Friday, January 6, 2012

A FAVORITE POST OF 2011 REVISITED . . . .

Blogging, inspiration, design, ideas, recipes, lifestyle adventures, travel and friendships!  A few of my friends have recently found out that I have been a blogger for a little over a year.  They have asked, along with the seasoned bloggers and followers: " What were some of your most popular posts for 2011?"   There were two that stand out and continue to be read over and over . . . . ALL THAT IS FRENCH (#2) AND LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE WITH THOSE TRAYS (#1)


Trays are simply an easy and attractive way to organize
our STUFF.   Also, if all of these boxes are dispersed on tables,
cubbies, shelves, dresser tops, etc.  you really don't enjoy
them as much as when they are all together.  It can also
be somewhat of a surprise when all gathered together, how a
collection has grown.



HERE ARE A FEW NEW TRAY IDEAS. . . .

I love to take a small vintage perfume bottle and make
a mini arrangement of flowers and place on a porcelain tray.
This tray is in our powder room and is always filled with various
containers which are in turn filled with flowers.  I used this
combination over the holidays, colors are right, but the type
of flowers, a nice surprise.  Just love tulips in the winter!





A gathered grouping of objects on a silver tray.   .  .a crystal
biscuit box, a paper weight that makes me smile (given to me by
my daughter) and a little bird holding a glass container on his back
with a lily.  Alone, these items not so significant.  .   .  gathered on a
tray, they take on a different significance.



This tray is a fiber made from the leaves of bananas.  A little
blue and white, a little bit of the ocean and a vintage hurricane
candle holder.  





I got out an old bread tray and put two small vases filled with Ipernicum,
fresh Fir branches and a battery operated votive. 




Objects of the kitchen. . . . dinner bell, cinnamon sugar
in a vintage jar and a silver muffineer.



 

A vintage tray with some lambs in from the pasture,
snow covered miniature trees and a votive light.  This
was on the breakfast table almost the whole season this
past year.




This silver tray is in the master bath and it is footed.
Make up brushes, dresser jars, perfume and a fresh rose
in a little vintage container.  The scissors, tweezers, hair clips
are in the old spooner.  The q-tips are in a silver cigarette
holder. 




Another view of master bath tray.



So many people have trays in closets and boxes that might just
need a little polishing, but get them out and create organization
on just about any kind of tray you can imagine.  If you do, I would
just love for you to share them with me.


A TRAY PARTY is in the making. . . . . girlfriends creating their hearts
out for a photograph to be shared with all of you.






7 comments:

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Great ideas Mary Anne,

Time to pull out a few of my trays and work some magic.

Eileen

Pat@Back Porch Musings said...

Beautiful tray vignettes, Mary Anne! I am trying to rework a few tray arrangements, here. You inspire me!

Mary Anne said...

Good Morning Eileen:
So happy to see you this morning. Too bad we couldn't have shared a cup of coffee together! Thanks for stopping by.

Mary Anne said...

Hi Pat:

Always my pleasure when you stop by. I'll be over soon and check up on you. I would love to see one of your trays when completed.

Rosemary@villabarnes said...

Cute vignettes Mary Anne. I always love silver trays as a base. Thanks for the nice comment you left. I'm sure we will meet soon. Looking forward to it.

Anonymous said...

Your previous post on usage of trays already had me digging mine out, Mary Anne. This post gives me more inspiration. Thank you, as always. You brighten the world.

Safe travel and rest. Penny

Mary Anne said...

Penny: Just can't stay away from my friends in blog land. I have just come up from the beach. . . . Enough sun for the day. Weather beautiful! Would you be a part of my "tray party"? Create to your hearts content and I will include you with a post on how you have used a tray.