Fun With Chicken Feathers

 

While doing some sprucing up for spring this weekend, I came across a collection of chicken feathers I've saved from our little flock. We've kept several different breeds over the years. I just love studying the different colors and patterns of chicken feathers!   

Can you guess what some of them were by looking at the photo above?

Nature is the ultimate designer when it comes to color, form and pattern. Artists enjoy working with chicken feathers as a medium too! I'm sure you've seen some of the beautiful artwork and jewelery being created today inspired by our feathered friends. 

I simply wanted to enjoy my little collection of chicken feathers so I arranged them in an antique creamer and placed them on my buffet in our kitchen where I can see them everyday.

It makes me smile to look at them and reminds me of the old adage, 
" Some Days Chickens, Some Days Feathers."

The top photo is a little sedum plant that was given to me by a fellow chicken keeper and friend. She tucked a feather into the pot for an added touch of whimsy and after the long winter we've had that's just what this girl needed! 

Do you collect feathers from your flock too? 

What do you like to do with them?

I'm sharing this post on the Simple Saturdays Blog Hop!
 Check it out for more great posts on simple lessons in Self Reliance

Where Christmas ISN'T

 With one week left until Christmas day I am determined to pull back the reins on running through the last few days of the holiday season like a horse racing to the finish line. At the risk of sounding like Andy Rooney, I have to confess that I resent the commercialism of this beautiful season. It seems like the push for getting the holidays ' right ' whether it be securing the perfect gifts on time or decorating to the nines comes earlier and earlier every year. 

By the time I got going on decorating this year I was already beginning to tire of seeing the mess of fake decorations and pre-packaged gift baskets everywhere. Earlier this month I went out to my local Michael's Craft Store in search of some Christmas decorating inspiration for our dining room table. After circling the floral department for what seemed like an eternity, I assembled some fake evergreens, selected a gilded bird cage and tossed some sparkling faux berries in my shopping cart  for some added bling. As I got close to the check out line ( which is also conveniently located right near the exit doors ) I parked my basket and made a run for it!  Yep! I left empty handed! The whole experience left me cold. It took a few days for me to shake it off so I stayed home, baked some cookies, went to an open house at friends ( which cheered me up ) and then I attempted to find Christmas again. 

This time I didn't travel far. I stepped outside in the wee hours of the morning (still in my jammies and slippers) floral cutters in hand and snipped some fresh pine branches from a lovely tree in our backyard. It was cold, misty and damp outside but it felt good to be in the garden. Once I was back inside I gathered supplies for creating a simple, sustainable bouquet. 

I dug out one of my gold plate chargers, a mason jar, some vintage lace with gold threaded edges, and a sprig faux of holly berries from my stash of Christmas decorations and got busy trying to find Christmas!

Low and behold the next morning when I got up the sun was shining brightly through the window in our dining room lighting up my natural centerpiece so beautifully. At last, I found Christmas! Right here at home!

Have you found Christmas yet? I know where it ISN'T. Do you?

Hydrangea Soup

So, you want the recipe for my Hydrangea Soup do ya? Okay! But first let me tell you what inspired this concoction... I hosted my first " open garden day" here at Dandelion House over the weekend and I needed to put something pretty inside our fire pit which sits in the middle of our scrap stone patio. I can't give you the whole story here cuz I'm doing a big post about it on the MJF Beach Blog in a couple of days and you're all invited, but, I will share how I made this floral arrangement with a little coastal flair. To me, there's nothing more satisfying than using something you already have to create a one of a kind item for your home, whether it be inside or out.

I used one of my favorite vintage soup tureens for a vase and filled it with Blushing Bride Hydrangeas freshly cut from the garden.

  I covered the surrounding area inside of the fire-pit with freshly cut arugula and topped it all off with bright white starfish. After a couple of days I tossed the arugula into the chicken run for the girls but the hydrangeas were still going strong so I moved them to a different spot to enjoy them some more!
 You could easily do something similar in a large bowl, platter or seashell for a similar arrangement!

Have you been playing in your flowers too?  I sure hope so!
Visit my Floral Arrangements pin board for more inspiration!

Sharing with these fun hops!

Tilly's Nest Down Home Hop 
Shabby Creek Cottage Transformation Thursday 

Frugal Thanksgiving Table Setting Ideas

Dear Friends,

It seems like we were just clearing out the garden beds yesterday and here we are just a few days away from Thanksgiving! I'm very excited to be hosting dinner this year for our family and some of of our dear friends. It's so easy to get caught up in pre- holiday spending when it comes to decorating for fall and your Thanksgiving table what with all the beautiful dinner ware, linens, and faux harvest decor items for sale in your favorite discount department store's. Before you know it, your convinced you need to buy entire sets of dishes, glassware, silver ware and serving trays just for one day of the year. It happens to the best of us! To me there's nothing better or more FUN than rummaging around in my own china cabinet to see what I can create out of things I already have then ADD to it at minimal cost or FREE if I can get away with it!

 Here are a few FUN and FRUGAL table setting ideas sure to add the festive feeling you're after for little or no cost.

I love finding finding sale items that will make my holiday table special but that can be re-used the rest of the year as well. We are having 15 guests this year and I don't have 15 of anything the same!  So, I'm going to mix and match plates, napkins, and silverware. I'm borrowing some beautiful VINTAGE amber glass goblets from my mom to unify the table settings. She actually has 15 of them!

source

   Instead of spending money on fancy napkin rings I'm making my own out of jute twine and cuttings from the garden.

Floral Napkins from Home Goods

Simply tied with a sprig of dried seed pods tucked in they make a natural, but elegant statement for FREE!  ( I already had the twine on hand )

TABLE DECORATIONS

The centerpieces will be small dried flower arrangements cut from the garden tied with the same jute around the mouth of each jar. I'm using small ball mason jars, but recycled food jars would work great too! I'm using folded burlap purchased from my feed store for a table runner. I can re-use it in the garden next season, or make pillows, chair covers or pillows with it when I'm done!

PLACE MARKERS

BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS ( and my pinterest )

I just love these personalized pumpkins by Better Homes and Gardens. I think it ties in to my natural garden Thanksgiving table scape perfectly!

I hope you're inspired to keep more of your money in your pocket and create a personal table scape that reflects your personality and creativity! Your family, friends and guests will feel all the more cherished because of it!

Sharing with the Clever Chic Blog Hop , Tilly's Nest Down Home Blog Hop