FABBY: Happy Labor Day 2015

Hello sweet friends!

I just got back today from our three hour drive to visit our two dear DDs Alexandra and Sofia and the two darlings, along with our baby Maxima in the oven, lol!

We also went to the family Doctor and he sent her to do a 3 dimension echography and Maxima baby was gorgeous! (ok, I'm the grammy, I can say that!)

Coming home I made a small table for Labor Day, as I adore the red, white and blue and I am very patriotic.
Mother will come over and maybe someone else and we will be four, so I'm planning a Labor Day table.

I used my red and white check cloth, a small flag and as centerpiece my white wicker basket from Christmas with my patriotic bow I love and keep in my bedroom door all year round!

Hope you are all enjoying this long Labor Day weekend in the United States.

In center stage is my adorable patriotic bow I keep in my bedroom door all year round. It's on my white wicker C'mas basket.

My daughter Alex just brought me from Miami this mercury glass pumpkin.
I will serve lunch tomorrow on my 'Liberty Blue' dinner plates, red salad plates and blue sherbets for dessert.

Mother is coming for lunch tomorrow so I can tell her all the news, so I will set the table with all these dishes.

Silver pumpkins for the little touch of Fall.



Time to start taking out the pumpkins, no matter what color like this cute silver one, that opens up in half to store candy inside.

Happy Labor Day 2015



Alexandra and Sofia, my pride and joy...and of course, little Cayetana too!

Thank you for your sweet and kind comments, you always make my day!

Thanking the lovely hostesses for having me at their great parties.

A special thanks to dear Beverly for the honor of featuring me at the fabulous PINK SATURDAY.

LOVE,
FABBY

I will be joining:

Bouquet of Talent Party     www.lifeonlakeshoredrive.com
Inspire Me Tuesday     www.astrollthrulife.net
Make it Pretty Monday     www.thededicatedhouse.com
Amaze Me Monday     www.dwellings-theheartofyourhome.com
Fun Fall Crafts Block Party     www.keepingitsimplecrafts.com
Silver Pennies Sunday     www.findingsilverpennies.com
Sunday Down Under blog party    www.natashainoz.com
Tea Time and Tea Room     http://sandimyyellowroom.blogspot.com
BLUE MONDAY 7th. Anniversary     http://smilingsally.blogspot.com
A Return to Loveliness     www.adelightsomelife.com

Show and Share     http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com
Bernideen's Tea Time     http://blogbernideens.com
Fabulous Fall Linky Party     http://myjourneyback-thejourneyback.blogpot.com
The SCOOP      www.worthingcourtblog.com
TUESDAYS AT OUR HOME     http://mariaelenasdecor.blogspot.com
The (not just) Homemaking party    www.hopeineveryseason.com
Tuesdays with a Twist     www.godsgrowinggarde.com
Wow us Wednesday      www.savvysouthernstyle.com
Share Your Cup Thursday     http://jannolson.blogspot.com

Share Your Style     www.thevintagenest.blog
Home and Garden Thursday     www.adelightsomelife.com
Wildly Original Link Party     http://igottacreate.blogspot.com
Vintage Inspiration Party     www.organizedclutter.net
It's a Party      http://acreativeprincess.blogspot.com
Tablescape Thursday     http://betweennapsontheporch.net






   








   





 





FABBY: August Tea for the Rosary Prayers

Hello sweet friends!

I host in my house every month, the last Wednesday of each month a Rosary prayer with some friends.

I did pray for the friends that requested and I'm here to do so, always.

I used my very colorful, pottery dishes made back at my hubby's Ceramic factory he owned for thirty years and he sold it almost seven years ago. The tablecloth used was the one I hand embroidered in orange Fall leaves, some fifteen years ago .

This pottery has lots of oranges, yellows, browns and blues among other colors. It's my favorite china come Thanksgiving because of the warm colors and it looks good with pumpkins. I haven't used pumpkins here yet, but it's sort of a transition to Autumn tea table.

Ok, with that said, here it is.

This pottery set was made and decorated at our former Ceramic Co. Monte Turi. I have 350 pieces of it. Here is the link of the post I did a couple of years ago, in case you'd like to see them all:
http://fabbysliving.blogspot.com/2013/01/fabby-350-pieces-of-my-pottery.html

I used to design the decorations inspired in the Indigenous people of Ecuador's embroidered clothing. We had 15 designs that were made completely by hand by artists we had working for us.

I hand embroidered this tablecloth in orange Autumn leaves, just for this set of dishes.

I always associated this pottery design with Fall because of the oranges, yellows, browns, greens and blues.

The embroidery in all four corners of the table linen is like this.

And the embroidery in the center of the tablecloth I purposely did it like this, in order to frame any centerpiece I would make.

A little half a papaya on the finial of the jam bowl; at your left.

Sheep, duck and fruits in the finials. The original Spanish designs had animals and fruit in the top of the lids of every piece.

A close up of some of the pieces specially for tea time.
 A little chicken, a half papaya and a cow on the lidded pieces.

Oh, I almost forgot to share this pic of my dearest daughter Alexandra in Mallorca-Spain expecting a little girl at seven months right now, who will be call 'Maxima.' 
We can't wait to see her as they are coming with Sergio tonight at 12pm at Guayaquil-International Airport.

We will go this Wednesday coming to dear daughter Sofia's house to meet them. She can't fly to Cuenca, where we live cause of the high altitude Andean city.

Thank you for your sweet and kind comments, you always make my day.

Thanking the lovely hostesses for having me at their great parties.

A special thanks to the wonderful and supportive sweet Beverly, that featured me last week at the great,

PINK SATURDAY     www.howsweetthesound.typepad.com

LOVE,
FABBY

I will be joining:

BLUE Monday     http://smilingsally.blogspot.com
Inspiration Monday     www.ishouldbemoppingthefloor.com
Amaze Me Monday     www.dwellings-theheartofyourhome.com
Make it Pretty Monday     www.thededicatedhome.com
Inspire Me Tuesday     http://astrollthrulife.net
Something to Talk About Link Party     www.karensuponthehill.com
Tuesdays at Our Home     http://mariaelenasdecor.blogspot.com
Sundays Down Under Link Party     www.natashainoz.com
Mix it up Monday     www.flourmewithlove.com
Friends Sharing Tea     http://blogbernideen.com

Tea Cup Tuesday    www.matthasfavorites.com
Share Your Cup Thursday     http://jannolson.blogspot.com
Home Sweet Home     http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com
Something to Talk About Link Party     www.karensuponthehill.com
Show and Share     http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com
A Return to Loveliness     www.adelightsomelife.com
Fabulous Fall Link Party     http://myjourneyback-thejourneyback.blogspot.com
The SCOOP     http://confessionsofaplateaddict.blogspot.com
Keeping it Simple: 12 Easy wreaths     www.keepingitsimplecrafts.com

Wake up Wednesday      http://sewcraftyangel.blogspot.com
The (not just) Homemaking Party     www.hopeineveryseason.com
The Wednesday Blog Hop      www.clairejustineoxox.com
Wow us Wednesday     www.savvysouthernstyle.net
Vintage Inspiration Party     http://knickoftime.net
Share Your Style     www.commonground.do.com
Wildly Original Linky Party     http://igottacreate.blogspot.com
Creative Ways Link Party     www.posedperfection.com
http://ohmyheartsygirl.com























 

FABBY: Italian Dinner in the Kitchen-Part 2

Hello sweet friends!

After cleaning and organizing my kitchen I was so glad to make an Italian dinner party for three last Friday. That's why this post is sort of a Part 2. We had a friend of hubby's with us.

I'm using my Italian set for spaghetti, as I did make "Sea Food Marinara Pasta."
The second course was chicken cutlets with a salad. Dessert was ice-cream with Biscotti Cookies. Espresso and Italian spirits for after dinner.

Anyway, here you have it.

Red check table topper for the Italian effect of the setting, lol..
The recipe for "Seafood Marinara Pasta" is at the end of this post.

Italian spaghetti bowls paired with yellow rimmed dinner plates and lemon salad plates.
The placemats are made of 'balsa wood.'

A close up of the spaghetti bowl. I have six along with a big serving bowl for pasta.

The big serving bowl for pasta that's part of the set of six individual spaghetti bowls.

Italian spirits for after dinner and demitasse cups for espresso... they were my dad's who loved espresso coffee after his every dinner.

Our kitchen nook.

Our dinner guest enjoyed the view as much as the food.

Italian white wine, home made Italian bread and cheese.

The demitasse were my father's favorites and I have eight. The ceramic top Bialetti coffee maker was my dad's as well. Mother just gave it to me a couple months ago.
You can see a lovely river the runs by the woods way down there.

Thank you so much for your sweet and kind visits, you always make my day!

Thanking the lovely hostesses for having me at their great parties.

I'm specially thanking the generous and supportive hostesses for featuring me.

Amaze Me Monday     http://dwellings-theheartofyourhome.blogspot.com
Roses of Inspiration     http://theenchantingrose.blogspot.com


 Seafood Marinara Pasta

Original recipe makes 4 servings Change Servings        

Makes servings USMetricAdjust Recipe (Help)

•                        
  1 (16 ounce) package linguine pasta
•                         
  1 tablespoon olive oil
•                         
  4 cloves garlic, minced
•                         
  1 small red onion, minced
•                         
  1 tablespoon olive oil
•                         
  2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
•                         
  3 green onions, chopped
•                         
  1 (8 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

•                         
  1 tablespoon tomato paste
•                         
  1 teaspoon dried oregano
•                         
  1 teaspoon ground thyme
•                         
  2 pounds mussels, cleaned and debearded
•                         
  1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
•                         
  1 cup dry white wine
•                         
  2 teaspoons lemon juice
•                         
  1 lemon - cut into wedges, for garnish

           Directions

1. Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the linguine, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Heat another tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in diced tomatoes and green onion; cook and stir until the tomatoes have softened. Stir onion mixture into the tomatoes, then add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, and thyme. Simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in mussels and shrimp, then pour in the wine and lemon juice. Cover and increase heat to high. Cook until shrimp have turned pink and mussels have opened, discarding any that have not opened. Serve over pasta and garnish with lemon wedges.

LOVE,
FABBY

I will join:

The SCOOP
Anita      Cedar Hill Farmhouse
Ivonne     Stone Gable
Debbie     Confessions of a Plate Addict
Suzy     Worthing Court

TUESDAYS AT OUR HOME     HTTP://mariaelenasdecor.blogspot.com
Roses of Inspiration     http://theenchantingrose.blogspot.com
Inspire Me Tuesday     www.astrollthrulife.com
Tablescape Thursday     http://betweennapsontheporch.net
http://ohmyheartsygirl.com
Tuesdays with a Twist     http://back2basichealth.blogspot.com
The Wednesday Blog Hop     www.clairejustineoxox.com
What's it Wednesday     http://ivyandelephants.blogspot.com
Wake up Wednesday     http://sewcraftyangel.blogspot.com
It's a Party     http://acreativeprincess.blogspot.com

Home and Garden Thursday     www.adelightsome.com
Share Your Cup Thursday     http://jannolson.blogspot.com
Create it Thursday     www.lambertslately.comWildly
Wildly Original Link Party     http://igottacreate.blogspot.com
Creative Ways Linky Party     www.posedperfection.com
Home Sweet Home     http://thecharmofhomer.blogspot.com
Friday Features Linky Party     http://ohmyheartsygirl.com
Foodie Friday and Everything Else     http://designsbygollum.blogspot.com
The Weekend Blog Hop     www.clairejustineoxox.com
PINK Saturday     http://pinksaturday.typepad.com
Seasonal Sunday      www.thetablescaper.com
A Morning Cup of Joe      http://thecottagemarket.com
Celebrtae it Sunday     http://celebrateanddecorate.com
Cooking and Crafting with J&J     http://julieslifestyle.blogspot.com


   


















 

FABBY: Cleaning and Organizing the Kitchen

Hello sweet friends!

I've had a busy few days, as I decided that some cabinets in my kitchen were not practical, so they weren't working smoothly as I would have like them to.
Therefore, for  the cabinet I store my everyday dishes, glasses and others, I bought a couple of plate racks and my life has gotten so much easier as I take out plates to serve the table, or out of the dishwasher, or back to store them with ease.

I also cleaned like a mad woman and organized my pantry closet and replaced old and ugly containers with brand new plastic ones to store food. Although it's not a beauty as some of yours I've seen in blog land, I am very happy the way it turned out.........so clean and organized, finally!

 I even acquired lots of space, after throwing to the garbage old and useless stuff and giving away the better ones. 

A friend of hubby's is coming for dinner Friday night so I will make Italian food and we will eat right here in the kitchen nook. I will share that next week.

I really haven't stopped cleaning for almost a week the entire kitchen as well, cause once I start I can't never stop, lol!

Please come in to the kitchen and walk with me so I can show you what I've been up to lately.
The cabinet at your left contains our everyday china, glasses and dishes. Here is where the new racks to hold the plates are. 

My grandgirl's artwork at your right wall, lol..
 

Our everyday china is very organized in the new racks now.
Once, several years ago, I picked up a bunch of plates from the dishwasher and where to be piled up in this cabinet; but instead I dropped them right here in the granite counter and broke the entire pile!

Look how great it looks, so neat and organized. Love it!

Here is another cabinet I organized dishes with a new rack too... and wow, it's so much easier for storing them.

These are dishes I use almost on a daily basis too, while cooking, for serving onion soup that we love and plates I always need for preparing food.

The big pantry in my laundry room was the worst! I
 threw away so many old and ugly containers and some I had for 40 years, (I'm very sentimental this way) and so piled up I couldn't see a thing that was hidden all the way in the back...geez!

This pantry took me about an hour to clean and days to store the products inside my new Rubbermaid containers.

Since it's a wall pantry it also has two doors for smaller things, which is very practical too. It's very high as well, all the way to the ceiling where I have bigger kitchen appliances; some more pots and pans and machines.

This little pantry that's right in the kitchen was also cleaned thoroughly.

The one at your right is such a 'slit' cutie and it's right in the kitchen at arms length of the cook top and ovens. I pull it out to reach everything I need for baking, except for the flour which is in the back pantry.



 

I love the big 'San Marzano' Italian tomato can I placed on top of the hood and because it looks so old fashion... and by the way, the best tomatoes for Italian sauce, ever.  
The oil and vinegar Italian cruet set with ceramic caddy and salt and pepper pieces in red is at least thirty years old.

While shopping for some Rubbermaid plastic containers for the pantry I fell in love with this wire fruit basket.... is that cute or what?

I love this silver tray I bought last year cause it has such a pretty vintage look to it; but it's not.

 

The flower pot with doves and the salt bowl were made at our former ceramic company and it's a set with the spoon container in the bottom pic.

 

The slits you see next to the tablecloth are to contain the cutting boards.
Very practical idea Mr. Living had.

The table setting for three, right here in our kitchen nook will look like this tomorrow night.
There's a great view from both windows by the table, so it's fun.

Our eating nook by the window and the stain glass skylight.

Although this one is not a big kitchen, it's just perfect for us two. Very practical and with the latest state of the art custom cabinets Mr. Living had it rebuild almost 5 years ago. 

Thank you so much for your sweet and kind visits, you always make my day!

Thanking the lovely hostesses for having me at their great parties.

LOVE,
FABBY

I will join:

Before and After Wednesday     www.thededicatedhouse.com
Home Sweet Home     http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com
Pretty Preppy Party     www.astrollthrulife.net
The Weekend Blog Hop     www.clairejustineoxox.com
Foodie Friday and Everything else     http://designsbygollum.blogspot.com
Show and Tell Friday   http://romantichome.blogspot.com
Grace at Home     www.impartinggrace.com
Creative Ways Link Party     www.posedperfection.com
A Morning Cup of Joe     http://thecottagemarket.com
PINK Saturday      http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com

SATURDAY SHOW OFF     http://laleviksrosentradgard.blogspot.com
Simple Saturday Blog Hop     www.sunnysimplelife.com
Metamorphosis Monday     http://betweennapsontheporch.net
Inspire Me Tuesday     www.astrollthrulife.net
Chain Linky CLIMB     www.godsgrowinggarde.com
Saturday Sparks Linky Party     http://piecedpastimes.blogspot.com
Frday's Features Link Party     http://ohmyheartsygirl.com
Bouquet of Talent      www.lifeonlakeshoredrive.com
What to do Weekends     www.craftsalamode.com
Amaze Me Monday     www.dwellings-theheartofyourhome.com

Creative Monday's Blog Hop     www.clairejustineoxox.com
Sundays Down Under     www.natashainoz.com
Inspiration Monday     www.ishouldbemoppingthefloor.com
Mod Mix Monday     http://modvintagelife.blogspot.com
A Return to Loveliness     www.adelightsomelife.com
TUESDAYS AT OUR HOME     http://mariaelenasdecor.blogspot.com
Mix it up Monday     www.flourmewithlove.com
Show and Share     http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com
Roses of Inspiration     http://theenchantingrose.blogspot.com
The SCOOP    http://confessionsofaplateaddict.blogspot.com