herb wreaths

In Victorian times, herbs were fastened together into bouquets. Herbs each had symbolic meanings which added to the fun and fragrance of this tradition.  In modern times, herb wreathes take the place of bouquets, and we appreciate them for their decorative beauty as well as their aroma.  These are so pretty to hang in the kitchen or garden.

To make an herb wreath, harvest herbs, leaving the stems about 3 inches long, and place in water. Use fresh, herbs, and make sure they are will withstand being wrapped around the wreath.  My favorite picks are lavender, rosemary, bay and sage. Wash and clean up the cuttings and lay out small bundles of each herb, using three to five stems per bundle. Next, wrap floral wire around an 8-inch or 10-inch, double-wire wreath so that the wire forms a sturdy base which is helpful for securing the herbs. Using the same wire, secure the herbs to the wreath, wrapping the wire around the bottom of the herb stems. Place the next bundle so that it covers the stems of the first, arranging each variety of herb in its own section.  Finish off by hanging with your favorite ribbon.

image via bhg

ciao! fabiana

a healthy bloody mary mix and more

I recently discovered a line of healthy tomato products that I love called Dei Fratelli.  This family-owned company really takes pride in the food they produce, and you can taste the difference in the freshness of their tomatoes.  Dei Fratelli, which by the way means “brotherhood” in Italian,  makes great packaged tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato juice.   Some of them come in cartons instead of cans, which I really like. They also have some amazing recipes that I have tried and wanted to share with you today.

 Bloody Mary Mix

Ingredients:
·    1 (46 oz) can Dei Fratelli tomato Juice ·    1 1/2 Tbsp. Celery salt ·    1 1/2 tsp Ground black pepper ·    3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce ·    1 1/2 tsp Hot pepper sauce
Preparation: In a large jar or bottle, combine the tomato juice, celery salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and hot pepper sauce. Secure the lid and shake, or stir to mix until well blended.  (Store in the refrigerator for up to one week.)  Mix with vodka and enjoy!

Peppercorn Bacon and Tomato Shrimp Chowder Ingredients:
·    1 (14.5 oz) can Dei Fratelli Petite Diced Tomatoes ·    4 Cups Water ·    1 1/2 lb medium Shrimp, shelled ·    4 slices thick Peppercorn bacon ·    1 medium Onion, finely chopped ·    1 medium Green pepper, finely chopped ·    1 tsp garlic	·    2 Cups Potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dices ·    1 Bay leaf ·    1 tsp Salt ·    1 tsp Freshly ground pepper ·    3 - 4 dashes Hot sauce, to taste
Preparation: In a medium size pot, add water. Cook until boiling. Add shrimp and cook 2 minutes. Remove shrimp from pot. Strain water and measure 3 cups. Keep on warm temperature until needed. In a Dutch oven, fry the bacon until crisp. Remove bacon to cool on paper towels. When cool, break into pieces. Add onion, green pepper, and garlic to bacon grease and sauté until tender about 10 minutes. Pour in reserved water. Add the potatoes, tomatoes, bay leaf, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Bring slowly to a boil, then turn the heat to low and cook and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender but not mushy. Add the shrimp and bacon. Continue cooking for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and discard. Serve the chowder in heated mugs. Serves 6 to 8

Red Pepper Shrimp Linguini            Ingredients:
·    1 (14.5 oz) can Dei Fratelli Chopped Italian Tomatoes ·    1/3 Cup Olive oil ·    1 Cup White onion, sliced thin ·    1 Cup Red bell peppers, sliced ·    2 1/2 Tbsp Garlic, minced ·    1/4 Cup Fresh basil, finely chopped ·    2 Tbsp. Oregano ·    1 Tbsp. Rosemary ·    1 tsp Salt	·    1/2 tsp Black pepper ·    3/4 Cup Mushrooms, sliced ·    1 1/2 lb Fresh large shrimp, cleaned and deveined, tail on (can substitute thawed frozen cooked shrimp) ·    1 lb Linguini, cooked al dente per package instructions
Preparation: Heat oil in large pot with lid. Add onion, peppers, garlic, basil, oregano, rosemary, salt, pepper and mushrooms. Sauté over medium heat 5 minutes. Add tomatoes. Cover and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add shrimp and simmer until shrimp is pink and hot (if using frozen cooked shrimp, approx 5 minutes to heat through). Toss with cooked pasta. Serves 8-10 For more healthy recipes from Dei Fratelli,  visit their recipe page. ciao! fabiana

beachy summer outfit

Flirty feminine beachwear via InStyle magazine
and I love that they pair "Sense and Sensibility" with this look! 
Perfect for the weekend!

ciao! fabiana

fun with chalk ink

A new discovery that I have recently made lately are Chalk Ink Markers.  They are basically chalk in marker form.  Chalk Ink takes your chalk board to a whole other level.  

With them you are able to create beautiful lettering, so it makes them perfect for party menus, decorating furniture and walls, labeling items, place settings… 

the possibilities are endless!  Here’s a little inspiration…. 

ciao! fabiana

setting the table, italian style

Setting a table Italian style is so easy! Today, I gathered some olive and bay branches from my garden, plus a few sprigs of lemon verbena for the amazing aroma, and used them all as a backdrop for a few colorful and fresh lemons. 

I chose to use these colorful melamine plates from Pottery Barn as salad plates, and the beautiful ivory plates are vintage Wedgwood. 

Both plates sit on rustic raffia place mats from Ikea. These place mats add just the right amount of texture!  Now we are ready for our dinner guests… cosi facile! (So easy!) 
  

ciao! fabiana

💕

While I’m here today, I wanted to share some of my "Tablescaping Essentials" with you. I have a whole page on the Amazon website with my favorite picks for setting a beautiful table.

Quite often time is of the essence, and I have last minute projects or events to work on, so I turn to Amazon for one or two day delivery. You’d be surprised at how many amazing items they have to offer! And I'm constantly updating this page with my new favorites. 

You can check it out here, at “Tablescaping Essentials”.

fluff and fold

Doing laundry with style!

Which one would you choose?

 
 
 
 
 
 

 

It’s a tough choice,

but my favorites are 1 and 6.

I love laundry room number 1 for style and color,

but I have been in laundry room number 6,

which  belongs to my friend Heidi and was 

featured on the Newport Harbor Home Tour.

It is an upstairs laundry room and has a great 

gift wrapping station in there as well.

For more on this home, visit Waverly.

ciao! fabiana

sugar and spice

A kitchen’s main purpose is for cooking, after all, isn’t it?  I love how these kitchens all have spices and baking ingredients all readily available and on display.  It makes it so much easier for the cook!  

ciao! fabiana


photo credit:
Country Living
Apartment Therapy
Better Homes & Gardens
Traditional Home
Elle Decor