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Sunday, April 30, 2017

More Mother's Day Gift Ideas



Hello, dear friends.  Did you have a good weekend?  The weather was gorgeous here, and we managed to check a few things off our Spring list. 


Our boss told us that Friday was the day to hit the nurseries.
She may be cute, but she is tough.  



We managed to fill some pots.



And window boxes.




And even a few hanging baskets.


*****

Here are a few more Mother's Day gift ideas for the Mom who likes to cook and entertain.  This is my third post on Mother's Day gifts.  You can find the other two here and here.







Aerin Lauder's new line of dishware is great looking.  If your Mom is a self-confessed plate addict and adores blue and white like moi, I'm sure she would appreciate some pieces from this line.







Williams-Sonoma

Or maybe she's dreaming of some new table accessories.




Williams Sonoma

I just ordered these darling placemats.


These are great because they go with everything.


Williams-Sonoma

I love these products.  
I just bought the lemon candle for my kitchen. 




Amazon


You could use my old trick and give her a pitcher filled with some spring flowers.





Amazon

I have two of these and always have them on each end of the table filled with lemons and ice water when we have guests.

When we don't have guests, the Mister has to get up from the table and help himself at the sink.





If you missed it, my last post covered the beautiful luncheon over at Tina's from The Enchanted Home.  Many of the accessories seen on this table including those gorgeous monogrammed napkins are for sale in her shop.  If your Mom (or you) enjoy entertaining, stop over and browse.  Prepare to drool. 







My #1 owns one of these indoor grills and loves it.

Who wants to waste precious calories walking outside to the grill?





For the Mom who likes to watch her family's calories, this set may be perfect for her.



MacKenzie-Childs

I have these canisters in my kitchen.  They have survived three moves and have fared better than me.




MC has a few patterns to choose from, all very pretty.





The following books are all new releases.






Amazon


Cork Dork has been described as the Kitchen Confidential of the wine world.  




The author who wrote this book has been described by Bon Appetit as the Chef who makes the best pizza in America.

I guess they haven't met the Mister.

  


High marks for Jessica Seinfeld's new cookbook that has both healthy and not-so-healthy recipes.

Buy it - she needs the money.





This memoir of a world-renown chef has been described as funny as well as fierce.






If your Mom loves Mary Kay's novels, I have a feeling that her mouth will water over her new cookbook filled with easy breezy recipes.




Is your Mom a vegetarian?  
This cookbook will give her lots of yummy recipes and inspiration.





Meg Braff, a fabulous designer, gives steps in creating a pretty, polished home.

I wonder if she has any steps in creating a home that you never have to clean...








I've had a subscription to Veranda for many years.  If your Mom likes to drool over gorgeous photos and appreciates entertaining tips, this book is for her. 




This is a must-have for any Mom who is a fan of Southern Charm.




By the way, SC fans - did you hear that Cameron is expecting a baby girl?
You heard it here first.
You're welcome.





If your Mom enjoyed Girl On A Train, Paula Hawkins' new page-turner will be released this week.






This Clever Kabob maker will enable your Mom to save time and make 16 kabobs in minutes.  That way, she will have more time for Bravo TV.

Btw... the Clever Kabob video is fascinating.








The health-conscious Mom will be happy to see this spiralizer coming her way.




Amazon

If your Mom gets irritated when family members forget to clean the microwave after using it, she will be delighted with an Angry Mama. 






Amazon

Is your Mom a tea drinker?  
This cute little guy, Fred, would love to infuse her tea.  

Don't push him too hard though... he tires easily.  Just like me.





MacKenzie-Childs

Or maybe she would appreciate a pretty new teapot.
I've had mine forever, although I just started using it lately since I have developed a taste for tea with my bag of Oreos.




Amazon


Maybe she prefers her tea on ice.  








Or if iced coffee makes her boat float, they even make a machine for that.




Amazon

If your Mom goes on a diet every other week like me, she will love this new blender to whip up healthy smoothies.


And when she gets bored with her new healthy lifestyle, she can use it for Margaritas.


Amazon

You can include this book to keep her on track.




Etsy

This looks like something that my #1 would give me.




Etsy

I can't wait until I hear them say this phrase.
Still waiting...




Etsy

Where were these when my girls were little?



Until next time...






AKC

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Thursday, April 27, 2017

An Enchanting Afternoon

Hello, dear friends.  I hope that you are enjoying your week.  The Friday Files is canceled this week so that I can fill you in on a magnificent luncheon that I attended on Wednesday at the home of Tina, from The Enchanted Home.  Tina was kind enough to include my Sista, as well.  Unfortunately, Sista's flight from Arizona was canceled which prevented her from joining us. 

Not only is Tina's home absolutely heavenly to see, it also smells delicious.




Now, this is what I call the WOW factor!



The first word that came to mind when I saw Tina's table setting was perfection.  I actually got heart palpitations.



Tina's guests of honor were Kristy Woodson Harvey and her beautiful Mom, Beth.  They write the fabulous blog, Design Chic. Jeanne McKay Hartmann, artist extraordinaire, is on the right.


  

We celebrated Kristy's release of her third book, Slightly South of Simple.  We all read it and it was so much fun to ask her questions about the story and the characters.  Kristy is on a two-month book signing tour.  She had an event that night in NYC.

Kristy is absolutely darling.  She is poised and articulate, just as you would expect.

Beth is so pretty and the epitome of a Southern lady.  I really enjoyed chatting with her.  I hope that our paths cross again some day.   




Tina's love for flowers is evident in every room.  She positively lit up telling us how much she loves going to the Flower Market in NYC.  I bet the Market is pretty happy to see Tina too! 



The food was not only exquisitely presented, but also really delicious.  Tina made the best Tomato Soup I have ever tasted in my whole life.  Don't tell the Mister I said that.





I had the privilege of meeting all of the attendees before at past luncheons with the exception of Kristy and Beth.  You can read about the other luncheons here and here.  These ladies are the cream of the crop and could not be lovelier.  The guest list included:  Patricia from PVE Design, Sandy from You May Be Wandering, Carolyn and Cynthia from The Buzz Blog/Diane James Home, Karolyn from The Relished Roost, Elizabeth from Pretty Pink Tulips,  and Jeanne McKay Hartmann




From pictures, you can see that Tina's house is breathtaking.  But the thing that photos can't pick up on is how inviting it is, just like the Mistress of the house.  Tina was so warm and welcoming and the perfect hostess. 

When she found out that I was driving back to Boston, she offered her guest room for the night.  I told her that if I spent the night, she would need an eviction notice to get me to leave.  



I had these mugs made up for the ladies and filled them with kisses.




My blog buddies, including Tina, distributed delightful gifts as well, to commemorate the occasion.



It was lucky that I allowed Miss Daisy to ride shotgun so that she could help me haul all my loot to the car!

As I pulled out of Tina's driveway, I smiled at the thought of all the wonderful friends that I have been blessed with thanks to my funny little hobby called blogging. 


*****


Last week, it was the Mister's turn to pick the flick. As with all his choices, I didn't expect much.  Boy, was I ever wrong.  The Promise is powerful, entertaining, and educational.  It also contains a beautiful, heartbreaking love story.  I highly recommend this movie.
As a heads up, the critics disagree with my high marks.
But what do they know?


*****




After You Left is beautifully written.  I finished listening to it in the car on the way to the luncheon.  The reader of the audible book has the most appealing British accent which makes is a joy to listen to the story.  It has got the perfect combination of mystery, love, and heartbreak.

  



I am going to a book signing next week and Randy Susan Meyers is one of the authors that will be speaking.  I began listening to this novel about a Ponzi scheme in the car.  It's quite good so far.  It reminds me of the Madoff story.  I'll keep you posted.



Until next time...




Sir Teddy
The Lord of The Enchanted Home

J. Crew

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