Household Tips, Encouraging Others at Home, Miss Manners

 Purchases from Home Goods, Dollar Tree.

The Ordinary Teacup

Hello Dear Ones,

I purchased this very plain teacup yesterday at Home Goods, to give away. 

It is a pleasant contrast to the dreary weather you see in the background of these photos.

 It is one of the less ornamental, fancy cups available in that store and yet it has an old fashioned homestead type of appeal. I recall even in the days of living in a cabin, the teacups that refined the roughness and discomfort of life.

The set is surprisingly lightweight and the price is only $8.00 and there is a version of it with a blue floral print.  The price is high if you are used to paying $5.00 but I have noticed the cost of Home Goods teacups varies according to the season. The one I am going to show you in the next video is much prettier but much cheaper.

If there is no Home Goods in your area, try TJ Max, Marshalls or Ross or other discount stores. These have the very same merchandise.

This cup is designed as gift, and includes a little box of peppermint tea inside the cup and the set is snugly wrapped  together and ready to gift.

I thought you might enjoy having one of these for yourself or your children, since it is an everyday type of cup you can put in the dishwasher.

In the absence of anything more interesting today, here is a "yesterday" photo 

...to show how the living room of the Manse has been changed by a different color. I loved the cranberry coverings and accessories by it didn’t take me long to get tired of it and  want to go back to something a little calmer.

today

There are a few

 things to do now and hope to be back before the end of the day or early in the morning with a 15 minute talk.

 If you have already read this, please refresh the page, because I added some more photos.

God Bless You,

Lydia

PS: Amelia, from My Forest Cathedral blog, I was unable to email you from your site, so I wonder if you could email me. My email link is on the left of this blog.

Becoming Excellent at Home, Being Positive With People

Holiday Home Tour- Dining Room

Christmas Room Tour - Corners and Halls

This year the Dollar gift bags were beautiful and I have included some of them here. 

Christmas House Tour: Childrens Rooms

On display are several of the beautiful holiday gift bags from Dollar Store.

Christmas Eve: Appearance Sets Your Mood, Butler's Guide to Washing Dishes, Keeping Conversation on the Upside

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Be sure to leave a comment!!

Christmas Room Tour: Lady Guest Room

Hello Ladies,  Please enjoy the first room of my Christmas House Tour.  I have already had several groups of ladies over  on different days of the week, for tea and a tour.

 I so enjoy this era of virtual sharing because it reaches people who cannot possibly attend the House Tour.

I just realized these pictures don't enlarge but please enjoy while you wait for me to replace them!

This is my "blush pink" tree which I made from a Dollar Tree white tree, spray painting it with a color called "Pink Peony" that seems to be the "blush" color that this room is decorated in.

I draped battery operated strings of lights ($1.00 from DT) around the furnishings,

...and used ordinary things already in the room (such as the birdcage candle holder)  to go with the color and festive theme,

...such as a basin full of pink ornaments accented by a string of battery lights.

This enamel-ware candle holder matches the enamel sink you see in the room.

Another one of the white trees from DT painted in the blush pink and draped with lights.

The Little pink car is from Walmart last year, about 98 cents, and the metal house tealight holder also comes from Walmart. I've spray painted it the blush pink.

Pink metalic wrapped gift boxes from Dollar Tree, 

and the green wreath over the painting on the door is also 

from DT.

  I have had these wood hangers since 19--, you know, and someone had 

already painted them and put these lovely bird stencils on them.

 Several years ago I began a new trend here at The Manse, by not hanging ornaments on trees, and just putting them in collections in bowls around the room. It is easier to put it all away later on and it spreads the brightness around.

 I quickly took some pictures to post here because there is always a small threshold of time before the room is occupied. I caught a few moments of it sitting still and quiet!

The furniture, and some of the accessories and decor in this lady's guest room is from my husband's parent's house. They would be thrilled if they knew we were enjoying using it so much. It was second-hand when they got it, back in their day, and it still looks nice. 

I hope to get back here today and show you more rooms on different posts. I have a few other colors going on here. Eventually I might take the challenge to put it on video but for now please enjoy the photos.

Blessings,

Lydia

Have a lovely day.