With Relish

Jennie and Paul came to town to see Mitchell in Jesus Christ Superstar, but we managed to work in a boozy brunch, some estate sales and a little thrift shopping as well.  No surprise, but there were plenty of fabulous finds...

The book 'Cat People' is just about too much.  Published in 1977, you would recognize many of the people photographed with their cats--a young Jane Pauley, a kerchiefed Louise Nevelson, Robert Indiana, Liz Smith and more.  Accompanying each are few words from the sitter on why their cat is important to them.  Several of the women are actually given the occupation of 'homemaker.'  It is now officially on the top of one of the decorative stacks of books.*

This bottle/carafe was irresistible, with a little collar on it's neck for the hand and a double spout.  It is perfect on the table for water or perhaps this summer with a chilled rosé?

The relish tray has been gone too long from the table!  At one of the estate sales, there was a stack of relish trays high enough for me to send each of my dear readers a charming example to use while entertaining.  I limited my acquisition to two, wonderful examples.  The first has teardrop handles and a lovely swirling division; the second has geometric dividers and a beautiful fluted edge.  I'll put both to good use, I promise.

Crackers.  Crackers.  Crackers.  These plastic cracker troughs make arranging them simple; easy to serve along side your relish tray.

I do not need another set of salad servers--I have so many pair, I don't even know how many they number.  Rest assured, if you are a regular diner at my table, you probably will not see the same set twice.  This lovely set is stainless steel from Japan, diminutive and impossible to pass up.


Little jars?  With decorative lids?  And wooden spreaders?  Jennie spotted these, but was kind enough to let me claim them.  I'm not sure what I might serve in them, but I'll figure it out.  Spreads?  Condiments for sandwiches?  Or I can exchange the spreaders for little spoon and fill them with olives or something.  Do I have any little spoons?  I'll have to check.

I do not think you can have enough trivets.  Period.  I already have one similar to this design with a gold rim and a crackled glass.  Similar is not the same as matching, and whether I was making a claim for a set or diversity, I would still have gone home with it.  They're perfect for the French press, Chemex coffee pot or teapot on the table.

It's been a while since we have spotted one of these weird little banks, but we nabbed this sad puppy to add to Mitchell's collection.  The palette is so strange and happy in strong contrast to the big sad eyes of the little doggie.


 Merry Christmas.


I love Quan Yin and this petite addition to the pantheon is precious.

I had to have the small plastic statuette of the American Indian girl (top picture, far right) and she helps balance the phalanx of saints that fill the medicine cabinet in the guest bath.  I guess with the Pantry God and the small tee pee with children (bottom picture, wedged between the Virgins of Guadalupe), it's officially a collecting direction.  Plastic American Indian figurines.  Dotcom.

Finally, Jennie brought us this lovely white kitchen glass bowl with black swirlies on it as a housewarming gift.  It's perfect for the table and would good with anything in it, but especially with a few little cuties thrown in, n'est-ce pas?

* There is more than one.  "Books are awfully decorative, don't you think?"

An Easy Lesson on Making Things Cuter

When I was thrifting in Omaha, I made a $.80 purchased that changed my life, my outlook on the world and my perspective on cute: a miniature sombrero. It's true. I picked up this little hat and began to put it on everything around the store, instantly amping up the cute-meter by five points with each switcheroo. How can that be?

Just look:

This little doggy was already pretty cute, but look how cute he
is in the miniature sombrero? Everybody say, 'ahhhhh."

You probably wouldn't describe the BVM as cute,
unless she was is wearing a miniature sombrero!

And Raggedy Andy? Sure, he is kind of cute in a saccharine kind of way,
so in this case the miniature sombrero brings his cuteness down to a palatable level.

Santa is always cute, but Santa in a miniature sombrero is excepcionalmente-cute!

This caroler looks super angry, like she is put out by having to wear the miniature sombrero. And the guy behind her doesn't look very happy that it is blocking his moment. Isn't that cute?

Our Lady of Ventriloquism looks cute too, and I'm sure it's the miniature sombrero.

What have we learned?
  1. Accessories are everything.
  2. You can have a helluva lot of fun for $.80 in a thrift store.
  3. Everyone is cute at some point, even the BVM.
  4. Smile, don't be so serious.
Look for the miniature sombrero to pop-up in future MTSS posts again and again until it becomes so funny you won't be able to stand it. Laugh, my puppets, laugh! De Nuestra Señora de la ventriloquia commands it!