gorgeous new table setting accessories

Fresh and lovely, these new pieces from Carolyn Bender Lifestyle have my heart skipping a beat. Check out these gorgeous Cabochon Agate napkin rings paired with luxurious dip-dyed linen napkins.

Pretty white plates, blue-grey water goblets and fun and funky Boho Placemats are all also from Carolyn Bender. 

So many great pieces for holiday table setting!

Setting my dining room table with fall inspiration started with a beautiful tablecloth from August Table, and then I added beautiful placemats, plates, blue glass goblets, napkins and candlesticks from Carolyn Bender Lifestyle.

 

To soften the center of the table, I added roses, cosmos, dusty miller and olive branches from my garden. A little bunch of dried grass helps soften the look.

 

Designated seating is oh-so important, especially at Thanksgiving, so why not make it beautiful?

These stunning turkey place card holders are from Arthur Court.

All that was needed was to add a few autumn details, like pumpkins and these adorable blue and white pumpkin appetizer plates.

 

I'll be using these goodies all season long and well into the Christmas holiday season too!! I love how versatile each piece is.

Just sharing an up-close and personal look at my new Finezza Dinner Plates, Bella Bianca Lace Salad Plates, Tuscan Flax Linen Napkins, Boho Placemats and these adorable Woven Orange Flower Napkin Rings, all from Carolyn Bender Lifestyle.  

 

I just couldn’t help myself with the fall décor today.

Orange taper candles are the perfect finishing touch!

 

I was so inspired by this Gayatri Peacock print tablecloth and napkins from Pacific & Rose that I knew I had to pair it with my gorgeous new Woven Orange Napkin Rings and Boho Placemats from Carolyn Bender Lifestyle.
 

ciao fabiana

 

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

 

 

 

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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

 

 

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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!   

 

favorite tablescape of 2021

 

This may be my most favorite tablescape of 2021 because it features so many of my favorite things. The idea was to set the table with houseplants as the centerpiece. 

 

The fresh and slightly wild look of houseplants adds a tropical touch to any home, especially during the chilly winter months, and at this table, you can spot some of my favorite varieties.  

 

Styled and photographed for Country Sampler Farmhouse Style magazine, you’ll get to read all about it in the upcoming Spring 2022 issue, along with lots of other fun ideas in a spread called “Happy Houseplants”. 
 

To compliment the plants and the vintage flowerpots, I used classic blue and white table linens. This is “Luka Blue” by Pacific & Rose. 

 

French café chairs, raffia placemats and the Yountville pendant are from Serena & Lily.  

 

 

 

 

 

ciao! fabiana

 

 

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farmhouse style for spring

The spring issue of Country Sampler Farmhouse Style is now out and its jam packed with pretty homes, fun projects and great recipes. Since the start of this magazine in 2018, I’ve been lucky to have been able to contribute several issues, and this season, I’d love to share the latest with you all... 

 

 

Table settings, flower arrangements, pillows, painting projects and recipes are all in the genre of things I’ve tackled for Country Sampler Farmhouse Style. My contributions are usually in the second half of the magazine that includes all the DIY and crafty stuff.  

 

The “Do-It-Yourself Farmhouse” section starts us off with projects and recipes we can do right at home. Do you spy my little green dresser on the bottom left? 

 

This style of small sewing table known as the “Martha Washington” style was very popular during the 1950’s and 1960’s. You can even spot one on the Andy Griffith Show, at the top of their stair landing! 

 

This lovely little table belonged to my mother-in-law, and always sat in a guest bedroom. Now it was time for a bright and cheery update using milk paint.   

I also finished the table off by embellishing it with softly stenciled ferns, which also remind me of my m.i.l. Joan. There were framed fern pictures on the wall in the same bedroom, so I thought this was the perfect accent for the update of this sewing table. 

Also in this issue is a fun number coat rack I put together using an old piece of oak board and some inexpensive white ceramic knobs. In keeping with the farmhouse look, I styled it with pretty linens from my friend Elizabeth’s line Pacific & Rose. The Monet’s Kitchen Apron and English Green Tea Towel add the perfect amount of springtime charm to this vignette. 

 

Gardening is one of the great joys in my life, so I was thrilled when Country Sampler Farmhouse Style asked me to put together a picnic basket full of herbs and edible flowers for the Spring 2021 issue.  

 

This basket’s so perfect for a sunny spot in your home or as a focal point outdoors. It’s filled with marigolds, nasturtium, thyme, chives, sage, basil and more. Check out the whole article in the story called “Planters with Personality”, starting on page 102. Also featured is a fun little succulent plater made from vintage books!

I potted most of the herbs on into my raised beds outdoors last year, and they’re still growing strong. In fact, some of the flowers were still blooming until December! 

Do you like to grow fresh herbs in your garden? There’s really nothing quite like having them readily available for adding to just about anything I’m cooking. Prettying up a salad with edible flowers always puts a smile on my face ☺. 

Also included in this Spring issue is another fun coat hook project and a delicious recipe of quick bread focaccia topped with lots of veggies and herbs.

Next up is the Country Sampler Farmhouse Style Kitchen Makeovers issue, out on February 23rd. I have a few really fun kitchen projects included and two amazing pot luck recipes that everyone will love! I’ll share that preview with you all soon. 

ciao! fabiana

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