"Every house where love abides
And friendship is a guest,
Is surely home, and home sweet home
For there the heart can rest."
~ Henry Van Dyke

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

A dose of beauty!

Sometimes life brings you happy moments just when you need them most. After reading my last entry, you know we are sitting in the midst of total chaos in our home. It is even worse now but as the saying goes...things can only get better. We continue to pack up things are carry them downstairs. It is wonderful to make you purge and part with things. But everyone needs a break and dose of beauty every now and then.


I had made arrangements to take one of my friends from my quilt group out as she had to miss our group's day out for High Tea. She rarely is able to go along because of her job. I promised her a chance to still do the High Tea when she was able. The timing could not have been better as we went on Tuesday. I needed a dose of beauty and got it in spades!


We went to an old Dutch farm called De Espeterhoeve. This farm is being used as a combination of lifestyle and floral shop and a tea shop. They recently added a new thing to the menu which is a Cafe Plateau. My friend is a coffee drinker and I thought she would like this better than having High Tea. I was not sure what to expect but it was wonderful and perfectly arranged as normal by this tea shop. You are greeted and shown to your table after which they bring you each a tray of French style morsels to enjoy with your coffee.

Bep and I then spent time going through the lifestyle and floral shops to enjoy all the pretty things and get ideas for brightening our home and garden in the coming dark season.

Wicker bells are big here this year.

I wish I could have taken this beautiful oblong urn home with me. It was far too pricey but did give me an idea of how to dress up my own urn at home.

I have these lighted branches in brown and white and now have some new ideas of how to use them. The first arrangement was using real tree branches mixed with them and then tea light holders from "poor man's silver" hung from them.

The second display was using pine boughs with the white lit branches and then hanging pearl berries and white ornaments from the branches. I think this would be beautiful with any color of ornaments.

This simple display of boxwood in tall containers was so pretty as it started to get dark in the afternoon and the pretty fairy lights outlined the form.

A long pine branch becomes a fetching decoration when you add a red bow, apples, pinecones and berries. I loved the length of this. I am definitely going to try making one of these.

So I came home contented with the gift of friendship and full of inspiration to give my own garden a pretty new look for winter. Now all I need is the time to start...

13 comments:

Tracy said...

So much sweetness...so many lovely things and moments! Delighting in sharing today's simple celebration of lovely with you, Heidi :o) ((HUGS))

Linda said...

What a happy day for you both...delicious treats for the tummy and beauty for the soul too. Heidi, I loved the way you had decorated with your lighted branches and seeing how they used these branches was just so beautiful too....I hope to find some here....hugs, Linda

Tammy said...

What a lovely day Heidi, thanks for sharing it with us and I'm glad you were able to get out and have such a wonderful day.
All your thoughts and pictures are so inspiring :-)
Hugs2u

Brigitte said...

I shouldn't have read this post - looking at all those delicacies is more than I can stand - I have to go and buy some cake now. Lol.
It's so nice that the two of you were having such a wonderful day at that wonderful place.

Auntie sezzzzzz... said...

What a wonderful "Day Off." Filled with beauty and yummie things to eat.

^_^

Andylynne said...

What a beautiful place, I can see how it gave you a lift. All the beauty and serenity was I'm sure a welcome diversion. I love your positive upbeat posts on all the moving and the carpet to laminate switch. You can look at life as basicly good with some "bumps" along the way. Or you can see it as a pit, your always trying to get out of. I see you have chosen the former good for you. I know you will keep celabrating friendships and life. Take pictures of the pine bough you come up with :)

Nancy said...

That looks like a neat place to go and I'm glad you and Bep got some time together to enjoy it. She is such a nice lady. The treats look good too.
Love you, Mom

Elizabethd said...

What lovely decorating ideas.

DonnaTN said...

Oh my aching diet, but those treats looked scrumptious! What a fun place to visit with a friend. Thanks for sharing the inspiring photos.

Rhondi said...

Hi HeidiWhat a beautiful day out you had! I'm sure your friend relaly enjoyed herself.
Hugs, Rhondi

Saskia said...

O Good!!, I hope you and Bep had a great time, lots of inspirations and a empty wallet?... they have pretty stuff, but so expensive.
But this time of the year I always get a lot of inspiration by all the winter and christmas fairs.
Hugs Saskia

Sonja said...

Ja, wat een gezellige plek is het daar! Is vast iets wat je moeder ook leuk zal vinden!! Alleen jammer dat de spulletjes die je kunt kopen zo duur zijn. Die 'High Coffee' ziet er erg goed uit! Lijkt me het proberen waard!
PS Hoe gaat het met de interne verhuizing?

hazel c UK said...

What a delightful day you had Heidi with your friend Bep the cakes look so delicious. It was nice for you to get out and away from all the remodelling that is going on in your little home. Thank you for sharing such beautiful decorations with us. Take care and Love, Hazel (UK)