Sunday, January 22, 2012

The Year of the Dragon



Monday, January 23 begins 2012

Chinese New Year Celebration

THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON




The dragon is a symbol of
power, strength, and good luck.



 Gung Hay Fat Choy

Congratulations and be prosperous

in the Year of the Dragon!




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Wednesday, January 18, 2012

The Silver Lining of Thrifting


It's no secret.

There is definitely a silver lining

to shopping the thrift stores.



This tall, slender beauty was a recent

thrifty find at a small local shop of vintage goods.



It inspired me to gather my group of silver teapots.

~ Each A Thrifty Find Gathered Over Time ~




With their hinged lids kicked back . . .




I added fresh greens and

red berries for the holidays.



A nice compliment to . . .



The details of each teapot.



For the New Year they each

hold winter white Baby's Breath.




The delicate bouquets don't distract from

the graceful lines and wonderful details.



But rather offer a contrast to

elements such as ebony handles . . .




Or those wrapped with rattan.




Rings of Petite Bead Work




Simple Bands



Long Elegant Spouts



Stouter Ones Layered With Detail




Simple Lines




Or Elaborate Detail



Each offers its own charm . . .




Sitting atop a tray with charm all its own.

~ Do Tell ~

Have you found any "silver lining" in your local thrifts?

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Tuesday, January 3, 2012

It's a Southern Thing



Black-eyed peas for New Year's that is.

Yes, it's a southern tradition

that dates back to the Civil War.

Black-eyed peas should be eaten

on New Year's Day, don't you know.

They bring luck and prosperity for the new year.


We started with chips, salsa,

and fresh made guacamole.


A simple table set for four to

celebrate the beginning of a new year.


No need for a centerpiece as the

food will be the star of this table.


Casual Settings


Napkins of a Provencal Print



Ringed with Bands of Pewter




A Favorite Pewter Tureen



Whimsical Salad Bowl



Paired with Complementary Pewter Salad Servers



Black-eyed Peas and a Healthy Mixed Green Salad



Black-eyed Peas for the Coins



Greens for Paper Money



Cornbread for Gold



Perfect Meal for a

Lucky 2012


Dad's Black-eyed Peas with Ham Hocks

1 and 1/2 cups black-eyed peas
2 smoked ham hocks
Some salt port, diced
1 small can tomatoes
1 can Rotel tomatoes w/ green chilies
1 medium onion, sliced
Pepper to taste

Wash and cover peas with water. boil fast for 10-15 minutes. Let stand 30 minutes. Do not stir so that peas don't break. Add water if necessary. Add meat and simmer until tender. Add other ingredients and simmer until it tastes done. Remove bones. cut meat off the ham hocks and add back into soup. Serve with green salad and cornbread.

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Wednesday, December 28, 2011

A Favorite Collection



Happy New Year!

Today is the 1st, and my friend,

Alison, @ The Polohouse

is hosting a new monthly party.

Favorites On The First




Alison asked us all to share a collection this month.

Just one, Alison?

Difficult to single one out here.

I seem to gather collections of many things.

Anyone else out there

find this to be true in your home?

Please tell me I'm not alone!




For me, one of the sad realities 

of the modern world of technology 

is that the hand written word is becoming scarce. 

 In this day of cell phones, text messages, emails, and tweets, 

many have abandoned the handwritten note or letter. 

 Students today often don't receive formal handwriting lessons 

to learn the appropriate strokes of beautiful script. 

 I grew up in the era of fountain pens; 

when one had to write out all assignments in long hand. 

 I loved the idea of putting ink on paper. 

 The fluid movement of the nib  

moving across the paper was like magic to me. 

 The rhythm of that writing sang 

as if it were a sweet melody. 

 My well used original 

Parker pen still sits on my desk.




I suppose it's no surprise that this love  

of writing with ink would naturally   

lead to an interest in and affection for ink wells. 

I'm a collector at heart and  

shopping antique markets is a favorite pastime. 

 Though I didn't set out to specifically collect inkwells, 

some of these little "wells" have followed me home.




 This crystal inkwell with a plum top sits within

a pewter stand. It was made in France in recent years.
The larger of the three is this 

heavy crystal block with sterling lid. 

 Though it is clearly marked, 

I've not been able to date this piece.


The smallest of these is just an inch 

square and a little over an inch and a half tall. 

 Both this one and the larger one 

were found at local antique shows years ago.





 This is a vintage traveling ink well that

was a purchase many years ago while

roaming a London antique market.




 The leather case opens to reveal a

brass container in which to hold ink.




 A group of Quimper ink wells gather

on another tray that moves about our home.

Each of these date to around 1920 - 1930.



The heart shaped one 

is the first piece of vintage Quimper I acquired. 

 It was a birthday gift from a group 

of friends given to me in the 1980s. 

 This little piece fueled my interest in 

the antique and vintage pieces of French faience.




 A souvenir from a California vacation one summer,

this little faience charmer is new production from the 1980s.

It is simply marked France Decor Main.


It opens to this sweet little flower

shaped stopper covering the well.





 More faience ink wells can be found

among books in a guest bedroom.

These three were produced by Alcide Chaumeil

and are known simply as CA faience because of the mark.




 I first saw this square example in the

collection of a fellow QCI member.

I was fortunate to find 

 this one for myself a year or so later.


.

 It appealed to me because of the

mechanics of this box.

The ceramic lid pivots across to 

reveal the well for the ink.

I suspect this is a rare form.



 Another rare form is this CA figural

of a Breton fisherman pulling in his catch.

The coiled rope is the lid to this

inkwell which I purchased in France.
A French market find, this rather 

large piece is unfortunately missing its lid. 

I found it laying in a box of 

assorted things at a weekend brocante. 

 The price was too good to pass it by, 

so it too resides among the others, 

sans hat as Debbie @ Confessions of a Plate Addict says. 

 You can read about her French ink well find here.




 A sweet pair of bunnies were an eBay score.

One holds the quills and the other the ink well.

They are Desvres production.
A limited edition piece, this handsome 

ink stand was produced in 1990 by HB Henriot 

to commemorate the tricentennial of the faience of Quimper. 

 The hand painted scene depicts the 

city of Quimper and the Odet River. 

The soft blue glaze and the fine detailed 

painting make this a remarkable piece.



 A documentation card provided with this piece

shows the other limited edition pieces

that were produced for this special occasion.





And lastly are these heavy ceramic Moroccan ink pots 

that I purchased in the souks of Marrakech. 

I found the rustic character with the vibrant 

turquoise and amber details irresistible.



There you have it. 

  Just one of my assorted collections.

Grab a glass of bubbly on your way over to visit

more collections shared for Favorites on the First.

Happy New Year!

All the best for each of you in 2012.

Many thanks for your friendships,

your visits, and your thoughtful comments.

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