More Initials!!

Pictures from www.shopwiki.com


I must confess, linens, silver and china are my passions. After writing yesterday's article, I found myself thinking about engraved silver. I have a collection of silver napkin rings that I have been adding to over the years. When I go antiquing or to flea markets, I always check to see if I can find another one to bring home. I don't just look for any old silver napkin ring, I try to find ones that are already engraved with our initials or names. For instance,a few years ago, I found one with "Emma" beautifully hand engraved just after our granddaughter, Emma, was born. Finding one with my son's initials, AHP, and one with "Grandpa" was so exciting!! When I can't find the initials or name I need, I buy a plain one and have it hand engraved. (Hand engraving is so beautiful - the depth and slant of the engraving gives such an elegant look.) I use them when we have special dinners or at the holidays. And, I display some on my sideboard in a lovely Victorian asparagus dish that a friend gave me. Not only are they beautiful, but they have become quite a story in themselves!

(I had planned to photograph my collection, but my camera and computer are not cooperating, so I had to pull the above pictures from the internet.)

Initial It!

I just love monogramming. I don't know if it's a Southern "thing" or not, but we do love to monogram everything down here - especially lately - anything that moves, even the cars we drive. That's a little over the top for me, but I do love monogrammed linens. I am a sucker for old linens and simply cannot pass them up in antique stores and shows. Most of the time, the old ones are really quite reasonably priced. Even when I can't find something with my initials, I look for my maiden name initial or my mother's and mother-in-law's initials. That covers a good part of the alphabet, so I almost always find something to buy!!

Often times, if I see beautiful linen napkins, pillow cases or hand towels, I will purchase them and have them monogrammed to my liking. I am always looking for fabulous monnogramming like the samples above from monogrammedlinenshop.com. These personalized "luxuries" make beautiful heirloom gifts for weddings and showers - not likely to be duplicated, but ever so appreciated for many, many years to come. They also make great gifts to me, myself!

Have A Seat!

 

 

 

 

I love chairs - All shapes and sizes, but especially the ones that have a beautiful outline. They can stand alone as a pull up, or sit with others around a dining room table. Next to a sofa or silohouetted against a wall, their beauty and character add such distinction to the surroundings. The collection of chairs above are some that I saw at the High Point Market recently. Simply Gorgeous! And as an added bonus, I found a blogger, Annechovie that has created a collection of "chair" drawings and "chair" stationnery. The blog author is Anne Harwell, and she sells on Etsy!

I am taking off early for a long weekend. Have a wonderful holiday and don't forget to remember those who have fought and died for our country. We owe them our lives and our way of living. Be safe

A Wonderful Blue Sky Day!

 

 

 

 

Last month, four of my dearest friends and I drove down to Charleston, SC for a home and garden tour. It was a beautiful spring day - cool and breezy, not a cloud in the sky! It was a walking tour with eleven homes/gardens on the roster. We walked for five hours at a leisurely pace, soaking up the lovliness and history of that wonderful city! We had lunch at Magnolias, a neat little restaurant that serves great low country, southern cuisine. And, we liked it so much, we returned for dessert - Magnolias' warm cream cheese and pecan brownie - to die for!!! (We figured we deserved it with the walking and all!)

In addition to beautiful architecture and decor, Charleston is a fabulous place to study landscaping. The iron gates and brick walls allow only a sneak peak here and there as you walk along the streets - that's why it is so great to take the tours - you get to enter these little side and backyard sanctuaries. We were not allowed to take pictures, so I have included some photos from Charleston Style by Susan Sully. The last picture is from Magnolias' website.

A Beautiful Day, Fabulous Gardens and Homes, Southern Food and Hospitality, and Great Friends to share it all!! It just doesn't get much better!!!

Michael Smith

I was looking at some back issues of House Beautiful today and ran across pictures of the work of my "newly favorite" designer, Michael S. Smith. As you probably know by now, he is the official White House designer. The pictures I have posted above are of his own kitchen and breakfast area. I truly love his work, and it is always interesting to view a designer's home. Here, Smith has torn down a 1950's ranch and built a classic English house. Waxed floors, limestone countertops, silver plated hardware - Simply Stunning!

Jardinieres

A few weeks ago, I was reading an article in the local paper regarding jardinieres - french for garden stools. In it the author, Mary Carol Garrity, spoke of its origins in 17th century China, and of how it is making a comeback. Actually, this little stool is a classic that has never gone out of style, but is, as Garrity says, "the rage again" and can be seen as you "flip through the pages of any home decorating magazine".

They are truly a versatile accessory, and come in all sorts of colors and styles. I have recently used a couple of these in homes that I have been decorating. The first, I ordered for a client. There was an empty spot in her living room, so I put a beautiful rather large jardiniere next to a french bergere chair. It filled the area nicely, and added a touch of the outdoors to the interior.

This second one, I happened to run across in a discount store. Actually, it was quite inexpensive and achieved exactly what the rather small half bath needed - a place for guest towels! I just tucked it slightly under the tiny sink, and "Voila" problem solved!

Garrity suggests using them any number of wonderful ways:

■ Top it with a cushion and
use it as a footstool or an extra
seat on your porch or in your study.
■ Put it in a bathroom, under a
stack of fluffy white towels or a
pretty container filled with luxury
spa products.
■ Rest it by your bed for your
book and water glass.
■ Enlist it as a focal point in a
garden bed.
■ Station it in your entry,
holding a huge fern or tall vase
filled with seasonal foliage.

Inside or out, jardinieres bring a touch of beauty and service to the area!