Here We Go with a Ho Ho Ho! 2018

The Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons seemed to fly by so quickly this year. I've decided to create a Holliday Diary, 2018, for you. This week's entries are photo intensive. Grab a cup of coffee or hot tea and settle into your favorite chair...and thanks for your patience and endurance in advance.  I hope that you enjoy the tables I have to share with you.

Fourteen of us gathered for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. The kids wanted everyone to be seated at one table, so I melded a large oval and large round for a rather unique configuration.

Copper Williams Sonoma hurricanes, a Spode Camilla tureen, and wooden boxes filled with bright Autumn colors meandered the length of the tables...

...joining Vietri amber optic goblets and green AJKA Arabella wines...

with Pier One hammered copper chargers and the Copeland Spode Pink Tower dinner plates  to welcome an enthusiastic and grateful family to the table to share a meal and give thanks to God for the blessings that He pours upon us. After our precious time at the table, dishes were washed and put away, and everything was put back in place because...

...less than a week later, Christmas was in place at our house and it was time for the seasonal entertaining to begin.

December 5...

...I gathered with a small group of friends for our annual Christmas luncheon. I set a table for five at the games table next to the Christmas tree. The pillows at each chair were my Christmas gift to my friends at the table.

The Vietri gold ruffled charger framed the Aynsley Red Imperial dinner plate. Gold toned flatware added to the festive tone of the table.

The antique white and gold octagonal plate was later used for dessert. I acquired it some years ago from Susan @ From My House to Yours. I've so enjoyed using them time and again. 

One of my oldest, my mother-in-love's Rock Sharpe crystal wine goblet, was joined by one of the newest denizens in the crystal cabinet, the Edinburgh King James water goblet. You'll see this lovely several times in my soon to follow blog posts. It's a large stem with excellent balance. It truly dances when set against candlelight.  The gold/cream stripe napkin was a recent birthday gift from my dear friends Guyanne and Barbara. They found the set of 12 napkins at Home Goods. It's lovely.

My centerpiece consisted of a large Waterford red crystal bowl filled with candied fruit. Simple greenery picks created a bed for the bowl which is surrounded by a quartet of four  red mercury glass Christmas trees found last year at a local florist, New Leaf. Cut glass votives, found many years ago at Dollar Tree, completed the design.

 We visited long into the afternoon. 

December 7...

Two days later I hosted another luncheon for dear friends. This day I set a table for four. I was able to move quickly because I used  many of the same elements that I utilized two days earlier.

I did want to share another design in my collection, Christmas Garland by Andrea for Sadek. I found this pattern on eBay. I wanted to share it with you because in case you are wanting to add a Christmas plate to your own stash, this one can be add for extremely reasonable prices. I purchased a good number of them for under $5.00 - $10.00 per dinner plate.

For an additional $60.00, I acquired 12 matching salad plates; that's $5.00 per plate! eBay Tip: The longer a design is listed over and over on eBay, the higher the prices will climb. I've watched this situation develop many times, so if you want to buy a pattern, watch for one that is relatively new to eBay listings. It's the old early bird gets the worm lesson.

I ended up double booking myself on this day. I had another party to attend. Couldn't believe that I did that. When I left, I told my friends to please, stay and enjoy each other's company for as long as they wished. They stayed and visited with each other until almost 5:00 p.m. I just missed them when I returned home again. I hate incompetence, particularly my own. Did you ever schedule two dates with boys on the same night; I did. I thought I had learned from those unfortunate moments. Evidently not. On this day I was without doubt an EGR. Extra Grace Required

December 12...

 If you've been reading my blog for any time...and I've been missing in action for quite some time...you know that I cherish my friends in my Garden Friends Bible Study group. This Wednesday, was the day that I was blessed to gather this precious group of women around my table for food, fun, and fellowship. Today I set a table for 10 in the dining room. Please, join us!


I've been eager to use this hefty silver dome and platter for quite a while. I bought it at a lovely estate sale some time ago. Yes, it held the turkey at our Thanksgiving dinner, on the buffet. Today it anchored my centerpiece design.




The pair of wooden deer (elk?) were found this year at my favorite New Leaf floral shop. You'll see them several more times on my Christmas tables. They make me really happy. Also in the 'make Cherry Kay happy' category...have you noticed all the new Christmas trees gracing assorted tables throughout the house? My childhood friends feted me at a birthday party last month. Each and every one of them gave me a Christmas tree for a birthday present. I'm stealing the idea. Think about it! Bags full of bunnies in the Spring, pumpkins in the Autumn, the possibilities all spell F-U-N to me!


Left to right: The napkins were an eBay find. The napkin ring is actually a candle ring. The silver is my Reed & Barton Grande Renaissance wedding sterling flatware.  The red lacquer was my first ever charger, a gift from a good friend. I've used them for years, The dinner plate was made for Macy's,  Royal Gallery Holly & Ivy. It's new to my collections, and it was bought for a song on eBay. (See previous eBay Tip. Same song, second verse) The Waterford Clarendon Green Serenity goblet was a happy mix with the AJKA Arabella red wine goblet.


Ready to go. Already making plans for two large parties on Sunday, December 16, and Monday, December 17. These two will demand dedicated organization. Tune in for my next entries in my Christmas Entertaining Diary, 2018!


And so, the first week of Christmas entertaining comes to an end.  More to come next time. Thank you so much for taking the time to explore my tables. I'm hopeful that I am going to be able to publish posts more consistently as we go forward. I've really missed hearing from you all, and I've missed spending time studying and enjoying your beautiful blogs, too.

This week I'm joining Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch

Christmas Eve, 2017

It ended up as quite the eventful Christmas by the time all was said and done. On the 23rd, I was feeling just slightly cocky that everything was so well organized.  I could see a wonderful Christmas Eve Dinner and Tree at our house, followed by Santa ClausTree and Christmas Brunch at KC's house Christmas morning.  We weren't scheduled to make the trip to Texas this year, so Christmas afternoon was beckoning us...an afternoon for just the two of us, doing just whatever we wanted to do.  Then came the phone call.  Sweet Mister's sister, who was spending Christmas deep down in Bryan, Texas with Sweet Mister's brother and family, had taken a fall and had broken her leg about one inch above the ankle.  We knew it was a hideous break that would require surgery, and we would need to drive to Dallas to pick her up from her brother, and then drive her the rest of the way home.  Kiss that lazy Christmas day afternoon goodbye. Suddenly everything went into overdrive.  We were still able to pull off the Christmas Eve dinner for KC's family, two of our closest friends and their family visiting from Texas. This night I set a table for 12.  We're in the dining room;  come on in and join us...

 I wanted something a little different tonight.

 I knew that the Williams Sonoma Black Watch plaid tablecloth would lend a relaxed and welcoming tone to the table.




I had been keeping an eye on the California Gold poinsettias at a local nursery.  I couldn't resist them, and they were pretty much the inspiration for my design.  Aren't they wonderful?!

 My choices kept reminding me of a homey table that might appeal to an Anglophile...

 ...so I headed straight for the cabinets that housed the antique English Oak bowl and biscuit jars.  I relish the opportunity each time that I use the antique Barley Twist candlesticks.


I even went against type (for me) and chose a caramel colored candle. 

Now I was pretty pleased with my slightly different take on our Christmas Eve tablescape.  Five year old Beatrice Emaline, on the other hand, proffered her own opinion, "What in the world was Mo thinking.  Did we really want to have a second Thanksgiving table?"  It tickled me that she cared and knew enough to have an opinion.  I'll obviously need to coordinate plans more closely with her next year!  Lord, I adore that little girl.  I'm gaga over my three grandsons, too, but they show little interest in tablescaping.  If I set the table with an assortment of football, soccer, basketball, and baseball equipment, they'd be right in there from start to finish. That's the way it should be.  They've mainly been concerned about the food on the table.  It's all good!     

 I've had the della Robbia style fruit trees for years.  Some holidays I forget about them, but they offered a level of charm for tonight's table.  "Luca della Robbia (1399/1400–1482) was an Italian sculptor from Florence. Della Robbia is noted for his colorful, tin-glazed terracotta statuary, a technique which he invented and passed on to his nephew Andrea della Robbia and great-nephews Giovanni della Robbia and Girolamo della Robbia. Though a leading sculptor in stone, he worked primarily in terracotta after developing his technique in the early 1440s. His large workshop produced both cheaper works cast from molds in multiple versions, and more expensive one-off individually modeled pieces. The vibrant, polychrome glazes made his creations both more durable and expressive." (Wikipedia)

Let's look at the place settings...


I love these Pier One Copper chargers.  To me they say, "Pull up a chair, relax, and enjoy a good meal and some excellent conversation.  Stay awhile!"


Remember that not all chargers and dinner plates are "married".  To avoid a spinning dinner plate as my guest attempts to cut food, I use 8 1/2 - 9" doilies to anchor the dinner plate.  You may be lucky enough to have piles of wonderful old doilies from your grandmama.  You can also acquire some nice and inexpensive doilies via eBay.  The ones that I use most often are 8", new, and available in ecru or white, in sets of 6 for $13.00 - $15.00 and up.


I am mad for this Hartley Greens Leeds reticulated creamware dinner plate.  

The Williams Sonoma "Flax" hemstitch linen napkin is one of my all time favorites.  This is the napkin that I want to have enough to use for a luncheon or dinner with 10 round tables.

Waterford Simply Lilac is easily paired with the Tiffin Elyse wine.

The antique Fraley & Clark molded knife and fork are easily paired with the L'Argent Sophia gold teaspoon.  Remember!  Never soak flatware that is made with assembled pieces.  Long term, the adhesive that holds them together will eventually become brittle and the pieces will fall apart.  Bummer!

The place setting is complete.  Will you be comfortable seated here?

The menu for tonight:  Beef Tenderloin, Simple Salad, Green Beans, Crescent Rolls, Coconut Cream, Key Lime, and Chocolate Bourbon Pies for dessert.

You've pretty much seen the table from all angles.  No place cards tonight.  Where would you like to be seated?  

Our celebration of the most important birthday party of the year was energetic, relaxed, joyous, and relation building.  I don't know what more I could ask.  I pray that you had a blessed fulfilling Christmas and New Year!  I'm so looking forward to learn God's plan for me during 2018.  Praise and Glory to Him and unending thanks for the gift of His precious Son, Jesus, Lover of our ragged souls.

This week I'm joining:

Inspire Me Monday with Maryann @ Domestically Speaking

Inspire Me Tuesday with Marty @ A Stroll Through Life

Tablescape Thursday with Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch

The Scoop with Confessions of a Plate Addict

It's A Party @ DIY By Design

     

Garden Friends Christmas Luncheon, 2017

 You know that Christmas has come once again to our house upon stepping through the front door.  You'll be immediately be greeted with the Simpich Nativity.  I never tire of carefully assembling these precious pieces year after year.

The shepherds and their flocks are humbled by the presence of this most special babe.

Every time I begin to become overwhelmed by all the activity and projects that make up our Christmas season, I think of Mary and Joseph...the unbelievable journey that they made to Egypt and back to Bethlehem...the dangers that they endured... this teenage pregnant young woman who exhibited amazing faith in her God through it all...while she was nine months pregnant and riding on the back of a donkey!  Suddenly my personal frustrations and problems are frivolous, and my seemingly unending tasks become no problem at all.  I am blessed to be able to make preparations as we wait for the most important birthday celebrated each year. 

     

The Wise Men, Three Kings of the Orient tenderly offer their gifts to the newborn king.

The entryway to the living room continues to sing of the season with Santa in an orange silk robe placed in front of a trio of wrought iron lanterns.  The garland on the door is festooned with sterling silver bells, collected one at a time for more than forty years.  It beckons guests to the Christmas tree beyond.

Santa and Mrs. Claus happily greet our guests each Christmas...

Flanking the doorway, they are posed alongside the pair of antique Rose Medallion fishbowls , each holding a small lighted tree.

   Our Nana's pairs of antique Chinese red Chinoiserie commodes and antique gold mirrors complete the vignette.  I needlepointed the rug resting next to Mrs. Claus.  It is one of my favorite projects. It took me four month to complete.  Let's go into the living room where most of our Christmas decor resides.  Lots of pictures to follow, so be warned.  I'll try to be brief with my remarks.     

Looking over the back of the sofa, our stockings hang from the fireplace mantle in readiness for Santa's visit.


I stitched the four stockings many years ago.  If I can access the necessary Alexa canvases, I'll stitch one for each of our new generation of family.  I designed the insert for the shepherds on the far left.


I'm so happy with the Christmas tree stocking holders.  They are actually sturdy enough to support each stocking after it is filled for Christmas morning.


I love putting out all the Christmas pillows each year.

This is the Simpich Santa Takes a Break.


The Pottery Barn "gather" pillow was purchased.  I stitched the rest of the pillows on the couch.


More of my needlepoint pillows...





and the Simpich Santa Checks His List, carefully watched by the Simpich Chris and Melinda.


Our tree is decorated with everything from Radko to the macaroni and glitter ornament made by my son when he was 3 years old.  We typically gift our children and grandchildren with presents that don't fit under the tree.  Until just a few days before Christmas Eve, our tree is surrounded by a variety of Anna Lee dolls  and empty decorative boxes.


I originally set a table in the dining room, but because busy schedules found us with six at the table, I set a new table at the games table in the living room...


...adjacent to the Simpich Carolers.





Each character is unique and wonderful.  I adore these marvelous figures!

Back to the table...Today I've used goldstone flatware and the Vietri glass charger plate.


The dinner plate is Royal Crown Derby Red Aves.   


The crystal plate with the enticing green circle near the verge belonged to our Nana.  I have never known the maker.  Anyone have any idea?




The linen napkin with the embroidered gold design is caught in a gold beaded napkin ring.


Waterford Simply Pink goblet is paired with Lalique Treves wine goblet.  The Lalique is part of my wedding crystal.  This month we celebrate our 49th anniversary!


Pink poinsettias were simply set into the Royal Crown Derby Red Aves octagonal centerpiece bowl... 


and flanked by a pair of the Red Aves Candlesticks and a quartet of my cranberry bells.  Although I don't know the maker, I know that the bells were made in Great Britain.


Such a dignified old candlestick

I served a simple menu of Poppy Seed Chicken, green spinach salad, hot bread, and coconut cake for dessert.

Viewed from the table...

The Snow Village has graced our home for more than 45 years.  

The Simpich Elves collection is another of my favorite Christmas decorations.  I set it up under the piano, so my grand babies can pick them up and play with them. 

They are so special.

It was a wonderful time filled with good food and blessed fellowship.  I have several more Christmas luncheon tablescapes to share with you.  We host a large cocktail party in two days, so I will be occupied for the next few days.  I'll try to post a second tablescape this week.  I pray that you are enjoying your Christmas season.  Remember, if you start to feel overwhelmed on your road to Christmas, just remember the road that sweet young Mary traveled.  Cherish your days as we wait with great expectation for the most important birthday of each year.  We are truly blessed.  Merry Christmas! 

This week I'm joining:

Inspire Me Tuesday with Marty @ A Stroll Through Life

Tablescape Thursday with Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch

The Scoop with Confessions of a Plate Addict