Romancing the Home

Valentine's Day Chocolate Feast

2012-02-14T12:06:00.008-06:00

It's Valentines Day and time for chocolate! Chocolate wines from World Market, embellished with scrap booking rhinestone decals and cocktail rings, have beautiful labels. Rose biscuits from France in silver biscuit box and rose covered chocolates from Vosges in Chicago look very pretty together. I have used the ex voto's or Milagro Hearts of love that we sell at Romancing the Home to enhance the design of the heart shaped smoked tomato chocolates from Vosges. Jill brought me the beautiful pastel French macaroons from a shop in Kansas City called Nastasha's. An old French engraving of Cupid stands in the background to supervise the festivities! Happy Valentine's Day!

Guest Room Details

2012-02-11T09:07:00.006-06:00

Lynda Sue is in town to help me with my store spring kick-off this weekend, so I wanted to add a few new details into her bedroom before she arrived. Recently, I found some wonderful old platters in different sizes and decided to hang them on the wall in the guest room. The stack of pink books from France and my collection of old vanity jars look perfect with the platters. A few treats are left in a gift bag embellished with old ribbons.A new book for inspirational reading late at night is wrapped in kraft paper, silk hand dyed ribbon and an old dried rose. Fresh roses are added for the weekend and the room is ready for my friend!

Chocolates- From Pretty to Beautiful

2012-02-06T09:44:00.005-06:00

Ferrero Chocolates are wrapped in wonderful foils in shades of gold, silver and chocolate. You can find them at every grocery store this time of year and their price is very affordable. I decided to make them even more special by adding a jeweled embellishment on the top of each one. I love the way they look with the faded roses that I am just about to throw away. Faded roses and chocolates- how beautiful for Valentine's Day!

Antiquing Around Chicago

2012-02-04T10:00:00.009-06:00

A set of Limoges demitasse cups- perfect for a small chocolate mousse serving
an assortment of small crystal sherry glasses- perfect for a serving of salmon tartaré.

Katha's Stash- an old cigarette set, hand blown glasses, pastry server and candy jar.
The old cigarette set has 2 glass urns and 6 small plates, perfect for an amuse bouche.

A gorgeous old tea service, samovar and cut crystal champagnes.

A set of 12 Meissen salad plates- unbelievably beautiful with gilt edge.

A set of service plates from Marshall Fields in the 1940's.

Etched fern patter glasses- reminds me of the pattern from William Yeoward Crystal

36 inch tall iron hurricanes- perfect for my front porch!

Look at the stem on these lovely champagnes- to die for pretty!

Two sweet Mottahedah lambs.

A collection of gilded oven cookware- made my heart stop beating for a second!

Three sweet petite crystal compotes ready to be filled with jams for scones!

Precious orange and cream tablecloth- perfect for the porch in summer.

A closer look at this beautiful tea service.

Yesterday, Katha and I spent the day antiquing in one of our favorite spots and found some awesome things. Our mission was to find small vessels that would be perfect for serving small bites or popularly called " amuse bouche". We were searching for small glasses and plates that would showcase a beautiful one bite appetiser, as we are having a store party next weekend and all the girls are bringing one savory and one sweet bite to share. While we did find some amazing vessels for this purpose, we also found many great things. It was a wonderful day, full of surprises, great conversation and great finds. Katha found a cool floor lamp and bamboo bar for her new den and I hope to share pictures with you in the near future. We got home, unwrapped our treasures and re-lived the moment of finding them. Sorting them into three piles, Katha's, mine and the stores, we realized which pile was the biggest. Better get more into the store's!

Valentine's Roses

2012-02-01T09:03:00.014-06:00

It is February 1st and thoughts turn to Valentine's Day. It is a wonderful reason to get a group of friends together and have a celebration during the dreary winter days. We often associate Valentine's Day with roses. But not only is there the beautiful floral rose, there are many treats made with the rose flavor. Today I am sharing two of my favorites, Vosges rose petal covered chocolates and the famous rose biscuit from the Reims region in France. Maison Fossier has been making these delectable little biscuit treats since 1691. They are delicious dipped in Champagne . They have a wonderful pink color and are beautiful used in desserts. One of the prettiest is a Rose Biscuit lined charlotte mold that is then filled with pistachio ice cream. You can find many more ideas on their website at. The rose covered chocolates are made here in Chicago by Vosges and are dark chocolate. Not overly http://www.fossier.fr/biscuits-roses-de-reims_c1.html sweet, they melt in your mouth and leave a nice sweet scent behind. You can purchase them at the Vosges stores or online at http://www.vosgeschocolate.com/. Serving these little treats in pretty vessels is an expression of thoughtfulness and love. I love seeing the little pink biscuits peek out of the cherub biscuit box. My friend Marlene gave me the beautiful pastry server for Christmas this year and it's perfect for grabbing the little darlings and placing them straight into a glass of bubbly!

Trump Tower Chicago Restaurant Sixteen is Delightful

2012-01-30T08:50:00.005-06:00

Celebrating the birthdays of my two youngest children, Julia and Tyler, is always spent enjoying a meal at a great restaurant in Chicago. This year we surprised them with a dinner at Sixteen, the wonderful restaurant in the Trump Tower in Chicago. On a clear day the view is probably the best in the city,however it was a foggy and rainy night. But the lighting of the Wrigley building in the view, made the evening feel almost mystical. However, it was the food that was the star of the evening. From a 10 course tasting menu from the chef, to a wide selection from a la carte menu, the dining experience is superior. Beautiful signature cocktails were consumed by all of us and enjoyed immensely. Dinner was served at a leisurely pace, with the final course of desserts being spectacular. An artful presentation of delectable little sweet bites was presented to each of us and we enjoyed every single bite . I highly recommend this spot to anyone celebrating a special occasion- hats off to the chef!

Winter Whites - Why I love Chicago in the Winter!

2012-01-27T17:41:00.013-06:00

Burn scented candles and enjoy the aroma.
Time to enjoy your favorite hot beverage in a beautiful mug!

Snuggle by the fire and ponder through all those decorating books!

Serve a roasted tomato soup in an old Paris porcelain tureen, even if it's Campbells!
Enjoy the patina of old well worn books- maybe even read them!!!!

Re- work your accessory displays. A preserved boxwood ball and a little vintage glass from Lynda are added to my living room mantel.

An antique water cooler is adorned with a shooting star hydrangea.
Grocery store roses are opened gently by hand and enjoyed in a French candelabra that's been fitted with pegged tea light holders from Hobby Lobby.

Winter- It is a dreary time of the year to live in Chicago- no flowers in the garden, no green grass, grey skies- you know what I mean?? But winter is a great time of the year to enjoy your home, nest a little, try new recipes and catch up on all those piled up magazines and books! I love to create new accessory vignettes by just moving around what I already own. Adding fresh flowers and plants brighten up the grey days, and burning scented candles of exotic florals keeps me content with winter in Chicago. I especially enjoy my white accessories in the winter- they seem to brighten up a room. It's time to re-think how your rooms are being used, organize and start those creative endeavors that you have put off since summer. And an occasional old movie while lounging on the sofa in your pajamas is the ultimate indulgence! Winter has it's benefits- if nothing else you can plan your spring garden!

Pink and Chartreuse - a Match Made in Heaven.

2012-01-21T09:12:00.006-06:00

When I found these pink and cream rose dishes, my heart skipped a beat. What an incredible shade of deep pink, the perfect complement to chartreuse and they were a steal- they are selling for 4 times more on Replacements! And I love the square luncheon plates! Searching through the fabric books, we found a playful pink and green trellis fabric for the tablecloth. It's modern pattern updated the tablescape so that it would not look like your grandmother's floral dinner table. As new hot pink pillows and wine bags were just arriving for spring, we had a perfect new window for the store. I had just found the vintage crystal champagne glasses and they looked great with the dinnerware. Arte Italica gold rimmed salad plates echoed the gold trim on the dishes. Chartreuse voile napkins were layered around starched white napkins and tied with vintage ribbon. This table looks like a breath of spring!

More Atlanta Gift Show Highlights

2012-01-19T09:41:00.005-06:00

A new vendor for personalized cutting boards- either with your name or family crest! The perfect wedding gift and there are many styles available.
Burlap buckets - cute as market bags, floral containers or as a wine bag.

The awesome centerpiece- a crown filled with mood moss and the lambs- so sweet!

A beautiful silver line from Argentina- with horn handles.

Herve Gambs candles- the scents are amazing. There are room sprays that you mist the small floral arrangements to use instead of diffusers or potpourri!

An assortment of amuse bouche vessels for our Bistro area.

Impressive carved wood lantern for the French Chateau statement.

The highest quality baskets for serving and carrying food.

Two impressive little books- gilded edges and padded velvet covers! and just wait til you see the new entertaining one that's coming out in the fall! Entertaining in true French style!

Verdigris planter boxes- can't you just see them filled with herbs in your window sill?

The Atlanta Gift Show was awesome this year. We found so many fantastic new things for our store. As I promised yesterday, I am showing you some of my favorite things. Things are already starting to arrive! In addition to the home furnishing items, we have brought back over 2000 new pieces of jewelry and scarves! Come on in and check them out!

Atlanta Gift Show Highlights

2012-01-18T09:42:00.006-06:00

So excited about the gorgeous jeweled and printed velvet pillows- to die for! Arriving in 6 weeks.
More from the velvet pillow collection, arriving in late February for the Italian Villa theme!

Beautiful hammered nickel with gold accents casserole containers for the European bistro.

A selection from the decoupaged glass dishes for the French garden.

A dramatic Venetian chandelier- not sure what category it fits, but we couldn't resist it!

One of my favorite buys- a rounded cloche on marble and the painted grape picking buckets.

Soft pastel Venetian stemware - will go so pretty with our vintage china!

Love this pretty little towel holder that's decorated with black enamel and rhinestones.

Don't you just want everything in the above pictures for your home? I sure do! I am just returning from the Atlanta Home Furnishings and Gift Show and want to share some of the fantastic finds that we purchased for the store. It was a lively show with many more buyers than last January, forecasting a good spring for retailers. So of course, we bought with gusto! Jill, my old friend from Marshall Field's days, went with me as a second set of eyes. Having an extensive retail background, she was a great help in the selection process. We were at the show for a week, so things started to blur a bit - couldn't always remember everything that we bought. But once we sat down and reviewed our orders and pictures of our selections, things started to fall into categories and our spring themes were born! Brainstorming with Lynda and Jill, we focused on how to take our presentations from basic to brilliant, from good to great, from expected to unexpected ! This spring we are excited to provide our customers with a European Bistro experience , a romantic French home and garden collection, and the Italian countryside. So the above pictures reflect the themes for spring at Romancing the Home. Tomorrow I will share many more of our purchases. We are focused on bringing our customers the best and most exciting merchandise that is available. We are really excited about all the new vendors that we will be able to offer our customers this spring.

Mariano's Cakes

2012-01-09T11:20:00.005-06:00

Yesterday was my son's birthday. So a special dinner was in order of prime rib, roasted asparagus and risotto was to be prepared. But a birthday cake was a necessity, so I bought one at Mariano's, our newest grocery store, for the occasion. Not only was it gorgeous, it tasted delicious. The light and airy cake with a butter cream icing was wonderful. Adding the spray roses to the center of the top made a beautiful presentation. I love the color of the green icing against the chocolate cake! Happy Birthday Tyler!

Hot Crab Dip

2012-01-07T09:31:00.005-06:00

After publishing "Romancing the Home Entertains", we are continually testing and enhancing the recipes. Katha made the Crab Meat Dip during the holidays and found a little mistake in the preparation instructions. Sherry was listed in the ingredients in the instructions, but not in the ingredient list. After researching the original recipe from my childhood in Virginia, I found that sherry was not in the original recipe. So last night I decided to prepare the Hot Crab Dip for Mr.RTH and myself two ways- one with the sherry and one without! I prepared the dip according to the cookbook instructions and ignored the sherry in the preparation guidelines. Then I divided the recipe into 2 parts and added 1 1/2 Tablespoons of dry sherry to one half of the recipe and baked them both sepaarately! They came out of the oven bubbly and covered with cheddar cheese. I served them on toasted baguette slices and asked my husband for the verdict- with the sherry or not??? Both versions are delicious - it just depends if you like the flavor of sherry. My favorite was the sherry and my husbands was the original recipe. So if you like sherry, I would add 3 Tablespoons to the crab mixture before baking it. In addition to being an appetizer, this Hot Crab Meat Dip would be delicious as a small individual casserole for an entree with a green salad for dinner. I highly recommend the Jumbo Blend crab meat in the can in the deli section at Costco for this recipe- it's delicious and virtually free of shells.

Tomato and Bacon Bites

2012-01-04T09:35:00.004-06:00

These are one perfect little bite- slow roasted tomatoes wrapped in bacon and sprinkled with a mixture of brown sugar, pepper and sea salt. I made these little goodies several times last week for my grandson Logan. Using the sweet cherry tomatoes ( I like the ones that are called "cherubs") wrap them with 1/4 slice of bacon and put them on a skewer. Place brown sugar in a small bowl and add sea salt and cracked pepper to taste. Sprinkle it on the bacon and tomato skewers. I placed them under a low setting on my broiler, but roasting them in a 350 degree oven would work too! Slow cook them for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp and the tomatoes are soft and plump. They are the perfect accompaniment to scrambled eggs or quiche for an easy winter dinner!

Pink and Chartreuse Table to Cheer Up Dreary Days

2012-01-02T09:50:00.006-06:00

There is nothing like a little color to cheer up a gray rainy day. Chartreuse crystal stemware, green voile napkins and brightly colored bird napkin rings bring the hope of early spring to our store windows. Pairing them with our pansy salad plates and tree of life chargers, they look ready for a party. A gorgeous beaded chartreuse topper is placed over a pink taffeta tablecloth. We also mixed in antique floral mirrors to reflect the light and add a little sparkle. Pulling all of our silk hydrangeas into the huge black urn made a grand floral impact to the setting. All of this "taste of spring" merchandise is available at Romancing the Home.

Starting the New Year

2012-01-01T12:16:00.006-06:00

The week after Christmas is spent cleaning up the store and condensing Christmas merchandise as it sells down. It is always challenging to create new displays until the spring merchandise arrives. So this year we have brought in some new antiques to spice up the store for January. Using a theme of figural elements, we combined old busts, black and white books, grey and white pillows of women, and the fabulous oversized chair. I love the little vintage compote with the bust and the touch of emerald green. Oversized grey, black and white napkins sit on the tray by the lady statue. Mercury glass votives embellished with gold crowns are a great gift and add a bit of sparkle to the display.

As the new year begins, we look forward to all that it will bring. We are excited for Angela at http://www.parisiennefarmgirl.com/ as she begins her exciting new venture with her online magazine. I am anxiously awaiting the first issue. Hop over to her site and order your online subscription now!

New Year's Eve Tradition

2011-12-31T09:11:00.006-06:00

Momma always told us that we had to have our Christmas tree down by New Year's Day, so that we would have good luck during the coming year. So yesterday I began to take the ornaments off of our tree in the living room. As I am removing each of these beautiful ornaments, I am remembering my mom and all of the wonderful traditions that she instilled in me. Now they are part of my children and grandchildren's traditions. As each of the ornaments is removed, I take one more good look at them and gently pack them away for next year. I wonder what the new year will bring. I am looking forward to wonderful times in 2012. Happy New Year everyone from our family to yours.

Concrete and Crystal for Christmas!

2011-12-28T09:33:00.004-06:00

This is one of my favorite Christmas displays - the concrete old garden cherub fountain contrasted with the vintage crystal collection and old rhinestone pins. The crystal is a collection of vintage gold trimmed glasses, never an entire set, just what I happen to find and like. The gold leaf designs unify the collection. I use old rhinestone pins as Christmas decor. They look great sitting on little silver toothpick urns. A rhinestone crown sits on top of the head of the cherub adding a little holiday sparkle.

Christmas Ice Cream Cake

2011-12-27T09:08:00.005-06:00

For birthdays, we have a favorite ice cream cake made with Sara Lee Pound Cake, coffee ice cream, hot fudge and Heath Bar bits. So for Christmas, I decided to change it up a bit and make the cake with peppermint ice cream, dark and white chocolate ice cream, Milano Mint Cookies, and candy canes. My children were skeptical, as they love the original, but after tasting it, agreed it was a great combination for Christmas. The original recipe is in our cookbook,"Romancing the Home Entertains". It's a frozen treat, made with layers of sliced pound cake, ice cream, Heath Bar bits, and hot fudge, made and assembled in a springform pan. For this version, I crushed 2 candy canes for the topping, Pepperidge Farm Milano Mint cookies, and layered them with a dark chocolate and white chocolate ice cream, peppermint ice cream, hot fudge, thinly sliced Sara Lee Pound Cake (frozen section of grocery store), hot fudge topping and chopped salty peanuts. Looks a little messy but it was Deelish!

Christmas Day Table

2011-12-26T09:18:00.007-06:00

Christmas Brunch is the most traditional meal of our family's year. Traditional foods of daddy's fried oysters, Marshall Fields thin roll pancakes, and other family favorites continue to be served every year. Setting the table with a series of John Grossman salad plates, given to my by my old staff at Marshall Fields, brings a sense of nostalgia to the table. Mis-matched gold rimmed dinner plates are set on top of large Anna Weatherley chargers. The crystal is Bayel and was a beautiful pattern that was discontinued in the 1970's. Lot's of candle light, even though its morning , adds to the magic of the festive meal. Merry Christmas to all from our home to yours! Join us at Tablescape Thursdays to view more festive holiday tables at www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com.

Christmas Eve- My Favorite Day

2011-12-24T09:39:00.004-06:00

A couple of my favorite Christmas decorations- all ready for the arrival of Santa tonight! I love Christmas Eve almost more than Christmas Day. All my children joining in to prepare Christmas food, wrapping the last minute gifts, taking the grandchildren out for a late afternoon walk to see the lights, and getting cookies ready for Santa make it a very special day! Happy Christmas Eve everyone!

Snow Dust for Christmas

2011-12-21T09:40:00.004-06:00

We are not supposed to have a white Christmas, so this little dusting was a delightful surprise. I couldn't wait to see the first snow on the arbor that my neighbor and husband built this summer. I love the way the snow falls on the branches, just icing the tops, kind of like a "snow ganache".Not having any electricity near the arbor for lights , I had to settle for the gazing ball and greens in my birdbath. Looks like Christmas is almost here.

Christmas Gift Wrapping- Tartan Inspired

2011-12-19T09:11:00.003-06:00

I spent yesterday getting my gifts ready to mail- last minute as usual! Tartan pattern was used as the over wrap, but of course it had to be romanced by a few of my favorite things- bling, leopard, feathers and polka dots for a little surprise element. This year we are selling the most beautiful tartan silk ribbons and I love this bold black and red buffalo check pattern. It looks great with the voile leopard ribbon from Sam's Club. Red feathers are used on most of the gifts to unify the presentation. Mixing all these elements together creates a unique gift wrap- so pretty to sit under a tree! So now into a box they go, heading south for the Holiday Season.

Christmas Details from Jill's Home

2011-12-17T09:16:00.007-06:00

The family room all decked out in Tartan and Red.

The living room all decked out in bronzes and jewel tones.

The living room tree packed with ornaments- so gorgeous!

Family room detail- small wooden box layered with a tartan covered book and shiny brooch!

family room vignette of old chalkware Santa's, bottle brush trees and reindeer.

Kitchen island display of Santa's - don't you just love the donkey?

Family room mantel details.

Family room tree of reds and tartan- so much Holiday spirit!

A collection of lambs displayed in snow under a cloche on the family room coffee table.

A charming vignette in the family room behind the sofa.

Tartan collection display in the family room- love the old tartanware.

Beautiful vignette on top of the baby grand piano- notice all the elements used.

Tablescape in the foyer- love the lights in the branches in the large floral!

Today I want to share my friend Jill's home with you for a little Christmas inspiration. It's all about the details for Jill. She is the master of vignettes and cloches, mixing her antique collections with holiday decor. Her great visual eye adds layer and layer into her special Christmas displays. Being in her home during the holidays is a true feast for the eyes.

Christmas Tablescape in Shades of Blue and Green

2011-12-15T09:11:00.007-06:00

For the Lake Bluff Christmas Home Tour, we decided to set the table in non traditional colors of green, cobalt blue, and purple. A collection of various patterns of vintage gold rimmed china was placed on top of the gold croco glass charger that we sell at the store. Cobalt blue water glasses were paired with mis-matched vintage crystal compotes and Waterford Powerscourt wine goblets. An organic touch was added with the leopard print napkins ( another best seller in the store) and natural horn sterling silver flatware. For the tablecloth, we sewed together several yards of powder blue taffeta and layered a green and blue netting table topper that was encrusted with sequins to add sparkle. Jeannie at Twigs made these beautiful little arrangements in antique champagne goblets of orchids, hydrangeas and ferns. A mixture of crystal and mercury glass candlesticks, fitted with crystal shades were placed down the center of the table. An old frame was embellished with old jewels in chartreuse, blue and clear and held a bed of mood moss with a reclining bronze cherub surrounded by brooches in the color scheme.

Vintage place card holders were placed in the compotes at each guest's seat. During the evening, when the candles were lit, the crystal and jewels on the table glowed with Holiday spirit. We will be joining http://www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/ for Tablescape Thursday. Come take a look for a little inspiration.

Christmas Dinner Party is Divine!

2011-12-12T09:27:00.003-06:00

I was excited to go to Laurell's for a holiday gathering last night and took my camera for many photo opportunities. As I went to shoot my first shot of her exquisite cocktail, I realized I had left my camera battery in the charger at home. So I apologize for the picture quality as I had to use my phone camera. First a yummy cranberry margarita - perfectly shaved ice in an antique martini glass, rimmed in pink sugar and garnished with fresh cranberries- to die for! Laurell's table was set with new silver chargers from Romancing the Home and her collection of antique crystal and china. For the centerpiece, she used a snow fairy captured under a cloche and little satellite vases of fresh greens and roses. It was gorgeous. And overlooking the table was a beautiful Christmas tree that she had placed upon an urn to get height in the corner of the room. It was an enchanted room filled with Christmas spirit. The dinner served was a beautiful salad of artisinal lettuces, pecan and cranberries, Christy's Veal ( from our cookbook), Fettuccine Alfredo, and then for dessert, Laurell's Cherry Berry on a Cloud dessert ( cherry compote on a meringue shell ,) just gorgeous to look at and tasted wonderful. The veal was moist and tender and had an aromatic coating of capers and lemon and was the best veal dish that I have ever eaten. It was a wonderful dinner party with my favorite people in the world - my girls!

Savvy City Farmer Christmas

2011-12-10T09:17:00.009-06:00

A warm inviting home- notice the chandelier over the stairs- so adorable!

Birch logs and greenery in a vintage cabinet by the front door.

Tablescape of greenery and garden elements.

A display on the side porch- cute vintage whisk brooms adorn a tree for the holidays.

I loved this- antlers fit perfectly into the boxwood wreath.

so many inspirational touches in this kitchen.
The vintage loving cup- a 1928 Ice Derby trophy from Lake Forest.

Love this menu board attached to the cabinet door.

Joy removed her cabinet doors to have easy access to her dinnerware.

Glittered vintage soft balls under glass.

clever idea- toile scene inserted in the panels on an old cabinet.
Cute filing drawers with an awesome new paint finish by Joy.

Chandelier embellished with vintage garland and gold Italian fragments.

Sometimes you are charmed and inspired beyond belief- as was the case for me when I visited Savvy City Farmer - Joy's home on Thursday night. The detail that she embellished upon her vintage home was charming, from the menu on the cabinet doors, to the warm grey color on the walls. I can see why this home was featured in Romantic Prairie Style and in a recent issue of Jeanne D'Arc Living. Joy had a Christmas gathering and had some vintage items for sale. You can be sure that the 1928 Lake Forest loving cup went home with me! I enjoyed the evening and was very happy with my new treasures that I purchased that evening.

French Macaroons for Christmas

2011-12-09T09:42:00.007-06:00

Last night, Linda DG and I attended SavvyCityFarmers Holiday gathering at her beautiful home. Christmas was in the air and I was so enchanted with the magical setting. I also met her beautiful daughter, Angela, also known as The Parisienne Farmgirl. Angela had baked the most gorgeous macar0ons (or macarons in the French spelling) in Christmas flavors - mint, cinnamon and fleur de sel caramel and sprinkled them with a dusting of shimmery sugar. Filled with delightful fillings, they were divine. I was lucky enough to be able to purchase a few dozen to share with friends. They colors were so pretty- I almost wish I could shellac them for Christmas ornaments! I can certainly understand why Angela was on the cover of "Where Women Cook"!

Christmas Berry Compote

2011-12-07T10:21:00.004-06:00

Collecting millinery and sewing strawberries for many years, I love to display them all together. Sometimes displayed in an apothecary jar, this year I placed them in a silver square compote. Glass, velvet, chenille, and resin berries look so pretty all together. The little velvet ones were used to sharpen sewing needles, and some were just made for decoration. Millinery berries were hand made and embellished with little seed pearls to mimic the seeds of the berry. All of the colors and different textures blend together to give my sitting room a little Holiday spirit!

Christmas Floral by Twigs

2011-12-06T09:29:00.004-06:00

Another little beauty by Twigs - our local Lake Bluff florist. I found silver champagne goblets at the flea market and took one to Twigs to fill with a petite Christmas bouquet for last weeks home tour. The vivid red berries and white ranuculus were a fabulous combination. I love the contrast of this colorful little arrangement sitting in front of the old chocolate advertising sign. It is amazing that this little bouquet was made last Thursday and still looks just as fresh today. We are so lucky that they opened their quaint store in our small town.

Beauty and the Beast- The Angel and the Lion

2011-12-05T10:06:00.007-06:00

One of our best customers asked me to embellish a very pretty angel that we sold at the store. She wanted it to go from pretty to gorgeous! She had also purchased an antique lion toy during our Christmas Open House that she wanted me to decorate as a Christmas display for her husband's office ( who just happens to be a Leo!) Yesterday afternoon, I finally had the time to get out my trusty glue gun and my stash of embellishments. The angel acquired feather and rhinestone wings, a crushed velvet wrap and a crown. The crown was made by gluing a metallic braid to a curtain ring and adding the front detail from an old dress. Rhinestones were inset into the bodice, along with a beautiful pin and ribbon at the base.

Leo, the lion, got a new saddle for Christmas, made from a zebra fabric scrap, metallic fringe and more decorative details from an old dress. He also was crowned for the season! A Mark Roberts animal inspired Santa will ride him through the Holiday Season.

Christmas Shoes

2011-12-03T08:25:00.003-06:00

For the Lake Bluff Christmas Home tour, I went to our local florist, Twigs, to create a fantasy shoe for display in my foyer. And they over achieved once again. White roses, rhinestone pins, and maiden hair fern made an exquisite combination in the wire shoe. It is displayed with a collage of vintage frames, statues and evening bags by a silver tree. Thanks Twigs for making the magic come alive!

Christmas in the Pinks

2011-12-01T10:15:00.006-06:00

I love pink, so even though Christmas is red and green, I often use dusty pinks. I needed something for my back door and decided to re use some pink elements from the past years. I love this old Santa elf. He looks perfect tucked in the French wine basket with the frosted roses and hydrangeas. A leopard ribbon ties the basket together.

Lake Bluff Christmas Home Tour

2011-11-29T09:20:00.006-06:00

The second annual Lake Bluff Christmas tour is this weekend. Join us for a fun filled weekend that includes five homes decorated for the holidays. And as an added feature this year, two of the homes will be having boutiques that feature handmade and unique merchandise. The tour benefits the Lake Bluff History Museum and features homes with vintage charm. My home is the oldest one on the tour and today I share with you a bit of the dining area in my kitchen. Tartan and rhinestones are combined for the holidays. Glittered reindeer, velvet Santa's, rhinestone frames, are mixed with a combination of 2 different tartan plates. Monogrammed dishtowels are used as the napkins. We will be joining www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com for Tablescape Thursday.
You can purchase tickets at the store or online at http://www.christmaslakebluff.com/. The event is December 2 and 3rd from 11 am until 3 p.m.

Tartan Christmas

2011-11-28T11:28:00.015-06:00

Stockings of vintage throws and fur coats from Kimball and Bean.

An evening purse made from a vintage coat.

Hand made Santa riding a Victorian era toy on mantel in library.

Tartan wrapped packages.Tartan display at Romancing the Home. Love the handmade life size Santa dressed in tartan.

Tartan seems to be a big deal this Christmas season. And of course, we love to mix it with rhinestones, velvet, vintage fur and transferrware. This weekend at Kimball and Bean's Open House, a local artist was selling beautiful stockings of vintage tartan throws and vintage fur. I purchased several for my library. Placing small Santas on the back on the toy animals, we added a beautiful tartan bow to the mantel to add another plaid to the mix of fabrics in the room. A tartan display by the sink adds charm for the season. A plaid covered soap ( embellished with a rhinestone button), the newly acquired deer from the weekend filled with seasonal greens, and an vintage cruet, ready to fill with green dish washing liquid , sit on a mirrored tray by the kitchen sink. At Romancing the Home, we have a large tartan display of dinnerware, Santa's, and gifts. Tartan ribbon is available in gorgeous colors and of course we love it with rhinestones! It seems the more tartans mixed together, the more exciting the room becomes. Coming later this week, our tartan inspired breakfast table!

Kimball and Bean- A Delightful Outing

2011-11-27T12:17:00.004-06:00

For the past four years, my friend Jill and I have continued our day after Thanksgiving tradition. As we both worked for major department stores for most of our adult lives, the last thing that we want to do is go shopping at the malls on the so called "Black Friday". So instead, we meet at Starbucks at 8:30 am and drive about an hour west of here. One of my favorite independent stores has a day after Thanksgiving open house that really puts you in the Christmas spirit. Kimball and Bean is an antique lovers dream staged in an old red barn. While garden elements are their main emphasis, vintage ornaments, fresh greens, handmade Santas and stockings abound, along with a delicious offering of appetizers, wine and desserts. We never fail to bring home special finds - this year a pheasant platter and serving dishes. I even found Jill's Christmas present for this year, a set of antique pewter tall water glasses with her initial engraved on them! Yes, I was so excited that I had to show them to her immediately- so no big surprise for her this year! I love the pewter stag with the small baskets. He will make a great centerpiece when his little baskets are filled with fresh greens and pepper berries. A complete set of antique pewter chargers was found, something that has been on my list for years to go with transferware. Jill bought a beautiful hinged silver serving piece to use as a centerpiece on her table, along with a gorgeous silver champagne bucket. Special artists were there with painted bowls, artisan chocolates, jeweled boxes, and handmade stockings. The stockings were spectacular - I'll save the details about them for tomorrow.

Brussel Sprouts- love or hate relationship!

2011-11-26T09:46:00.004-06:00

Two of my sons and my husband hate brussel sprouts. One of my sons, my daughter, and I love brussel sprouts. So I am continually hunting for recipes that may appeal to everyone in the family . I almost did it - my son liked them and my husband liked the sauce! But I loved this dish and I think the sauce would be awesome over many things - ribeye steak, roasted chicken to name a couple of ideas.

1 lb. fresh brussel sprouts

4 strips bacon
1 large shallot, chopped finely
1/4 c. sherry ( can use cream sherry, it's just a little sweeter!)
1/2 c. heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

Wash and halve the brussel sprouts. Toss in a bowl with olive oil and then pour onto a baking pan and roast at 475 degrees for about 12-15 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, fry the bacon in a skillet until crispy. Remove and set to the side. Add the chopped shallots to the bacon fat and saute until soft and translucent. Add the sherry and cream to the shallots and simmer until reduced by half. Place brussel sprouts in a serving bowl and toss with the crumbled bacon and sherry cream sauce.

Yum!

Chocolate Orange Squares from Southern Lady

2011-11-20T17:43:00.006-06:00

I love Southern Lady magazine and always find great recipes in every issue.

Today I tried a new recipe from Southern Lady's November/December issue - Chocolate Orange Squares. They are kind of like a brownie with a cheesecake filling and an orange chess pie topping. So moist, they melt in your mouth. The only change I would make is to add a bit more orange zest to the topping and perhaps a drop of orange flavoring to enhance the orange flavor ( only because I love a chocolate and orange combination). The top is crispy and flaky , similar to the top of a chess pie. Perhaps a candied orange peel would be pretty on the top of each one- I'll remember to do that the next time! They look so pretty under the glass patisserie stand, a new item that we sell at Romancing the Home.

Thanksgiving Table by the Fabulous Linda Lee

2011-11-16T09:36:00.008-06:00

My friend Linda DG has the most unbelievable talent for finding fabulous things. Her Thanksgiving table was set with the most beautiful vintage china that I have ever seen. Using a contemporary glass and acrylic dining table, she layered and layered and layered an incredible feast for the eyes. Petite velvet pumpkins were set on small gold maple leaves. Layered on antique napkins. venetian glass, gilded china, and accompanied by silver twig shaped flatware, it created this tasty mixture of organic with lux.

On the Swedish sideboard, coffee service was set out with an old crusty garden urn, white pumpkins, candelabra and the beautiful vintage silver pieces. I love the mixture of the worn finishes with the sparkle contrast of the silver and china as it creates an elegant contrast of timeless elements.

Down the center of the dining table, pumpkins were placed on moss covered wreaths. Votives and other natural elements were added to fill in the spaces between the wreaths.

Well done my dear Linda!

This is one of my favorite tables. We will be sharing it on Tablescape Thursday at http://www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/.

Christmas Decor for the Living Room

2011-11-14T08:34:00.004-06:00

The mantel with the glorious beaded magnolias from the store - notice the tassels on the ends.
Love this vintage santa riding the wooden horse with its rhinestone saddle - an old dress cuff!

gold, white and platinum collection of ornaments on the Christmas tree.

Angel with the wonderful platinum Christmas tree from the store.

A collection of special ornaments, garland and candles gathered on a silver tray.

Vintage pins and millinary flowers arranged on a Christmas gift box.

More decorated gift boxes serving double duty as risers for the Santa with vintage shoe.

Here are a few pictures of the living room from last weeks Christmas Open House. I just got the antique gilded sofa reupholstered in the new Barbara Barry velvet- a sage, taupey color- very muted and it looks great with the aubusson carpet. A neutral color palatte was used for the Christmas decor in the room, complete with lots of glitter, rhinestones, and velvets. All of the floral pieces used in the mantel are available at Romancing the Home.

Mantels Decorated for the Holidays

2011-11-12T07:32:00.006-06:00

Using icy branches, raspberries, and greenery from the store, Candy created this whimsical mantel on the stone fireplace in my family room. The gold and natural colored owl was the perfect element for the focal point in the display. I love the organic elements of the natural foliage balanced against the stone.

Christmas Holiday Kick-Off

2011-11-10T07:05:00.006-06:00

Today is the kick off of our 2011 Holiday season. We begin with a private home tour for our customers and share our holiday decorating secrets. Finally we finish the day in the store, showcasing our newest merchandise and sharing tastings from our entertaining book. Here's just a peek of what the day will unveil! It's our grandest Christmas ever and we are looking forward to a very Merry Season!

Patisserie Stand Gets Decked out for the Season

2011-11-06T08:12:00.009-06:00

The Christmas season is upon us- especially those of us who are retailers. This next Thursday, Nov. 10th , is our annual Christmas Season kick off, complete with a tour of my home totally decked out for the season. Yes, my neighbors think I am crazy as I decorate the front porch and door with greens and berries- no Thanksgiving pumpkins for this house! In the coming weeks, I will be sharing with you tidbits of our 2011 Christmas decor. This time is our decorated patisserie stand on the kitchen island. This is a great new piece that we sell at the store that is a replica of a pastry stand from a French bakery. We have used tartan, pastry ornaments and vintage pressed glass to create the feeling of a French Bistro in your home. The French bistro napkins are from http://www.eabdesigns.typepad.com/. Vintage candy jars are filled with seasonal candy, and we have used a toast rack to house white chocolate bars embedded with dried strawberries. Tartan plates are available at Romancing the Home.

Cookeville Collectors Club

2011-11-03T09:34:00.005-05:00

My friend, Marlene, invited Jill and I down to Tennessee to give a presentation of our new book- "Romancing the Home Entertains" to her Collectors Club. We decided to set up tablescapes using antique china mixed with new elements. The homeowner, Sue, had the most beautiful collection of antique china, so it was fun to mix her treasures with new things from our store, such as the over sized croco gold chargers. She had so many beautiful salad plates, that we decided to mix and match them on the table. Using rhinestone brooches as napkin rings on our animal print napkins, we added a touch of whimsy to the elegant cobalt blue table. The local Kroger had just received the vivid blue orchids, so we could not resist them for our centerpiece. Simply placing three in an over sized vintage compote, we filled the outside with fresh greens. Vintage cobalt and gold water tumblers were mixed with Sue's crystal. The cobalt blue taffeta tablecloth was layered over Sue's gold damask cloth. Sue's beautiful home overlooking Centerville Lake was the perfect setting for this elegant table.

Please joinwww.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com for other inspiring tablescapes.

Log Cabin Chic

2011-10-28T14:42:00.009-05:00

Lily Belle- The little white Pomeranian at the white log cabin!

The view from the deck of Centerville Lake- awesome~!

The large family room with the collection of old oil landscapes on the wall.

A comfy little spot to sit a while and enjoy your morning coffee while viewing the lake from inside!

Love the contrast of the crystal against the log walls.

Vintage wicker on the side deck- all set for fall with mums and pumpkins.

Statuary surrounded by velvet pumpkins and glittered artichokes.

A fall display on the dining room table - so romantic!

A spooky Halloween display on the kitchen island.

Love this idea - one to steal for sure- kitchen utensils in an old trophy set by the stove.

Old bread wooden board and silver bread trays on the wall- so very cool!

What a cool chandelier for the kitchen - love it!

The guest bedroom- the zebra rug really adds the punch to the room !

How about this incredible mirror in the hallway - really adds drama to the space!

More vintage mirrors are hung up the stair way.

I am just returning from a trip to my friend Marlenes's home in Cookeville, Tennessee. She and her husband Ryan live in a white log cabin home overlooking Centerville Lake. It is breathtakingly beautiful. Marlene has decorated their home with antique finds in unique ways. I love this house - so charming, so cool, and so unique. It's truly an original!

Pumpkin Urn

2011-10-22T08:57:00.003-05:00

I am crazy inlove with this urn - a delicious confection of pumpkins, grapevine and kale. Every season I drive by this spot in Lake Forest to check out how it's decorated for the season. Great job to whomever created it!

Kitchen Details

2011-10-20T09:42:00.006-05:00

As I promised, I am sharing more details of the kitchen that we are in the process of renovating. It's gorgeous and it's the little details that are being added that make it delicious! The hand painted metallic tile in gold and pewter is beautiful and adds an elegant touch to the back splash. The antique French sconces, mounted on the mirror that Laurell created, add the needed sparkle and glamour to the kitchen. They are showcased in the middle of the large armoir that serves as a pantry and serving buffet. We just placed the fabulous patisserie stand on the large island to break up the space and give the kitchen a Paris bistro feel. It is filled with vintage glassware, cooking spices and small plates for entertaining. We added the mirrored transom over the door to add more light to the space and to raise the height of the door frame to match the taller windows in the room . This is the perfect kitchen for entertaining - elegant, spacious and an inviting space to enjoy delicious meals.

October Roses

2011-10-11T08:54:00.004-05:00

Just a quick post about our October roses- so beautiful as the nights are much cooler. Soon to be gone until next June, I love to have vases of them in the house. I love the contrast of the fresh roses against this awesome old rose oil painting that Lynda and I found at the flea market this weekend. Until next summer, I will just have to be content to gaze at it!

Fall Decorating Ideas - Our Special Velvet Pumpkins

2011-10-08T08:54:00.009-05:00

It seems our customers cannot get enough of our velvet pumpkins, so very cute with their real pumpkin stems. They make a statement with just one sitting on a book or sitting in a compote. But I love a collection of them shown in a variety of containers with differing heights. Notice how they really show up in this collection of Italian creme ceramic baskets. We tucked in a little reindeer moss on the sides to pop the colors. A bittersweet wreath is placed over the display on the old mirror. As a final touch to this fall scene, we tucked in a little vintage orange vase filled with fresh flowers still growing in the garden. We just recieved a new shipment of this precious little pumpkins, with some new colors - a squash orange and a black with caramel undertones.

Antiques Inspire Creative Thoughts

2011-10-06T09:19:00.007-05:00

On Fridays, I try to use the day to boost my creative thoughts. Antiquing certainly helps the process, as you never know what you will find. Last Friday, I came home from our local farmer's market a different way and happened upon a little Lake Bluff house sale! Treasures were abundant. I adore these little colored glasses and found many more to add to my collection. They are great for drinking wine or using as tea lights! The little pair of black satin slippers called my name and I could not resist them, even though they had been eaten by mice on the sides. I'll figure out a way to hide that spot, but I ponder how many parties those shoes had danced at?? The wonderful old tray with it's raised detail has a gorgeous floral fabric under the glass. A selection of old jewelry boxes with French inspired scenes was purchased to add to a collection. The boxes are detailed with gilded paint and little accents of a divine French blue. When I get all my finds of the day home, I realize how they all go together - it was a girly day of finds. Arranging my flowers from the farmer's market, I just stare at the new finds and start to plan how I will use them. I love all the colors together. My creative juices are flowing!

Ragdale Dinner Party

2011-10-02T09:18:00.018-05:00

Last night was a dinner party at Jack and Bonney's to raise money for the Ragdale Foundation, a local organization that supports the Arts. Their gorgeous home is a historic 1920's home with an unbelievable dining room that has original pastoral oils in the wall panels. We had recently finished a minor renovation in the room, complete with new upholstery and the new table. Laurell had painted the panels a soft creme and glazed them to give an old world appearance. She treated the ceiling with a mixture of soft metallic luster stone that is beautiful in the candlelight. A stately fireplace creates a warm glow during candlelight dinners.
Candy and I were excited to stage the dinner table for this fun event. We were inspired by a half bushel of the most beautiful eggplants - just picked from Wisconsin fields with their green stems still attached! We decided to use a Jan Barboglio candelabra as the centerpiece and layer it's base with fresh kale, white pumpkins, gnarly gourds, eggplants, and little containers of white roses, purple mums, coleus, and fresh parsley. Six of the largest eggplants were hollowed out and used as the vase for little bouquets that went down the remainder of the long 16 foot table. We cradled them in large curly kale leaves to add stability and the beautiful green color. Bronze placemats studded with French nail heads held the Juliska dinnerware. While the room seems stately and serious, we wanted to introduce some playful elements to the table, such as our favorite leopard print napkins and tortoise wine glasses. Simple glass votives were scattered down the table for the romantic touch to the dining experience. We treated the fireplace mantel with six alabaster goblets, filled with white roses and reindeer moss, and added white votives. Please be sure to visit http://www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/ for other beautiful tables on Tablescape Thursday.

Purple and Green - Fall Color Palette Inspirations

2011-09-25T16:47:00.007-05:00

It's time to pull out the potato vine and impatiens from the front porch urns. Instead of the traditional orange, rust and yellow fall palette, I decided to give lavender, green and purple a whirl! After all, purple is very hot in home fashion decor. Every one of our major fabric vendors introduced many new purple fabric patterns for upholstery and drapery for this fall season.

While in Wisconsin on Friday, Katha and I found some wonderful gnarly silvery green pumpkins and beautiful kale plants to give us inspiration. The pale lavender mums are striking against the mossy verdigris of the cherub statues.

Royalty, Rhinestones and Red Velvet Cupcakes- The Three R's!

2011-09-20T19:43:00.008-05:00

While promoting our cookbook this year, we have held several book signings around a Royal Tea and Royal Dinner party concept. Now we are heading to Tennessee for another book event and I am working on some new ideas to present with a royal theme. This past weekend, I found some fabulous vintage rhinestones and decided to use them with one of our new tablescapes for the event. A decadent Royal dinner is being planned complete with its own Queen Victoria menu. I love this gorgeous picture of Queen Victoria in all of her regal cape and crown glory and decided to use it as the menu cover. Using three of my favorite "R"s, rhinestones, red velvet cupcakes and red roses, we created this fun presentation for serving a red velvet cupcake. Vintage silver compotes serve as the serving dish, elevating the cupcake to a whole new level. Vintage rhinestone trim is secured to the cupcake with rhinestone florist pins, while one pin adds a touch of glamour to the top of the cupcake. A simple red rose is embellished with a vintage pin in another compote to add another touch of red to the table. I am looking forward to finishing the details for this table setting - maybe tartan, toile, and transferware- the three "T"s. Stay tuned for the final design!

Late Summer Dinner on the Porch

2011-09-14T09:19:00.009-05:00

The nights have gotten cooler, so the roses are finally abundant. I love the way the colors mix together in this antique amphora bowl. The amphora has a soft translucent glow and the blackberries are a beautiful detail. It's just Mr. RTH and I, so I thought I would set a dinner table on the screen porch. My favorite croco pattern chargers and the wide rimmed gold Black Knight plates make a pretty combination. Vintage 1030's crystal patterns mix well with the contemporary acrylic and gold flatware. The white and gold zebra print napkin adds another contemporary splash to the vintage setting. We sell these napkins at the store and they launder so well that you can use them as everyday napkins. The napkin ring is actually a beautiful handle that was purchased for a chest of drawers, but it is so lovely to use on a table. The little crystal tea lights are old salt cellars with a brilliant cut detail. We are savoring our nights on this porch as they will come to an end soon - this weekend the temperatures are supposed to drop to the low 60's in the day, with the nights being in the 40's. Fall is surely here. We will be joining Susan at http://www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/ on Thursday for Tablescape Thursday. Be sure to visit for other inspirational ideas.

Kitchen Design with old European Elegance!

2011-09-11T08:25:00.011-05:00

The "feature" cabinet in the kitchen! This cabinet was hand painted by our very own Laurell and looks as if it was reclaimed from a chateau in France.

Stone arches were installed in the entry to every section of the "kitchen suite", creating an old world ambiance. Notice the 72 inch wide Sub-Zero that is paneled in a pewter tone wood panel.We designed the top of the refrigerator to mimic the molding above the large armoir feature piece. Looking thru the arch, you are peeking into the servery - the baking and prep center . More to come on that area later!

This cabinet is the feature piece of the kitchen and has pull out shelves in both of the towers for dinnerware and pantry items. The center of the cabinet has a furniture grade butcher block top with 3 large drawers below it for pots and pans and cooking utensils. Each of the drawers has a beautiful detailed long gold pull in the center. It has a 20 inch grand molding detail at the top, with the vintage looking mirror in the center. Antique sconces were hard wired thru openings cut in the mirror. A large crystal samovar from Romancing the Home stands in the center.

A glimpse of the spectacular view from the open french doors in the kitchen - a series of ponds and fountains, creating a soothing background sound.

I am sharing just a snippet of a spectacular kitchen. We have been enjoying the process of remodeling this kitchen for the past several months and the details are starting to come together. It is a contrast of elements- crystal versus stone, silver versus gold, wood versus granite. This week, my favorite element in the kitchen was installed- a mirror that lists the menu of a Paris bistro. Laurell stripped this mirror and applied the wording to the back and gold leafed over the design. Installed in the center of the large pantry armoir, it singularly defines the elegance of the space. Antique sconces, wired thru the mirror, create a magical feel. Another key feature installed in the last few weeks, stone arches really add to the elegance of the kitchen. We have much more to share with you in the weeks to come as we add the details to this "5 room" kitchen suite - a gallery showcasing fine crystal, a servery for prep work and baking, an intimate dining space with a fireplace, a separate clean-up area, and of course the actual entertaining kitchen. As we all know, you just can't get your guests out of the kitchen, so we decided to make it as elegant as the living room! Stay tuned!

Summer Whites and Fall Nights

2011-09-09T08:47:00.007-05:00

Fall is definitely around the corner- the nights are nippy and people are wearing sweaters and sweats on their morning walks. And as momma said " it's time to put away your summer whites"! As the leaves start to fall and the flowers start to fade, I really notice the white elements of the garden. I love the mossy patina of the cherub bench that hides the air conditioning units. The shades of white and grey in the face of the lady statue add contrast to the garden, while the lacy pattern of the garden chair's back is graceful and bold. The old white garden cloche has done its duty for the year and made the basil grow. The white hydrangeas that surround the driveway are starting to fade, while the Queen Anne's lace, zinnias and phlox are happy with a little cooler air and make beautiful bouquets. The flirty white tablecloth peaks through the porch railing and says " its time to wash and put me away until next year". And the little white dogs are looking forward to fall and naps by the fireplace.

Food is Comforting

2011-09-06T09:48:00.005-05:00

Losing a loved one is very tough. While I love sending beautiful flowers, sometimes I think food can be a more comforting gesture. My friend, Laurell, lost both of her in-laws within the last 3 weeks. I knew that she had been wanting this special Ruffoni cookware with the pumpkin handle, so I decided to get it for her and her family as a gesture of sympathy for their loss. The Lake Bluff Farmers market provided me with many options to fill a food basket and that special sauce pot. Brie cheese layered with apricots and almonds, fresh blackberries, apple cinnamon bread, sugared pecans, home-made salad dressings and vegetables for roasting were all available. Scented geranium, petite roses, stems of cherry tomatoes and fresh herbs with lambs ear completed the basket. Every time she uses that pot, she will remember the good times with Jack and Helen, especially the times at the lake, their family retreat in northern Wisconsin.

Fall Arrives at Romancing the Home

2011-09-01T19:04:00.013-05:00

Our mirror center table as you enter one side of the store.

Mix and match gold and crystal stemware - every guest chooses a different one!

New Michael Wainwright dinnerware- so modern, yet it goes well with antiques.

Our wonderful washable tiger print napkins - so chic!

A collection of white and gold table accessories - available now!

Love this yummy animal skin platinum plate with the platinum napkin on the silver charger.

Our new florals - so dramatic and they do make a statement!

Vintage crystal light covers look beautiful resting on a candlestick.

Gilded bowls for salad or soup - how pretty!

Our new collection of Alexa Pultizer Stationary is too too cute!

Alexa's mouse pad - have to have it!

Our new French Dinnerware line - so cute, so nice!

Is this not adorable???? How sweet for pastries and muffins - it is another new line!

The most realistic faux violets that I have ever seen! Watering not necessary!

Mor's smashing new bath and body line - the black glass bottle of bubble bath is gorgeous!

Who makes a glass bottle this gorgeous these days??

We are so excited - so many new things are arriving at the store. Today, Candy, Laurell and I spent the day merchandising much of the store. The pictures above tell the story much better than words. We strive to bring our customers a fresh assortment of merchandise for every season, always different, always in tune with the current trends. Fall is almost here, our favorite season of the year!!!! We are being featured on http://www.savvycityfarmer.com/ today and are so delighted! Hop on over and check out her wonderful blog. Her home was featured in Fifi ONeills new book " Prairie Style" and is so inspiring!

Sweet Potato Gnocchi from Trader Joe's

2011-08-31T09:38:00.004-05:00

I stopped by Trader Joe's to get ingredients for another recipe yesterday, but they were sold out of the frozen shrimp that I needed. While looking around, I spotted these Sweet Potato Gnocchi with a butter and sage sauce and knew I had to try them. They did not disappoint! I microwaved them according to the package directions and layered them in 2 of my "little bite" white bowls. Prosciutto , fresh sage and cherry tomatoes from the garden finished this small, but divine dish. They melted in your mouth and the salty prosciutto added the perfect compliment to the sweetness of the gnocchi. I highly recommend this dish- an entire package serves 2 as a side dish, but I recommend an entire package for one as an entree. It was delicious, firm and very flavorful.

I love serving in these little white bowls, because they make everything look special and appealing. We carry them at Romancing the Home, and they are perfect for small appetizer servings of pasta, a crab cocktail salad, and cup of soup. Their wide rims are beautiful to garnish with chopped herbs or just a drizzle of a special olive oil.

If you have other favorite foods from Trader Joe's, please share them in the comments. I would love to try them! We are joining www.designsbygollum.blogspot.com for Foodie Friday. Check out some other yummy food ideas.

Romancing the Range - Montana Country

2011-08-29T08:55:00.013-05:00

Grandchildren trying to fly fish on the Madison River.

Vintage horn knives with silver bands - a great antique find in Bozeman.

Absolutely amazing chocolates made in Bozeman.

Gorgeous Box

Fresh apricot torte from the Livingston Farmers Market

Freshly made loaf of sourdough Cranberry walnut bread from the Livingston Farmers Market.

Early morning crazy Montana sky.

Cattle grazing just outside the entrance to Chico Springs Lodge.

The original lodge at Chico Hot Springs.

The Yellowstone River in Paradise Valley - just outside of Livingston.

Fantastic dive just outside of Livingston -gourmet delights such as a Wine Lover's quesadilla - stuffed with Pecans, dried cherries, sliced apple, basil, feta and cheddar cheese. To Die for!

Live music there on the weekends in the summer !

Imagine our surprise seeing this in the road coming toward us! But the cowboys just waved us on!

Closer they come!

Closer - Closer - will they hit the car?

Surrounding the car on all four sides!

Almost done!

Paradise Valley- just south of Livingston. Such a romantic scene.

Mountain Ash tree - native to the area.

Some folks go to Montana for the fly fishing - I go for the romance of the land. It's a glorious state with a huge sky - thus the name Big Sky! My son and his family live in a quaint town, Livingston, Mt. about 3o minutes outside of Bozeman. Completely a family atmosphere, the houses and stores were mostly built in the early 30's to the 50's. Not one modern building here! The town creates a communal spirit around it's rodeos, farmers markets, and Art Walks. The farmers market on Wednesday nights is unbelievable - baked goods and many varieties of vegetables. I purchased an apricot tart from a woman that raised her own dairy cows, churned the butter, and then made the incredible tart. Fresh breads are made from local grains, fruits and nuts. An amazing chocolate company,"La Chatelaine", is located in Bozeman and has the most amazing chocolates I have ever tasted. Fleur de Sel Caramels, blood orange infused truffles, blackberry zinfindel are just some of the delectable flavors. They are packaged in a fantastic orange box. You can purchase them at http://www.chatelainechocolate.com/. Friday night we went on an Art Walk in the many galleries in downtown Livingston. Afterwards, we had dinner in Bistro 225, an award winning bistro in town. I tried Pork Rilette for the first time and it was amazing. I found several recipes for this divine concoction and will try it at home.

The landscape is breathtaking- Large rivers, crazy clouds in the sky, and large parcels of land. One of my favorite trees was the mountain ash - filled with clumps of large red and orange berries. On our way to Chico Hot Springs to take the grand kids swimming, we found our selves in the middle of a cattle drive. The cowboy just waved us thru and told us to go slow and sure enough the cows just slowly went around the car! After that experience we stopped at Paradise Cafe to enjoy a Saturday breakfast - love the quesadillas here. They also have great fried trout tacos and these lobster quesadillas with lobster, roasted garlic, cheddar, crumbled bacon, green onions and capers. Awesome place with live music on the weekends outside the restaurant in a field by a babbling trout stream! After breakfast, we took the kids to Chico Hot Springs to swim in the warm water of the ancient pools. In its heyday, people traveled to the Lodge to enjoy the healing powers of the warm pools, but today its a great vacation spot and hosts many weddings each year. It has a great restaurant, horse back riding, dog sledding in the winter, and a day spa for relaxing!

One of my favorite things to bring back to Romancing the Home is a great selection of antlers for the Thanksgiving season. Mr. Rth met me at the airport ( he had arrived several days earlier to fly fish ) and we drove to our source which had moved 40 minutes north of the town. We purchased an entire suitcase full to bring back to Chicago. Antiquing is great, especially if you like horn and Indian relics. Lot's of iron stone, old silver and bottles are prevalent, and there are some fantastic shops in Bozeman.

If you want a relaxed vacation in the States, I highly recommend this trip. Maybe, you might even want to learn to fly fish!

Vegetable Garden Table Design

2011-08-23T08:44:00.014-05:00

I love French vegetable gardens - so artistic and lovely to see on a daily basis.

This year was my first try at growing a potager. Lots of cucumbers, even lemon cucumbers, lots of parsley, lots of sage, kohlrabi, kale, cabbages, lettuce, fennel, and just 2 acorn squash from 6 squash plants! We had lots of squash blossoms, but only 2 little squash. So this table celebrates my little garden - mostly of green vegetables. On a stone table on the back terrace, I used leather chargers with gold rimmed service plates and antique leaf majolica plates. Antique cauliflower cups and saucers are made by Wedgewood. I found them 25 years ago in Arkansas on a trip to the Table Rock lake area. Thick crystal glasses add a little sparkle to the table. Vintage check towels are used as napkins along with the French flatware to help give a "southern France" vibe to the setting. And of course, the vegetables from my little garden are the stars of the centerpiece. I've learned a lot by growing this little garden this summer - wish I had gotten more squash, but guess I'll try growing something different next year. Be sure to visit www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com to view other inspirational tablescapes.

Displaying Your Crystal.

2011-08-21T13:46:00.007-05:00

New Buffet that sits in alcove that leads into dining room.

Old doors with aged mirror reflect the new buffet on the opposite wall.

New hardware that replaces the simple iron knobs on the buffet.

A stack of gold encrusted fruit bowls that sit on top the server. I just added a little more sparkle with the old rhinestone flower pin.

A new pair of french candelabras with soft lavender and peach crystals mixed with clear.

A French bronze lady mixed in with the vintage and new Venetian glass.

An antique coffee urn sits in the middle of the display.

Pink and gold dinner plates accent the pink and lavender candelabra.

Gold details on the champagne glasses look pretty with the silver sherbets on the shelves above.

A collection of Venetian crystal glasses - "Which one shall I drink my wine from today?"

A close-up of the shelf above.

Collecting beautiful crystal and china is a passion of mine, but storing it is a challenge. So I display as much as I can on open shelves so that I can enjoy it everyday. I just purchased a high buffet from Noir, a line that we carry at Romancing the Home. It arrived on Friday, and today I had time to "fill it up" and re-organize my dish pantry, so that I have easy access to all my treasures! Displayed on the top is a collection Venetian glasses on a silver gallery tray and special china. The new buffet sits under a mirrored shelf unit that holds a collection of venetian glasses and silver dessert sherbets. It's knobs were plain iron, so I removed them and replaced them with rhinestone and bronze knobs- so pretty.( I purchased these floral knobs at Studio 41 in Highland Park. They have an amazing selection of cabinet hardware.)

Crystal and china that has gold accents is very elegant, so we have been gathering many new dishes for the store for the holiday season similar to the ones shown. We will be mixing it with great new metallic chargers and animal print napkins to give it an updated look.

Roasted Beet and Peach Salad

2011-08-19T09:44:00.006-05:00

My son Tyler came out for dinner on Sunday. He had given me an assortment of flavored balsamic vinegars and olive oils from Old Town Oils in Chicago. Having fresh beets, peaches and blackberries from the Lake Bluff Farmers Market, we decided to create a salad using all the ingredients. We measured a cup of the peach balsamic vinegar and poured it into a saucepan and brought it to a simmer. Watching it closely, we reduced the vinegar by a third and it turned into a delightful sweet and tart sauce by whisking in about a half cup of orange flavored olive oil. Over a bed of artisan lettuces from Costco, we tossed sliced roasted beets ( see our post on July 29th for an easy way to do this), peach slices, blackberries and bits of a delicious mild soft blue cheese. Then we drizzled the peach balsamic reduction over the beets and fruit and garnished with nasturtiums and violas from our herb garden. It was delicious! Be sure to visit http://www.designsbygollum.blogspot.com/ for other delicious recipes.

Summer Dinner on the Porch

2011-08-17T17:58:00.006-05:00

It's a glorious afternoon, maybe even a little bit nippy. You can feel fall in the air today. But to enjoy the final month of summer, we are having supper on the porch. Over a white ruffled cloth from Romancing the Homel, yellow vintage service plates are topped with majolica bird plates. Green depression glass adds a distinctive border to the majolica plate The bunch of zinnias picks up the colors from the plates. Antique green and turquoise painted glasses are holding tea lights and add an ethereal color to the evening. My mother in laws clear pressed glass goblets will be perfect for lemonade. Silk turquoise napkins are tied with a faux leaf banding and a sprig of parsley is tucked inside. Ceramic green pottery birds add a whimsical touch to the tablescape. The bright colors really make a happy table! Be sure to visit http://www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/ for other inspiring tablescapes.

Christmas Begins in August

2011-08-15T09:27:00.006-05:00

Yes, I know it's early-but I have to start making the unique items that makes Christmas at Romancing the Home so special. So yesterday, I composed some "champagne cocktails" of vintage ornaments and these sparkly rhinestone balls. Torn apart metal scouring pads are the filler in the cups. I think these will be great tied in a Christmas tree or garland in someones dining room. We will also be adding rhinestones to vintage flatware to compliment these silver goblet ornaments. Next, purchased Santas were enhanced with crowns, rhinestone buckles, and magic wands! They will be cute riding our silver reindeer. I have been gathering sets of silver goblets, gold rimmed plates, and gold serving platters to add to this festive theme for the holidays. I love these gold platters and silver goblets that were found this weekend at our local flea market. The "champagne cocktails" look wonderful on them. The decadent old candelabra is part of a collection of vintage candlesticks that we are collecting for the holiday season. I am saving all these things for our Christmas Open House in November. Stay tuned for more on that subject!!

Lake Bluff Farmers Market inspires the Menu

2011-08-13T08:48:00.008-05:00

Farmer's Markets are plentiful in the Midwest during the summer months. My town, Lake Bluff, has a great one. Local growers bring a huge selection of fresh vegetables and flowers. Honey, fresh baked goods, dips, olive oil, olives, hummus, granola and the best cheeses are all available to purchase. I always determine my weekend menus on what inspires me at the market. Beets are a favorite of my family and the orange beets are the largest I have ever seen. Fresh crookneck squash will be fried with bacon and onions, while the gorgeous large blackberries will make a yummy cobbler. Cheeses with mustard seeds and nettle are available this week. Nettle cheese is a seasonal treat, made with stinging nettles. When the nettles are cooked, the stinging sensation is removed from the herb and it is delicious in cheese. The soft mild blue cheese will be awesome on the center cut beef filets from the local meat market, The Daily Grind. Scones of blackberries and peaches will be delicious served with the fresh peaches from Michigan for breakfast on Sunday. And I couldn't resist the little bouquets of the vivid colors of zinnias- so pretty on my summer porch. S'more brownies and miniature pecan pies are treats to share and look so pretty under the French Pastry server ( they just arrived at Romancing the Home!).

Berry Cobbler Recipe - The simplest ever! Melt 3/4 stick of butter in a 9 inch square pan. Mix together 2/3 cup each of milk, flour and sugar. Whisk in 1 1/2 t. baking powder. Pour into pan of melted butter. Add 2. cups of berries to the top of the batter. Sprinkle with a little sugar. Bake for 25 minutes in a 425 degree oven. Delish. This recipe is from Horsepasture Christian Church cookbook from the year 1977. This church is located in Southwest Virginia and is the home to many good cooks, including my aunts!

Dinner Party Tablescape in Purple and Orange

2011-08-10T17:33:00.004-05:00

Love this shade of orange ribbon!

What a beautiful centerpiece - made by Mariterese from flowers from the Farmer's market!

Little tussie mussies of fresh herbs and scented geraniums adorn each napkin.

Vintage crystal and Arte Italica- very pretty glasses to enjoy the wine!

Mariterese's courtyard reminds me of being in New Orleans- very, very lush.

The weather in Chicago is absolutely perfect for an evening of alfresco dining! A dinner of Apricot Chicken, grilled asparagus and pasta salad- yum! The purple chargers from Romancing the Home are the perfect compliment to the vintage yellow and gold dinnerware. The gold and cream tiger motif napkins are the unexpected "pop" on the table. I hope the lucky guests enjoy the evening- Bon Appetit! Be sure to visit www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com for other inspiring tables.

Paris Bistro Inspiration

2011-08-08T09:25:00.006-05:00

New velvet pumpkins just arriving for fall- love the new turquoise.

A customer favorite- the basil and lemon olive oils.

New French wicker wine bottles, olive oil jars and cutting boards.
Love the new Rolling Cart with the cutting board.

Notices the old lithography stone --great for serving a cheese board.

Another shot of the lithography stone- dates to the mid 1800's.

We love this new style of plateau. On top are our new candles from New Orleans. My favorite is the Crepe Myrtle scent.

Every time I return from a major buying trip, I am inspired to re-merchandise the store. Since casual entertaining is an American way of life, we decided to expand our casual dining and kitchen accessory area. Because we love the French style of design, our overall theme is Paris Bistro. Anchoring this bistro is a beautiful kitchen with grey distressed knotty alder cabinets and zinc counter tops. A mirror, aged and distressed with a French bakery theme, is in the center of the kitchen. As new merchandise arrives, we are expanding the space to include the large cabinets across the aisle. We are expecting a new shipment this week from Napa Valley that includes some wonderful pastry domes, menu cards, and iron candelabras. As they come in, I'll share pictures with you. We also found some great new foodie treats at market that I can't wait to show you! Stay tuned!

Garden Statues

2011-08-05T06:48:00.006-05:00

Lynda came to visit in June with two of her Atlanta girlfriends, Donna and Debbie. Donna has been taking photography classes and spent some time photographing our garden. She just sent the pictures to me. I love the way she captured the statuary - it almost looks as though they can speak to you. Some of the pictures were taken at night, creating a magical glow around the flowers, particularly the pink rose. I just love them and think I'll create some note cards with the images. Thanks Donna!

A Paris Apartment in Illinois???

2011-08-02T23:08:00.008-05:00

A sweet little sitting area in the kitchen!
A little French settee with votives and a collected bunch of pink flowers - how pretty!

A French pastry table filled with delectable sweets under cloches for dessert!

Notice the wonderful old pressed glass cake plates and the incredible pottery dome!

For appetiser- a soft cheese, surrounded by fresh cherries and pepperoni- so pretty!

Just look at these gorgeous cherries- what a great idea on an antipasto platter!

One elegant single rose in a venetian vase!

One can tell Christy's a cook by her collection of cookware on her stove!

Dessert under glass- can't wait!

The buffet table - a white azalea surrounded by satellite vases of white phlox.

What a great idea for the powder room- a plate rack used as a towel rack

with small pictures tucked in the center!

A beautiful daybed off to the side in the great room!

Great collection of vintage busts and books!

What a bed to dream in- sweet dreams forever! so so pretty!

A compact , yet efficient and elegant computer area in the bedroom.

Sometimes you get lucky and get invited to an enchanting home for dinner. Christy invited a group of us to dinner tonight. Arriving, I felt as though I was in Paris, in an exquisite apartment, and being treated to a dinner by a private gourmet chef. Christy has a collection of beautiful crystal, silver and art that creates a magical home. I love her talent for mixing heirlooms and new finds and creating a cozy space of her own. I had to share pictures of her home with you.

Being an Italian girl, she's an outgoing hostess and put on quite the spread! Dinner was relaxed and delish! Summer pasta, made with home made linguine, a sausage and cheese salad and her special bruschetta- how much better could it get? A crazy thunderstorm occurred during dinner and made us happy to be inside enjoying this wonderful dinner with friends.

An Enchanted Arbor

2011-08-01T08:53:00.005-05:00

Imagine my surprise when I return home from my Atlanta road trip and round the corner to my driveway and see this enchanting arbor! Mr. Rth had surprised me with an arbor built from the limbs of the old Juniper trees that we had removed earlier in the season. Our neighbor, Dave, and he had worked really hard to get it done while I was gone. It's not quite finished - there's a table going across the center for seasonal displays. It sits in the middle of a row of Arborvitae and centers on my herb garden. Dave, being the artist and designer of the team, built a copula on the top to mimic the trim above the windows of our 130 year old home. I can't wait to see it frosted in snow and ice in the winter season. What a wonderful addition to our garden!

Green and Orange Accents on the Table

2011-07-30T09:19:00.006-05:00

Things are starting to come in from our orders at the gift show. The purple, green and orange pansy dishes arrived Thursday and Candy has already displayed them in the window. Purple chargers enhance the chartreuse and orange salad plates. We have mixed them with vintage Pickard gilded cups and saucers. The tall candelabra lamp softly glows in the background and beckons one to sit a spell. Note the cute little butter servers with the seed pearls. A silk green thrown is casually displayed on the 1930's gilded chair to play up the yummy green dishes. A Noir pier mirror leans against the wall in the background.

Roasted Beets on a Summer Vegetable Plate

2011-07-29T09:22:00.006-05:00

My friend Mariterese called me yesterday with a quick tidbit on how to easily roast beets. I absolutely adore them, but hate to peel them. Her little tip was a miracle cure - roast them in aluminum foil, just like a baked potato. Since I was in the mood for summer vegetables last night, I decided to try the technique. I scrubbed them and brushed them with a little olive oil and covered them with aluminum foil and baked them at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes ( they were large size). And just like Mariterese said - Viola! - the skins just slid off and I was left with a perfectly skinned gorgeous ruby red beet! Slicing them and adding Italian green beans and fresh chopped tomatoes from my garden to the plate, I had a hearty vegetable treat for dinner. I did use the shaved Parmesan cheese from Costco. It's a handy way to have delicious shaved Parmesan cheese on hand - available in their chilled pasta section and is called Cello's Grana Padano. Sprinkle a little sea salt, coarsely ground pepper, and crumbled bacon on top and you are ready for a lite summer dinner. Be sure to visit www.designsbygollum.blogspot.com for Foodie Friday for many interesting recipes and cooking tips.

A Paris Find to Melt Your Heart!

2011-07-25T09:38:00.008-05:00

While on our antiquing trip, Linda D. and I came across the most gorgeous Parisian scrapbook. Inside were old fabrics, velvet ribbons, buttons, engravings and gilded embellishments. Unfortunately, it was not for sale, but we did take some photos of some of the pages with our phone. They are not the clearest, but you will get the idea. While at the gift show, we did find some lovely, hand made in France, over sized parchment scrapbooks. They give the overall feeling of being an antique, even though they are new. We purchased them for the store, so that our customers can create their own version of this enticing book.

A Girl's Best Friends - Rhinestones, Crystal Glasses, and Pink!

2011-07-24T15:42:00.010-05:00

As I am unpacking my treasures from my 3 weeks of antiquing, I become acutely aware of my fondness for beautiful crystal stemware, anything with rhinestones, and most everything pink! The beautiful pink satin prom dress was found in Wisconsin - note the delicious rhinestone buttons. It will be used in the store to display our incredible new collection of rhinestone and crystal jewelry. The gold etched stemware was purchased in the south - mostly in Atlanta. I am collecting individual stems that look pretty together, so our customers can mix and match the glasses. The vintage silver goblets look great with the crystal and will be available at the store. The rhinestone brooch is a find that I can't ever part with - I just keep thinking of different ways to use it- on a handbag, on a dress, or just simply on a pink velvet pillow. One of my favorite finds on this trip was the billowy pink peacock! Can you imagine it in a baby's room or as a centerpiece for a wedding shower? OMG. Needless to say, we have several coming to the store for our customers. Purchasing pink macaroons at Sucre in New Orleans, I have combined them with the gorgeous raspberries for the delicious pink delight in one of the gold etched glasses. Catching up on my blogs this morning, I found this beautiful pink floral cake, the pink cameo votives ( how pretty are they?) and the pink peonies with the silver votives and thought you would also enjoy the pink eye candy!

New Orleans - The Paris of the Americas

2011-07-20T11:37:00.013-05:00

Our affordable interpretation of Antiques from the French Quarter
More Frenchy antiques from our road trip!

The Beautiful Exterior of the Hotel Monteleone - where we stayed in New Orleans.

Looking down a corridor to an inside courtyard.

A beautiful home in the Garden District.

An entree from Commander's Palace- A pecan crusted fish.

A hotel lobby in the french quarter.

Looking through the window of an antique store across from our hotel.

In Jackson square - across from the Cafe'du Monde.

The Napoleon Restaurant in the French Quarter.

The ceiling in the lobby of the Hotel Monteleone.

Dessert at Restaurant August.

The elegant dining room at Restaurant August.

A gazebo in the Garden District.

I am just returning from a 2 week trip of birthday celebrations in New Orleans, and the Atlanta gift show - what a stimulating way to get ideas for the upcoming fall season for the store. First, let me share with you why they call New Orleans- "the Paris of the Americas". Just looking at these pictures, you think you are in Paris- but no - these are New Orleans. New Orleans is a culinary dream - food presentation is exquisite. They entertain with silver, monogrammed napkins and the finest of china. Old Paris Porcelain, manufactured in Paris, was exquisite to look at in the stores, but very pricey. While we checked out the antique stores on Rue Royal and found unbelievable epicurean antiques, the prices were extremely high. But they did inspire several fall trends for the store- Collections of vintage white and gold crystal dinnerware and crystal, along with serving pieces. Since we were driving, I was able to antique through Indiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, and Mississippi , and gather many beautiful things for the store at much lower prices than New Orleans, even some Old Paris Porcelain look a likes! As soon as they are polished, buffed and priced, they will be available for purchase at Romancing the Home.

Breakfast on the Terrace

2011-07-04T21:09:00.016-05:00

The chance to eat outside without bugs is very rare in Northern Illinois. But today is perfect for breakfast outside on the terrace, no bugs and 78 degrees! A shabby chic tablecloth from Target is the back ground for the Anna Weatherley powder blue chargers. Antique plates, embellished with gold trim and pink orchids, are the perfect size for a light breakfast. My birthday flowers still look great and work well with my outdoor tablescape. The vintage gold rimmed glasses make the orange juice special. My friend Lynda's homemade jam, blueberry and vanilla, tastes awesome on the cranberry walnut toast. Fresh blueberries and kiwis are the perfect accompaniment to the light breakfast. Even a simple meal tastes better when served outside on vintage silver and china! My friend Mariterese has taught me to use "the good stuff" everyday - it makes every meal a special occasion. Why have it if you don't use it !!! Please be sure to visit www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com for other inspiring tables.

Happy 4th of July Everyone!

2011-07-04T14:26:00.002-05:00

A glorious day in Lake Bluff - the smell of barbecue, music playing, firecrackers , marching bands and many flags waving ! It just doesn't get any better than this! Happy Fourth of July!

Fairies in the Garden

2011-07-03T18:51:00.004-05:00

I love lightning bugs, but they are not out yet! I think that they are little fairies, hiding in the garden. I have a little stone fairy house that sits in the garden for the fairies to hide. Today I created some fairies for the garden. These little fairies have been embellished with moss, glitter, angel vine, and dried roses. Mason jars are filled with dried roses and moss and the little fairies are added- trying to climb out. Skeleton leaves are added for wings. One little guy is reaching for the sky on top of a bark mushroom. The little fairies are by Cicely Mary Barker and are found in her antique books! We are planning a fall fairy garden in the store with many more! What a delightful treat for children and adults too!

Birthday Flowers

2011-07-01T07:58:00.005-05:00

Look at these exquisite flowers - sent to me for my birthday by a wonderful, dear friend! Thank you, thank you, you made my day! Arriving home yesterday, I was delighted to look through the shiny cellophane wrapping and see the most beautiful arrangement of flowers. Tightly packed hydrangeas, peonies, orchids, cocks comb, and kale - can it possibly get any better than that combination? I truly don't think so!And I love the little green pods that look like peas in their shell, not sure what they are yet. Again, these were done by my favorite florist, Twigs, in downtown Lake Bluff. What a talented crew!

4th of July Celebration Table

2011-06-30T09:32:00.006-05:00

Vintage red glasses, trimmed in gold, add the red to the red, white, and blue theme.

A collection of vintage patriotic pillows are added to the front porch wicker.

Vintage American flags are draped across the front porch railing to add to the spirit of the holiday.

Vintage blue and white plates depicting historical moments in our history are used with red organdy napkins and topped with a beautiful clementis bloom.

Crystal and gold flatware add a little glitz to the table.

A copy of the Declaration of Independence is the background for the menu card.

Jewel encrusted stars add holiday sparkle to the 4th of July celebration.

Join me with www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com to view other inspirational tables. Happy 4th of July everyone!