Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Spode and Sterling...

Hi everyone and thanks for stopping by! I am participating in "Tablescape Thursday" hosted by Susan at "Between Naps on the Porch" and I'm excited to share a "horse-themed" table with you.


My girls started taking riding lessons this past year and are really into horses. So for Christmas, I bought them the Spode Woodland American Horses dinner plates to help them appreciate a nice table and their love of horses at the same time.

I decided to use lots of sterling with some silverplate mixed in. I just love the brown tones with the silver and white. I chose to use the antique oil lamp in the center with no flowers so the floral pattern on the china, napkins and sterling flatware could take center stage.  Hope you enjoy it:-)


There are four of these plates. This one is the American Quarter Horse.


The Standardbred...


The Thoroughbred


And the Paint...


These vintage napkins have the perfect lace pattern to coordinate with the rim of the Spode, don't you think? 


I used vintage silverplate chargers...


I borrowed these goblets from my mom...


The castor cruet set was from my great-grandmother and a true treasure for me. 


The sterling gravy spoon is Alvin "Bridal Bouquet." I have several pieces in this pattern as my sterling pattern is so old it is very hard to get extra pieces, and I find that this one coordinates really well with the floral repousse of the "Louvre."


My eight-year-old wanted to have her "Marshmallow" in the photo:-)


View from above...the runners are curtain panels. I wanted a tweed-like fabric for the center and brown silk for each setting. 


You might remember the silver oil lamp from a previous post. It belonged to my great grandfather.


I love how the sunlight streams through the french doors in winter...




The brown and white on the table really coordinate well with the brown and white outside!!


Now it's time for dinner...let's light the candles.  Do you know that candles should not be on the table before dark? Unless you are having a late afternoon tea then the curtains should be drawn and the candles lighted. That according to this lovely book: "The Art of Cooking and Serving" by Sarah Splint. You can find a copy of the 1932 book on ebay here.


I think the girls enjoyed their dinner on these lovely plates! I hope you enjoy seeing what we put together with items from around the house, or my mom's!

Thank you so much for stopping by! I love to read your comments and see your lovely tables. Please come again:-)

What everything is...
China-Spode Woodland American Horses
Vintage silverplate chargers
Sterling Flatware- "Louvre" 1893 by Wallace
Sterling gravy spoon- "Bridal Bouquet" by Alvin
Silver coffee service is by Leonard
Antique Sterling candle holders
Sterling compote
Silverplate goblets-Valero
Antique silver cruet-Meridan
Antique silver oil lamp
Napkins-vintage linen
Silverplate gravy boat- no marks
Silverplate butter dish-Oneida
Runners- curtain panels from Walmart


Anita

Thursday, February 18, 2010

¡Arroz con Habichuelas de Puerto Rico!

I am finally participating in "Foodie Friday" over at Designs by Gollum! It has been a while, and I must admit the reason is I cannot get good photos of my food! Today I cooked traditional "Rice and Beans" for my husband, who is from the lovely island.


I must admit, this is a recipe that I had to work on for a while. When my husband told me how to make it he would always say to put in what I wanted. Well, here in North Carolina that would not be the same thing his mom would put in. Eventually, he gave me enough of the correct ingredients that my version is  "as good" as his mom's...or so he says:-)

Here is what I use...

1 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1/4 cup red and green pepper chopped
Tbs bacon grease (gotta have it)
Tbs butter

I get two pots ready...

Melt the bacon grease with the butter and saute the onions, garlic and peppers.

I then divide this between the two pots.

To the first pot, add a can of kidney beans, a can of tomato sauce, 1 packet of Sazon, 1 Tbs Goya Sofrito. Let this simmer while the rice is cooking, stirring often.


To the other pot, add 2 cups of chicken broth, one cup of uncooked rice, one packet of Goya Sazon, 1 Tbs Sofrito.

Bring to a boil, then cover and cook on low for 30 min. Do not uncover until done.

And that's it! The rice and beans will be ready at the same time, and they are both so yummy. Serve with French Bread.  I usually add chunks of cooked ham as he loves this and it gives it even more flavor.

All the seasonings I use can be found in the Hispanic section of pretty much any grocery store and are made by Goya.





This is really great comfort food and all my kids love it. It really is a fun way to spice up beans and rice! If you want to try something different, this is easy and very satisfying. Enjoy!!

Anita

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Hazel Atlas Pink Crinoline!

Hi, and welcome to my contribution to "Tablescape Thursday" hosted so graciously by Susan at Between Naps on the Porch.

It's hard to believe it is Thursday again. Luckily, I have been inspired by some lovely old dishes in my china cabinet. What better for winter, and more winter, than pink! Hopefully, these pretty pink dishes will bring a smile to those of you with never-ending snow:-)


These dishes belonged to my great-great uncle on my mother's side and some came from my father's grandmother. They were made by the Hazel-Atlas Glass Company, which you can read about HERE. The pattern is "pink crinoline" and also comes in blue. 


One *must* use doilies with these, don't you think? I love these beaded handles.


What better for a winter day than sunny pink hydrangeas!


My mom gave me this pitcher last Christmas, and it fits in so perfectly!


How lucky was I to find these vintage linen placemats in my collection?


Since I only have three bowls, I used two pink crinoline and two pink Hocking "Old Colony" depression glass bowls.


Of course, I must have something by Minton, so this bowl was perfect for the flowers!


These vintage candle holders are from the 1970s. I love the green with this shade of pink.




I did have to borrow these vintage napkins from my mom. They really are exquisite.


The flatware is Oneida "Meadowbrook" silverplate. I love how the vines coordinate with the placemats.










I hope this "happy" pink crinoline has brought some sunshine to some snowy days!

Thank you so much for stopping by! I love getting to see the beautiful tables you so lovingly put together and reading your comments.

Anita


Pink dishes: Hazel-Atlas "pink crinoline"
Clear pink bowls: Hocking "Old Colony"
Flatware: Oneida "Meadowbrook"
Crystal: American stemware
Bowl: Minton bone china
Napkins and placemats: vintage from our family collection


Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Mother's Birthday with the Minton Bone China!!


Hi again everyone:-) It's nice to be back to Tablescape Thursday, hosted by Susan at "Between Naps on the Porch." I am sharing a table the girls and I did for my mom on her birthday.  We used our "good" wedding china, Minton "Avignon" bone china from England. This was a gift to me from my mother, and I LOVE it!!!! Take a look...


I thought I would show the process I went through because there were colors in this china that were difficult to coordinate.

I thought about using a gold-rimmed stemware and stainless flatware...






Then I tried white with my crystal...
And decided I would go for a little color with the gold linen napkins...


Here are a few night shots...I picked up the purple color on the plates to combine with the blue and gold.


I actually used a silver ice bucket for the flowers...






And my pride and joy...the "Louvre" by Wallace sterling master butter knife...


These sterling candle holders are "borrowed" from my mother, and I really *hope* she gives them to me:-)


Here are a few daylight shots with a different color napkin...


I love the icy colors on this china.
















So there you have my mom's birthday table! We had so much fun getting this ready. My girls, 10 and 7 helped me set the table, clean the house and serve. I do not serve family style as I have learned that the easiest way is to either put the food out buffet style, or serve the plates. We opted to serve this one since it was a very special occasion.  She loved it and, I hope, enjoyed letting someone wait on her for once! I will share the chocolate cake I baked from the Watkins Cookbook later:-)

Here is what it all is:

China; Minton "Avignon" from England around 1964
Sterling flatware: "Louvre" by Wallace from 1893
Mother of Pearl and sterling butter knives: Landers Frary and Clark
Crystal: Cristal D'Arques Durand "Longchamp"
Vintage silver chargers
Sterling candleholders passed down from family
Silver Butter dish: Oneida
Gold linen napkins: Marshalls
White linen napkins: vintage family heirlooms
Mother of Pearl napkin rings
Table runner; Walmart (So I confess to using a Walmart runner with bone china! I had this runner because I just liked the colors, though I had nothing to go with it. I then got the china and realized it was the same shade of blue/green.)
Placemats: BBB

Please go look at the beautiful tables waiting over at Between Naps on the Porch!

Anita