Nancy's Daily Dish

Purple Pansies Transferware Tablescape

2013-05-16T18:07:00.002-05:00

I hope all of you Moms had a very Happy Mothers Day! I did!

Shawn and I had our Mothers over for brunch and he made us all Swedish pancakes as the main course, a favorite from his childhood and now one of our family favorites - and now also making me hungry for some just by thinking about them.

I set the table with this set of 8 Royal Cauldon Purple Transferware Pansy Plates that I recently got in and had been saving just for Mothers Day. Sometimes when I get a set of plates or dishes in, I like to use them once or twice before putting them for sale in my Etsy shop. These plates are hand painted with a scalloped, embossed border....perfect for Spring and early Summer.

I used a purple, gold and brown paisley shawl as a table runner

The lavender pressed glass tumblers and gold and green Mexican goblets bring out the colors of the plates.

One of my sponsors sent these napkin rings to me a couple of years ago. I haven't used them very often but the yellow butterflies and purple, green and yellow berries were perfect for the table.

I mixed silk pansies with berries and wildflowers and put them in a bamboo handled basket for a super simple centerpiece.

As a Mom, one of the things I'm thankful for is a good sense of humor. I really don't know how people can get through life without laughing at it...I couldn't. Fortunately my kids and hubby have great senses of humor and I completely appreciate and love that about them all. This is one of the cards I got from the kids.

Have a great week!

Common Ground

French Country Cottage

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The Tablescaper

Mothers Day NOVICA Giveaway

2013-05-03T15:58:00.000-05:00

You have probably already heard of Novica, maybe even here from me, but in case you haven't, Novica is associated with National Geographic and provides artists and artisans around the world a global platform to express their talents and spur creativity. The site is full of hard to find, unique items that only the Internet infrastructure can allow access to.

Novica has contacted me again and asked if I'd like to give someone $40 to spend on their site. Well, of course I would love to do that and with Mothers Day fast approaching it's a perfect time to shop at Novica. I even got to do a little shopping myself and just bought this blouse, aka Hypnotic Geometry! I can't wait to wear it!

Novica carries all sorts of home decor and furnishings along with a great selection of clothing and accessories for men and women.

Currently they have a Mothers Day Gift section chock full of wonderful finds just for Moms.

I have several other items from Novica including this blouse in dark, chocolate brown.

I wore the blouse above about a week ago with some cool feather jewelry (which is something I am currently enamored with) and got lots of compliments on it (from teenagers to Grandmas) while I was out running errands.

We used to have a hammock in our backyard near our koi pond where some of our best family memories were made. I have the cutest picture of Shawn with four or five of the kids on the hammock when most of them were just babies to toddlers.

I no longer have the hammock, or the yard, but I still want a hammock somewhere and this is the one I'd choose, from Brazil and sold by Novica, of course.

Isn't the crochet fringe gorgeous? It's so romantic looking. I could leisurely spend some time here on this hammock or any of the over 100 they have on their site right now.

Some of my favorite things come from Novica, like these etched amber goblets. I love amber.

There are so many choices! What would you choose with $40 to spend at Novica? Would you give it away or treat yourself to something nice? For a chance to win from Novica, please leave a comment letting me know what you'd choose.

For two additional entries leave me a comment on this post if you are a blog follower and another comment here or on my FB page if you are a Facebook fan. You can find me on Facebook as English Transferware.

The giveaway will run for one week. The winner will be randomly generated via random.org based on the number of comments from both this blog post and my FB post. Please leave your email address or make sure that I can contact you if you are the winner!

Good luck!

Decorating with Blue Transferware and a GIVEAWAY!

2013-04-10T14:02:00.001-05:00

If you haven't already been over to Enchanted Home, you'll want to go over after you finish this post because the wonderful Tina, who authors the incredibly gorgeous blog, has a great post up about decorating with dishes plus she's hosting a giveaway to my online shop, English Transferware! Details at the end of the post!

I know Tina loves blue and white (just look at her header and you'll know!) and has a collection of her own. In honor of Tina, I've decided to share some of my favorite images of rooms decorated with and often around blue transferware collections. You can see more rooms decorated with blue transferware on my Pinterest board.

To me, Charles Faudree is just about as synonymous with English transferware as he his with French Country Decorating...he seemed to always find a use for it in his incredibly detailed decorating schemes. Isn't this bedroom charming?

I love this next image from Decor Magazine. Look how the blue pieces are hung directly on the Secretary doors and left open for display. I LOVE this. I have wanted an antique Secretary Desk forever. I know tastes vary on the use of antlers but I love the way these are fitted into the recess atop the hutch. Love it.

Jonathan Vickers, a former designer at Colefax and Fowler has an amazing collection of blue transferware. This is just a glimpse of the dining room but you can see that the theme is carried into adjoining rooms.

Another glimpse of Vickers collection. Overkill? Uh-huh, no way.

Carol Glasser's home featured in Veranda magazine....her wonderful blue collection is displayed along with utilitarian / advertising wares in the living room.

I love the open shelving in this Charles Faudree kitchen, courtesty of Traditional Home. A huge tole tray takes center stage over the stove and is flanked by loads of blue transferware.

What a wonderful place to show off a collection...built behind the stairway! This incorporates a forgotten space into part of the kitchen decor. Love this!

Blue looks good with just about anything. I love the soothing effect of it against these green walls by Leslie Steinberg Interiors.

This is an arrangement I did at my shop (when I had one) and it has been featured in quite a few places. Blue being complimentary to orange cannot help but pop against the rusty-orange wall color.

This next example of decorating with blue transferware equals rustically refined perfection to me!

Just a dab'll do...for some of you...like we are shown here.

The huge meat platter and smaller one in front both add a little burst of color in an otherwise neutral scheme.

This Ralph Lauren bedroom is so charming and cozy...and I love the flow of arched platters which frame in the bed.

Blue is so pretty with pinks and reds...this vignette is simply stunning with layers upon layers of blue transferware and a bouquet of roses from whites to reds.

Now, head over to Enchanted Home and be prepared to be enchanted. Tina just built an amazingly incredible home that you will love to see. She is warm, inviting, has exceptional taste and gift for writing. While you're there, enter to win $50 towards anything your heart desires at English Transferware, my Etsy store, and pick up a discount code for 15% off any purchase. Both the giveaway and the discount end soon so be sure to enter right away!

Thank you so much Tina!

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Drifting Near Mt. Vesuvius

2013-04-08T18:57:00.000-05:00

Far vague and dim,

The mountains swim

While on Vesuvius' misty brim.

With outstretched hands,

The gray smoke stands

O'erlooking the volcanic lands.

~from Thomas Buchanan Read's poem, Drifting~

I have wanted to show this plate since I first began blogging a few years ago. It is by Spode/Copeland and the pattern is named Beverley and sometimes called Grecian Scroll, depicting a pastoral view with Mt. Vesuvius in the distance.

Mt. Vesuvius is an Italian volcano that erupted in A.D. 79 blanketing Pompeii and Herculaneum in 10 - 75 feet of ash. It was the first volcanic eruption to be described and written about in detail.

I have collected several pieces in this pattern as well as a few other Spode/Copeland transfer ware patterns of the same colorway; rust and black.

Most of my black and rust two colored transferware is displayed in MY ENTRYWAY on...

... either side of the front door....

...and down a narrow strip of wall between two doors.

I have only come across the Beverley pattern in green a few times so when the opportunity came up to buy a set of 12 of these plates I jumped. The Gadroon border of these plates have been hand painted in a green that matches the transfer. Unusually striking. They are listed for sale HERE

Eight or nine years ago after I'd bought my first Beverley plate depicting Mt. Vesuvius I came across a book featuring Thomas Buchanan Read's poem, Drifting, which makes several references to the volcanic area. The title of the poem and its first two lines drew me right in, "My soul today, Is far away".

I didn't have to open the book to know I would buy it but I did anyway and quickly thumbed through the pages. I was thrilled to see that the book had at one time belonged to someone with my maiden name, and even more coincidental had an address which I recognized to be from the town I grew up in. I still need to ask my Mom or Dad if she was a relative of ours. This little book also had a hand written inscription of Christmas 1918 and 35 pages of notes taken from a lecture by Louis C Elson on The Law of Sound. Elson is highly regarded as the author of the musical dictionary and wrote and lectured on the subject.

Each page has a verse and a beautiful etching to accommodate. I read this poem and look through this book often. I thought I'd include the poem in its entirety. I hope you like it~

My soul today

Is far away,

Sailing the Vesuvian Bay;

My winged boat,

A bird afloat,

Swims round the purple peaks remote.

Round purple peaks

It sails, and seeks

Blue inlets and their crystal creeks,

Where high rocks throw,

Through deeps below,

A duplicated golden glow.

Far, vague, and dim,

The mountains swim;

While on Vesuvius' misty brim,

With outstretched hands,

The gray smoke stands

O'erlooking the volcanic lands.

In lofty lines,

'Mid palms and pines,

And olives, aloes, elms and vines,

Sorrento swings

On sunset wings,

Where Tasso's spirit soars and sings.

Here Ischia smiles

O'er liquid miles;

And yonder, bluest of the isles,

Calm Capri waits,

Her sapphire gates

Beguiling to her bright estates.

I heed not, if

My rippling skiff

Float swift of slow from cliff to cliff; -

With dreamful eyes

My spirit lies

Under the walls of Paradise.

Under the walls

Where swells and falls

The Bay's deep breast at intervals

At peace I lie,

Blown softly by,

A cloud upon this liquid sky.

The day, so mild,

Is Heaven's own child,

With Earth and Ocean reconciled;

The airs I feel

Around me steal

Are murmuring to the murmuring keel.

Over the rail

My hand I trail

Within the shadow of the sail,

A joy intense,

The cooling sense

Glides down my drowsy indolence.

With dreamful eyes

My spirit lies

Where Summer sings and never dies,

O'erveiled with vines,

She glows and shines

Among her future oil and wines.

Her children hid,

The cliffs amid,

Are gambolling with the

gambolling kid;

Or down the walls,

With tipsy calls,

Laugh on the rocks like

waterfalls.

The fisher's child,

With tresses wild,

Unto the smooth, bright and beguiled,

With glowing lips

Sings as she skips,

Or gazes at the far-off ships.

Yon deep bark goes
Where Traffic blows,
From lands of sun to lands of snows:
This happier one,
Its course is run
From lands of snow to
lands of sun.

O happy ship,
To rise and dip,
Whit the blue crystal at your lip!
O happy crew,
My heart with you
Sails, and sails, and sings anew!

No more, no more
The worldly shore
Upbraids me with its loud uproar!
With dreamful eyes
My spirit lies
Under the walls of Paradise!

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Woodland Easter Table w/ Purple Transferware

2013-03-21T00:35:00.000-05:00

It doesn't seem like it should be Spring to me and Easter being in March this year makes it seem like it's here even faster! I haven't posted many tablescapes lately but was so excited to create something when one of my sponsors sent me a set of 8 tree slice chargers to work with.

I have had my eye on these tree chargers for the looooooongest time, so when Kimberly Congdon, owner of Roxy Heart Vintage, sent me a box full of them I was more than excited to put them to use. When I first came across these on Etsy, almost two years ago, I thought they'd be so pretty paired with my brown Rural Scenes dishes or even my Spode Byron for a Fall tablescape but I couldn't wait that long to use them!

The chargers are all unique in size and shape from one another since they are cut from real fallen trees. I love that! Kimberly works with lots of brides for special weddings and will engrave and personalize your chargers if you wish. I kind of wish that I'd had mine personalized because you could always flip them to the other side if you didn't want that to show...of course I had that great idea after I'd received them!

(photo courtesy Roxy Heart Vintage)

I decided to use purple transferware for my Easter table and I went with Rural Scenes...just not the brown ones you all have seen me use before.

On top of each plate is a grapevine basket filled with paper mache' Easter eggs and silk flowers.

An estate sale find, these pastel pink, Damask napkins are placed inside hand made burlap covered napkin rings each adorned with a hand sculpted birds nest filled with Robin eggs.

French pressed glass tumblers by Luminarc in purple. I don't see these very often but try Etsy or Ebay if you're looking for some....that's where I found mine.

My centerpiece was very easy to create with things around the house. Well, mostly made from things around the house. I asked Shawn to go on a walk today, and he kindly agreed, but when I pulled out the needle nose pliers he knew I had an ulterior motive. Our mid day excursion was really a ploy to get him to cut some of these flowering branches off a tree in a nearby field to be used on the table. He's still cursing in the next room, but who knows, he might of stubbed his toe (haha).

I don't know if these are Apple Blossom or not but they are so dainty, so pretty....

...I used these same kind of flowers, cut from the same tree in fact, in a post last year that you may remember...The Poetry Game of 1898. Pretty they may be, but they stink. Literally. They look like they would smell so fresh and flowery, but upon returning home with them I kept smelling something funky and when Jonah came upstairs and said it smelled like dead fish that confirmed it. I wound up having to take them off the table and put them out on the back porch to get the smell out of the house! I don't remember the stink last year when I used them.

I wondered why Shawn jumped in the shower so quickly after we'd gotten back to the house, because he'd just taken one. He'd cut the branches down and carried them for me so I guess the stench rubbed off on him! Now you know why he's in there cursing! lol. My sweet lumber-jack.

Oh well, back to the centerpiece...I thought the table needed a natural, woodsy look since I was using the tree chargers and grapevine baskets and wanted to keep with the 'natural' theme.

I laid out sheet moss and several branches of the flowering tree. Tucked amidst the blooms and branches are garden bunnies with weathered finishes and some over sized lavender colored Easter eggs. That's it!

Now, I just need this huge tree slab cake stand, with an equally huge piece of cake, for Easter dessert...

Happy Spring, Happy Easter!

TO PURCHASE TREE SLICE CHARGERS:
Kimberly Congdon
www.RoxyHeartVintage.com
www.etsy.com/roxyheartvintage.com
www.facebook.com/roxyheartvintage

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Homemade Irish Cream & The Poetry and Song of Ireland

2013-03-14T17:56:00.001-05:00

We are getting ready for my oldest daughters 18th birthday tomorrow and have had lots of requests for Shawn's Homemade Irish Cream which we love to serve over ice cream. I thought I'd share this recipe again that I posted last year. Rich and thick Irish Cream is so easy to make! What better time to make it than for St. Patrick's Day...or a special birthday celebration?

The Irish Cream is so so so so so yummy over coffee flavored ice cream (we buy Blue Bell) and topped with crumbled up Heath bars. I can't wait for dessert!

But first...we have to have dinner.

From the book, The Poetry and Song of Ireland....by John Boyle O'Reilly Circa 1887

We are the music makers,

We are the dreamers of dreams

Wandering by the lone sea-breakers

And sitting by desolate streams:

World losers and world forsakers,

On whom the pale moon gleams,

Yet we are the movers and shakers,

Of the world forever, it seems.

~Arthur O'Shaughnessy~

Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
Heather and Vanessa at At the Picket Fence for Inspiration Friday
Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday
Sherry at The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
Stephanie Lynn at Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party
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Michael at Designs by Gollum for Foodie Friday
On The Menu Monday

NOT for Gravy! The Bourdaloue

2013-02-15T15:23:00.000-06:00

I hope you all had a Happy Valentines Day. I just had some minor surgery on Tuesday so I wasn't up to going out. Shawn and I stayed home with Ashton and the three of us had a candlelight dinner together. Trevor is working at a local ice cream shop so he was busy working and Kalyn, poor, boy-friendless Kalyn, who is also currently grounded, sent us a text yesterday afternoon pleading to let her "have one night off to go to dinner with some of her single friends while those in love celebrate"?

We totally caved and let her go.

Last month, my sister had told me that she's been hooked on watching Downton Abbey. I have to admit, I watch so little tv that I didn't even know about Downton Abbey until she told me about it! Since then, I've been nagging Shawn for us to watch it together. So after dinner last night, we decided to start watching the series on Netflix so that we could start with the first episode. We have been missing out is all I can say! We stayed up until after midnight watching the first three episodes and I cannot wait to watch more tonight.

Well, whenever I watch films set in this era I'm always looking for transferware...in fact I was contacted about supplying some for a movie set not long ago...but that's another post...maybe. One of the serving pieces I spied in a dining scene got me thinking about how the pieces I'm about to show you are often misidentified, even in museums at times.

Take a look at the following items.

Are you thinking these are gravy boats? Perhaps they are creamers? Well, if that's what you're thinking, you're not even close. Each of these examples is called a bourdaloue: aka a porta potty, a chamber pot, a loo, coach pot or a slipper pot but these are ergonomically designed for use by a woman. Although the examples I've shown are all blue transfer printed, bourdaloues were often gilded and exquisitely detailed or even made of silver.

Imagine the dress of the 18th century female; spreading hoops and silk petticoats made with yard upon yard of costly fabric. Now imagine nature calling with all that material and cumbersome clothing to maneuver! With the assistance of the lady's maid, a bourdaloue could be slipped beneath the skirts and petticoats and then carried away.

As legend has it, though some historians argue this is not so, the little potty is named after a French Jesuit priest at the court of Louis XIV named Louis Bourdaloue. Churches had no toilets then, and no breaks were given during sermons and with the priest being known for his long discourses it is said that women sat through them with a bourdaloue placed under their dresses.

This example below is called Old Peacock and was made in the early 1800's by Spode.

Below, this bourdaloue dates to 1830 and was made by Wedgwood in the Landscape pattern. Wedgwood referred to them as 'coach pots', for as the name implies, they were often used during long horse drawn coach travel.

My first thought after seeing this painting by Francis Boucher was 'What a perv' in regards to whomever commissioned it. It depicts a woman pulling up her dress to use her bourdaloue. I wasn't even sure I wanted to post it on my blog, but here you go.

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A Special Valentines Day Poem~

2013-02-14T11:48:00.000-06:00

As far as I'm concerned, there is no poet more romantic than Petrarch...

except for the one I married...who wrote the following to me as a gift one year...

You are my air
Essential, yet often unappreciated
Vital to my life, yet often taken advantage of...

You are my mountains
Strong and standing regardless of time
It's not just that you have stood with and for me
It's that so often you've been the one holding me up...

You are my water
Rivers filled with tears shed for me
Oceans filled with fears for me
Water that's replenished me
Running through me, washing me...

you are my flowers, my life's bouquet
Gentle, colorful, naturally beautiful
Coloring my world that was black before I knew you
Making life smell wonderful with scents of love and passion...

You are my underserved consequence
The sum of all the good things I've always meant to do, but haven't
My reward for things I haven't earned
My motivation for improving...

You are my gentle breeze
Inspiring, continually refreshing
The end of a hot day's blessing
A continual promise of change, a promise of things to come
A promise to a desert of rain...

You are my inspiration
My hope, my greatest fulfilled expectation
My reason for existing, my reason for living
Without you there's no meaning
Without you I am nothing, without you I have no value...

You are my song, my lyric
My rhythm, my tempo, my melody
The tune I can't forget, the singing of my soul
The song that makes me whole...

You are my time
Time to make amends
Time with you to spend, times I can't forget
Time to grow old with and change things for the better
Time to love and time to cry
Time to watch our children laugh until they're no longer children
And then time spent with their children...

You are my answers
To the questions of my life
The question of whom I was meant for
To the questions of my destiny
The one with which I was meant to spend eternity...

You are my everything, your are my life
My God, thank you so much for my wife...

I love you, I live for you...

~I love you too Shawn. Happy Valentines Day~

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Pretty Transferware Plates for Valentines Day

2013-02-11T19:24:00.000-06:00

I'm sorry I haven't posted in several weeks. I have been super busy, business-wise, which I'm very thankful for, but have also had a whole gamut of other things going on in my life, including some health issues that have kept me feeling fatigued for some time. Tomorrow morning I am having a minor surgery which should hopefully diagnose what's going on with me but I'm not sure how much I'll be posting over the next few months....even though I have tons I want to post about! I have missed blogging and my blogging friends sooooo much.

With Valentines Day fast approaching, I could not resist showing this sweet little plate of which I happen to have a pair of in my red transferware collection.

You know I love just about anything with a bird motif'

This plate is from the Aesthetic Movement and combines asymmetry which was such a popular theme of the designs of that period but it also combines the sweetness of the Victorian era too.

The plates have the cutest little bird on a branch inset into an ornately detailed frame of scrolls and such. A partial border of flowers defined by a single row of geometric semicircles gives way to a casual flow of floral branches which cascade below and sort of frame the little bird cartouche.

I thought the lovebirds necklace was a perfect little trinket to lay over the plate.

The pattern is named Victoria and the potter is J F Wileman.

These were made between 1866 and 1891.

I had hoped to do a Valentines table for two with the bird plates but that's not happening this year. If time had permitted, I would have layered them over these sweet plates by Alfred Meakin, suitably titled 'The Courtship'...how romantic are these?

These plates show a young Victorian couple seated next to a woodland stream. The young man has a basket of flowers, of which he is offering one to the seated lady, holding her parasol.

Well, that's all for tonight but I hope you'll be back on Valentines Day... I've already got a post ready... I'm sharing one of the sweetest love poems~

Snow Crystals ~ Pink Transferware Christmas Tablescape

2012-12-20T20:10:00.000-06:00

Throughout the afternoon I watched them there,

Snow-fairies falling, falling from the sky,

Whirling fantastic in the misty air,

Contending fierce for space supremacy.

And they flew down a mightier force at night,

As though in heaven there was revolt and riot,

And they, frail things had taken panic flight

Down to the calm earth seeking peace and quiet.

I went to bed and rose at early dawn

To see them huddled together in a heap,

Each merged into the other upon the lawn,

Worn out by the sharp struggle, fast asleep.

The sun shone brightly on them half the day,

By night they stealthily had stol'n away.

~by Claude McKay~

Merry Christmas

Sources:
Transferware - my shop, English Transferware - Johnson Brothers Snow Crystals
Flatware- Oneida Winter Frost
Snowflake Tea Towels/ used in lieu of Napkins - Big Lots
Snowflake Tumblers- Federal Glass, circa 1950-60
Teacups are sitting on snowflake candle rings...just fyi.
Silver Snowflake Ball Candles - Zest Candles
Giant Snowflakes used as chargers - Dollar Tree
Red Mesh Fabric used as Table Runner- I think it came from Sams, thank you to my Mother in law!
Ice Branches Garland Centerpiece - Hobby Lobby

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Red Transferware and Snowflakes Christmas Hutch, a Winner and Decorating Motivation...or Not

2012-12-11T17:30:00.002-06:00

I know you've seen my kitchen hutch a bazillion times but for what it's worth, here it is decorated for Christmas 2012.

Snowflakes are a recurring theme in my Christmas decor this year, especially here on my breakfast room hutch which is chock full of red transferware.

This antique lace piece that hangs over the top of our hutch has always reminded me of snowflakes. Now especially.

I like to tuck little bits of Christmas amongst the hutch, in the pitchers, ladles and teacups, like this

bottle brush tree set amidst pinecones and faux snow...

...and this glass bird ornament with a pheasant feather tail nesting in the recess of a soup ladle...

...like pinecones nestled into and amongst the red transferware creamers...

...or just a lone little snowflake resting atop a small pitcher.

I like seeing Santa in a suit of snow white.

With Etsy being here to film during October, I never really got to decorate for Fall like I'd normally do. I did pull out these little squirrel figurines and since I had not yet tired of seeing them I kept them on my hutch as part of my Christmas display, mixed with some natural elements like pine tree sprigs, pine cones and my favorite bark pillar candles.

I even put a few snowflakes on the wall and hung them from the cabinet handles across the front of the hutch to carry the theme. Have I ever told you all that this hutch was from Shawn's bedroom when he was a little boy?

I work a lot and it seems that most of the time my work day begins as soon as I get up and ends when I call it quits which typically is just before midnight. I am having some medical issues and have taken a few trips to the Dr. and lab both last week and continuing into this week. The combination of these things has made seasonal decorating seem like somewhat of a task this year. I feel a little guilty for thinking that, and more guilty for admitting it. Our main Christmas tree still stands stark naked.

Shawn works hard to, though he has been in more of an Archie Bunker mood than a Clark Griswold one lately so his attribution to the Christmas decorating has been this:

It has been a little difficult for me to find motivation for much of anything lately, except maybe to wear one of Shawn's big t-shirts and a pair of his baggy house pants. At least wearing loose clothes makes you feel skinnier. Now, that's motivating, right?

I'm glad I can wear his clothes if I want to. I am more glad that he cannot wear mine...that would be worrisome.

What will the future of our Christmas tree be? Will I find some motivation to do anything to it, other than what I've already done which was decide I did not like where it stood, and so crawled underneath it and carefully (barely) slid it to a new location thus covering myself and the living room floor with an inch thick layer of flocking. Tune in later to find out...will it go back in the box, stand as is, or be strung up...with lights that is?

p/s The winner of the $40 Novica gift certificate giveaway from last week is Comment #2 Constance Person. Please contact me asap so that I can provide you with the gift certificate.

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Christmas Wreath Topiary Trees w/ Red Transferware

2012-12-04T20:02:00.002-06:00

Yesterday I hinted at a recent Christmas decor project I'd just finished up and I'm now ready to show it to you all.

Do you ever have an idea floating around in your head of something you want to create? I do. A lot. More often than not I don't see these ideas in my mind come to fruition, but this is one that I did, and as luck would have it, it wound up that most of the work that I knew it would entail was already done!

About two years ago I made a cute little wreath with a plate anchored in the center of it. I'm not sure why, but I never made any others, though in the back of my mind I'd been thinking about a similar Christmas decor project consisting of a trio of wreaths in graduating sizes, one atop the other, planted in a flower pot and forming a topiary.

Well...last year I was at Sams (similar to Costco) and saw these 6' tall wreath topiaries. They were almost exactly what I'd envisioned (less red transferware) in my mind, assembled as one over the other, each part of the same frame which was great for stability as I'd been thinking about how to 'stack' the wreaths in this way where they would be sturdy. These even had hooks for hanging something within the wreath! PERFECT! Some company had the same idea as I did and manufactured these even more sturdy than I'd imagined. (I'll be suing them shortly for totally ripping off my idea, but for now it proved most convenient! hehe, just kidding.) I was thrilled to snag two of these after Christmas for 75% off and I've been patiently waiting since last year to put this together.

I selected three graduating sizes of plates to go in the center of each wreath and adhered the appropriate sized disc hangers that I carry to the back of each plate.

These already had hooks fixed into the frames and I simply had to hang my plates in place of the oversized christmas ornaments that were formerly there.

Did I mention they were pre-lit... and flocked...and came with the removable bows...and already decorated with ornaments and berries? This turned out to be one of the easiest things ever, thanks in large part to some company having a similar idea and manufacturing these to better specs than I'd imagined! Woo hoo!

I assembled two of these topiaries and they are flanking a ginormous Belgian styled armoire.

I'll share some more of my Christmas decor in the next couple of weeks.

Don't forget to enter to win a Novica gift certificate HERE

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Sneak Peek at My Latest Christmas Project & Novica Giveaway

2012-12-03T16:38:00.004-06:00

Hello all! I have not had a spare minute to finish a blog post since before Thanksgiving. The Huffington Post picked up my story (though they didn't get it quite right), as well as about 60 other blogs or publications around the world and I've been inundated with emails and orders. I sat down to a nearly 2 hour interview with a reporter from The Tulsa World last week and she's sending a photographer over on Wednesday. I am not complaining just sayin' that I've been a busy, busy camper!

I have also been busy decorating for Christmas and decided to take a little time to complete a project that I've had in mind for a couple of years.
Can you guess from this pic what I've made?

I am really happy with how this project turned out. I will reveal what it is in a post tomorrow once I've finished cropping all my pictures. Excited to show you!

But for now.....
Novica has asked me to announce their new Gift Finder section on their website as they've updated and revamped the site making it more user friendly and easier to browse for specific items. They have provided me a $40 gift certificate for one of my readers. I've posted about Novica a few times before, but in case you've not seen those posts and are unfamiliar with what Novica is, they are associated with National Geographic and provide artisans around the world a global platform to showcase their talents and spur on their creativity.
You will find thousands of unique, hand made items on their site.

I have a few items that I've purchased including some clothing, games and jewelry from Novica. I have long admired their collection of drinkware and right now I've got my eye on these two sets of goblets.

I love that these amethyst goblets have clear stems...

and I love anything amber colored, especially paired with aforementioned color!

Recently I bought this necklace. It is unusually beautiful and I have gotten compliments each time I've worn it.

To enter, visit Novicas Gift Finder, located on the Unique Gifts page or at this link : http://unique-gifts.novica.com/ and let me know in a comment on this post what you'd spend $40 on.
Would you buy something for you, or for someone else?
If you follow my blog you can leave an extra comment for an additional entry.

I'll choose the winner via Random.org in a week.

See you all tomorrow to share my most recent Christmas decor creation.

The greatest way to live with honor in this world is to be what we pretend to be

~ Socrates ~

Thanksgiving Table Centerpieces

2012-11-21T14:54:00.000-06:00

I thought I'd share a few of my past Thanksgiving/ Fall centerpieces because I usually create them by shopping my house first. I hope these will spark some ideas for you to create and set the prettiest Thanksgiving table yet.

You can click the photos to be taken to the full post where I usually show or tell how I put them together.

Aubergine with amber and olive...love this color combination. A ceramic pumpkin is perched upon a grapevine wreath and surrounded with silk mums and pheasant feathers.

A rustic, autumn centerpiece is created with a wreath, facorns (fake acorns...you all know by now how much I like these) a cake stand and bark candle.

Here, I took an antique wicker tray and filled it with a small collection of vintage leather encased decanters. This could be a cetnerpiece on its own (click the pic to see) and is flanked by silk greenery, shed antlers, pinecone candles, tealight candles and grapevine balls.

This figurine was perfect to create the effect of a little boy walking his dogs through a field of pumpkins. He looked so cute with my Spode Byron dishes. I like creating tables that have a bit of a theme to them.

Grapevine balls sit atop a scrunched up tablecloth with apples scattered around...you could so easily replace this concept with gourds or mini pumpkins!

From a recent post, this centerpiece was created with a retired blanket from one of my boys' rooms, some Fall picks/sprays and a bunch of gathered wheat.

This one was made by starting with a top of an old chest that we use as a side table. I simply topped it with some pinecones, fall springs and nuts, silk mums, candles and cute chipmunks.

How about an old flower seed box filled with candles? You could add fallen leaves, acorns, pumpkin or squash seeds, etc.

Whatever you do, I hope that each of you has a most blessed, safe and Happy Thanksgiving. I am thankful for so many things and so many people. My readers and my customers are among those that I am most thankful for. Thank you. Enjoy tomorrow with your friends, family and loved ones.

Joining Wow

Thanksgiving Hutch with Red Turkey Transferware & Giveaway Ends Tomorrow!

2012-11-18T19:31:00.000-06:00

You don't see much in the way of red at Thanksgiving but I wanted my hutch to have a little bit of a Fall feeling even though I'm not hosting Thanksgiving this year. I swapped out a few pieces of my usual display for some pieces of red, Thanksgiving themed ones. This is the first year, definitely since being a Mom, that I can remember not putting any Halloween decor out and very little decor for Fall. This is it about it. With the whole Etsy filming I just did not find the time to do much Fall decorating.

The platter is a huge, 20 or 21" whopper big enough for a 20-24 lb turkey, by Wood and Sons dating to the 1930's. I displayed it last year on another table HERE, where I also told about the history of the turkey themed English wares.

It's surrounded by some bundles of wheat, my favorite little facorns, some pinecones and this trio of chipmunks.

So that's about all I have for my Fall decor!

What are your plans for Thanksgiving this year? We are going to one of my brothers homes and I am taking my corn and onion casserole that I shared here last year, a new dessert that I have yet to ever make but I have it planned out in my mind...so if it turns out good I will share, and hmmm...not sure what else I'm going to take just yet.

One quick reminder...tonight is the last night to enter the giveaway for this circa 1830's blue transferware plate.

Just leave a comment, which I would very much appreciate, on the Etsy blog post and you're automatically entered to win. Thank you to everyone who watched the video and who has left a comment on the post.

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Etsy Documentary Featuring Me Is Out + A Giveaway

2012-11-12T15:34:00.000-06:00

Today, Etsy released the video featuring me and my transferware collection. It is amazing to see how two full days of filming is turned into a mere 4 minute documentary short.

I've teamed up with the Etsy blog to give away this plate to a reader. It's a circa 1834-54 plate by Ridgway in the Marmora pattern featuring romanticized ship scenes.

CLICK on the photo to be taken directly to the Etsy blog to read the story, watch the video and leave a comment to enter the giveaway and just to let them know you're visiting from my blog.

Etsy loves and encourages for you to share, so please feel free to share the video in the links they provide.

Sharing at: Mod Vintage Life, Savvy Southern Style, Cozy Little House, A Stroll Thru Life,

Blue and Orange Thanksgiving Table & Documentary Released Tomorrow!

2012-11-11T15:21:00.000-06:00

Would you combine the bold colors of orange and blue for your Thanksgiving table?

Blue and Orange are opposites on the color wheel,

which means they are complementary to one another.

So I say why not?

Do you think George and Martha were opposites?

After all, don't opposites attract?

I think so

Trevor would love a blue and orange Thanksgiving table...no doubt about that.

Would you, or would you not set your Thanksgiving table with such vivid colors?

Tomorrow, November 12th, is the big day! Etsy will release the documentary short featuring me/my shop and I'll be featured on their blog. I'll post links as soon as I have them!

UPDATE: IT'S HERE!!!!

Joining: Romantic Homes, Between Naps On The Porch, Country French Cottage, Funky Junk Interiors, Mod Vintage Life, Under The Table and Dreaming, A Stroll Thru Life

Latest Acquisitions From England

2012-11-09T14:42:00.000-06:00

I've gotten a few big shipments of transferware from England recently. I have found some beautiful treasures to offer in my shop...and some to keep, at least for a while =) I am joining Etsy for a giveaway in a few days...one of these pieces will go to one of their blog readers. Tune in Monday for that announcement...and for the video release! In the meantime, here are some of my latest acquisitions. Most of these are listed in my online shop, English Transferware, or they soon will be.

This is a rare, divided serving dish by Spode Copeland in the Camilla pattern. This piece is one I've kept at home for some time. I do that a lot. I will come across a piece that I really like a lot and will display it or use it around my house for sometime before I ultimately decide to let it go to a new home.
You don't see this piece or this pattern in brown very often.

Aesthetic Movement soup plate.

I have two of these hanging in my guest bathroom. Hmmm...I will have to show you all this sometime. I love the birds!

Circa 1834-54 Ridgway Plate w/ romanticized ship scenes

Royal Doulton, two color transfer with hand painted color. Isn't this perfectly romantic? Feminine. Charming. Cottage Chic.

Spode Byron... you know I heart this...

I have lots of turkey and historical themed wares in gorgeous colors like aubergine.

Transferware napkin rings are so hard to come by....these just sold to Sarah @ Hyacinths For The Soul. They're on their way to you now!

Teal colored plates from the 1830-40's are hard to come by as well

I love unusual shaped pieces...do you recognize this shape from anyplace in blogland? If you're here, then you should!

This coffee pot is so regal. I love the shape.

This is an unusual and difficult to find biscuit barrel, circa 1895, complete with its original wicker carrying handle.

I know a lot of you will love this lidded box with a figural lid shaped like a resting cow. I have one too!

I have gotten several pieces of Rural Scenes also. I don't come across these tureens often at all.

or the larger platter from this pattern...especially in purple.

Visit my shop through the link above to see what other treasures abound!

Etsy Documentary Filming In My Home ~ Day 3

2012-11-07T09:47:00.000-06:00

If you've been keeping up with me here then you know some of the wonderful things that have transpired over the last month or so. I had a little 'coming out' post and shared my true story about why and how I started my business HERE, then I told you all about the phone call with Beth Levison, an Emmy winning film producer HERE, and then followed up with filming in my house HERE, and now here.

I cannot tell you how relieved I was right after Tara and Shane returned to our house early the next morning and Tara told me that she got everything needed from the interview. That meant that I was off the hook for being on camera again. YES, I thought to myself, YES! I was so relaxed after that and enjoyed the whole process of what was happening even more so.

Tara and Shane began setting up right away to film and photograph in the dining room. Out came the dining chairs and table and in came the equipment and lighting for more dolly shots.

Next we moved the table back into the dining room so that Tara and Shane could set up for product shots, which is how I'm taking all of my photos for the shop now. My product pictures are looking SO much better now, thanks to some tips from these two pros!

We moved the table and some different chairs back into the dining room and I set up a quick, simple tablescape with some Clarice Cliff brown transferware turkey plates.

Tara did wind up putting a mike back on me and had me talk about some of the pieces around the house and in particular a couple of plates in the room that adjoins the dining room. I won't show it or say what it is now. I'll wait to see if it makes it onto the video and then share it at a later time. The day was mainly full of filming and photographing upstairs and ended once again after dinner time. I was a little sad to say goodbye to Tara and watch her drive away, but we have been chatting back and forth ever since she left. She is always sending me little tips and tidbits of information that I can use to help better my shop, and she loves transferware from the Aesthetic Movement. I was getting a good feel for things she liked before she even got here and so I pulled a Circa 1880's Sampson Hancock piece in the Palmyra pattern that I wanted to gift her.
She did love it and in fact without her knowing that I'd already taken one down for her she told me she wanted to buy two of them.
I gave her one and she bought one and some other pieces to!

I had 12 of these plates and now have 6 left (mine are listed at the1/2 the price of what they are at another website...just sayin'). You can find them by clicking the photo above.

Now, it was time to kind of relish in the events of the past two days. And straighten the house back up.

Shaking his head to and fro, Shawn jokingly said, "I don't know why the h e double hockey sticks we bothered cleaning the place up when they came in and trashed everything". =)
They didn't really trash anything. We just moved stuff around a lot!

And Shawn didn't really say h e double hockey sticks, that was me paraphrasing.

p/s Due to Hurricane Sandy and Etsy offices being closed all last week (they are in Brooklyn) the video release is now scheduled for sometime next week, rather than the 8th (which coincidentally would have been the same day as my 3 year Etsyversary!). I will keep you posted and let you know when it comes out!

Autumn Woodland Centerpiece

2012-11-04T13:48:00.004-06:00

I shared this tablescape in my last post and mentioned that I'd show you all how I put the centerpiece together.

It is made from a wreath of twigs as the base.

You can use one you already have, make one or layer it with various Fall grasses, berries, seed pods, pinecones, Pheasant feathers, etc. Mine is made of natural and faux items.

I simply laid the wreath on the table and got out a cake stand that was approximately the same height as the wreath when laying flat, about 6-7"

Place the stand in the center of the wreath

I love these fakorns (bought at Walmart a couple of years ago) and put about a 2" covering of them around the stand so that it would not show. You could use more pinecones, berries, etc. Walnuts still in the shell would be pretty too!

In the center I placed one of these bark shaped pillar candles,

which even look like a cut tree from the top (you can buy them at Zest Candles).

This makes a completely easy and gorgeous centerpiece.

Now, light the candle,

and sit down to a nicely set table,

And enjoy a delicious meal with friends or family...or both.

I'll be back in a couple of days with Day 3 of the Etsy documentary filming at my house.

Joining Marty @ A Stroll Thru Life
Kim @ Savvy Southern Style
Sherry @ No Minimalist Here

Rustic Thanksgiving Table w/ Clarice Cliff Autumn Foliage Turkey Plates

2012-11-01T22:30:00.000-05:00

This table actually began with the Etsy filming done here at my home. It started out more spartan because Tara Young wanted the turkey plates to really stand alone since, after all, the documentary is more about the transferware than table settings.

But...you all know me....I don't do 'minimalist' too well so after they left I went to changing up the table.

I added this, and added that, and added those....

I changed this table three different times after the filming ended so you'll probably see glimpses of them all!

Starring at the table are these highly collected turkey plates by Clarice Cliff of Royal Staffordshire. This pattern is commonly called Autumn Foliage for the beautiful border that frames the turkey.

Here's a funny story about these very plates. I bought six of these plates from a lady who bought them from a dealer for $295 EACH (yes $295 each) that I sold to the dealer for $150 each just five or six years ago. Now they are back in my hands and in my shop for $99 each. How funny is that? And, hopefully a good deal for somebody looking for them! These are one of the more popular of the turkey themed English wares.

For a more casual, rustic feel I swapped out the linen cloth

with its beautiful hand work,

for a big piece of burlap that offered a more rustic, relaxed feel.

I placed raffia instead of placemats under the plates for added texture and to further enhance the feel of casual.

I mingled hand carved antler handled knives right along with traditional flatware...love to mix and match!

Pressed glasses in one of my favorite colors, amber, along with vintage Candlewick glasses (I think that's what you all told me these are) with little bubble like feet stand next to one another. More mix and match = more texture = more interesting table top.

Brown transferware napkin rings...Tonquin pattern....with jacquard napkins.

I really like the centerpiece I created from a wreath of Autumn grasses, berries and foliage,

facorns (fake acorns), a cake stand and a bark pillar candle. I will do a post on this centerpiece tomorrow or the next day, and then will wrap up with the 3rd day of the Etsy filming.

A pair of pheasants flanks the centerpiece, further adding to the rustically refined look.

At one point I started missing color at the table and added plaid napkins under the wreath to create the illusion of a larger, wider centerpiece and under each of the plates to add a pop of color. I randomly placed some pears around the centerpiece as well.

I kept looking at the table, thinking something wasn't right. It was only after I'd taken pictures and put everything away that I realized what it was. Sometimes, I spot things in photos that I'd never have noticed in person. Here, it was that I had two napkins out! One was under the plates and the other to the sides of them. Oh well...around here, sometimes two napkins are a good thing...a necessary thing!

As much as I love color, I do think this table looked best without adding more of it.

Do you?

Which table setting do you like best?

Joining:

Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground

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Inspiration Friday at The Picket Fence

Fridays Unfolded at Stuff and Nonsense

Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps On The Porch

Poppy Sesame Vinaigrette Tossed with Greens, Cranberries, Chicken and More!

2012-10-28T19:19:00.001-05:00

This salad has quickly become a favorite around here.

It's now my go to salad when I am asked to bring a salad to any kind of get together. I serve it with pan roasted chicken as a meal in itself. It really is as good as it looks.

And, it looks even better served in Tonquin purple transferware salad bowls.

The vinaigrette is gorgeous by itself. After several experiments this is what I came up with that my entire family really likes. Look. After it settles, it separates and looks like this....pretty enough to give as a gift, don't you think? Just shake it well to blend before serving. The last batch of this I made, we used up over about a month and the flavor remained consistent. So, if you're wondering about shelf life...at least a month but I would think maybe longer since it contains vinegar. I do keep it refrigerated.

On a serious note, I've discovered that Trevor has a serious drinking problem....drinking dressing that is!

Nancy's Poppy Sesame Vinaigrette

4 Tblsp roasted Sesame seeds
2 Tblsp Poppy seeds
1/2 Cup Olive oil
1/2 Cup Vegetable oil
1/2 Cup White Wine Vinegar
1/2 Cup Cider Vinegar
1/2 Tsp Paprika
4 Tsp minced dried Onion
1 Tsp dried Orange Peel
3/4 Cup Sugar

Combine all ingredients in leak proof container or bottle and shake well to dissolve sugar. Shake well before serving.

Candied Nuts

1 1/2 Cups Walnut halves or pieces
1 1/2 Cups Pecan halves or pieces
1 1/2 Cups Almond Slivers
1 Tblsp (appx) honey
1 Tblsp (appx) butter
1 tsp dried orange peel

Melt butter and honey in sauce pan over medium heat. Add nuts. Toss to coat in honey butter mixture and cook, stirring often, for about 10 minutes or until they have browned a bit and become crunchy...so sample them along the way! If you are going to make chicken right away, leave a couple of tablespoons of nuts in the pan. Store in an airtight container or ziploc bag. They will be a tad sticky due to the honey.

When I make this salad I will often make the vinaigrette, chicken and nuts ahead and then we will have enough to make a couple of meals from it.

Pan Roasted Chicken Breasts

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks, pieces or strips ( I do this as they are cooking)

2-3 Tblsp candied nuts (recipe above)

1-2 Tblsp olive oil or butter (or a little of each)

Salt and Pepper to taste

After preparing the nuts, I leave a couple of tablespoons of them in the pan and smash them with the back of a wooden spoon. I add about a tablespoon of olive oil and/or butter to the pan and cook about 3 chicken breasts in the pan until golden brown. The nuts give the chicken the best flavor, but you can easily use leftover chicken whether it is grilled or roasted if you prefer.

Salad

Mixed Greens of your choice (I use Romaine, Iceberg, Spinach with a little shredded carrots and red cabbage)
Pan roasted chicken breast
Apple slices, thin - I am loving New Zealand, Jazz and Honey Crisp apples right now...perfect combo of sweet, tangy and crisp. I hate gritty apples!
Blue Cheese Crumbles
Bacon Crumbles
Candied Nuts
Dried Cranberries

Joining:
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Foodie Friday

Etsy Documentary Filming In My Home ~ Day 2

2012-10-24T19:02:00.000-05:00

It is 3:30 a.m. and I am experiencing one of those compelling urges to write. I should be back in bed trying to sleep because Etsy is sending Shane Brown out sometime tomorrow...or I suppose I mean today....to take my picture with a piece of transferware to distribute to some of the other publications they plan to pitch my story to! =) I have been meaning to tell you all more about the experience of filming in my home for the Etsy documentary short and I apologize for not doing so already. I seldom 'take off' work so last week, with all of the excitement going on, I got way behind and am still trying to get caught back up. Shawn has spent more than an entire day helping me pack orders and take inventory of a large transferware shipment that just came in.

But enough of that, I'm ready to tell you all how the filming went down and I've got lots of pictures to share, so as far as the photos go, this might be a long post....maybe word wise to...we'll just see how it progresses.

Tara and Shane Brown, a local photgrapher/cinematographer were here as scheduled, at 8:00 a.m. I told you all some about Tara HERE. She is also one of the few in her line of work that does it all from shooting the film to editing the piece for final production. Pretty impressive! Shane Brown, Tara's local assistant, is an award winning photographer who shot the portfolio for “The Brothers of Clear Creek” which won a Wilbur award. He has worked on several major films and he is also the photographer I mentioned that would be coming by to take my 'portrait', as they refer to it as. Click Shane's name above and you'll be redirected to his site where you can see some of his stunning photography.

So, here is Tara going straight to work, getting out some of her gear.

Tara and Shane discussing the set up.

Here I am, with Tara, being miked for the interview....just like you see in movies or on tv... they clipped on a microphone, run the wire down my blouse and clip the battery pack to the back of my pants.

Tara pulled out one of the big, red checked chairs out of the way and pulled forward a small, wooden one for me to sit in. I
was becoming really nervous at this point, anticipating the interview. Honestly, I was not at all looking forward to having a camera shoved in my face and I was even less looking forward to having to talk to it. I am really shy and my comfort zone is not being the center of attention. Incognito is more attuned to my forte'. But...I can suck it up if need be and there is no way I would ever turn down such an amazing opportunity...so here I sit...beginning to sweat...and no big lights on me...yet.

As my stomach is turning and churning and I'm ready to get this over with, Tara decided this isn't the spot she wants to shoot the interview in. She decides to move the interview into the den.
So we all do a little rearranging of this room and then they tell me to have a seat on the chair in the corner, which we brought from the living room. Now, out came the big umbrella and the very bright, hot, making me sweat even more than I already was, light.
(If you look closely, you can scarcely make me out behind the fireball, um I mean light)

Tara begins the interview and then says she doesn't like the lighting. She adjusts the curtains in the background and ultimately makes the decision to shoot the interview without the light at all.

Although I was becoming more nervous about being interviewed with every lingering second, I probably thanked God out loud when Tara opted not to use the light. I was so glad to be out from under the heat of that light. I had been thinking I'm going to be sopping wet, wiping sweat off my brow and looking as if I came in from a monsoon before she even asks a single question! As soon as they turned off the light, it felt like the temperature dropped by 15 degrees. Oh, I welcomed that! Btw, for you all who want every little detail...the interview will be only my voice speaking, so you aren't going to hear what she asks...just my answers.
Shane put up some sort of reflector and Tara sat down in the chair across from me.

Finally, the interview began. What I looked most forward to about the interview was actually getting it over with. As I've made pretty clear, I don't like being the center of attention. I felt like I fumbled words and/or lost track of what I was saying several times. Shawn was listening in the next room and later said that I sounded somewhat monotone to start out but that he could tell I warmed up after a few minutes and eventually sounded like myself. Shane and Tara both assured me that I did fine and then told me that it is rare to get someone on film that's not nervous to begin with. They even told us a couple of stories about some of the subjects they've filmed that could not seem to get anything out. Shane said after 2 hours with one guy, they asked him if he could just complete even one sentence. So, I felt better after that, you know...like...compared to some others I wasn't so bad and at least they've had worse to deal with! I admit it. It felt awesome to hear how really terrible someone else did. I'm sorry. I guess I'll find out just how good or bad I was when they release the video, which btw, will be November 8th. It will be titled, "There's No Place Like Here : English Transferware".

What seemed like a very, very long time, was only minutes, and the interview was finally over. Or so I thought. Tara said that she'd review the film when she got back to her hotel that night and that she might want to re-do some of it the next day. She'd just have to see if it was good enough. Oh joy. I can't tell you how stressed I was thinking that I might have to do this again. That thought remained at the forefront of my mind until the next day. Oh, and I'm thinking to myself, "Am I supposed to wear the same clothes or what? The ones I just sweated profusely in? Gross". I cried a little after they left that night.

So, next Tara wants to shoot me going into the garage and then of me opening the garage door from inside...so here you can see her and Shane out in the street in front of our house. I'm in the garage pulling it open but it's too dark to see anything yet.

Next, I'm shown walking in to the garage with Tara following behind.

Tara asks me questions about some of the random pieces I pick up along the way. I think she will probably use a little of this in the video.

Next we went back inside where Tara and Shane began setting up for what they call Dolly shots. (The link gives a great explanation of what a dolly shot is)

I had rearranged my sheep painting vignette (again) with all Spode Byron. Byron is one of the patterns Tara specifically asked me to create a wall-scape with and one which she wanted me to talk about. I completely went into OCD mode when I did this. One morning Trev and Ash left for school and I was standing in front of the demilune table hanging the Byron up over it and planning out the arrangement. Guess where I was still standing when they got home? Yes---truly, madly, deeply--- my OCD came into full bloom. When Trevor opened the door that afternoon we glanced at each other, him knowing without my saying, exactly where I'd been all day long and he exclaimed to me, "Oh my gosh!!!Mom!!!You are in OCD overdrive!!!". It is what it is. I've come to like, even appreciate, this quirky thing about myself.

Arranging things, creating vignettes and putting together wallscapes almost always comes so naturally to me, but not this day. By bedtime, I had resolved to like what I'd come up with. I also decided I would like a green kitchen.

Ok, so before you all start saying I've got ADD in addition to OCD I'm getting right back to the subject of the filming. I loved watching Tara and Shane at work. I love the look of contemplation on Tara's face in this photo below...deciding which way(s) she wanted to do this shot. I would never have believed it had I not seen it but most of these shots took well over an hour or more of filming (read the dolly shot link above), lighting, lowering and raising the dolly, etc.

I enjoyed seeing how they use reflectors and such to alter the lighting.

Meanwhile, Shawn aka Red Foreman was getting bored, grumpish (but too polite to let it show) and vewy, vewy, sweeepy.

Next Tara and Shane set up in the breakfast room. The table and chairs were all moved out and they shot my hutch of red transferware. There was lots of furniture rearranging going on just to make room for them to get the footage they wanted. Little things that, from my standpoint, I would not have thought about beforehand.

Tara took some macro shots on several pieces of transferware and got some amazing images of detail.

By now, it was past dinner time so we decided to leave off until tomorrow morning...same time, same place. Tara and Shane packed up some of their gear and headed out.
And that, my friends, was the sum of day 2.

I will be posting about Day 3 sometime in the next few days but am first going to get a tablescape in tomorrow or Friday.
And, one last thing...I have received way more emails and messages about my post regarding the truth about my selling transferware than I ever fathomed. Honestly, I kinda thought a bunch of people would bail but it has been quite the contrary and I have not been able to keep up with the messages. I just want every person that sent me a heartfelt note to know that I have read every single one, most of them more than once, some of them over and over, and all of them to Shawn. I can hardly even write this without tearing up because I am so moved by YOUR words. I have replied to some of you and mean to respond to all of you as I am able to, but I must again sincerely thank you for taking any time at all to read what I write. I am really struggling with wrapping my brain around the notion that someone out there... whom I have never met...actually likes reading my blog.

Joining:

Country French Cottage
Funky Junk Interiors
Romantic Home
Common Ground
Savvy Southern Style
No Minimalist Here
House of Hepworths
Mod Vintage Life
Between Naps On The Porch

Etsy Documentary Day 1 - Tara Young Arrives

2012-10-19T19:17:00.000-05:00

Oh my, the past few days have been so fun, exciting, nerve-wracking and flat out exhausting. Who knew that having someone come into your home to interview you, film and photograph could be so draining? I surely didn't, and yet I think I'm still floating around cloud 9 somewhere.

Last time I posted, I was waiting for Tara Young to arrive at my house. Tara is the Senior Video Producer at Etsy and has also edited and directed other arts-related programming for The Criterion Collection, Vice's VBS, and the Sundance Channel, where she worked with Beth Levison.

When Tara arrived at the house we gave her a tour through each room and the garage where I store almost all of my transferware that's for sale. We chatted a little about possible shots and places she'd like to film inside as well as some of what she'd like to cover and for me to talk about.

Shawn and I took Tara around Tulsa and showed her a few of the local hangouts and landmarks and then went on to lunch. I snapped a couple of pictures of Tara taking photos of possible things she may start the video with...though I'm pretty certain that none of these particular spots I'm showing here will be what she ultimately opens with.

This little blue domed building was a gas station in the 1920's and is what this area is named after. It's called the Blue Dome District and has slowly been rejuvenated over recent years to become a hot bed of Tulsa nightlife, fun eateries and eclectic shops. We took Tara to lunch at one of the well loved pubs in the area called McNellies. The tallest building to the left with the greenish roof is called The Mid Continent Tower. It is acclaimed as one of the nations most distinguished office buildings...it's also where Shawn headquartered his company, Capstone, during the 1990's. His business took up most of the 21st floor. I know a lot of you all love architecture so a) it is worth just stepping into the lobby of this building if ever you're in Tulsa, or b) click the link above and you can see some of the beautiful interior.

These are the famous Praying Hands which are housed at the entry to the Oral Roberts University campus. Tara really got a kick out of these!

We then took her to what I think is sort of the icon of Tulsa and that is the Driller statue. I believe it is the largest free standing statue in the world... I know it was at one time anyway. I didn't get a shot of it but if you live here you absolutely know it and if not I have a feeling it will be in the video, so you'll know it then. We also took Tara to a local Western Wear place...that there New York girl wanted herself a pair of cowgirl boots! (so do I actually but just to wear with certain dresses!) Then it was off to a place most all of us decorator and DIY types are way too familiar with...Hobby Lobby. Tara chuckled at the name.

By then, it was late so we did a quick go-over about what would happen the next day and then said our good nights. We would meet Tara and a local photographer/cinematographer at our house at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday to begin filming.

Joining: Country French Cottage
Funky Junk Interiors
Romantic Home

Waiting on Tara Young & Blue Turkey Transferware

2012-10-15T10:58:00.002-05:00

It is Monday morning and I am anxiously waiting on Tara Young, Etsy's in house producer to arrive at my house. I've pulled out some transfer ware she requested to see and/or feature in the documentary and thought I'd show you these blue turkey plates I just recently acquired.

I've got a full set of 12 plus the ginormous matching platter. I think this is the first time I've had so many turkey plates in one pattern.

You don't often see blue at Thanksgiving. I'm looking forward to creating a tablescape with these, using orange and browns as accents. Orange and blue are complementary colors.

The plates are in my shop now, but won't be available for shipping until after the 18th when Etsy's done filming.

I hope to post something tonight and let you all know what's happening. Wish me luck!