FABBY'S LIVING: 26 May 2013

Saturday, June 1, 2013

FABBY. Where I 'Don't' Keep it All!

Hello sweet friends!

Here I am joining dear Alma for Where do you Keep it All at, http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com Her blog-a-versary challenge is great, I can't wait to see it all. My title is because I'm showing you guys where I keep good part of it all..but NOT ALL, as I have things in another cellar in carton boxes and really, it's not pretty...therefore, I'm sharing my best part of my storage. Here goes!

In the den cabinets. The one in the other side of these one is mixed with CDs and china, so it's not my taste for now.

Christmas dishes and things in the antique Spanish colonial trunk.

More Christmas tableware in the antique Chinese alcamphor trunk.

More boxes and cartons filled with Christmas ornaments and others, in this small cellar, under the stairs.

In the antique Belgium buffet's right side.

In the antique Belgium buffet's left side; transfer ware and in the drawers some more flatware and many other things, like serving pieces and sterling.

In my Mil's antique English buffet's upper part.

In the lower left side of the English buffet.

In the right side of the English buffet.

On the Italian buffet's left side.

In the Italian buffet's right side.

This cupboard is a fixture in the dining room wall, which was made for glasses and now it also keeps my dear Mil's antique dishes. More tablecloths in the draw you see here and on top, some glassware.

In the Italian buffet drawers, napkin rings, napkins and more flatware.

Under the doors, more of my china and Christmas dishes. This piece of furniture is the deepest. I wander why all the antique furniture like this had very deep cupboards..I think they knew better in those days, ha!

More tablecloths and place mats in the upper drawers. This is in the foyer, lol..

The guest room also has some dishes. There's three small drawers where I keep colored candles for different theme tables.

On top of this cabinet in one of the guest rooms I keep some big tureens.

In the guest room's other cabinet.

In the Chinese Secretary; some tablecloths, doilies, runners, etc. I have many tablecloths in my bedroom, but hubby is taking a nap, so I didn't go in there, lol..

In the laundry room's very deep cabinets, which I purposely made them to order this way, therefore, in the deepest part it stores chargers, plates, platters, etc.

In the laundry room again. Another deep cabinet, which enables me to keep a few more sets of chargers inside them.

In the kitchen cupboards too.

Some cloches and bowls in another kitchen cupboard. Hubby keeps some liquor for dinner parties and I have some for cooking...and oh, some Italian tomato cans, hahahaa..

In the kitchen.

This kitchen cupboard, is in front of the dining and breakfast room door; which contains our every day Spanish china, glasses and other ware and at the bottom drawers are our everyday flatware, (forgot to photograph it). Some things are already in the dishwasher, so it looks empty, lol..

Glasses in the Egyptian piece.

In the counter bar..some more glasses.

In the bar's lower cabinet.

Here is what I mostly use for my dinner tables and posts, although I have many cartons where I keep more dishes from our past Ceramic Co. and much more stash. I hope you had fun looking at this, as I know I will enjoy watching where you keep it all, too!

Thank you Alma for hosting such a fun party theme! Congrats on your blog-a-versary and thank you for the giveaway chance.

Thank you lovely ladies for visiting me, you know you always make my day!

LOVE,
FABBY

Kristi for Mop it Up Monday at, http://ishouldbemoppingthefloor.blogspot.com
Amaze Me Monday at, http://dwellingstheheartofyourhome.blogspot.com
Motivate Me Monday at, http://keepingitsimple.blogspot.com
Stephanie for The Sunday Showcase Party at, http://bystephanielynn.blogspot.com
Marty for Inspire Me Tuesday at, http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at, http://coastalcharm.blogspot.com
Angie for Knick of Time Tuesday at, http://knickoftime.blogspot.com
Welcome to the Scoop Linky Party at, http://thefarmhouseporch.blogspot.com
Dolly for The Creative Blog hop at, http://dollysdesigns.blogspot.com
Kathe for You're Gonna Love It Tuesday at, http://kathewithane.blogspot.com

I will be participating in Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch.

FABBY: "My Favorite Artwork"

Hello dear Alyson and sweet friends!

Here I am joining this great and really fun party, I always look so forward to Alyson's challenge ideas for "Favorites on the First," as it's always so enjoyable and interesting to see what we all come up with and this one is great, about our favorite artwork at home. Although I have many paintings and favorites.. and it was very difficult for me to choose a few, I certainly did. Hope you like them too.

The beautiful calla oil painting at your left was made by a famous uncle of Alejandro, Luis Crespo O., who died in Spain in 2004 at almost 100 years old.

Here is my very favorite right now, as it was painted by my sweet Mr. Living and dedicated to me for Mother's Day 2013. I'm waiting for his signature to dry so I can take it to frame it with something gorgeous.

Another beautiful painting by Alejandro's uncle, which I keep in the dining room and I need to change the frame to something more modern and elegant.

Although Luis Crespo O. has incredibly beautiful painting he has done, we are crazy about this one with the sunflowers and so much pink!

Alejandro's grandfather, Roberto Crespo, also the father of the artist Luis Crespo and he himself is a famous personality here in Cuenca-Ecuador because he brought the light around turn of the past century and I also heard he went to the USA to do the business. We keep this oil portrait in our den.

This is also by a famous lady artist from Ecuador who painted ladies from the 50's and 60's, Jackie Kennedy type, and she also adds to them flowers or dogs sometimes, and in this case she painted our beloved pug Ben, when he was alive...now that Ben is dead, the painting is so much more special to us.
The artist's name is Adela Tobar Eastman...I'm sure you can check her out in Internet.

This oil portrait of our granddaughters when they were very young, was painted by a young discapasitated artist, who has become famous all over Latin America and maybe Europe, since he has won many awards and first places in many countries, because he has no hands and paints with his "mouth." I placed the link here so you can check this special artist. My Mil when she was alive, promoted his talent because this boy was the son of her cleaning lady. Isn't Santiago Guillermo amazing and so talented..and with his mouth!!!

http://www.hoy.com.ec/noticias-ecuador/ecuatoriano-que-pinta-con-la-boca-participara-en-olimpiadas-artisticas-497063.html

I have these two French collages so near to my heart because I bought them in Paris when I was single and went all over Europe. They're painted on French newspaper and back than I bought a boy and a girl; assuming I'd have a boy and a girl when I got married; but no, God gave us two lovely girls, instead lol.. I did keep them in their rooms just the same.

The last painting is an antique, of course; Colonial Virgin Mary, with original frame and all, that my Mil gave us when we first got married, back in 1975, so I've always had it for 38 years now and I love her. The right end of the frame is broken, but I have the piece, I have to take it so it gets restored professionally, as I never could glue it on!

Here you have some of my favorite paintings from my house and I'm thanking lovely Alyson for her terrific party: FAVORITES ON THE FIRST at, http://thepolohouse.blogspot.com and I can't wait to go visit the friends that have join today!

LOVE,
FABBY

Natasha for Say G'day Saturday at, http://natashainoz.blogspot.com

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

FABBY: Table Settings for a Dinner Party

Hello sweet friends!

The days before Memorial Day weekend, as some of you know, I was cooking for twelve of us siblings, Bils and Sils..for a birthday party we were hosting for three of them. We have a little tradition in our family, which we celebrate different birthdays that fall close to each other in our different houses, so it was our turn and we usually have so much fun. I'm posting the tables from last Thursday's dinner party, without the food, as I was so busy in the kitchen to remember even to take a photo of the entree, which was a Asparagus and leeks quiche, than as main course I served, chicken paprika, (some don't eat red meat) with fresh mushrooms and shrimp, basil green rice with toasted slivered almonds and hot red cabbage salad, as the evenings are cold, or chilly around here. The Banana Caramel topping birthday cake and sugar cookies, to go with herbs tea, or coffee at the end.

Here are at least, the two tables and desserts.

I used the white with gold Noritake dishes, as we were twelve..eight in the formal dinner table and four in the breakfast table, by the window.

I used for this setting the Turkish glass chargers, amber flatware and amber beaded napkin rings, to go along with my Italian amber wine glasses.

I took my pretty cyclamen plant from my kitchen window, as it had so many new blooms and it looked prettier than any flower arrangements. The white and gold porcelain pot was made by us, back at our Ceramic Co.

I decided to flank the cyclamen pot with two small antique hand made crystal candle holders, from Switzerland. I love the cute crystal Italian salt cellers with also glass tiny lil'spoons in a lil' tray!

A sweet friend made the comment that it was nice that I had some knowledge of what my things are, but the thing is that I'm very interested in what I buy, which I learned from hubs, he been so curious pertaining all things, and particularly antiques...but I do buy stuff I don't know from where they are, or don't have brands, just caz I love it, period, lol..

Hand made bread baked by Alejandro was served in the pretty silver-weaved bread basket, that was a gift from my parents, very many years ago.

The round small alabaster table was set with white lace place mats and everything else, as is in the formal dinner table.

The tablecloth I chose for the formal dinner table was a present from hubs from several years ago and it's hand embroidered in Spain, made from Egyptian linen, (I hate to iron it, though, it's pure torture!).

The tea, or coffee station for after dinner and cake. I placed some sugar cookies in my new Lady Carlyle, Royal Albert server...which they left none, hehehe...

In the other corner of my formal buffet I placed the birthday cake.. "Delicious Banana Cake with Caramel Topping," (the link for the recipe is at the end of this post). Wine and fruit in the two tier Meissen server.

Took a shot from the foyer, where my antique French table is, only to show you how I always have it decorated..but my Bil, who owns a professional rose farm brought me a bunch of gorgeous ones the other night and now it looks like this...

The fabulous roses my Bil exports.

Aren't they just too gorgeous!

Whisky in a couple of antique Italian and Czech liquor bottles from my Mil, the Chinese figurines I love and the new French Opaline, antique flower vase I just received in February as one of the Anniversary gifts from hubby.

On top of my Mil's antique American made nesting tables is a pretty Meissen bowl with Bom-boms and a Czech crystal water pitcher.

Thank you so much for coming for a visit, sweet friends, as you always make my day.

Thanking the lovely and gracious hostesses for having me at their great parties!

PS: The cake recipe, ~~if you like~~, it's just below...believe me, it's great for birthdays, as everyone likes it and the 'caramel topping' is fabulous!

Click below for the recipe of the cake:

http://fabbysliving.blogspot.com/2013/05/fabby-martys-may-cloche-party.html

LOVE,
FABBY

Marty for Inspire Me Tuesday at, http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com

Kathleen for Let's Dish at, http://cuisinekathleen.blogspot.com

Susan for Tablescape Thursday at, http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com

Tea Cup Tuesday at, http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com

Bernideen for Tea Time Tuesday at, http://bernideensteatimeblog.blogspot.com

Sandi for Tea Time Tuesday at, http://rosechintzcottage.blogspot.com

Home (work) Wednesday at, http://worthingcourt.blogspot.com

Make, Bake, Create Party at, http://hopeineveryseason.blogspot.com

Cottage Style Party at, http://lavendergardencottage.blogspot.com

Paula and Patty for What's It Wednesday at, http://ivyandelephants.blogspot.com

Wednesday's Adorned from Above at, http://adornedfromabove.blogspot.com

Cherry for Open House Party at, http://nominimalisthere.blogspot.com