Saturday, September 1, 2012

FABBY: My Favorite Room

Hello Alison and all my dear friends!

I'm joining today at lovely Alison's Polo House for her "Favorites on the First Party" and the theme for today is: "Your Favorite Room". That was easy.. I chose our dining room, but don't get me wrong, I love every inch of our nest..but, the dining room is my favorite, since this is where I get to (play) tablescape with my dishes, which is what I specially love to do.
This year we did a few changes that were long overdue and others just because we liked them better. Every time I walk in here I have a smile on my face and always think.. "what should I do next?"...I just can't leave things well enough alone!

Enjoy a safe and wonderful weekend, wonderful friends and thank you for your very appreciated and kind visits.



Our dining room.
The door with the milky glass panels leads to the kitchen, as our dining room and breakfast area are not open to the kitchen...I like it when I have guests, so not to worry about the mess I make, hehehee.. The beautiful buffet-cabinet has Italian brass ornate angels and ovals in walnut root, rimmed in brass and also very pretty inlays in the same walnut root; as does the dining table.

 Alejandro gave me for last Mother's Day the beautiful antique Italian chandelier and I'm beyond thrilled with it. We also just added a medallion in the ceiling, which was the icing on the cake.
 We have our breakfast round, alabaster table, made here in Cuenca-Ecuador and vintage Dutch chairs, in the same area as the formal dining room, so when we have a large group of guests, everyone can mingle and be close together. Between the two dining sets I can have fourteen guests and I've had more. I also have a beautiful view, from the city and a gorgeous river that runs by the woods, you can see from my 14th. floor of our Pt.House window..along with the Andean mountains as well.
My Mil's English buffet at your right, with my newly acquired red transferware dishes.
The background wall with some transferware and others..blue and white plates.
 This Italian style dining room furniture, made here, in Ecuador, has a story and I'll make it short. "Twenty years ago, for my birthday, hubby decided he was going to give me a beautiful Chippendale dining room set I had fallen in love with, and was very expensive, but for my "important" milestone, he agreed..aaand so we headed to a beautiful and fine furniture store where we had seen it. When we got there I saw the Italian style dining set and I almost tripped, it was sooo gorgeous!..BUT, it was too darn expensive for the budget we had already planned to spend...therefore, I just praised it's beauty and that was the end of it, like a good wife would, lol..(I was suffering deep inside for it, though!)
We went out for dinner that night and Alejandro handed me the bill's receipt from the dining room purchase, and it was inside a pretty envelope with a lovely written card.. as for me to claim ownership. I wasn't surprised cause I knew, of course...but, I opened it anyway and it said: "Italian Dining Room set..Happy birthday mi amor" and I almost dropped dead!!! My hero IS fabulous!!
 The Belgium antique buffet from the 1940's was added this past March, in exchange of a small hutch I had that went to my daughter Alexandra's home.
 Here you can appreciate how close to each other, the two dining areas are.
 This is also an antique Egyptian piece, (don't know how old) with brass insets, or inlays, all over it.. I'm very fond of this beautiful piece too.

The dining table has walnut-root inlays, as does the buffet cabinet.
So here you have it, my favorite room in the house...My Dining Room.

Have a wonderful and safe weekend lovely friends. 

LOVE,
FABBY

 


I can't wait to visit and see your favorite rooms at "Favorites on the First" at "The Polo House". as well.  So, see you in a while!

Thank you lovely hostesses for having me, you are wonderful! 



I'm also joining Table Top Tuesday at,  A Stroll Thru Life
I'm participating in Metamorphosis Monday at,   Between Naps On the Porch


Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at,  Coastal Charm

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

FABBY: Early Autumn Tablescape

Hi sweet friends!

I thought I go for an early Autumn tablescape, after I've been getting inspired from some of your beautiful fall settings. The weather in the Andean region of Cuenca-Ecuador, where I reside, it's just like fall this time of year and it always reminds me of Autumn in New York, which I loved and you might even see some fallen leaves in the ground. I hope you like it.

 I used my dishes from 1975, the year we were married, so now they're almost vintage, right?..lol It's stoneware, Anchor Hacking and the pink in the dishes, displays a soft transition to my Fall table.

 I made my arrangement in a galvanized flower vase with flowers in oranges and stargazer-Lillis in pinks to accentuate the pattern in the dishes and the pink embroidered place mats. I used some cute shaped gourds and little pumpkins I found in the supermarket, all around the flower vase.
 The pink water glasses and sherbets are Polish and the clear crystal wine glasses are French from my Mil's
I love the smell and the beauty of the star-lillies. Oh, I might add..hubby hates the smell of them, lol..
Loving the cute shape gourds I found in my local supermarket. I also bought big pumpkins for later.
 A high shot standing on a chair...Alejandro always says: "You are going to fall".. so he should volunteer than, he's 6,1ft.!
The under tablecloth is in a fall, dark reddish-brown, like, which also makes the pinks pop... the pink flowers, embroidered placemats and napkins, dishes, and glasses.
The Anchor Hacking dinner plate with a big pink flower from 1975 and I still like it after so many years!
 These beautiful hand embroidered in pink flowers, cotton linen, place mats and napkins to match, with hand made fringes as well; are made in the North region of Ecuador, by indigenous women and they were a gift from my dear Mil, many years ago.
 The placemat, dinner plate and salad plate, are also with the big pink flower and I love the strokes of gray in the dishes.  I always thought that the combo, gray and pink it's so pretty.
 The place set which I paired with pink sherbets.

 I added some green pears mother just brought me when she came for lunch today.
I used as under tablecloth a reddish-brown, fall color, to go with all the pink on top of it. I also have one in rust as under linens, from my daughter Sofia's wedding that were used in her cake and sweets table station.



So here you have it...my first Autumn Tablescape.


As always, thank you so very much for your wonderful and generous comments, they always make my day and are very appreciated.

Thank you lovely and gracious hostesses for having me at some great parties.

I am participating in Tablescape Thursday at, Between Naps on the Porch
Table Top Tuesday at,  A Stroll Thru Life
Let's Dish at,  Cuisine Kathleen
Tablescape Thursday at,  Between Naps on the Porch
Wow Us Wednesday at,  Savvy Southern Style
Vintage Thingie Thursday at,  Coloradolady 
Share your Cup Thursday at,  Have a Daily Cup with Mrs. Olson
It's a Party! at,  A Creative Princess 
Home Sweet Home at,  The Charm of Home
Vintage Inspiration Friday at,  Common Ground
Bernideen's Tea Time Blog 
Inspiration Friday at,  The Picket Fence 
Feathered Nest Friday at,  French Country Cottage 
What's It Wednesday at,  Ivy and Elephants 
Shine on Fridays at,  One Artsy Mama 
Tickled Pink at,  504 Main at Holly Lafevre 
Beverly's Pink Saturday at,  How Sweet the Sound 
Seasonal Sunday at,  The Tablescaper
Sunday Blog Love Linky Party at,  Cherished Treasures 
Masterpiece Monday at,  Boogie Board Cottage 
It's Overflowing at,  Overflowing with Creativity 
The Sunday Showcase Party at,  Under the Table and Dreaming

Monday, August 27, 2012

FABBY: Ceiling Medallion

Before we left to stay with our two grandgirls, as their parents where going to Miami for our Sil's, post surgery check up, which by the way, we are extremely happy that his recuperation is going Perfect!....We had installed a hand made, plaster French style medallion we chose in our ceiling, After my antique Italian chandy was already placed up there! Anyway, the two men cut the medallion in half, sand it and proceeded to place it on the ceiling with more plaster; in the union of the two halves they placed more plaster, than proceeded to sand it down again and finally painted it and Voila! There was, right after the work, a very "thin dusty powder" like,.. ALL over the house, so you can imagine, there was lots of cleaning to do, but I was so happy and finally content and satisfied, that I cleaned the house singing...tra la la laaa...I love you...lol
 Here is the now look and I love it, as the finished job it's beautiful!  It bothered me so much every time I saw the empty, bold looking part of the ceiling and I was so sorry I didn't think  and had it done Before they placed the heavy chandalier on the ceiling. I am so very happy and satisfied now, I'm not gonna complaint again, lol
I went for this pretty French pattern. This is the "icing on the cake", sort to speak, right?!
 This is the Before photo without the ceiling medallion...now it's like a queen with her crown! 
Here is a close up of the pretty medallion. I wanted it pretty and not ostentatious, as they had some like that too.
I decided to join dear Susan's Met. Monday with it, as I already posted it recently, but felt sad I couldn't join MM before, but now I'm so excited I finally can, with Susan's instruction.

"I'm participating in Metamorphosis Monday at, Between Naps on the Porch"