What Would Our Founding Fathers Think?

The time has come to once again take a departure from what I love to write about, decorating, sewing, recipes, etc. Some of you will agree & some of you will not, but I simply cannot be silent a minute longer.

What comes to mind this evening, is what our "Founding Fathers" would be thinking about concerning the direction this country is going?....We are slowly, or maybe not so slowly, erroding the very principles that have always defined our country, the most inportant being "our freedom". If we remain silent, "quietly & politely diagreeing" with what & where this administration is taking us, we will soon be awakening to a America that we not only do not recognize, but one that is irreversibly ruined forever. President Obama & many of our Democratic leaders somehow think that "government" needs to control us all....our "money, our businesses & now are health care"???.... Since our President has taken office he has done absolutely nothing except "increase spending" & sink us deeper & deeper into debt!....Now please don't bother e-mailing me, telling me it is all President Bushes fault!!....Certainly the previous administration shares the blame,...but since January 20th, 2009, President Obama has done just fine taking this country down all by his "liberal self"!

And now the President's "National Healthcare Bill" is the next thing that is looming ahead of us!...The Democrats are trying to push this through in a matter of weeks!..... before many Americans wake up to just how dangerous this bill will be to this country & to it's citizens!....First of all, it is just another way to spend trillions of dollars this country simply does not have!....Just think how we are leveraging our children's future!

Now I know health care is expensive, but there must be a better way than turning it over to the Federal government!....Imagine sitting at a doctor's office that runs the same way at the DMV??? Imagine the goverment deciding who gets what care?....Pay attention to the horror stories you hear about in countries with government-run health care!...An English woman we know, was diagnosed a couple years ago with a brain tumor. She happened to be in her early 50's & in good health otherwise, however the British government decided she was over 50 & a bad risk!!??? So they denied her care!?...She & her husband chose to come to the U.S. looking for private medical help & found it. She is alive & doing wonderfully. Fortunately, she & her husband were able to afford to do this, but what if you couldn't????....We've all heard stories of patients having to wait months & months to get an operation, getting more & more ill, while they wait & wait & wait for care???....Does this make sense to anyone??....

President Obama makes it sound like you have choices?....but in truth, private health coverage will become so outrageously expensive that only the very rich will be able to have options!...More & more people will have no other choice than surrender to national health care!.....allowing the federal goverment to know just that much more personal information about each & every one of us!.....

As far as I'm concerned, if members of the "House or Senate" vote "for" this national health care bill than they should have to participate too!...Afterall, if they feel this is a wonderful opportunity for our country & each of us, than shouldn't it be great for them too?....Hmmm?....Do you truly think Biden will be taking advantage of national health care???....how about Ted Kennedy?? And how about the person who has sung it's praises from day one, President Obama?......Well, when asked a few days ago, if he "The President" would take part in "his" National Health Care Program".....our President responded by saying "that if his wife or children were ever seriously ill, he would want the "very best health care" for them, so "NO" he wouldn't be participating???????......Can you believe that!!???............."National Health Care" is good for all of us, but not good enough for the leaders of this country, the very individuals who designed it?......

So once again, I ask myself, "What Would Our Founding Fathers Think"??....I'm fairly sure they would be very disappointed & very sad. However, I also think they would be "fighting"..."fighting against big government" & "fighting for freedom" & "fighting mad"! They would be standing up & voicing their opinions, not sitting back accepting what some think is the inevitable!......AND SO SHOULD WE!.....America is "our country"..."the people's country"!....not the poiliticians!.....Get informed, get involved & make our "Founding Fathers proud"!

"Pretty Summer Tablesettings".......

#1-Welcome to my table!....With this setting I have used a piece of scrapbooking paper as a placemat, a dishtowel for a napkin( a new one!), & twine & a packing label as my placecard!....This is my everyday "white ironstone", a jelly jar is serving as a votive cup & I stole the crock of hydrangeas from my living room end table!...The feeling is warm, inviting, especially when faux raspberries are scattered about!


Hello Friends, I hope you have all enjoyed the start of a new week!.....As promised in my July newsletter, "Living Little" with Heidi..... I am posting tonight about pretty "summer tablesettings"!......I am a few days "tardy" posting, since our days have been overtaken with warm weather activities, so please forgive me!......As I mentioned in my newsletter, I LOVE setting beautiful tables!...Now this doesn't mean fancy, expensive tablesettings, but instead "everyday" ones that are simple & easy to put together!....These are lovely settings that are meant for your daily meals! Afterall we all know that food tastes much better when you use cloth napkins & dine by candlelight!

Tonight I am sharing with you a few of my favorite "tablesetting ideas"!...I have photographed 3 placesettings that are very typical of what I enjoy doing!...& remember my "Living Little" philosophy, these are all ideas that take very little time, space or money! So what could be better! My hope is to inspire & share what has worked for me!...."Happy Tablesetting All"!......All my best!....Heidi XO

Here is a closer peek at my blue/white dishtowel napkins!...Dishtowels are wonderful to use, since they are large, absorbent & always made in the most lovely checks & plaids!....& the added bonus is this...after you use them for a time as napkins, they can be repurposed as true dishtowels!.....

#2- With this placesetting, I borrowed a piece of "ticking fabric" from my sewing room to use as a placemat.......I also decided one of my antique mixing bowls filled with ripe tomatoes would be a lovely centerpiece, along with a pitcher of bright pink geraniums!...and sometimes the meal you have planned requires just a "single fork", so why wash anything more!

#3- With this third placesetting, I used another piece of scrapbooking paper in a pretty yellow/brown print under my white ironstone plate. I also thought adding a brown transferware salad plate was a simple way to dress it all up a bit!...I also used a combination of silverware, which is always "proper" & much more interesting than a set!....Another idea is to use a couple different flowers together on your table....I thought a pitcher of soft yellow roses, along with my white hydrangeas would give a nice touch to my table!... Bringing in this twig container, filed with dried lavendar & a chunky candle adds such a fabulous scent!....And tucking in a little shell box ( a small wood box that I adorned with gluing shells to the lid), along with a tiny shell placecard holder (given to me through a dear swap partner) displaying "XO", reminds us of the summer season we are all enjoying!

One last hint is this.....Especially when temperatures are warm, bring to the table an extra container of whatever it is you are drinking!....I just recently found at IKEA, these syrup bottles that are the perfect size to place next to each person's placesetting, offering a refill without having to get up from the table!.....They are very inexpensive & look so charming!

My Pink Baby Bird Blankets Have Hatched on Pink Saturday!

Pink Saturday has arrived once again, along with the arrival of my sweet "baby bird blankets"!.....Thank you Beverly @ How Sweet The Sound for giving us this day to celebrate the color "pink"! Today I am showing off my newest additions to my etsy shop, "babypeople"!

These sweet blankets come in a variety of prints & colors, but today it is all about pink! They are all backed with the softest flannel & appliqued with a baby bird!

What a lovely gift for a new baby!.....A pretty new blanket for a little one to cuddle in!

Please visit "baby people" this Pink Saturday & treat the baby in your life to something soft, sweet & "pink"!......Enjoy your day!.....Heidi XO

The "Picnic Table".....

O.K.... I know that "picnic tables" may seem like an unusual topic for tonight's blog post. Picnic tables are so intertwined with our images of summer that sometimes I believe their simple beauty has been overlooked. As a decorator, I am constantly asked about "patio furniture", what to pick?....which style would work best?.....but believe me, no one ever asks or even conciders a "picnic table"??

Why is that?....The style is "classic".....designed with practicality & common sense!....And "picnic tables" are definitely well constructed.... & can be made to seat as many as you wish!.....And what piece of furniture says "Summer" more than the "picnic table"?

So this summer, maybe we should all take a moment to appreciate the common "American picnic table"......After all, wouldn't one look pretty in your backyard?......

P.S. My Friday, July 10th blog about setting lovely summer tables will be posted on Monday, July 13th instead!.....Check back then for some wonderful photos & the great ideas I wrote about in my July newsletter!.....See you all Monday!

Summer Days......

Hello Friends, I have been a bit negligent about blogging lately?.....Not sure why, other than "Summer" has taken over at our house & we all are loving it!........Over the "Fourth of July" weekend we took off to Palm Springs!......just to relax at a gorgeous resort, soaking up the sun & relaxing by the pool!...The temps were around 111 degrees, so we were out at the pool around 7:00 reserving our lounges & very necessary umbrellas!.....The temperatures were tolerable till about 1:00, when after having a poolside lunch we retreated to our room for an afternoon of reading & watching movies!......Then we usually took off for a nice dinner & back to the pool for "night swimming" & on the "Fourth" a gorgeous display of fireworks! ....What a lovely time we had!

As much fun as it was though,..... it is always so nice to come home!!.....A bit of laundry & housecleaning, was all it took to get back to our normal "summer" routine, which lately is far from stressful!...Each day is pretty laid-back & to be honest is very similar to the day before......Tomorrow maybe a I'll do a bit of sewing?.....maybe whip up a batch of cookies with my grandson?.....and possibly dust the living room furniture?.....Or maybe not?......I'll just have to see how the day unfolds?......Keep you posted!

"The Most Enchanting Jewelry"........

"Hummingbird necklace"..... I have just recently discovered the most incredibly charming jewelry!.....It is from a darling shop on Etsy named "Talulabelles"!.....a talented mother/daughter team who come to us from "across the pond" & who in my opinion create some of the most imaginative, vintage-inspired jewelry!.....

"Chamomile & Green Tea necklace"...... They make use of the loveliest "bits & pieces"!.....enamelware flowers, interesting chains, exquisite charms & beautiful beads, etc...etc...etc!!!

"The Key To Enchantment necklace"..... "Talulabelles" design necklaces, bracelets & earrings, along with a few tiaras as well!..... each piece is simply amazing! And the "color combinations"!!!!......Oh, so pretty!!!!

"Lavendar Water earrings"..... You all must go this minute!.... & take a few minutes to "admire & drool" at what "Talulabelles" has to offer!

"Mermaid's Dowry necklace".....

I myself have already made my first purchase! Not for myself, but for a very dear friend!....but believe me, I always have a running "wishlist".....& on that list will there will continually be a few pieces from "Talulabelles"!

"A Quiet Weekend"......

Happy Friday to you all!.....It is the end of June & the weekend is here!....At our house, it will be a quiet one,..... "dinner" tonight with my friends, a little "flower gardening", a "bit of sewing" & maybe a "movie" on Sunday!.....Just the way I like it!

I am also going to writing up my "July newsletter" that I will be sending out on July 1st! Last month, after sending out my June newsletter, I received the most "lovely comments" for so many of you, so I am very excited to continue sharing my thoughts & tips! Thank you so much for your interest! If you would like to receive my monthly newsletter, please e-mail me at heididevlin@gmail.com...

Off to straighten up this house of mine, do laundry & bake a little!.....Happy to begin this day!....Wishing you each a relaxing June weekend!......Your friend, Heidi XO