a new spring tablescape

There’s a lovely tablescape blog hop in the works. Some of my favorite blogging friends and I are sharing our best tables for spring and offering a few favorite recipes too. In these times when we’re not socializing, it’s still a nice outlet to be able to set a pretty table for our own families. 

The tablescape I’m creating is a high-low kind of table, which is my favorite kind! The inspiration for this table is this gorgeous pewter song bird candelabra from Vagabond House. I just love the pretty little bird perched in between the candles. 

From that I was inspired to use a newly acquired vintage set of Johnson Brothers salad plates with an inky dark blue transferware pattern that also features a darling little bird. I softened the look with sky blue dinner plates and a few accessories from Serena & Lily.      

These lovely lime green hellebores are from my garden and provide the perfect contrast with the dark blues of the table. I’ve recently planted a few more hellebores in the backyard because they make such a statement, especially during the winter and early spring months.  

This is the Corsican Hellebore variety, and in the last few years it’s grown nicely in a shady part of my garden under my large lemon tree. 

I have more details on the rest of the table coming your way soon, as well as links to my friends' tables. 

We’ll be sharing next week, so please check back with me soon. All the details of the accessories and tableware seen above will be covered in a new blog post at that time, and you'll get to see the rest of table I set for six.  

In the meantime, I’m working on three super yummy drinks to be published in the Winter issue of Country Sampler Farmhouse Style magazine. Luckily, it’s raining here today so these warm comforting drinks are perfect for sampling on this chilly day. Ingredients included in these 3 cozy recipes are pears and white chocolate, and  there's even a decadent Oreo beverage! 

I hope you're all keeping busy enough at home, 

and I'd love to hear what you're all up too!

ciao! fabiana 

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two amazing recipes for St. Patrick's day

What better way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day than with a little something sweet? I’ve incorporated some of my favorite ingredients to create a fresh and buttery Irish shortbread cookie.  

Traditionally, shortbread is made from three simple ingredients, butter, sugar and flour, and I’ve upped the flavor profile with this recipe by using authentic Irish butter which provides a richer taste.

Topped off with a decadent glaze made with fresh lime zest and lime juice, these cookies are perfect for celebrating everyone’s favorite Irish holiday! These cookies are the perfect companion for a cup of hot tea or coffee. Recipe found HERE.

No St. Patrick’s day would be complete at our home without homemade Irish Soda Bread. This is the easiest bread to make, since you use baking soda, hence the name soda bread, instead of yeast. And there’s no wait time to let the dough rise. Mix, form into a mound and pop this directly into the oven.  

  

Traditionally I use dried currants for this recipe, but as you can see, dried blueberries were used for a little fun twist. We love the dried Oregon blueberries from Trader Joe’s.  Recipe found HERE.

And I’m bringing my favorite green cabbageware plates to the table once again for our traditional St. Patrick’s Day meal of corned beef and cabbage. Whole Foods has great options for corned beef this year. I purchased two, and we had one earlier this week. 

If you’ve never cooked corned beef, it’s very easy. Basically, you boil it with special spices, onion, garlic, bay leaf and thyme and just let it cook for hours until it’s fork-tender. At that point you can add shredded cabbage, carrots and potatoes cook a bit longer and .... 

YUM!

ciao! fabiana 

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happy tuesday

It’s already March, and I just wanted to pop in and say “Hi!” I’ve been working on a few things behind the scenes that I’ll be sharing with you, and here are a couple that I’m most excited about...   

There’s a fun Spring tablescape and brunch blog hop hosted by Mary Ann of Classic Casual Home coming our way very soon. I’ll be sharing with some of my favorite blogging friends... Sheila of Maison de Cinq, Annie of Most Lovely Things, Cindy of Rough Luxe Lifestyle, and Pamela of White Ironstone Cottage. They’re all so super talented, and I can’t wait to see their pretty creative tables. 

We’ll share a preview by the end of the month! 

I’m also looking forward to the next issue of Cottages & Bungalows which will feature my good friend Laura’s Old Towne Orange cottage. We photographed it back in August, and they just wrapped up editing this June/July issue that will hit newsstands on April 21, but you know I'll have lots of sneak peeks for you by then!

For now, you can help them select the cover HERE.   

We’re expecting lots of rain this week, and to us Californians that’s such a BIG deal, so stay dry everyone and drive safely! 

ciao! fabiana 

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