Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Seaside Entertaining


"By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea!

You and me, you and me, oh how happy we'll be!"


It's summer time and definitely beach weather, but

for those of us who live inland or don't have a beach house,

~ VIETRI ~ has the perfect

selection of dishes to whisk us away to the seaside.

I recently saw the following table settings at two different locations of a local store. Each of these tables offered lovely seaside ambiance for summer entertaining. I adore VIETRI style! When I saw these tables I knew I wanted to share them with all who visit HFTS.

So grab a cool drink and let these tables

take you to the summer breezes of the ocean.



The natural color and texture of the linen table covering gives one the feeling of eating right on a sandy beach, and the mix of aqua and white lends a cooling touch. One can almost feel the ocean breezes.



I especially love these layers of Incanto Aqua mixed

with the rough textures of rattan and natural linen.



But the piece de resistance is the

whimsical turtle plate atop the stack.




It brings to mind the natural look of

tortoise that is reflected in the nearby flatware.



Antique Lattice flatware in

Aladdin Tortoiseshell by VIETRI



Fluted stripes highlight this cup in Incanto Aqua.



The Incanto Mare Turtles come in a variety

of sizes ranging from salad plates to platters.



Additional details of metal sea shells

lend this table even more style and texture.



Mix in Incanto Mare canape plates to

offer the feel of an ancient fossil imprint.



Or add pieces of Incanto Metallic and Sea Turtles along

with a few aqua glass bottles for a sense of found sunken treasure.



As the VIETRI catalog states,

"These whimsical baby turtles might be migrating back to the sea."



The second table offers a bit more elegance with damask textiles,

predominate use of Incanto White, and just a touch of Incanto Aqua.



I like the additional metal details in the

fabulous pewter candle holder and tray.



What an amazing piece!

This candelabra is 15" tall and perfectly sculpted.



Notice the fine details of each of these ocean creatures.



Even the back and underside is done with attention to detail.



I'm partial to this little fellow who

is swimming under that giant octopus.




Life like details also enhance the white serving platter.




These pewter crustaceans are not only decorative,

but serve as perfect handles for this large white porcelain tray.

Can't you envision it full of steamed lobster or crabs?




Look at the amazing textural

details on these serving pieces.



"This large round platter has a personality all its own!

Each shape is different, as are the designs

on both the front and the back of each piece."



Two of my favorites are these Incanto White Lace cake stands.

Anything presented on these would look spectacular!



"Hand-washed glazes varyingly show the

tera cotta below the surface, like one's view

of the sand seen through Italian waters in the sun."





The colors and organic feel of this bowl in the Organica pattern

give one the feeling of scooping a seashell right off the ocean floor.



And those wonderful three dimensional

turtles are back again to offer a whimsical touch.



While the sculpted edges of the ceramics,

the beautiful damask cloth, and the . . .



Jeweled napkin rings give an elegant feel to seaside dining.


I share these tables and this pottery because I love the look and the quality of VIETRI ceramics. Photos and text are my own except where noted from Vietri.



A previous HFTS posts is here featuring Vietri Bellezza.


Thank you to VIETRI for permission to use catalog photos below for a recap of patterns in today's post. You can click each pattern link for more details and photos of individual pieces should you be interested.


A series of whimsical turtles

"swim across a white background sprinkled with sand."



Ocean inspired shapes in both white and aqua

offer a treasure trove for the shell collector.


An amazing metallic glaze offers a nice paring to Incanto Aqua.


A collection of wonderful fish shapes in white,

celadon, or sky blue are a great catch for any seaside tablescape.


Organica offers both an artistic and organic touch.

Joining





Don't forget to check out all the Summer Blog Parties this week.

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Monday, June 20, 2011

Good Bye Spring

Detail of Nancy Thomas Spring, 1994

Good bye, Spring!

Tuesday, June 21st marks the official start of summer, but here at HFTS it hasn't felt as if we've had much of a spring. As local weatherman, Jim Spencer, wrote today: "The last day of spring closes the chapter on what is going into the record books as Austin's hottest spring on record."



June 21st also marks the occasion of the

annual Porch Party @ Rose Colored Glasses.




Last year HFTS celebrated with Rhondi

at a Summer Solstice Porch Party here.

Our sunroom above was once a screened in porch, though now it is enclosed. We can open it up when the weather is agreeable, or heat and cool this space when needed. This is our favorite spot and where you'll find us most any time of the year, rain or shine. Looking at last year's photo above reminds me it's time to pull out the boxes of red, white, and blue. It's less than two weeks before we'll be celebrating the 4th of July.



Even when there is no special holiday being

celebrated, you'll find fresh flowers on the porch.



Along with Nantucket Baskets . . .




Tabletop Roosters



Reading Material



And Bird Watching Tools



During the hot summer months

there's often a pitcher of refreshing ice tea!



Outside on the terrace is a table for alfresco dining.



The shade from the large oak trees and the

sound of the water fountains offers a cooling ambiance.


White geraniums mix in with red geraniums of a vining variety.



Delicate white alyssum cascades over the urns.



You might spy a wild critter or two below in the garden.



You'll hear the sound of birds.



And might even notice a bit of vintage among the leaves.



I've set out a sweet treat on the little bistro table.

Would you like to join me for something cool and refreshing?



Help yourself to a glass of icy

Italian soda and one of the little tarts.



I think I'll have a lemon tart.



There is also lemon meringue . . .



Cream Puff . . .



Or a tasty tart with summer berries.




See the beautiful delicate pink hankie?

It was a gift from Donna @ Conghaile Cottage.

You can click here if you'd like to visit her beautiful garden.



Cool and refreshing for our first day of summer.



Even though I love to spend time on

our porch and outside on the garden terrace,

I think you know where I'd rather be for summer.



Thanks for stopping by today.

Happy Summer!

Click here to visit Rhondi and others

who are waiting for you on their summer porches.



Click the links below to join other summer parties this week.









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Sunday, June 19, 2011

A Place for Tea


I've been watching all the talented, creative, and extremely industrious individuals who seem to paint something every week. When I was much younger, I too, would refinish a piece of furniture every now and again. But it's been years since I actually took on a painting project!



Summer before last I came across this little thrifty treasure of a child's set of a table and four chairs. You can see it was rusty and in need of being rescued. As I said, it's been years since I've taken on a project to refinish something, but I was totally charmed by the detail of the rooster and leaves and the fact that both the chairs and table fold up flat. So this little set came home with me with the intention of a make-over.



It wasn't long before Cleo and Mr. Barnaby claimed it for their own. They didn't seem to mind the rust and the fact that I hadn't actually gotten around to spiffing up this little set. You see they enjoy an afternoon tea and were happy to have their own little spot on the terrace. If you like, click here to join them.



It also didn't seem to matter when the

animals gathered for tea on a sunny morning.



But when a sweet little girl was coming to visit her Nana who is one of my dearest friends, I decided it was time to get out the wire brush, clean off the rust, and give the set a fresh coat of paint.



To prevent the rust again,

I used a gray primer as an undercoat.



Using a spray paint made it an easy project,

but it took several sweeps to get at all the angles.



Once each piece was primed . . .



I painted them with Rust-Oleum Strawflower, a soft yellow as close to the original color as I could find. My initial idea was to highlight and enhance the rooster and leaves with a bit of color, but I haven't done that.



So what do you think?

Shall I leave it as it was originally painted,
all yellow, or give the rooster and leaves a hint of color?

What would you do?




Mary Kate wants to remind you to join HFTS

for the Summer Week Long Blog Party



You can click here to join DebbieDoos Summer Paint Party June 20th .

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