New Uses for Old Silver

A few weeks ago, we posted this piece on using a vintage sterling cigarette case as a credit card holder/slim wallet. One of our favorite things is finding modern uses for silver pieces that otherwise might be outdated in terms of their original purpose, and we've gotten some fab ideas to this end from our readers. For example, there are a host of smoking-related items out there that are gorgeous, but (thank goodness) no one really smokes these days. Even those who do smoke probably keep it on the down low rather than celebrating it with sterling silver smoking paraphernalia! But these items can easily be re-purposed, as can many other items whose original use might not be in sync with today's practices.

A few of our favorites...

Silver Toast Rack

Photo via designsponge

Not many of us make a full breakfast complete with six (or more) slices of toast out on the table, but toast racks are ideal for re-purposing as a mail/paper divider. Even those dreaded bills will be a little more palatable when stored neatly in a chic toast rack! We see these all the time on eBay...sterling can be expensive, but there are plenty in silver-plate that are more affordable alternatives. Also great to keep an eye out for these at antique stores and flea markets!

Silver Cigarette Urn

Cigarette Urn, Rubylane

Cigarette urns are the perfect size for storing q-tips in a bathroom! They'd add a special touch to any guest bathroom. You can also use them to store toothpicks, although hopefully most of us use q-tips more than toothpicks! You can get sterling cigarette urns on eEbay for a song...

This one is $49, not bad for a sterling piece!

Silver Cigarette Box

The next sterling item we have our eye on is a cigarette box. These are smaller than they seem in pictures- about from about 4" to 6" wide and about 2"-3" deep. We'd love to set one on our bedside table to keep jewelry/lotion/lip balm handy. Also, we hear these make great holders for business cards. This would be really striking on the edge of your desk holding your business cards. Preferably bone colored with sirlian rail :-)

Sterling cigarette box, Linda Horn

Silver compotes and nut dishes

photo courtesy decorvillage

With hors d'ourves, half the battle is the presentation. A simple snack of mixed nuts or olives will look infinitely more glamorous when served in a silver compote.

Sterling compote, eBay

However, these little dishes aren't just for food. Use them as a glamorous resting place for your favorite jewelry and cufflinks.

photo courtesy momadvice

We don't love the kindergarten teacher-esque bead necklace, but you get the general idea from the photo above!

Sterling trophy cups

Antique trophy cup, ebay

There are a pleothara of small trophy cups on ebay, and we are always fascinated by the obscure clubs and awards they represent! We love the idea of owning a little piece of history. Measuring in at about 5", these little cups are perfect for girlie accessories such as makeup brushes, tweezers, nail scissors, nail files, etc.

Mint Julep Cups

photo courtesy wedding bee

The award for versatility goes to the mint julep cup! They can multi-task as a flower vase, a toothbrush holder, a pencil and office supply cup, etc. These come at all sorts of pricepoints- of course or favorite are the vintage sterling versions, but you can get silver plate ones for as low as $20.

Caroline Roehm guest room, Veranda

photo courtesy Baked in Birmingham

Wine/Champagne Bucket

Silver champagne/wine coolers can have a variety of alternative uses. One ingenious use that we've heard is for storing hairbrushes and/or a hairdryer in them on a vanity. How fab would that be? We are also fans of putting orchids in plants inside them; they make a stately chachepot.

We love the crest on this silver plate wine cooler.

This cooler is a bit ornate, but you can see how fab it looks with a plant in it!

Do you have any favorite uses for old silver pieces? We'd love to hear your ideas!

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Be Our Guest

We are all someone's guest at some point during the year. Whether you are spending the evening in someone's dining room for a dinner party or a week in their vacation home, it is always appropriate to thank your host or hostess with a thoughtful gift. With dinner, you can't go wrong with a nice bottle or wine. Of course, the extent of your visit should dictate what you spend on the gift for your host. Here is a collection of some of our favorite gifts, in a variety of different price points. Some are appropriate for a dinner invitation or a quick weekend away, while others are better suited for a trip on someone's jet to their house in the islands.

A cashmere throw in a fun color (monogrammed please!) from Williams Sonoma home would be a lovely gift if you are staying a while. A MoS girl has one and loves it (and sometimes they do go on sale!). $298

These monogrammed hemstitched linen napkins are something your host can use over and over again. We received them as a wedding gift and have used them more times than we can count. We especially like white or ivory, so you can easily bleach them and throw in the wash. And not that the MoS girls are the "greenest" folks in town, but cloth napkins do seem to be less wasteful than their paper counterparts. $54

For that trip on a jet to the islands.... we are in love with this elephant tray from Hermes. It's technically an ashtray, but it would be gorgeous as a catch-all for keys, or jewelry, or on your coffee table. $530

Jonathan Adler's Richard Nixon throws are beautiful, practical, and fun! Turquoise is our favorite, but we think your host would be happy with any of them! $295

One of these ceramic bird bowls from Jonathan Adler is perfect for a host with modern style sensibilities. $55

We love Juliska crystal. It is so delicate and feminine yet surprisingly strong and supposedly dishwasher safe (although we never risk putting ours in the dishwasher). This Hanna vase is the perfect size and is only $39!

When one MoS girl was on the way to the fabulous wedding of her MoS co-blogger at the Greenbrier, she stopped at the "Welcome to West Virginia" gas station. Next to the tiny coal miner figurines were some amethyst geode bookends like these for $16. Maybe we just love them because our parents never bought us that rock tumbler we begged for as children (can you really turn driveway gravel into gemstones?), or maybe it's a harkening back to the days when we saved our allowance to buy a fabulous rock at The Nature Company (RIP), but we think these agaete geode bookends look stunning on any bookshelf! (and only the oh-so-stylish Spectrum Scientific would leave on the authenticity sticker in the picture). $34

We knew we weren't crazy with the amethyst bookends!!! Check out this lovely frame from Vivre. $450

One MoS girl received a guest book for her new home from some dear friends who visited for the weekend, and it has been one of her very favorite things! It's so much fun to keep a record of your company, even if it's just for dinner. And after a few drinks, the remarks are even more amusing. We love this yellow bamboo guest book from Graphic Image. $50

If your hostess loves to relax in the tub, you can't beat this luxurious set of Jo Malone soaps. $85

Diptyque candles are loved by everyone- these seem just perfect for a weekend at someone's mountain house. Candles are always a perfect gift for that girl who has everything!  $98

These gold magnolia leaf trays are a great price and would be lovely in any room! We aren't crazy about how the folks at PB styled them with pillar candles, but we do think this tray will do the trick! $20

We absolutely love anything by Anna Weatherley (and one fancy MoS girl counts her as a family friend!). This rectangular tray is no exception, and it is so versatile and well-priced! (We have never ordered from this site, but their prices are hard to beat!) $150

This beautiful hand-painted Anna Weatherley Spring in Budapest dish is just the perfect size for any girl! Did you know that painting tiny bugs was originally a way that European artists covered up tiny flaws in their china? And that men mostly paint the flowers and fruits on Anna Weatherley's dishes, while usually women paint the bugs and butterflies?  $74

Invited to the beach for the weekend? Thank your hostess with a fun Missoni beach towel that she probably wouldn't buy for herself! $180

Or for the fun and preppy hostess, the colors and patterns of this Tory Burch Riad towel just make us smile! $125

Tory's candles are great too! (and sometimes you can find them for 50% off on Gilt- please don't hold that against us if we ever give you one!!).

One of our favorite gifts of all times has to be Tervis Tumblers. They are cute, sturdy, and so practical since you can use them without a coaster. They are equally great for icy drinks or for hot coffee, and are perfect by the pool. One MoS girl has them with the hot pink circle monogram and the are her favorite! When it comes to deciding which style to get your host, the options are endless- from a classic monogram to his alma matter to her favorite hobby. $60

And while we are on the topic of being a well-mannered guest, here are some basic ground rules: ALWAYS make your bed when you are an overnight guest. And that means every day, not just the last day of your stay. Keep your room tidy at all times. Offer to help out- if the hostess is making dinner, offer to run to the store or cut up vegetables or take the dog on a walk. Do not expect to be waited on hand and foot. Don't overstay your welcome! And of course, thank your host with a thoughtful gift that he or she will love!

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Matters of Taste: Chocolate Chewies

These Sin-Free Chocolate Chews are as close to guilt-free as a tasty cookie can be. They have zero flour for all you carb watchers, and no butter or oil either! Yet they have a wonderful, chewy, light texture and trust me, these don't taste like health food!

You might recognize these as being nearly the same as the yummy Cocoa Chewie Cookies they sell at Whole Foods. But why buy them when you can whip up your own batch with minimal time and ingredients? These are the perfect cookies to wrap up and take to your favorite hostess. We've never met anyone who didn't love them!

Sin-Free Chocolate Chews
(Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour's website)

2 1/4 cups (9 ounces) confectioners’ sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon espresso powder [MoS note: I have always omitted this and they still turn out wonderfully!]
1 cup (3 ounces) cocoa powder, Dutch-process or natural [MoS note: your basic Hershey's will work just fine, but these really pop if you go for the good stuff!]
3 large egg whites
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Whisk together the sugar, salt, espresso powder, and cocoa. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, stir together the egg whites and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the egg whites, and mix at low speed of an electric mixer for 2 minutes. The batter will seem dry at first, but will become shiny and smooth as it mixes. Add chocolate chips at the end.

Cover the bowl, and refrigerate the batter for 3 hours, or up to overnight [MoS note: if you don't have time to refrigerate, it's not the end of the world!]. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Thoroughly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets. Drop the dough in ping pong-sized balls onto the prepared baking sheets; a tablespoon cookie scoop works well here. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, reversing the pans (top to bottom, bottom to top) midway through. Remove them from the oven, and cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.

Yield: fourteen big (3 ½") cookies.




Tip: These don't like being stored in the fridge- go for room temp! They will last about 3 days in an airtight container. Or, to really show them off, how about storing them on your counter in this fabulous crystal biscuit barrel?

Waterford Crystal Biscuit Barrel, $275

http://www.michaelcfina.com/

These cookies are also a hit with company! They'd be a great finish passed around the table at the end of a dinner party, or wonderful sitting out on the dessert table at a cocktail party. You could lay them out beautifully, overlapping slightly, on this simple tray:

Barona Tray, $25, Pottery Barn

http://www.potterybarn.com/

We hope you love these cookies as much as we do! Give them a try this weekend and let us know how they turn out!

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Wedding Registries...The Good, the Bad, and the Dust Collecting

You can tell Spring is here when one important item makes its first arrival of the season. No, we're not talking about baby animals, flowers, or Cadbury Eggs...we're talking about that first wedding invitation to hit your mailbox! We've got some definite opinions here at MoS as to the best approach to registries. After all, that little scanner gun at Williams Sonoma is every bit as intoxicating as three martinis. So it helps to have plan. We can't tell you what to register for, but we will offer some friendly advice!

A MoS wedding cake!

1) Go for china, silver, and/or crystal! And for goodness sake, just use it! If you use your silver every day, you never have to polish it. Why save it for a special occasion? For china, the MoS girls are partial to Herend, but it's all about what YOU like and what fits your lifestyle best. And once you get it, don't be afraid to make every day (or at least every weekend) a china-worthy occasion! We'll be posting later this week about all of our favorite china, silver, and crystal patterns, but in the meantime, here are a couple china patterns we love.

Herend Queen Victoria- this classic pattern is so fun and colorful and will certainly brighten up your dining room table!

Anna Weatherley Garden Party- we love the flowers and butterflies!

2) Tried and true: you can never, ever go wrong with the classic cooking tools, such as anything Le Creuset, a Kitchen Aid Mixer (in a neutral color), good knives (individually, not a set!) decent wine glasses, a luxurious throw blanket, or a nice serving tray. Conversely, we recommend skipping anything overly specialized that won't lend itself to regular use.

If you even remotely like to cook, then you'll wonder how you ever lived without a Le Creuset dutch oven!

http://www.williamssonoma.com/

From cookie dough to pizza dough to mashed potatoes,

a Kitchen Aid mixer is a true multi-tasker!

http://www.amazon.com/

TV night just got a little bit cozier with a luxurious cashmere throw to hunker down with!

http://www.wshome.com/

An automatic martini shaker? If you can't shake your own martini, it's probably time to put down the bottle!!!

http://www.linensnthings.com/

3) To borrow from the bard...to thine own self be true. If the extent of your baking skills is opening a package of pre-made cookie dough and eating it with a spoon, then don't register for every bunt pan, cookie sheet, and cupcake contraption known to man. Use your registry to enhance your real passions and skills, not to try and fit the mold of what The Knot swears you can't live without. Your friends and family want to get something they know you will love and use. So don't be afraid to be honest about what those things really are! And I think it goes without saying, but PLEASE resist the temptation to register for a couples' massage or fancy dinner on your honeymoon. Some things are best left to handle yourself.

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Setting the Table

Nothing makes us happier than a beautifully set table, especially when it comes at an affordable price. Enter fashion designer Rebecca Moses, who designed for several major fashion lines in the 1990's. Rebecca Moses has teamed up with Macy's this spring to do a tabletop line that is adorable, durable, and affordable!

We love the fun spring colors on the table, as well as the layering of plates, flowers, napkins, and tablecloths. It's fresh for spring, yet gives a nod to eclectic vintage style. Also, we love the notion of "mix and match" when setting a table. Using a little bit of this and a little bit of that (yet with an eye to continuity) makes for a very unique, welcoming table.

The line has eight different china patterns. One of our favorites is the ceramic Coupe Toile pattern, which has whimsical and colorful chinoiserie plates for just $10! We love this modern twist on a classic pattern (and how cute would these be to hang on your wall in different colors?)

How adorable are these adorable cloth napkins?! What a fun punch of color for your table! They'd look so crisp with plain white dinnerware. Once again, we love her modern twist on the classic damask and trellis patterns. Check http://www.macys.com/ to see if the line is available in your store. We were so disappointed to learn that it is not available online or in every store. But all you big-city-girls be sure to check it out and report back!

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Tea Time

Jonathan Adler's new line of tea towels is so colorful and fun! When we first saw them a few days ago, they made us think about the act of serving tea- from the pomp and circumstance that historically surrounded the formal afternoon tea to the simple gesture of hospitality of offering a cup of tea to a neighbor who stops by.

These patterned tea towels are so adorable! We would probably use them as napkins or a hand towel for the kitchen. What a perfect hostess gift!Jonathan Adler Chamomile Tea Towel

Jonathan Adler Darjeerling Tea Towel

Jonathan Adler Earl Gray Tea Towel

Jonathan Adler English Breakfast Tea Towel

Anthropologie Tweeting Tea Party Towel

To store your tea, how cute is this orange lacquered tea caddy? We think you could definitely use it in other ways too, like on a coffee table or even for holding cotton swabs in the bathroom.
Jonathan Adler Orange Lacquer Tea Caddy

If your taste for tea is more glamorous, how about these cloisonne tea jars? We've seen a pair on a mantle and thought it looked fab!

In yellow...

Vivre Cloisonne Covered Tea Jar

And in navy and orange...Jayson Home & Garden Cloisonne Tea Jar

Or if you prefer the lamp version of the cloisonne jar...
Anthropologie Orange Yuan Lamp

I have loved (and collected) tea sets since I was a little girl. They are so pretty to place around the house, from the living room to the kitchen to even a bedroom bench.

Hermes porcelain is absolutely beautiful. We love the painted ashtrays, and their tea sets are a colorful feast for the eyes!

Hermes Tea Set

A silver tea set like this one from Gorham is absolutely gorgeous displayed on a buffet in your dining room. We'd add a monogram just for fun!
Gorham Plymouth



Anna Weatherley's designs are so feminine and pretty. We love the butterflies and pretty flowers- this tea set makes us want to host a tea party.
Anna Weatherley

If your style is less formal, this kitchy little teapot from Anthro is just adorable!!

Anthropologie Folk Art Tea Set




We love this little elephant. The price is right!

Pier 1 Elephant Teapot

This tea set is so dainty and pretty (and looks like it's from Anthro, but instead it's at a Pier 1 price!)

Pier 1 Ginger Lily Tea Set

So are tea parties a lost art? Is your tea time style more Jonathan Adler or Anna Weatherley?

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