Thursday, May 15, 2014

Our Wedding China



Cuisine Kathleen's Wedding China Challenge

I didn't have an opportunity to set a table this week for Kathleen's challenge, but as I've read many of the posts I realized one of the aspects I enjoyed most were the stories everyone shared of the special memories about their wedding china.  This made me long to join in the fun.  I remembered I had created a previous post on our wedding china, so I reached back in the archives to retrieve some of the photos to share in the fun of Kathleen's challenge. 




Still in love and

happily married for 39 years this August!

All these years later I wouldn't change a thing,

including our choice of fine china which we

selected together when we registered for our wedding china.





Richard Ginori ~ Palermo Brown

We selected this pattern for its simplicity 

and the touch of chocolate brown.

Our crystal selection was by Denby 

in a rich amber brown with clear stems.  





Richard Ginori china has been produced since 1735.  

As with many of the porcelain 

and china factories in the UK and Europe,

Ginori experienced financial difficulties. 

The company declared bankruptcy in January 2013.





In April 2013, Ginori was purchased by Gucci

with plans to improve the factory in Florence

and continue to produce the 

high-end products under its name.





Palermo Brown has been a 

discontinued pattern since 1988, 

but one can still find it 

through eBay and online retailers.

This pattern was also produced in several other colors.

~ rust ~ green ~ yellow ~ blue ~ black ~




As you can see, 

this is a very versatile pattern.

It's easy to mix it with a variety of linens,

chargers, and patterned salad or dessert plates.

Here it is paired with an inexpensive salad plate, 

Classic Tidings Tartan from Target.





Here with another fine china,

Olde Avesbury by Royal Crown Derby

and Italian pewter chargers.




The colorful Birds of Paradise and Oriental Pheasants 

in Olde Avesbury are taken from an original embroidery.

This pattern was first produced as above in 1932,

but now one can purchase many other color variations

 that have been derived from this pattern.

The green charger is by Zrike.





Our colored crystal by Denby 

compliments both of these china patterns.





Last summer I loaned our china to a friend 

for an alfresco dinner party.

She set an elegant table with gold chargers 

and white linens with an added touch of burgundy.





I love the touch of the Bosc pears and the

gorgeous rose bouquets in urns.  It's fun to see how

someone else chose to use our china.  I'll no doubt copy 

this idea for a future dinner party at our home.





If you enjoy pretty dishes you should hurry on over to 


Cuisine Kathleen 

and see all the beautiful selections  

of wedding china that bloggers have shared this week.


Joining
Wedding China Challenge @ Cuisine Kathleen


Thursday, May 1, 2014

May Day Tribute and A Winner!


Happy May Day! 

Congratulations to


the winner of the Anthropologie Gift Card.


Thank you to all who entered. 

Your thoughtfulness and friendship is much appreciated. 




April Showers
Bring May Flowers

~ A tribute to my mom, the gardener. ~






My mother was an avid gardener until

 she moved out of her home at age 90.






She passed away in November at the age of 99.

She was a frugal individual, dedicated to God and her family.

She appreciated and nurtured the flowers of her garden

as she did life long friendships in her community.




Mother's home was filled 

with the fragrance and beauty of 

fresh flowers from her garden and the 

sweet treats baked in her kitchen.




Today is May Day, and it is an

absolutely perfect spring day here.

Want to join me for an afternoon treat in the garden?





I cut some of my spring blooms to fill the

glass basket vases I fondly remember from my childhood.

My mother passed these on to me several years ago.





These elegant etched glass baskets 

were made in the 1920s and 1930s.




They are perfect for a May Day

 basket of May flowers!





I've set the tray with 

my mom's wedding china,

Homer Laughlin's 

Virginia Rose - Jeanette Gold.




This china was made in 1939.  

Virginia Rose was a very popular 

shape with many different designs.  

My mom chose Jeanette's Gold 

with delicate pink flowers and gold details.




Each piece has double 

gold bands on the outside rim.





These pretty linen napkins 

were one of our wedding gifts in 1975.





Mother of Pearl vintage flatware seemed 

the perfect choice for this dessert tray.




Pretty and elegant ~ just like my mom.




Won't you join me

 for a scoop of ice cream?




Happy May Day!


Tomorrow, May 2,

I will be guest blogger over at

  Decor to Adore's Favorite Five

where I share five ways

 my mother has inspired my life.

Click here to join me at

Decor to Adore ~ Favorite Five

Perhaps you'll find some inspiration for the month of May.




~ Rum Cake ~ A Family Recipe ~

1 cup shortening or butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
3 cups flour
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/3 tsp. salt
1 and 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Cream shortening or butter with sugar until fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time and beat well after each one.  Add dry ingredients and buttermilk alternately, mixing well after each addition.  Add vanilla.  Bake in large tube pan @ 325º  for 1 hour or longer.  Once out of the oven, invert tube pan.  Gently remove cake from pan, and using a wooden skewer, poke holes throughout the cake.  Coat the cake with a sugar and rum glaze of your choice.  Enjoy!


Joining

What's It Wednesday @ Ivy and Elephant

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Springtime is Served!






With the arrival of spring,

I've been playing in the dirt 

rather than the dishes.

Not much time for setting tables when

a springtime garden needs attention.




When I popped into my favorite 

Anthropologie  right before Easter,

 a garden of spring dishes immediately caught my eye.

Yes, Anthropologie is "Serving Up Spring!"





~ Garden Buzz ~

An Anthropologie exclusive by

Michelle Morin.




Delightful dessert plates 

feature three different garden blooms.

~ Sunny Yellow ~




Paired with a cute bowl 

perfect for a springtime soup.





The etched details 

provide a charming touch.




As do the adorable

Elephant March napkins.




~ Ellie ~

elephant creamers 

also come in three colors.

~ Yellow ~




~ Green ~




~ Orange ~




~ Blue Garden Buzz ~




~ Green Elephant March Napkin ~





~ Red Garden Buzz ~




~ Red Etched Bowl ~




This is not a sponsored post.  

I simply wanted to share  

 Anthropologie's "garden delights".

To help your own springtime dish garden grow,

I'm offering one of my followers a 

$50 gift card to Anthropologie.

All you have to do is leave a comment below.

If you share this post on your blog or social media site, 

leave me a message for additional chances.

Random # Generator will select a

winner on May 1, 2014.

Open to all followers 

who love to shop Anthropologie.

My way of thanking those who follow along with me @

Hyacinths for the Soul

Joining

Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch
Share Your Cup Thursday @ Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olsen


Saturday, April 19, 2014

Inspired By Friends







When you enter my friend

Alison's beautiful home at Easter time

you are greeted by this charming 

figure atop her living room mantel.

The sheer simplicity of it makes me smile.




The mantel in Alison's family room,

showcases fresh peach blossoms from her garden

and a simple metal tree from Mexico.





Simplicity at its best!

These metal trees were all the rage in the 1980s,

and many of us here in Central Texas have these.  

Years ago I shared mine 

decorated for the 4th of July HERE.

Alison has inspired me to pull out 

my metal tree and use it more creatively.




My friend Susan loves to decorate for every season.

Believe me, her home is a wealth of inspiration, and every

year she does something different each holiday.

You can see more of her home 

decorated for Easter HERE and  HERE.





Susan has a beautiful collection 

of blue and white ceramics.

She has inspired me to incorporate 

my blue and white pieces into my Easter decor next year.





Her collection of needlepoint Easter figures 

has also inspired me.  I stitched the petite little white bunny 

with green background for Susan many years ago.





I didn't stitch this Peter Rabbit for Susan,

but I did stitch one just like him for a friend's daughter.





Just looking at Susan's delightful group of needlepoint  

inspires me to get stitching to add a few more 

Easter needlepoint pieces 

to these above that I stitched many years ago.



                        


Perhaps more two sided figures like

this little guy I stitched in the 1990s.





Yes, I'm inspired!

Time to stitch a few bunnies to add 

to my own Easter decor next year.





My friends inspire me.

Have you been inspired by someone recently?

All the best to each of you in this season 

of promises of new beginnings.

Joining