Delighted Giveaway Recipient

Recently, I received a beautifully wrapped package from Linda @ More Fun Less Laundry. I am the happy winner of her birthday giveaway.

Inside the package was a beautiful Radko Christmas ornament and an autographed book written by Frances Schultz called The Bee Cottage Story. See Linda's post about her giveaway here:

I adore Radko ornaments and how Linda knew I collected churches was an amazing coincidence!

The ornament looks beautiful on my tree!

The Bee Cottage Story book cover reads,"Frances Schultz popular blog at FrancesSchultz.com is a revealing window into her lively and sometimes laugh-out-loud writing as well as her inspiring style and taste. She is the author or coauthor of several books, including A House in the South, and for six years was on-air host of the award-winning cable television show Southern Living Presents. A contributing editor to House Beautiful and former editor at large for Veranda, Schultz has also written for the Wall Street Journal,and Indagare.com and appeared on The Today Show, CNN's Open House, The Nate Berkus Show, and others. A North Carolina native, she resides in California and New York."

The garden room....

The dining room

The garden.......
I can't say it better than the cover page does," Inspired by Frances Schultz's popular House Beautiful magazine series on the makeover of her house, Bee Cottage, what began as a decorating book evolved into a memoir combining the best elements of both: beautiful photos and a compelling personal story.  Schultz taps into what she learned during her renovations of Bee Cottage-determining how each area in the house and garden would be used and furnished-to unravel the question of how a mature, intelligent, successful woman could have made such a mess of her personal life. As she figures out each room over a period of years, Schultz finds a new path in life. She comes to learn that, like decorating a home, our lives must adapt to who we are and what we need at different points along the way. The Bee Cottage story is part heartfelt memoir, part practical home decorating guide. Schulz discusses the kinds of useful, commonsense design issues professionals take for granted and the rest of us just may not think of. In doing so, she discovers her own "truth" in decorating, and in her life, and gently prompts the reader to do the same." Thank you Linda, for the delightful ornament and the book, The Bee Cottage Story. I'm a little late acknowledging this delightful giveaway due to the holidays and some entertaining obligations. Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas,

Entertaining Ideas for Christmas

Join me today for some great holiday entertaining ideas. I'm part of a talented group of ladies in a garden club who know how to entertain.  A french cutting board styled with chicken salad with choice of croissants or crackers and crudites and dip sits on top of a gorgeous lace tablecloth. A small cake stand holding grapes also sits on the cutting board giving height and color.

Candles add that special holiday ambience.

Salty sweet magic cookie bars with pretzel  crust came from Lynn @Happier than a Pig in Mud's blog. You can view her post here for the recipe.  Using a Christmas china tiered tray for the bar cookies added to the festive atmosphere.

Even the tops of the kitchen cabinets were decorated in our hostess home.

Simple candy cane candles made an elegant statement on the kitchen island.

Attractive decorations were used throughout the home.

  This beautiful wreath greeted us and was made by our hostess, Gail. The following pictures were made in Gail's home the previous Christmas.

 A delicious Christmas luncheon.

Love the centerpiece and the food.

 Fabulous dessert inspired from Pinterest.

From left to right is Addie, 90 years young, Sherry, Nita, who gave our program and our hostess, Gail.

 Because we were having a wreath making workshop and our club is so large, tables were set up in Gail's garage. And Gail's garage is VERY NICE.

 I am the first on on the left followed by Peggy, Bonnie, and one of our charter members, Frances, also ninety years young. A great program by Nita on wreath making and creating centerpieces was enjoyed by all the members.

We learned so much about decorating trees, making centerpieces and wreath making. Hope these ideas will spark one of your own for your holiday decorating and entertaining.

Merry Christmas,

Joining:

Metamorphosis Monday   Botanic Bleu  Show and Share  The Scoop  Celebrate and Decorate  Inspire Me Tuesday  Wow Us Wednesday  Tablescape Thursday  Share Your Style Party  Thoughts of Home  Foodie Friday  Feathered Nest Friday  Dishing It & Digging It   Calypso in the Country

Boughs of Holly Tablescape

Hello and welcome to my home as I join a group of bloggers for a Holiday Tablescape Blog hop sponsored by Chloe Crabtree @Celebrate and Decorate. At the bottom of this post are links to the other wonderful tablescapes for your inspiration.

Christmas evokes many memories of faith, family and friends, and for me setting a festive Christmas tablescape begins my holiday decorating.

 I set a formal table today using my Lenox Holiday china with all formal elements.  I love the drama of gold, elegant crystal, a touch of glitz and candlelight.

Lenox Holiday was introduced in 1974 and became an instant classic. 

I  wish I could remember when  I began collecting the Holiday pattern.  For a number of years, all my family gave me pieces of this china for Christmas and birthdays.

The lovely boughs of holly that entwine the border of the plates, remind me of the old Christmas carol, Deck the Halls.

Deck the halls with boughs of holly, Fa,la,la,la,la, la, la,la la. Tis the season to be jolly, Fa,la,la,la,la,la,la,la,la.



Don we now our gay apparel, Fa,la,la,la,la,la,la,la,la.
Troll the ancient Yuletide carol, Fa,la,la,la,la,la,la,la,la. (Just in case you can't remember the lyrics, LOL!)

 The song captures my festive mood and tablescape.

 I adore this vintage tablecloth that graced my dear mother-in-law's table for many years.

To me, traditional red and green with gold accents has timeless elegance.

For the centerpiece, I used a mirrored table runner  embellished with a scalloped crystal bowl filled with various textures and sizes of red Christmas ornaments. On each side of the bowl are crystal candlesticks with red candles and sparkled gold Christmas trees.

Resource list:

Plates- Lenox Holiday

Silverware- Buttercup by Gorham

Glassware- Gorham

Crystal bowl- Waterford

Crystal Candlesticks- Waterford

Tablecloth- Vintage

Gold Christmas Trees- Gift shop

Gold chargers- Wal Mart

Napkins rings- Pier 1

Thank you for joining me today for a Holiday Blog Hop sponsored by Chloe @ Celebrate and

 Decorate.

May the joy of Christmas be real in your heart this Christmas. I think of you, my readers, warmly and appreciate your friendship. To new readers joining today for the blog hop I welcome you and invite you to visit regularly.

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. "

Merry Christmas,

Please visit all the other talented bloggers listed below for many other beautiful Holiday tablescapes.

                                                      Monday

Twelve on Main | Everyday Living | Home is Where the Boat Is | Rustic – Refined

Tuesday

Life and Linda |  Rattlebridge Farm | Rosemary & Thyme | Living With Thanksgiving  | Cozinest

Wednesday

Belle Bleu Interiors | My Kentucky Living | A Toile Tale |Bluesky Kitchen | Starfish Cottage

Dining Delight

Thursday

Citrine Living | B. Lovely Events | Ramblings of a Southern Girl | Panoply

Friday

Celebrate & Decorate | Farmhouse 40 | The Painted Apron | Sweet Sensations

Joining:

Metamorphosis Monday   Botanic Bleu  Show and Share  The Scoop  Celebrate and Decorate  Inspire Me Tuesday  Wow Us Wednesday  Tablescape Thursday  Share Your Style Party  Thoughts of Home  Foodie Friday  Feathered Nest Friday  Dishing It & Digging It   Calypso in the Country

Family Thanksgiving Dinner

Setting a beautiful table is a pleasure for me. I especially enjoy selecting which china, silverware,  glassware and linens to use. Even ironing a tablecloth has it's rewards. But the best part for me is designing the flower arrangement and the most satisfaction is when I can make it different and use something from my own garden. Another secret challenge is to use what I have without buying anything.

This tablescape was last year's family Thanksgiving table.  The china is an english game set that I bought at Brimfield antique show many years ago. Each plates showcases a different bird. The flowers in this centerpiece were simple white hydrangeas with aucuba greenery from my garden. This is the first time I used hydrangeas on my Thanksgiving table. View 2014, Thanksgiving centerpiece here. You can view the subtle differences in 2013 here.

It is nostalgic for me to post a Thanksgiving tablescape because Living With Thanksgiving was born Thanksgiving of 2009. You can see my first post and first tablescape here.

 I'm quite sentimental using these little pilgrim salt and pepper shakers. I used these shakers every Thanksgiving while my children were growing up. Now, the grandchildren enjoy them.
This is the only pic where the candles were lit. Do you like candlelight as much as I do? It adds a special ambience.

It helps me to keep a Thanksgiving folder with  menu's and recipes used over the years.  This folder  saves time the following year. The menu varies a little each year with the choice of vegetables and desserts. Everything else stays the same. Do you serve a similar menu each year?

I  change the centerpiece each year. Sometimes I use a different container and always vary the flowers in some way. It helps to refer back to the pictures from blogposts to remember centerpieces and how I set the table.

Sophie made cards for all of us.

Turkey and cornbread dressing with gravy Green beans Squash casserole Fresh Cranberry sauce Pumpkin pie
It was a wonderful meal with family. A time to thank God, and reflect on our many many blessings. I am excited to spend Thanksgiving at my daughter's house this year.  May Thanksgiving, 2016, be especially meaningful to you and your family.

Psalm 100
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God.  It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

Living Thankfully,
Bonnie

Metamorphosis Monday   Botanic Bleu  Show and Share  The Scoop  Celebrate and Decorate  Inspire Me Tuesday  Wow Us Wednesday  Tablescape Thursday  Share Your Style Party  Thoughts of Home  Foodie Friday  Feathered Nest Friday  Dishing It & Digging It   Calypso in the Country