Masquerade Ball on May 7th

We are getting ready for the Masquerade Ball, A Havenly Night, for the Haven fundraiser. Yesterday I created the 2nd of the two mannequins that will be used at the check-in table. Instead of decoupaging paper on the mannequin form, this time I used old scraps of lace curtains and Mod Podge to cover the form. Julie and I had found this wonderful old prom dress while out antiquing a couple of weekends ago. I love the little tulle pleated detail on the sweetheart neckline and the rhinestone trim. And as far as I am concerned, this dress the the PERFECT shade of pink. Now I just have to make her a mask as enchanting as her dress. After the ball is over, both of these mannequins will come back to Romancing the Home and be perfect to display our special occasion jewelry. See our post on March 14th for other masquerade ball decor!

Crystal Decanter Holder Gets a New Purpose

Finding an old silver decanter holder without it's original crystal bottles can be disappointing. But when the holder's details are beautiful, you just have to find another way to use it, because the chances of finding 3 crystal decanters that fit are pretty slim! I found this one at a local flea market and I love using it on my kitchen table. The table in my kitchen is located inside a built- in banquette and evokes the feeling of restaurant dining. So for the center of the table, I placed the old decanter holder on a mirror plateau. Inside the openings, a vase of roses, a candle and and a bottle of wine were placed. The orange roses add color to the neutral palette, and I love the glow of the candle reflecting on the mirror plateau. We have sold quite a few of these old decanter holders at the store, and I wonder how other people are using them. Join us at http://www.frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com for more ideas to Feather Your Nest!

Jungle Fever

For a local fundraiser, we created a playful tablescape using a leopard stenciled cow rug as the tablecloth. Arte Italica dinnerware was the perfect choice with it's pewter rims and organic vibe.Ralph Lauren herringbone crystal wine glasses added sparkle to the table. Miniature bananas were used around the neck of the monkey to evoke a little humor. An overscale tropical floral arrangement, using birds of paradise, calla lilies and roses, added even more drama to the beautiful dining room. Dark glossy chocolate walls, the gorgeous antique mirror and a gilded ceiling reflected the candlelight beautifully. We are joining www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com for Tablescape Thursday. Be sure you visit for other great tablescape ideas.

New Vendor Arrives at Romancing the Home

One of the greatest thrills of going to market is finding a wonderful new resource. This past January, Jill and I stumbled upon a great new vendor and purchased many great accessories from them. The only problem was that the merchandise would not be available for several months and we were both anxious to get it . Well it has finally arrived and is getting a great response from our customers. As a matter of fact, I can't even show you their great candlesticks, as they sold on the first day before I could take a picture of them! The little stag accent table is my personal favorite, and I love it with the old parchment books on it ( the books are from another new vendor from the January market). We are showing it next to a transitional styled chair from our upholstery resource, upholstered in a natural linen fabric from Kravet. The wooden horse is a wonderful accent for a bookcase, coffee table or dining room table. Carved wooden base lamps with linen shades are beautiful additions to a European inspired room. The carved urn is made from reclaimed wood.

Also, just arriving this week, these beautiful velvet pillows with beads and gold details. They are from another new vendor from the January market. All of these distressed pieces look best when used with contrasting elements, such as crystal, gilded accents, mirror and velvet pillows . Look for more to come from these new vendors .

Spring Starflowers Remind us it's Spring!

The first springtime flowers that grow in our yard are the millions of blue wild starflowers. Since they are a bulb and a member of the lily family, they propagate wildly every year in all of our borders. Miniature in size, small votives are the perfect size for a vase of these petite flowers. The first warm day of the season was yesterday, so it was the perfect time to gather some of our gardening accessories and start to create the stage where pots of flowering plants will soon be displayed. But for now, these little starflowers added the touch of color needed for the rusty old elements. Taking some of the starflowers inside, I looked for the perfect vase. A hollowed out egg, spray painted gold, and placed in an antique silver egg cup was absolutely perfect.

Spring Table inspired by the Artichoke

A tablecloth printed in an artichoke motif was the inspiration for this springtime table. Artichoke candles mimicked the design, while the reproduction Majolica serving dish added the touch of spring, with it's cute chicks and eggs on top. Antique gold rimmed serving plates were topped with the monogrammed salad plates found at a resale shop. Waterford crystal and vintage purple water glasses were used together on this springtime table to add another touch of purple. A nosegay of hosta leaves, purple iris, alliums and black calla lilies were used in the bouquet. And the quintessential icon of spring - the egg- was placed at each setting in a vintage silver egg cup. We are joining http://www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/ for Tablescape Thursday - be sure to visit !

Antiquing Trip to Morris, Illinois

Last Wednesday, my friend Jill and I drove to Morris, Illinois to check out the town.While it was still a nippy 40 something degrees, the sun was bright and we were just excited to get out in the countryside. Our Tennessee friend, Marlene, had told us about Morris and said it was worth the drive. Once getting past the strip centers on the main road in, we arrived at a quaint little Midwestern town. Two stores were definitely worth the drive, Whimsey and Ruby Begonia's. Since Whimsey had a decidedly more garden feel, we both purchased nests, eggs and these beautiful ribbon pins that the owner makes and sells in her Etsy shop. Ruby Begonia's had adorable clothing - very uptown style and with it! After having lunch in the local diner, we headed north home on the back roads. Finding a great little garden shop, we both purchased varieties of pussy willow, including a French pussy willow, that we had never seen. It has a smaller bud that is a pretty blue grey color. Beautiful varieties of pansies were available, and will look great in the Little Red Riding hood planter found at an antique mall along the way. Hats off to the two great stores we found - I understand that they have started a monthly market in their town- "Three French Hens", selling antiques, hand made items and food. We will definitely check that out this summer. Coming home with our finds of the day, I decided that while the little Red Riding Hood planter will probably go to the store, Whimsey's ribbon pins will stay on a muslin and scrim pillow on my guest bed. And those French pussy willows???? Definitely a home on the piano in my living room!