Summer Fun: Low Country Boil

For years we shared memories with our family and friends over a boiling pot of heaven called a "Low Country Boil"....an aromatic combination of succulent Shrimp, Andouille Sausage, small red potatoes, and sweet summer corn in a broth of Old Bay Seasoning, lemons and a few quartered Vidalia onions...mmmhmm! You can make your own memories this weekend!  I am sharing the recipe and J'Aime Vintage is celebrating the tradition....just visit my booth for all the decor and I have even planned the menu for you!!

Recipe

Low Country Boil for 6

1 large can Old Bay Seasoning

4 Lemons

4 quartered Vidalia Onions

1/8 cup Salt

3 gallons water (or more to cover all ingredients)

3 lbs. Shrimp

2 lbs. Andouille Sausage

3 lbs. small Red Potatoes (scrubbed)

6 ears Sweet Corn (shucked)

Your favorite:

Cole Slaw

Sweet Corn Bread

and a Blackberry Cobbler with

Homemade Ice Cream, of course!!

Don't forget the Sweet Tea!!

Bring the water, and salt to a boil....(we use an outdoor pot because we think this is the REAL use for that Turkey Fryer, though they are good!!). Add the Old Bay, Lemons, Onions, and Potatoes, cook until the potatoes are almost tender, add the Sausage for 15 minutes, then the Corn for another 10, finish off with the Shrimp for 3 minutes and remove from the heat....now be careful....drain the mixture and pour the whole thing out on a table covered thick with newspapers....DIG IN!!!

All of the items pictured are available this month at J'Aime Vintaje located in the front window of the Harpeth Antique Mall or by contacting me at tacjdc@comcast.net .....

Thanks for stopping by and have an inspired day!!



White Wednesday.....

Good day!  It's another White Wednesday....shouldn't that be a song?

It's a beautiful day here in Tennessee!  The 13 year cicadas are almost gone,  it is cool this morning and I woke up to my husband singing "It's appliance day"!  That WAS at 6 am and I am not the best morning person....;-)  We are replacing our kitchen appliances and unlike most White Wednesday's this one is out with the white and in with the stainless steel! 

In honor of this momentous occassion (well if my husband can sing about it I can blog about it....right?) I am sharing some vintage candlesticks that I just embellished....some of them are silver and creamy white....the colors our kitchen will be this evening when all is done!

Don't forget to pop on over to Faded Charm's blog and see what everyone else shared today....here are my White Wednesday inspirations.....

The whole group....a mixture of pewter, sterling and silver plated....these would make great hostess or wedding attendant gifts and are available in my booth!

The pewter pair.....

and my favorite....and old sterling candle stick....still tarnished and lovely with a bit of ribbon and lace, finished with a vintage button....yum!



Time sometimes flies like a bird....

I cannot believe I have had my vintage booth for 4 months, nor can I believe that my daughter just completed four years of college, that I have been married 14 years (and 26 years in total if I count both marriages...hmmmm), that my daughter is 22, that I am 50.....time flies like a bird.....

 

 

(votive ring from J'Aime Vintaje and antique doilies with original pen and ink by Michelle Palmer)

 

Just two weeks ago (where did two weeks go?) I was watching my only child cross the stage at graduation....she looked beautiful and the hood and cords wrapped around her commencement gown made it such a bittersweet moment...so much pride, but she really is grown and my turn is really up!  I know I am still here for advice, but she has fledged....time flies like a bird....

 

(vintage finds by J'Aime Vintaje)

Today I am posting in honor of another celebration of time..... Faded Charm has reached her 100th White Wednesday!  Her cream, dreamy white inspired blog has been posted 100 times! Give her a visit and celebrate her passage of time....in a beautiful way!!

Time sometimes flies like a bird, and sometimes for just a moment, it pauses....

(vintage statuary by J'Aime Vintaje)

 

Happy 100th Faded Charm!!

 

Creative flow....

I have always been one of those people that cannot force creativity. No matter the subject....writing, work, decorating, even grocery shopping for me is dependent on something bigger than I am. I can tell within minutes if I am "in the zone".....if whatever combination of events, karma, creative juices, planetary positions (heehee) are not right then creativity is out of reach for me.
Of course this applies to junking...and it applied in a big way this weekend. My first stop was someone who was not ready to part with her treasures as indicated by her prices....the second stop I found my ONE treasure for the day and after a few more stops I felt that ever familiar closing of the creative flow......I was done!
But, my one find was a biggie! I have been wanting to find a hall tree for a while and there must have been a very temporary opening in the creative cloud......bingo!

It needs a little structural work and will have to be painted as the varnish is too damaged in spots....that's where my mind has been....I was perusing Etsy a couple of days ago and was inspired by some of the paint colors and finishes that I found.....I have been using vintage whites and ivories for all of my refurbishing projects but now I am inspired....

Vintage Wood Window Hall Hooks from Casanovas Cabinets on Etsy

Vintage End Table by Verdigreen on Etsy

Blue Bird by Melissap6908 on Etsy

Pretty!!!!! Tell me what you think....creamy whites or something a little daring.....

Let's dish.....about Dishes!

My husband, John, and I love to set a table! We have four sets of dishes; two formal china, one Christmas china and one everyday stoneware set (above is a sampling of our dishes). In addition, we have pieces that we use to accessorize. I thought we were an anomally but there seems to be a recent resurgence in table setting!
Living in the south, the art of dining has never completely died, but this seems to be an international rebirth. If you visit Victoria Magazine's website you will find the current home page slideshow is filled with table setting shots.....lovely! I often peruse a couple of British home decor mags and have found the same focus on the table. I hope this revival of the table encourages us all to linger over our meals and enjoy the company of those who we are dining with!

The dish is the guest star at the table and the possibilities are infinite. I want to share a little inspiration with you for your next table setting.....
A little taste of one of our Easter tables last Sunday.....

You can find some great additions to your table setting from many sources....try you local Goodwill, consignment stores and flea markets. Etsy and eBay are also great sources....here are a couple of nice dishes from my Etsy store and my booth at Harpeth Antique Mall...

Do you have an upcoming event that will require a large number of dishes but you still want a homestyle feel or an elegant touch? You can rent! Vintage and Antique rental dishes are now a business......

Rent My Dust specializes in vintage for that at home feel....perfect for a Fourth of July or Family Reunion celebration!

Table Graces' focus is on elegant, antique table settings.....visit their site. The china is exquisite!

Have an inspired day!

White Wednesday......

I have been following Faded Charm's White Wednesday posts for quite some time. Last week I participated and this week I would like to invite you all to join me. She starts it off with a post on Tuesday and then fellow cottage chic bloggers join in! The result is just beautiful....you will find inspirations from the garden, ways to use those flea market finds, lovely Easter decor and much, much more! I have placed my inspiration below followed by a couple of my favorites from today's participants. I hope you enjoy this as much as I think you will. Better grab a cup of your favorite bevvie......the very first click will start you on a wonderful little adventure, enjoy!
Spring has sprung, (an aside to my northern friends, you are just gonna' have to trust me, it really is spring), and Easter is upon us...here is my White Wednesday reflection for you...

....some of these goodies are still in my booth.

More Easter decorating motivation in case you are still preparing for the upcoming festivities....this delightful place setting is from The Vintage Nest, she shares her Spring Celebration Brunch with us....

Anyone that has visited my booth knows that the following little goody could have come straight from it, but it did not....this little piece of inspiration is from Fishtail Cottage, yummy!

Lamentations on scrapbooking.....

i want to scrapbook.....i need to scrapbook.....My wonderful husband suprised me with a 50th (ugh!) Birthday cruise through the Mediterranean. While we were on the ship he asked for ONE favor in return. The words are still echoing through my brain.....scrapbook the trip......(heavy sigh). I can sew (I made my daughters presentation formal and yes, we do live in the south), I can paint (still learning, but I CAN). I can even pull together some pretty nice greeting cards, but I can't scrapbook. I know, I know.....you're going to say it's just like making a card only bigger.

Maybe it is that "bigger" thing.....my garden is full of petite flowers. My favorite finds for my vintage/antique business are the "smalls", the "bigs" scare me! Now if I could just get my hips to follow the trend!

I am leaving early Friday a.m. to meet my best friend from high school. I can't wait to go spend some "girl time" with her. We were inseperable for 6 years and now we see each other once a year...you think I have gone off subject, don't you? WELL LET ME TELL YOU WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO! We are going on a scrapbooking retreat! A retreat....purgatory I say!!

Consequently, I have gone in search of INSPIRATION.......(but i am still taking my cards making supplies just in case)

Too cute (SplitcoastStamper Gallery)

Gourgeous (SplitcoastStamper Gallery).....

OK, maybe....BUT here is what I am starting with.....oh my, still taking my cardmaking supplies!