Giveaway Week 2: Terra Home Not-Just-For-Sushi Dishes
Yay! I’ve recovered from the horrid H1N1 and am in full Giveaway form. This is week two of Six Weeks of Giveaways and I have something really special – a set of four Not Just For Sushi dishes from Terra Home ($88.00 retail).
These lovely dishes come in three styles and you get to choose your favorite. Hand built from white stoneware, they vary in size from 8″ x 6″ down to 2″ x 4″. They’re perfect for serving small delicacies like sushi, cheeses, etc.. They could also hold a pillar candle, a bar of soap, butter, rings. Let’s face it – there are 1,001 uses for these beauties.
You could also divide up the set and give them away as hostess gifts. Everyone brings the usual bottle of wine. Why not make your gift extra-special?
Lingua Terra Tile and Terra Home is a four year-old, family run business. Bronwyn Simons worked from her rose covered cottage. The company is now housed in a sunny 1,000 square foot hand built post-and beam studio on four acres of meadow, garden, and woodland. If that doesn’t paint a picture of perfection, their four acres are in the heart of Denman Island, one of British Columbia‚Äôs jewel-like Gulf Islands, home to gorgeous mountain and ocean views, lush rain forest, and a vibrant community of artists and entrepreneurs.
Everyone who wants to visit Bronwyn right now raise your hands. Me!
How To Enter
My giveaways typically run for five days and this is no exception. To enter, simply leave a comment answering this question: What is your favorite holiday? Leave your answer under any of the daily posts. The giveaway ends Friday and I’ll announce the winner (chosen at random) on Saturday. Entries are limited to residents of the US and Canada.
What’s your favorite holiday? Arbor Day? Mine is Passover. I’m not Jewish, but I’ve been a guest at several seders. I like a holiday that encourages everyone to sit with each other and enjoy a long meal.
How to Throw a Swiss Wedding
I spent a few days in Verbier, Switzerland over the last, long weekend to attend the wedding of our niece. I could not have imagined a more perfectly planned and executed event. The parties – spread over three days – were beautiful each in their own way. I thought I’d share some of the d?©cor with you.
For the perfect Swiss wedding, start with a rehearsal dinner at Le Chalet d’Adrien. The groom’s parents arranged for a vintage Swiss postal bus to take all the guests assembled in the main square up to the event.
Country checked cloths alongside wicker chairs created the perfect rustic tablescape. Alpine long horn players entertained us before the buffet dinner.
The bride worked with a florist to transform a two-story cafeteria into a flower-filled chapel and reception hall. The bride and groom were pronounced man and wife, the curtains parted to reveal the terrace, where we sipped champagne and watched the sun set.
Create a colorful table for outdoor dining
It’s summertime and the living is easy. Dining should be too, don’t you think? A summer salad, grilled fish, fresh fruit and a glass of chilled Sangria are on the menu. What’s on the table?
I came across this beautiful photo of an outdoor picnic in Cote Sud and it inspired me to recreate its breezy, cheerful and, (best of all) laid back style. Brights are on the menu for my version.
I’m starting with a beautiful tablecloth made from Brunschwig & Fils’ Fawkes cotton print. The table is set with:
- plates from Gracious Home. Their Benidorm melamine dishware ($15 each) comes in a variety of bowls and dishes.
- We’re drinking our sangria in Juicy acrylic glasses from Target ($$19.99 for a set of four).
- The blue, striped flatware is from Nautical Luxuries ($320 for a set of four, 5-piece settings) is imported from France. Ooh la la.
- Finally, our Francesca Orange napkin can be found at Roberta Roller Rabbit ($8.00 each).
But we’re not finished. We need a centerpiece and some accessories.
- I love this centerpiece, made from recycled pop cans.¬† Would real flowers, picked form your own garden fit our scene more perfectly? Err, yes. But I like it, so it’s in. My fake flowers are from Eco-Artware ($24 for six flowers).
- This set of colorful, melamine stacking bowls are perfect for our fruit and salads. They’re from Apartment 48 ($65).
- I also love this collapsible cooler - just the thing to keep our sangria cold. It comes in two colors. You can find it on sale at Sur La Table ($31.96).
- Now for the chairs. Maine Cottage serves up several styles that come in just about any color you like. Their Edna Chair sells for $350.00.
Outdoor Dining Tip
Please don’t hesitate to take your indoor furniture outdoors for an evening. There’s something about a wooden table and chairs that create a romantic atmosphere. If you can fashion a canopy, keep the furniture out all summer. If not, be sure to cover the set table with an old sheet until your guests arrive. This will keep the leaves and birds from making a mess of your beautiful tablescape.
Do you think it’s important to have a separate set of dishes for outdoors?
DIY Party decorations from France
The weekend is upon us and some of us are looking for an excuse to throw a party. So, here’s a craft project from L’Atelier Modele that will provide just that. I’m sending this out to my French and Canadian friends in particular.
L’Atelier Modele creates designs for all sorts of party decorations. Everything from placemats to name tag holders. I love their gift boxes. 
They’ve even done the centerpieces (lotuses). There’s a special section just for the luminaires.They’ve done the designing. You buy the instructions and materials to make them. As I said, this is for my friends, like Kim, who speak French. You’ll need to, or use a translation tool because the site is written entirely in French. But hey, it’s never too late to learn a new language.
I am a closet crafter, but don’t know a lot about the subject. If you’re into crafting, I suggest a visit to Poppytalk.
At any rate, do you know of a similar US site? Is this too Martha Stewart for you?
