Bamboo Bed Tray

 Breakfast in bed on a bamboo breakfast tray seems like the most relaxing, elegant and indulgent thing! 

I own a bamboo breakfast tray and I love it but I've never actually used it for breakfast (or any other meal) in bed.

Maybe it's because I recently rewatched Downton Abbey but when I saw Lydia Menzies fun Instagram Challenge to use green and set a tablescape for 1, 2 or more, I immediately thought about my bed tray! If you are popping over from my Instgram post here are more pictures and some sources for the items I used. Most of my items have been thrifted over time but I did find some similar items to share with you.

Since we are all soooo ready for Spring I decided to pretend that breakfast was being served on our swinging bed on our screened in porch!

I found my bamboo bed tray several years ago but there are quite a few for reasonable prices on sites like eBay. This one is similar. You can even find new, folding bed trays on Amazon for under $20.00. It would still be a treat to be served on one like that :)

The plates are divided grill plates in green Depression Glass. I started collecting green Depression glass in my teens thanks to a "starter" gift from one of my mother's friends. I literally never see Depression Glass in any color in thrift stores near me. There is a lot available on sites like eBay and Etsy. Here are similar plates. The fruit compote is also Depression Glass.

The goblet with the handpainted butterflies was found at Goodwill for 99 cents. It was the only one and doesn't have any markings on it. This could be a fun DIY for your Easter table or there are a lot of glasses with butterflies in all price ranges if you google.

The pineapple salt and pepper shakers came from World Market about 5 years ago but this set on Amazon is similar. And I really like this set!

The green and white Chinoiserie vase was thrifted for a few dollars. I love when I find little pieces of Chinoiserie in colors other than the traditional blue that I am always searching for!

The geranium blooms are real - my "sort of greenhouse" overwintering experiment is going well. Everything is blooming! The cloth napkin is from the Target Dollar Spot last year.The bamboo flatwear is what we use everyday. We have had a few different sets over the years. You can find it from a lot of sources and all different price ranges. If you want an inexpensive set to enjoy for picnics and eating outside this Summer then this is a good price on a set. We've broken a couple along the way so I might be ordering a set too!

I love that my bamboo bed tray has the old fashioned newspaper slot. I have limited my news intake and who would want to spoil this delightful breakfast spot with the news anyway?? I slipped in the latest Southern Living but, if you prefer, an iPad would fit in there nicely!

Maybe I'll use my bamboo bed tray this Summer now that I've been inspired 

by Lydia Menzie's IG Challenge!

PS. I am not affiliated with any of the links above. They are merely an effort to help you source similar items if interested. 

The Bucket!

It's a really BIG bucket!!

It's actually a stock tank that should be used to water livestock. 

(I just call it "the bucket")

Some brilliant person decided they would be a fun, easy, dipping pool for us non-farm type people and it has really taken off. 

Country Living mag posted on their IG a couple of weeks ago that they are going to be more popular than ever this Summer. 

 In the cropped photo above things look pretty good but we are still mid-project in reality. 

(See piles of brick below!)

But we have come a long way from where we started last September!

Yes, last Labor Day weekend. 

I started investigating the whole stock tank pool trend last Summer. 

We decide we liked the idea and all systems were go. BUT, we couldn't get a stock tank. 

We are in the Atlanta suburbs so a true feed store is an hour away.

 It took us 3 visits, after calling about availability, to actually get one in perfect condition. 

A couple were dented and they offered a discount but we aren't using it in a field for animals so I wanted it to look good on all sides. We bought ours from Tractor Supply.

We had a little used, needed some lovin' arbor in the back of the yard. 

I thought we could make a few updates and easily plop our big bucket down and get to splashing.

Nope. The old brick patio under the arbor was waaaay more unlevel (is that a word?)

than it appeared to the eye. 

But I hung cute patio lights, filled it with water 

and we splashed around in the end of the Atlanta heat.

This Spring I vowed to bring The Bucket up to its full potential :)

I hung a curtain behind the bucket

 and there are twinkle lights behind it for when we take an evening dip.

I pulled up alllll of those bricks, leveled the ground and put the bucket back down with pea gravel around it. I love pea gravel patio and paths like we see in European gardens. 

I thrifted a larger mirror. It's actually a very hard plastic frame. I gave it a coat of blue spray paint and it should last for ages out there.

I've added some other thrifted treasures like the vintage metal faux bamboo towel rack, lots of plants, and of course a big pineapple float!

I think The Bucket might be at its best in the evening. 

I love the lights.

There are still a few more things to be done (move that ton of bricks for one thing!)

but we are ready (as ready as we can be) for the Southern Summer heat!

If you need us we'll be "in The Bucket!"