Darling Christmas Clementines

Clementines, gold ceramic partridges, crystal candlesticks and deep green candles. This is what I've been working on. What do y'all think?

Clementines at Christmas is something that I learned here in the midwest. In North Carolina, we did cloves in oranges* -- I love this! It's what my Mema used to do, and it seems like something I would do here, but thinking about my poor little fingers being stuck by those cloves, well, ouch. And you'd be surprised how long it takes to make those little guys. So, clementines it is.

I'm not a big fan of Christmas-y holiday stuff, either... you know, the kind of things that you can only pull out 30 days of the year. That in no way means that I don't have a few Christmas-specific items -- I have a ton of vintage ornaments, um... in the basement. I think it's much simpler, elegant and economical to find beautiful things that you can use year-round. Between vintage haunts and new places, you can find really great things for a song. And just like an article of clothing's price per wear, an objet's "price per display" goes down dramatically if you love it and can use it more than once a year.

Natural decorations are great -- if I need a snack, just reach into the display. Refill as needed.

Here it is with day lighting --




*If you're being fancy, it's a "pomander".

Mizrahi Dishes

Just read an article about Isaac Mizrahi's new QVC gig, and these great plates were in the slideshow. The rest of the stuff -- eh. Maybe it's a WWD thing, but the models and merch just looked sad. And when I say WWD thing, I mean a bit unstyled -- fashion at it's most raw, just there on a white wall.

I enjoyed Isaac's commentary much more than the product, he's always a good interview. Very real and pointed. He even alludes to the Liz Claiborne thing of which I am not up to speed about what's going on, but it's making me think I need to do some google-ing. I do think he's very creative, and lives the creative lifestyle. A designer's life -- not fashion designer or fashion -- design as a bigger concept. I always like to see people who live it -- not in terms of their stuff, but about how they live with -- and through -- their process. It's a very different thing.

And on that note, back to the plates. Love the watercolor sketch quality. I find it's hard to make things like this... it's hard to put yourself out there and make it by hand, without the help of a camera or other image-making machine. I wonder if he actually did these sketches or just ideated* it that way. Curious.

Read the WWD article here.

Image: WWD (from the article slideshow)

*yes, this is a real word, or derived from one, anyway... from "ideate", which really means make ideas (sometimes brainstorm). It comes from my design school education.

Little Linens for Entertaining

These little pieced circles were billed as "doilies", but I shudder even typing the word. They are much more suited to cocktail napkins, don't you think?

Sure, place one under a few macaroons at tea on occasion, but let's not relegate these beauties to dainty affairs. Now, as you may know, I have a little bit o' old lady in me (we're talking big pearl earrings, big gold jewelry and wraps -- chic -- and a lot of "big", apparently). But, ironically the old lady thing includes little linens. I think it's a Southern thing. I like these circles because they aren't lacy -- but they are certainly refined.





I hate showing empty glasses -- seems akin to having an unburned candle on display in your house... a little fixed and cold, no? Oh well, we're looking at the cocktail napkins, right?

There were twelve in the set (incredible). A couple have a spot or two, but Mama is coming this weekend, and I think she might know a secret or two. You remember Mama, right?

I was also fortunate enough to get these place mats and napkins (again a set of eight!):



While these are decidedly dainty, they have a 20s/30s deco quality that reminds me of embroidered, monogrammed scarves that my grandmother wore. I love the way the flowers embrace the area where the plate sits. Sort of a "victory wreath" idea. And, they are actually a taupe color, not white, so that adds a bit of modernity and cuts the cute.




PS :: Don't fold napkins that way, please.

Running Hot and Cold

Eating with real silver adds so much to the gastronomic experience*. I find that particularly with cold foods -- ice cream is ideal -- the chill travels up the utensil to your fingertips. The first time I felt it was the first time ever that I actually felt "connected" to my food, that it was actually an experience rather than just a taste thing -- it was a heightened multi-sensory experience.

It works with hot foods as well, but I think the cold is more pronounced. Try it -- besides, it is truly an elegant way to dine, with your silver. And it gets better with use.

Find out about the mug at its original post here.


*(25¢ bonus for "gastronomic")

Love :: Tea Time

Tea time is a great way to connect with people. I have a group of friends who go out to tea fairly often, but I think it's great to entertain this way at home. A simple flower arrangement, a menu of savory and sweet tidbits -- and of course great tea -- make for a convivial atmosphere. Such a delight!

I prefer to send invitations to tea in the mail. Each invitation includes my monogram and the invitation "Please come to tea", along with the pertinent details and reply information.

A few more details:
Earl Grey with Lavender tea (served in these), and three courses, always served in this order: savory tea sandwiches, scones with strawberry preserves and clotted cream, and sweets (baby eclairs, fruit tarts, petit fours, palmiers -- and a sea salt caramel). My good friend S made the comment that the palmiers complement the teapots -- elephant ears. So true!

Tea may look fancy, but it's really not. I hope that everyone had a great time!

Okay. I need a baby eclair. Last. One.

Haunting :: Candlesticks

I wasn't on the hunt -- I wasn't planning on looking, even. But I was in NC, and untested places scream "opportunity", so if you're feeling lucky, it certainly doesn't hurt to check one out.

I like to scour a haunt in sections, and the first walk through this place didn't reveal much. But as I made my way to the middle of the place, I spied these ironstone candlesticks with orange and black transfer color and painted gold stripes. And the fact that these were a pair made them a must-have. I snagged them straight-away.

They remind me of one of my old design profs -- he had this insanely huge collection of colorful vintage candlesticks, pottery and glassware of this vintage -- all crowded on tables and shelves. So much color!

Photo above: transferware candlesticks as found in the wild.

There's a Teapot in the Room -- Two, in Fact

These are the fab elephant teapots I mentioned last week. I spotted one at a good haunt, and while there was a second little guy there too, his finial was broken. So, I put out an APB with K (a fellow haunter), and she found one, no problem! Thank you, K!

This pair of pachyderms will be great for tea time. Their pristine white surface will blend well with all kinds of white china, and since they are so simply styled, they can work with stark minimal pieces and more English-inspired ones... think Imperial India. I need a safari jacket, pronto!

Score! :: This Weekend at the Haunts

What a great weekend at the haunts. I visited my "first on the list" place (it's very convenient), and -- nothing. Not. A. Thing. That almost never happens.

But I was feeling lucky. So I pressed on. Next up? A place I visit every month or so. It's pretty good. But Saturday was very good. Check it out!





These little china cups are so, so delicate. And they will be great with my new pair of white elephant teapots.* They have a Belleek feel, but no markings. They're fun little things.

I also scored a 1960 Emily Post etiquette book. I love a good etiquette book. They are so definitive. I have an Amy Vanderbilt edition of the same era, but my absolute fave is my Mrs Oliver Harriman tome from the 1940s. This lady was serious about etiquette. She had a very old-school perspective that I think sounds more 1920s than 1940s. My grandmother was quite the It Girl of Raleigh in the twenties, and the tone of the book reminds me of the tidbits about her wedding festivities in the society pages of old editions of The Raleigh Times.

I like comparing etiquette advice from book to book. And with a sprinkle of Martha Stewart (particularly her Weddings rag), a dash of all the etiquette and civility blogs on the web, and well... maybe I'll write a paper on it all one day.

Though there were more things in my buggy -- a crystal decanter, a little Italian cake stand (tiny with daisies), a crystal honey pot -- I'll end with this piece:





What is it?

Other than some type of mug and saucer, I have no idea. It's china with teal and gold transfer color, and there is an inscription that ends in "1969r." (the script you see in the photo above), but I can't figure it out. Any ideas?

There's also a mark, but I haven't had a moment to research it:



I'm thinking of using it with a great big peony bloom! Love that gold!


*The elephants will make an appearance in a few days... I love them too much not to share.