You're Invited!!

To a Valentine Tea!!

Aren't these the cutest invitations? The invitation maker out did herself!

I wasn't sure what food item I was going to bring, so I looked through the recent edition of Tea Time magazine for ideas.

I choose the Salmon Mousse Tea sandwiches!
Something different, and a little bit pink for the holiday!

Don't they look delicious???

chris

We Are Planning A Wedding!!!

Daughter number four, Miss Liz has announced her engagement to a wonderful young man!!

We couldn't be happier!!

 Liz's future in laws live in Incline Village Nevada. Rob grew up in Incline Village.....the neighbors across the street offered their house on the Lake for the wedding.....as you can imagine Liz and Rob jumped at the chance!

It was cold,raining and windy on Lake Tahoe last Saturday!
I know the sun will be shining in August when the kids get married!

The reception will be across the street at Rob's parents house. Cocktail hour in the front yard and dinner will be in the backyard.

Our planning is moving right along....we have a photographer, and Liz has picked out her wedding dress. I went to Reno this past weekend to meet with a caterer. We loved them and are on their calendar!

So much effort goes into planning a wedding......

And I love every minute of it!

chris

Finished Quilts!

I worked on two quilts this holiday season....one was a baby quilt and one was a Christmas quilt for Miss Margaret.

Years ago I bought a few panels of fabric because I loved the Santa's on it and I loved the sayings.

Of course I never did anything with panels...until this year when I decided to make a Christmas quilt for Miss M.  

I choose bright red, white and gray fabric for the borders. I used a Christmas red minky fabric for the back.

I loved the fabric I choose for the new baby! I didn't know if it was a boy or a girl...so I need something generic.

I guess I should take a picture before I sew the rows together, I am just noticing a mistake in the first two rows... I'm off with the design.....Oh well, it gives it a little personality right?

chris

Where Does it Go?

Can you believe 2013 is gone and 2014 is here?

My folks always said time flies.....I guess they really knew what they were talking about.....

It sure does!

 Mr. Math is visiting our Miss Margaret in Phoenix and my local girls had big plans to spend New Year's Eve in San Francisco.

Love these images....not sure how old these noisemakers are, I found them in a box of my mom's stuff....

I think the one looks like Carmen Miranda....and how much fun is the couple having!

I had a quiet evening, dinner and a movie I'd taped earlier but hadn't had time to watch....one of my Christmas favorites....Christmas in Connecticut with Barbara Stanwyck as the Martha Stewart of the 1940's...well sort of a pretend Martha Stewart .......the excitement of the evening was calming down my two pooches when neighbors set off firecrackers at midnight.

I know a lot of folks pick a word for the year.....I have never done that....but this year if I was going to choose a word it would be......


ME

My plan for 2014 is to make time for myself.......spending more time at the YMCA working out, and joining weight watchers.

I'm also planning on taking a beginning quilting class....I consider myself to be sort of a beginner and a half quilter....I have a few weakness when it comes to quilting...I tend to feel rushed, I need to be a better cutter, and I need help with sewing triangles, my points are always just a little off....I'm a visual learner and thought a class would be helpful.

It is funny how the start of a new year makes me feel....a bit like I have a new opportunity to start fresh!

Cheers to a wonderful and exciting 2014!!

chris

Wrapping Up Christmas!

I wanted to share a few, OK maybe there are more than a few, pictures from this year's Christmas at the Xavier Ct. House. 

my Putz house collection

looking out the kitchen window 

Love these little angels....I found them at a garage sale around the block....and a favorite tag of mine made by Tammy who blogs at Tammy's in Love...she's on a little blog break...sure miss her blog!

For several years in a row, my girlfriends and I went to a Christmas tea held in a historical home in my hometown of Campbell.....and they always decorated the bathtub.....

Every year I looked forward to seeing how the tub was decorated.....the first year I came home and immediately decorated the Xavier Ct. House bathtub. Over the years I have displayed a Christmas village, a Christmas tree with presents and a snowman.......

This year I decided to something simple.....I think the swan swimming in a lake, surrounded by snow is my favorite!

I can decorate my bathtub, because no one in my house uses the tub, so we don't miss having it available for a few weeks.

Christmas Eve, I heard one of my young guests, a four year old, ask his mom where the bathroom was....she said you remember it's the room with the swan in it!

I found this idea on Pinterest....you use three different sized wreaths to make a snowman....I made his hat out of black felt, added two twigs from my backyard for arms and a red scarf finished him off! I was pretty happy with how he turned out!
Not sure I could tell you the last time this California girl made a snowman!!

We had a wonderful Christmas! We were missing my oldest daughter and her husband and of course their daughter Miss Margaret! All the other girls were home.

All I can say is thank goodness for Facetime! We were able to Facetime with them Christmas morning and enjoyed watching Margaret with her presents from us!

Hoping you all had a Merry Christmas!!

Chris

Favorite Things!

Like many of you, I have my favorite Christmas decorations....ones I look forward to unpacking every year.

I've shared this manger scene before.....it is so very special to me because my Dad made it! 

I know, I've told you that before too but...... I tell the story every year to anyone who will listen.....

When I was 6 or 7 my Dad decided to make a manger scene for us.....

He used two very special models.....my Barbie and Ken dolls!  He cut the shapes out of Styrofoam and then wrapped them in gold wrapping paper.  I had so much fun watching him create this! They have been given new clothes over the fifty years, and one of the wise men has lost his gift.

After my Dad passed away and my Mom moved in with us she said it was time to pass this set on to our family.

We do treasure it!

Another family favorite is a set of Mickey Mouse Christmas lights!

My Dad bought these for his family in 1937.

I'm not sure they've ever been used...the decals are in perfect shape...no chips, and no fading

a little gift for Minnie!

I don't use these for anything other than display.

Our first Christmas together Mr. Math's Mom gave him two special decorations that had been gifts to him from his babysitter....

They both held candy....the boot had flavored candy canes and the Santa held taffy.

Both the boot and the Santa were sent from Knott's Berry Farm in Southern California.

The Santa is missing an arm...every Christmas I think about trying fix his broken arm......I've never done it, nothing has come to mind on how to give this big guy a new arm.......

I'm sure you have favorite ornaments or decorations that you put out year after year.....

These are just a few of my favorite things!

chris

Christmas Tea!

If you've read my blog for awhile, you know that a few times a year I get together with two girlfriends and host tea parties for our little group of friends.

Our annual Christmas Tea was last Sunday. For this event there were a total of four of us who put this tea together. The Christmas Tea is the biggest tea party of the year!  We open up the guest list to include our daughters!

My self and the flea market friend alternate years hosting and this year it was my turn.

The invitations were sent and we had twenty four ladies attending!

I set three tables of eight......I used our dining room/kitchen table, and put two more tables in the living room.....I move out my couch, end tables, and side chairs in order to make room for the tables. The furniture all gets moved into the master bedroom....no peeking in there during the tea party!

When it comes time for the gift exchange we head upstairs to the family room.

We started off with a salad, and served five different types of tea sandwiches. Of course, no tea is complete without scones, lemon curd and devonshire cream!

I use my Christmas dishes to set the tables...and my red glassware on two of the three tables....one of my best garage sale finds.....eight each of white and red wine glasses, champagne, and water goblets for $20.00!  

My Spode Christmas dishes and glasses were used for this table... I also found an unopened pack of 8 Spode Christmas napkins at a garage sale this summer for $1.00!

We tried to keep the centerpieces simple since we put cake stands in the middle of the table to serve the tea sandwiches.

 And of course we have dessert too!

I move a bench seat from my hallway and set up a table for desserts.......

There is so much happening during the holiday season that during the Thanksgiving weekend I make a list of things I have to do during the holidays.....I realized many years ago that I can't do it all....making a list helps me focus on what's really important....family and friends.

One thing that is always at the top of my list is Christmas Tea with my girlfriends!

chris