St Joespeh's Day Meal

While almost the rest of the world was busy drinking a little too much at the bars all weekend for St. Patrick's Day, Southern Italians are busy prepping for St. Joseph's Day on the 19th every year. Like many things celebrated by Italian Americans, the meaning may now be lost but the tradition of celebration remains simply due to heritage. I think it is important to understand not only that things should be done but why we do them though.

St. Joseph's Day has been celebrated by Italians since the Middle Ages. There was a major drought in Southern Italy and Sicily.  They prayed to St. Joseph for rain and the rain came saving the fava bean crop while other crops failed which kept them from starvation. As they prayed they said that if they were to be spared then they would celebrate a feast in the Saint's name every year to remember the miracle.  Depending on the region of Italy one is from they may celebrate a little differently but it is always a Lentin meal.

There are also always a few elements in every St. Joseph's Day display that are a must.  Lilies are always present as are doves.  Before Joseph was with Mary, he was suitor for the Blessed Mother and like every other suitor in the village he left a wooden staff to show his intentions outside her door. In the morning the staff left by Joseph had blossomed from the top into beautiful while lilies and doves flew from the staff. Mary knew he was the suitor to choose due to this and ever since we have associated these symbols with Joseph. Joseph also was a carpenter so wood is another essential element and just as the Irish have their St. Pat's green, it is red that is associated with St. Joseph.

Many Italian families go much more out than I did this year but I tried to include all the elements into my dinner table. I used a red sash down the middle of the table with red chargers and large white plates under my antique Fire King plates. I used leopard silverware wrapped in a plaid napkin.

My grandfather on my mom's side was "Grandpa Joe" and he always held St. Joseph's Day dear.  I chose the Fire King dishes because this light mint green was his favorite color. I think the mix of red, white and green gave an added Italian flair as well. I chose the leopard silverware because of my late grandfather as well. The first Christmas I ever had on my own I didn't have enough matching silverware so I cleverly camouflaged this fact by wrapping the place settings in cloth napkins so you wouldn't know until you went to use the utensils.... never one to not notice things, he unwrapped his napkin to find a leopard place setting (different from the other guests) and demand to know if that won him a prize.

In the center of the table I made a centerpiece on a Fire King platter for easy removal when needed. I placed a vase full of white lilies surrounded by a set of wooden rosaries and a small St. Joseph statue. On either side of this I sat a set of white doves. Comment below, what ethnic traditions does your family celebrate that may not be mainstream?

Getting Ready for Easter!

Being able to change the clocks always makes me realize just how close spring really is..... and with spring coming it is also time to bring out the Easter decor to lighten and brighten up the house inside. Bring a little spring into the home so to speak....

I found this cute throw pillow this year at Burlington and just had to get it. It's a jackalope! How could I not buy such a unique find?

The Last Supper slate was hand painted by one of my Grandfather's best friends. Every year I attend the Orthodox Easter festival as well to pick up a hand painted wooden egg, lovingly painted by one of my cousins annually. This year I displayed them in a piece of my green depression glass I collect, this was a banana split dish.

On the mantle in the dining room I kept it more simple with a ceramic bunny made to look like burlap found last year at Hobby Lobby (I didn't see them this year), a wooden Happy Easter sign from Pat Catan's (also from last year), and some pastel colored cotton picks (picked up this year at Hobby Lobby).

On the side buffet in the dining room, I again kept it simple. I changed the flowers in my rooster fruit bowl, adding in some harlequin ribbon for contrast and a small stuffed lady bunny from TJ Maxx (similar here). The 2 bunnies on the side were bought several years back and I do not recall from where.
Below on the side of the fridge, I simply swapped out my Italian urn of sunflowers for this glittery straw grass arrangement found last year at Tuesday Morning. 

In the living room, I decorated the table inside the front door using a pashmina in lavender to lighten up the corner. I took an apothecary jar I had and filled it with moss, speckled eggs and chicken wire ribbon to make a unique display. I swapped out my normal candles on their pillars for pastel ceramic bunnies.
On the ottoman I used the same moss, eggs and chicken wire as in the jar but placed them in a dough bowl I picked up while at the Medina Ice Fest last month at a cute store called Antiquation.

To carry things upstairs, I placed a golden Easter egg under my potted fern heading up the staircase. Egg was found at  Hobby Lobby.

 

In the bathroom, I simply added a grass bunny pick and a foil egg pick to my existing arrangement and sat a golden bunny next to it.

It is definitely beginning to feel like spring in the air. Comment below, how did you decorate for Easter? 

An Afternoon of Flatbread and Wine

It's always a relaxing afternoon to meet a friend for some flatbread and wine at one of my favorite spots in town. When you walk through the front door, you may be deceived into thinking it is simply a small store that sells wine and bottles of craft beers but once you make your way to the end of the aisle to the left you quickly see it is much more...

The secret is a bar area that opens up into one of the most relaxing places to meet friends on a Sunday evening.  Add a few glasses of wine and what is perhaps the best flat breads in town and you are sitting in Vintage Estates.

It was definitely a wonderful way to spend a Sunday evening and was even warm enough to enjoy some sun on the patio.

Cardigan from H&M, Tshirt from Ivory and Birch (not available online), Jeans from Old Navy, shoes by Sperry (similar).

Weekend Warrior- Stairs Edition

To those who know me it is no secret that I do many home repairs and remodeling myself. When I can't handle the task at hand completely by myself I simply call Daddy for some help. I have painted my entire home myself and redone furniture and even laid my own pergo flooring on the first floor.

My stairs going to the second floor have long been an eyesore to me but was never an undertaking I wanted to take on while Eddie was still with me in his old age. I didn't think he would be able to do the steps without the carpet on them. I originally set out to have the tops be the natural wood finish with only the front of the stairs painted but that was dashed when I pulled the carpet off. Some one may years back had painted the stairs with a white enamel paint already.  I was forced to simply prime and paint the whole stair to match my woodwork. The stairs treads I laid down once painted were from Home Depot. The paint I have used on my woodwork throughout the whole house is called French Pastry by Valspar.

Medina Ice Fest

What fun treat to head to Medina to go antiquing and find out there was an ice sculpture display through the town as well.....

Each shop put an ice sculpture out in front of their store and the whole town came out to see them.

Farewell Old Friend!

Yesterday Eddie lost his long battle with cancer. He lived a good long life up to the age of 16 1/2. There will never be another dog as loving and good-hearted as Eddie was. He and I went through a lot together over the years and it will be a long sad adjustment to him being gone.

No longer will I find bits of broken plastic hanger around the house because he used them as a chew toy. No longer will I get a hug from him with one paw on each shoulder. No longer will he perk up to go for a ride because I grabbed his leash. No longer will I have to wait to shut the fridge door because he's checking out the meat drawer. No longer will I have him running up the stairs to get in bed before I do. And so many more things that were just part of his personality.

No words can really emphasize the pain in losing a pet....

A New Escape!

I lease my cars, which many financial experts will most likely advise against.... but it's what works for me.  Every time the lease comes up due I call the dealers ahead to try to minimize the time spent just sitting in a dealership.... it never works for me though! Why does leasing a new version of the same car you already have require giving up almost two days of your life? Someone seriously needs to figure a way to simplify this process.....

In the end, I actually changed dealerships I lease from due to poor customer service from a sales man at my prior dealer and came home with a new Ford Escape .... finally!

 Normally I get a darker color car but this time I decided to go with a new color called "white gold."

 Casual yet preppy I waited the salesman out... I dressed for the NE Ohio weather....

The signature pearls I wear area find from Grandma's Jewelry box,  my anchor button up is from Tommy Hilfiger for Macy's (no longer available), and the fleece pullover from St. John's Bay (no longer available).

My jeans are from Old Navy Rockstar Jeans.

The rain boots were bought last year before the rainy Kentucky Derby at Sears (no longer available).