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

What's Brown, and White, and Red All Over?

"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. 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. 
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What's brown, and white, and red all over?  Why my tablescape for Cuisine Kathleen's "Apple Challenge"!  The Garden Friends are coming tomorrow morning for Bible Study and our first birthday luncheon of the new semester.  I'm thrilled to have them gather around my table once again to share food, fun, and priceless fellowship.

The dining table is festooned to welcome Fall and 10 guests.  Kathleen's challenge saved me a sum of money because I didn't buy flowers.  The apples were already in the refrigerator.  Sweet Mister likes to eat apples; I'll need to replace a few.

A Williams-Sonoma deep red tablecloth with a brown and white toile motif set the color tone for today's design.

Whitewashed wood finials are making an encore performance in my centerpiece.  This time I'm saying that they are pine cones.....yes, definitely pine cones.  Two pair of the Barley Twist candlesticks contributed another touch of brown...

 I acquired the antique oriental bronze bowl at an estate sale.  Today it displays....what else?...apples.  The fall leaves meandering down the table are just two garlands from Michael's.  I've used them for a number of years.

I had fun with these little goodies.  A friend once gave me a Barbuzzo Candle Carver.  Have you ever seen one?  They can be found on Amazon.com, if you want to take a look.  They are very inexpensive.  Tip:  With the Candle Carver, you can make a candleholder out of a wonderful variety of items.  A tea candle fits perfectly in the opening that the tool creates.  It's pretty easy to make, and I thought that an apple candle was just the perfect touch for you, Kathleen.  Today they are sitting on Copeland Tower Pink individual ashtrays that belonged to my mother-in-love.  Do you remember the days when our parents had guests who sat and smoked at the table after dinner?  These little guys would have been a part of each place setting...so foreign to most of us now, I think.

 The Maryland China Company Minuet charger created a nice frame...

 ...to make the Spode Delamere Brown dinner plate stand out against the toile tablecloth.  You might be familiar with the Woodland Spode pattern.  The Delamere is the same plate, minus the animals in the center.

  Coalport's Athlone Brown salad plate will be removed and returned later for dessert.

 The brown handled flatware was a great bargain from one of the Horchow Click Tock Sales, available to their customers who allow Horchow to send them emails.

This Pottery Barn Flax Hemstitched Linen napkin is one of my favorites.  Today it is caught with the Coalport Countryware napkin ring.

  A pair of crystal goblets lend yet another touch of the browns...

The Vietri Smoke Optical goblet was a nice companion for the rather contemporary brown stem, that I found on eBay.  I don't know the maker of the brown goblet.

Everyone is bringing a dish to share for our luncheon, so my work is done...

I'll be up and around early tomorrow morning to make a treat for the Garden Friends to enjoy while we share our Bible study, so I'm off to bed as soon as I hit 'publish.'  I can hardly wait to see my treasured friends, and I can hardly wait to see what you all do with all those apples! 

This week I'll be joining:

Inspire Me Tuesday with Marty @ A Stroll Through Life
Centerpiece Wednesdays with The Style Sisters 
Let's Dish with Cuisine Kathleen
Tablescape Thursday with Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch
Seasonal Sundays with The Tablescaper
Autumn Tablescape Link Party with Centsational Girl