Candlelight and Roses

I am so glad you stopped by because I am happy to share some good news. I was very blessed recently! I won the Monday Morning Blooms Holiday Giveaway sponsored by Crown Linen Designs and Arte Italica. 

The gorgeous monogrammed runner and napkins are from Crown Linen Designs. Monday Morning Blooms includes four bloggers that share their floral creations on the first and third Mondays of each month. The four bloggers are Lidy@French Garden House, Pam@ Everyday Living, Mary@Home Is Where the Boat Is, and Shirley@Housepitality Designs.
 I look forward to each Monday Morning Blooms.

Isn't the runner exquisite? I moved the chair so as not to block your view.

The napkins are so lovely and I still can't believe I won! 

Hurricane globes and brass candlesticks flank the floral centerpiece of white and red roses. They are surrounded by votives interspersed among branches of greenery. I love the ambience of candlelight.

The roses I found were so fresh and were a delight to arrange. I must admit I was in hurry mode because the light was fading. Does that happen to you?

You can see them better in this overhead shot. There are two dozen roses. I couldn't decide whether to mix the colors or have a border of one color. The border won out.

The Arte Italica rectangular tray is beautiful. The size of the Natale tray and the nice handles make it perfect for entertaining. I will use this piece so much. 

This photo and the next one had the best light in the group but there is a blooper. I'm sure you see it.

I was in such a hurry because of the light, I failed to put one of the hurricane globes back on. Did you notice?

Crossing my fingers this video works!!!!! Click on the box in the right-hand corner to make it full screen.
I am so excited to have these lovely pieces I have shown you today. Thank you Crown Linen Designs, Arte Italica, and Monday Morning Bloom girls! I am over the moon!
From my home to yours, I wish you a very blessed Christmas. ✨ 🎄 ✨

Christmas Delights

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at my home at least on my table. I'm a traditionalist about waiting until after Thanksgiving to decorate.  Today, I'm joining a group of tablescapers for a Christmas Tablescape Blog Hop. This group is still going strong after five years. Chloe Crabtree @Celebrate and Decorate has been our tireless leader. I want to thank Chloe for her leadership but I also want to thank those in this group for your friendship and inspiration. The creativity through the years continues to inspire me. A  list of all the participants is listed at the bottom of this post. You will love visiting each one and let them know you were there with a comment.

Three different cloches with jeweled Christmas trees were my centerpiece. For me, it was a first not to have fresh flowers as a centerpiece since I love them so much. The cloches were placed over a vintage runner atop a white tablecloth also vintage.

It was fun to place Christmas crackers above the plates to add a little whimsy to the table. Christmas crackers are a traditional Christmas favorite in the UK. Christmas crackers traditionally contain a tissue crown( paper party hat), a motto (joke, riddle, or trivia question), and a small gift item. The gift contents are usually fairly inexpensive and range from plastic toys and noisemakers to magic tricks and edible treats.I bought these crackers from T.J. Maxx and they include a musical whistle, hat, motto and snap. You can look up the history of Christmas crackers @WhyChristmas.com

New to me this year is the Bordallo Pinheiro cabbage chargers. I'm so glad I shopped Nancy's Daily Dish sale on Labor Day weekend via Suzanne Zingg's Instagram account for the cabbage chargers. I rather like the plate stack with the cabbage chargers, Christmas tree Spode plates, another larger white charger, and a red placemat. I tucked in a tartan plaid napkin and placing the napkin this way saves space if space is an issue.

My favorite thing on the table is these vintage Christmas tree glasses. I remember so well buying them as a gift for my mother-in- law many years ago. She is gone now so it is special that I can use them and remember her.The emerald green goblets which I think are Lenox were bought at an estate sale.

 

Since I didn't have fresh flowers for a centerpiece the tablescape seemed to lack life so I decided we needed something organic on the table. And .... a red velvet cake came to my mind.I intended on buying one but couldn't find one so I ended up baking one. I haven't made a red velvet in many years! 
Now, let's leave the dining room and see another table in the kitchen with the same centerpiece with a few subtle changes.

I did this table in the kitchen last year when both our children and their families came to our house for Christmas. This table I set ahead of time because when you have ten people to eat doing everything you can ahead of time is a necessity. We used this table for breakfast, lunch, and a few dinners. I was able to fit seven at this table and three younger children at the bar not shown. Our Christmas Day meal was in the dining room with my formal Christmas china and fresh flowers.

This is the formal table in the dining room. Do you remember it from last year?

On this table, I used dishwasher safe glasses and cutlery. The plate stack was also simpler. The plaid cloth changes the look, doesn't it? It is more casual. 

I remember fondly my house full of my family last year and having us all together for the first time in about five years was a great blessing. We are hoping to be able to travel to our daughter's for Christmas this year but don't know what the next few weeks will bring. I'm glad we can escape the world's woes with pretty tables and enjoy each other's traditions. 
I will reply to your comments on this post under your comments. I wish Blogger would email comments again. Please check back for a reply.

✨Blessings to you and your families this Christmas season.🎄✨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. Isaiah 9:6
Click on the links below to view all the tables.

Celebrate and Decorate
Blue Interiors
Home is Where the Boat Is
Corner of Plaid and Paisley
Me and My Captain
The Zucchini Sisters
Calypso in the Country
Everyday Living
My Hubbard Home
Debbee’s Buzz
Mantel and Table
Panoply
Living With Thanksgiving
The Little Yellow Corner Store
Life and Linda
Design Morsels
White Arrows Home
The Sweet Sensations

Thanksgiving Blessings

Thanksgiving is approaching soon. I don't know about you but the days are racing by quickly. Welcome to a Thanksgiving Tablescape Blog Hop sponsored by Chloe Crabtree@Celebrate and Decorate. There are eighteen bloggers participating in this hop showcasing Thanksgiving tables. The variety of styles and inspiration is always amazing. Many thanks to Chloe for organizing this hop.Links for each blogger's tablescape are provided at the end of this post. Please visit and leave a comment so they know you have viewed their table.

Today, I've set an alfresco table for Thanksgiving in my garden area amid the fallen leaves. There are so many reasons to love this season. Thanksgiving is always in season. What are you thankful for today?

For my centerpiece, I chose a copper container. The rich metallic tones of copper seem right for the cooler days of fall. The vintage patina of the copper container accents the golden roses and orange and gold tones of fall chrysanthemums. The fallen leaves are nature's sign fall has arrived. The trees in my yard consist mainly of hardwoods like oak, hickory, and pine. 

The English game plates I am using were bought in New England at an antique show in Brimfield, Massachusetts years ago. I have used them for Thanksgiving starting with my very first blog post in 2009. 

Each plate has a different game bird. I am not sure if this is a grouse or partridge.

I am sure this is a mallard duck. I was drawn to these plates because of their beautiful delicate gold border and pretty colors. Each plate has a touch of blue sky. 

I've always used a solid tablecloth but this year I decided to use a plaid cloth and set an alfresco tablescape. I was pleased to order it online from Bed Bath and Beyond. Our weather is usually very mild for Thanksgiving.

The pheasant and the mallard are my favorites because of the brighter prettier colors.

This game bird is a sandpiper type bird maybe a long-billed curlew or a whimbrel. If anyone knows please pipe in.

Vintage brown and rust napkins were layered with gold napkin rings. Gold chargers and flatware have shiny texture next to the soft lovingly worn texture of the vintage napkins. Amber goblets are Fostoria I believe.

Oscar Wilde once said, "Mere color can speak to the soul a thousand ways."

This plate is Churchill Royal Wessex. I was fortunate to win this plate from a giveaway from our own tablescape blog hop teammate, Mary @Home is Where the Boat is. My heart is warmed by all the blogger friends I have made over the years. 

This is my first blog post, Thanksgiving table in 2009! I am counting my blessings every day. This past year has been taxing and challenging but I count each day a beautiful gift from God. Wishing you a very blessed Thanksgiving. 

"Now, our God, we give You thanks, and praise Your glorious name. 1 Chronicles 29:13

Click on the links below to view all the tables.

Celebrate & Decorate
Sweet Sensations
Me and My Captain
Belle Blue Interiors
The Little Yellow Corner Store
Panoply
Life and Linda
Our Crafty Mom
White Arrows Home
Living With Thanksgiving
Debbee's Buzz
Home is Where the Boat Is
Everyday Living
Red Cottage Chronicles
The Painted Apron 
My Hubbard Home
Calypso in the Country
Zucchini Sisters
At Home With Jemma

Living Thankfully,

Autumn Fancy

Hello friends and welcome to a Fall Tablescape Blog Hop sponsored by Chloe Crabtree@Celebrate and Decorate and Andrea Hundley@ Design Morsels. Join me in the garden for a touch of fall this September. Our temperatures here in my garden do not feel like fall but there is cold ice tea to help you cool off while you scroll.

I'm mixing vintage and new with 70's or 80's placemats, 40's goblets, vintage napkins, and new cheetah dishes. My tablecloth is a painters cloth.

My centerpiece is a mixture of grocery store flowers with some pods and feathers added placed in a copper pitcher with a gold handle. The gold handle ties in the gold cutlery. 

I loved the mixture of pinks, yellows, and oranges with a little green for the flowers.

The goblets are from the 1940s. I found these glasses at Scott's Antique Market in Atlanta for my mother-in-law a long time ago. She had a few pieces and talked about hoping to find more. At that time, I went to Scott's fairly often and was so excited to find several sizes in a set of eight. I could not wait to give them to her for Christmas because I knew it would be a wonderful surprise. I wish I knew the name of the pattern and if anyone knows please let me know.

I did a summer tablescape with these same dishes in July. It looks so different using other colors and flowers.

Click here to view the entire post.

Surprise. Fast forward a few days and I found this tablecloth and wanted to give it a whirl. My wilted coleus in the background look just like I did setting this alfresco table. Ladies, it is hot in Alabama!

After four days some of the flowers were spent so to fill in I added limelights and pittosporum from my garden.

Which look suits your Autumn fancy? Floral or solid cloth?
 If you have enjoyed this post please Pin and share on Pinterest!
Table Elements
Cheetah plates-Hobby LobbyBurlap Chargers-Hobby LobbyGold flatware-Hobby LobbyOrange napkins- VintageGoblets- VintageCopper pitcher-T.J.MaxxFloral cloth-Home GoodsWood Slice-Bed Bath and Beyond

I have enjoyed the friendships made during the last four years of these blog hops. It has been so much fun because inspiration and creativity abound. Thank you, Chloe Crabtree, for being our leader and we are glad Andrea is helping now as well.  Please visit each blogger listed below and leave them a comment so they will know you have visited them. I love comments because they are so encouraging. Happy Fall!🍁🍁🍁
Celebrate & Decorate |  Design Morsels | Mantel and Table 
Corner of Plaid and Paisley | Home is Where the Boat Is | Belle Blue Interiors
Calypso in the Country | Our Crafty Mom | My Thrift Store Addiction 
The Painted Apron | The Little Yellow Corner Store | Sweet Sensations 
Living With Thanksgiving | Panoply
Life and Linda | Everyday Living | Bluesky at Home
Life at Bella Terra | Red Cottage Chronicles | CoziNest