Welcome to my site! Parsimonious Décor Darling is the moniker I have adapted to convey the sentiment you do not need to be extravagant to be fabulous! I love DIY projects, gardening, tablescapes, and incorporating thrifty finds and antiques with finery! My aesthetic is classic and traditional, with a touch of whimsy. Let's share!
The punishing heat of Summer's days are soon at an end.
Another year begins; to school, the children I will send.
God changes the trees, the weather, and all of the land.
No more swimming, surfing, or running along hot sand.
Glorious Fall arrives, over Summer ne'er shall I weep.
In my heart, its memories shall I cherish and keep.
It's almost Fall, Y'all!
-Until next time
Clumsy attempt at poetry, yours truly
Flowers, local grocer, not bad!
Little bucket, bought plain from Tai Pan Trading. French detail and lettering was added by yours truly. You may view the tutorial of how to add lettering to a galvanized bucket in the archives here.
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I hope that everyone is enjoying the summer, and staying cool wherever you are.
This Summer, with the temperatures here in southern California soaring well past the 100s, it definitely makes me think of the Mediterranean countryside. If you have read any of my posts, you know that I am an avid lover of music; thus, as par for the course, today as I plan a special dinner, I am listening to and reflecting upon one of my favorite composers, Isaac Albéniz. He was a pianist whose works were originally composed for piano. Several of the pieces were later transcribed for guitar, and have become classical guitar standards. The Suite Española is one of my favorite works in classical music. Comprised of several pieces, the works reflected the area for which they were composed. You may listen to one of my favorite pieces of the Suite Española entitled Sevilla as interpreted by famous guitarist John Williams here:
Albéniz was inspired by the cities of Andalusia, and the pieces were meant to reflect the region.
The area where we reside is very warm and it resembles not only Mediterranean countries, but Tuscany as well. There are even an abundance of wineries nearby; the terrain is so similar which is perfect for cultivating grapes (this is also why I have vines on my property). Today, I am taking my cue from Maestro Albéniz by bringing a bit of the beautiful Mediterranean countryside to my table, and also adding a dash of Tuscan charm, just right for entertaining during the late summer. I also will be participating in a fabulous blog hop hosted by one of my favorite bloggy pals, Katherine from Katherine's Corner. We would love to have you visit all of the wonderful posts in this fun summer tablescape hop! I hope you enjoy!
The table began with a simple white cloth, embellished with a rustic burlap runner.
A runner of grape vines and bougainvillea fresh from my garden adds a bit of Summer romance to the setting.
Isn't this bounty beautiful?
Placemats of rattan emulate the provincial elements of the countryside.
I kept things simple with white china, shown here:
and clear glass. Shown here.
Each place setting was outfitted with a mini pedestal to designate seating.
I wanted a casual atmosphere, so extra flatware for dessert was displayed in this rustic wrought iron silverware caddy.
I planned a special menu for this dinner party, and the elements were also meant to reflect the beauty of the region. The menu is situated at the head of the table in wrought iron.
A close look at the evening's menu:
Premier: Salade de Bougainvilliers et les feuilles de vigne avec les fraises
I wanted to keep it whimsical, so the salad was served in a fun silver wheelbarrow with an accompanying pitchfork and shovel style fork and spoon.
So cute.
If you would like to view the recipe for this salad, you may do so on my blog Parsimonious Pabulum here.
Plat Prinicpal: Gaspacho Blanc
The gazpacho was served in a simple silver bowl placed inside a wrought iron trivet.
If you would like to view the recipe for my white gazpacho, you may visit the post here on my blog Parsimonious Pabulum.
Après: 1. Gâteau au Citron avec infusion des raisins blancs 2. Glace au Vanille à la Lavande
1. I plated the Naked Lemon Cake with White Grape Infusion on this antique-styled cake plate.
If you would like to see the recipe for this very delicious (and simple, a boxed cake was used as a base...shhhh) you may view the post here on Parsimonious Pabulum.
2. The Lavender Ice cream was served in the aforementioned simple dessert glasses.
You may view the recipe at Parsimonious Pabulumhere.
Vin: Moscato d'Asti
Completed table.
The evening definitely was a success, and I hope you have enjoyed this post. These ideas are perfect for a mid-summer's siorée! Enjoy the rest of your summer!
Please be sure to visit all of the other lovely bloggers in this wonderful hop!
***Update***
I was so preoccupied with my sick poochie, I forgot to list where all my pretties came from!!
Apologies!
From my collection:
White Dinnerware, Ralph Lauren Whipstitch Collection, Horchow/Neiman Marcus Rattan Chargers, Target Silver Flatware, Wallace Silversmiths Antique Baroque Collection, Horchow/Neiman Marcus Beige Crocheted-edge tea towels, Boutross Linens, Horchow/Neiman Marcus Wrought iron silverware caddy and trivet, SteinMart Silver Bowl, Ralph Lauren Wentworth Collection Silver-plated Wheelbarrow, Pitchfork, and Shovel Set, Godinger, Horchow/Neiman Marcus Wrought Iron Book stand used for menu, Tai Pan Trading Antique-style cake stand, Tai Pan Trading Dessert glasses, generic, Homegoods Wine glasses, generic
Mini cupcake stands used for place settings, American Atelier Bianca Collection, TJMaxx
If you enjoy this post, please visit the archives! You may also visit my full profile to view my other blogs. Connect with me on my Facebook Page, Parsimonious Décor Darling. You might like to visit my other blog hubs,
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How do you celebrate our great nation's independence? Do you like down-home country casualness, chock full of traditional fare such as BBQ, baked beans, and the like?
Usually at my home, we celebrate in a very casual way. This year however, I thought, why not go with a more upscale setting which is aesthetically appealing without being too fussy?
Of course, no 4th of July tablescape would be complete without the tradition of red, white, and blue. To heighten this year's setting, I chose to use a mix of patterns, including some of my favorite red transferware. Mixing the patterns adds a little whimsy to the setting while not depleting the sophistication classic transferware brings. I adore these little striped navy and white plates!
A mixture of glassware in blue, clear, and red....
blue and red candles in patriotic silver bugles of varying heights,
pair perfectly with an upscale tureen filled with casual bougainvillea clipped fresh from the garden.
Here is another look.
Tablescape.
I added a combination of napkins in red, white, and blue adorned with a small bit of ribbon, and silver flatware completes the setting.
I hope you are enjoying the summer and Happy Independence Day! Until next we meet...
The Details:
Plate Stack:
Navy chargers, Horchow/Neiman Marcus
Red transferware, Stadffordshire Engravings, 17th Century; local antique
Simple white plates, Ralph Lauren Club Collection/HomeGoods
Ruby glass plates, Antique
Navy and white striped saucers, Kate Spade New York "Charlotte Street" for Lennox/HomeGoods
Linen:
White topper, generic, local antique
Red and blue linen napkins, generic, HomeGoods
White crochet tea napkins, Boutross Fine Linens, Horchow/Neiman Marcus
Stemware and Flatware:
Crystal goblets, Godinger Dublin Collection, Horchow/Neiman Marcus
Blue flutes, generic
Ruby glass teacups, local antique
Silver flatware, Wallace Silversmiths Antique Baroque Collection, Horchow/Neiman Marcus
Remaining Accoutrement:
Tureen, Spode Blue Italian, HomeGoods
Bugle candleholders, Joann Stores, found at a local thrift
If you enjoy this post, please visit the archives! You may also visit my full profile to view my other blogs. Connect with me on my Facebook Page, Parsimonious Décor Darling. You might like to visit my other blog hubs,
Follow me on Pinterest!! Please be sure to kindly follow the board guidelines, as it takes time and effort to find fabulous pins across the Internet and Pinterest! Thank you!
Hello, my dear friends! Words cannot express how much I have truly missed the comradery that comes from blogging! I hope that you are all doing well.
Over the past year, I became more involved with my community theatre group and began working behind the scenes. It has been very enjoyable. I hope to share some of those projects and costumes soon either here or via my crafting blog, The Crafting Table.
We have also transitioned our eldest son into adulthood, and as he left the nest, it was a bittersweet moment. It is incredible how fast time goes! It seems like just yesterday I held him for the first time as a young woman, and I can't believe he has finished culinary school and is now off to work at a Four-Diamond resort and restaurant. We couldn't be prouder.
I hope this post finds you all in good spirits and health, and I will be back to blogging shortly, so please expect visits from me soon; when I don't blog I have the tendency to "unplug" completely, which means I have a lot of catching up with everyone and a good deal of what I know will be enjoyable reading.
To all who have remained loyal subscribers to my silly little blog, I so appreciate it, and thank you from the bottom of my heart.
See you very soon.
--Yavette
Extra-large hat, Ralph Lauren
Crystal goblet, Godinger Dublin Collection, Horchow/Neiman Marcus
If you enjoy this post, please visit the archives! You may also visit my full profile to view my other blogs. Connect with me on my Facebook Page, Parsimonious Décor Darling. You might like to visit my other blog hubs,
Follow me on Pinterest!! Please be sure to kindly follow the board guidelines, as it takes time and effort to find fabulous pins across the Internet and Pinterest! Thank you!
Summer is almost here....there are signs all around.
A stroll through my garden reveals much beauty to be found.
The vines are so lush, with the promise of soon fruit,
Grapevines
whilst the flowers and trees have all followed suit.
African Iris (Dietes Vegeta)
Guara Lindheimeri Gaudi Red (Whirling Butterfiles)
White African Lily (Agapanthus Africanus)
African Lily (Agapanthus Africanus)
Inticancha Dark Purple Peruvian Lily (Alstroemeria)
Sago Palm, Male
Privet Trees (Ligustrum Lucidum)
Bringing a pop of color, citrus, flowers, and fruit come indoors,
Yellow Roses and Green Mini Button Pom (Yoko Ono Poms)
or folks in pontoons who go floating from shore to shore.
A crystal-clear sky of wonderful blue;
shimmer on the water offers a magnificent view.
If you enjoy this post, please visit the archives! You may also visit my full profile to view my other blogs. Connect with me on my Facebook Page, Parsimonious Décor Darling. You might like to visit my other blog hubs,
Follow me on Pinterest!! Please be sure to kindly follow the board guidelines, as it takes time and effort to find fabulous pins across the Internet and Pinterest! Thank you!
