Christmas Dinner with Friends 2017

'Twas a Plaid Christmas that year.

2017

 I chose to tone down the red with some white, antique cutwork placemats. That way the Nikko plaid dinner plate could actually be seen on the table. I topped the dinner plate with a Royal Stafford Joyeux Noel salad plate. Crochet edge napkins were gathered into red velvet bows from Pier One. Community plate Signature forks and Vagabond House shed antler knives.

I chose Mikasa Parklane water goblets and Spanish silver wine glasses. The bold tablecloth needed bold pieces.

The red velvet napkin rings are "stiff" so they retain their shape throughout many uses!

I had made these place card holders in anticipation for this theme a year before. Inexpensive Walmart individual salt shakers, one per person. Discard the tops. Add some faux snow to the shaker. Insert a $Tree wire tree ornament  into the opening of the shaker. Attach with clear glue (keeping the glue out of the snow. Once dry, wrap a ribbon or bias cut plaid fabric around the screw portion of the shaker. The $tree Christmas Tree ornament has a star on top, so i used mini clothes pin to attach the place card to the star. Pretty simple, really. 

I love the lace on the plaid!

I have the sweetest friend who has a wholesale florist shop. He helps me pick out the best combination of flowers. 

 Sterling salt and peppers and candlesticks complete the look.

Monogrammed tea towels tied onto the chairs with red velvet ribbons.

Keeping the red velvet thing going.

Why does photo stitching always make the front look bowed? The buffet decked out with Mackenzie Childs runner.

 A vintage lunch box holds a snowy scene and is watched over by a reindeer with a tartan bow. 

 His mate is on the other side. Instead of candles inside the lanterns, I filled them with trees and fairy lights. 

I love a tree filled with white lights and memories. Do you do a stylized tree? Or one with all the ornaments that make you nostalgic?

 We serve cocktails and apps in the living room. When the theme involves red, the pillows, the dishes, the napkins all play right along.

 The large driftwood nativity is made by a Native American artist and was purchased by my husband in Santa Fe, NM. Happy Birthday to me!!

 'Twas a Christmas to remember!

Chris✞mas in July - A decorated Table

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You know it will be Chris✞mas before we know it. Look at the counter on the top right of the blog. Those days will be passing by very, very quickly. I mean, Fall is just around the corner, so Chris✞mas isn't that far behind. I know you've seen the Chris✞mas displays at Hobby Lobby and other craft stores. There were up July 5th!!!

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Since Yvonne at Stone Gable is having a Chris✞mas in July party this week, I thought what a cute idea and I wanted to play along.. the linkup party isn't until Friday. You still have time to pull it together. I did have a cute summer table all done up and ready to post, but that would have just looked weird in the middle of this Chris✞mas week. See the tablecloth in the above photo.. I used that just last Sunday for our family dinner.

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Clicking any of the source links under the photos will take you to the original blog post. Or you can just browse through and get some ideas for this year! Do you change up your table a little bit each year?

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Sometimes we eat kind of formal....

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and sometimes not! What do you prefer? Casual throughout the month and then only formal for Christmas? Or casual all the way through the month?

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This was a new set up last year. Loved those nutcracker plates! Simply adding a new set of salad plates and a tablecloth will certainly spruce up the Chris✞mas china and give you a new, refreshed table setting.

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Other than the colors, nothing on this table says Chris✞mas. Goes to show that if you use what you have, you can use it anytime with a seasonal color way!

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Are you noticing some of the same dishes? I hope so. Although I am a Chris✞mas nut.. loving all things Chris✞mas, I certainly cannot afford new Chris✞mas dishes every year. Wait, I shouldn't be buying new Chris✞mas every year. Find a way to combine the pieces you have to create something new.

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Pinterest is a very cool tool to organize all the pretty pictures you see on the web. Please respect the author's preference on 'pinning' though. I find a photo and use the 'pin' button and then select the board (think bulletin board) onto which you want to pin your photo. If you need an invite.. just leave me a message in your comment.

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Of course our fellow bloggers certainly know how to inspire us to set beautiful tables. There are just sooo many tables I see each week I would love to copy detail by detail. But you and I both know I can't go buying new dishes.. after all I made a resolution death sentence to not purchase any this year!! yeah I know. I know.. broken!!

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This has got to be one of the most pinned tables on Pinterest. I see it everywhere. I think it came from Country Living? Someone correct, I'm sure I'm wrong. I just pinned it from a blog.

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Once again a gorgeous table by a fellow blogger from California. Her style, her compilation of textures and patterns is always intriguing and just makes me want to go buy more stuff!!

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I know I'll be using my new dishes this year. I've waited a very long time for these and now I finally have them. Albeit not quite so guilt free..You know I did make the resolution death sentence. What are your plans for your Chris✞mas table? Have you made any yet? Oooh, I'm dying to know what ideas you have!

See you at:
Cuisine Kathleen for Let's Dish (Wednesday evening)
Stone Gable for Tutorials, Tips and Tricks (Wednesday evening)
Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday (Thursday)

Merry Christmas Tablescape!!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart.  ~Washington Irving

Christmas is the gentlest, loveliest festival of the revolving year - and yet, for all that, when it speaks, its voice has strong authority.  ~W.J. Cameron

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.  ~Norman Vincent Peale

May Peace be your gift at Christmas and your blessing all year through!  ~Author Unknown

 He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.  ~Roy L. Smith

 Christmas is a time when you get homesick - even when you're home.  ~Carol Nelson

 One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day.  Don't clean it up too quickly.  ~Andy Rooney

 Christmas is a necessity.  There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us that we're here for something else besides ourselves.  ~Eric Sevareid

When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things - not the great occasions - give off the greatest glow of happiness.  ~Bob Hope

 It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air.  ~W.T. Ellis

Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.  ~Author unknown, attributed to a 7-year-old named Bobby

Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love!  ~Hamilton Wright Mabie

  I wish we could put up some of the Christmas spirit in jars and open a jar of it every month.  ~Harlan Miller

 At Christmas, all roads lead home.  ~Marjorie Holmes

May the spirit of Christmas bring you peace,
The gladness of Christmas give you hope,
The warmth of Christmas grant you love.
~Author Unknown

Cast:

Runner - burlap made by me; Dinner plates - Royal Stafford Christmas Home; Salad plates - Nikko plaid; Flatware - Spode; Red goblets - Stein Mart; Silver goblets - Spain; Napkins - Crate and Barrel; Napkin rings - unknown; Placecard holders - Tag, Amazon, Pottery Barn

Thank you so much for dropping by. I really appreciate all the friendship and comments you've shared with me throughout the year. You've given me so many blessings and I feel the comfort of many special friends here in my home! Blogland is just wonderful. I am linking up with Susan for Tablescape Thursday! Cya there...