Cobalt Blue Glass Dogwood Pitcher By LE Smith Glass Co.
In our never-ending quest to bring you the best selection of quality cobalt blue glass available on the Internet, Laurie’s Cobalt World has added LE Smith Glass Co. pieces to its line of cobalt blue glass.
The first pieces introduced on our website are totally new, even to LE Smith! They recently decided to make their Dogwood pattern pitcher and tumblers in cobalt blue. They haven’t even been added to their wholesale catalog yet. Fortunately, I was speaking with the general manager the week they were being pressed so I was able to add them to my order.
And I’m so glad I did. They are absolutely gorgeous. The detail is fabulous. This is a heavy piece of glass and definitely heirloom quality.
Cobalt Blue Glass Dogwood Tumbler By LE Smith Glass Co.
The matching tumbler is equally stunning. Both pieces are dark blue cobalt in color. The color matches our other handmade cobalt pieces very well.
Handcrafted in the USA by LE Smith Glass Co. The cobalt blue glass pitcher has a 1.5 quart capacity and is 8 inches tall. The tumbler has an 8 oz. capacity and is 4.25 inches tall. As with all handcrafted glass, hand washing is recommended.
Other LE Smith Glass Co. pieces being added to our lines include the following in cobalt blue glass:
We are absolutely thrilled and pleased to announce that Blenko Glass is now part of the fine handcrafted glass offerings at Laurie’s Cobalt World.
The first of two pieces added to our on-line offerings is a Blenko pitcher, in cobalt blue with a topaz handle. The second is their classic Blenko water bottle, also in cobalt blue.
Both items are also available at our vignette at Main Oak Emporium in Mount Airy, NC.
This pitcher is simply elegant. Tall and slender with a beautiful twisting design to the glass, the pitcher is a rare example of craftsmanship.
The color on both of these pieces is very strong. The topaz, which photographed a little darker than in reality, complements the pitcher beautifully.
And this pitcher is made for practical use, too. It holds 88 oz. That’s 11 cups of tea, punch, water, juice, lemonade, or other beverage.
The pitcher can be special ordered in desert green and topaz.
The Blenko water bottle, is sure to become a new favorite at Laurie’s Cobalt World. They began selling the very first day they become available! It’s too bad you can’t feel the comfortable grip and great balance this piece features. Fabulous!
The water bottle was first introduced in the 1930’s. The design is so timeless that it looks like it could have been designed in 2030.
The water bottle can be special ordered in crystal, topaz, tangerine, dreamcicle, spring green, clover, ocean, electric blue, and vineyard.
More new items will be coming very soon. Look for a tall Blenko vase and a large, round vase, both in cobalt and crystal. We’re also adding a new set of large salt and pepper shakers. Do I really have to say that they are in cobalt? I didn’t think so!
Grapevine wreaths are as varied as the individuals who make them. They can take on a Victorian look, a feeling of holidays, a country charm, or even be a little quirky. The great thing about them is that they aren’t hard to make. Just follow these few basic steps.
Planning Your Grapevine Wreath
You want to look ahead a bit and decide a few things before you gather your supplies and purchase your materials. Grapevine wreaths come in sizes ranging from gigantic to tiny. Or you can twist your own. Remember that large grapevines are more expensive to decorate and take a large space to display.
You’ll want to decide whether you are going to decorate the entire wreath, decorate an arc on the bottom, or decorate an arc on the side. You will need many more flowers and much more greenery to decorate an entire wreath than you will to decorate just a portion of it.
Also decide ahead of time whether you are making a spring, summer, fall, or winter (holiday) wreath. Each season has its own feeling. Drastically mixing seasons may not be a successful plan.
Give a lot of thought to your color scheme. Think of where you want to hang the wreath - on or by the door, in a hallway, in your bedroom, in the bathroom. Make sure your colors will work well in that area. Or perhaps you will give the grapevine wreath as a gift. Take the recipient’s color schemes and preferences into consideration. (The wreath would make a great housewarming gift!)
You can plan a monochromatic color scheme where all of the flowers are the same color (though they may vary in different shades or tints). Adding white, gray, or black can also be part of a monochromatic color scheme.
Complimentary colors include purple and yellow, blue and orange (or peach), red (or pink) and green. Or look on any color wheel and choose colors next to each other. I love blue, lavender, and pink. Another choice is to select all primary colors (red or pink, blue, and yellow) or secondary colors (purple, orange, and green). The season you chose will help you to choose your color scheme, too.
You will also want to decide ahead of time whether you will be basing your decoration on a pattern of 3 or a pattern of 4, if you are going all of the way around. That is, you will be repeating the same basic series of flowers either 3 or 4 times around the circle (or 5 or 6 even). If you are decorating an arc, then you will want to purchase flowers in even numbers, except perhaps for a large focal point decoration.
Purchasing Materials
You will need the following materials:
- grapevine wreath
- floral picks (3 or 4 inches are best)
- green floral tape (brown if you are making a fall wreath with brown stems)
- “silk” greenery (it takes more than you think)
- “silk” flowers, berries, nuts, fruits, butterflies, or other decorations
- wired ribbon, if you are making a bow (approximately 3 yards, minimum)
- hot glue gun
- wire cutters
- needle-nosed pliers
- 18- to 22-gauge wire
When choosing your flowers, be sure to choose a variety of sizes. If you choose to base your decoration on a pattern of four, for example, make sure you have four of the largest flower you wish to use. You may need 8 of the next size (perhaps 4 of each of two different colors, shapes, or textures). You will also want to purchase small filler flowers. It is also a good idea to have some round, dish-shaped flowers such as sunflowers and then some longer, wispy decorations like pussy willow, berries, or wheat stalks.
Make A Hanger
First, make a hanger for your wreath. Cover 1 piece of wire with floral tape (12 to 18 inches). Starting at the top, wrap the wire with the tape, and wind down the length of it, stretching and using the warmth of your fingers to make the tape stay in place.
On the back to of your wreath, thread the covered wire through several strong branches. Cross the two ends leaving a loop about three inches in diameter. Twist the ends and cut off the excess. Turn the twisted part inside the wreath. Insert something about the size of a fat felt marker into the loop and twist (not too tight - you have to remove the marker!). Bend the loop upward. You should have a nice hanger for your wreath.
When To Add Greenery
You may choose to cover your wreath first with greenery or you may decide to add the greenery at the end. It is your choice. For the wreath pictured on this post, I put in the greenery afterward, but I think I would have been able to use it more effectively had I placed it first.
Floral Picks
For each item, you will be adding a floral pick to the stem. You may make a wreath by just inserting the stems of the decorations into the wreath, but they will not be secure. It is better to pick them.
To add a pick to a stem, overlap the top of the pick (the part with the wire on it) and the stem about the width of two fingers. Wrap the wire just around the stem once, and then begin wrapping around both the stem and pick, moving down the pick. Once you reach the end of the stem, wind the wire back up the stem and make sure both ends of the wire are lying flat against the pick or stem.
Using floral tape, begin covering the pick by wrapping the tape around just above the pick and moving down to just below the pick. As your wrap, use the warmth of your fingers to help the tape stick to the stem and pick, and gently stretch the tape as you go Tear the tape off when you finish wrapping. Do not cut the tape ahead of time.
Use the ring and pinkie fingers of your dominant hand to hold the spool of tape, allowing it to spin freely as you go.
Attaching Floral Picks To Stems
Assemble Your Grapevine Wreath
If you are decorating the entire wreath, insert all of your stems either clockwise or counter clockwise. Just be consistent. If you are decorating just an arc, then the stems will be inserted toward your focal flower or decorations.
Start with your large or focal point decorations and then move to your medium flowers, and finally fill in with the smallest flowers or decorations.
If you planned a design based on threes, place your largest flowers space 1/3 of the circumference apart. If you planned a design based on fours, then place your largest flowers 1/4 of the circumference apart.
If you planned to use a bow, make sure you save room for it. It can be placed on the top, on the bottom, or any place that complements your design. The bow should be attached with wire that has been covered with floral tape.
Make Your Bow
(Making a bow is the hardest part of this project. It is perfectly acceptable to make your wreath without a bow, to purchase a bow, or to use a bow maker.)
Cover a piece of 18- to 22-gauge wire with floral tape.
Make a small loop, with a 1- to 2-inch diameter. This small loop will hide the wire that attaches it to the wreath. Holding the bottom of the loop between two fingers, twist the remaining ribbon 180 degrees at the point where the ribbon is held by your fingers.
Make a loop with the ribbon half the size you want your bow to be. As you bring the ribbon back between your fingers, twist it 180 degrees.
Make a loop in the opposite direction of the same size. You can pull the loops up together to check their length. Twist the ribbon as it passes between your fingers again.
Repeat until the amount of ribbon left is twice the length of any ribbon you want to hang down. At that point, make a huge loop that goes down and comes around so that just the tail end can be caught between your two fingers with the rest of the bow.
Run the prepared wire through the tiny loop and capture all of the ribbon you have been holding with your two fingers. Twist to tighten.
Pull out and twist each loop of the bow, alternately pulling one loop in each direction. Adjust the roundness of the loops.
Cut the huge loop at the bottom to allow two ribbons to hang down. You may wish to arrange them into ringlets or a gentle curve.
Attach the bow to the wreath with the wire that was twisted around the middle of the bow. After passing the wire behind some branches, twist them together. Then roll the ends of the wire, one at a time, around a pen or pencil. Once you remove your tool, the result should look like vine tendrils.
Finish Your Wreath
If your wreath is to be hung indoors, you are ready to put a hanger on the wall and show off your accomplishment. If you want to hang it on your front door, you may want to treat it with Scotch Guard first.
You will be amazed at what you can create in just two or three hours’ time. The grapevine wreath is a great project with a very satisfying product at the end.
In year’s past, our family has celebrated Father’s Day in different ways. Once, the family held an ice cream party and made outrageous sundaes. I’d guess that many men love ice cream, but I’d venture that even more like something off of the grill.
If you choose to grill out for your Father’s Day celebration, then you’ve solved the question of what to do, what to eat, and which gifts to choose. Or at least, you are almost there.
Gifts are hard, so let’s start there. Here are some great Father’s Day gift ideas:
BBQ apron (funny how some men will never wear an apron - unless they are grilling!)
grill tools (come in a wide range of styles and prices - even personalized)
grill thermometer - some even come built in a fork
You may be able to combine two great loves into one great gift. Is your father (or the father of your children) into NASCAR? You can actually purchase a NASCAR grill cover with his favorite design on it. Or maybe he would love a steak brand from his alma mater or favorite college sports team.
I can’t tell you my favorite Father’s Day gift idea because my dad might read this post. But it’s listed here.
Now let’s talk about food for your cookout. Plan a few surprises on the menu. A few twists on some traditional offerings can make the meal more enjoyable and memorable.
If you are serving burgers, research the very best buns or rolls available in your area. There’s no need to stick with the hamburger buns on the bread aisle of your grocer. That alone can make the different between a WOW! burger and a ho-hum burger.
Select turkey, tuna, lamb, salmon, or buffalo burgers for something different. Or maybe you just want to upgrade to ground sirloin for the special day.
Want something more upscale than burgers? Try marinated chicken, lobster, tuna steaks, smoked brisket, high-quality smoked sausage, or the proclaimed man’s favorite - the steak.
Here’s my favorite grilling sauce, originally from a Southern Living cookbook I received as a gift in 1978:
Steak Grilling Sauce Recipe
3 T. butter (not margarine)
1 tsp. garlic powder
3 T. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup steak sauce (I use A-1)
Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add other ingredients and just bring to a slow simmer. Apply to steak as it cooks and pass additional sauce. (If you dip a brush into the sauce that has been used on raw or undercooked meat into the sauce, be sure to bring the sauce back to a simmer before serving for food safety.)
Makes enough for 2 1/2 lbs. of steak.
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On the side, choose bourbon baked beans for a delightful change from the old standby. Or how about a macaroni salad that features a lb. of bacon? That sounds like a man’s macaroni salad to me!
homemade ice cream (for my favorite chocolate ice cream recipe, be sure to sign up for our monthly newsletter - it will be in the June 1 edition)
And then there’s always mom’s apple pie a la mode, or as my husband says, with a lot of ice cream on it. This recipe for mom’s apple pie has a bit of whiskey in it. I don’t remember that in my mom’s apple pie, but it sounds like a winner.
I visited an outdoorsman forum to see what men’s men like for dessert. It seemed to me that cheese cake and homemade banana pudding were preferred by more fisherman and hunters. But they also knew the ins and outs of blackberry pie or cobbler, chocolate cake (with chocolate icing, chocolate ice cream and chocolate syrup as one member suggested), key lime pie, pecan pie, and even French silk pie. I should mention that this was a southern group. Perhaps northern or western hunters prefer different desserts!
We have 3 1/2 weeks until Father’s Day. That’s plenty of time plan a great menu, order your grill charms and other grill gifts, and have a very wonderful Father’s Day.
May is just around the corner and with it comes a host of banquets, recitals, graduations, and every other kind of end-of-the-academic-year occasion you can think of.
Now is the time to plan for thank you gifts for teachers, scout leaders, coaches, piano teachers, dance instructors, and all of the people who enrich our lives with their personal services.A small token of our appreciation can and does make a difference to those who give so much, often working as volunteers or for minimal pay compared to all they do.
Start With A Large Glass Mug
It’s important to start with a good mug. If you happen to miss with your chosen filler, your recipient will still be thrilled with the mug itself. I recommend our cobalt blue large glass mug because it is quite handsome, and it is large enough to thrill coffee drinkers and to hold your chosen filler.
For me, fill a cellophane bag with Dove dark chocolates, pop it into a large mug and I’m a very happy person. But believe it or not, there are some people who don’t care for chocolate. It’s hard to believe, I know. For those people, start with the large mug and fill with one of these:
If you happen to know your recipients personally, then you might fill the mugs with something that you know would specifically appeal to them such as seeds for a gardener or tees for a golfer. Add a note that you hope they have a chance to enjoy some time off in the summer doing what they love most.
Make a bigger splash by putting two or four coffee cups in a basket atop some attractive filler such as Easter grass, raffia, or shredded colored paper. Add your other items - you now have room for several. Wrap the filled basket with colored cellophane and tie with a bow.
Whatever you decide to do, remember than the spoken or written “Thank you” is the most important part.
