Friday, December 31, 2010

Yule gift...

Hi...I hope you are all enjoying the last day of this year! We are all here enjoying time with family.

This fall I posted a table with a candle holder Luis and I had made out of a piece of old wood. Well, my sister in law loved it and wanted one for Christmas. Now we all know that finding the perfect piece of wood is never that easy! I did find one, and finally got hers made. It's different from mine, of course, so I wanted to show you a sneak peak before she sees it.

Here is the one Luis and I made first...



Here it is "undressed"


I really wanted to use larger candles, but we are too far away from any craft stores to just run and get the iron candle holders to stick in.


...So I had Luis cut the tops off one my mother had so we could use this part...


...to stick in the wood like this


...and hold the large candles. I could not light the candles because they are new and still wrapped for the trip to Georgia tomorrow, but you get the idea.


It is very rustic. Do you think she will like it? I'm afraid my brother will *relegate* it to outside, lol! I did scrub and wash this piece of wood with a heavy brush outside, then let it dry out. But, it is a natural element just like anything we bring inside, I am always very careful to make sure there is nothing *living* inside.


I am thinking about using different heights and widths of candles in a new one, but I'll need to stumble across the perfect piece of wood. I'm sure I will!

I wish you all the happiest of New Years!!

Anita

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Sparkling New Year's Eve with Mikasa Floral Elegance...

Hi everyone! I hope you are enjoying Christmas and looking forward to the New Year! I am keeping some of the same elements from last week's table for an elegant New Year's Eve dinner.


I kept the Mikasa "Floral Elegance" bone china as well as the silver chargers and antique sterling flatware, "Louvre" by Wallace.  The vintage damask napkins were my great grandmother's.





I exchanged the Noritake "Perspective" for my Cristal D'Arques "Longchamp" by Durand crystal...


You know by now that something must come from the woods here, so I gathered some branches and spray painted them white, then silver, and placed them in a lead crystal decanter. I also found some astilbe I had dried, which when spray painted, added softness to the hard branches. I also painted some large pine cones and placed them on the mirrored runner I borrowed from my mother. Another element of softness is the creamy tulle I draped over the runner.




I almost used all silver, but decided on the Fostoria "Baroque" triple and single glass candleholders with all white candles. 








I hope I have shown you how to take the same elements and change up your table with just some minor additions.  I always use things I already have or can borrow, and add natural elements from outside or different fabric.

Thanks so much for stopping by this week! I'll be joining Susan at "Between Naps on the Porch" for "Tablescape Thursday" so be sure to go by there. Next week, we will be celebrating "Los Tres Reyes Magos" or Three King's Day with a Middle Eastern-inspired table. You are always welcome!!

Anita


Sunday, December 26, 2010

12 Days of Christmas...

Today is officially the second day of Christmas, and we are still having snow! We are now up to around 12 inches and still snowing.

We are not people who put everything up the day after Christmas. The 12 days of Christmas actually begin on Christmas Day and continue through Epiphany, January 6. It was a shock for my Puerto Rican husband to see everything stop so abruptly here the day after Christmas as they put more importance on the coming of the three kings, or "Los Tres Reyes Magos." The three kings deliver gifts to children on the night of January 5th if the children have left grass for the king's camels. So we will celebrate the coming of the three kings here or magi, which actually makes a lot more sense to me than Santa Claus!

In honor of the 12 days of Christmas, I thought I would share some glassware my mother gave me last year. These are by Indiana Glass. and there is a different glass for each day. The kids love these and all have a favorite.




I set the breakfast bar with some cute angel placemats and the Hull "Brown Drip" plates. I added the red salad plate, vintage Bakelite flatware, paisley napkins and napkin rings from World Market.











Thanks for stopping by!! I wish you the merriest of Christmases and hope for the spirit to continue:-)

I'll be joining Marty at "A Stroll Through Life" for "Tabletop Tuesday" so be sure and go by there to say hi!!



Anita

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Mikasa Floral Elegance for Christmas...

Well, I was able to stick with my original plan! I used the same basic centerpiece and runner with different china for three different Christmas/winter looks. I think this one is my favorite, though it's hard to pick. My heartfelt thanks to Mikasa for this beautiful bone china, "Floral Elegance" which has become our favorite.


I used the Noritake "Perspective" ruby wine glasses to hold fresh greenery and pine cones for each setting. 


I again used the silver chargers, but changed the flatware to my Wallace "Louvre" sterling from 1893. I have used red damask napkins and mother of pearl napkin rings from Walmart right next to the sterling and bone china.














This will be our table setting for our family Christmas dinner. As much as we enjoy being together for this meal, though, the best part will be taking part of our meal and sharing it with a family from our church Christmas afternoon. 

I am so thankful for all of you! Your visits are so warm and friendly, and I look forward to each and every one of them! I hope the wonderful feeling of warmth and love we share here continues to spread.

I'll be joining "Tablescape Thursday" over at "Between Naps on the Porch," so be sure to go by and see all of Susan's participants. 

My plan for next week is to bring back the Floral Elegance but in a totally different setting for the new year. So please some back!

Merry Christmas to each and every one of you:-)


Friday, December 17, 2010

Vintage Treasures...

I wanted to share a couple of treasures from my childhood. My grandmother always placed this little candycane and angels with wooden candles in one of her dining room windows at Christmas. They are from Japan and I assume from the 40s or 50s. I put them in my kitchen window to remind me of her...




I'll be linking up late to Vanessa's "Inspiration Friday" over at "Southern in My Heart" so go by there and visit! 

I hope you are enjoying this most joyous of seasons!

Anita

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Christopher Radko 2010

Ok...I promised to keep the same centerpiece and just add a few different elements, and I stuck to it! My goal has been to keep the rustic, natural elements of the greenery, grape vine and berries and mix them with the finer elements of the china, flatware and glassware.


I exchanged the rattan chargers for silver, and replaced the "Winter Wonderland" dinnerware with the Christopher Radko "Holiday Celebrations" in the Christmas Tree pattern. This is my favorite of the Christmas tree patterns by far. I kept the April Cornell "Poet Jacquard" napkin in forest green and the Noritake "Perspective" ruby glassware. I also kept the Mikasa "Italian Countryside" flatware.


Then I tried a different napkin ring...




Now we could go outside...


Maybe not today!







With the silver napkin rings... 


With bamboo napkin rings... 


We have enjoyed several family meals here as we have been here for three days enjoying the snow and extreme cold! I have exchanged the green napkins for red, and those worked just as nicely. I do exchange the basket of greenery for the candle holder on the breakfast bar when we eat so we can all talk more freely.

Thanks so much for stopping by! I'll be joining Susan at "Between Naps on the Porch" for "Tablescape Thursday" so please go by there and see beautiful tables!

Enjoy the season and remember what all the celebration is about...Christ. 

Anita