Thursday, May 9, 2013

Fiesta Challenge

I love to tablescape and sometimes I like to set 'challenges' for myself just to make it a little more interesting. This year for Cinco De Mayo I challenged myself to only use Fiesta ware dishes and new decorations. All my Fiesta is thrifted and so not much matches, but that's the fun of it!

I used another 60's vintage Mexican serape my Mom used as a tablecloth, this one is in muted colors so it went well with the variety of Fiesta ware I have.

Each place setting started with a woven charger, a yellow napkin with a bronze napkin ring and the bronze handled flatware

Then I mixed each place setting using a dinner plate, salad plate, bread plate and small bowl in various colors

I have some older pieces and lots more from the 70's! The pink and blue especially!

I used two different glasses from thrift shops. This wine glass and a blue water glass! I mixed it up again as I didn't have 4 of the same glass.

Here is the blue glass

We have had so much rain I'm afraid my photos are fairly dark. Still I wanted to share this with you this week!

The centerpiece was a pink platter, yellow bowl and blue planter with a faux plant! I found this funny little guy with his sombrero at the thrift and so he joined the table this year!

I also had a small Fiesta pitcher on the table for water

It was a fun challenge! Thanks for joining me!

I'm partying this week!
Let's Dish

TT&T at Stone Gable

Tablescape Thursday

Share Your Cup Thusday
Thrifty Things Friday

Festive Friday Fiesta

Be Inspired Friday

A Pinteresting Party

Wishing you JOY,

Linda

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Treasure's For Sale

Here are a few more items for sale

If you have any questions, email me or view this post here for shipping details

I love creamers, but time to share some of them with others!

This is perfect for a winter table.

$2 (+S&H) SOLD

Birthday Girls! 7 is unmarked, 8 is Lefton

$2 (+S&H)

Very cool Restaurant Ware by Jackson China

Custom made for Harry M Stevens, I don't know what the initials stand for but it's pretty cool!

I kept one creamer but this small plate, bowl and 2 individual creamers can be yours!

$3 (+S&H)

A couple of items re-listed from last week

This one-quart hen is still looking for a home.

I think the price was too high (although lower then most listings on Etsy)
she is now listed for

$5 (+S&H)

I still love these glasses and hope you will too!

reduced price $3 (+S&H)

Please contact me if interested and I can provide more photos and information!

Thanks for looking!

Linda

You're Gonna Love It Tuesday

Marketplace Monday

The Blog Shop

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Bon Appétit

One day a package arrived at my house

It was from a blogging friend

Just a little 'surprise' for me said

Susan @ My Mother's Apron Strings

Susan is this incredible baker who makes the most amazing food ever! She also makes these adorable aprons and has a give away each month for one.

This is the April giveaway apron!

She is also the maker of the apron that is on a journey,

The Sisters of the Traveling Susan Apron

I am sister #8 and I must say I loved my time with the Apron.

It is still traveling and is with Finding Home who blogged about it today!

Susan and I have become good blogging friends and so when this package arrived at my door I was so excited to see this..........

My very own special apron!

Susan said when she saw these fabrics she knew she had to make this for me!

I love it of course!

This will be me in September

(well without the blond hair and the killer body but you can't have everything!)

J'Adore Paris, J'Adore this apron and J'Adore Susan!

I can't thank you enough for this special surprise!

I promise to get a photo of me wearing it!

I'm joining

A Favorite Thing

Sunny Simple Sunday

Seasonal Sunday

Wishing you JOY,

Linda

Friday, May 3, 2013

Napa Valley Wineries

Today I'm sharing the first day of my visit to Napa Valley in October 2011

On my wish list for my trip to Calif was a visit to Napa Valley. I lived in Napa back in the early 70's and boy has it changed. Back then there were a few wineries but the industry has exploded and now you can hardly drive a few feet it seems without another winery. Calif does produce some awesome wines and Ash and I set out to taste a few...

Our first stop was Valley Gate Vineyards

Beautiful grounds as most of the vineyards are and lovely tasting room

This amazing chandelier hung in the tasting room

Wish I could say the wines were good, but they were just OK. We tasted (and spit out) most of them. Ash was driving so she did not drink at all, just tasted. If I found one I liked a lot I would indulge in a few sips.

I thought this was cute and almost bought one for Tiger,
but he is not a whiner so passed!

Our next stop was Domain Chandon

Know for their sparkling wines I choose the
Reserve Tasting

"Explore the diversity of our sparkling wines with this delicious tasting of our toastiest, creamiest, and most complex styles. This palate adventure includes samples of our voluptuous and creamy Chandon Reserve Chardonnay Brut, complex and robust Chandon Reserve Pinot Noir Brut, and elegantly rich étoile Rosé. Take the accompanying logo flute home with you for the next time you pop a cork and enjoy some bubbly."

It was amazing and some of my favorite tastings of the day....I do like my bubbly!

Ash tried the

Varietal Tasting

"If you aren't familiar with our still wines from the acclaimed Carneros & Sonoma appellations, you can try three of our highly regarded wines with this tasting. You’ll sample our delicious, subtly oaked Carneros Chardonnay, crisp and fruity Carneros Pinot Noir Rosé and tantalizing and food-friendly Carneros Pinot Noir. The Burgundy glass is included."

Don't you love the descriptions of the wine!

They had some of the prettiest grounds we visited

These rock mushrooms were so cute!
Our next winery is one of the oldest in the valley
Beringer Vinyards

They offer tours and several venues for wine tasting
We choose Reserve Wine Tasting in the Rhine House

They were extremely busy but we did enjoy our tasting...we were allowed to pick 4 wines from an extensive list. My favorite here was the desert wine Moscato white that was 25 years old...Amazing!

Our last stop on day one was

V. Sattui Winery
This was my favorite winery of the day! We did the Classic tasting and choose 5 wines from a very large list. They had several whites (my favorites) and I really enjoyed most of them. Ash who is more of a Red wine girl also enjoyed their wines. Moderate prices for pretty darn good wine. This was the only place I bought wine since I did not want to try to get it home with me. I knew I could enjoy this one bottle before leaving Cali

This wine was fabulous and an award winner

2010 Anderson Valley White Riesling

A drier style Riesling, with aromas of jasmine and pear, grapefruit and green apple characteristics, a slight grassiness and crisp natural acidity.

I really enjoyed sipping this wine! It cost more then I normally pay for a bottle of wine but since it was the only one I was buying I'm glad I splurged.

We were ready for dinner now and decided to visit this place I had heard was good

After tasting wine all day a nice cold ale was perfect with dinner. I had shrimp fettuccine and it was delicious. We then headed to our hotel for the night.

I will tell you that the wine tastings are not free and can get really pricey! We used online websites to find 2 for 1 tastings and that was a big savings. We paid as low as $5 and as much as $25. Some places will give you credit towards a purchase of wine or even waive it, but others will not.
Today's wineries were on the main Hwy 29 that runs through the Napa Valley. Day two will find us visiting some wineries on the Silverado Trail.

Cheers,

Linda

I'm sharing this post at The Tablescaper
Oh The Places I've Been