O Christmas Tree, Have You Lost Weight?

Last year, I was getting just a little nervous about my 10 year old Christmas tree with pre-strung lights. Once it's up, typically 3-4 weeks prior to Christmas Day, I like to turn it on when I'm anywhere near it - which could be while watching TV, in the kitchen cooking, or in the sunroom reading - all vantage points for seeing the tree.

I've kept it stored in the basement when not in use, and carefully cover each of the three sections, and then cover the entire thing with lightweight plastic.

Not knowing how many hours were left in its useful life, I purchased another tree late last November (2013). It wasn't easy finding the same, slim, pre-lit tree with the branches which I like, but I managed. However, I didn't assemble it in 2013 because 1) I remembered it taking a long time to first shape a new tree's branches and I didn't relish the idea of adding 4 more hours to the already 40 it takes me to decorate (the whole house), 2) the new tree arrived later than when I was ready to decorate the old tree, and 3) by using my existing tree lights very sparingly last year, it made it through yet another year.

So, this year I didn't take any chances, and pulled the new tree out and shaped it about two weeks before Thanksgiving. The shaping process took about 3 1/2 hours.

I finished decorating the tree a couple days before Thanksgiving, but knew the tree seemed slimmer than the previous one. O Christmas Tree, have you lost weight? You look thinner than you were last year!

By golly, I think she's slimmed down. Here's a photo of her before and after (2013. 2014):
Perhaps only a few inches, but I can tell the difference, can you? I think I like the new look better.

What, then, to do with the other tree?  Well, this year, the top section went on the front porch, in my cast iron urn.

As for the bottom two pieces?  Well, if a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, then maybe having two bushes will yield something even more spectacular?

Or maybe I'll just donate the spare tree to a charity when I begin next year's purge. I think that seems like a more logical solution.

Do you like slim or chubby trees? How do you store yours? What's the life expectancy of an artificial tree? I'm concerned that, just like so many other things (appliances, for example), they just aren't made like they used to be. If that's the case, and my new tree doesn't last as expected (is 10 years too much to expect??), then maybe I should keep the old, spare tree.

If you missed my other Christmas posts for this season, you can catch up here:
Traditional Holiday Home, Garden - 2014
Christmas in the Sunroom 2014
Winter Frost Tablescape
Winter Woodland Tablescape

Happy Holidays! 

Rita C. at Panoply

Sharing:

BNOTP Met Monday
Coastal Charm's Show and Share

Winter Woodland Tablescape

When I shared Christmas in the Sunroom, I gave you a glimpse of how I would be setting a table in this room. This is the photo I shared.

The table is now set, and I'd like to share how I put it all together.

This all started with a set of four unique tartan mugs by Noble Excellence in 'Holiday Plaid', which I bought on a post-holiday sale from Dillard's in 2013. Unfortunately, other pieces were no longer available. After unsuccessfully scouring the internet for more of the same this year, I resorted to mixing and matching. From eBay and Etsy, I purchased tartan plaid accent plates made by Sasaki and Arita (Japan). I have no idea who originally sold these, but a couple online sellers noted they were manufactured between 1986 and 1990. I ended up with seven plates with center motifs, and seven that have plain white centers.

My unique motifs include a goose, a French horn, a violin, and a reindeer. There were others that could be bid on that had images of toys - a bear, rocking horse, drum, and jack-in-the-box.

I layered each place setting as follows: a gold charger (Dollar Tree), white dinner and salad plates (Mikasa 'Magnolia'), and then the accent tartan plate. For napkins, I used cotton sheeting towels with pom pom trim and different phrases embroidered on each one (Peace, Joy, Believe, Let it Snow). Versatile as they are, I've used these as both fingertip towels and as dish towels previously.

The table centerpiece is a round wicker basket with pinecones and deer sheds surrounding a candle lantern.  The glasses are vintage Blenko crackled glass, which belonged to my mother-in-law. The tablecloth is a painter's drop cloth, and the runner was a special gift to me, made by my daugher.

The silverplate utensils are vintage, Community Sivlerplate, a pattern my mom had when we were growing up (but not this set, I traded these from my sister, who got them at auction).

Whether breakfast, lunch or dinner, I'm excited to use this mix of tableware through the holidays. Even after the Christmas decorations are put away, I can use the plates with plain white centers, and keep the pattern play and the winter woodland theme going.

Dinnerware - Mikasa 'Magnolia', Sasaki and Arita 'Tartan Plaid'

Chargers - Dollar Tree

Mugs - Noble Excellence 'Holiday Plaid'

Glassware - Vintage Blenko

Flatware -  Vintage Community Silverplate

Textiles - Lowe's painter's drop cloth, vintage dish towels, handmade runner

Will you be setting a special table this year, casual or dressy?  Do you serve buffet style, or set the table? Do you mix and match, old and new?

If you missed my other Christmas posts for this season, you can catch up here:
Traditional Holiday Home, Garden - 2014
Christmas in the Sunroom 2014
Winter Frost Holiday Tablescape

Happy Holidays! 

Rita C. at Panoply

Sharing

Savvy Southern's WOW
A Delightsome Life

Cuisine Kathleen
BNOTP Tablescape Thursday
Mrs. Olson's Creating Christmas

French Country's FNF
Rustic & Refined's Table It!
Dwellings' Amaze MeMonday

A Stroll Thru Life's Inspire Me

The Scoop

The Southern Special
Adirondack Girl Thrifted Christmas

Winter Frost Holiday Tablescape

Christmas Eve here at Panoply is the place and time my family gathers and celebrates with all who come home for the holidays. While most of the dinner is served buffet style, my family (with as many as thirty!) situates around various tables to enjoy their meal. The dining room seats eight comfortably, and is the focus of today's 'Winter Frost' table display.

Pfaltzgraff 'Winter Frost'

I am pleased as can be to be among the Blogger Christmas Series, sharing in the delights of the season, from my home to yours. Our host, Christine Graves of Rustic & Refined, has gathered a number of bloggers in the following series of dates for 2014, to bring you plenty of holiday inspiration: November 24th, December 3rd, December 8th, and December 15th. All links can be found on Christine's blog on the respective dates mentioned, so grab your tea or coffee and enjoy!

As part of this ongoing series, I am sharing a tablescape I use consistently during my family holidays, beginning with Christmas, and going into the remaining winter months. The Pfaltzgraff 'Winter Frost' pattern was gifted to me from my (now) husband while we were dating. My gift from him (affectionately known as Mr. P.) was originally service for eight.

'Winter Frost' table for eight

Of course, the basic place setting had many additional pieces that could accompany a beautiful table, and so the collection began. My table setting includes the 'Winter Frost' complementary water goblets and clear glass dessert plates, used here as salad plates (matching ceramic salads came with the original place setting).

My service grew to twenty-eight once I became host to my family. I love to attribute my love for dishes (this set is merely the tip of the iceberg) to the fact that Mr. P. enabled me many years ago. ;)

'Prelude' silver service

Including vintage and antique pieces among my tableware is a pleasure and benefit of my antiquing hobby, so my favorites are always used during the holidays. These items, including quadruplate, sterling silver, and crystal, are all curated from various estate sales, auctions and antique shops over the course of years.

Vintage crystal

Vintage silverplate wedding basket used for bread

Vintage condiment vessels

Decorations are kept to a minimum, only hinting at the holiday/winter season in the dining room, with subtle touches on the periphery.

Holiday touches in the dining room

The room is dressed simply and warmly, allowing the company and the meal to take center stage as the daylight hours slip away and the table is set.

The Dining Room, with subtle touches for the holidays

One of the things I like most about the 'Winter Frost' dinner pattern is its color and motif not being limited to the typical, more traditional holiday motifs (and colors), allowing it to easily transcend use beyond December. Mr. P's and one of my daughter's birthdays are in the deep winter months, and these dishes are nice to use for those events also.

'Winter Frost' collage

Dinnerware, water goblets, serving platter - Pfaltzgraff "Winter Frost" (discontinued)

Flatware - International Sterling Silver "Prelude"

Wine glasses - Longchamp "Diamax" and other vintage

Crystal water pitcher, decanter, napkin rings, condiment dishes - various, collected

If you've enjoyed this tablescape, I would love for you stay and browse my posts here at Panoply, and feel free to comment. You can type any key word, such as 'tablescape', 'holiday', 'garden', or 'booth space' to find some of my favorite topics on the blog. I'd also love you to join my circle of followers, whether by Google + or through email subscription.

If you missed my other Christmas posts for this season, you can catch up here:
Traditional Holiday Home, Garden - 2014
Christmas in the Sunroom 2014

Happy Holidays! 

Rita C. at Panoply

Sharing

Dwellings' Amaze MeMonday

A Stroll Thru Life's Inspire Me

The Scoop

The Southern Special
Creative Country Mom

Savvy Southern's WOW
A Delightsome Life
BNOTP Tablescape Thursday

Mrs. Olson's Creating Christmas

French Country's FNF
Rustic & Refined's Table It!
Cuisine Kathleen Let's Dish

I also encourage you to check out all of the other bloggers' talents in the Christmas Blogger Series, ranging from crafts, decor, food and shared traditions, by following the links below. You can pin any and all of the posts that inspire you, whether it be for this year's or future events.

An InLinkz Link-up

Black Friday Savings - Auction Deals!

Auction prices of late have not been what they used to be. Gavel prices have been closer to retail prices in the past 2-3 years. So, when my sister and I went to an auction on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, little did we know we were headed for Black Friday kinds of deals!

This seed box was wonderfully intact with original labels.  I brought it home, cleaned it up, and it's already in my sunroom. I was so excited to have this that I purged an entire shelf of magazines without even going through them first on my baker's rack in order to situate the box!

The next items I won will be added to my growing collection of Quimper. Look at these pieces!

There's a set of four small bowls (berry or nut?, two each of the female and male Breton figures), a larger nut or berry bowl for serving, a covered cheese dish with serving knife, and a 4-part handled serving dish.  When the auctioneer called them "KWimper" (as in rhyming with whimper), I thought perhaps I was in for a good deal, and I was correct. Click here for the story of my most recent Quimper pieces collected prior to these.

I won another set of dishes (oh, yes I did!): vintage Gabriel Porcelain (aka Winfield Pottery of Pasadena CA, circa 1929-1962), in the "Brown Summer" pattern. It's not complete (chop plate, below, plus place setting for 4+), but it will make a great tablescape (plus, I'll use them!), and the entire lot was cheaper than one package of paper plates! What's even cooler about this is the lot included an original salesman's flyer describing all the pattern choices at that time (likely dated mid to late 1950s, but without a copyright).

I think these newest dishes will go well with my vintage Japanese celadon tableware won at auction earlier in the year. :)

Yet another bargain: an oil on canvas landscape by listed artist Ludwig Klein. This is already hanging in my dining room. I am thrilled that Mr. P. agreed to replace the faded, 1980s magnolia print previously there.

The last of my Black Friday weekend auction deals was the beauty pictured below: a solid mahogany, 2-drawer, 2-door sideboard with glass top (covered with blanket in photo below). It is made by Finch Fine Furniture (circa 1920s-30s), the predecessor company to Thomasville.

My sister scored the matching, double glass door china cabinet with fretwork:

I would really like to keep my piece, but we may end up selling them together after the first of the year. This type of sideboard is one I have always wanted, to paint the lower portion and keep the surface in its original finish. I think I need a china cabinet more than the sideboard though, for all the dishes I would like to store and rotate on display. If any readers out there have selling points on the sideboard vs. china cabinet for dish storage, please voice them!

There were some other bargains at the auction on this day, but we decided to end our buying frenzy mid-afternoon. Hauling in items like these is a bit overwhelming, particularly the furniture pieces, when you're in the midst of holiday planning. It's nice to know we'll have pieces to set our spaces with after the new year, but hauling and storing in the meantime (my sister and her husband are saints) creates an unexpected albatross in the decor.

Have you scored any bargains lately, planned or otherwise?  For yourself, others, or for resale?

Happy Holidays! 

Rita C. at Panoply

Sharing:
Rustic & Refined's Table It!
Natasha in Oz G'Day 

Dwellings' Amaze MeMonday

BNOTP Met Monday

Coastal Charm's Show andShare
A Delightsome Life

A Stroll Thru Life's Inspire Me

The Scoop

The Southern Special

Savvy Southern's WOW

Mrs. Olson's SYC

Nancherrow'sFridaysUnfolded

French Country's FNF

Christmas in the Sunroom 2014

This year, I was excited to deck the halls for Christmas in the sunroom  - my favorite room of the house. Having just settled on the new area rug a few weeks ago, I was ready to bring out the decorations and mix up some of the textiles I already had, just used previously in other rooms. 

Over the river and through the woods, to my woodland sunroom we go! 

The chaise is sporting a red cashmere throw, my favorite type of cover, whether it's the heating or cooling season. I'm pulling a mix of reds, greens, browns and blacks to blend with the neutral, anchoring colors of the patio furniture and floor tile. Parsons chairs work handily for additional seating, so I have one of two already in the mix, anticipating holiday company.

Below is the sunroom as viewed from the chaise lounge. Central to the space is a table with four chairs, plus three additional patio chairs along the back perimeter. There's also a loveseat glider on the left wall, which matches the patio chairs. This very comfortable patio furniture has lasted years in this sunroom, all of which rock (the chairs also swivel). When company comes, I pull out snack trays and individual teak drink tables, which otherwise fold away for easy storage.

Last year, my oldest daughter gave me one of the most special gifts I think I've ever received - the runner pictured below. She's a beginner seamstress, and took a quilting class to create this. It was too late to use it and enjoy it last year, so it was like opening a gift all over again this year when I brought it out. I love it, and I love how it goes so well with my woodsy theme on the center of my table.

I added a patterned burlap ribbon to the backs of my wrought iron dining chairs this year, tying and shaping the bows with the wired edge of the fabric. I love mixing plaids along with other patterns during the holiday season. They remind me of layers of sweaters, scarves and coat linings so typically seen and worn during the colder, winter season. There's enough neutrals and space in this room that I can get away with a good bit of pattern play.

The table centerpiece is a round wicker basket, with pinecones and deer sheds surrounding a candle lantern. The tablecloth is a painter's drop cloth.

A few other vintage items round out the mix of decor in the sunroom: a couple of salvaged windows trimmed in gingerbread garlands situated against the brick wall above the heating/cooling wall unit, and a marble top washstand used as a sideboard on the wall adjacent to the kitchen.

Just inside the French doors of the sunroom is my olive bucket, which I filled with fallen birch tree branches last year.  I added lights and pinecones, and a couple of oversized bulbs.  The nesting boxes on the miniature sled are actually gift boxes, but I like them stacked as shown. It gives the illusion of a snowman actually on a sled. Just beyond the doors is the courtyard, and you can see a glimpse of my container full of pansies on the other side of the window.

Speaking of glimpse, the collage photo of the marble top washstand/ sideboard (above) is just that, hinting at the tablescape I've prepared for the sunroom for the holidays in an upcoming post.

My baker's rack stands in the corner of the sunroom, and holds many of my books and magazines that I'm keeping for now. I generally reserve the top rack for some sort of seasonal decor. For the holidays, it's my Woodland Santa and lighted swag with bird in the bush.  The brass rocking horses are a recent estate sale find, and the wooden bowl holds my Native American artifacts found in my yard during our landscape excavation in 2004.

The sunroom seats anywhere from twelve to fifteen guests easily, and is situated right off of the kitchen on one side, and the breakfast area of the great room on the other. It's the perfect set up for entertaining my big family, and provides much needed seating for up to thirty of our gang on Christmas Eve.

I'll be hosting my family again this year, so I'm still working on finishing up all the decorating and meal planning. Gift shopping is lower on my priorities of holiday preparations, but I still need to do that too.

Are you planning a big celebration, or will you be having a quiet holiday season?

If you missed my first Christmas post for this season, you can view it here:
Traditional Holiday Home, Garden - 2014

Happy Holidays! 

Rita C. at Panoply

Sharing:
Dwellings' Amaze Me Monday

Rustic-Refined's Table It!

BNOTP Met Monday

Coastal Charm's Show and Share
Dedicated House: Make it Pretty

A Stroll Thru Life's Inspire Me

The Scoop
The Southern Special

Savvy Southern's WOW
City Farmhouse Inspiration Exchange

Ivy and Elephants
Treasure Hunt Thursday
Delightsome Life Home & Garden

Mrs. Olson's SYC

Nancherrow'sFridaysUnfolded

French Country's FNF
Natasha in Oz G'day

Traditional Holiday Home, Garden - 2014

Here at Panoply, my Christmas style is mostly traditional, with some vintage fusion added to the mix. I am delighted to be joining Brooke Kroeger of Creative Country Mom with her lineup of bloggers for the Holiday 2014 Home Tour & Link Party. The tour series is called, "Christmas in the Country" (a play on her blog title), but you'll be treated to a gamut of styles. Today, I'm sharing some of my traditional Christmas style in my home and garden.

In a series spanning two weeks and more than forty homes, mine is one of four being featured on this first day. If you're visiting from one of the other featured bloggers today (Brooke's, Carolyn's, or Maggie's), welcome!  Come on, let's go inside!

Just inside the front door, I'll take your coat and hang it just beyond the foyer and living room you see below.

We'll pass the dining room as we walk back toward our home's great room space.

Situated just beyond the dining room is our great room area of kitchen, breakfast nook and family room. The family room/TV viewing area is where our Christmas tree is situated, openly visible from many angles in our floor plan. The photo below captures half of the family room, which is a long, rectangular space. One chair is removed to make way for the tree during the holidays, near the fireplace.

The other half of the space is where the TV is located, along with swivel seating for flexibility in TV viewing and/or conversation.

Adjacent to our great room space is our sunroom, filled with lots of natural light. This area can easily seat twelve to fifteen people and, together with the great room, accommodates large crowds easily.

Most of the furniture in the sunroom is indoor/outdoor patio style, but the chaise lounge was scored several years ago at auction and quickly turned this room into my favorite for relaxing, reading and listening to music. This area rug is a very recent addition, and you can read about it here. For the rest of the holiday decor pattern play, I'm mostly using textiles I already had, pulling reds, greens, browns and blacks together for an outdoor, woodsy theme, consistent with prior years.

Just beyond the chaise seating area, there is another part of the sunroom, which easily accommodates more guests.

As you can see, there's a table for four, and three additional chairs. To the left (not pictured) is a matching loveseat glider. I keep a set of snack trays and small, folding teak side tables at the ready, as well as a couple Parsons chairs (one of which is beside the chaise, pictured above).

Pillows, throws, and candles give the room a a feeling of warmth and a soft glow, as do a few strings of white lights on the wreath, the snowman caroler flag, the greenery swag on the baker's rack in the far corner (seen in pictures above), and the olive bucket beside the French doors (seen in photo below).

If we step outside the French doors, we'll be in our courtyard, with the landscape garden beyond. Most of the garden is sleeping for the winter, but the pansies will perk up intermittently throughout the winter when the temps rise and the sun shines, Other plants in the garden will provide fresh cuttings for the season, including magnolia, nandina, red twig dogwood and holly trees.

The garden flag and statuary are also styled for the holidays, as you can see below. The little bookworm dons a hat and scarf in winter months, and two of the four seasons are sporting candy-striped socks as stocking hats.

I hope you'll come back as I ready my home and share more of my Christmas decor this season. I'm still busy decking the halls and making my lists, so there will be plenty more to come.  In the meantime, you're more than welcome to enjoy a look back at my Christmas Home & Garden Tour 2013 - it's still one of my most popular blog posts here at Panoply.

If you've enjoyed this partial tour, then I encourage you to search on any key topic (see "Search This Blog" above my profile picture) for additional reads, and leave a comment with any questions or opinions you want to share. My subjects range from my vintage adventures with my two sisters (together, we call ourselves Panoply), to home and garden topics, and how they all blend together in this panoply of life. I'd love for you to subscribe to my posts, or join my circle of friends on Google+ (both options are on my sidebar at right).

I hope you enjoy the rest of the stops on this two-week tour hosted by Brooke at Creative Country Mom. There promises to be plenty of pin-inspiring material, and there's also a holiday-themed link party where you can join in the fun by adding your own inspiring posts.

Happy Holidays! 

Rita C. at Panoply

Sharing:

Dimples&Tangles Best of Nest
Rustic & Refined's Table It!

BNOTP Met Monday

Coastal Charm's Show and Share
The Scoop

Savvy Southern's WOW
Delightsome Life Home & Garden

Ivy & Elephants What's It
Treasure Hunt Thursday

French Country's FNF