The Last Table of 2009

This being the last Tabelscape Thursday for the year 2009 I thought I would share some quick shots I took shortly before our guests arrived for Christmas Eve. The table of course was set and waiting. The house smelled of wonderful things to eat. The house was warm and aglow.

Gold, green and silver with frosted fruits was the theme in the dining room. I kept it simple.

Many of you have read the story of these lovely monogrammed napkins. My dear friend Barb from Grits and Glamour sent them to me for Christmas. I love the cut work in them and the gold thread used for the monogram!

The serving dishes were set in place and ready to be filled!

May all of you have a wonderful 2010! Please visit Susan at Between Naps on the Porch by clicking here as she hosts Tablescape Thursday.

Count Down to New Years

Christmas is here and gone so quickly I am pretty sure there was some head spinning involved! Now we are looking towards a new year which is even more mind boggling. The Whimsy home is having a small get together this year. Usually we go to neighbors for their annual New Years eve party. This year they are out of town and we decided to have a few families over for some fun. This meant I was stuck with a decision to make. Usually we take down out Christmas decor, which we have a plethora of, on New Years day or shortly after. This year, however; with a house full of guests about to arrive on our door step I am contemplating taking down the decor a couple days early to make the home more spacious. Now with that in mind I did a quick search for New Years eve decorating ideas. Let me tell you there is not a lot out there. So much so that I am now thinking of leaving the Christmas delights up! I did find a couple things that tickled my fancy and decided to give you a peek too. Many of these came from Martha Stewart. I love the champagne flutes with the count down numbers on them above don't you?

Love these fun center pieces !

Father time at work in a collection of clocks. I don't have this many clocks, do you? If you do I think it is rather a fun idea! What are you doing this New Years eve? Maybe you picked up on an idea or two to get your home ready for guests. I hope you have a safe and wonderful New Years!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all my dear friends near and far. As we gathered round our Christmas table, as we do every year, I was truly grateful. I gazed upon the expectant faces of my children. Bright were their eyes in anticipation of the coming evening and Christmas celebrations. I was thankful to have them and I was thankful that their hearts are pure and that seemingly small things can excite them. I felt blessed to have my husband sitting at my side as he has done for the past 22 years. Ready to take each journey with me through this crazy thing we share and call life. I was thankful for the friends that had joined us and made what could have felt like a lonely table because of our family living so far away, one filled with warmth and joy.

I am thankful that sometimes love, grace and friendships are found in the funniest of places. Do you see the lovely monogrammed napkin pictured here. My dear friend Barb from Grits & Glamour sent these to me for Christmas. She sent some other goodies too and I will share those in the near future. I am thankful that the Lord whom we celebrate today knows me better than I know myself. In doing so he sends me friends that call me at just the right times and who send me lovely gifts completely unexpected!

As you gather round your Christmas table this day, whether that be a sofa with plates in your lap or a grand dining room set with the finest china, my Christmas wish for you is to find the things that you are thankful for. To cherish the seats that are filled at your table and the ones that are not. To create memories that time cannot erase. May your hearts be filled with all the joy and love of the season. Merry Christmas!

Last Minute Christmas Wrapping

If y'all are like me you are just beginning a lot of your Christmas wrapping. Because I was tired of the same ol ho hum wrapping I do year after year I decided to turn to Martha Stewart for some gift wrapping inspiration. I found a ton and am sharing some of my favorites here with you. So browse and enjoy the beautiful and fun wrapping ideas in these photos from Martha Stewart. Although they look wonderful if you look closely they are oh so easy to achieve. Put on some Christmas music, grab your glass of wine (or egg nog) and start wrapping......fa...la....la....la...la...la...la, la, la!!!

Christmas Breakfast Table & Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

Welcome to our Christmas breakfast table.......


We worked up an appetite after opening all of Santa's presents.........

Luckily our fun Scottie dog "Dougal" was waiting for us to join him...........



Isn't he handsome?




We can't wait to sit down and join him........






Everything is ready..............







Some green stemware for our juice.............

Some monogrammed napkins.....each one has a separate initial of someone in the family...........So we aren't rushed we make our cinnamon rolls the night before so all we have to do is put them in the oven Christmas morning. Here is the fabulous recipe......


Over Night Cinnamon Rolls

1 cup milk
1/3 cup butter
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1/2 cup white sugar
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs

FILLING:
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins

GLAZE:
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons half-and-half cream

Directions
Heat the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Add the butter and stir until melted; let cool until lukewarm.
In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in the milk mixture. Add the sugar, 3 cups of flour, salt and eggs; stir well to combine. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and supple, about 8 minutes.
Lightly oil a large mixing bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 10x 14 inch rectangle. Lightly brush the far edge with water. In a small bowl combine the cinnamon and 3/4 cup brown sugar and sprinkle over the rectangles. Then sprinkle the raisins and chopped nuts over the dough. Roll up the dough into a log and seal the seam.
Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces; place the pieces in a greased 9x13 inch baking pan, or 12 inch deep dish pizza pan. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to rise overnight.
The next morning, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Take the rolls out of the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Bake the rolls for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden. Meanwhile, combine the corn syrup with the vanilla in a small bowl. Whisk in the powdered sugar and enough cream to make a thick glaze; set aside. Drizzle the glaze over the rolls and serve warm.



Can't you just smell them baking in the oven?

Some plaid Scottie dishes to go with our center piece Dougal. I just love the plaid on the outside of the bowls.......

Each plate has a festive Scottie all decked out in finery for the holidays.......

and just look what was waiting at the bottom of the bowl...........

We'll have some tart green apples with our Cinnamon rolls this morning......Maybe for a special treat we will even dip them in warm caramel!

The table is all aglow just waiting for us..................

I am glad Dougal is so patient................

Cinnamon candles too..............

What a fantastic treat! There is Dougal's tail waving goodbye! To see more tablescapes visit Susan at Between Naps on the Porch by clicking here. To find some delicious recipes and foods visit Michael at Designs by Gollum as she hosts Foodie Friday by clicking here . Christmas is only one week away! Are you ready? I hope so. I hope yours is a Merry one!