I was so excited to receive a Jo Malone "Vanilla & Anise" candle last week, which is part of a new fragrance line including cologne, bath oil, body creme, and a home candle. When I first opened the candle, the scent was a little strong, but I soon realized it was only because it was just opened. Now the candle is perfect for freshening up the room, and I've found it especially great for cleaning up bad odors. Example? This weekend a friend was working on his car in the garage and the engine flooded - EVERYTHING smelled like gasoline, even my freshly washed clothes. I kid you not though - the candle really helped alleviate the overpowering smell of gasoline.


The Vanilla & Anise scent is surprisingly complex, but I'd summarize it as a "woodsy sweet" scent. The release reads "the fragrance inspired by the floral landscape of Madagascar, capturing the fleeting moment that the rare vanilla orchid blossoms....blends notes of bergamot, neroli and star anise to create a touch of spice sparkling above transparent layers of delicate vanilla orchid and frangipani. The warmth of vetiver, white amber, and the subtlest hint of clove complete this unexpected, modern story of vanilla."

Now these are a lot of elements I've never heard of, but I can definitely notice different "layer" of scent based on how far or close I am to the candle. It really is lovely.


An added bonus? The packaging is gorgeous! It comes to you in a lovely box way too nice to toss bound in a smart black ribbon. The Vanilla & Anise collection is available this month at Jo Malone shops, jomalone.com, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, and Saks Fifth Avenue.

It's Thursday! That Old House is jumping into the Tablescape Thursday blog party, hosted by Susan at Between Naps On The Porch. Head on over for more table settings!

On the other side of the hall are what we could call our company spaces --
the dining room, parlor, front entry and main staircase.


You notice I said, we could call. . . . because I don't. Call them that, I mean. All of the rooms in That Old House are both family and company spaces.

While the dining room and parlor are a little more formal, we use them every day, even if it's just a matter of setting the dining table for two at suppertime, making sure I use the front stairs as well as the kitchen stairs, or having lunch or afternoon coffee by the fireplace.






The lantern is a freebie; my daughter Alida worked one summer as a waitress at a local country club, and these lanterns were used to decorate tables at a wedding. They were left behind. What good daughter of a thrifter would not take one home?


Howard and I had to kill some time in Hollywood last week, before meeting Alida and her boyfriend for a taping of The Big Bang Theory. . . which we got shut out of, but them's the breaks.












Happy Autumn! I'm taking my Dad to a farm stand this afternoon, then taking a long leaf-peeping drive back. -- Cass

Only . . . Dinner is not in the Library because A) we don't have a Library, and B) I could call our Study a "Library," but there still wouldn't be a table in it.

So what we have is our Dining Room pinch-hitting for a Library. If I were going to set a table for two in a library, it might look like this. . . .


I'm joining in Tablescape Thursday, at Susan's Between Naps On The Porch blog, and also hooking up with Tales from Bloggeritaville, for Leigh's Thrifty Thursday party! Just click on the highlighted words, or on the icons at the bottom of the post, to flit on over to these great, fun blog parties.

Yesterday I moseyed on down to my daughter Anne's college, where she is in graduate school. She wrapped up her day at 5pm, and we headed off to Goodwill; Anne needed to shop for some pieces for a play she is costuming.







And they are . . .
**Dollar Tree dishes; they were in the Christmas aisle, but they don't look particularly Christmas-y to me.
**Dollar tree tea light holders; I have seen these on other blogs, and I am such a copy-cat.
**The white porcelain "parakeet" I featured yesterday, a Giveaway win. Here.
**A couple of boxes that look like books.
**Dollar Tree placemats and napkin rings; I love the khaki and red together.
**T.J. Maxx bowls.
**Home Goods napkins.
**Crystal Pilseners -- can't remember where we got them, but they pre-date my dedictated thrifting days, so they may have come from (gasp!) a regular retail store.
**And my trusty century-old Georgian pattern silverplate, from Ebay.






P.S. I am taking a week off from blogging; see you October 3rd unless I can squeeze in a quick post now and then. Play nice while I am gone! ;-)