~~~A Casual Monday Dinner with Friends~~~

Joe's cousin lost his best friend last week and they always had gone to dinner together on Monday night. So, I decided he shouldn't spend this first Mon. alone. I made a pan of ziti, had Italian bread and for dessert we had vanilla ice cream with strawberries and blueberries. We all had a good time. I am sorry I forgot to take pictures of the FOOD!!!! It was good though!!!!

 I used one of my favorite tablecloths with palm trees on it. Then a woven placemat and green dinner dish. The napkins coordinate but don't exactly match the tablecloth. They have palm leaves on them. I folded them accordian style, folded them in half and slipped inot the napkin ring. THen you jst fan them out and fluff a little!

 Green water glasses. I did add wine glasses before we ate cause we had a bottle of Chianti.

 Bamboo handled flatware.

 Detail of the tablecloth.

 Took this in the afternoon. When we ate dinner all the candle WERE lit!!!!!!!!

~~~The Office Reveal!!!~~~

I thought I would start at the beginning. I am so sorry I didn't get pictures of when it was the office before Joe took out all the OLD, horrible furniture. Anyway, here is when we started, after spakling he started putting some paint on the spackled places. Then cutting in started. I am HORRIBLE at cutting in so he does that.

 Here the walls are painted and I showed you how different it looks in diffeerent light.

 See the corner of the brown desk? That used to sit in the middle of the room. We took it oput of the room to really open up the room since he now has more desk top space.

 Stuff all over the house...............I YI YI:)

 New furniture still in boxes in the foyer.

 Lovely..............

 Laptops on the dining room table.

 Here we go: pictures are just propped to see where he wants to hang them.... This old plastic GREEN trash can got replaced today, thank goodness:)

Some of his sports memorabilia on top of the hutch.

 Joe and Tracy dancing at her wedding. The frame says, "love forever, happiness always.

 The tall lamp is carved wood and from India.

 One of his trains.........we have a "train room" that I will show you one day.

 This picture was done by Joe's Aunt.
 Trains over the closet door.

 These pieces are going to get stained an ebony stain....when the weather gets warmer!!!!

 I got him these 2 new lamps (at the $ store) cause he needed more light.

 That laptop is now on a shelf that he got today.

 It is above the other laptop now, much better!

 Old leather helmet that he painted with his school colors and out his number on the back!

~~~ An Oriental Dinner Party~~~

Now that Valentine's is over and winter is still with us I thought it would be nice to set a table using my oriental bamboo dishes and serving pieces! I will be linking to Susan's Tablescape Thurs. at http://www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/ Please go visit her after 8 tonight to see MANY amazing table settings! Now, on to this table. I left the table bare to show the beautiful, rich wood. I love the grain in the table. I used black placemats. The stemware is amber water glasses and black wine glasses. Don't forget, you can click on any picture to enlarge.

 A few years ago I found these pagoda S and P's!!!! Love them!

 I know....the napkin is PAPER, but it is so perfect I had to show you. I also had black cloth napkins.

 The dinner plate is plain and the salad has the bamboo. I used gold flatware to compliment the amber glasses and the gold in the napkin.

I really like these carved wood candlesticks.

 A black laquered salad set.

 The vegetable bowl.

 I made the arrangement. Artichokes, white filler flowers and bamboo pieces running through the middle.

 Bamboo tea light holders.

 Can you see the reflection of the plate in the black wine glass???

 Time to light the candles! I love candle light! It always makes a meal more special....to me anyway!

Thanks again, dear friends, for stopping by. Your support and encouragement mean the world to me. Hopefully Spring is around the corner! Friday is supposed to be GORGEOUS here, up to 65 degress!!! Enjoy your week. XO, Pinky