers visualize what this spot would be like if not for my hairdresser’s neighbor, who has done all this by himself!  This is a one-man effort to beautify his city.  As luck would have it, my hairdresser was running a bit late, so I had time to grab my phone and dash across the street and take pictures of all this loveliness.

Oh, and it gets better…

And to think that all this abundance grows without a bit of mulch!

Every rusty, old hydrant needs tulips!  The contrast of such beauty against the chippy rusty surface of this most utilitarian object is lovely.

Then I walked back across the street to his yard, on my way back to the salon.  Notice the chain-link fence—even that feature adds charm and texture to his creation.

Back at the salon, shadows of the bamboo on the porch play against the brick.

A LOVELY spring afternoon at the hair salon!

How is your spring coming along?  Has it arrived, or has it been s-l-o-w to come?  Have you found any spring surprises that have brought you joy?  I hope so!

Thanks so much for visiting.  I hope you enjoyed this lovely example of one human being giving back to his community and bringing so much joy.

I hope you’ll leave me a comment to let me know you were here—I read every single one of them! And if you like what you see a lot, maybe you’d like to +1 this post or pin it on Pinterest too! Thank you! I invite you to follow me. If you’ll let me know that you’re following, I’ll be sure to follow you back. Sundays at The Tablescaper: http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com/ Mop it Up Monday at http://www.ishouldbemoppingthefloor.com Metamorphosis Monday at  http://betweennapsontheporch.net/ Tuesdays at http://www.astrollthrulife.net/ Thursdays at Home Sweet Home: http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/ Thursdays at No Minimalist Here: http://nominimalisthere.blogspot.com/ Transformation Thursdays at http://www.theshabbycreekcottage.com/ Be Inspired Friday at http://www.Commonground-do.com/ Fridays at Feathered Nest: http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/ Inspiration Friday at http://www.atthepicketfence.com From my nest to yours, ~Zuni