Time for Tea!

Today is the day! It is our annual Christmas Tea at church! {I wrote about it here and here last year!} I have three friends attending with me, plus four others who bought tickets will sit at my table with us. We have 80 tables all beautifully decorated, which is always a feast for the eyes.

I set my table up Thursday after school with the help of Abbie & Jacob. Then I went back yesterday to add a finishing touch and see all the other tables that had been decorated. I am looking forward to this afternoon and my SIXTH year enjoying this wonderful tradition!!!

{I am having so many issues with blogger letting me upload my photos... I don't know what is going on. After twelve attempts, this is the only one that would work and it isn't right, either. Hopefully I will be able to upload all the tea table photos I have taken!}

The Evolution of a Photo Panel

This photo is one from my surprise birthday party earlier this month. What sweet friends I have! What you may not have noticed in the picture is up behind me on the mantle -- it s a photo panel that I designed last year and gave to my family for Christmas. A photo panel is either wood coated in acrylic, or metal, and makes a wonderful display in several sizes. I just love ours! 

Well, I had a product credit toward another photo panel that needed to be used, so I decided that I would make a special one for myself.

I thought it would be fun to show my design process from the beginning, to the final outcome. And, even though it is called a photo panel... I didn't plan to include any pictures on it! I looked through my digital artwork collection to see what embellishments and papers I wanted to use. I knew I wanted colors that go with our other decor since I would have it in the kitchen. I also love hearts. And these little birds were so cute! So that was my starting point.

I found some other embellishments I liked and played around with the center shape. I needed more area in the middle than the first big heart had provided. I liked the paper with the writing, even though you can't read it.

I decided the first background looked too solid, so I swapped it for a different patterned paper. I also went with a simpler shape in the middle and tweaked the other elements. I am liking how this looks!!

Now I am starting to get excited because I think it is looking really cute. I love the little bunting and the scallop backing gives it a nice touch.

From the beginning, I knew I wanted to include scripture. If you go back to the first draft, I actually had scripture running around the outside of the heart. Since I also liked the look of the paper with writing, I decided I could make my own. So I added a bunch of my favorite verses in a variety of fonts, and it was done! I love it!!!

And here is my photo panel on my kitchen counter. So pretty!

Oh, did I mention that I can use it as a dry erase board?!? Acrylic photo panels can be written on with dry erase markers! This makes a great place on which to write my list of tasks for the day.

I am so excited that I can post my nightly menu and stop all those repetitive questions from the kids about what I am making tonight! This just makes me happy. What could you use a little dry erase board for? You know what else makes me happy about this? I used host credit toward the product credit, so all I paid for my fun little project was tax & shipping!

Beautiful Tables

So yesterday, I shared about my table at our church's annual Christmas Tea. Today I am going to show off some of the other gorgeous tables I really enjoyed.

This is my friend Jenny's adorable table! It was just over-the-top in cuteness!!! She and her mom decorated it together. They did a great job!! When I arrived around noon on Friday to set up my table, Jenny just happened to be there, too. You can see in the background that many tables were not yet decorated.

Doesn't this table just scream fun? Jacob loved Miss Jenny's table! All those treats sure were tempting!!

This table is stylish and classy, just like my friend Melanie! {I'm pretty sure this is one of the two tables she decorated.} I love the mix of modern and traditional elements.

I couldn't resist zooming in on these fabulous details! I love the birds... and all the beautiful ornaments. Somehow, I managed not to get any pictures of Melanie's other gorgeous table. But this one makes me happy.

I love how this table puts the focus on the reason for the Season. Such a beautiful Nativity!

This table was decorated with apples, and the banner around the tree in the centerpiece says, "The Apple of His Eye". Those cups and saucers are one of my favorite china patterns, too!

I have used my pink and green "Desert Rose" dishes to decorate a tea table for four years. I am always drawn to any other table using pink to decorate for Christmas. Here is one that is very sweet. I later learned that my good friend Missy decorated this table! Her sister made the gorgeous centerpiece.

And I like this pink table, too. Abbie called this the "lemonade table" because the water glasses look like they are drinking pink lemonade!

I love all the traditional Christmas-y tables a lot. This one is quite elegant.

I like this one, too! Makes me want to make my own forest of trees... I later found out that it was decorated by the mother of my friend Jeanette! I just love all the gold and red, and of course, the trees.

This table is very traditional, and very pretty. Look at the little gifts waiting for each guest. Next year, I need to zoom in on all the favors at each table.

It is amazing how many different centerpieces adorn the tables. When I decorated my first table in 2007, I had no idea what to do about a centerpiece. Well, there is no shortage of ideas in this room!

I had to take a picture of this table because I just love cardinals!!! I lived my whole life without ever seeing one, except in pictures. Then we moved to North Carolina and they are everywhere. I just love them! This table is wonderfully done, too.

This table is just, wow! I love seeing the unexpected. I am still tickled by the individual bottles of sparkling cider. It is all the little touches that each woman brings to her table that makes this event so fun! The background of this photo shows the sea of tables... this is such an amazing event!

Jacob, who was helping me decorate my table, was very excited to tell me that we even had an "I Spy" table! Of course, I had no idea what in the world he was talking about. Then he showed me this amazing centerpiece. I just have to talk more about it in another post! {Update: after I went to Bible study on the Thursday following the tea, I learned that one of my sweet ladies, Mary, decorated this table and made this family heirloom!!! It was so fun to learn that fact!}

I thought this table was particularly dramatic. The table linens looked like silk, and the colors were smoky shades of purple and lavendar. My photography does not do it justice!

It is always fun to see different interpretations of Christmas decor. I love what Sandy did here! Again, so unexpected. I wish I could have a photo of every table. I did not even get to see all of the 80 tables decorated. But that just makes me look forward to next year's event all the more!

Celebrating your Star!

I am in the process of working on an end-of-season coach gift and remembered this picture I wanted to share. One of my awesome customers has kids who are athletes. Last spring, her daughter's softball team had a perfect 17-0 season!!! To celebrate, Susan made her daughter this gorgeous poster! I happened to be at Susan's home a while back and was able to see it in person and take a photo {that in no way does this 20x30 poster justice}!
Isn't this such a cool idea?! It is a natural for celebrating a coach or an athlete... but would also be great for a teacher, a dancer, a cheerleader, a pet lover, a horse rider, a special couple, a grad, a dad.... well, you get the picture! What a terrific gift for a hard-to-please teen. It is so easy to get started because you can go here to pick out free designs, upload some photos, drop them in, and order! {If you need a consultant ID for your CM Digital Center account, you can use mine: 24915986.}

I am also able to make custom posters for you in a variety of sizes. You send me the photos and I send you the finished product ready for hanging or framing. What fun project would you like to display?

One of my Simple Solutions

So, yesterday, the Nester wrote on her blog about simple solutions for everyday issues, and I posted a comment recommending one of my favorite things. I said I had a post brewing on this handy-dandy item. A little while later on facebook, she referenced my comment, asking if it really worked. By 8:30 last night her facebook post had 28 comments, and all but one were positive! So here is one of my favorite solutions around the house.


When I want to hang things on the wall, but don't want to pound a nail into nice kitchen cabinets. I use these.


They are Command Adhesives! I love these little hooks. They really are one of my favorite things. I have a collection of several kinds that I use all around the house in a variety of ways, for everything from holding up dishtowels to bath towels in the kids' bathroom, mops in the laundry room, and the calendar in the office.

These tiny hooks are great for light items. This style is not very attractive, so I used bows to hide the hook.

I wanted some extra lighting in the kitchen, so I installed a plug-in, under-cabinet light. Then I had to deal with the cord, keeping it hidden out of the way. Command Adhesive hooks to the rescue again! Here is a view of the underside of my kitchen cabinet.

Inside our coat closet door, I have hooks attached to the door at kid-height. My children can hang up their jackets all by themselves. These hooks have been up for well over a year... and they are usually holding several jackets each.

The same style of hook also holds our stockings on the mantel at Christmastime.

On top of my mantel, I attach 3 hooks which hold up my garland. These are laying flat so that the garland can hang over the edge.

Command Adhesive hooks are so cool because they hold really well, yet they are totally removable. After Christmas, all the hooks are removed without any trace, and with no damage to the mantel. I saw a special about Christmas decor at the White House, and guess what they use? Yep! Command Adhesive hooks.

The hook part slides off to reveal the holder and adhesive strip. The strips adhere to many surfaces including painted wood, walls, cabinets, doors, even wallpaper. When it is time to remove the hook, simply pull straight down on the adhesive strip and it will stretch into a long piece until it isn't attached to the wall anymore. I recommend holding the plastic piece with one hand as you pull the strip with the other. I have had the plastic snap free, against my hand, and it doesn't feel good! Other than that, I have had great success with these for years.

We have moved quite a lot, so I don't like to invest in a lot of hardware. I don't mind investing in my Command hooks, though! See, I have this little collection. When we move, I go around the house removing them all, taking them with me.

All the hooks come with extra adhesive strips so you can use them more than once. Not only can you buy hooks in various sizes, but you can buy extra adhesive strips in several sizes, as well. I have used my hooks over and over and over again!

Command Adhesives work for me! I am linking up with Kristen at We are That Family for Works For Me Wednesday.
p.s. Check out my Giveaway! Entries are open through 1/24!!!

My Christmas Tour!

I am so not ready for Christmas.... this is going to be a wild week of preparation around here. I have cards to design & order & address, baking to do, gifts to buy, presents to wrap, packages to mail, and more! BUT I have been enjoying our decorations for two weeks, now. My husband and children insist upon having our tree up Thanksgiving weekend. So far this Christmas season I have been a total "Mary" and just basking in the glow of the Christmas tree lights! This week, however, I am going to have to kick into "Martha" mode and tackle the Christmas To Do List! In the meantime, come on in... I will show you around!

Here is our Christmas tree in the family room. I use our formal living room as my office area and part of my workshop, so all of our life happens in this family room and the kitchen! I cannot capture the beauty and magic of our Christmas decor in photographs... but really, they are so lovely in person! (And if you click on the image below, it will enlarge, and you can see one of my favorite things, there on the wall. It is a Mary Engelbreit pie plate that says "Bless this Home". It was a gift from my sweet friend Robin from Colorado... one of my best friends ever!!! I get to think of her everytime I see it!)

I always start my tree decorating with white lights, white beads and white bows. (I have actually tied the same bows on my tree every year for 20 years!) I then add a lot of dark red and some gold ball ornaments. After those basics are completed, out come the assorted ornaments. This year, I let the kids complete the tree decorating. Since we have enough ornaments for two trees, it is quite full of pretty pretties. Many are very bunched together, on top of each other, even. But, you know what? I love it! It is so not perfect, but it is our best tree ever. And I love that the kids made it that way.

When my mother retired, she became a quilter. For my birthday in 2000 her 8th quilt was this beautiful tree skirt she made for me (I love that she labels all her quilts!). I am proud to have it under my tree. And, we do see it for much of the Christmas season... especially these last few, leaner years!

Here is a peek at a few of my favorite ornaments. This one is my very, very favorite, and is from my childhood tree. My mother said it was a gift from my German babysitter, Frau Grau, when I was three years old! We were living in Germany at the time, and my brother was a baby. It is a teeny, tiny Nativity. We always loved that a little tree light would fit into the little hole in the back to have light fall on baby Jesus! Yes, this ornament is almost as old as I am.

I found these little papa and mama bear dolls at a sweet little shop one year, long ago. I have always loved them. I put them in a prominent spot to signify Gil & I. Right next to them, is an ornament commemorating our first Christmas together! I met Gil on New Year's Eve 1995... In 1996 we had our first date, got married, celebrated our first Christmas, and then on December 28th, welcomed Zachary into the world! It was a very good year.

We rearranged the family room to make room for the tree. The kitchen table is over to the right, in front of that window.

And here is a view from the kitchen! I just love my Nesterfied garland on the mantle! I used the same garland last year, too!

Again, I cannot even begin to capture it's beauty, but it is two garlands put together, with white lights and other greenery stuffed in. I have fake poinsettias and feathers in the two corners. I love adding bows, too!

This year, I took other relics from my childhood and added them to the garland... I have these old cookie cutters that are so beautiful. Last year I had the bright idea to use them as ornaments on our tree. But this year I thought it would be more fun to highlight the collection all in one place and put them on the garland!

Here is my last stop on the tour today... a happy little corner of my kitchen counter! I am just loving that in addition to celebrating Christ and His glorious birth, Christmas is an opportunity to reflect on family memories. Merry Christmas!

I am so excited to particpate in The Nester's Christmas Tour of homes! Click on her button above to see more "tour" homes and Christmas ideas.