Sewing on a Snowy Saturday and Memories

My very petite mother recently purchased a new pair of pink, fuzzy pjs. I volunteered to alter the pants.  

As I cut and pinned the new hems on this snowy morning, I thought about how lucky I was to have learned the basics of sewing in junior high home economics classes. I believe the teacher's name was Mrs. Wireth at Gilcrease Jr High School in the early 1970's. 

The metal seam gauge pictured above came from my 7th grade sewing kit. The white measuring tape did not, but I do have the yellow tape from that kit as well. It's just not the first one I grabbed this morning. Speaking of my 7th grade sewing kit, I threw it away just a few years ago. The plastic lid was broken and I thought, "My goodness. Get rid of it!"

I thought about my Granny Jewel, who was a great seamstress. She gave me praise (which could be hard to come by from Granny) and feedback on my first sewing attempts. I'll also never forget my Great Aunt Clorine, another great seamstress, who gave me her old sewing machine as my first machine at home.

Thinking of Home Ec, I remember the cooking classes and eating what we cooked. Before we could eat, we had to set the table properly. I always thought the dishes at school were pretty. Fast forward several years and I discovered my soon to be husband's mother had the same dishes, Franciscan Desert Rose.  Her dishes now live with her youngest grand daughter.

Home Ec is where I learned to make Chocolate Oatmeal drop cookies. I've made many a batch of these since that time!

The simple act of doing something for my Mom brought back a lot of good memories this snowy morning.

As I prepare to sign off, I look at the back window and there sits a bright red Cardinal on the fence. Beautiful, with the snow falling around him.

Enjoy your Saturday!

Shawnee Corn Pitcher

While I was vacationing last week, The Husband stopped at an estate sale and picked up a pitcher for my Shawnee Corn collection.

I love it!

I have previously written about my collection here.

Valentine's Day - 2013

<< Waves >>

I'm still here!

My job is really impacting my "fun" time that I previously used to tablescape, blog, read, etc. etc. etc. You know the drill, don't you?

I thought I would check in, prove I'm still alive, and share our Valentine's Day.

Heart towel in the 1/2 bath.

Embroidered tea towels in the kitchen.

Look at that cute butt!

The table.

A nice bottle of wine.

Guess what the main course will be.

(Note to self: I need white charger plates.)

Butter? Did you say, "Butter?"

Nice glasses for nice wine.

Candles!

I hope your Valentine's Day is everything you want it to be!

*** Updated ***

We had Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing and homemade Parmensan Crisps.
Lovely and tasty salad.

The Husband with the Guest of Honor. 

The Guest of Honor, cooked.

Filet, Lobster, Roasted Potatoes and Steamed Broccoli.
(Bad photo, but great food!)

Yum!

Tablescape For A Family Dinner Party

The Sister and her family joined us for dinner a couple of weeks ago and I decided to use my United States tablecloths, so we could discuss with the nieces where we went on our recent road trip.

Here is our appetizer station. Grapes and Southern Pimento Cheese dip, served with Stacy's Simply Naked Pita Chips and celery sticks. My flower frog collection is displayed on two hammered aluminum tiered trays on this table in the summer.

This is the main dining table. I layered my second United States tablecloth over a plain white cloth. I used Fitz & Floyd's everyday bone china, Nevaeh White.

The centerpiece was simple, two hammered aluminum candlestick holders with etched glass globes and a glass candlestick.

The wine glass is Waterford's Araglin and the water glass is Mikasa's French Countryside Ruby goblet, which I won from Susan.

The sterling is an unidentified pattern that I picked up a few years ago from an estate sale. The napkins are from my collection of estate sale linens.

Our menu was grilled stuffed trout, fresh green beans, fried polenta and salad. The Sister brought brownies for dessert.

After dinner the men "retired" to watch basketball and the girls "retired" to the living room to work on our embroidery. How very Victorian of us!

Saturday Night Dinner Party

We are hosting our dinner party group on this Saturday night.

Here's a look at the table.

A place setting.

A simple centerpiece.

The Menu

Our Favorite Artichoke Dip

with Crackers

Clearwater City Caesar Salad

(from Pol Martin's Supreme Cuisine © 1993)

Butterfly Leg of Lamb,

marinated in a dijon mustard sauce for 24 hours

and grilled on the Hasty Bake.

(The Husband's old, handwritten recipe from Nancy, 

a dearly departed friend from Connecticut.)

Potatoes Au Gratin

Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake

with

Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Frosting

Tablescape Resources:

Tablecloth & Napkins: Jackalope in Santa Fe, NM. (I think!)

China: Nevaeh White, Fitz & Floyd Everyday Bone China, Bed Bath & Beyond

Wine Glass: Riedel 

Water Glass: Mikasa French Countryside Ruby Goblet, won in a BNOTP contest

Sterling: American Classic by Easterling

Salt & Peppers: Collected over the years

Candlesticks: Gifts

Dinner

The Husband made this for dinner tonight:

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

and

Ultimate Scalloped Potatoes

Is it wrong to eat a chicken dish on a rooster plate?

Covering him up with the potatoes made me feel better.

We recommend both of these recipes. They are delicious!

Christmas Report # 3 - The Dinner Table

Behold, my sister's Christmas Eve dinner table.

The 8 year old niece selected the plates and the chargers
and then helped mom set the table.
The 5 year old niece determined the seating arrangements.

Attendees were The Sister, The B-i-L, 8 year old niece, 5 year old niece, 

The Husband and myself.

Pretty, isn't it?

2011 has been the year of the knife rest and the salt for The Sister and me.

I love these martini glasses.

A complete place setting, with place cards written by the 8 year old niece.

Lovely.

(Please don't comment on the chipped green trim on the salad plate 

in the lower right hand corner. 

A little imperfection at the table is acceptable, correct?)

Our family portrait before proceeding to the dining room.

The little girls love dinner parties that involve 

dressing for the occasion and setting a pretty table. 

The big girls love them also. 

The men secretly enjoy them, I'm almost sure.

Tomorrow, details on the menu and recipes!

Resources: 

China: Spode Christmas Tree, Estate sale 

Chargers: Hobby Lobby

Wine Glass: Waterford Lismore, Estate sale 

Martini Glass: Unknown pattern, Estate sale 

Water Glass: Pier One

Silverplate: Unknown pattern, Estate sale 

Salts: Estate sale 

Knife Rests: Estate sale 

Napkins: Spode Christmas Tree, Dillards

Table Runner: Kohl's

Brass Candlesticks: Estate sale

Centerpiece Santa: Hobby Lobby

I'm joining Susan's Tablescape Thursday. Click over to join us!

Thanksgiving Tablescape

I am joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.

To anchor the tablescape, I used a damask tablecloth and 12 napkins I snagged at an estate sale this past summer. Yes, $10!

The table.

A place setting. 

I love these salts.

A knife rest. Sterling purchased within a few months of our marriage.

Tiny butter pat plates.

Our wedding china on chargers from Dillards. The leaf plates from Pier One.

Wedding crystal.

The turkey and the candlesticks were all purchased at estate sales.

The turkey candle holders and candles were brand new in the box from Williams Sonoma, purchased for pennies at an estate sale. As was the pair of ceramic turkeys.

Our sweet 8 and 5 year old nieces were just here with their parents. They loved the table settings, especially the salt spoons and the butter pat plates. They can't wait to use them tomorrow. It's best they learn young to appreciate nice things, don't you think?

I hope you and yours have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Chargers: A gift from Dillards years ago

China: Royal Doulton, Alice

Crystal: Waterford, Araglin

Sterling: Easterling, American Classic

Leaf Plates: Pier One

Napkin Rings: Hobby Lobby

Tablecloth & Napkins: Estate Sale

Butter Pat Plates: Estate Sale

Knife Rests: Estate Sale

Salts: Estate Sale

Candleholders, candles and decorative turkeys: Estate Sale

A Tablescape & Dancing in the Dining Room

Recently, I've accumulated a large collection of vintage dishes, California Provincial by Metlox/Poppytrail.

I was extremely tired of the every day Fiesta plates we had used for several years, so I put them in my cupboard and started using the Poppytrail dishes for every day.

We recently had The Sister's family over for dinner. What? An opportunity to use my new (old) dishes? Fan-tas-tic!

I started by setting the table using one of my favorite vintage tablecloths. Look at the farmer chasing those chickens.

The farmer's wife seems to be more successful than him, she caught one!

I opted to use Riedel wine glasses and vintage Forest Green depression glasses. I love Forest Green depression glasses! I've been collecting them for years.

The pair of pewter candlesticks were owned by The Husband pre-marriage. He's always had good taste. They are placed on two of my many hammered aluminum trays. The aluminum reflects candlelight and also keeps any stray candle drippings off the vintage table cloth.

Our place settings:

California Provincial dinner plate, soup bowl and saucer, Forest Green depression water glass, Riedel wine glass and Queen Bess silverplate utensils.

The menu was salad:

Lamb chops. Oh! And hot dogs!:

Asparagus and home grown cucumbers, plus farmer's market tomatoes:

As well as roasted potatoes and locally baked bread:

Did you notice the California Provincial serving platters and bowl?

Prior to sitting down for dinner, there was a little dancing to the music of the evening in the dining room.

Behold! The Husband and Big Sister A.

The Brother-in-Law and Sweet Baby L.

As usual, a good time was had by all! So much fun, in fact, that Sweet Baby L had to put herself to bed on the couch with Boppie (her blankie).

What are your dinner parties like?