Hi, it's just me.

Vermont Flower Show

This weekend we ran a booth at the Vermont Flower Show in Essex, Vermont.  This was our first show like this. We had a great time, and met lots of happy folks!

There were flowers everywhere. Seminars and workshops were going on all weekend on topics ranging from saving your own seeds to canning and preserving your harvest.

Folks stood in line to walk through the big display, featuring a larger-than-life birds nest, a hobbit's home, and of course - lots of flowers!

Our booth was next to the Vermont Natural Ag Products group, makers of the famous "Moo Doo" compost.

Our bestseller at the show was our Sunflower Persimmon Totebag...I think folks were looking forward to spring!

And the best part of the whole show? We were all in denial, avoiding the blizzard going on outside...

 

Lucky us! Looking forward to Spring, a little more greenery and a little less snow...

xo

Happy Holidays in Richmond, Vermont!

Last weekend, Amanda ran a Carol Maguire Home booth at the Richmond Holiday Market in her hometown in Vermont. Her friend Caitlin (also a redhead) helped her staff the booth, and they met lots of wonderful people!

Our booth at the market.

Caitlin (left) and Amanda (right) smiling at the booth.

The big man, himself, showed up for a few hours - and the little ones lined up for hours just to have a few moments with the magical Santa Claus! The pictures are a little blurry because - as you may know - Santa is very elusive!

There were also sleigh rides, courtesy of Santa's stable. Bake sale yummies were being sold, and wreaths by the boy scouts - it was a true small town holiday event!

Some folks brought their plates to figure out which tablecloth they wanted...and decided that the Peony Fern tablecloth was the best choice.

 

Caitlin modeled yet another way "how to wear a scarf"...wearing the sunflower persimmon scarf!

 
And can't forget the Camel's Hump Middle School select choir that serenaded the shoppers with carols!

 

It was a positively magical day, filled with happy shoppers and lots of holiday cheer! Can't wait to do it all over again next year! Happy Holidays! xo

Magical Sweden Part 2 (Potatoes and Snow)

We made two visits to our new favorite lunch spot in Ystad. "The Book Cafe" had a "sign"..... well it sure got our attention......it was a tall female manakin standing on the street.....with a chair and a menu. We were intrigued.

We trotted down the cobblesone street to an entrance into a courtyard.....and  from there we just followed our noses!

I knew it was my kind of place when I saw a big book of Henri Matisse's paper cutouts ...open in a bookshelf!

The menu was small.....they gave us the English version......there was soup and "baked potatoes with good stuffing" So we said OK to both!

The soup was a rich pink in color.....filled with salmon, shrimp and mussels!

The potatoes were big and velvety and wrapped in tin foil.....and heaped with ,version #1, a creamy creme fraiche chicken salad and topped with tomato and bacon. Yum. Version #2 was filled with a creamy shrimp salad with fresh dill and topped with a lemon slice and cavier. Who knew these kind of things existed?

And then there was dessert......an apple bread pudding with a rich warm vanilla sauce! Delightful....Oh and FYI.....it took 4 of us to eat all  of this!

 

And then there was the SNOW. We had heard that there was little snow in this part of Sweden. It is on the coast.....mostly rain. So we were prepared with our umbrellas and raincoats. Well ....the day we were to leave we woke up to 2....TWO...feet of snow. It snuck up on us big time!

 

It was beautiful....but needless to say I missed my flight.....had to buy new tickets.....but you know what? It was all worth it! xo

Magical Sweden Part 1

We just returned from a magical trip to Sweden. Amanda,Steve and I ......Steve's parents and Amanda's Dad all traveled to Sweden to spend Thanksgiving with Christine, Steve's sister who is studying the flute at  Musikhogskolan in Malmo.

We rented a big Swedish house in Abbekas......complete with an indoor pool and sauna. The weather was cold and windy......we wrapped ourselves up and headed out into the weather to visit palaces, fish smokeries, ancient stone ruins, antik shops.....and grocery stores......each time wondering if we were really buying what we thought we were!

Christine and her beau, Dan......or Iron Dan as he is known (he is a triathlon guy)...helped us navigate the Swedish language and countryside! Dan found us a big turkey...special order in Sweden.....and we make a proper Thanksgiving feast complete with mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing, gravy and the ever popular lingenberry sauce! We had a blast cooking ....we set the Table with our new Carol Maguire Home Persimmon Tablecloth......and tons of candles! Its so Swedish ...where the daylight is very short!

 

Steve, Christine, Dan and Amanda outside of the Book Cafe.

Advent Candles

Red roses were everywhere!

Living room.

Puzzle Completed.....in 7 days!

Holiday Table.......the day after.

Swedish Radish Baby!

Amanda and Dan deciding.....

The Iron Dan Butterfly

Steve and his Dad

In the sauna!

 

Swedish Christmas Tulips.

It was soooo cold!

 

Carol and candles!

We went to a farm for our...potatoes, onions and carrots!

Amanda and her Dad.

Carol and Christine......reading?

Christine and Steve

Magnificent room where Christine's concert was held in Malmo's City Hall.

From the concert......Christine in glam red.

We also had the pleasure of meeting Kristina and Dennis, Dan's parents, who traveled from Smalland to attend our Christine's concert. They were a delight!

Thank you Christine and Dan for making our trip absolutely perfect! xo

 

 

 

 

 

Introducing Priscilla

Two winters ago, when Carol Maguire Home was barely a twinkle in my eye...Amanda and I were antiquing in Vermont. We came across a beautiful shop in Waterbury...home of Ben & Jerry's ice cream...and Green Mountain Coffee. And we soon learned it was home to our "Modern Priscilla" too!

There she was...staring up at us from the top of a pile of magazines...saying "take me home!" So we did. 

It was on that same trip to Vermont that we conceived Carol Maguire Home...and Priscilla became our mascot. She sits framed in our Vermont office...sitting behind Amanda...so I can see her when we skype!

Priscilla takes her role as mascot very seriously. Sometimes she likes to wear her Peony Noir suit and Sunflower Persimmon cap.

And sometimes she prefers her Peony Fern swimsuit with her Sunflower Aubergine cap.

What a nut she is! But who can blame her?

So there you have it. Our very own Modern Priscilla. Is there a little Priscilla in you? xo

Trunk Show on the Vineyard

What a glorious Memorial Day weekend we had! I flew up to Manchester NH where Amanda, my daughter and partner, picked me up in her SUV packed to the max with our tablecloths! We drove to Woods Hole to catch the ferry to Martha's Vineyard.....a bowl of chowder and 45 minutes later we were rolling off the ferry onto the most beautiful island. Our home away from home.

Amanda and I headed over to the Granary Gallery in West Tisbury to set up our "Carol Maguire Home " shop in the gallery's courtyard. We draped tablecloths.....hung tote bags in the trees.....and used their wonderful props to create a wonderful cozy space. The gallery folk had hung my paintings on the walls and fences....I just loved seeing my paintings and the colorful linens all in one space!

The weather was perfect.....and the customers plentiful. It was a joyous celebration. We sold tablecloths for wedding presents.....placemats to be sent to London...Edinburgh...and Tuscany. We met so many lovely people.....and the Granary staff was amazing! 

Here are some pictures. We were so busy selling our line that we didn't capture the courtyard crowded with people.

Spring Party Carol Maguire Home

We had a wonderful day on Saturday.......here are some pictures of our party ......we set up a "Carol Maguire Home Shop ' on the lawn! So many people came .......and were thrilled with our new designs.....lots of sales....laughs ......and

 






conversation......it was a dream come true!

Easter in Vermont

 I went up to Vermont to spend the Easter weekend with Amanda and Steve!I was traveling with my  88 year old mother...we drove, cabbed, flew, and drove......a nine hour trip from Philadelphia....and so worth being with Amanda and Steve! 

We had a party for Mom's 88th birthday.....Amanda and I were able to get a lot of work in....we celebrated our first two retail connections......The Pear Tree in Wayne PA and The Store in Waitsfield VT......both hand chosen by us.......beautiful shops to carry Carol Maguire Home.

We are so blessed.....in so many ways....one of the highlights for me was the discovery of "blue eggs" at one of the local Vermont farms. They are really a variety of blues and greens.....combined with pinks...neutrals...to warm browns!

Life is so good.....so blessed to be working with Amanda........blue eggs are just the icing on the cake!

(Speaking of cakes......Mom's birthday cake is a Lady Baltimore Cake......the city of her birth.....88 years ago on Easter Sunday.......hand made by Amanda!!!!)

Trunk Shows

Amanda and I are hitting the road this summer to promote Carol Maguire Home with a series of Trunk Shows! We have been so fortunate to have a number of my art galleries to invite us to show our new home decor line.

Martha's Vineyard & Cape Cod MA, Warm Spring,VA, Greenville DE, Whitfield RI.......all magical places!

Amanda is previewing  our Trunk Show apparel......so you can make us out from the on lookers!

New Paintings inspired by our Spring Collection

I designed the Spring tablecloths about a year ago... at that time we sent all of the info to our manufacturer in India.They burned a screen for each color......14 screens for each design....hand printed each one.....packed and shipped them on their way.

I received these samples in January and was mesmorized by then.......yes, they are my designs, my artwork......but to see it on these beautiful tablecloths is mind boggling for me. I have always included textiles in my still life paintings......and now to be able to use my own designs is just a dream come true!

We will be introducing the Spring Collection next week. XO

Photoshoot in the Bahamas

I was invited by the Treasure Cay Art League to teach a painting workshop. The dates were set for February 8-12.......our flight on the 6th was canceled due to the impending snowstorm. We scrambled and left for Miami on the 5th

(we caught the last flight before the Philly airport was closed!)....and in Miami it was Superbowl weekend!
Amanda searched to find us a hotel room....we had to spend the night.....leaving for Abaco the next day. The workshop was a huge success. While I was teaching....Amanda was busy taking the photos of our new Spring line. Here are some of the out-takes, our condo.....the foliage....our week!

Hint of Spring

From the Attic

I was rooting around in the attic this week.  A trip down memory lane......opening boxes long ago packed.

Here is one of my favorite finds.  My "Fishbowl" wallhanging circa 1982. That was the year Amanda was born.

In those days I was quilting, making appliqued and handpainted wallhangings......doing freelance design for Better Homes and Gardens......selling to small gift shops.......and then to Macys!

As motherhood approached I started making baby quilts......and a line of baby wallhangings with velcro detachable figures!  The "Fishbowl" was my favorite.......I hung it over the changing table.....it was a great source of entertainment for baby Amanda! 

 

Such fond memories!

Snow Cakes & Cupcakes

Amanda's Famous Onion Galette

We have had so many requests for Amanda's Famous Onion Galette Recipe!

So here it is! Enjoy!

It was so delicious that it was gone before could snap a shot......but it was right in the middle of the buffet! You'll have to use your imagination!

 

Onion Galette Recipe

Ingredients

Dough:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Pinch salt
8 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, diced (1 stick)
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Filling:
2-3 onions (yellow, red, or shallots), sliced, about 2 cups
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp whole-grain mustard

Directions

For the dough (make ahead): Pulse the flour and salt together in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse about 10 times until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal with a few bean-size bits of butter in it. Add the egg and pulse 1 to 2 times more; don't let the dough form a mass around the blade. If the dough seems very dry, add up to 1 tablespoon of cold water, 1 teaspoon at a time, pulsing briefly. Remove the blade and bring the dough together by hand. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

For the filling: Sauté the onions in the butter over medium heat until soft and golden, about 10 – 12 minutes. Add the rosemary. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 1 minute more and remove from heat.

Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch disk. Transfer the dough to a baking sheet and brush with mustard. Distribute the onions evenly over the dough, leaving 1-2 inches from the edge. Starting with one side, fold the dough over the edge of the filling. Continue with each edge, pleating the dough as you go, until all edges have been folded over the filling. Bake until the crust is brown, about 45 minutes. Cool the galette briefly on a wire rack. Cut into wedges and enjoy!