I love my "Peeps!"

One of my favorite things is my mom's engraved William Arthur stationery. When I opened the Peeps this morning, the yellow reminded me of the pretty note cards, envelopes, and a china she has that she has not used for the blog yet. Even though today was a busy day, I asked her if I could set a quick table.

I had to hurry. I set this table between church and a trip to my grandmother's house. I love the black and yellow!  Don't you think my mom's stationery reminds you of it?

My plan was to add more Peeps, and I wanted to put toothpicks in the Peeps and make paper flags as a place card. I ran out of time! When you're 12 and your parents tell you it's time to go - they mean it! 

Happy Easter!
-Emma

Note from Andrea:

Place mats - Kmart
China - Ebay - Tabletops by Sheffield (I don't know the pattern name.)
Crystal - Ebay - Perspective by Noritake
Tea light candle holder - Marshall's, $3.99
Silver - Sir Christopher by Wallace
Pitcher with honeysuckle - Pier 1 and about 15 years old
Stationery - William Arthur - purchased from finestationery.com - I have no affiliation with them, but they were awesome. I had a new engraving plate made for this set of stationery when everything was on special. Super professional and very happy with the results. Will use them again and again... Also, I like Amy Adele on the internet, too. No affiliation there either, but I love their kids' notes.

Impromptu Easter Buffet

What a great day for sitting on the porch enjoying a light meal! Today reminded me of a ladies' group I was a part of for several years, and I thought that this setting would be perfect for a casual get-together this time of year. Because my tables on the porch are small, I think it is more conducive to set up a buffet in the kitchen. And today, my guests are my children!


I considered a long line of Easter themes: candies like jelly beans and Peeps, bunnies, chicks, lilies, palms, eggs, and baskets. I finally decided that some plates I have were bright enough on their own, and I really didn't want to waste a ton of candy. I would never let my children keep it, and it is not something I really wanted to emphasize to them as my guests. I have other Easter items that I have used with them in the past, such as Lenox Easter votives, cake plates with bunnies, various sculptural items like salt and pepper shakers, bunny flower pots, etc. And I usually choose a more Victorian look. But today was too bright and sunny, and those neat plates were begging to be used.

I found these great plates and glasses on eBay. The water goblets are Independence Crystal in the orange Sculptural pattern. (The mint juleps were a Tuesday Morning find.) The dinner plates are Fitz and Floyd Rondelet orange, and the luncheon plates are by Mesa Home Productions. I have no idea of the pattern name. You know how some people sleepwalk? I saw these plates online and thought they were too much only to find that I had bought them in the middle of the night. The iPhone eBay app makes it tooooo easy. So, I guess I sleepshop now...


Needless to say, green and orange would be the theme of this year's pre-Easter luncheon buffet. I decided to pull all the avocado green items I have, which consisted of: the plates, my place mats, a large fruit-motif ceramic platter, a milk glass mixing bowl with an avocado dip, two large flower vases, and my carnival glass. The carnival glass was quickly discarded in favor of the orange stemware. I separated it between what was going on the porch and what would coordinate in the kitchen on the buffet.


The buffet in the kitchen was simple, dressed in orange and green food:

And the porch was decked out in the bright orange and green.

I made chicken salad sandwiches and cut the bread with a rabbit cookie cutter. I used food coloring to paint eyes and noses.

I painted our initials on boiled eggs and served them in ramekins lined with lettuce and baby carrots.

I made egg-shaped tea cakes and frosted them with orange and green.

I made some lemonade and set it on the porch on a plant stand for a lack of room on the table.

For a centerpiece, I used one of the green vases, surrounding it with potpourri and placing a small topiary inside.

Once the guests (my children) added their plates, it was sufficiently Easter-y for them! And the best part is that I didn't even have to run to the store for anything; I had everything I needed already. And isn't that what Easter is about?


-Andrea

Sharing at:

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http://nominimalisthere.blogspot.com/
http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/
http://bargainhuntingwithlaurie.blogspot.com/
http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/
http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/
http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/
http://romantichome.blogspot.com/
http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com
http://www.findingfabulousblog.com/
http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/
http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com

http://www.designsbygollum.blogspot.com/

http://boogieboardcottage.blogspot.com/
http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/
http://houseinroses.blogspot.com/
http://diyhshp.blogspot.com/
http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/
http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/
http://blog.addicted2decorating.com
http://www.thegypsyscorner.com/
http://www.atthepicketfence.com
http://www.504main.com
http://itsablogparty.com
http://iloveprettylittlethings.blogspot.com/

Myott Times Three

If you have visited us before, you know we sometimes each take a pattern and design different tablescapes with it! We create tables without seeing what the others do. There are three different posts below: grandmother, mother, and granddaughter. Our pattern this week is Indian Tree by Myott. Visit them all to see our different takes on it. They are are all very different and dazzling! What a fun surprise for the three of us! Please click on our sponsors' links right and below and PLEASE leave us comments! :)

Thank you for stopping by!

Diane - First Generation - Click >>  The Silver Saved Me!

________________________________________

Andrea - Second Generation - Click >>  Myott for Breakfast with Recipe

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Emma - Third Generation - Click >>  Myott for Dessert

Sharing at:

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http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com

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http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/
http://boogieboardcottage.blogspot.com/

http://www.ontheverge6.com

http://chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com

http://makingtheworldcuter.blogspot.com/

http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com

http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/

http://bargainhuntingwithlaurie.blogspot.com/

http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/

http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/

http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/

http://iloveprettylittlethings.blogspot.com/

http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com

http://www.findingfabulousblog.com/

http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/
http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/
http://blog.addicted2decorating.com
http://www.thegypsyscorner.com/

Scarf it Down, Scarlett!

Spoiler alert: this post is not about red!


Though the lovely red cherry tomatoes show off the main color in the post...GREEN!


But I did choose the title carefully. It is a reference to a specific part of the 1939 film, Gone With the Wind. Remember Scarlett O'Hara, in her smashing green velvet dress? 

Do you also remember that this lovely outfit was, in fact, made from her mother's curtains?


Well, I couldn't help but think of her, that dazzling green look, and creative repurposing when typing up my post for this week. Can you see why?

Look at the tablecloth. It is a beaded green velvet burnout scarf!  My wonderful mother bought this lovely accessory for me several years ago. And today, it was repurposed for this brunch table on the porch! The details are really fantastic!

I always like the way food looks on a green table, and I thought this would add a little pizazz since the green in our backyard is taking its sweet time this year.


I added some green eBay plates and Colony carnival glass.  Carnival glass is at its best in a sunny spot!

I borrowed a few green linen napkins from my mother and some stainless that I ran across in a thrift store for 20 cents a piece! It is the very elegant Silver Leaf pattern made by Lifetime Stainless. I was able to fill out the pattern (again) thanks to eBay! 

And what a lovely setting for our little taquito appetizer, followed by a yummy chicken, vegetable, and rice dish.

  
The table was a Pier 1 find last summer. I often use it for a side table in the den. The two ottomans were purchased for my daughters' room make-over from Tuesday Morning in December 2009. They were 19$ each, I think. The girls are running out of room, though, and have generously given them back to me for use throughout the house! I am so glad I picked a neutral color!

  

I love the glittery, multi-green table! I hope you do, too!


Thank you for coming by!


-Andrea


Sharing at:


http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/
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http://www.suelovescherries.blogspot.com/
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http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com
http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/
http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com
http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/
http://chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com/

http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com

http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/

http://thetatteredtag.blogspot.com

http://romantichome.blogspot.com

http://www.findingfabulousblog.com

http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com

http://www.bystephanielynn.com

http://iheartnaptime.blogspot.com

http://thetatteredtag.blogspot.com

http://bargainhuntingwithlaurie.blogspot.com/

http://www.tipjunkie.com

http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com

http://www.myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com

http://allthingzrelated.blogspot.com

http://typeadecorating.blogspot.com

http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/

Intarsia: Travel, China, and Ebay

Wilkommen!

You have probably noticed by now that I love eBay. Years ago, when eBay first started, my PayPal account was hacked. Ebay and Paypal handled everything beautifully, but it made me nervous, so I stayed off a few years. I eventually worked up the nerve to get back on, and I am so glad I did. Not only are there fabulous finds, but I have been very fortunate to build relationships with several antique dealers, large and small. Even though I try to find the time to go to antique shows, traveling around eBay is like traveling around the country and the world, all from the comfort of your own home. One of my favorite finds is some brown Fostoria glassware in the Mesa pattern. I have the salad plates, juice glasses, and a lovely pitcher. I ran across these when searching for matching green Mesa for my mother. They were a steal. As it turns out, they are a wonderful accent to Intarsia. So are the smoke glass Noritake Perspective water goblets!

But back to traveling...I like real traveling even more than virtual traveling!  In 2006, I started the tradition of taking my children to Europe for on their seventh birthday. My daughter Emma, now in seventh grade, accompanied me and some of my students on a trip to France, Spain, and Morocco in North Africa for her first overseas travel adventure. My son turned seven in 2009, and he opted for Germany and Denmark. My youngest daughter most recently chose England and France in 2010, but this is a story about my son's trip.

My son's birthday is in January, a bad time for a trip in terms of work, school, money, and weather. Sadly, I put him off for a while. As 2009 was winding down, I realized I was running out of time for a trip. As I do so often, I sat down and started combing the travel websites for flight deals. As he was pressuring me to find out where were going, I found round-trip air travel to Frankfurt from Atlanta for $400 per person, including taxes. It was for the week of Thanksgiving. I booked three tickets, surprising Emma. I also noted that rail passes were 20% off in Germany to commemorate the fall of the Berlin Wall, which was in honor of its 20th anniversary that November. So, I bought 4 day pass bundles for the three of us. All three of those together were about $400, and the tickets were delivered to my door 10 days later.  Then there was the matter of where to stay and the language. It is my experience that you can get around with just English in Europe. Just plan really well. I travel some, and I took a tiny bit of German in college, but I had only been to Germany once while passing through in the south earlier that year, (at a bus stop by Lake Chiemsee).  I was a little concerned to be there for a more than a week with an 11-year-old and a 7-year-old, but I figured as long as we could eat and get back to the airport to fly home, we'd be fine. I was so right! (Much to my youngest daughter's chagrin, I told her she was a bit too young for me to handle the three of them and all of their luggage and souvenirs alone! She would have to stay home with dad, his family for Thanksgiving, and spend the rest of the week with my mom and dad!)

Ah, the blessings of the internet! As I was posting updates of these adventurous plans on Facebook, a friend of mine from high school whom I'd not seen for twenty years (10th grade!) messaged me. She said her family was stationed in Flensburg, in northern Germany near the border of Denmark for a post at the German Naval Academy. Would I consider staying with them?


Wow! Of course we would!  

The main Hamburg train station. We made many trips through Hamburg, some intentional, some not! :) What a beautiful city! The Saturn electronics store, just a block or so from the train station saved me when I couldn't find my European charger for my iPhone! We carried our suitcases in and everything. The staff was breaking down an Apple display to relocate it in the store. Everything was in boxes. They were so sweet to find just what I needed!

Lego Discovery Center, Berlin. A major highlight of this trip. We had considered going to the original Legoland in Denmark, but it was a little out of the way for this trip. Not to mention, it was a little cold for outdoor amusement parks! This center has a ride, lots of building centers, and several interactive exhibits including a film and a cute theatrical walk-through exhibit about how Legos are made. And of course, a fanstastic gift shop. My son's pride was a Lego chess set!

German Naval Academy, Flensburg. What a neat place! I have no idea if this is a place you can visit in general. The stenciling in this place is amazing. The history! And the food was fantastic in the Officer's Club. See a recipe at the bottom of the page for some yummy schnitzel!

Dining Room and part of the tableware collection, Glücksburg Castle


I have so many pictures of china and silver from trips abroad. Many pictures are blurry, but I had to share just one!








So that is how our German adventure began. I could write pages and pages about how much I loved Germany and Denmark, the Weihnachtsmarkts in each city, the castles, the missed trained stops, all of the Lego visits, the history, the wonderful people, the schnitzel, the döners, and the Danish dogs!  But I am trying really hard to stick to china!


What does this have to do with Intarsia?  Well, Villeroy and Boch are German makers of ceramics, reputed to be the largest ceramic maker in the world. They are in their eighth generation; over 260 years of production.  In selecting the colorful pattern Intarsia, I couldn't help but think of our travels to Germany and some of my favorite souvenirs. In researching for this blog, I realized their museum is in Mettlach, Germany, close to France. I am more often in France than anywhere else when I am traveling, (French teacher!), so it seems like a convenient day trip!


While my children brought back toys, (LEGOS!), dolls, coins, antique knick knacks, charms for charm bracelets, clothes, cards, and the ever-important Hard Rock memorabilia, my favorite treasure is my Berlin Bear. 

Different artists have designed patterns for these collectible bears honoring the city of Berlin. The sculptures are all over the city, and the collectible bears are easy to find. We have one large one, and each of my children have the mini-bears. We also brought home several extras as gifts.

All of the maps remind me of traveling. I especially like the elephants on the boxes in the background. Did you know Berlin has very famous zoo? This zoo receives the most visitors of any in Europe each year. It is an old-fashioned, themed zoo. These boxes remind me of the Elephant Gate! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Zoological_Garden 
Google the pictures. It is amazing!

In planning my Intarsia table, I really wanted to honor its German origins of the china and evoke our memories of traveling together.  The map theme continues on the chargers from The Pottery in Commerce, Georgia for $1.00 each. I mentioned The Pottery in a previous post; I am sad to say again that it closed a few years ago. However, the outlets in Commerce are still worth the drive!

 Accents from TJ Maxx

 Beacon Hill stainless from Towle

All this table needs now is food! Look below for recipes from our trip to Germany and Denmark!


Thank you for stopping by! (Recipes below!)


-Andrea


As I mentioned above, we had a great chicken schnitzel at the Officer's Club at the German naval academy. This is very close!


Lemon Chicken Schnitzel

Ingredients

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves or strips
Juice of 1 lemon or 2 to 3 tbsp. lemon concentrate
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt or to taste
1/2 tsp. thyme
1 egg
1 tsp. water
1/2 c. fine dry bread crumbs
Dijon mustard or sweet and sour sauce for dipping (optional)

Directions

Italian bread crumbs make it very flavorful.

Cut chicken horizontally into 1/4 inch thick slices. 

Place between 2 pieces of waxed paper and flatten, using the flat side of a cleaver or bottom of bottle. 

Sprinkle chicken with lemon juice; let stand for 10 minutes. 

In shallow dish, combine flour, salt, and thyme; mix well. In another shallow dish, lightly beat egg with water. 

Dip chicken pieces into flour mixture, then into egg mixture, then into bread crumbs. 

Place on lightly greased baking sheet and bake 10 to 15 minutes or in microwave, uncovered, on high for 4 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink inside.

From: http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1939,146170-233207,00.html

Danish Dog

Take a typical hot dog or any frankfurter style sausage in a bun.  Many websites offer good recommendations, including adding vinegar to the water you boil your hot dogs in. 

Top with remoulade, sliced pickles, ketchup, mustard, and fried onions. (I prefer the canned kind you put on top of green bean casserole. They seem the most like what I had in Denmark.) I don't like pickles or mustard, but I have to say, I crave these hot dogs all the time now!

Warm German Potato Salad

Ingredients

• 3 cups diced peeled potatoes
• 4 slices bacon
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Place the potatoes into a pot, and fill with enough water to cover. 

Bring to a boil, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork. 

Drain, and set aside to cool.

Place the bacon in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. 

Fry until browned and crisp, turning as needed. 

Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add onion to the bacon grease, and cook over medium heat until browned. 

Add the vinegar, water, sugar, salt and pepper to the pan. 

Bring to a boil, then add the potatoes and parsley. 

Crumble in half of the bacon. 

Heat through, then transfer to a serving dish. Crumble the remaining bacon over the top, and serve warm.

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/authentic-german-potato-salad/Detail.aspx