Tuesday, July 27, 2010

My Kitchen

IMG_1639 This afternoon, while my grandsons were napping, I decided to make a double layer cake and to roast a chicken.

As I turned and looked at the end of my kitchen, I sighed.

My kitchen is galley style, and I planned this space originally as an area for a table and chairs.

Since I have three other dining tables and chairs in other areas, I decided years ago to create this special space.

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The cake was in the oven, so I started to play.

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I brought out a Blue Italian dinner plate and placed it on the red and white toile charger that goes with the pillows I have on my white wicker.

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For my single place setting, I used my mother’s Damask Rose sterling and a white battenburg lace napkin and place mat.

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I added a Blue Italian coffee mug, a blue and white cloche that I love, and as I looked around my kitchen, I thought this would be a great way to say good bye to the last of my valiant zinnias.

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They have given me such immense pleasure this summer.

The cake is ready.

My grandsons should be waking up soon. All is right in my world.

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I am linking to:

Tablescape_Thursday

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58 comments:

DKG aka Scrappy Doo said...

I love it! Sounds like the perfect afternoon. The red charger is gorgeous!!

Deb said...

now that is fun play...love the zinnias...I have really enjoyed mine this summer..

Olive said...

Yummy and beautiful. This as close as I will get to cake. hugs ♥ olive

Michelle said...

Very beautiful tablescape and I love the colors.

Sherry @ No Minimalist Here said...

Laura, Love your wicker and the red pillows are fabulous! The chargers, dishes, zinnias are all wonderful. Enjoy your time with your grandsons.
Hugs, Sherry

Tanza said...

Hi Laura,
What a lovely post !! Lovin' how you have everything set about ..Isn't it FuN to have time to play and bake too .. Sounds like a wonderful afternoon my friend .. Hoping you are enjoying your summer ~
Blessings and LoVe ~TeA~ xo

Kim @ Savvy Southern Style said...

What a pretty setting and with blue and white and toile. What more could one want.

Lou Cinda @ Tattered Hydrangeas said...

Beautiful! Everything! Love the colors! Soooo pretty!

And the cake looks awesome! What a great grandmother you are...

Lou Cinda :)

CEDAR JUNCTION said...

I can almost SMELL that chocolate cake!

Really loving that cloche!!

Smiles,
Teresa

Blooming Rose Musings said...

It is so pretty and looks just like summer. The cake looks scrumptious. What a lovely day you are having. Enjoy!

Entertaining Women said...

Oh my, we tend to spend our days in our galley kitchens in much the same way. I find myself playing with my dishes...dreaming and scheming. My daughter chose the Blue Italian as one of her everyday patterns, too. You have created a delightful vignette, and I find it enchanting. Thank you for sharing your charming design. Cherry Kay

Lemon Lane Studio said...

I love your little sitting area. The red toile with the wicker is so pretty and the chocolate cake...makes the scene just about perfect! Enjoy your time with grands, Patty

Anonymous said...

CAKE!! OH, and the blue dishware is so grand! What a perfect sitting area.

Di

Pondside said...

That was so pretty.
It's important to play - especially with your dishes!

Sandra said...

Gosh - such a sweet, sweet post. So comforting when they are asleep in your house and you know they are safe and sound! Love your table. Gorgie. My mother had Damask Rose sterling, also! I love it. Do you? xoxo

joanne said...

Life is good! And that blue and white cloche is lovely...glad you had such a good day!

Theresa said...

AND I'll be there shortly for my piece of cake! YUMMMY to the cake and that sweet area for me to sit and enjoy eating it!

Have a blessed day and enjoy those Grandsons!

HUGS!

Linda (Nina's Nest) said...

Laura, what a warm and cozy setting, and a delicious post. Makes me want to go cook! Linda

Diane said...

What a beautiful way to spend an afternoon....love the combination of red and blue plates along side the battenburg combo =))

Rebecca said...

Love to join you in such a beautiful setting!

Glenda/MidSouth said...

What a pretty setting! That cake does not look to shabby either. :D

Blue Ridge Altered Art said...

What a beautiful post. I love the blue dishes. Thank you for sharing.

Entertaining Women said...

Laura, thank you for your kind comments on my latest post. To your question about the wide angle shots on my camera...I shoot with a Konica Minolta Dimage A2. I just use the lens that came with the camera. I think that Konica Minolta has been bought by Sony, and I'm not certain that they still make the camera. It's a fantastic camera...much better than I am a photographer. I tend to shoot using the LCD screen to frame my shot, and I often find that I aim my camera from an elevated position, shooting down a bit. I think that perhaps that gives the impression of a wider angle. My camera creates 'huge' files for each picture, and the detail capabilities from an extended distance are quite satisfactory. This camera will produce photos that can be used in 11X20 banners. The other thing that I do regularly is crop, crop, crop like a mad woman. I am not trained...it's all pretty much seat of the pants photography. I'm a Mac girl, and I really like the editing capabilities of iPhoto on my computer. Other than that, I have to chalk it up to luck. Do you follow http://thepioneerwoman.com? Fantastic blog, and Ree Drummond, an Oklahoma blog writer/cookbook author(The Pioneer Woman Cooks) does some neat posts on photography. I think that you would like it. Hope this helps. Cherry Kay

Lorilee said...

Wow, 3 other dining areas! I'm jealous. I only have the one off my kitchen, unless I count the sofa in front of the TV. Haha! Beautiful table setting!
Blessings,
Lorilee

Tracy Wills said...

I love the blue and red together, very pretty!

Lisa said...

What a great idea to use the area in your kitchen as a keeping room! I'll bet your guests love sitting there with you while you cook.:)

The Charm of Home said...

This is all beautiful! What gorgeous dishes and flatware. Also love that pillow!! Thanks for showing us around.
Sherry

Deb said...

Hi Laura! Just stopping by to say hi. I love those red chargers. They are beautiful with the blue plates and the lace napkins are too pretty to use!

Unknown said...

Laura, this was a tender moment ... our silver pattern was Damask Rose ... your table setting is lovely, the red/white/blue is fabulous & those cushions are perfect.

You created an awesome setting ...

Have a lovely summer's eve ~
TTFN ~ Marydon

Bring Pretty Back said...

Laura, Thank you for visiting my blog. I'm excited you are following, thank you! I loved your comment! I also read Fascinating Womanhood! I bought it at a garage sale for 25 cents about 5 years ago and loved it!
Have a pretty day!
Kristin

Designs on 47th Street said...

Beautiful, beautiful! All of it! Wow on the dishes and your mother's silver. Is there possibly a prettier flower than the simple zinnia?

Donna

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Laura, I love this nook. It is lovely, and I'm wild about both your pillows and the dishes you chose for this tablescape. What a specail spot!

XO,

Sheila :-)

Splenderosa said...

Wonderful combination, Laura. I love this!!
Marsha

Red Couch Recipes said...

That charger is something else! I also have Damask Rose --- only it is not my mother's it's mine! Cute tablesetting for one. Joni

a quiet life said...

love it all!

Kelly Frances Dunn said...

The most beautiful thing about this post, is your positive attitude :) Love it all!

Celly B said...

What a cozy spot! I love the mixed transferware!

Rebecca Nelson said...

Love it all my creative friend. I love the settee and how you've done that space! I love it when rooms are used in different ways. I LOVE our dining room in the front of the house now...

I have a galley kitchen and we are renovating it in the near future. Mr. AGPMan and I constantly bump into one another when the two of us are in there. It is so small. I see these fab BIG kitchens and I'm speechless.

LOVE YOUR dishes!

xoRebecca

Debra@CommonGround said...

Just one more reason why I love you so much. This seating area is so me! Beautiful table setting, dear Laura, and now I'm hungry!
xo,
Debra

Marigene said...

Laura, what a beautiful little spot for a table for one...the red, white and blue are the perfect colors for that little nook.

Barbara said...

Ahhhhh... I can just picture you enjoying the quiet, the smell of the baking cake and looking around for little things to make up your little spot. This is lovely, just lovely. Love your dishes!

Sewn With Grace said...

It's all so pretty and the cake looks yummy! Have a blessed day!

ChaChaneen said...

Cake is ready and so am I! Lurve chocolate cake and your sweet space is just lovely!

Donna (Timeless Settings) said...

Very pretty setting!
Donna

Mid-Atlantic Martha said...

How pretty and who wouldn't love to wake up from a nap to a wonderful cake at this pretty setting.

Marguerite said...

Lovely setting and such a charming nook you've created in your kitchen. My zinnias are still going strong since we've had a good bit of rain in July. That chocolate cake looks divine!

Ramona said...

Good Morning Laura ~

This is a delightfully, delightful post. I truly believe that the world is a better place when a chocolate cake is baking and a plump chicken is roasting.

I love your place settings....blue and red together...gorgeous.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Smiles ~ Ramona

Cindy said...

Your little sitting area is so pretty! I love the two toiles that you mix and match, very lovely. Your cake looks very yummy, makes me want to make a cake!
~cindy~

Fifi Flowers said...

YUM... would love to sit and eat cake here!!!

Cindi @ Rustique Art said...

Dang! Just when I talked my self into repainting my den I saw this post. Already in Cranberry I was determined to change since it has been this color for almost 15yrs. But now I have backed down. I will repaint but only to morph into another hue of red....I'm thinking a Rustic Barn Red.
This area you've created is so sweet...love the colors and I really enjoy looking at all of your lovely dishes.

Marlis said...

What a delightful afternoon. Your place setting is wonderful. Zinnias are simply happy flowers.. Love what you created.

CHERI said...

I'd love a piece of that cake! Have fun with your grandkids!

Wren Barrett 2011 said...

What a lovely special place you've created...hope you're having a nice Summer Laura!

Leave a Legacy said...

Hi Laura,
What a cute little sitting area you've designed. I love the toile patterns and colors. You are a great multi-tasker. To get all that done, bake a cake, post a blog about it, and all while the grandchildren sleep. I need to move a little faster.
Good job!

Sarah said...

Laura, this is beautiful! Your photos are amazing. Love the blue against the red and your sitting area with the white wicker is totally charming. ~ Sarah

Kathy @ Sweet Up-North Mornings... said...

Baking and decorating while the sweeties are napping....
Now there's a good day!
Loved catching up with you this evening Laura.
Always enjoy your photography...You have my permission to shoot ANYTHING!!!!!
xoxo~Kathy @
Sweet Up-North Mornings...

The Tablescaper said...

Such great color and wonderful food.

- The Tablescaper

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