which wine???

Years ago, I had the pleasure of working in the wine industry in the Pacific Northwest, 

where I learned more than I ever thought possible about the fruit of the vine....

Still, when I am stymied on a food and wine pairing,
I call on one of my friends to help me out with advice I can trust:

Scott Carlson is an experienced, knowledgeable wine & beer specialist for BevMo Stores, 

and he's been sharing some great information about wine pairings for years.

  I've rounded up some of Scott's best points on the subject
of pairing wines with Thanksgiving Dinner,
and added in a few of my own comments and recommendations
to help you select several wines for your upcoming holiday meal... enjoy!

<< click on 'continue reading' for Scott's recommendations!

100 Thanksgiving Table Decor Ideas

My Vintage White Thanksgiving tablescape is included in this seasonal collection of 

'100 Inspiring Thanksgiving Table Decor Ideas' on TinyPrints.com, 

and I'm honored to have been included!

View my original post with tons of pretty & easy tabletop ideas

View the entire Tiny Prints blog post 

________________________________

PS: a requested correction to the caption on my image on the Tiny Prints post has not been made,
so I'll include more information about it here for those visiting for the first time:

My tablescape shown in their post includes a pumpkin as a centerpiece,
but it is not 'wrapped in lace', as TP identified it.
It is one of my own Original creations, a soft-sculpture pumpkin known as
Sweet Sweater Pumpkins, made from sweaters.
The one in the photo has been embellished with a fascinator hat  with a lace veil.

If you'd like to make your own versions of my design,
you can find my Sweet Sweater Pumpkin tutorial here.

FABulous Fourth!

Summer's definitely heating up, and Independence Day is just around the corner....
if you're looking for some 'Fast, Cheap & Easy'TM ideas for your weekend,

you'll find them here on homewardFOUNDdecor!

Summertime Front Porch Decor Inspiration

At Liberty Vintage Decor Inspiration
Red, White and Blue flavored water beverage

Patriot Games: Scrabble game boards as placemats

Nautical Flag Decor Inspiration
Coke Bottle Tabletop Decor Inspiration

Poker Chip Magnets

Water Bottle safety-grip labels

(click pink type for link to post)

Wishing you all a safe and happy Fourth!

A Loaf of Bread, a Jug of Wine, and Thou!

Our extreme summer heat here in Southern California has finally waned,
giving us a chance to head back outside and enjoy nature.
With the change of seasons on the horizon, it's the perfect time for a picnic!

Picnics can be elegant and fancy, plain and simple, or somewhere in the middle.
For me, whatever they look like, they should be EASY.
The movable feast shown here was packed up into a large woven tote and a big wire basket,
making it easy to transport everything from car to a grassy park in one trip...

it's not a massive meal, just a tasty repast of bread, fruit, cheese, wine, and water.
( oh, and some homemade, hand-cranked ice cream for dessert! )

Just add an iPod with music, a classic book of poetry, and someone special
for a perfectly relaxing Autumn afternoon...
in the park, at the beach, in the mountains, or even in your own backyard garden!

 * The dishes nestle into a lined basket for transport, 
while a small galvanized bucket holds flatware.

* Vintage galvanized cookie boxes hold bread, fruit and cheese. 

* A 'new but looks old' galvanized napkin holder fits right into the look.
 
* Tumblers work far better than stemmed glasses for wine
(steadier on rough tables, and oh so European!)

* Water is presented in re-used glass soda bottles instead of plastic.

* Galvanized candle lanterns hold citronella candles to ward off pests.
 
* That little vintage galvanized ice cream maker is one of my prize possessions 
(I've never seen another like it!) and oh, does it work fast!
 
* A simple canvas painter's tarp serves as a sturdy tablecloth - 
and can come off to lay on the ground for an afternoon nap, too!

 There's something really special about this table scape... it's the dishes.
They ARE vintage, but aren't fancy or precious or particularly valuable. Just sentimental.

 These melamine plates and bowls from a grocery store promotion in the sixties
feature seasonal-themed artwork by Currier and Ives,
along with a pretty floral border in brown and gold tones.
That border makes it perfect for a fall color scheme...
but I chose to use the dishes because for over 45 years,
these dishes have been known as 'the picnic dishes' in my family.

They belonged to my Grandma Ward, and she brought them out for every camping trip and picnic.
She kept them in her truck camper's 'kitchen box', and then in their little Shasta travel trailer.
During my childhood, that little vintage trailer was my 'playhouse',
and these dishes were my toys.
I created elaborate and artful 'salads' from leaves and flowers and errant vegetables
sneakily culled from Grandma and Grandpa's garden.
(why I didn't grow up to like cooking, I'll never know!!!)

After I grew up and had my own family, Grandma gave me her dishes.
So we used them for camping trips and backyard barbecues and picnics at the beach, too.
I treasure them, and just looking at them brings back SO many memories of happy times...

Keeping basic elements needed for a picnic ready to go in a basket or tote
makes it easy to enjoy a last-minute trip
to enjoy sunset on the beach or a temperate day at the local park...
Don't let the fact that summer is over keep you inside!

shared online: 

Yesterday on Tuesday | Project Inspire{d}


Creative Country Mom's Garden | Tuesday Garden Party

Nauti, Nauti....

In a recent post, I shared the flag that I found this week at the Disney cast member outlet store.
I found something else there that day:
Nautical signal flags, all in red, white, and blue!

Measuring @ 12 by 16 inches and made of nylon,
these babies are nearly brand new (I have no idea where they were used at the resort)

and they only set me back a dollar each!

They present creative opportunities for summertime decorating.
My first idea was to turn them into a decorative banner for the backyard:

I simply threaded the grommets on each flag onto a length of seam binding ribbon,

tied & swagged it from the strands of patio lights already installed overhead,

then used miniature white clothespins to keep the flags from sliding on the line.
[ note that the flag fabric is no where near the light bulbs. ]
Fluttering in the breeze, they bring bright patriotic color to the space.

So then I thought... what ELSE can I do with these out here?
What about a tablescape?

These flags lend themselves perfectly for use as placemats (easily washable nylon)

and they also bring color to the centerpiece-

simply a blue metal water cup filled with red geraniums from the yard.

They create a Nautical theme without too much fuss, 

and make simple details shine:

Easy little touches like folding a napkin into a sailboat shape make all the difference -

and yet take just seconds.
The white plastic food basket is available at Dollar Tree stores!

Picnic or poolside place setting tip:
Place plastic / paper cup over a (full) soda can or bottle to keep the cup from blowing away.

I know most DIY / Decor Bloggers will shudder that I actually put this super-simple table in a post,
but Red Solo Cups have their place (and it's not always at a kegger). 
Sometimes you just want easy. 

Forget the foofing and fussing and planning, and just sit back and enjoy - 

then dump the disposable plastic dishes in the trash.
I'm not advocating doing this ALL the time, mind you, 

but some days just call for EASY.
It's SUMMER, for goodness sakes!
[ More on THAT subject in Monday's post......]
.

... and you know what the perfect front door 'welcome' would be for this look, right?

uh huh.
seen sixty gazillion times on Pinterest, this utterly brilliant design and photo is by
Tell It to Your Neighbor

(so, see, you don't have to throw out the cups after all. CRAFT with 'em!).

shared online:

Practically Functional | Creativity Unleashed


Cupcakes & Crinoline | Project Inspire{d}

Creative Country Mom | Home Sweet Garden Party
.

Perfect Pastels

Spring. Summer. Ice cream.
They kinda' go together, don't they?!

When I was styling Rita Reade's Mammabellarte booth

for the Vintage Marketplace show this past weekend,

the pale pink, white, and aqua color scheme

reminded me of strawberry and vanilla and mint chip ice cream...

it felt a bit like I was inside an ice cream parlor!

Let these pretty hues inspire YOUR summer decor

for a Home SWEET Home...

This was the main visual draw in the booth - the back wall.
Furnishings create a setting, then details bring it to life....

A darling dining table, painted with perfect pink stripes, conjures up a sweet shop,

a theme reinforced by ironstone creamers, wire urns, and vintage teacups

to create a party setting.

the white milk-glass chandelier sparkles in the midst of soft pastels.
Rita's own photos (STUNNING!) are turned into her line of greeting cards
with pure vintage style.

[ psssst..... have you ever tried PAINTING a CHANDELIER???!
yup. it can be done!

I shared a few of my painted chandy projects in a past post...

click to check it out here! ]

 It only takes a touch of color to create a theme....

bows, ribbons, patina on old pieces of furniture, even paper lanterns

easily add personality and style.

At every show, Rita dolls up her two mannequins.

They always have petticoats on, and special corsets or aprons to coordinate with her theme.
THIS time around, the girls wore sassy, sexy pink and Rita's original mesh crowns...
[ you've probably seen her famous crowns in many magazines! ]  

... even the back of the mannequin is stunningly detailed.

One final detail that just made me SMILE:

 Miss Rita created this darling 'Baby Bunting'
by clipping baby clothes and shoes to a simple length of twine.

We hung it across the back of the booth and it just charmed the heck out of everyone.
It's a simple idea that can be easily changed,

and it works perfectly for party decor AND nursery decor.
When I was painting murals in a little girl's nursery many years ago, 

the client (who became a dear friend) did this and used hers as a window valance!

See more photos of Rita's booth on her Mammabellarte blog