farmhouse style magazine for summer

 

Have you picked up the summer issue of Country Sampler Farmhouse Style magazine yet? It’s jam-packed with great décor, farmhouse inspiration, DIY projects and recipes.

 

I have a few projects and recipes featured in this issue, and this one is my favorite. It’s Dugan’s Drawer Bed!

 

The assignment was to create an interesting DIY transformation using a discarded wooden drawer. After a few little tweaks to a dresser drawer, some cheery paint and a comfy cushion, Dugan’s all set for a life of leisure.

 

Another easy transformation was this happy marriage between a wrought iron table base that had a broken glass top and a round herringbone wooden tabletop that had an ugly base.

 

We just combined the two better halves of each project and created this lovely table that now sits proudly in my living room.

Also in my living room is this furniture transformation. This antique card catalog cabinet was found at a local second-hand shop.

 

I elevated it with a set of black iron hairpin legs. It’s got 18 little drawers that hold so much!

 

Some easy summer fixings are also featured in this pretty summer issue, and two are my favorite recipes for potluck gatherings. 

First is the quick Triple Berry Dump Cake. It's one dessert that has lots of healthy ingredients, and still tastes so good. 

It literally takes minutes to prepare and then you just pop it in the oven and then serve with ice cream or whipped cream. 

 

I’m a recent converter to the love for deviled eggs, and now I have to say I’m officially a super-fan!

 

This recipe is one that I’ve made dozens of times for friends and family recently, and these little egg treats seem to just disappear within minutes of serving.

 

You can find both of these recipes in the back of this Country Sampler Farmhouse Style issue in a section called “Potluck Favorites”, where you’ll also find several other delicious recipes that are so great for summer.

 

This issue is THE perfect reading for a summer’s day. Take a few minutes to relax, kick up your feet and soak up some real inspiration!

 

 

 

ciao! fabiana

 

 

For lots of fun extras, follow me on instagram!

 

 

 

You can check out some of my favorites here at “Tablescaping Essentials”*. 

 

 

 

 

 

Please note that this post may contain affiliate links.

how about a summer Clam Bake?

It’s the holiday weekend, and we finally made it to the first unofficial weekend of summer, woohoo!

I was so inspired by this gorgeous new Marine Life Soup Tureen from Vagabond House and created a fun, feminine take on a patriotic New England style "Clam Bake". 

 

Afterall, pink is technically a shade of red, so here’s my take on that theme. 

When I think of Clam Bake, I also associate it with summers spent in Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard, so of course pink hydrangeas come to mind!

 

This tureen is the perfect size for a lovely little sea food feast for the family. My favorite recipe includes clams, shrimp, potatoes, and corn on the cob. 

I love how the gorgeous solid pewter top of this stoneware tureen features so many quintessential creatures and seashells.

 

Here’s a slightly different color palette and a dish of my favorite Clam Bake recipe. 

Easy Clambake for the Weekend

 

      Serving Size: 4

1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled

6 cloves garlic

3/4 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp

3/4 lb. clams, scrubbed

3/4 lb. mussels, scrubbed and bearded

10 oz. small red potatoes

2 ears fresh corn, shucked and cut into 6 pieces

1/4 cup vegetable stock or white wine

1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning or similar

1 teaspoon chopped parsley

melted butter for dipping

lemon wedges

    1.   Par-boil the potatoes and corn until they are cooked. Drain and set aside.

    2.   Heat up a cast-iron skillet on stovetop. Add the melted butter and sauté the garlic. Add the shrimp, clams, mussels, red potatoes, and corn. Add the stock or white wine, and Old Bay seasoning. Turn the heat to low, cover the skillet and cook for about 10 minutes, or until all the shellfish are cooked. Sprinkle on the parsley, stir to combine well.

   3. Serve immediately with melted butter and lemon wedges.

 

I love this Marine Life Stoneware Tureen so much, that I created this pretty vignette for this tureen in my living room, adjacent to the dining room.

 

Vagabond House always has the most unique pieces that are so perfect for any gathering! They also make gorgeous gifts.

BEST OF ALL...

Here’s a discount code for all my followers for

10% off until August 31, 2022:

 

CIAOFABIANA10OFF

ciao! fabiana

 

 

Shopping info

 

Marine Life Stoneware Tureen: Vagabond House

 

Tern Grey "August Tablecloth": August Table

Pink Gingham Napkins: Similar found here

Red Napkins: Solino Home

Table Runner: Similar found here

 

 

  

 

grandmillennial style at the table

 

Today's table looks are brought to you by some of my favorite vintage tableware and accessories paired with two new tablecloths and napkins from Table Top Shop.

 

A few seashells and starfish are added for fun, and the fresh cut flowers from the garden are the icing on the cake.

 

Pretty patterns inspire all kinds of plates to join the fun.

 

I layered several different sized plates, different patterns and styles for this fun “Grandmillennial” look that I love.

 

The dinner plates are my wedding china, "Rosedale" by Wedgwood, and they still make my heart skip a beat. 💙 

 

The table is set and now it’s time for me to start cooking. I’m making three different kinds of salads today, so we can have lots of healthy choices for the weekend.

 

I’ll be back again tomorrow to share some really fun

 Memorial Day red, white and blue inspiration. 

Have a fabulous Saturday!

ciao! fabiana

 

 

For lots of fun extras, follow me on instagram!

 

 

 

You can check out some of my favorites here at “Tablescaping Essentials”*. 

First Table

Tablecloth by: Table Top Shop

Napkins by: Table Top Shop 

White Starfish: Found HERE

Vintage placemats, plates, glassware and flatware

Flowers: from my garden

Second Table

Tablecloth by: Table Top Shop  

Seashell Placemats: Found HERE
Dinner Plates: My wedding china, Rosedale by Wedgwood 
Salad Plates: Bordallo Pinheiro
Bread Plates: vintage
Blue Napkins: Similar found HERE
Flowers: Pink Dahlias from Armstrong Garden 

Please note that this post may contain affiliate links.

5 favorite new gardening books

Gardening is a self-taught hobby for me. My interest and earliest memories come from my father, who always had a small vegetable garden in the backyard.

 

My most vivid memory of my father’s touch in the garden is when he decided to take the dozens of small lilac seedlings that lined one side of the yard, and plant them straight across the other side of our front yard, creating a living fence between us and our next-door neighbors the LeFleurs.

 

Those lilac shrubs grew quickly over the years and filled my springs and summers with the sweetest scent. I was surrounded by all the purple and green loveliness that embodies lilacs, and I’ll never forget it!

The spirit of my childhood lilacs was reawakened with the discovery of tis most beautiful book, simply called Lilacs.

 

From cover to cover, it’s filled with amazing tips, growing methods and best of all glorious pictures. 

Lilacs by Naomi Slade and Georgianna Lane. 

Other similar lovely books include:

• Hydrangeas

• Peonies

• Dahlias

 

Here's a peek at one of the pictures from the Lilac book...

A new portion of my garden that I created in early 2020 has come to be known as the Cottage Garden. It’s where I grow so many of my favorite old-fashioned flowers, mixed in with all kinds of herbs, kale, an apple tree, a lemon tree and even several tomato plants.

 

Have you ever heard of growing tomatoes together with sunflowers? The sunflowers grow tall and strong and become the perfect stake to hold tomatoes up, and best of all they’re the best companion plants.

I've grown all the sunflowers and tomatoes from seeds, so it's been a really fun process to see them grow so quickly.

That’s why you can never stop learning with gardening. There’s always so much to discover!

 

I’ve been delving into to a few other amazing gardening books over the past few months, and I want to share them all with you now:

 

•    Four-Season Food Gardening

•    The Elegant & Edible Garden

•    The Urban Garden

•    Containers in the Garden

 

Containers in the Garden by Claus Dalby has incredible inspiration. Claus is one of my favorites to follow on Instagram, so I was thrilled when I found out he had come out with a brand-new book!

 

He’s written over 30 gardening books and is considered to be the foremost gardening expert of Denmark. Not only does he create beautiful planted containers, he also has the most amazing gardens and makes gorgeous floral arrangements.

 

I really get inspired by all Claus’ seasonal and holiday displays too. Check him out here on Instagram and on YouTube.   

 

 

ciao! fabiana

 

 

For lots of fun extras, follow me on instagram!

 

 

 

You can check out some of my other favorite books here 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Please note that this post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase via one of these links, I may receive a small commission from your purchase. This commission does not add any cost to you but helps me to continue to share new products and companies with you. Thank you for always being so supportive!   

 

presenting the new seaside collection

 

The new Seaside Collection by Pacific & Rose is now available for summer! Named for the pretty little shop called Seaside Gallery where you can find these goodies, the Seaside Collection epitomizes all that we love about summer. 

From waves and sea creatures to anchors and palm trees, this is what a coastal summer is all about. Of course, I’m thrilled with the fun table linens, but there are also a selection of pretty sarongs, robes and pillows to get excited for!

I’m going to cover it all for you, starting with the gorgeous and dramatic Indigo Wave pattern.

 

For this fireside table, I started with the Indigo Wave Tablecloth and matching napkins. To add to the coastal charm of this look, I made sure to use several accessories with a natural woven texture, like the placemats, napkin rings and vase.

 

White plates really set off the beauty of this indigo color, and a handful of pink hydrangeas from the garden really pop against the navy-blue table.

 

What’s so wonderful about the Seaside Collection is the ease in which we can mix and match the patterns. Here you can see how amazing the crisp white Blue Anchor Napkins look with the Wave Tablecloth.

 

Here’s a quick look at some of the beautiful products available in the Indigo Blue pattern.

 

The Blue Anchor print is both chic and playful. This poolside setting shows you just how perfect this look is for outdoor entertaining, pool parties, and graduation parties.

Again, natural textures play a key role in accentuating this nautical pattern. Hydrangeas once again add just the right amount of color to the table.

I love how the Blue Anchor Tablecloth and Blue Anchor napkins look here for a matching look.

 

Now we switch out the matching napkins for the adorable Red Crab Napkins. Do you spot the coordinating pillows? 

I love how it all looks together, and the pillows can make their way from accenting your table to brightening up your sofa.

 

I also wanted to show you how the Blue Anchor Tablecloth looks with the Indigo Wave Napkins. It’s great pattern play, while keeping with the same navy-blue and white theme.

The Blue Anchor pattern is a true classic. This will never go out of style, and will always look as fresh and summery as the day you got them. Imagine this look for a Memorial Day gathering or 4th of July party. 

Poolside in this fun sarong is what I have in mind for the upcoming holiday weekend!

Next, we have the whimsical Red Crab Tablecloth. I moved my table over just a bit to get a better view of the cottage garden.

 

This lively coastal print doesn’t have to be relegated to a beach house. As you can see here, it’s a fun print for anywhere you desire to entertain, whether its outdoors or in. 

I love the wave pattern border on the tablecloth and the pretty chevron border on the matching Red Crab Napkins. 

The attention to detail is outstanding with these hand block-printed textiles. 

 

And this pattern is so perfect for those summer birthdays that fall between June 21st and July 22nd under the Zodiac sign of Cancer the Crab.

 

I think this Red Crab is the cutest pattern ever for summer!

The Palm Tree pattern isn’t officially part of the Seaside Collection, but it’s a perfect companion to the three prints that make up the collection.

 

You may have seen this tablescape on Instagram recently. The blooming of the red trumpet vines was perfect for setting up this stunning alfresco table, thanks to the beautiful Palm Tree Tablecloth and matching Palm Tree Napkins.

 

To add a bit more color to the table, I also have the option of the pretty Belita Napkin at each place setting.

 

The paisley and floral pattern of Belita has the most perfect shades of blue, red, pink, green and yellow. I love how the colors tie in to all the garden flowers and foliage.

 

Another great option for table setting is a table runner, and the Palm Tree Table Runner is THE look for summer! A table set with the runner and matching Palm Tree Placemats and Palm Tree Napkins is a sure winner in my book.

 

I just love this simplicity of this look with all the focus on the magnificent form of the Palm Tree. 

Now that we’ve covered all the patterns, I want to share some of the other new items that are available in this fun Seaside Collection.

 

You got a peek at the pillows earlier at the Blue Anchor alfresco table, but here they are in my living room. From left to right, we have the Red Crab, the Indigo Wave and the Blue Anchor.

 

Select a print or all three to add a definite touch of summer to any room!

 

Here’s a peek at the beautiful kitchen towels. These are surely to brighten up any kitchen. 

I love the Blue Anchor ones for my home. Since my son will be graduating from high school in a few weeks, and their mascot is the sailors, this Anchor print supports our school spirit in the prettiest way. 

The Palm Tree pattern is also available as kitchen towels in addition to Indigo Wave, Blue Anchor and Red Crab.

 

Here's a look at the new pareos, also known as sarongs, from the Seaside Collection. They're so versatile, and can be wrapped in dozens of fun ways.   

Pacific & Rose also carries an exclusive new collection of pareos at Seaside Gallery. Pictured here with the Palm Tree style, are the Umbria pattern in Olive, Blue and Mustard.

 

Made from an ultra-soft and light cotton voile, Pacific & Rose’s newest robe in the chic Palm Tree print is extra long (perfect for us tall girls), so comfortable and my must-have for summer.

 

It’s my go to wrap for a cute look in the morning while blogging and sipping coffee!

Check out Pacific & Rose and Seaside Gallery for more. 

 

ciao! fabiana

 

 

For lots of fun extras, follow me on instagram!