Tablescape Thursday, Freecycle, and Justine's Giveaway

I've finally decided to join Tablescape Thursday, but probably won't be doing it again for a while, because I really just don't have a lot of dishes!



Anyhow, in case anyone missed it yesterday, Justine is having a 200th post giveaway! Click on her name to get to her blog.

I just can't wait for it to get warm enough to go outside and have dinner on my patio table.

Sorry for the quality of the photos. I STILL don't have my computer back and I don't have the program to fix the pictures. Anyhow, I recently got some new plates. I'll tell you more about that in a minute. My old table runner doesn't go with my current kitchen, but it would be just fine on the patio table. I added my apple dish, a green placemat, a bowl with a juicy green apple, a $.50 blue spongeware cup from Goodwill, and an apple shaped teapot.


Here is a closer view of the things in the back. Get this, the apples are fake! I bought a bunch of them from Pier 1 a few years ago when I wanted to fill a pretty bowl with apples. The stoneware apple sugar bowl is a now retired pattern from Home and Garden Parties.


The wooden bird is actually a Christmas ornament, but I keep him out all year long. I thought he looked cute perched on the napkin. You can tell I am no good at decorative napkin folding!


Here is a closeup of my new plate. Well, it isn't exactly new, just new to me. I get the plates and the matching bowls from Freecycle! Never heard of Freecycle? Well it is just the best! It's a Yahoo group. You join a group in your town, and emails go out to the whole group when someone has something to offer. You can write if you like it, and you might be the lucky person who gets the offer! If you have a need for something, you can also post. I think Freecycle is great. Recently before the move, I had bags of clothes that I needed to get rid of. I offered them on Freecycle, and people came to my home to pick them up!


The apple teapot was part of what she had to give away. Oh yeah, not sure I mentioned that this is all free! You cannot sell anything on Freecycle or accept money for things you give to others. I love the little teapot!


She included some apple decorations too. I thought that the hutch with my spongeware could use a little extra color, so wrapped this garland of mini apples around a shallow bowl.


I thought these sprays of apples and strawberries would accent my spongeware pitcher and add some warmth.


Do you remember my rattan chair that I painted? That was a Freecycle item that I was given. This summer I was given a sack full of DVDs and VHSs and the boys were thrilled to have some new movies! Just this week, I was given 3 pairs of slacks and one pair of shorts in excellent condition for my youngest son, and they added a pair of shoes that had only been worn once!

Freecycle is just great and a wonderful way to help out others, and to get rid of things you no longer need. It's also a great way to keep things out of the landfill when they still have some life in them. Say for example you have an old couch in decent condition, and you don't want it, but don't want to have to bother hauling it out of the house. Offer it up on Freecycle, and someone will want it and will come to get it! To join, just go to Yahoo Groups and do a search for Freecycle. Click on your state, then on your town.

If I get any more free plates, I just may be able to aspire to dishaholicism!

Happy Tablescape Tuesday! To see more tablescapes, go visit our hostess Susan at Between Naps on the Porch. You'll be glad you did!