Sunday, May 30, 2010

The Wedding Pantry







I found a new shop in Tustin. The Wedding Pantry is located on Main Street (next to Rutabegorz) near the intersection of El Camino Real. I love the ring bearer's pillow and boutonniere pictured above. Check out their website for a list of classes and more photos of the shop.

Friday, May 28, 2010

Vintage Linens


I have a nice collection of vintage linens from the 1940s and 1950s. I prefer the floral patterns. Some people collect the fruit designs. Pink and green depression glass coordinate well with most of the tablecloths. They look pretty on tables set in the garden. Do you recognize the one used for the "Personalized Tea" Mother's Day story in the May issue of Romantic Homes Magazine?

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Tea Party in the Garden



I enjoying collecting vintage photographs. These girls are gazing at a beautifully set table. It's almost time for a tea party with their dolls.



Wednesday, May 26, 2010

1920s Wedding Photo

I purchased this 1920s sepia photograph on eBay several years ago. The original is quite large. French designer Albert Nippon styled dresses like this in the late 1970s. Her bouquet is simply amazing!

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

I took this picture during the photoshoot for Taking Tea with Alice. I like the little fairy sitting on the edge of the punch bowl. Can you see the pretty floral ice ring inside? The Victorian cake basket is filled with Flight of Fancy Fairy Cakes.

Cast Iron Cakes Rings circa 1925


This is my official "Sentimental Celebrations" photograph. I use it on my business card. The cake rings were used for birthdays and celebrations in the 1920s. They were made by the LVL Candlestick Company and came in assorted colors. This orange cake ring was used in the May 2009 issue of Romantic Homes (May Day! May Day! story). A pink ring was used in the vintage birthday party story "Get What You Wish For" July 2009.
This cake was simple to make. I frosted an angelfood cake with lemon icing and made royal icing Daffodils for the top.

My Favorite Vase




I purchased this vase on January 1, 2000 to celebrate the Turn-of-the-Century. I love to hunt for treasures in antique shops at the Historic Orange Circle in Southern California. This metalwork and blown glass vase dates to the 1910s. I would love to know the history of this vase! Where was it originally purchased? Were there many previous owners? I'll keep it safe for now and pass it on someday.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Computers drive me crazy!

Computers drive me crazy... I don't know why I have all the gaps in the spacing. The text was not entered that way. Please be patient with me!!

Taking Tea with Alice (2nd. Edition)




Hello! My name is Diane Sedo. I am the co-author of Taking Tea with Alice: Looking-Glass Tea Parties and Fanciful Victorian Teas. Two years ago I attended the Vintage Vavoom book launch at the McCharles House in Tustin. I gave Jacqueline deMontravel, the author of Vintage Vavoom and Editor of Romantic Homes Magazine, a copy of my book and showed her some pictures of a fairy party I had prepared. The rest is history! The fairy party appeared in the July 2008 issue of Romantic Homes Magazine was featured in their next book The Vintage Table.


Jacqueline did a photoshoot at my house December 2008 for the December 2009 issue. (It was so hard to wait a whole year!) Four weeks later we were shooting a May Day story. Jacqueline told me I was an official Contributor to Romantic Homes Magazine beginning with the April 2009 issue. I was so thrilled!!! You may recognize some of the stories I have produced:

"Enchanted" July 2008; "May Day", "May Day" May 2008; "Get What You Wish For" July 2009; "Brownie Uniform" November 2009; "The Best of Christmas Past" December 2009;

"In the Name of Love" February 2010 (I was one of The Romantics in this issue as well);

"Personalized Tea" May 2010; "How Sweet" July 2010; "Isn't It Romantic" August 2010;

and an Easter story not yet published.