Publix Salt & Pepper Shakers

Had to post this photo I took of Mr. & Mrs. Pilgrim in the changing of the holiday guard with Mr. & Mrs. Claus. :)  I've sold many of these pilgrim salt & pepper shakers in my Ebay store; a sweet piano student gave me Mr. & Mrs. Santa several years ago. 

Publix Salt Pepper Pilgrim Couple & Santa

Decorating with Fall Leaves

Here was a fun project yesterday... I don't really do crafts so much anymore but couldn't resist these.  I wrote a letter to my little 5-year and 3-year-old nephew and niece who live in Missouri and asked them to gather some colorful fall leaves for me.  You know how young ones LOVE getting mail addressed to them.  :)  Their mom said they didn't want to stop gathering leaves which arrived in the mail yesterday.  I spent about 30 minutes gluing and arranging and came up with a  few little ideas for decorating with them. We don't have many fall leaves in Florida so this was fun and makes our home look more like fall!  Thanks, AJ and Lilli!  Love and kisses, Aunt Tonya

 They did a good job collecting them, didn't they?

Decorating with Fall Leaves

I can't take credit for this.  I found the idea on Pinterest.  

Who would have guessed that fall leaves could look so elegant?   I love this in our living room.

Decorating with Fall Leaves

Applied them to some short candles with glue.

Decorating with Fall Leaves

Decorating with Fall Leaves

Decorating with Fall Leaves

And of course, scattered a few  on tables.

Decorating with Fall Leaves

I'll use some of the others for fall cards.

Quick, fall decorating!  

Fall Acorns: New Beginnings and Possibilities

After my morning walk I typically work in the yard for a little bit and sweep our walkway as well.  While sweeping I spotted the first acorn of the fall (at least that I had seen) laying on the path. I'm sure it will be followed by thousands more as fall progresses.

Fall Begins Acorns and Possibilities

Most people look at the season of fall as a dying down, slowing down, kind of sad time of year.  I see it as a burst of color (even here in Florida on occasion) and a time of reflection foreshadowing events to come.  It is a harbinger of Thanksgiving and Christmas, family times, 6 birthdays in our  extended family, and a glimpse of cooler weather.  We all know what a tiny acorn can grow to be.  Possibilities and new beginnings are just around the corner...


Psa. 1:3 And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season, And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers. 

Fall Decorations at Home : Setting the Table

Just a quick photo of our kitchen table with a few fall colors added...

I thought I'd need to change the tablecloth since it has a spring-ish look to it but it matched the centerpiece perfectly.  The napkins were made by a friend last year from a round tablecloth which I could  no longer use.  And of course, the little Mr. & Mrs. Pilgrim from Pubix...

Decorating: Setting the Table for Fall 

Bridal Shower Decorations

I attended a lovely bridal shower brunch this morning.  It was a very special time as the young bride-to-be has grown up in our church and will soon be marrying a wonderful young man.  :)

Here are some of the pretty decorations / food displays if you're looking for ideas.

It was a hat-themed party.  Here I am ready to leave our home with my hat and yellow gloves on.  :)

A beautiful homemade chocolate velvet cake (no box mixes) made and decorated by a friend.

Mmmm....

A pretty display of hats, fresh flowers and candles on the cake table.

Centerpieces for each seating table, glass bowls filled with water, lit candles and fresh flowers.  

Votive candles, cutouts and confetti  surround each centerpiece.  Crisp white cotton tablecloths.

A nice assortment of food items for a brunch made by several ladies. Fresh flowers on the food table.

Mmm... Simple, clear plastic ware plates and forks.  Much less mess to clean up.

Simple, yet beautiful.

Graduation Party Food Ideas

Some of my friends are SO creative with their graduation parties, making cake pops (they ARE delicious) and little caps from chocolates (they were delicious, too).  We gave a party for about 50 a few weeks ago to celebrate our younger son's graduation from high school.    Here are the tables of food that I prepared.  The baking took some time but I mainly set aside one afternoon for the cookies (and froze them) and baked the cake the day before the party.

Non-sweet food:

• Pizza rolls (2 platters)
• Chick-fil-A Chicken Nuggets Tray
• Fresh sliced watermelon
• Sour cream & onion Chips
• Hummus + carrots, crackers and celery

Sweet food:

• Homemade frosted Strawberry cake
• Homemade chocolate chip cookies (I baked about 100)
• M & M's
• Gummy Bears (I was amazed that only 2 gummies were left in the dish. Definitely a hit!)

Beverages:

• Pink lemonade
• Root beer
• Iced tea
• Water

Even though we splurged on his graduation gift, we wanted the party to be decorative and fun.   Much of the food was homemade, some foods were bought earlier in the month when they were on sale as were the party paper products [Old Time Pottery and Party City].  I got a little nervous about the quantity of food since the invitation said 2:30-4:30 pm and guests were still there at 6:10 pm.  Like the multiplying of the  loaves and fishes, there was plenty with even some leftovers!  Guests spread through the kitchen / family room, dining room and living room and it never felt too crowded.   A fun time was had by all.

For my FB friends, you can see more photos of the party in my April-June photo album. 

You don't have to break your budget to celebrate... just do it! and have fun!  :)

Bridal Shower Decorations

I love going to showers--baby and bridal.  They are such happy occasions and I'm always amazed how lovely everything looks.  I'm not the most creative person in decorating but even when I host, somehow the beauty of the occasions makes everything looks extra special.

Here are a few photos from a very lovely shower I attended today for a very special young woman held in the mother of the groom's home...

The juice table...linens and lace...

This is a  little" house of blessings", hand painted by a friend. The top comes off.  Everyone wrote advice, scripture and/or a blessing for the young couple and put inside the house.

Delicious, colorful fresh, homemade food for a ladies brunch...

Fresh flowers, a beautiful cake (Publix Raspberry Elegance--I did not know they made anything like this!), 

pretty plates and napkins that matched the wedding invitations!

One little girl was there wearing these pretty shoes.  Once she stopped wiggling her feet, I had to get a photo!

The cake served with sherbet, gold/silver plastic forks; doilies are so lady-like. I love them!  

I wouldn't have thought to use cupcake holders for ice cream... or these rectangular decorated paper plates.

  It was delicious.

 Lots of special touches for a happy occasion...

Christmas Holidays, Seasonal Decorations

Where does the time go? I did not post on Friday, Nov. 27. Our older son arrived home early Thursday for Thanksgiving and was starting to get sick so I have been trying to get him well before he goes back to school tomorrow. It's been wonderful having him here with us for the last three days. I always miss him when he leaves. My sons and I (and a couple of their friends) also spent part of Friday putting up our Christmas decorations and baking cookies as we have each year. The three of us enjoy the process and try to make it an "event". My husband helps in getting the decoration storage bins down and putting them away. He also likes to eat the cookies and admire the decorating when it's done. :)

This year we finished in record time. One 8 foot tree in our living room, one 3 foot tree in our family room, kitchen table and dining room arrangements, entry table, Christmas linens out and ready to use, Christmas cards (bought at year-end sales) and wrapping paper are in the guest room ready to use... I put most of the decorations in the common living areas as mentioned although our sons have small (1 foot) trees in their rooms. Last night we put all the storage bins back in the garage. Today I'll get out the Christmas dishes from the china cabint and store the others for after the holidays. My son is uploading my Christmas CDs to my iTouch for me. :)

Last year I weeded out all my decorations and donated or threw away those that we don't use anymore. That felt so good. When I start putting decorations away I need to do that with the tree ornaments. Of course, some of the childhood handmade things won't ever get tossed. :) Having less to put up took so much stress out of the trimming. We have outdoor lights but have opted to not use them again this year. A simple wreath on the door is fine with jingle bells on the handle. If I find an inexpensive small lighted tree for the front door, I may purchase that, but nothing else.

Red sprinkled here and there really brightens up the home. I always wonder why I don't put more red in our house when the decorations come down in January.

Gotta run...vegetable soup (with turkey, of course) and fresh bread baking for lunch. Stay well and warm!