Sunday, January 1, 2017

New Year's Day ~ 2017



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It's a new year!

January 1st

New Year's Day 2017



Tray of Pocket Watches ~ Marburger Farm Antique Show


Time to once again share our yearly 

 New Year's Day tradition.




The champagne is chilled.





Black-eyed peas 

 are on the stove cooking.




We are dressed and ready 

 to share the day with friends.



Black-eyed peas on New Year's Day

 is a southern tradition that dates 

 back to the Civil War.

It's believed they will bring 

 luck and prosperity for the new year.




 We'll start with chips, salsa,

and fresh made guacamole.




 A simple table is set 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 2017




 Dad Anderson's Black-eyed Peas with Ham Hocks

1 and 1/2 cups black-eyed peas
2 smoked ham hocks
Some salt pork, diced
1 small can tomatoes
1 can Rotel tomatoes w/ green chilies
(I now use 2 cans since they are smaller.)
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.




A very happy New Year to each of you, my readers!

I cherish the many friendships that were spawned though this blog 

and feel honored that you stop by to read my musings.

Many thanks to the readers who take the time to leave a comment.

I read and appreciate each one!

To those of you with your own blog, thank you!

You continue to inspire and entertain me daily.

May 2017 be a happy and healthy year for all. 

Joining


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Saturday, December 17, 2016

1950s Blast to the Past ~ Christmas Home Tour






Mid Century Modern 

Have you noticed?

The 1950s are back in vogue!




A recent holiday home tour in Georgetown, Texas

featured five homes built in the 1950s.

Aluminum Christmas trees,  Shiny Brite ornaments, and

other throwbacks to the 1950s were the style du jour.





Period cars such as this 1957 Chevy Belair

were also featured at each of the homes.




One of the homes belongs to my 

niece, Samantha and her husband, Michael,

a couple who are passionate mid century design enthusiasts.




Samantha and Michael have furnished their home

with authentic mid century furniture,

some of which belonged to my parents.

As such, I admit, I'm not as 

enthusiastic about the relics of this era.

"Been there, lived it!", as they say.




That's not to say that I can't appreciate it though.

I have much respect for my niece and her passion

for this period of my childhood.

The mid century console is from Michael's parents.




It's fun and refreshing to see her confidence

in developing a style esthetic all her own.





I remember her joy and excitement when she found

this period dining room table and chairs at a shop in Houston.

 The dining room mirror hung in my bedroom when I was a teen.




Samantha inherited the "dish" gene from her aunt.

She's definitely a girl after my own heart when it comes

to setting a table with a collected vibe. 





Placemats ~ Target

Tartan Charger ~ Arita, c1960s

Old Curiosity Shop Dinnerware ~ Royal, c1950s

Salad Plates ~ Southern Living 

Star Napkin Ring ~ Z Galleries

Flatware ~ William Sonoma

Glassware ~ Vintage



I admire the way she mixes vintage

with an unexpected contemporary twist.




The updated kitchen is an open concept

and truly the heart of the home.





Samantha loves to cook and

carries on the family tradition of baking

cut out cookies.  The cutters are ones that were

passed down from my mother's kitchen.





Glass front cabinets feature

some of the dish habit I referred to above.





 Colorful Vintage Pyrex 

produced from 1947 to the late 1960s

mixes with vintage 50's Santa mugs for a holiday touch.





Vintage Pyrex Snowflake

adds a winter motif.




Franciscan Atomic Starburst 

 dinnerware from the 1950s.




More of the Franciscan Atomic Starburst

 with a vintage ceramic tree.




Contemporary Eat, Drink, and Be Merry

 platinum-trimmed dessert set by Lenox.





This set of mid century acrylic candle holders

were found in a shop on Galveston Island.





The master is an addition to the original 1950s home

and includes a spacious, modern bath.





The added space is large enough to accommodate a king bed,

a size that was first introduced in the mid 1950s.

It's also large enough for a full size Christmas tree.

Isn't that romantic?





Retro pillows by Catstudio

add a festive mood to the bed.





The original layout provided three bedrooms and two baths.

This was the original master that included a small bathroom.





 Samantha's collection of Mc Coy pottery marches across the top 

of a vintage wardrobe that had been in Michael's family.

Vintage glass Christmas tree ornaments are nestled into 

the vases and planters produced in the 20s and 30s.





The mid century swivel bucket chair 

was from my childhood home.

Santa is a hot water bottle from the 1970s.




Down the hall are two more bedrooms and a bath,

Michael's home office and a second guest room.

The vintage Christmas stockings were stitched by one of my aunts.

Samantha rescued the blue stocking from my aunt's estate sale.

The pink one belongs to me, authentically from the 1950s,

it is my cherished childhood Christmas stocking.



A covered deck was added across the 

back of the home at some point.





It offers a wonderful outdoor space to relax 

or for entertaining friends and family.




A small table at the far end is perfect  

for alfresco dining for two.




Tell me, are you a fan of mid century modern,

or are you like me, "Been there, lived it!"

All photos by Michael Walton

Click here to view a previous post on this home.

Joining


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