Welcome to My Place to Yours this week after Christmas! I hope you've had wonderful times with family and friends during all of your holiday festivities! Today I'm sharing with you a brief glimpse at two tablescapes I did while my family was together last week. They are my Christmas Finale -- although I would never call them a "grand" finale. They're very simple "real" tablescapes ... the kind I do more often than not. (Sorry if that disappoints you!) One evening I used this Debbie Mumm set with a favorite damask tablecloth ... Click to enlarge The centerpiece was a round silver tray with a berry wreath laid on top ... and a peppermint candle floated in a textured glass candleholder in the ... Keep Reading...
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The Gift of Giving…
My grandson has a tradition, although he's still too young to know it. For now, it's his parents' choice, but I can hardly wait until he understands it ... The tradition is that each Christmas, rather than purchasing a gift for his Poppa and me, he helps his parents pick out a gift for a child who wouldn't otherwise have Christmas gifts. This year, a little 6-year-old girl received the sweetest red-with-white-polka-dots dishes and a Barbie and horse set. My sweet husband and I love children, and nothing could please us more than for gifts to be given to a needy child in our honor. We also love the lesson of giving that our daughter and son-in-law are already modeling for their little one. St. Francis of Assisi said, "...it is in giving ... Keep Reading...
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Presidential Open House
My dear friend, Kay O'Brien, definitely has a Christmas heart -- and it serves her well in her role as First Lady of Carson-Newman College. The college's mission is to help students reach their full potential as educated citizens and worldwide servant leaders by integrating academic excellence and Christian commitment within a caring community -- and Kay and her husband, Randall, are wonderful role models for the students they serve. Recently, while busy decorating the President's Home for Christmas events, Kay was gracious to let me stop by and take pictures to share with you. She even let me play with her dishes! I can't begin to show you the entire house, but I'll give you a peek -- after I tell you a little interesting house ... Keep Reading...
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Decking the Halls … FINISHED
I've decked the halls as much as I'm going to this year. My daughter who lives in New Jersey comes home on Thursday night, and there's a house to clean, groceries to buy, and presents to wrap. Tonight I'll show you a few more of the changes I've made for the holidays. But before I do, there's a tradition I want to share with you... When my oldest cousin was a little girl sitting on Santa's knee, he told her to "be sure and put out an apple for Rudolph." That's how it started ... A couple of days before Christmas, we purchase the biggest, most fabulous red apple we can find. Then on Christmas Eve, all of the little ones gather 'round with a cup towel and take turns "polishing" the apple 'til it shines! Then they all trek to the front ... Keep Reading...
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Pink Christmas
Last Spring while in Campinas, Brazil, I found myself at a thrift store. Imagine that... Unfortunately, the group I was with insisted we had only 10 minutes to shop. And they weren't kidding. So, I could (a) complain that it wasn't enough time or (b) SHOP! Easy choice! Ten minutes can be an eternity for a thrifty shopper like me -- and some of you... My thrift store magnet kicked in and drew me over to a pile of linens. Easy to pack in a suitcase? Yes. Lightweight? Yes. Go for it! One item in the stack was pink with a wide hand-crocheted trim. Hmmm ... pretty -- but not my usual "thing." What is it anyway? Curtains? Bed cover? Whatever it is, it's big... ... oooooh, and hand-painted... ... with bells??? ... What IS this ... Keep Reading...
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Ivory and Gold
Ivory and gold ... I told you in a recent post (click HERE if you missed it) that -- besides the "memories attached" ornaments, these are my very favorite ones. I'm glad you stopped by again today to see the tablescape I did to complement them. I do love the combination of ivory and gold! I set the table knowing ahead of time that it would need a little something to give a "punch" of color ... What should it be? Click on pics to enlarge Aaah ... Much better! The simple holly candle ring gives just a touch of color ...and makes all the difference. I filled a favorite ivory and gold centerpiece bowl with vintage glass beads. Then I tucked in a vintage ornament, a ... Keep Reading...
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Let it Snow!
It started snowing yesterday ... and through the night ... and much of today. It's beautiful! Since we don't get really pretty snows very often, my sweet husband bundled up and headed outside just after daybreak to take pictures. This is My Place wearing her finest Christmas dress! Click to enlarge These crocheted snowflake ornaments are the background of the picture above. I've made them black and white so you can really see the detail. Each one is different ... 'cause they're snowflakes! Click to enlarge They were made for me many years ago by my Grandmother. I hung them on our Christmas tree today -- as I do every year. Grandmother is no longer with us, but I am fortunate to have ... Keep Reading...
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My Favorite Christmas Ornaments: If I Had to Choose
I've made a decision ... and it wasn't easy! As I pulled out Christmas decorations this year, I thought about this question: What decorations would I keep if I ever had to downsize my collection? Obviously, I would keep the "family" ornaments. The ones with special significance that we've collected through the years. But what about the others? Would I (could I?) get rid of the old Shiny Brites? Or the sweet little wooden ones? Could I part with the beautiful vintage silver mercury glass balls? Or the fabulous old cobalt? Could I walk away from that box of traditional reds -- or the newer, cheerful lime greens? The vintage hot pinks? Could I turn my back on the ornately bejeweled beauties? Or what about ... I decided YES (if necessary), ... Keep Reading...
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A Woodland Christmas
During this busy holiday season, I am especially honored that you are taking time to stop by and visit. Thank you! If you saw my last post, you know that the tree in my sweet husband's study is decorated with a Woodland Christmas theme. It was my first inspiration for this week's tablescape. These handpainted salad/dessert plates by Royal Norfolk were my second inspiration. (I picked them up several years ago at one of the dollar stores.) First I covered my table with a golden-tan heavy linen tablecloth. Then I started on the centerpiece -- a couple of faux pine boughs laid down the center of the table. Next I tucked in a check ribbon ... metal star ornaments ... ... antlers ... clip-on birds ... ... Keep Reading...
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Snowmen Everywhere! Decking the Halls … FINALLY
Have you "decked the halls" at your house yet? I finally got motivated to start (still more to do), but tonight I'll show you part of how I've spent my weekend ... This is the year that Little Man will LOVE snowmen. After all, their little eyes twinkle almost as much as his! So out came the boxes of snowmen. (If you don't know who Little Man is, you can find out HERE.) Snowmen are the order of the day for the living room this year. Every flat surface is now home to a snowman or two ... or three ... or four ... Why don't I just show you some before and after pics? (Just click on a collage if you want to enlarge it.) This "fancy" snow family ... some of my favorites! These little skiers -- and the sledder ... Keep Reading...
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Grand Entrances
I'm adding a few more pics to my Idea Files tab. If you've been following my blog, you know that (like many of you) I've torn pictures out of magazines for years ... thinking "someday" I might use the ideas. This blog is helping me get them organized. I'm sharing them with you from time to time, but I have one BIG request ... Please -- remember that these were mostly torn from various magazines, and I am not always able to properly credit them to the appropriate source. I did NOT take these pics. (As with ALL text and photos on this blog, you may not reproduce anything without permission -- and I cannot give permission for you to reproduce any of the ideas/pics that will be in this Idea Files section because it's not mine to give! You may ... Keep Reading...
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Snow Angels
We're changing with the seasons at My Place to Yours ... and it only took a few quick changes to turn THIS Autumn tablescape into today's Winter tablescape. I gave you a sneak peek of the changes HERE a few days ago. These whimsical Snow Angel Village salad/dessert plates by Debbie Mumm were the inspiration for today's Winter tablescape. I used the same basic place setting that I used in the Autumn tablescape. Brown placemat (turned sideways) that I dyed HERE ... clear ribbed glass charger ... clear ribbed goblet I found years ago at Dollar General ... Mikasa Italian Countryside plates and flatware ... vintage napkin with ribbed silver napkin ring Then I added the Debbie Mumm plates ... and a second napkin ring ... Keep Reading...
