The "Best House In A Movie" Nominees Are...

The Academy Awards are on tonight, and I can't wait!

I love the red carpet, the gowns, the speeches, and am looking forward to the new host, Seth MacFarlane.

I only wish there was a category for "Best House in a Movie!"

There are so many beautiful iconic movie homes.

Here are a few of the nominees I've chosen....

 The Godfather

Located in Staten Island.

American Beauty

Located in Los Angeles, CA

 Father Of The Bride

Located in Pasadena, CA

Marley and Me

Located in Chadds Ford, PA

Almost Famous

Located in Santa Monica, CA

The Money Pit

Located in Locust Valley, NY

A Christmas Story

Located in Cleveland, OH

 Catch Me If You Can

Located in Pasadena, CA

 A Nightmare On Elm Street

Located in Hollywood, CA

It's Complicated

Located in Hidden Valley, CA

Something's Gotta Give

Located in Southhampton, NY

Steel Magnolias

Located in Natchitoches, LA

Mrs. Doubtfire

Located in San Francisco, CA

Home Alone

Located in Winnetka, IL

Practical Magic

Built on San Juan Island, WA and torn down after filming.

Which home would you give the Oscar to?

The Collected Tabletop, Inspirations for Creative Entertaining

 Just when I thought I had no more tablescapes in me, a signed copy of "The Collected Tabletop" arrived from Kathryn Greeley.

Did I fail to mention that I won Tartanscot's Christmas Table contest?

I did, and this was my prize!

 Talk about inspiration!

This book has my name written all over it!

For instance, I'm working on a tablescape at the moment using these dishes, and of course the plaid is a must!

There are so many wonderful tablescapes featured in this book, but my favorite is the Scottish Gamekeeper's Dinner.

 The table is set with her game china collection, Bernadotte, Spode and Johnson Brothers, which all coordinate and compliment one another.

 I'm in love with these dishes from Czechoslovakia.

 Kathryn has a lovely collection of treenware which she also used for this table setting...

 ...and majolica, which she used for the Fall Football table.

I die!

 I thought her Grandmother's Book Shower table and menu adorable.

What a great idea for a first time grandmother!

She set the table with Mason's Strathmore Blue china.

Even the salad compliments the pattern!

The Wine Tasting table also inspires me.

I especially like the menu cards.

 There are so many creative ideas for entertaining in this book, and I know I will be referring to it for inspiration for years to come.

Thank you Kathryn Greeley for inspiring me to entertain, and to collect.

I think we are kindred spirits!

Thanks also to Scot Meacham Wood for hosting his annual Christmas Decorating Contest at Tartanscot.

It's always fun to see all the fabulous entries, and I'm truly honored to be the chosen winner of the table top contest.

Introducing Oscar Wiley III

 His name was "Cotton" in the shelter, which is apropos, since he looks like a big scruffy cotton ball.
They said he was a stray, roaming the streets in a nearby city, which broke my heart.
After much pleading on my part, Mr. A agreed we could adopt him.

~ Introducing Oscar Wiley, III ~

Our 8 month old Maltese mix rescue dog!

Everyone loves him, and he loves everyone!

Even Mr. A loves him, which I knew he would.

He's very good with little girls...

...and big girls with big dogs.

He plays well with his new friends...

...and doesn't mind a bath.

We even took him shopping for mattresses, and he picked the perfect organic cotton mattress!

We wore him out!

I wonder if he realizes how lucky he is to have found a loving home.

But we're the lucky ones!

He is the perfect dog!

My New Best Friend

This is what happens when you stop in the brand new, state-of-the-art pet adoption center on a whim.

Which is what I did on Valentine's Day.

I came home with a new best friend!

I'm in love!

More to follow...

My Top Three Valentine's Day Love Songs

"You and me babe, how 'bout it...."

Happy Valentine's Day!

As a hopeless romantic, I'm a sucker for love songs!

Here are my top three love songs that I never tire of listening to.
Beginning with "Romeo and Juliet." Mark Knopfler sings about the famous star crossed lovers that would have Shakespeare keeping the beat!  Listen to the piano and guitar solo at the beginning and the end.

"Love comes out of nowhere babe, just like a hurricane... and it feels like rain."

 John Hiatt's "Feels Like Rain," about love in New Orleans is more than romantic, it's just plain sexy! 

So many have covered this song, but John is the real deal.

"Under the moon and the stars above, it was a perfect love."

This song about a lifelong love always gets to me.  My kids think it's the cheesiest song ever, but I never tire of it.  The guitar, Marc Cohn's voice and the surprise voice that joins his in harmony....
See if you recognize who it is.

Source: youtube.com via Delores on Pinterest

These three songs are special to me because of the emotions they evoke when I listen to them.
They are my love songs.  They are our love songs.
Tell me, what are yours?

St. Valentine's Day Poem and Tablescape

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart)

i am never without it

(anywhere i go you go, my dear;

and whatever is done by only me

is your doing, my darling)

 i fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet)

 i want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)

 and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant

and whatever a sun will always sing is you

 here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;

 which grows higher than soul can hope 

or mind can hide)

 and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart.

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

~e.e.  cummings

This poem was what I was thinking of when I set this Valentine's table for two in the living room.

It is my favorite love poem, a sonnet almost.

 I think it should be a song, it's so beautiful, don't you?

I'm joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday

I'm linking up to Laura at Decor to Adore for her Valentine's Day Party

I'm joining Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday