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

Adding the Kids' Table, Thanksgiving, 2017

 Although I know that a bevy of 'on the ball' bloggers are already publishing Christmas tablescapes, my tables are always set for actual guests at real time meals.  As a result, I hope that you will grant me a measure of grace and  are still content to stroll through one more Thanksgiving post.  By the time our holiday house guests left for home last Friday afternoon, I was ready for a long nap. I'm now rested, the house is fully dressed in its Christmas finery, and I have a spot of time to compile my Thanksgiving post.  

The grandchildren are growing so fast, and for the first time, we set two tables...one for the old fogies and one for the children.  I had a ball setting the kids' table, and as always I thoroughly enjoyed creating the design for the dining table.  This will be a photo intense post, so I'll try to minimize the text.  I set a table for four for the grandkids.  We're in the breakfast room; come on in and join us...


Although the tables each had their own unique look, I utilized the same china and chargers on both tables.


A Pier One copper charger was coupled with...


...a creamy acrylic charger from Kirkland's.  I like the effect of just the edge of the copper plate showing beneath the cream plate.


I was so excited to use the Hartley Green Leeds Pottery reticulated creamware dinner plate.  Pictures just don't do it justice.  I adore this pattern.


Fenton Empress Goblets...chunky enough for little hands...lent a Colonial feel that worked well with...


...the linen flax tablecloth, an estate sale find, and our Anna Lee Pilgrims, which have been a part of our family celebrations for decades, since my own son and daughter were the age of our grandchildren.


I was even able to integrate another piece of the Hartley Green Leeds for the centerpiece.


The kids loved them, and they made me giggle and smile.


A day for prayer...


..and praise.


The Furnival Blue Quail...






...and a selection of some of my tureen collection seemed pleased to have been invited to the festivities.


The kids' table met with good reviews.  Now let's head into the dining room.


Everything is ready and waiting for family and friends.  This day I set a table for twelve.


I always love an opportunity to use the linen tablecloth and napkins that Sweet Mister bought for me while we were vacationing in Sorrento Italy.


Again...the table is set with an assortment of the Hartley Greens Leeds Pottery reticulated creamware.


Waterford Simply Lilac paired with our Nana's antique French crystal goblet.  



Each piercing in the Hartley Greens Leeds Pottery "Chestnut Bowl" is created individually by hand with antique cutting tools.  Just amazing.

 
I love the way that the carved wood finials work with the reticulated china pieces.  The fall leaves are garlands from Hobby Lobby.


Gold flatware was an estate sale find some years ago.


Everything is spit spot shiny and ready to go.


It was such a blessing to have both of my children and their families gathered around my tables this Thanksgiving.


Certainly a perfect time to offer prayer and praise to our loving God.


I humbly thank you for stopping by for a visit, and I pray that I'll see you often here at Entertaining Women.


Until we meet again, may your tables always be set with an abundance of love and joy.  And remember, if you happen to pass my way out here on the prairie, I would love to set a table just for you. 

This week I'm joining:

Inspire Me Tuesday with Marty @ A Stroll Through Life

Tablescape Thursday with Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch

   hat

Garden Friends Birthday Luncheon, 11.15.17

Well, I'm not quite sure how to explain my long, long absence from blog world.  All I know is that since my lung surgery, I've felt better than I've felt in decades.  I've been able to do more things than I've done in years, and I've just been so doggone busy, I haven't had extra time to work on my blog.  I appreciate that you are willing to stop by for a visit again and check out what's happening on the tables at Entertaining Women.  I'm so glad you are here!


Today the Garden Friends Bible study met for the last time before Thanksgiving.  It was a perfect opportunity to celebrate Sheila's birthday with a luncheon.  I've set a table for 8 in the dining room.  Come on in...


Lately, I've been indulging my passion for blue and white.  Today's table is chocked full of a variety of blues and white with gentle touches of Autumn. Makes me smile.  The birthday girl requested my homemade chicken noodle soup for lunch today.  It was pretty much a gray old day, and hot soup and cornbread muffins filled the bill perfectly.  We finished off our simple menu with Italian Cream Cake. Can you ever go wrong with comfort food?  I think not!


I just wasn't in a mood for a tablecloth today, but our dear Nana's antique ecru tape lace placemats and runners seemed to be calling to me.  The older runners are not as long as more modern offerings, so I layered three of these magnificent old pieces to cover the entire length of the table.  Fittingly this old lace design features acorns!  How perfect is that!




Nana's antique Madeira napkins with a floral design stitched in ecru were caught in silver reticulated napkin rings.

 The Mottahedeh Blue Lace Charger provided the foundation for today's place setting.  I adore this pattern.  It continues to be the plate that guests "want to take home".


Making its premier appearance, the Royal Copenhagen Blue Fluted Half Lace is one of the newer denizens in my "China Town".


The antique Meissen Blue Onion was eventually edited from the opening act of the production.  I just couldn't bear to cover up the Royal Copenhagen.  The dinner plate deserved to stand centerstage on its own.  The Meissen did make an appearance later,  during the dessert course.

 The Waterford Simply Blue and the Tiffin Elyse were superb in the ensemble cast.  I' found my collections of each on eBay and Replacements.com.


Appearing as extras were the Reed & Barton Grande Renaissance flatware, my wedding sterling.  I use it more than my other patterns mainly because it's stored close at hand, and that's the truth.  That and I still really like it.  If I were registering today, I would still choose Grande Renaissance.


Every production needs an eye catching backdrop.  Today's centerpiece is concocted with an assortment of blue and white appointments and a variety of autumn touches.

The tureen is from Andrea by Sadek.  It was an eBay find.

The pair of bell candlesticks are Mottahedeh Blue Canton.  They definitely make a statement, and I am a little bit in love with them.  They fascinate me.

I recently found the smaller pair of Mottahedeh candlesticks at a local estate sale.

The pair of blue and white lidded jars are from Hobby Lobby.  The wooden acorns and sleeping foxes were found at a local antique shop.

Knitting all the elements in the centerpiece together, several Hobby Lobby garlands of autumn leaves meander down the table in a serpentine fashion. 

Let the festivities commence!  My precious friends would be arriving shortly.  Thank you for stopping by for a visit.  I'd be thrilled to pull up an extra chair and add another place setting just for you.  Well, a girl can always dream...Someday...if you happen to find yourself out here on the prairie... give me a call and plan to come for a meal.  We'll visit for hours!

This week I'm joining:

Inspire Me Tuesday with Marty @ A Stroll Through Life

Tablescape Thursday with Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch

It's a Party @ DIY By Design

The Scoop with Yvonne @ Stone Gable