Doily chargers or placemats

I am so often asked if my 12 inch doilies would work for a place mat or charger for wedding tables. And they do! Such a pretty, lacy edge around a 10 inch plate. They would be great as a whimsical addition to a Summer party, graduation party, or Mother's day tea!


So, I thought I would set up a simple table settings with new china and my Grandmother's antique china for comparison. All of these pieces are standard size- plates are 10 inches. The silverware is antique, so not the large restaurant size flatware.

Please click HERE to order you gold doilies!

Standard 10 inch plate with a salad plate on top

Standard 10 inch plate on 12 inch doily, such a pretty edge!

Grandmother china on 12 inch doily- place setting with soup bowl

Grandmother's china on 12 inch doily- simple place setting

handmade holiday gift wrapping with paper doilies

I love coming up with new ways to use doilies as gift wrap! Today's project is a silver bow that is "lined" with the doily. The double sided cones  gives the bow extra sparkle and is super easy to make! Here's how.

This project uses kraft paper as a base wrap and two sizes of silver doilies to make the bow. Easy wrapping at it's best!

You will need:
kraft wrapping paper
4 inch silver or gold doilies
5 inch silver or gold doilies
tape and/or hot glue (low temp glue for safety)

Wrap you package in kraft paper and collect four silver 4-inch doilies and  four silver 5-inch doilies.

Fold the doily in half making sure to match the pattern for the neatest look.

Then, make a cone with one side of the folded doily and tape it place (tape the folded edge from the inside of the cone).

Next, make a cone with the other half of the folded doily by folding it in the opposite direction and taping. Continue making the cones with the rest of the doilies.

Place the four largest cone pairs in a cross on your package (you can tape or hot glue these in place).

Then place the four smaller ones together, again tape or hot glue, and add them to the center of the cross.

Pretty and pretty easy! This project also works great with 5 and 6 inch doilies or, for really big packages, 6 and 8 inch doilies!

pickin' and grinnin'- this week's awesome finds include longwy and blenko!

Tomorrow's weather is supposed to be rough, so I will not be headed out to any sales to find more awesome finds... not that I left anything on the table. My faves this week include...

Lovely French faience, or majolica, pitcher pretty shades of green with that characteristic slightly runny look.
This piece will be headed to Hanna Antiques on Monday.  

Fantastic little Longwy dish from the 1920's. I love this scarab-type pattern! 

I cannot resist some Blenko owls! This rich amber color looks great with old books.

Set of 7 Laurel Burch plates- I love the colors and patterns, even though I am not much for cats.

New Markdowns in my Etsy vintage shop- Big Sale!

I've just marked some fab finds down in my shop! Please click on the light grey links below each item to take your new favorite Etsy Find!

Southern Comfort double old fashion glasses, set of 6

Southern Comfort promotional glasses from the 70's in the cooler size, set of 10

Green hobnail vases with a milky top, very handsome!

Silver plate trinket box, who's lost almost all the silver, but gained in great good looks!

Marble and jasper eggs, pretty colors

Large glass pineapple box, perfect for the holiday candy jar

New in the shop- porch and parlor on Etsy

I have been super busy this month so far- from the BIG sale at Hanna Antiques, doing good shopping, and taking new clients! However, I am taking a breather between packing items for shipping to post some new items in the shop both local and online at porchandparlor.etsy.com

Brass pineapple candle holder or box... or ice bucket

Czechoslovakian handmade art glass  glass bowls

Hyalyn vase. Mid Century Modern

Locally, I have sold a number of items at Hanna's the biggest was a lovely gold settee. I replaced it with this country French Provencal desk.

These images are from the sale where I purchased the desk and not my own images... or my styling.

Enamel on silver plate- Reed and Barton serving ware

I have found my second Reed and Barton enameled silver plate serving piece. I love the Mid Century Modern style from the 1960's! It just glows.

Cobalt Enamel bowl Reed and Barton Special PD24 on Etsy

The piece below sold about a month ago... but was a handsome devil!

These pieces are lovely with the glowing enamel over the silver plate and were only made during the 1960's. I have never seen a bowl like the top image with the band of silver around the rim of the bowl, usually the enamel comes right to the edge without a lip to the piece. Perhaps that is why it is marked "special" on the bottom!

If you are interested in purchasing the bowl at the top, please click on the link below the image to take you to my Etsy vintage store!

Pick's this weekend- Mother's Day Special

I found some winner's this weekend and two are perfect for Mother's Day. Why bring fresh flowers when she can have these floral coasters or fused glass platter and enjoy them year round. They are available in my Etsy shop (click here for the shop) and if purchased this weekend, you should have them by Thursday!

Needlepoint coasters perfect for mom. They say, "see I can keep a table clean and free of water marks!"

Lovely vintage fused glass 11 and 1/2 inch platter. Perfect for cupcakes, sandwiches, or as a fruit bowl.

Featured on Oh, The Things I Think: Etsy Love Cocktail Hour

I was thrilled to have one of my collections of bar ware featured on Sarah Bluett's blog, Oh, the Things I Think, last week! I love all the do-das that go into making a great bar cart, and whether you are making a coffee bar, tea bar, lemonade bar or a bar Mad Men would be proud to serve from, Sarah has found some fantastic items to fill it out!

Here's a reprint of her post! Please click here to find the original post and all the active links.

Monday, 14 April 2014

Etsy Love: Cocktail Hour

I love, love creating cocktails and there is nothing that makes a cocktail better than a sweet vintage style to serve it in!

This weeks Etsy list is my latest look through Etsy for beautiful vintage serving ware to make your cocktail party just a little extra special.

For my favorite cocktails and some new ideas I haven't tried yet, you can check out myCocktail Hour Pinterest board, here! Or, check out Robs favorite cocktail that I put together one day - we tried it out on family at New Years and they LOVED it!

Judys Junktion

The Simply Chic Shop

Aces Find Vintage

Lisa B Retro Style 2

Swirling Orange 11

Sariloaf

Soulful Vintage

Peony and Thistle

Sherwood Vintage

M for Modern

Mid Mod

Sunny Day Vintage

Maintenant

Porch and Parlor

Starlit Nest Gifts

The Lions Den Studio

Electrical Marigold

The Gem and The Jar

Tea Cup Cake NL

This blog has been reprinted with Sarah's permission.