Tablescape Thursday-It's All about the Toile

It's All About the Toile-I just love toile-any design-any color-I am smitten! I just found this fabulous garnet-red tablecloth on sale for 75% off at Williams-Sonoma. It is the perfect backdrop for the garnet faux-silk placemats I bought at Target for 98 cents each-what a bargain! For my Tablescape Thursday, I chose a silverplate charger I bought as a set on eBay years ago as my first layer topped it with a vintage transferware plate in red-(I feel like I'm frosting a cake!), then a vintage Limoge plate I bought at a Flea Market & crowned it with another red transferware plate in a pattern I collect called Andalusia. The flatware is Milburn Rose, a pattern that dates circa 1930. It is my "Good Silver" I purchased at an antique shop shortly after I was married-(thank goodness for LayAway!) The knife is mother-of-pearl handled-(part of a set purchased on eBay). The little crystal votive is actually an individual salt dish. The napkin is also toile folded together with a damask in garnet. Isn't it romantic?

Mardi Gras

Don’t forget next week is “Fat Tuesday”- By definition, "Mardi Gras" (mär`dē grä) & "Mardi Gras Season", in English, refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, ending the day before Ash Wednesday. From the French "Mardi Gras" (literally translates to "Fat Tuesday"), the term has come to mean the whole period of activity related to those events, beyond just the single day, often called Mardi Gras Day or Fat Tuesday

Winter is back today after our brief flirtation with spring. This morning it snowed in big, fluffy flakes blanketing everything like a dusting of confectioners’ sugar. A lovely morning to sip a cup of tea & peruse the paper. By this afternoon the snow has vanished & it’s cold & damp. Rain is pouring from the downspouts & running down the roof. The sky is grey blanketed with clouds. I think I’ll pour another cup of tea….

The Victorian Garden Gourmet

A Mental Health Day

Ok, so I was supposed to be working but alas the fabric store was having a half-off sale-how could I say no!?! I have a sweet little French caned chair that is in dire need of a frouffy down cushion. I want to make-over my livingroom & this is a simple & inexpensive jumping-off point. So needless to say one of my favorite antique shops is right next to the fabric store which is right up the road from the pastry shop-it just kept snowballing! I bought a delicate little ribbon style fabric & a linen check-not sure if either will cushion the chair or just become cushions! I finished my afternoon off with a cappuccino & French pastry-naturally! But I behaved at the antique shop & didn't buy a thing-but tomorrow I go thrifting so maybe something will turn up!

I am parting with some of my transferware collection. As my husband says, I cannot keep it all. I have been sifting through the totes in the attic and have added some to my website. I have been collecting since I was ten-mostly blue but I have yellow, green, brown, mulberry, lavender, pink, red & bi-color. My most unusual is the yellow/brown bi-color. It is a Ridgway,one of my favorite manufacturer's. Yellow is a rare color. I have only ever found one in all my year's of collecting. I started my obsession at our local flea market. At the time you could find pieces for under a dollar especially if they had a chip or crack. A few years ago I bought a red & black plate for four dollars that I sold for over a hundred. Alas, those deals are few & far between. When I first started buying dishes I knew very little about them. I bought several books which have become well-worn reference books. One is Romantic Staffordshire Ceramics by Jeffrey B. Snyder. It is a handy guide for identifying many popular patterns & manufacturers.

This one is also a Ridgway, polychrome-(multi-color transfer) plate as is the green/brown & yellow/brown.

I have them everywhere throughout the house. I change them with my mood & color-scheme. I have also passed this "bug" to my neighbor. Beware-it is quite contagious, often spreading to other family members & friends! My neighbor's partial to lavender-my cousin to green! With all the varieties out there-the possibilities are endless!

January-Resolutions & Solutions

January is a good month to...

Read a good book...

Catch up on correspondence...

Redecorate a room-just changing pillows can give a room a whole new look. Add a vase of fresh flowers-tulips are a lovely transition flower.

Clean out your closet. Donate clothes you no longer wear to a local shelter, Goodwill, or the Salvation Army.

Get organized! It is my New Year’s resolution every year. Maybe 2009 is my year!

Make a huge pot of home-made soup or stew. Divide & freeze in meal-size containers for one of those “What to have for dinner?” Nights.

Pamper yourself! Maybe a manicure, pedicure, facial, or soothing massage. Not the spa type? Take a relaxing bubble bath complete with all the trimmings-fragrant bath soaps, fluffy towels, restful music, candles & your favorite beverage. Indulge-relax!

Take a Day Trip to an arboretum. Just walking through the lush plants & flowers reminds us that spring is just around the corner.

Build a snowman...

Take a walk. Bundle up in your favorite wooly sweater & head for your local park or walking trail. Take along a thermos of hot chocolate. It’s extra special if it’s snowing!

After the hustle & bustle of the holidays, January gets lost in the shuffle. Celebrate the month with family & friends you may not have seen over the holidays. We have a group of friends that get together every year for our neighborhood party. Even though only two of us still live in the same area anymore. We always have the party in January, because everyone is pulled in too many directions in December. We all have a chance to catch-up, enjoy some good food & company & keep the spirit of the holiday going.

Since we are still doing a lot of entertaining, I want my house to look festive, but not so Christmas-y. Here are a few things to make your house sparkle as we glide into midwinter.

For a quick touch of elegance-fill a silver tray with clear glass votives & white or ivory candles. Tumblers from your local department or discount store work great if you don’t have votives & give you a wider choice of shapes & patterns.

Group different size/style candlesticks together in the same medium – (brass, silver, crystal) together to make a warm glowing statement. Place on a mirrored plateau for extra shimmer.

Winter lends itself to shades of white. Pair it with shimmery silver, gold or pearl. Fill clear rose bowls with clear glass florist’s stones (like ice) & fill with ivory or the palest of pink blooms.

I love touches of apple green in the winter. I fill jars & bowls with faux lady & Granny Smith apples.

Grocers & garden centers will soon be full of cyclamen, heather, & primroses. It’s always nice to have a breath of spring in the heart of winter. I love the fragrant silver-green leaves of lavender too-available at some garden centers & mail order companies such as Jackson & Perkins.

What to replace those Christmas ball bowl fillers with? I gather pinecones & spray paint them a metallic silver or bronze or give them a quick shot of spray adhesive & dust with crystal glitter.

New Year's Resolutions

A Happy New Year to All!

Like most people do I made a few New Year's resolutions. How many will make it through the year is anybody's guess. Some of them are the same as last year. Above all I resolve to spend more time enjoying life, less time worrying about what will be, & spending more time with family & friends!

But above all..this will be the year i get organized!

And even if life is not always "A bowl of cherries", I will simply-

make cherry pie!

Bonne Annee

Bonne Annee-a happy new year to you all! The start of a brand new year full of possibilities, fresh ideas-relaxation! December is my busy, busy time of year. I look forward to a little breathing room in January. I try to clear my mind and shoo away all those thoughts of work, but my mind-(like the rest of me) is going in a thousand different directions! I hope to be adding lots of new things to my food line this year. I have some ideas that have not yet gone to print-look for them in early spring! But I'm jumping ahead. We still have holiday parties to attend & host so I am still in a holiday mood. And Valentine's Day is just around the corner-hmmm.....

Last Minute Holiday Gifts

The last Saturday before Christmas-of course I am not ready. We went over to my parents toting a tree & outdoor decorations-they are 84 & my Dad needs a knee replacement so they were not up to decorating. By the time we left the tree was decroated and wreathes were hung and garland surrounded the door. Time for a quick bite & some last minute shopping. Here are some ideas I came up with for those last minute gifts.

Last Minute Gift Ideas

Italian Dinner in a Basket
I can shop almost anywhere! A quick trip to the grocery store turned into Christmas shopping & I checked one more name off the list. Here is what I purchased to make an
Italian Dinner in a basket for friends of mine who both work with limited time to cook.
4 jars of gourmet-style pasta sauce
Assorted pastas: linguini, fettuccini, ziti, penne-get creative & choose some spinach, tomato basil or whole wheat varieties
Parmesan & Romano cheese
A jar of minced garlic
Balsamic Vinegar
Salad Dressing-red wine vinaigrette
Olive Oil
Cooking Spray-olive oil
Peppercorns in a self-contained grinder
Whole Grain Crackers
Breadsticks
Gourmet Cookies
I bought a red check tea towel to line the basket and arranged the ingredients. I also put in a bottle of red wine, a package of my pesto mix and a quick bread mix. Wrapped it all in cellophane and tied it with a raffia bow & wooden spoon. I collect baskets through out the year at yard sales & thrift stores. If you don’t have one on hand a quick trip to your local dollar store should yield a serviceable container. Another great container for this gift would be a big, ceramic pasta bowl. Nothing in this basket is perishable & doesn’t require refrigeration.

Christmas in a Basket-Know someone who is celebrating their first Christmas? Give them a basket full of ornaments to decorate their tree. I went to my local dollar store & found some lovely ornaments for $1.00 each. Just as pretty as the department & craft stores were selling! I included a box of ornament hangers, a box of popcorn-(to string for the tree or to munch on while decorating), a tin of cocoa mix, a bag of mini marshmallows, two mugs & a box of pirouette cookies-yes at the dollar store!

Holiday Housekeeping Basket-My cousins gave me this basket as a thank you gift when they came to stay for Thanksgiving. It was everything I needed for a houseful of guests right at my finger tips! The basket included dish soap, hand soap, counter spray, Laundry detergent & softener, rubber gloves, sponges & scrubber & room spray all packed into a lovely sea grass laundry basket. All the products were geranium scented by Mrs. Meyers. It has a delightful fresh smell that wafts through the house when you are doing laundry. I am now “hooked” and won’t buy anything else. The fragrance was so perfect for me because it smells just like my house when I am drying scented geranium leaves in my oven. They also make a Lemon Verbena, Lavender, & gingerbread fragrance that are just heavenly. Check your local grocery store or look them up on line.

Tea Lover’s Basket-All the ingredients for this basket can come from the grocery store as well. I purchased mugs, assorted teas, cookies, & candies. You can take this a step further with a stop at a gourmet store & add a tea cozy, spoon rests, unrefined sugar, & tea bag squeezers. I popped into a favorite antique mall to pick up lacey linens & silver tea spoons. I placed all my goodies on an elegant silver plated tray & wrapped it with a yard of netting I bought at the fabric store. You could use the same “formula” for the coffee lover on your list too!

For The Gardener-As I so love a garden, this one was easy for me. I went to my local garden center, Home Depot or Lowe’s will do too & purchased a pair of sturdy, comfortable work gloves, several bags of assorted spring bulbs, Miracle Grow, Bone Meal, some essential hand tools with padded grips, some plant markers, & knee pads. This basket is easy to get carried away with-you could add a garden ornament, wind chimes, garden statuary, watering can, etc. I put everything into a brightly colored plastic tub tied with raffia & a garden-themed ornament for the tree.

It's Beginning To Look Like Christmas

Snow flurries have been flying and so have my fingers -packing lots of Christmas Confetti Cheese Spread, Night Before Christmas Soup, & Country Christmas Bread. You can find them all on my website-www.victoriangardengourmet.com, at Annie B's in the West Shore Farmer's Market, PABrown's Orchards in Loganville, PA or online from The Victorian Trading Company.

Hot Mulled Cider

There definitely has been a chill in the air lately and frost blanketed the grass like new fallen snow. I stopped by the farm market on the way home and picked up a jug of fresh-pressed apple cider. Just felt like a warm cup of mulled cider in my favorite transferware cup, wrapped up in an old quilt with my head in a book by the fireplace. Our Merry Molly's Mulling Spice is back for the season. It is a quick, delicious way to treat yourself to a favorite fall beverage. One package goes a long way. Made with natural spices, fruits,& sugar. Packaged with a lovely 19Th century engraving-you can find it on my website-www.victoriangardengourmet.com.

Happy fall!

Mums The Word

I love fall-the colors, the scent of the woods, fireplaces with that first curl of smoke, apples, pumpkins & spices. Shaking out those wool sweaters from the blanket chest & throws to wrap up in with the scent of lavender sachets still clinging to them. Earthy buckwheat pancakes for breakfast with hot apples, carmelized in maple syrup & hearty baked pumpkin oatmeal. Changing the flowers to the frost-kissed, mop head hydrangeas that I'll dry later to decorate the Christmas tree.

We took a drive in the country to our favorite road side stand for pumpkins & mums to finish decorating. The colors looked like patches in a quilt. It was so hard to decide-but there's only so much room in the car! I love all the funky gourds-especially the ones with all the "warts".

On the way home we stopped for a leg-stretch at the Haldeman Mansion. The Haldeman Mansion, is on the Pennsylvania & National Registers of Historic places. It was the birthplace of Professor Samuel Stehman Haldeman and was completed in 1812 by his grandparents, John and Maria Brenneman Haldeman. The style of architecture is vernacular German combined with Federal elements. When it is restored, it will be the first historic structure in the Bainbridge-Conoy Township areas, and will serve as a museum house, community landmark and meeting place. It was a lovely day and perfect for a stroll!

I always get a bit nostalgic this time of year. When my husband & I first went "house hunting" 23 years ago, the first two properties we looked at were stone farmhouses. I love my Victorian-(it is after all my first house), but I am always drawn every fall to a stone house.

Fur Ball

Every year our local Humane Society sponsors an auction & gala to raise funds for the animals at the shelter. It is called the Fur Ball-(little play on words for us cat owners!) since Micky & Pee Wee were fromer shelter mates, the Humane Society is one of my"pet" -(no pun intended) charities. This is the gift basket I donated from The Victorian Garden this year. I truely have a great time coming up with a new basket each year. This one was an autumn theme-(my favorite time of year) with soup mixes, herb sugars, tea, pastas, Dansk cutting board, tea towel, mugs, plates, napkins... I just love the basket-it reminds me of a country French market basket. When it was all put together it weighed about 20 pounds. Even though times are tough & we have to make every cent count, we can't forget about those who need our help. Donate to your favorite charity-it just makes you feel warm & fuzzy all over!

Everlasting Flowers

I love fall-even that it blends into winter, but I will miss my roses and hydrangeas. I love to create silk arrangements. They don't take the place of real flowers, but are lovely stand-ins. Here are just a few.

I love the deep blue of the hydrangeas against the silver chalice with the apple green ribbon.

Apple Picking

Wednesday was the perfect fall day-the air was crisp, the sky was a brilliant blue, and you needed that jacket or sweater. My Mom has been going to the same orchard for over 20 years-she just celebrated her 84th birthday last month. She and my grandmother and aunt used to go-what a wild bunch that was! Grandma was in her nineties, my aunt her late seventies with mom just a few years behind. Now it is just me and my mom bounching over the country roads our bushel baskets at the ready. We brought home some lovely delicious-(my husband's favorite), some crispin-(they make delightful dumplings) and blush-skinned Jonagold. Couldn't resist a home-baked apple dumpling to take home & more gourds & mums. I just can't help myself!

Made some Orchard fruit dip for the cut-up apples-mmmmm!

Added to the outdoor decorations and in a few spooky weeks it will be Halloween. Time to bring the spiders down from the attic and polish up the silver treat bowl. I wonder if the clock will chime again this year. We bought it at auction four years ago and it never ran. Wound it-jiggled it-nothing. Last year when I was filling the treat bowl the clock started running and went through its repetoire of chimes, ran for half an hour and stopped. Spooky! Whose ghost was it-maybe this year we'll find out! Mickey was not impressed-he continued his afternoon nap on the ottoman.

Fall Decorating

It is so much fun at the start of a new season. Replacing the quiet colors of summer with the rich jewels of fall. I draped the mantles with bittersweet, filled baskets with hydrangea blooms and lavender. Replaced bowl fillers with apples, pears, & gourds. My husband found a perfect, dried gourd, a cast-off from last year. I varnished it. It turned out the most marvelous color like aged stucco. It was such a wonderful surprise that now is part of a still-life on my back-door cupboard. I filled a great, green basket with silk sunflowers, hydrangea & bittersweet to put outside my front door. Poor Pee Wee is just "decorated out". He had to take a qucik cat-nap.

Fall is here

These past few mornings it has really felt like fall. When I poke my nose out the door, the scent of fallen leaves is in the air. It is cool on my feet-(still in sandals). There are still a few late-comer tomatoes hanging on the vine and two lush purple eggplant to be picked. It's time to toast marshmallows by the fire. The days are shorter and time seems to travel by just a little bit faster.

Time to pick Hydrangeas for drying. Replace all the faded summer blooms with the jewel-tones of fall. Pumpkins that come in all shapes and colors. And time once again to bring Miss Witch down from the attic to reign as queen of the porch.

Apple cider is fresh at the orchard. Time to go and pick apples. Yes, fall is here.