60th Birthday Party

Two years ago, I gave a birthday party for my mother. Her actual birthday was on December 23rd, but with the chaos of moving into a new house, hosting Thanksgiving two weeks later, flying off to Texas for Christmas with the in-laws, we opted to have the party at the end of January. Given my predilection for white flowers post-Christmas, I stuck with white hydrangeas, white calla lilies, slightly green chrysanthemums, white roses, eucalyptus leaves and berries, and from my garden jasmine and ivy vines. I wanted this arrangement to be wild and slightly over the top. So, I peeled off bark from a large log and put it inside the glass vase to create the illusion of a "log vase." Unfortunately, I should have put a few drops of bleach in the water or rinsed off the bark, as it turned the water a dirty color. (Live and learn.) I then used a grid of floral tape across the opening of the vase, put int branches as an anchor, and worked my way up. The hydrangea went in first. Then, I used floral wire to anchor several long stemmed flowers to the branches to create height, and finally I filled in the middle region of the arrangement with flowers. Unfortunately, the arrangement was a bit difficult to photograph, and I used a flash in one of the photographs. I also should have purchased the day lilies a few days ahead to give them a chance to open.

Texas Christmas Past

I found a couple of photos from two years ago when we last spent Christmas in Texas. Here is a pair of bouquets I did for the dining room mantel, and another tall arrangement I did for the living room. Both have white lilies, two types of red carnations, and from my husband's family ranch in the hill country- Texas cedar branches. Over the mantel is a plein air painting of a classic Texan landscape of rolling hills, prickly pears and oak trees.

To heighten the living room arrangement, I used floral wire to attach a few long stems to the upper parts of the branches. For vase arrangements, I use a grid of floral tape across the top of the vase to act as a "frog." I put the branches and greenery in first, and finally the flowers. Unfortunately, when I took the photos, I used the flash and an unsteady hand.

Christmas Brunch and Dinner

I especially enjoy going to my mother-in-law's house in Texas because she and my father-in-law spent years antiquing and collecting wonderful things. It is quite fun to "play" with their dishes, vases, sterling pieces and plates. My mother-in-law serves a simple Christmas brunch on these wonderful blue and silver art deco plates with matching cups & saucers and sugar & creamer. The flatware is called "Six Fleurs"and was first produced by Reed & Barton 1901. It's an extremely ornate pattern with flowers literally popping out of the handles. At dinner, she used jewel-toned napkins and place mats- green, purple, navy & maroon. I don't know the name of the dinner plate pattern but they are a lovely rusty red with hand gilted edges. The candleabras are Mexican sterling, and I believe in a commonly produced pattern called "Desert Rose." The house was full of flowers from my sister-in-law's wedding five days before, so I just did a simple pair of arrangements on the dining room mantel of tulips and greenery from outside.

A Texas Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas in Texas with my in-laws. All of my husband's siblings live within walking distance of my mother-in-law's house. So, Christmas is a lively affair. The family house was built in the early 1900's and has stately rooms, perfect for holiday celebrations. On the front door was a spineless, prickly pear wreath. (Very Texas appropriate.) The staircase was decorated with long bows of magnolia leaves and red wired ribbon. In the stone walled, and slate floored den was a 12 foot tall Christmas tree covered in large, multi-colored lights. (Notice the wrought iron agave chandelier and agave sconce to the right of the tree. The fireplace screen and fireplace tools also have the agave motif, though I some how managed not to photograph them.)

Winter Brunch

My sister-in-law was married just before Christmas. A group of female family members threw her a brunch the morning of her wedding. Here is a centerpiece I did for the table. I was very excited to finally be able to do a nice tall arrangement, since no one was going to be sitting at the dining room table. I used a footed punch bowl filled with cranberries to conceal the oasises. The arrangement is a mix of white roses, white lilies, white tulips and several types of eucalyptus.


We served punch in a wonderful Heisey glass punch bowl with matching cups. In the center of the punch is a giant frozen ice cube with cranberries in the shape of a heart.

Thanksgiving

Goodness this month has flown by, and I've been neglecting my blog! Plaid Pomegranate is cooking Thanksgiving for family and friends this year. We found some tasty recipes in the November issue of Bon Appetit. On the menu is Crab & White Bean Brandade (essentially a spread) and toasted baguette slices with California sparkling wine while we are waiting for the turkey. The main meal sides: Shaved Brussel Sprouts with Currants and Roasted Chestnuts, Cranberry Sauce with Candied Grapefruit Rind and Mint, Glazed Pearl Onions with Bay Leaves and Port Reduction, Mashed Potatoes with a Healthy Amount of Butter & Cream, and Texas Corn Bread Stuffing. We are drinking Malbac with the turkey. We will finish with a Pumpkin and a Pecan pie.

I just did the flower arrangement for the table. I used a matte brown flower pot I bought at The Gardener, in Berkeley. (A wonderful store.) I bought two different types of chrysanthemums from the grocery store. And from my yard, I braved the rain, and clipped some hydrangea leaves, some red leaved branches, and rounded the entire piece with a vine. And, voila! I snapped a few (dark, I'm sorry), photographs. We will be using Wedgwood "Nantucket" plates. (I love this set. Perhaps, one Christmas I'll get the tureen that looks like a Nantucket basket.)


This year's table will be clean, modern and casual. (Though Plaid can never be too casual.) We will use my wedding silver, Lunt "Modern Classic," steel grey linen napkins, a dark brown linen tablecloth, horn napkin rings, horn salt & pepper shakers, and white ironstone serving pieces. I bought the boar's head tureen a few years ago, I couldn't resist. He will be making an appearance, as well. Happy cooking!

Depictions of Chinatown

As the daughter of an artist, I cannot imagine blank walls. Art needn't be expensive, mind you. It's also helpful to have artistic friends or relatives with extensive collections- and limited wall space. My father-in-law gave me this wonderful 1920's oil painting of San Francisco Chinatown for Christmas a few years ago . I am a fan of all things Chinoiserie and wish I could go back in time to Shanghai in the '20's. I'd have a blast buying up furniture and silver.... alas!

This spot in Chinatown was depicted quite frequently between 1920 and the early 1950's. Artists must have lined the street with their easels. I started to look for other Chinatown pieces. I found the more abstract oil painting in an antique store. Given the style I suspect it was done in the 1950's. I found the etching with the heavy wood frame on ebay. And a family friend heard of my quest, and recalled he had an extra copy of a print his father-in-law had received as a member of a Pasadena artist society. I had it matted in red and framed in gilt bamboo. I found a wonderful oil painting done in the '20's at an antique store in Petaluma, but unfortunately it was in the hands of another avid collector.

Not to worry, I'm also scoping out souvenir items from the San Francisco World's Fair. So much to collect.... so little time.

"Mad" about silver rimmed barware

We were catching up on the first season of Mad Men, when much to my surprise, Don Draper was drinking his typical afternoon, in-office cocktail out of a very familiar glass. My father-in-law gave us a set of six silver rimmed low balls, and later a set of silver rimmed cordials. I found a punch bowl with 16 more silver rimmed low balls on Ebay a few years later. They are fantastic for parties. Thanks Mr. Draper for inspiring me to bring them out of the cupboard!

Knotty Pine Room

We have a very small room just off our entrance hall we needed to turn into a guest bedroom. It has an awkward three doors and two windows. The room was too small for a double bed (without keeping one of the doors closed), yet we needed to accommodate two guests at a time. We decided to put in a trundle bed. The night stand is a set of nesting tables. We have a wonderful needlepoint luggage rack we topped with a wicker tray and use as a coffee table. The side Victorian chairs and Moroccan side table can easily be moved into the living room to make room for the second bed.

The knotty pine was a bit intense for us, though very appropriate for our 40's era neo-Colonial house. We painted one wall a warm cream, and the trim around the room dark brown. We opted to leave the existing blinds white. The room has a very fresh, yet classic look now. I used a navy quilt stitched coverlet, and a pair of monogrammed linen pillows I ordered from a boutique in Savannah. I had the chairs reupholstered in blue & white chintz. The side table we lugged back to the US (in pieces) from our honeymoon in Morocco. We hung the pictures in a staggered formation similar to a room I saw in Domino Magazine. It's a great space to lounge in and enjoy a cup of tea or a good book!

Fall Table in the Country

We just came back from a very relaxing weekend in the country. I took some photos of my mother's dining room table. The dishes are "Adonde" from Design Within Reach, the flatware is a discontinued Dansk pattern called "Jette" my mother collects. The linen tablecloth is from an open air market in Provence. The napkins are Belgian linen. The horn napkin rings and salt & pepper shakers, were a Christmas gift two years ago. The "antler" candlesticks were also a Christmas gift, and purchased from Aero in NYC. My mother did the arrangement on the sideboard using sticks and dried plants from outside.

Autumn Decor

I really love finding small seasonal objects to place around the house through out the year. Since California doesn't really have four distinct seasons, I try to create distinct seasons inside. I bought this wonderful pumpkin terrine from Sur la Table about 10 years ago. The verisimilitude is fabulous, and it's my favorite piece to put on to my dining room table.

I've also collected a number of brass birds, leaves and candlesticks that I like place on mantles and tables. Ebay is an inexpensive source for all of these items.

My in-laws gave me this wonderful 1920's era Satsuma tea set a number of years ago. It has Japanese Maple motif on one side. I've seen this set, and other antique Satsuma patterns on Ebay as well. We frequently (and carefully) use the entire set for weekend brunch. Fortunately, I find my Tiffany "Bamboo" flatware is always in season!

October Flower Arrangements

When I think of October, obviously Halloween comes to mind. I think of ornate Victorian interiors and Gothic cathedrals with gargoyles of mythical beasts. Inspired by jewel tones- amethyst and ruby, as well as deep maroon, favored by the Victorians, I created these arrangements. I used statis, dahlias, and this weird velvety "brain" looking plant. I made one large center piece, and placed the remaining flowers on hand in a pair of mint julep cups. I used black candles in my silver candlesticks to finish off the table. (Black candles also look stunning in crystal candlesticks as well.) The tablecloth is red damask, but I might be tempted next time to cover the table in deep purple or maroon crushed velvet!

Japanese Maple

This was taken at the Japanese Garden in Golden Gate Park.

This arrangement has chrysanthemums and kangaroo's paws as well as passion flower vines I found outside.

If you click on the photos, you can see the arrangements in greater detail!

Another Fall Arrangement

I did this flower arrangement for Thanksgiving at my in-laws a few years ago. I used a couple of oasis purchased from a flower store and a long fish ironstone platter. I bought various colors and types of mums as well as some leggy buds (I don't know what type of plant), and harvested a vine I found outside.

Fall Floral Arrangement