Thursday, March 26, 2009

And the Winner is....







And the winner is…..
Congratulations to Kim of The Manning Family Tree for guessing the exact number of corks in the apothecary jar! There were 325! She will receive a package of my White Pizza Cheese Spread from my product line, The Victorian Garden.
Thanks to all who played along. I was surprised myself when I counted them all



Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Tablescape Thursday-Easter Table

Tablescape Thursday-Easter Table in Blue














Hubby carved the ham.








































Tablescape Thursday-Easter Table

Another Thursday-another tablescape! Many thanks to Susan from Between Naps On the Front Porch for being our hostess.

My tablescape this week is my Easter table last year. There were just five of us for dinner, but I always cook something for everyone. We had a traditional Easter ham, stir-fry vegetables, mashed potatoes, creamed corn, sweet potatoes, fresh fruit & of course-dessert! Dessert was a marvelous confection for the Dingeldein Bakery-my favorite bakery. It was a yellow cake with chocolate butter cream frosting with a bright orange tiger lily made from marzipan. My mom also made some great egg-shaped sugar cookies.


I
Love blue, as you can tell! I used my everyday shadow-print tulip dishes. I spotted them years ago at TJ Maxx and my in-laws surprised me with them for our anniversary.

I also used my robin’s egg blue cased glass goblets. We filled paper mache egg halves with a gathered net buddle of candy at every place setting. My centerpiece was a quick put-together. I used a clear hurricane; put a small candle cup in the middle surrounded by excelsior & filled it with paper mache eggs. I sat a pillar candle on top of the candle cup to give it height. I found the wreath candle ring at Marshall’s. Surrounding the wreath are my little Lefton bunnies another gift from my mother-in-law. My mom brought the little rabbit place card holders. Easter is always a good time to use my spring-y Fitz & Floyd pieces like the platter & rabbit tea pot. My mom gave me an F & F candy dish as an Easter gift. The Endless summer Hydrangea was an Easter gift from my dad. We later planted it in the urn in the backyard-mom got one too! Hubby carved the ham and helped serve and clean up!

Yes that cauliflower is purple! I bought the orange variety too-just for fun! Everyone loves my stir-fry veggies. If I am in a hurry, I steam them slightly first. I then add a tablespoon olive oil to my skillet, toss in the veggies & about 2 tablespoons of Newman’s Own Original Recipe Salad Dressing & a teaspoon of Italian seasonings. I stir fry until my onion has just started to crisp at the edges and the other veggies are fork tender. That salad dressing is a staple in my kitchen-I also use it to marinate chicken.

Happy Tablescape Thursday, the bunny is on his way!















Hydrangea planted in the back yard.
Cheers!
Kate

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

A Vintage Outdoor Wednesday















It’s hard to believe another Wednesday has rolled around so quickly. It’s time again for Outdoor Wednesday hosted by A Southern Daydreamer.

The calendar may say spring, but temps have only reached the low 50’s by afternoon, and many nights are in the 20’s.Haven’t put away those winter coats just yet! For inspiration I have turned to some of my vintage garden books. One, “Garden Bulbs in Color” was published in 1948 by the J. Horace McFarland Company. We toured Mr. McFarland’s home in Belleview Park for the Christmas Holiday tour. It is in a state of renovation right now. The house had been left in disrepair for years. It’s wonderful to see someone taking the time to restore this former Grand Dame. The other book I am showing pages from is, “Chase Fruit & Flowers in Natural Colors”. This lovely garden book was written in 1922. Some of the illustrations take you back in time to a simpler, beautiful, romantic life. See how many of these heirloom plants you have in your garden or maybe might want to add.

My tribute to Outdoor Wednesday is a bit of Victorian Scrap I purchased at the antique mall when I was supposed to be working in my booth-it’s hard not to shop and I almost always bring something home.

Enjoy Outdoor Wednesday and visit Susan at A Southern Daydreamer for more inspirational Outdoor posts.
























































































































































These vintage garden books are still fairly easy to find at reasonable prices. I've found them

at yard sales, flea markets, antique shops & co-ops. They have many lovely illustrations &

great ideas for the vintage gardener. I have included a photo of grapes. Before all our trees were mature the former owners had grape arbors stretched the whole way across the back yard.

I almost wish they were still there.















the former Mcfarland Mansion.












































Monday, March 23, 2009

Toile Tales


A toile party!
A toile party-count me in! I just love anything toile! There are bits &pieces of it throughout my house. All colors and sizes-chairs, clocks, pillows, bedspreads, lampshades, dishes…the list goes on. My most toile-rific room is my guest bath. It is decorated in a garden-themed Toile de Jouy. I found the fabric on eBay. My red and white dishes have a toile sort-of-feel to them and I topped off my lights with toile shades as well. I have a fun black & white toile clock in my workshop. My cat Micky seems to gravitate toward toile-asleep on my guest bedspread and one the bench in the library.
There’s a blue & white toile runner on my dresser in the kitchen. I use a black & white country toile on my tables at craft fairs & herb festivals. Don’t forget o join the other party guests for a toile good time. Hosted by Pretty Organized & Wendy at The Shabby Nest.

Breakfast room.



Pretty snuggly cats! Micky















Pee Wee under the covers!








Our Toile de Jouy guest bath.















Victorian Screen was a
consignment shop find.
My neighbor made the toile pannels.
I bought the fabric on eBay.




Found the light at a consignment co-op
for $10.00.





















There’s a blue & white toile runner on my dresser in the kitchen. I use a black & white country toile on my tables at craft fairs & herb festivals.
Don’t forget to join the other party guests for a toile good time. Hosted by Pretty Organized & Wendy at The Shabby Nest.




Table at Breast Cancer Awareness Benefit.

















Sunday, March 22, 2009

Blue Monday


















I am participating in my first Blue Monday hosted by Smiling Sally whose favorite color is blue. Blue is definitely one of my favorite colors too! I have been collecting blue china since I was about 8. I used to find lots of them at flea markets, auctions, yard sales, and antique shops. Then I learned about eBay-big mistake! My collection just keeps growing-a piece at a time. I go off on another collecting tangent and I forget about the blue & white, but always keep coming back to it. I must admit I have ‘strayed” to other colors as well, but the bulk of my collection is blue! One of my favorite pieces is a platter my mom & dad bought for me as an 18th birthday present. It is large about 17” long and is flow blue. They paid all of about $35.00 for it-my dad-(silly man) thought they had spent too much!








Most of my collection are English pieces, but I have a
French piece & even some American pieces of Flow blue. The little Mason's aqua jug I picked up at the Salvation Army for $3.95-what a buy!
Be sure to stop on over at http://smilingsally.blogspot.com/ to check out all the other participating Blue Mondays.