Wednesday, June 8, 2011

I'd Rather Be In Paris


A cousin and her family are planning a trip to Paris

this summer and wanted a little help with their plans.



In honor of their visit for the day,

I pulled together a few Parisian details.



I gathered up a group of Eiffel Tower

and fleur de lys souvenirs from previous trips.



I wanted to set a festive mood while

we enjoyed brunch and discussed Paris.



A bouquet of fresh flowers . . .



In a Parisienne pitcher . . .



Gave a bit of color to the buffet . . .



Of white serving pieces.



More colorful flowers . . .



Filled a crystal bowl encircled by a trio

of French poupées for the table centerpiece.




The whimsical dolls are

original Parisian creations by Cerri' Art.



Each Mademoiselle features a unique head

decorated with an extravagant head-dress.



The flexible bodies easily adopt various poses.



These exotic creatures are full of whimsical details.



Though their millet filled bodies are flexible,

the arms and legs are Limoges china.



Each unique, the whimsical mademoiselles offer a

touch of fantasy and make one want to exclaim, "Oh, la la."



To keep the table simple, rattan chargers

held dinner plates that feature bold, colorful fruits.



Vintage French flatware offered a touch of elegance.



While cobalt stems held the

cheerful yellow linen napkins.



The colorful fruit plates are

by Rainbow Gate in Santa Fe, NM.



Each is hand made and hand painted.



We discovered Rainbow Gate Pottery in 1995

and purchased four of their colorful plates.



With subsequent visits to Santa Fe through the years,

we've added more plates, each featuring a different fruit.



Our brunch started with sweet Beignets and coffee.



Fresh fruit salad of grapes, melons, and berries



Oeufs brouillés or French scrambled eggs with a side of bacon



And of course, croissants



To which one might add a bit of sweet cream butter



And orange with fig or strawberry jams



I'm here for the summer, but would rather be in Paris.

What about you?

What vacation plans do you have in the works?


Linking to the following:










Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Splendid Beauty ~ Magnolias



Magnolia ~ Harbinger of Spring





Each day as I take my morning walk,

the neighborhood is filled

with a very distinct lemony fragrance.






It announces the magnolia blooms

that are in abundance this time of year.




These splendid white beauties are named

for the 17th century French botanist, Pierre Magnol.





Native to both Asia and the Americas, the evergreen

tree has leathery leaves and gorgeous large white blooms.




Considered to be very primitive,

the blooms are similar to the very first flowers.




Magnolia blooms open in layers,

can be as large as 10 inches across,

and have as many as 14 tepals.





Both Mississippi and Louisiana

selected Magnolias as their state flower.





It's no surprise that these

blooms are associated with . . .




Beauty,




Perseverance,




Dignity and,




Nobility


Please click the links below to see what others are sharing this week.










Also joining The Tablescaper to

celebrate her 2nd Blog-aversary with

Where do you keep it all? Part II

Click below to see the answers.

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Memorial Day All American Cookout



~ Memorial Day ~

Honoring Those Who Bravely Serve Our Country





Many Americans will perhaps

celebrate this holiday with a picnic.




Or set a table in 

red, white, and blue.




Perhaps something 

with stars and stripes, too.



Patriotic colors to 

show our pride in America.




An All Star Menu




Hamburgers and hot dogs 

cooked on the grill.




Mustards and Mayonaise



Compliment that juicy 

burger right off the grill.




Homemade Potato Fries




Pinto Beans



Healthy Slaw



Fresh Corn on the Cob



The All American Cookout




Ending with a sweet treat.



Happy Memorial Day to all Americans!

Joining