And So It Begins...

First things first...We are truly blessed to have the means to set a pretty table and invite our friends to join us for good food and fellowship. As the holiday season progresses I am mindful that many are not so fortunate. My daughter has a passion for the work of the Food Bank. As a singer-songwriter, she has written and recorded a song that is the anthem for the world wide Crop Hunger Walk project. Her song, "Raise Your Voice" is featured in their video. I've included a link in the side margin of my blog. I hope that it will encourage you to support projects in your community that contribute to the effort to overcome hunger.

This year it seems that each time I have a spot of time to work on my "Christmas House,"  I have either been interrupted or distracted.  I'm still not finished, but I do have a number of things in place.  One of the first things that I readied is the breakfast room and kitchen.

Each year I pull out the Spode Christmas Tree, and I place it in one of our cabinets to be used as one of our every day dish patterns.  I also set the breakfast table, and the tablescape stays in place throughout the holiday season.  It becomes one of our Christmas vignettes...and the table is always set for dinner!

We've enjoyed our Spode, "Christmas Tree" for many years.  It's another one of the patterns that my mother-in-love gave me as gifts over a period of several Christmases, birthdays, anniversaries, etc.  Sweet Mister and the kids added some wonderful serving pieces to our collection.  For this design, I have layered it on top of a Mackenzie-Childs, "Courtly Check" charger.  The charger is anchored by an additional red lacquered charger.  The flatware is Argent, "Sophia," in the off-white.  The goblet is Fenton, "Empress."  The white basket napkin ring was my mama's.  They always bring a smile to my heart each year when I carefully unwrap them.  I've had the green damask napkins for many years.

The focal point of the centerpiece is the Simpich, "A Christmas Carol" Collection.  Although it is no longer in business, The Simpich Store was in Old Colorado Springs, Colorado.  Their dolls were each handmade, and it was always a treat to visit their store.  Shoppers were always welcome to explore their workrooms and watch the artisans create the dolls.  Sweet Mister generously gave me a number of the Simpich collections over the years.  I enjoy using them each Christmas.  I'll share them with you over the next few weeks in Susan's Between Naps on the Porch meme, "Metamorphosis Monday."  If you fall in love with the Simpich dolls like I did, you'll still be able to find them on eBay.

I anchored the centerpiece with a festive red and green plaid runner.  I like the contrast with the European Pine of the breakfast table.  Flanking the Simpich Dolls are a pair of Spode, "Christmas Tree" hurricanes. Oh my gosh, every once in a while I actually get organized.  In this instance, I bought three dozen cream colored tapers to be used throughout the holiday season.  I carefully put them away for safe keeping.  Well, I've obviously put them someplace REALLY safe because when I went to find them today for the tablescape, they've disappeared!  Yikes, I'm quite sure that as soon as I go buy more tomorrow, I'll trip over them upon returning home.  Placed between the Simpich "A Christmas Carol" Collection are three of my recent estate sale finds.  An Indiana Glass Ruby Flash cake pedestal holds a vintage Mason's "Pink Vista" scalloped bowl filled with Granny Smith apples.  Nestled in behind Mrs. Cratchit is a vintage Ruby Glass pitcher.  I liked its tall skinny shape, and the color is wonderful.  

Beyond the table at one end of the breakfast room sits our baker's rack, one of our first furniture purchases many years ago.

During the Christmas holidays, I enjoy filling our baker's rack with an assortment of Christmas pitchers and some of my Spode "Christmas Tree" serving pieces.  I also like to use some of my tureens.  In addition to the Spode,  I've used my Fitz & Floyd "Swan," and the Rosenthal, "Sanssouci," tureens.  You'll also notice a selection of Haviland, "Ranson" pieces.  The Simpich, "Pilgrims" Collection comes out at Thanksgiving.  I can't bear to put them away until after Christmas.  I always think of what it must have been like for the Pilgrims over their first Christmas in the New World.

Anchoring the other end of the breakfast room is our Welsh Dresser.  Sweet Mister bought it for me while we were vacationing in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  It's one of my favorite pieces of furniture.

I used to rotate different transferware patterns in and out of the dresser.  Then one day I created a display using the Copeland Spode, "Tower Pink,".....

I liked it so much that I lost interest in rotating patterns.  It's been living here for several years now.  The Spode shares the hutch with my maternal grandmother's sterling tea service.  The design has always reminded me just a bit of a pagoda.  It was a gift from my Aunt Ida, who brought it home from Occupied Japan after World War II.  Ida was a WAC Major stationed as an intelligence officer in Tokyo.   During Christmas, I add the Lenox, "Original Thirteen Colonies Wreaths" Collection.  Each plate features a different wreath that represents items indigenous to one of the original colonies.  I'll probably use them in a tablescape design for our Christmas dinner, and I'll share them with you in a few weeks.  I'm blessed to have an additional collection of these plates that once belonged to my mother-in-love.  There are actually 13 plates in each set; I tend to leave Georgia in the cabinet because it's very pink.  It's one of my favorite wreaths, but it kind of sticks out within my Christmas vignette.  I always use it on the table at my precious daughter's place....she loves it!  You'll see it before the holiday passes.   

It's now Thursday afternoon, and it's a gorgeous, bright December afternoon.  I couldn't resist capturing some more shots of my breakfast room tablescape with the glorious sun streaming through the window.  The ruby glass appears to be on fire, and I adore the natural lighting.  I hope that you enjoy them.

The Cratchits and I are excited to wish you a Merry Christmas.  We'd love to have you join us at our table for good food and great fellowship.

Thank you, yet again, to Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for hosting her magical meme, "Tablescape Thursday.  I'll be linking my post to "Tablescape Thursday.  Click on the button below to hop on over and check out the myriad of marvelous tablescape designs, after 9:00 pm on Wednesdays.  You'll be glad that you made the trip...it's a wonderful adventure.

You can check out KC's music at www.kcclifford.com, on iTunes, and on YouTube.  I hope that you'll take a few minutes and give her a listen.  You'll also enjoy reading back through her blog on this site.  The girl can really write!  Her latest CD is called "Orchid."  It is available on iTunes or through her website.  KC is currently the featured artist of the week at http://jivepk.jivewired.com/kcclifford.  I hope that you'll give her music a chance.  I know that I have zero objectivity where she is concerned, but I think that you'll fall in love with her music and her!  You can also watch her perform in various YouTube videos.