Mexican Talavera: Who says rustic can’t be colorful?

If you’ve ever gone to the Tuscan hill country you’ll find colorful Majolica style pottery in every village market.  But if you find yourself around Puebla, Mexico you’ll discover similar Majolica ceramic techniques used, but in the very Mexican style of Talavera Pottery.

Brought to Puebla by Spanish monks during the Colonial Period, the Majolica style is defined by its tin-oxide base glazing.  This glaze produces an opaque, white background- obscuring the dark clay terra cotta underneath- and provides a wonderful canvas for artisans to create their colorful designs. 

Recently, Mexican Talavera has become an increasingly popular way to bring color into the earthy tones and rich textures common in today’s rustic décor.   In our retail business, Tres Amigos Rustic Furniture, we brought in Talavera pottery on a whim as props to brighten our showroom’s rustic furniture displays.  Soon we found our customers were wanting to buy the furniture andthe Talavera pottery! 

Since then we’ve seen Mexican Talaveragrow to be an immensely popular category, not only in our retail store, but in our online store as well. Talavera pottery selections have grown from decorative Talavera center pieces- like Talavera platters, bowels and vases- to more whimsical Talavera animals and wall decore.  Surprisingly popular are the Talavera hardwareitems like Talavera knobs, drawer pulls, outlet covers and even a Talavera sink!

Keith Krammer
Tres Amigos Rustic Furniture

I love it all!!!  Thanks, Scott…

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Meet Ross Sveback… If you don’t already know his name I think you will soon. He sent me a note not long ago about his new line of dishware & I was instantly hooked to his website ~ Kon-Tent.com ~ which is full of ideas about how to maximize your lifestyle ~ from tips on buying linens, to DELICIOUS recipes, to his own line of products, Ross has a completely interesting perspective on lifestyle that this world needs!!

So first is Ross’ line of dinnerware which is really wonderful… there are three patterns ~ Faux Bois, Danish Fern and also Tweed.  All three feature a rich chocolate brown & bright white palette which gives you the opportunity to mix and match the patterns creating your own unique tabletop.  You can go to his website and purchase the dinnerware directly from Ross ~ he is also working directly with retailers who are interested in selling his merchandise.

Ross also just released a new line of jewelry inspired by TRAVEL and the open road… it’s a  perfect reminder of those childhood vacations with Mom & Dad in the back of the station wagon, and even better reminder to make sure you also get your kiddos out onto the blacktop!!

In addition to all of his other enterprises Ross teaches cooking, and posts recipes that look truly DIVINE!!  Check out his Summer Corn Salad ~ he has instantly solved your dilemma about what to take to this weekend’s BBQ ~ enjoy!!

SUMMER CORN SALAD

8 ears corn, husked and kernels removed

4 tbsp butter

6 tbsp olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp thyme

1 bunch of green onions, chopped

1 pt. cherry tomatoes, halved

6 oz feta cheese, cubed or crumbled

4 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

Salt & pepper to taste

In a large frying pan, heat butter and half the olive oil. Add garlic and thyme, sauté for one minute. Add green onions and corn, sauté for 3-4 minutes. Remove from stove, pour into a bowl and set aside.

In a separate bowl mix together the other half olive oil, tomatoes, feta and basil.

Once corn mixture has come to room temperature, add tomato mixture – season with salt and pepper. Taste to adjust seasonings and serve.

Sounds wonderful!! Thanks, Ross, for all of your inspiration!!! xoxofancy

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Leaving for the weekend with an image from our newest sponsor, Lucky Star Gallery.  I just love imagining these vintage glasses filled to the brim with cold lemonade!!

I’m going to be in the Cactus Creek STORE allll weekend ~ Saturday and Sunday .  Would love to see you if you’re in the Kansas City area!!!  Here’s a quick follow up to all we’ve posted this week… hope you have a beautiful weekend with the people you love the most… go for a swim, take a hike and eat loads of ice cream {did you know that ice cream doesn’t have calories if you eat it with someone under the age of 12??}

• Have you ever painted a room CHOCOLATE Brown?? This bedroom is inspiring me to hit the paint aisle…
• We’re knee deep into t-ball season… this DIY Baseball Kit might make a good gift for coach.
• LOVE this hip country Cow-inspired KITCHEN.
• This is a great source for DIY projects!!
• Boots and jewelry from The Farmstead are now online ~ and also in the Cactus Creek Store!!
• In Austin or Houston or anywhere near there??  Be sure to visit the summer edition of Round Top Antique Fair this weekend!!!
• Pics from Judy Hill’s HOME SHOW. Swooooon.
• This week on the Junk in my Trunk RADIO SHOW we talked about GALVANIZED METAL ~ buckets, trash cans, whateva’.
• Custom Made Southwestern Pet Pendants ~ new and exclusive and the perfect gift for pet lovers!!
• The great Tasha Polizzi ~ her style is perfection.

See ya’ on Monday!!!  luvya, fancy

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Summer is due to arrive any moment which means time for outdoor soirees, neighborhood picnics and company barbecues.  Whether you are due to be a host, or perhaps the guest to one of these events, then I have just the thing for you ~ Custom Rustic * Western glassware from Etch O Sketch {also called Imaginetch}.  This distinct etched glass has innumerable options…

Guests at the Ranch ~ whether you live on a 40-acre spread, or on the 40th floor of  a downtown high rise, we all love a stiff drink and a great gift.  These rocks glasses do double duty ~ they’re the perfect hostess gift to take to summer parties.  {pssst… don’t Father’s Day gifts!!!}

Cowboy Cookie Jars ~ a necessity for after swimming snacks.

Cowboy Pitcher ~ a no brainer for serving cold iced tea.

 
Pedestal Bowl ~ My favorite dish to take to a party is my Layered Salad.  OK, it’s not really mine, it’s just layers of yummy veggies & delish salad dressing… it can be yours, too… add a little bacon & blue cheese crumbles to the top.  Lordy, lordy, I’m ready for a bar-be-que.  I’m pretty sure the Layered Salad would be even more yummy if served out of this bowl!!

Custom Glassware ~ There is a Gallery of Patterns that you can peruse, but you can also imagine your own design and the folks at Etch O Sketch can custom make just the right thing for you ~ or your party guests.

 
Etch O Sketch also offers metal signs, stepping stones and custom tiles.

 Traci is the owner, but you can call her Catfish.  Whatever you do, just call her… she can hook you up with all of your summer glassware needs.  It’s not too early to be thinking about Christmas either!!  Geez, did I just really write that??  Contact info for Catfish is RIGHT HERE.

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You guys are getting a SNEAK PEEK today ~ an exclusive first look ~ at some new pieces for your home!!  These are from Black Forest Decor, an online & catalog company that specializes in CABIN DECOR. Cactus Creek has been given the opportunity to share these with our readers today while the Black Forest Decor catalogs that are featuring these new pieces won’t be mailed to the public until May 3rd.  Aren’t we the lucky ones??

First up is this gorgeous antler side table {ABOVE} ~ the Antler Demi Lune Table ~ that is exclusive to Black Forest Decor. It is handcrafted from oak then decked with authentic, naturally shed elk antlers that are interwoven along the bottom of the table. How gorgeous is this for an entry or hallway…

 The Bear Family Chandelier {ABOVE} is another new item exclusive to Black Forest Decor.  It features Bears walking amidst a beautiful mountain landscape wrapped around the mica light diffuser of this chandelier crafted in steel. I would just love to see this above a dining table, or in an entry way, for a cabin ~ and if your cabin is in the middle of the ‘burbs, even better!!

 And for the kitchen Black Forest Decor has Fresh Pine Pottery Dinnerware… warm and in-touch with the great outdoors, these
pottery sets featuring an all natural selection of hand-thrown, hand-carved, reduction-fired stoneware with a three-tone glaze. The hand carving, accented with golden hues, is a reflection of the sun’s rays falling through pine branches. Each piece is dishwasher, microwave and oven safe.

BIG thanks to Black Forest Decor for sharing these BRAND NEW PRODUCTS with the Cactus Creek readers!!! Folks, keep your eye on the mailbox for your Black Forest Decor Catalog ~ or go HERE to order one today…  Be sure to let them know that Cactus Creek sent you!!

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I’ve always loved this Mexican-style kitchen… I’ve had it in my favorites file for years.  I’m not sure when, or if, it’ll ever become a reality in my own home as my tastes seem to change so rapidly; getting tiled into Old Mexico isn’t really a commitment I’m ready to make. 

Anyhoo, the kitchen is as dreamy as can be ~ looks like the perfect space for making eggs & tortillas on Saturday mornings, margaritas with the girls, and finally taking a turn at making homemade tamales.

 If you are looking for a new spin on your cocina {kitchen}, here are a few ideas on where to get started.

Rancheros Handpainted Mexican Talavera Ceramic Tile Mural from Mexican Tiles.com

Kitchen Island with Copper from La Fuente Imports
We have a kitchen island similiar to this one {except the doors are covered with cowhide versus copper}.  It’s the focal point of our entire great room… we cook here, eat here, and spend time as a family ~ always around this big island that is really the heart of our home.

Native American Indian Pottery from Traditional Pueblo Arts

Rustic Beams from Arizona Faux Beams
Yep, they’re “faux”… actually they’re foam.  We would all love to have soaring ceilings with massive timbers aged perfectly over the last 100 years but sometimes we have to find another way to get the look we want for less.  That said, Faux Beams are a great solution for acquiring a rustic look for much less.

Talavera Flour Tortilla Holder
These are also great in bathrooms filled with cotton balls or to hold your jewelry…

Antique Metate Grinder from Tierra Dulce’s EBay Store
Lovely filled with fresh fruit, onions & peppers or lemons & limes. Or you can grind your own corn for fresh tortillas…

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In this era of society’s mad scramble to ‘just make it’ we often forget those teeny tiny moments that make it all worth it… The blessing is that so many of those moments are captured by photographs. Whether the photo is taken in haste with our cell phones, in a quick pose around a birthday cake, or by a talented photographer. It almost seems that, without these tangible reminders, the best moments of our lives would be lost.

One of the things I love most about photographs is to look at the eyes of the subject, this is especially true with vintage photographs. I wonder how that person’s morning went along, what lead them to be photographed, their SPIRIT ~ what was their greatest joy, their hardships, their biggest secrets… It’s a snapshot of our history that would be lost forever if not for the effort of the photographer. It’s this appreciation for the tiny moments of days gone by that make Westernware’s products so special.

The photograph {LEFT} is of L.A. Huffman, “Laton Alton Huffman’s camera captured the Cowboy and Native American culture, the buffalo herds, the burgeoning cattle and sheep industry. His legacy provides us with life portraiture of the Northern Plains and the pioneering aspects of the area – ranch life, wildlife, frontier town views and Yellowstone National Park.

L.A. Huffman is cited as one of the most important photographers of the West. Renowned Western artists Charlie Russell and Frederic Remington painted from Huffman’s vintage photographs. His photography provides a glimpse into the memorable history of frontier America.”

It is a company called Westernware that has taken Huffman’s beautiful photographs, and those of other historical photographers and collections, and applied them to common items that we use every day in our homes.  I really cannot think of a better way to use these images than in a way that they can be truly appreciated every single day.

Westernware is a company that sells exclusively to retailers like Rustic Ranch Relics and Will Wyatt’s Cowboy Couture. 

 Click HERE to find a retailer near you.

Many more images after the break… Read on!!

(more…)

Faux Bois Tableware from RSH Catalog

Kind of like trees… Faux Bois never gets old, it just gets BETTER.

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I love this cowhide lazy susan from H-M Valley Ranch.  It is perfect for your dining table, of course, with S&P shakers, a napkin holder & small vase of flowers. 

You could also use it in the middle of a kitchen island… or even a nightstand for holding your hand lotion, glasses, and again, a small vase of flowers. {a small vase of flowers or little potted plant is a must for just about every space in the house!!}

The co-owners of H-M Valley Ranch do just about everything by hand which means custom orders are welcome!! Any motif, cowhide, color of nail heads {French natural or nickel}. They can also lace the edges or just use nail heads. AND they can make them up to 36″ in diameter.
Phew… the options here are limitless. LOVE it!!

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LYRICS from Red Bandana by Merle Haggard

That red bandana tied around your auburn hair,
You look like you ought to be somebody’s wife somewhere.
You ain’t never going to be no bobby Mcgee but your trying to…
But I can’t change and live the way you want me to.

Bandana Cowboy Up Enamelware Dinnerware Set
from Flying Cloud Gift Shoppe & Tree Farm

Happy Trails Western Cowboy & Horse Oven Mitt
from Rustic Ranch Tack

Red Bandana Apron from
Swanky Thread’s ETSY Shop
vava~vooooom!!!!

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