Christmas Dinner with Friends 2015

Christmas Dinner with Friends 2015

We love to open our home to acquaintances, friends and family throughout 

the year. However, one of the times I enjoy the most is our yearly 

dinner with friends. I try to choose a different theme each year so that 

the dinner is not only a feast for the tummy,but also a feast for the eyes. 

I do try to plan several years in advance so that should I choose to make any 

purchases,they aren't full price. 

This year's theme was the Night before Christmas. Luck was on my side last year

and I snagged the 'Twas the Night... tablecloth and dessert/salad dishes on sale from

Williams Sonoma.

Last Year's set of plates

This year's set. I sure wish we had a Williams Sonoma near us. I would have purchased

the Nutcracker plates!

I selected a red Thomson dinner plate to pair with the WS 'Twas... dishes. These were placed on

a Jay Imports gold charger. Gold flatware completed the setting.

I found the fun napkins at Home Goods and embroidered them with a big B.

I love to add the personal touch to our table. The color green in the embroidery

was selected from a very dominant green in the tablecloth.

For the life of me, I do not remember from where I purchased this embroidery font.

.

The Fitz and Floyd reindeer (found at an estate sale!) fit perfectly on the table

 as they repeatedthe colors of the tablecloth and kept the conversation 

flowing withtheir cheerful faces. Several years past, I had seen the idea to 

glue ornaments to a mirror as individual vases. I will admit it was

a bit tricky until I came across some circular foam with a center hole

from a CD stack.

 Another theme that paired well with the 'Twas idea, 

was an abundance of ornamental balls. I had them 

strung on the chandelier, in bowls, and outside in planters. 

With a venture of that undertaking, I made several trips

to our local Dollar Tree. You had to be there early to get

the ones with designs on them! Let's say I started in November.

I used a tureen to hold the flower arrangement, which consisted of 

eucalyptus, red roses, green buttons and white mums. An extravagance

that made the table feel sumptuous!

 Our Ajka Arabella wine hocks paired up with the Mikasa Parklane iced teas. Whereas

the clear crystal might have faded into the background, the red pop of the Ajka crystal

added a bit of color on yet another level.

On overhead shot. I just stand on my tippy toes and point down with the camera. 

My canon has a vari-angle lens so I can see the shot before I take it.

Each guest went home with an embroidered stocking. 

I designed and embroidered the free standing fabric 

holly leaves that had wire inserted in the embroidery process.

Not nearly as scary as it sounds. The names were 

embroidered on a ribbon that was knotted and then hand

tacked to the stocking cuff. Filling them was a blast!

In these last photos, you might notice that I decided that the napkins

needed a napkin ring. I love to add table jewelry when it seems to fit.

Thanks for stopping by, I know it's been a while, praying that the year

ahead will afford me more time to be more active on line. A family, still working

full-time, and being a BSF International bible study leader eats up so much of my time.

I would love to be able to spend some time with y'all.

Joining:

Between Naps on the Porch

The scoop #203 @ Confessions of a Plate Addict

Father's Day - A little bit of Chicken Fried... tablescape

 

Welcome!

Father's Day didn't quite sneak up on us, I actually found a present and card for my husband weeks before, but the meal itself did. Was I thinking we would fast that day?

The boys did agree it was high time for some 

Chicken Fried Steak!

From Wikipedia:

Chicken fried steak (also known as pan-fried steak,^[1] CFS or country fried steak) is a breaded cutlet dish consisting of a piece of steak (tenderized cube steak) coated with seasoned flour and pan-fried. It is associated with Southern cuisine. Its name may be due to its similarity in preparation to fried chicken.

Chicken fried steak resembles the Austrian dish Wiener Schnitzel and the Italian-Latin American dish Milanesa, which is a tenderized veal or pork cutlet, coated with flour, eggs, and bread crumbs, and then fried. It is also similar to the recipe for Scottish collops.^[1]

After reading that little tidbit.. nope that is not what ours resemble! We use a nice thin cut top sirloin, pound it within an inch of its life, dip in flour, dip in beer batter, dip in flour, dip in beer batter, deep fry. All this takes place outside. Yes, sweet husband has perfected cooking the chicken fry on the charcoal grill, with mesquite chips over hot coals. Let me just say... Umm, it is soo good!

 

The trusty Sky Ranch dishes came out to play that day. 

I was busily plating salads in the kitchen when I realized I'd better jump to taking some pictures!

Still trying to figure out which flatware speaks Cowboy.

any ideas?

The napkin rings and centerpiece came from a quaint little shop in Weatherford, Texas, Just to the West of Fort Worth, on highway 180.

I have had these rusty ol' cowboys and cowgirls forever! The store at which I purchased them is now a faint memory. They are made by Two's Company and I did not see them on their website this time around.

I love setting the larger ones on the table for display or using them on a buffet with the name of a food item inserted into their lasso.

The rustic bird's nest chargers from World Market worked really well into the theme.,

Somewhere in the lost items from the last move was a box of cd's of embroidery designs. 

In that box was a western font set. 

Until either the box surfaces, which I seriously doubt, or I find the font again, these napkins will have to do.

This really worked pretty well for a guys table, simple, non-frilly and not fussy.

I pulled out the amber Whitehall quilted tumblers and paired them with the Dollar Tree crystal. 

Both pieces are rather chunky and therefore work really well with the heavy Sky Ranch plates.

Cast:

Chargers - World Market

Plates - Sky Ranch

Napkins - not quite vintage but older

Flatware - Gorham

Amber quilted goblets - Whitehall

Wine glasses - Dollar Tree

Napkin rings and centerpiece - Weatherford, Texas

Western placecard holders and decor - Two's Company

Thank you for dropping by! I do so love reading your comments, they inspire me to do better.

I hope I'll be seeing you at both Cuisine Kathleen's Let's Dish

and Susan's Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch!

Ode to 2116 tablescape

Okay, friends.. what is 2116?

It's not a bird.

It's not a plane.

It is however, my most favorite thread color ever. Yes, ever!

A rayon thread that has captured my heart for over two decades.

source

If I were to show you all the garments/quilts/home-dec items that I have made using this decorative thread, it would not only amaze you, but me also!

The screen capture isn't too true to color, as it is listed as vari-taupes and that is what this table is all about.

Last summer a surprise package arrived. Inside were these fabulous plates that we have used numerous times, well they are my favorite color AND they look like my next favorite----LACE!!

Thank you so much Dawna from Stitches from the Tub!

She's in the midst of moving her most fabulous quilt shop (Bolts in the Bathtub) in California to a new location, but do drop in on her blog! Or if you are in Lancaster, her fabulous Bernina and fabric store.

Many of the colors on this table perfectly blend with the Sulky thread.

Still loving our new table from last year. Even with the weatherproofing, it has taken on an aged patina.

Two quick tutorials coming up.. one the napkin ring and the other, what I did to the lace doily to make it blend with the plates. It was way, way too white!

You can find these types of doilies in lots of places, grocery stores, craft stores and yes, even the Dollar Tree.

I used a makeup sponge and some Ranger Distress Ink in Antique Linen color and smudged the edges of the doily. It's also a nice touch to stamp a monogram in the center!

Now to the napkin rings. I used some burlap ribbon, hemp twine, buttons and glue dots.

These silver napkin rings have really been workhorses in my arsenal. This time, I wrapped the burlap ribbon around the napkin ring. I overlapped the ends just a bit. Notice that is fits into the opening between the two outer ribs of the napkin ring. Then I tied the hemp twine through the button holes. Used a small glue dot on the back of the button and placed the button over the ribbon where it overlaps. Be sure to catch the ribbon on both sides of the overlap. And no adhesive gets stuck to the napkin ring at all!

Although the brick work continues on the patio, enough was completed to enjoy a spring evening outside.

The green Dollar Tree goblets came out to play with the Mikasa French Countryside wine goblets.

Gotta love caladiums. I can see this same table using Coleus or mums in the fall!

The small cloche filled with reindeer grass, some acorns and a birdhouse makes an interesting centerpiece.

Even the candles are in a hurricane whose color comes straight way from the spool of thread!

I laid a white quilt on the bench to soften the perch and lighten the area a bit.

I think I'll be looking for one a bit more cream colored!

Again, Thank you Dawna for the great plates. They really speak to my heart!!

And to Sulky for creating my favorite thread color!

Cast:

Chargers - World Market

Plates - Target via Dawna at Stiches from the Tub

Flatware - WMRogers Beloved

Wine goblets - Mikasa French Countryside

Green goblets - Libbey via Dollar Tree

Napkins - World Market

Napkin Rings - Antiques? or very old anyway

Hurricanes - TJMaxx last year

Cloche - One Kings Lane

I'll be joining Cuisine Kathleen for her weekly Let's Dish party.

And then I'll head over to Susan's Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.

See you there!!