A Garden Meal

This week in Texas we are having for the most part, beautiful days weather wise...mostly blue skies and white clouds with a few gray skies thrown into the mix. But the late afternoons and evenings have consisted of temperatures dropping and even some severe thunderstorms. Now I don't know about you but when those temps start to drop, soup among other things sure sounds good. Meet  Decatur, Georgia designer Ryan Gainey.

So I am looking at the March 2008 Veranda magazine and come acoss the garden meal he put together with four cooks all totalled. Seeing a picture of fresh figs and cheese is making my mouth water and that is just for starters. Throw in soup, salad,  pie and shortcake and we are talking about over the top.

Garden design by Ryan Gainey. A Great Menu!

Photography by Robert Rausch.

Mr. Gainey designed the table ware too. 

                                                        Here is the fresh Blackerry Shortcake.

Check out the Eggplant Pie!

The tureen is full of  creamy artichoke soup.

                                                                     Below are the recipes.

This will probably be my last post for a while. I start chemo again in the morning.

xoxo,

later. 

Can You Tell Me What This Is?

As bad as I have been feeling, I have to admit I got my grandaughter to take me to the Goodwill store yesterday. That is when I spied this item I purchased.

Now my questions to you are, what is it? Should I try to polish the silver tray with silver polish or paint it with a silver paint to freshen it up? What liquers are you supposed serve in the glasses? How much should I try and sell it for?

HELP.

later.

A Home To House Art

In March, 2008, Veranda Magazine told the story of an art curator and steward who bought a condo in Atlanta as a blank slate. She hired designer Nancy Braithwaite to take the lady's contemporary art and antique furniture collections and create a beautiful home for them and her friends.

A soft color palette was used so as not to take away from the acquired treasures.

Photos by Jonn Coolidge.

Love the steel table sculpture.

What piece of furniture could you not sink down into?

 

One word to describe the home??????

                                                                            COMFORTABLE

later.

Kudos to Clare Waight Keller on Her London Home

As I am sure by now, everyone knows Clare Waight Keller is the Creative Director of Pringle's of Scotland. Her home was featured in the February issue of Harper's Bazaar 2010. The photos were done by Christopher Sturman.

She lives with her architect husband, Phillp Keller and six year old, twin daughters in a four-story townhouse in London.  The 19th century manse is a serene place for her to and relax at the end of the day. She kept it eclectic and simple yet calming by furnishing it with furniture from her travels around the world along with  finds from all kinds of places like flea markets to antiques shops to up scale, on sale items.

  

She kept the white walls and preserved the original paneling. Note the plaster Italian horse on her mantle in her master bedroom. I love the cozy feel of the stack of books in front of the fireplace.The green pillow gives the room a little punch of color.

            
                This is not a stuffy, overdone home. As you can see the twins are having a good time!

This picture shows you how french doors open up to her terrace. I love the graphic design of the pillows and the understated painted sconces.

I like the simplicity of the table housing a butterfly collection. Note the unique lampshade and art work above the table.

The chest is from Seria and is made of inlaid woods. I love how she decorated it.

There is a lesson to be learned here. Waight's mother taught her to knit at age five..Waight got her BA degree in fashion and her MA in fashion knitwear. She went to New York and studied and worked for among others, Gucci where she learned more about fabric and colors. She has managed to update one of the oldest knitwear manufactures in Scotland. You can never start too young teaching your children the talents you may have. 

As this picture says, Waight enjoys her laid back luxury.

later.