Innholdsfortegnelse for January - February 2007 i Southern Lady

One of the most exciting times in a mother’s life is when her son reveals that there is a special woman in his life. Such was the case when my son Brian called one night and said, “I just love Nancy Grace. In fact, I go to bed every night with her saying, ‘Goodnight, Friend.’” Not wanting to overreact to this news, I asked, “And just who is Nancy Grace?” He just laughed and told me that she had her own television show and that I needed to watch her. I was instantly fascinated by her wonderful hairstyle and makeup—I knew she was Southern through and through. But as I listened, I thought less about her fabulous style and more about her brilliant legal mind and the tough subject matters…

•1. Gianna Rose Atelier Gardener’s Soap, $16 for two, and Lotion, $14; available at Anthropologie, www.anthropologie.com. 2. Napkin holders, $4.99-5.99, and napkins, $2.50-3.50; available at Target, www.target.com. 3. Gold Rim Footed Bath Dish, $25, Footed Bath Soap Bowl, $18, and Royal Extract soaps, $2.85 each; available at Summerhill, Ltd., 205-871-2902. 4. Large Natural Capiz Leaf Bowl, $199; available at Flora, 205- 871-4004. 5. Decorative vases, $18-24; available at Anthropologie, www.anthropologie.com.…

{one } Bring together a bright table with coordinating hydrangeas in shades of green. {two} A fancy flared napkin dresses up this everyday-turned-elegant setting. {three} Grandma’s prized plate balances a contemporary collection in this pretty palette. {four} POPS OF plum The weather outside may be frightful, but winter is the perfect excuse to use bright and bold table linens. Whatever you call it— fuchsia, cranberry, or purple—this hot hue enhances mealtime with a dash of dazzle. Add pretty plates in various cuts and colors, some gorgeously geometric and others reminiscent of an apple-green lily pad, to complement busy patterns. Experiment with flower pots— printed or plain—for a simple solution to beat centerpiece blahs, then accent crisp white blooms with punches of color to match your scheme. {five} EMERALD seating It’s…

Dorothy McDaniel’s Design Your Own Materials: •1 oblong planter •Gravel for drainage •Potting soil •1 brick oasis floral foam •2 (2x10-inch) white candles •2 candle picks •20 (6-inch) picks •12 white pansies •8 to10 small orange citrus fruits (mandarin orange, etc.) •12 stems seeded eucalyptus •3 stems dusty miller •6 stems citrus greenery (the gardenia greenery used here is a good substitute) Step by Step 1. Begin by placing 1 to 2 inches of gravel in bottom of container. Add layer of potting soil, leaving enough room for one brick of oasis floral foam to stand lengthwise on its side in center of container. 2. Plant pansies between the container wall and the oasis, leaving spaces between pansies to place the other design elements. Fill the openings with potting soil.…

MEMORIES OF MACON As if pulled from the pages of the sweetest storybook, Nancy Grace’s carefree childhood was spent frolicking in the yard and laughing with siblings in the comfort of her family’s Georgia-based haven. Although she has since traded dirt paths and quiet nights for the bustling life of New York City, Macon remains near and dear to Nancy’s heart. “When I think back on the South, one picture comes to mind—pine trees and peach orchards for as far as the eye can see,” she recalls. Nancy’s father, a railroad man, and her mother, a bank teller, taught their three little Graces to cherish family, friendship, and faith by taking the children to church each Sunday and encouraging them to read and rejoice. Heavily involved in 4-H—her mother was…

In these chilly days of winter, we are inevitably drawn into the cozy warmth of the den. This inviting room entices us to snuggle in a comfy sofa or plump chair with a fire dancing in the hearth and a canine companion at our feet. It’s where the family gathers together to play cards and marathon Monopoly games, to watch movies and devour enthralling novels. This room, more than any other, expresses the personality of the family, so furnish it with special touches and things that you love. Avid readers long to collect volumes and volumes of beloved books, but with this infatuation for the written word comes the risk of having boring bookcases. When lining up books, be sure to vary the heights and colors and to stack some…

“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.” —Edith Lovejoy Pierce Ah, the promises of a brand new year! How we love that fresh, clean page to begin anew. We make plans to redecorate our homes, rejuvenate our gardens, and refresh our souls. But first, we gather together the lovely women who mean the world to us for an elegant brunch to herald the beginning of what will surely be a happy new year. An occasion this genteel begins with a sumptuously set table. Lay the foundation with a simple but grand linen tablecloth, then overlay with an intricate filigreedesigned scarf in sheer fabric. Nothing says opulence…

Expect to serve up second and third helpings of this delicious dish. CHEESY SPAGHETTI CASSEROLE Makes 12 servings 2 tablespoons butter 1 cup chopped onion 1 cup chopped green bell pepper 2 pounds ground beef, browned and drained 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes 2 (10-ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies 2 (4-ounce) jars sliced mushrooms,drained 2 (2.25-ounce) cans sliced black olives, drained 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt 1 (10-ounce) package thin spaghetti, cooked 2 cups grated Cheddar cheese 2 (10.75-ounce) cans cream of mushroom soup 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese Preheat oven to 350º. Grease a 13x9x2-inch baking dish; set aside. In a Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and green bell pepper; cook 5 to 6 minutes, or until…

—Eudora Welty, from Some Notes on River Country When you step into the Tudor Revival house on Pinehurst Street in Jackson that was home to Pulitzer Prize-winning author Eudora Welty for nearly all the days of her life, you can’t help but feel a sense of awe. Director Mary Alice White, Ms. Welty’s niece, greets you warmly and ushers you into the abode. Books are everywhere—in shelves lining the walls, in stacks on the coffee table, scattered across the sofa; her enchantment with the written word is obvious. “It had been startling and disappointing to me to find out that story books had been written by people,” the author once said, “that books were not natural wonders, coming of themselves like grass.” The house tells its own story of Ms.…

Since I have been receiving my copies of Southern Lady magazine, it is like coming home to familiar feelings that everyone can relate to, whether it be cooking with the recipes, decorating hints, stories, or sitting down to tea with family and friends. I have bought clear plastic page covers to protect my magazine for future reference. Thank you for an hour of relaxation. Alisa Lawson Mt. Washington, Kentucky I love receiving Southern Lady. A friend gave me my first issue for my birthday two years ago. My November/December 2006 issue is permanently turned to page 38 and Jo’s Whipping Cream Pound Cake [“Signature Gifts”]. I have already made five of the cakes. One was for a neighbor who is going through difficulties (I added fresh roses as you suggested).…

Imagine it. Just the tiniest bit of chrome can turn the normally colorless mineral corundum, found in ordinary rocks, into the magnificent red gems known as rubies. That serendipitous stroke of science creates these beautiful jewels that have long been valued for their beauty and purported mystical qualities. Second only to diamonds on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, rubies are found in such diverse locations as Myanmar, Thailand, Madagascar, and Greenland, as well as the Carolinas in the Southern United States. Like diamonds, rubies’ value depends largely upon color, clarity, cut, and size. Derived from the Latin word ruber meaning “red,” rubies range in color from medium-red to red-orange to the deepest and most desirable shade called “pigeon’s blood,” which is pure red with a hint of blue. Rubies…

JJust as a friendship must grow from a first meeting, so must a business spring from an idea. Such was the genesis of Fusion Spa. From completely opposite spots on the map, two ladies—one from the Northwest, the other from the Southeast— began studying at the same massage therapy school. They struck up a cordial conversation, which evolved into a quick companionship. It wasn’t long before the ladies were sharing their hopes for the future, thus planting a seed that would soon become a blossoming business venture. Located in the heart of the charming SoHo district of Homewood, Alabama, Fusion Spa is a place where dreams come true. Owner and Alabama native Sherry Taylor says, “Stacey told me that she thought this would be something fun we could do together,…

s winter settles in, we enjoy entertaining in the cozy spaces of the great indoors. Pale blue walls provide the perfect backdrop for a table setting in cool creams and shades of white. Brown, in the dotted draperies and deep-hued wood of the furniture, adds a touch of warmth to the light linens and ivory china. Rather than predictably placing a pretty floral arrangement in the center of the table, change things up a bit by positioning at an angle toward one end. The etched crystal chandelier with teardrops and strands of beading is truly eye-catching. Echo its lacy beauty with frosted stemware and a damask-patterned tablecloth to add subtly elegant touches to this enchanting setting.…

Flowers are one of the easiest ways to dress up a room. That is until you find yourself constantly replacing bent over blossoms or fretting over false-looking silk stems. Florist Lisa Abele of Perfectly Petaled Designs in Birmingham, Alabama, solves both problems with glycerin preserved flowers in her custom arrangements. Thanks to a drying process that replaces plant water with glycerin, varieties of flora from robust roses to skinny greens look and almost feel like fresh, while lasting up to five years. The returned moisture keeps BY leaves and petals soft, while tinting the mixture restores faded color to vibrancy. Lisa does not dry the blooms herself, but still describes her work as “hugely labor intensive.” The glycerin-soaked flower heads arrive sans stems, meaning she spends long hours attaching wire…

The day starts quietly in the community of Elmwood Springs, Missouri, but when Elner Shimfissle falls off her ladder while trying to pick figs, everything changes. Her devoted niece Norma is in a tizzy as usual, and the whole town is abuzz when the never-been-sick-a-day-in-herlife Elner passes away. As friends and family deal with her death, Elner makes her way to Heaven and runs into some of the dearly departed people she cherished during her life on earth. With Elner happily traipsing through Heaven, her loved ones are left to ponder the meaning of life. Everyone from feisty beauty shop owner Tot Whooten to hard-luck Luther Griggs, Elner’s longtime truck-driving buddy, is struggling with the effect Elner’s death has had on their close-knit community—and there’s also a startling discovery that…

Apple Pear Cranberry Pie Makes 1 (9-inch) pie 4 cups thinly sliced Granny Smith apple 3 cups thinly sliced green D’Anjou pear 1 cup dried cranberries 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided 1/4 cup cornstarch 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon milk 1 recipe Double Crust Pie Pastry (recipe follows) Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine apple, pear, cranberries, and lemon juice. Toss gently to coat; set aside. In a separate bowl, combine brown sugar, 1/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Combine brown sugar mixture with apple mixture; toss gently to coat. See step-by-step instructions on page 80. On a floured surface, roll half of pastry to a…

MENU Creamy Vegetable Soup Parmesan Polenta Cakes Stuffed Filet Mignon with Merlot Mushroom Sauce Tri-colored Vegetables Flourless Chocolate Cake for Two Though a lasting love knows no boundaries of time, a heart can’t help the blissful beating that comes from celebrating St. Valentine’s Day. The occasion calls for something special—a table laden with rich expressions of romance. Glittering gold and passionate crimson paired with scrolled chairs and lavish pillows accent this spread that will make your dearest feel like the king of the castle, and your heart. Though the mouth-watering menu will surely show your sweetheart how much you care, a small token of affection only adds to the display. Place the gift in a bowl of beautiful baubles and weave it into the décor so your one and only…

In those lovely, nostalgic days gone by, a gentleman carried a beautiful and precise pocket watch to keep track of the minutes and hours in his life. A man’s watch was one of his most treasured possessions, often treated with great care and usually passed down from generation to generation. At the end of each day, he would empty his pockets, tossing most items carelessly on the nightstand, but his timepiece received special attention: It was thoroughly polished and then placed in its very own distictive pocket watch holder. From simple boxes fashioned of glass and trimmed with gold to intricately carved wooden pedestals, these special stands, each uniquely designed, represented the best in both form and function. Now highly collectable, the handsome holders typically resemble miniature pieces of furniture,…

Strolling down McKinney Avenue in the fashionable Uptown district of Dallas, Texas, you can’t help but notice the charming sign that reads: Petit Fours. A pondering begins. How is this phrase pronounced, and even more importantly, what exactly does it mean? Could it be that a discovery of the sweetest kind is in store? Those questions are quickly answered by simply stepping inside. Sophisticated yet inviting, the bakery presents quite an impressive showing. A large glass case glistens with miniature masterpieces, tiny teacakes by the name of petit fours. Pronounced peh-teet fohrs, the phrase is of French origin, literally meaning “little oven,” but over the years it has come to mean “small dessert,” two words that certainly describe the bakery’s tempting selection. But the offerings here are more than mere…

“Each flower is a soul blossoming out to nature.” —Gerard de Nerval AAs the colors of nature fade with Jack Frost’s icy breath, a sweet surprise awaits discovery in Southern gardens and woodlands that span from Virginia to Florida to Texas. Sporting dark green leathery leaves and enchanting blossoms in shades of red, pink, or white, camellias remind us that even in the dead of winter, there is life in the garden. Native to Asia and named for noted Jesuit botanist Georg Joseph Kamel, the camellia arrived on American shores in the early 1800s. Though probably mistaken for the tea plant, Camellia sinensis, camellias soon became popular ornamental additions in their own right on the legendary plantations found in such places as Charleston, Savannah, Mobile, and New Orleans. When thoughts…

I can hardly remember a time when I didn’t sew. Even as a child, I was fascinated with the rich hues and varied textures of the threads and fabrics. Mom spent hours teaching me how to glide thread in and out, producing wondrous creations; it was nothing short of magic to me. That youthful fascination with needlework grew into relaxing respites from the demands of a busy career and raising my two sons. My love for the needle arts led to the inception of our first magazine, Just CrossStitch, and to a cherished pastime that still brings me much joy. Though dozens of lovely pieces of needlework adorn my home, I found myself with many completed projects and precious handed-down pieces still tucked away in drawers, their beauty unseen by…

Polished silver, crisp draperies, fresh colors, fine antiques—a Southern home is a canvas for creative expression. But for Elinor Jones, an award-winning interior designer featured on HGTV, home is also a reflection of her professional skill. The Emory University graduate has spent the past 17 years creating fine interiors for residential and commercial clients throughout the South. Originally from Tennessee, Elinor fondly recalls the intricate Barbie mansions of her childhood. “We’d spend all day setting up and decorating our doll houses, eventually turning the whole room into Barbieland,” she says. “By the time we were done designing and ready to play, Mom was calling us for dinner.” After moving to Atlanta, Georgia, to attend college, the budding stylist spent a few years teaching secondary English before returning to school at…

TOOLS OF THE TRADE Preparing a piecrust is really quite simple when you have the appropriate tools. May we suggest: (clockwise from top) glass pie plates, pastry blender, rolling pin, kitchen shears, pastry wheel, pastry brush, and pastry scraper. STEP BY STEP STEP 1. Prepare dough at least an hour ahead of time and refrigerate to allow gluten strands to relax. Turn out the dough onto a well-floured surface. STEP 2. Roll dough out in sweeping strokes from the center, leaning into the pin rather than pressing down, stopping just short of the edges. STEP 3. Using a pastry scraper, gently lift the crust, beginning with the edges and working your way in toward the center. STEP 4. Carefully place the dough into a pie pan, centering and allowing excess…

TO BRING OR NOT TO BRING? PAGE 12: Grapefruit candle; Williams-Sonoma. Tea Forte set; Smith & Hawken. THE RADIANCE OF RUBIES PAGE 16: Oval ruby ring; Ross-Simons. Necklace; Tiffany & Co. Rings and bracelet; Van-Atkins Jewelers. MIX & MATCH TABLE SETTINGS PAGE 31-34: Misto ecru round dinner plate, Misto blue square plate, Orbit gold napkin ring, Christo square wooden napkin ring; Bed, Bath & Beyond. Etched wine and water glasses, frog napkin rings, brown pottery plates, green lilypad plates, plum placemats and napkins, mum floral napkins; At Home. Ceramic pigeons, blue container, lace pillar candles, carved candlesticks; Harmony Landing. Matine toile placemats and napkins, Taylor goblet and tumbler; Pottery Barn. Fish plates; Tricia’s Treasures. Green metal chargers; Lamb’s Ears, Ltd. Flowers supplied by Homewood Florist. SEASONAL SETTINGS PAGE 36: Hannah…