Pardon My Bloopers, Happy New Year 2011, and Post 201!

Happy New Year!



What an absolute joy it has been inviting you into my blog home and visiting with you in yours this past year...




From season...



To season...



You have made me feel like every day is a special celebration...




And I would like to thank you for being such wonderful friends...




You truly are THE BEST! :-)




Your joie de vivre is contagious...








And I want to thank you for sharing it with Mr. Magpie and me, both on and off the blog circuit...



It's been wonderful getting together with friends both old...






And new...














And even though I am still under the weather, I could not let another day slip by without wishing you all the best for the coming year...



May 2011 bring happiness, health, and all forms of prosperity!




Now, my sweet friend Susan of Between Naps on the Porch has issued an invitation to join her in sharing our bloopers for the past year. Okay, I'm game. Some of these bloopers haven't been seen yet, but I thought I would share some of my tablescaping bloopers with you.



Nothing like a little faux pas to start the year off right, so I will start with one from last Christmas. How appropriate that the little frame says, "Ho! Ho! Ho!" Why? Because I was in such a hurry to set the table and snap that I snapped a shot with the dessert fork and spoon in the wrong spot. My mother would be cringing, but I think it's sort of fun! ;-)



And now for the ugliest Christmas tablescape for which I have ever been responsible...




What on earth was I thinking???



It's apparent I wasn't! ;-)



Those placemats are just ugh!



And it's soooooooo busy (someone get me some new curtains pronto 'cause I hate these and didn't pick them)... eeeeeeee, scary!



And look at the orange and blue scarecrow in the hall. It's bad enough that he's a scarecrow, but he's a Gator to boot! And what is he doing there??? It's Christmas for crying out loud...



And does it seem to you that the leprechaun in this shot is a bit of a Peeping Tom???



Moving right along to summer and Lisa's birthday. I realize this is kind of minor, but look at that saucer underneath the Nantucket basket. I mean, how tacky! It was either that or an ugly ring on the table. Between the container crisis and the overlapping placemats (compliments of my round table), all I can say is, "Live and learn!"



Now, we're off to the Fourth of July and my new trays. I have a thing for polka dots, and everything works in this shot...



Alas, it's too good to be true. When I got the bright idea to do a B&A for Susan's Monday meme, the tablescape went off track. First, I did something to the napkin between the living room and the bedroom. Then I moved the fork to the wrong side of the plate...



Even after I fixed the funny spot on the napkin, I managed to knock the plate more off center, while the fork is still languishing on the right. Yes, I ruined the whole shoot and never shared this because I was too disgusted after a ream of photos to even want to fix it!



Next, I fought the battle of the wrinkle here...



And here...



And here, where I obviously lost...



And what gives with this candle???



And this one??? Looks like Disney's Haunted Mansion!



And speaking of haunted...




There is silverware mysteriously missing here (a knife and spoon in the placesetting in the foreground on the right)...




Here (a spoon in the placesetting in the foreground on the left)...



And here (a knife and spoon on the far side of the table)...



And never take a picture after 1200 people go tripping through your home...



Or you will find dust on your dishes to beat the band and wreck a perfectly good shot or two!



And what do you get when you're not careful with your shot of a chinoiserie tablescape when using a partial bolt of fabric as an underskirt?



An ugly cardboard roller peeking from beneath the chair leg!



Now, of course, when I share these with you in the coming year, I will put my best foot forward! ;-)




Okay, that brings me to my 200th Post Giveaway , the 200th post being the post preceding this one. I'm not sure what I am going to give away, but it's going to be good. I think it will be something in china and will be something you really want, pieces of a pattern you want to start collecting or something you wish to add to what you already have. So feel free to sign on this post and the last one (which is the actual 200th) as I want to give you as many chances as possible to win. At some point, though, just tell me what your favorite pattern is!




And with that, Mr. Magpie joins me in wishing you a very Happy New Year! :-)

Oh, and don't forget to go visit Susan and here friends HERE for more fun bloopers!




Warmly,

Mrs. Magpie (Sheila)