Christmas in Iowa

My sister always sets a beautiful table for Christmas, and this year was no exception.  The theme was evergreen and she used freshly cut pine boughs from their property.  Again, use what you have and you'll be amazed how wonderful it will look when put together.

Pine motif serving platter for the Christmas ham echos the fresh bouquet of aromatic cedar and fir in the center of the table.  The green flatware also pulls the colors together. Miniature ornaments hold the place setting cards and add a little gold luster to the table.

Dinner for 10, no problem with her enormous dining room table. Cute little snowman and Santa napkin rings pull the tartan plaid napkins together with the holly and ivy plates with tartan plaid border.

A feast for the eyes, whilst my sister cooks the Christmas ham and all the fixings!

Plaid Tidings of Comfort and Joy

Today is Christmas, and what a beautifully relaxing day it has been.  I have spent the day casually putting things away from last night's party, and preparing for tonight's gala event.  Our first Christmas with the Millers in Ely!

Tonight's dinner table will be adorned in casual, northwoods chic with tartan plaid the main theme

The tartan wine glasses and the holly and ivy water glasses bring the greens and reds together

A tartan plaid border on the place cards adds a festive flair

Red flatware pairs nicely with the reds in the plates and the tablecloth

The green wood chargers bring the dressy china salad plates down to the casual level

Tartan napkins bring it all together

I am using my Lenox Winter Greetings Everyday again because of the plaid border - I literally can use it every day this time of year

Pine tree napkin rings look so pretty with the cardinal in the pines

The Lenox Winter Greetings salad plate has such a northwoods flair to it

Can't wait until our guests arrive!

Merry Christmas to everyone!

Tablecloth - Lenox
Placemats - Chestnut Lane from Home Goods
Flatware - Cambridge from Home Goods
Tartan plaid napkins - World Market
Table Runner - Manual Woodworkers
Wood Charger - personal collection
Tartan Plate - Target Home
Salad Plate - Lenox "Winter Greetings"
Platter - Lenox "Winter Greetings Everyday"
Water Glasses - "Holly and Ivy" by Portmeiron
Tartan Wine Glasses - Goodwill
Christmas Tree napkin rings - consignment shop find

It's a Wrap

This post is late, but it has been a hectic Christmas season for me this year.  But, all the gifts are wrapped, the table is set, and we are ready, at last, to relax and enjoy.  But, before I sit down and call it 'a wrap', I wanted to share a neat idea for adorning and decorating gifts using recycled Christmas cards.

I get ribbon at thrift shops and at after Christmas sales for wrapping.  Because it's inexpensive, you can go crazy and mix and match ribbons.  You knew I'd mix and match now, didn't you?

I tear the card in half and attach it to the gift with double sided tape.

Most of the time, you can find a card that you've received that will match the wrapping paper and ribbon that you use.

It's fun when you find a perfect card to use

The cards really dress up the gift and make it festive.

What a fun package this would be to open.

You can also tie a silk flower or two in the bows, or a sprig of fresh pine, a pine cone, or a candy cane.

Just as you eat with your eyes, you also perhaps enjoy a gift more when it's beautifully wrapped?

A great idea that not only saves money, but also helps our planet by reducing, reusing, recycling, and repurposing.  So save all those holiday cards for next year's packages!

Christmas Eve Supper

Today, I am busy preparing for tonight's Christmas Eve Supper with Todd's folks.  We host the dinner every year, and always look forward to time with family.  Tonight, we will be using my new Williams Sonoma Botanical Wreath dinnerware.  It just screams Northwoods holiday to me!

The colors for tonight are red, gold, burgundy, and green.  Festive and appropriate for the evening, I think.

If you want to make individual name cards for each place setting, a quick Google images search will find any theme you want to use.  I'm looking for a bit of a northwoods Victorian feel for the table, so chose these cute birds in the pines.

Green candles in red hurricanes will set the mood when we sit down to our prime rib dinner

Gold handled flatware ties in with the beaded trim on these napkins and the gold glass chargers

Gold chargers atop a beaded placemat in burgundy/red tones

The topiaries are new, just couldn't resist them.  I can't ever resist topiaries.  Love the burgundy ribbon in them that ties in so nicely with the burgundy border on the table runner.

Cute little glittery pine cone place card holders pull the pine cones on the plates out and into focus.

Pinecones everywhere!

The Fiestaware gravy boat will be filled soon with Grandma Blanche's famous gravy for our PINK MEAT aka prime rib

These goblets are new for Christmas from my niece's boyfriend, Nick.  Love them.

Looks like home

Another shot of the burgundy in the topiaries and on the runner 

Botanical Wreath Dinner and Salad Plates - Williams Sonoma
Red Tablecloth - Lenox
Gold Glass Chargers - Consignment Shop score
Gold flatware - by Cambridge at Home Goods
Napkins - personal collection
Gold wine goblets - Pier One
Red wine hocks - consignment store find
Hurricanes  - Goodwill
Candles - Chesapeake Candles from Home Goods
Winter Greetings Everyday platter - Lenox
Beaded red placemats - Linens N Things

Now, am off to season and begin baking the prime rib, and soon we'll have guests for the evening.  Enjoy your Christmas Eve, everyone!