About last night....it is all in the details.

ood Morning All.  I had just a wonderful time last night being in the presence of the wonderfully talented Eddie Ross and Jaithan Kocher.  Since they are in Charlotte for the Metrolina Antique Fair, they stopped by the talented Mrs. Howard and Max and Co. and set a Holiday Table.  And you know how I am a sucker for a well thought out table.... It was just beautiful.  Eddie shared a few of his tips and tricks for a beautiful table setting.

It really is all in the details (and they don't have to be expensive!)

Taking cues from the amazing setting of the space, they used corals and pinks to accent the green in the room.  A tip from Eddie.... don't try to force a color in a room...make it compliment the decor.  (red and green would have looked not so great!)


Of course, they had beautiful vintage and antique tableware.  The plates were vintage brown transferware set atop a new charger.  They mixed and matched the flatware.  If Cartier can mix metals in fashion, why can't we mix them on a table (really a good tip, don't try to buy things in full sets, you can ALWAYS mix and match OR borrow from friends!) Eddie borrowed the beautifully monogrammed napkins from Mrs. Howard...

The flowers were just beautiful...green hydrangeas, coral and white roses.  All things you can find at a grocery store (well sometimes).  And the supporting flowers (flanking each side of tht were arranged in little  painted white pumpkins that Phoebe found for 50 cents!  (I love that she loves a great deal too!

The place cards were ingenious, and just takes  looking at things in a different way.  These little turkey's cards are vintage postcards that E&J had photocopied.  Then they just added the names.  This says thanksgiving with out screaming it!  The details....

The Candles were from Creative candles, of course!  Eddie had a great tip.  Add color with candles, white is boring! It is a way to go up with your eyes.  I wish I had a better photo of the candlelit room, but i am sure you can use your imagination....the mood was set.


Using Salt Cellars and pepper shakers on a little plate  or bowl, makes it easy to pass around the table.  (and make sure you take them OFF before dessert, or Eddie might just have to slap your hand!)

The Table runners (3 going across the table creates placemats) are simply linen from Hancock Fabrics with the raw edges turned under and ironed.  (this is a trick I have used for many a dinner or luncheon...it really is simple...who doesn't have an iron!)

The napkin holders are simply a little bit of wooden twine with acorns (that have been glittered) attached with a few leaves from good ol nature (free of course!)



I loved the little turkey on the table...Eddie says he now has 13, and he uses them at individual place setting for the soup course.  This MAKES the table feel like a Thanksgiving table.  Another, little detail.


I wish I my name was on one of those place cards, and I could have sat down and chatted with all of them at this gorgeous table....can you imagine the food that would be served!.

Of course I got all googly and tongue tied when I met them. I felt like all that was coming out of my mouth sounded like "gobble, gobble, gobble:)" But they couldn't have been more gracious and welcoming.

Can't wait for tomorrow's shopping trip.

From dingy to beautiful....linens! AND a giveaway!

box of linens, a little bit dingy and smelly.

I have a soft place in my heart for pretty linens.  We still use "real" linens every night (at least when I cook dinner).  There is something about "napkins on your lap" that brings me back to childhood.  That was one of the things beaten (NOT literally) into our brains as children.  My parents even made it a game, last one with napkins on your lap, got a "ohhhhhhh, you loose" from the whole table. (a family of 6 can make the last one with their napkin on their lap feel pretty bad.  We actually still do it when we are all together....my kids think it is so funny, but hopefully they are learning too.

Anyway, I digress.  

This time of year is when I really start thinking about linens, because linens are a huge part of a beautiful table.  I have a special tablecloth that my great grandmother hand embroidered that we use every year at Thanksgiving.  There is something about the time and effort that went into it that just amazes me.  Back in the day, that was how women socialized, with a needle and thread in hand...keeping their hands busy (we blog, they hemstitched)  My grandmother, who grew up on a farm, told me about how she hemstitched a set of napkins for the State Fair when she was little like 11 years old, and still remembers the painstaking work...but the pride in the memory is evident when she relives it.  

A few months ago I scored a huge LOT of linens at an auction ($7)...actually I didn't know I had scored, I wanted the dish on the top of the box, but when I delved further down there were TONS of hand stitched linens.  YAY!  Beautiful hemstitching, embroidery, cross stitch, irish lace.  My husband took one look and said "what are you gonna do with all those?"  I said "clean them of course."  Not really knowing how to do it (I am really not a launderer, I have been known to pink white pants.)   Anyway, I found out there are some great products, so I tracked it down and got to work.  This was a day long process (I could have done 5 loads of real laundry, but hey, another time!)

this stuff is AMAZING.

1) Fill a bucket with water and read the directions on the back.
2) I soaked for 20 minutes, rinsed and then soaked for 4 hours. (it is weird the oxidation makes the linens kind of grow in the bucket.)
3) I rinsed all of them in the sink.
4) Hung them out to dry (I wish I had a picture of this, it was hysterical)  Linens hanging EVERYWHERE!
5) Iron and fold new WHITE clean linens.
6) Set a beautiful table

sorted on the table before Ironing...some work ahead of me.

 beautiful!

In the end I had beautiful white crisp ironed linens.  A dream.  And I actually kind of enjoyed it, I felt a little more connected to my grandmother.

In the spirit of linens and November being a table setting month,  I am giving away 4 hand cross stitched fall napkins.  Just leave a comment and I will draw the winner on Sunday.

Would be great for dining in the fall.

 Have a wonderful day, 3 more days till E&J!