Trade Show Time!

Well, with the advent of January, comes the full onslaught of the trade show schedules, for almost any endeavor you might be involved in, with the retail industry. Whether it be home design, fashion, food and event planning, the trade shows begin running from now until mid summer. After being so tapped out from the holiday presentations so many retailers have experienced, you are thrust right back into finding those new and exciting items for your customers.

Although I have been involved in both aspects, from the buying and selling end, it is an exciting and also daunting experience! 

I still attend the shows, although have become more selective, since I am mainly interested in wedding related themes and products.  Several years ago, I participated in a local wedding show and while editing some photos today, came across a few I had recorded of our booth.

The vintage theme always being present in our presentation....

I like to incorporate little details in my work, like this vintage pin in the shape of a heart and arrow, used to accent the bridal bouquet stem.

We set this sample of a bridal bouquet in a vintage champagne bucket, sitting on an alabaster column. It is a loose, uncontrived look, wrapped with a lovely lace scarf and another vintage pin.

As a floral designer, it is often difficult to be given artistic freedom to your work, so for me, referrals are the best form of appreciation of ones designs. I always try to incorporate my own individual touches which makes it unique.  Usually this is in the way of small details which I research very carefully.  Ribbons, pins and containers to hold our work.

I used a few pieces of old tarnished silver and Venetian glass to set it off, and you can see in the corner, under the cloche, a few examples of wedding favours by Micki, my sister, lovely and delicious heart cookies.
Enrobed in white chocolate and beautifully packaged, they make a lovely gift for guests.

I hug a small chandelier over the display, and used a beautiful hand painted screen as a back drop for our booth. The all white flowers looked very soft and romantic against the background, which was very difficult to disguise.  Usually it is just a corporate, cold looking backdrop you are given to work with....

A close up of the lovely screen and bridal bouquet sample.

The focal point, as well as the lovely vintage table, was this iron urn, I painted white, and arranged with a variety of flowers and  plants which could be employed at the ceremony or reception site.
I was attempting to create a romantic, vintage inspired feel to our display. Although this was something I did a few years ago, I think it is still adaptable to today's wedding looks.  Vintage is on the rise for wedding decor,
and I am pleased that we were executing what is now current, in the wedding design field several years ago!

I hope you enjoyed this peek into the trade show end of an exciting and inspiring month ahead.


N.xo

Nesting

Winter seems to just make me want to nest and hibernate during the long months of cold and snow. When our boys were younger we skied all winter and I enjoyed the temps and cold sunshine, but as I get a little older I prefer indoor pursuits....

....the garden is dormant and I think I am half the time!  I want to just curl up with a good book, do some selective stitching or cook....

With our renovation looming ahead of me, I am rather grudgingly packing up and going through items to keep or discard....

While working on doing just that, I came across this little acorn soup tureen stashed in a cupboard in the laundry room...totally forgotten....

You can see the little acorns and oak leaves embossed in the porcelain and the lovely finial on top.....

Sometimes the potters insignia in these older china pieces were as lovely as the design itself.....

This tureen came with eight soup bowls, a ladle and a square saucer at its base.

I was so happy to find it, I decided to make some roasted squash soup for a light supper, since it is Friday, and we usually dine out....

It works up quickly because everything is roasted in a single pan, butternut squash, onions, and some herbs, tossed with some good quality olive oil and a dash of sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

I couldn't wait to see my forgotten little treasure in use, much to the amusement of my husband and son when the camera came out!!!

A little dollop of creme fraiche to mellow out all the flavours....

I needn't tell you what I endured from the aforementioned company when I embellished the place setting with a small,embossed card I found in Florence and inserted it in a small cast acorn!!!!!!

...however I am bigger than that, and after clearing away all my embellishments, my nesting instincts paid off...

The roasted squash soup was a hit!

If you are interested in the recipe, email me and I will be happy to share it!

N.xo 

Cozy

Brrrr.....winter has officially arrived here in Jordan, and after enjoying some balmy temperatures for the holidays, our woods are wearing their winter cloak.....

....in the minus temperatures today, and my thoughts are turning to snuggling up and getting cozy around the house....

Would just love to lie around in my bed today and snuggle up under some quilts and wool blankets which I can't seem to get enough of....

Quilts of all shapes and colours have found their way into my home....

....but over the last year I have been collecting pure wool blankets for their sheer coziness and texture.

I love the way they feel, soft and luxurious really, but I have been noticing how beautiful the tags sewn inside the borders are also....

When I come across one at auction or antique sales, I look at the tag, as well as the condition they are in, as the tag is always so telling and original...

....like this one from Germany....

...and this beautiful one from Vermont...

Quilts and pure wool blankets are the best combination for cuddling and snuggling when it gets chilly out there....

....still thinking about that bed....

I have used damaged quilts to upholster chairs and ottomans...here a blue ticking was employed for the piping in a vintage rocker and an old matelasse bedspread for the backing and cushion.

A beautiful red toile, in a large cushion for snuggling in my family room...

from Pottery Barn...

Here a foot stool is recovered in a red toile , and more coziness, layered with a quilt made of red ticking, one of my favourites.

Another vintage chair downstairs wears a lovely yellow quilt, pure coziness, to snuggle near the fire.

...more layering....

This red toile quilt is starting to show some signs of wear, we all use it to snuggle under in the family room.  I keep it there to counter the cool texture of a red leather couch...

This lovely toile quilt is in my bedroom, and I add layers with vintage bark cloth, chenille, and pieced work in the pillows...very cozy!

...a very unusual chenille bedspread with a pom pom fringe and a lovely blue colour...what a find this was for me.....

 

This throw is very special and was made for me by my maternal grandmother and sent to me from Italy as a wedding gift...look at the gorgeous fringe..it is made from silk threads....

More layers for warming up a cold winter day....

Even if it is blustery and cold outside, quilts and heirloom wool blankets offer a promise of old fashioned warmth and coziness for any home....

N.xo