Swede

Black Eyed Susan Takeover

 

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Black Eyed Susans are not on my favorite flower list, but they are very prolific from seed and come up in my flowerbeds voluntarily each summer.  They are so thick now they are taking over the entire bed.  They produce a lot of seed and it easily germinates.  Their color makes a big splash of color so I allow it even though yellow. 

Here you can see how thick they are underneath my hanging basket arbor.  When it got so hot two weeks ago, 95 degrees for too many days in a row, I had to move the more sensitive hanging baskets off the arbor and put them in the shade of our smaller porch on an etegere.  When it cools off I will put them back on the arbor.  The only baskets that could take the heat were the red Mandevillas.  Next year I am just going to get a lot more of these to fill the baskets and containers on the patio instead of the Million Bells baskets or Impatiens baskets.  Mandevillas were real champions.  We still have to water all the containers and baskets twice a day while the heat is in the 90's.  That is just a lot of work.  

Below are photos of the red and pink Mandevillas I have in pots on the patio.

Wishing cooler weather for all of us!!

Colleen

It Is Peony Time - A Precious Week

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Peony time seems so short that one must capture it and hold it dear for as long as possible. 

Here I have placed 15 pink Peony buds in my white vase on my Swedish buffet. More buds open each day. 

I put them on top of a brass Bible stand found in France.  It has a cross on the top under the vase. Also has two small metal square opening which I believe hold some kind of flags.  I thought the antique pink Royal Worcester plates were a great pink match to the flowers.  Absolutely love these alabaster lamps. All are placed in front of my Swede Collection mirror above the buffet. 

I hear so many people say their favorite flower is the Peony.  I also like the deep red ones and white ones but not sure I would say they are my favorite flower as I love too many to pink just one variety.  

I am enjoying each day with them as they come and go so fast. 

Colleen 

 

 

Downton Abbey: A New Era -- New Release Move -- Must See For Downton Fans

 

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The new Downton Abbey move was released on May 20, two days ago.  I went to see it today.  All the familiar actors were there. Some aged, some lost weight.  I loved it and highly recommend it for Downton fans.  It has been a wait since the last one in 2019. 

There were no huge plot shockers; pretty predictable.  The date is around 1928.  Highclere Castle doesn't look like it changed any. Looked like the same dog.  I follow Highclere on Instagram where they show the dogs.  Looks like one of them got a movie part.  The clothing was spot on for the late 20's. 

Still, I am looking forward to the next one.  Downton fans sure want these movies to keep going.  It sort of hinted Mary's life might be in the spotlight for the next movie. 

Here is the cast:

• Hugh Bonneville - Robert Crawley, the Earl of Grantham
• Elizabeth McGovern - Cora Crawley, the Countess of Grantham
• Michelle Dockery - Lady Mary Talbot, the oldest Crawley daughter
• Laura Carmichael - Edith Pelham, the Marchioness of Hexham and middle Crawley daughter
• Maggie Smith - Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham
• Allen Leech - Tom Branson, the widowed husband of youngest Crawley daughter Sybil
• Jim Carter - Charles Carson, the retired butler
• Phyllis Logan - Elsie Carson, the housekeeper formerly known as Mrs Hughes
• Robert James-Collier - Thomas Barrow, the current butler
• Joanne Froggatt - Anna Bates, Lady Mary's maid
• Lesley Nicol - Beryl Patmore, head cook
• Sophie McShera - Daisy Mason, assistant cook
• Penelope Wilton - Isobel Grey, Baroness Merton and Mary's former mother-in-law
• Samantha Bond - Lady Rosamund Painswick, Robert's sister
• Harry Hadden-Paton - Bertie Pelham, Marquess of Hexham and Edith's husband
• Matthew Goode - Henry Talbot, Mary's husband
• Douglas Reith - Dickie Grey, Baron Merton and Isobel's husband
• Kevin Doyle - Joseph Molesley, former footman and teacher
• Michael Fox - Andy Parker, footman
• Imelda Staunton - Lady Maud Bagshaw, Robert's cousin
• Tuppence Middleton - Lucy Smith, Tom's fiancee and Lady Bagshaw's heir
• Laura Haddock - Myrna Dalgleish

I won't spoil the movie by telling any more details.  You can see the trailer and many photos of this movie online. 

Colleen

Lauren Lachance Benitez Maker of Beautiful Dried Plant Herbariums

 

At Marburger Farm venue of Roundtop Antiques week, the Spring 2022 show, I came across the booth of Lauren Lachance.  Wow! Okay, it is seldom something new knocks my socks off.  This woman's work did that.  It has been decades since I have seen anyone sell framed new herbariums [dried flowers, leaves, foliage, plants] like they did in the 1800's.  I thought that art was lost. 

If you love flowers and plants, you have to see what Lauren makes.  Here is her website:  https://www.laurenlachance.net/.

My favorites were the two very large framed leaves.  These might be 24x30.  I loved the blue/green shade that they became when dried.  I can just see these in my next new home's breakfast room. 

Sorry about the reflection on the glass.  This photo does not do them justice as far as the color and the beauty of the work. 

I also loved the Hydrangeas since I grow a lot of them.  [Not shown here].  She also has Roses, wildflowers and ferns. 

I think these are Orchids. 

She also makes them in gold.

Oh, just so beautiful!

Colleen

At Marburger Farm venue of Roundtop Antiques week, the Spring 2022 show, I came across the booth of Lauren Lachance.  Wow! Okay, it is seldom something new knocks my socks off.  This woman's work did that.  It has been decades since I have seen anyone sell framed new herbariums [dried flowers, leaves, foliage, plants] like they did in the 1800's.  I thought that art was lost. 

If you love flowers and plants, you have to see what Lauren makes.  Here is her website:  https://www.laurenlachance.net/.

My favorites were the two very large framed leaves.  These might be 24x30.  I loved the blue/green shade that they became when dried.  I can just see these in my next new home's breakfast room. 

Sorry about the reflection on the glass.  This photo does not do them justice as far as the color and the beauty of the work. 

I also loved the Hydrangeas since I grow a lot of them.  [Not shown here].  She also has Roses, wildflowers and ferns. 

I think these are Orchids. 

She also makes them in gold.

Oh, just so beautiful!

Colleen

Roundtop Texas Spring 2022 Antique Week at Marburger Farm, Blue Hills and Market Hill

Hello everyone.  I thought I would share photos of Antique Week at Roundtop's Spring 2022 event. I believe this is its 50th year.  It is a ten hour drive one way for us to attend but the thrill of seeing so many fabulous antiques is worth it.  Our Tuxedo tomcat, Ascot, did very well in the hotel again and the long car ride.  This is a town of 90 residents that swells to an estimated 75,000+ people during antique week. The event runs 11 miles along Highway 237 in tents and buildings consisting of 100 antique venues in cow and cotton fields. There are also venues in surrounding towns of Burton, Warrenton, Carmine and Winedale. We met two of the 90 residents of Roundtop.  Two women eating at our picnic table at Marburger Farm introduced themselves as original local residents and we saw Ed Gage owner of Crow in Ledbetter, one of the original founders, at his booth at Marburger.  Each year we notice more and more permanent new buildings constructed along the highway. I am wondering how long it will be until all the venues at Roundtop will be open year-round for shopping.  There are a few now that are full-year. We do not cover all the venues; just go back to our favorite ones.  There are too many to ever see them all.  I do appreciate the French vendors who bring containers all the way from France to do this show.  Our favorite venues are Marburger Farm that opens on a Tuesday, Excess II, Blue Hills, Market Hill and The Compound.

We also had a lovely conversation with the incredible Kay O'Toole, Houston antiques dealer, sitting at a picnic table at Marburger.  She was so gracious and friendly. I think of her as royalty of the antique world. She could not have been nicer. When I got home I got out the Spring 2019 issue of Milieu magazine to take another look at her home on pages 106-121. My ad for Swede Collection is on page 97, a few pages before. Be sure to take a look at this article.

Now for photos of what I found. This is just a small sampling.  There has to be several million items for sale. It is hard to take photos in the crowded tents.

Sunburst mirrors are still plentiful. 

This one from Art and Antique Hunter.

Antiquaire de France. 

This was in the new white building at The Compound.

Loved this green long table from Gina Bowhill at Blue Hills.

And this Swedish cabinet at Gina's.

My big love, architectural salvage.

At Blue Hills, this was the BIGGEST table I have ever seen. Mammoth.

I discovered the beautiful venue of Kristin Mullen Designs of Dallas at Blue Hills. Her shop was so beautiful. This cabinet and the following photos.

 

And now, below, more beautiful pieces from Antiquaire de France in a new building at Blue Hills.

 

Swedish corner cabinet. They always have a selection of framed herbariums.

So many dealers, so many beautiful pieces.  Here are some more that caught my eye. Sorry I don't know the dealers' names.

Very long French buffet. 

Love this Swedish cabinet.

This peach chest was beautiful.

I think this was Rick Ingenthron Antiques. They have an incredible selection of brown wood French antiques. They are at Blue Hills.

 

I purchased quite a few items from this dealer, Benton, Hayden & Associates: the Italian document boxes, some French china and French linens.  

 

This is Renouveau Antiques at Market Hill.  Serious eye candy.  If you go, don't miss this shop. Following photos also from there.

Absolutely loved this.

And, last, this is a grocery store display counter at Scoville Brown Cooperative at Market Hill.  I think it was 25 feet long.

I've always said you could furnish an entire home with items from Roundtop.  It's true. If you love items with character, history and beauty this is the place to find them. But don't hesitate. Most of the items I truly loved already had sold signs on them. 

And, now, just months to dream about going back to the October show.  Sigh.

Colleen

 

Ikat Products Collaboration Between Schumacher and Williams Sonoma

Hello everyone, it has been a long time since I published a tablescape.  I thought I would share this collaboration between Schumacher fabrics and Williams-Sonoma. Resources listed at the end. 

Schumacher's Indonesian Samarkand style fabric designs have been applied to dinnerware and linens for Williams-Sonoma. I love this ikat design and it is colorful!!  Maybe too colorful.  What do you think, is it too much color and pattern?  I loved the runner and couldn't leave the store without it and then saw there were dinner plates and appetizer plates to coordinate. 

 

Runner.  Was $69.95 now half off on sale. I did not purchase the napkins or big tablecloth.  Note that since I purchased mine, they have gone on sale so if you liked these you could go online and get a much better deal.  

In the past I have purchased so many beautiful Schumacher fabrics, mostly silks that I have truly loved. I was surprised actually to see these products. The dishware was made in Portugal and looks like stoneware.  I am a porcelain girl so would have preferred they make it in porcelain but no go.  The linens are made in Moldava of cotton.  

So I liked the ikat design but when I put everything on the table, I thought, woah, way too much color and pattern.  Looks a bit overwhelming.  What do you think?  Too much??

I decided to use only a single ginger jar for the centerpiece.  As I have mentioned here before, I think tablescapers crowd the centerpiece area of the table with TOO MUCH STUFF.  So, I am making a concerted effort to tone it down.  Less is truly more.  I also don't think it makes guests comfortable when the tabletop is totally covered with stuff.  I have also been making a huge effort to keep the height of the centerpiece low for people to see around.  

The ginger jar is from the company's expensive side, Williams-Sonoma Home. 

It is BIG at about 11" high and 12" wide.  At $250, I think that is high, but they do have ginger jars at $650.  I quit buying blue and white [except for my Thanksgiving antique turkey plates] and have sold all that I had.  So this is the only blue and white item in the house.  It is well made, I can say that, looks more like porcelain than ceramic or earthenware.  I did love the cranes+vine+peony pattern and that it had a lid.  Just the jar in the middle of the table was enough for my eye.  Do you agree?

I already had the blue stemware and blue/green tumblers which I think go well.  

Here are a few photos of the table from different angles.  When I use a runner, I often like to use placemats on the sides but this time they just looked bad so left them off. Just too much. 

This is how I had my Swede Collection buffet styled before.  I was showcasing an antique 1871 Wedgwood transferware 20 inch platter with well in the Louise pattern. 

To get some blue and green over on the buffet, I moved my Pinto Brazil oil painting of boats in the harbor of Rio over there.  

Can you believe somebody donated this painting to Goodwill?  Amazing what people donate. 

Here are the resources:

White chargers, Pillivuyt France, Plisse pattern, Williams-Sonoma $34.95

Napkins, Frette France, cobalt color

Flatware, Ricci Raffaello Gold, gold plated stainless steel, Michael C. Fina

Stemware, vintage Noritake Perspective Celestial Blue Ice Teas

Tumbler, Pier 1, discontinued

Dinner plates, 10.75" Williams-Sonoma $16.95 Schumacher Samarkand Ikat

Appetizer plates, 6.5" Williams-Sonoma set of four $39.95

Runner, Williams-Sonoma Schumacher Samarkand Ikat, 16 x 108" $69.95

Ginger Jar, Crane and Peony Vine pattern, Williams-Sonoma Home $250

Williams-Sonoma also has the ikat pattern in other products such as throw pillows, candles and diffusers. 

I guess I had better get my flags up on the back porch for Memorial Day weekend. 

Have a great weekend.

Colleen Martin

Founder

Swede Collection

swedefurniture.com 

 

 

 

Easter Table Setting

With the house a mess with floor construction, I was only able to do a simple tablescape for Easter.  When we moved the china cabinets to fix the floor, I had to pack up all my china which is still in boxes.  I found a few things but didn't want to dig deeper. 

I am using these huge green bunnies for my centerpiece since we are not having a large crowd. They are about 24 inches wide and 23 inches tall.  They originally came from Pottery Barn years ago and I wish they would bring this type of product back. They are made out of a kind of twiggy material covered with the green moss looking stuff.  They look like they are whispering about something. 

I decided on Anna Weatherley Seascape Waterlily plates and Anna Weatherley Green Leaf bread and butter plates with the red Lady Bug.  Charger is Pillivuyt and some simple stemware. 

I have used these glass bunny boxes from Smith Glass for many years on the plates to be opened at the beginning of the meal.  I put gifts for guests inside not candy.  Women may get lipstick, nail polish, cooking spices, sewing notions, etc.  I try to find items each guest would enjoy. 

Another photo of how the bunny looks on the plate. 

 I did just a simple arrangement on the buffet as well.  

Big white vases with white Dogwood branches along with Mr. and Mrs.  She carries the eggs [of course].  I bought these huge eggs this year from Target.  There is a lot more space to hold bigger items.  I found my Easter wreath for the door but could not find what box my other Easter items were in. 

With the freeze, we were afraid this Dogwood would not bloom, but it surprised us with these glorious flowers. 

The white stem is French Portieux Vallerysthal and the other green ones are from a department store. 

Ours will be another low key holiday.  I am looking forward to working in my flowerbeds and planting annuals soon.  

Wishing all of you a lovely Easter day. 

Colleen 

 

 

 

 

Love To All This Valentine's Day

Photo from a floral centerpiece I did a few years ago for Valentine's Day.

Colleen 

It Is A New Year

 

Holiday Lookbook 2020 Decor From My Home

Happy Holidays, Everyone!

I am sharing my personal home lookbook of holiday decorating.  

You can see it on Issuu via this link:

holiday decorating

It may be slow to load since it is 194 pages.

Sometimes the link doesn't work. If so, cut and paste this in your browser:

https://issuu.com/swedecollection/docs/holiday_lookbook_2020-compressed__1_?fr=sZTdkYjY0MjU1OA

Colleen