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Monday, December 10, 2012

Pinecones and Friends

Even though this table is more seasonal than Christmas, we were definitely in a Christmas mood on Saturday night as we entertained some folks who have grown very dear to us.  It was a rollicking,  laugh-filled evening and we lingered at this table with some conversation that you just had to be here to believe!  Enough said about that!

Brunswig and Fils makes some beautiful fabric, but none prettier than this pattern.  I've made it into runners and cloths, so I can be versatile with the way I want to use it.  Here, I used it in three runners.  Sometimes I use red transferware with it, but I chose to pull the image of the pinecones out of the design and feature them in this table. 

Here's the way I used the runners, since there were only six of us.  Excuse the fuzziness of this, as I didn't photograph the entire table until dark.

I used real pinecones, pinecone glass ornaments, mosses, small beaded fruit, and tiny glass balls to fill this glass cloche, and used it as the centerpiece.  Look for a tutorial on this soon.

It sits in this interesting terra cotta saucer.

Here's a close-up. 

And an overhead of the table.

I didn't get a closeup of the wooden candlesticks, but I did get this photo of  the birch covered votives that I added.

This red plastic charger is available everywhere.  It's not really as bright as it shows here.  The dinner plates are from Crate and Barrel and are embossed with acorns and oak leaves.  I use these constantly in the fall and winter.  The napkins are a rather sheer linen embroidered with this beautiful pinecone.

I don't remember where I got these bread and butter plates, but I used them with these horn-handled fruit knives which I use as butter knives.  These Christmas butter shapes are made from some rubber mint molds that my Mom gave me years ago.

The wine glasses are etched with pinecones..... 

and these salad plates from Target (last year) are embossed with them, too. 

This Royal Dalton Santa character jug is also a gift from Mom.  Well, actually, I am "storing" them for her.  You can see the place card I made here with a rubber stamp and a thin red ribbon.  It always makes people feel especially welcome when they see their name on the table, and I try to do this, even for a small group. 

These are some of the serving pieces I used.  Can you see the stags carved on two of the horn handles?  Aw, man!  I love these!

See?  (You can also see the electrical outlet......lucky you!)

This is the way I set up the coffee tray this time.  I have four dozen of these plaid cocktail napkins and I love to use them, since I'm not a fan of paper napkins.  Not that I never use paper, because I do, but I just really don't mind washing and ironing napkins, so I pull cloth ones out whenever they work.  I also have about six of these tin Christmas trays and they come in soooo handy.

And I made chocolate/peppermint spoons to serve with coffee.  Just melt milk chocolate chips, dip in your spoon, add crushed candy canes, and cool on a foil lined plate.  Even those who passed on coffee took one and ate the chocolate off of it.  These are sweet for any holiday, especially for a tea party, just change out your garnish according to the season.

The glasses set out in the bar.  You probably can't quite see the stags etched into the high-ball and low-ball glasses.  The tall ones came from World Market this year.  I think the ones I use as low-ball glasses are really votives, but who's policing that?????

Z Gallerie had these last year, and I love to use them on a buffet to identify the food, as well as as a place card holder.  Aren't they handsome?

I'm going to post a tutorial on this VERY easy appetizer.

I set out cordials and liqueurs, but we were all so full that no one bothered to indulge.

I always put out this cute little cocktail recipe book in the bar, as our last name is Peterson.  It was a thoughtful gift from a dinner guest several years ago.

And I took one more opportunity in the powder room to use the pine cones that I seem to collect.  Candles and finger towels are more subtle items for the evening.  (See?  I do use paper products!)


Joining:
Tabletop Tuesday

Wow Us Wednesday

Open House Thursday

Tablescape Thursday

Inspiration Friday

Feathered Nest Friday

Fridays Unfold

Seasonal Sundays

Let's Dish




12 comments:

  1. *** What a delightful sharing of your great ideas!

    PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE advise me of the name/pattern of the Brunswig & Fils FABRIC in the first pics... I WOULD LOVVVVE to have a few yards of it~~~ can you help me in that way??? I think I'll just D.I.E if I can't have a few yards... die, I tell you!!!!!! (Yes, my husband is right!!!~ I tend to be SOOOO over-dramatic, right? Grins!)...

    MANY THANKS & BLESSINGS to you,

    Linda in AZ
    bellesmom1234@comcast.net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Linda in AZ:
      I can't remember the name, but I've emailed the showroom to find out. I'll let you know as soon as they get back to me. I know what you mean. I have a dear, dear friend whom I gave my leftover fabric to for her mountain house, and it was a little hard to let it go. BUT....when I get to be a guest there, I love seeing that she has created the cutest bedroom treatments with it.
      Linda

      Delete
    2. Soooo sorry, but the sales rep at Brunswig and Fils tells me that it is discontinued.
      Linda

      Delete
  2. Oh, this table is fabulous!!! I, too adore pinecones, they are so versatile and can be used, Fall, Christmas and winter!!! I love the idea of the place card holders to identify the food. I wish I had thought of that for our daughter and SIL's party Sat. night. Have a fabulous Christmas. XO, Pinky

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  3. Such gorgeous fabric and your runner is just perfect! The wine glasses with the etched pinecones are so pretty. Sounds like the perfect evening and your drinks and food look DELICIOUS!

    xxleslie

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  4. Lovely details. I have a thing for pinecones too. I even live in a neighborhood called Pine Brook. lol

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  5. Drats that the fabric is discontinued.. aaah man. I love pinecones and it would be fabulous under my table centerpiece this year. I love your table.. so festive and so pretty. Nice bar set up too. Great idea on the spoons.. must remember that.. xo marlis

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  6. Darn on the fabric !! I love it, too. Oh well!! I adore your pinecone theme. I make that same pinecone appetizer every year. I really LOVE your centerpiece. Having that pretty cloche would be handy for changing things seasonally and it's perfect on the saucer.

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  7. What a great table! Love your runner- the fabric is great! Your cloche must have taken a lot of work to fill up and create! I like the shot from above the table! Great job!

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  8. *** Hi again, Linda... I just saw a note to myself to check back here re the FAB FABRIC (my fingers were crossed!)... THANKS SO MUCH Ffor checking on it, despite my huuuuge disappointment!!! That was soooo nice of you to take the time n' check... While scrolling down I noticed many others love it, too... Hmmm, B&F, are you listening???

    I now have all my pinecones n' several antlers out, and it's all so "rustically festive" this year~~~ We're gtting ready to build a "vacation house" in the mountains, to escape the summer heat here in AZ, but I REEEALLY can't wait to spend a Christmas there... it actually SNOWS there!

    I'm hoping it will be a nice Christmas & 2013, and send you & your family warmest blessings!!!

    Warmest,
    Linda in AZ
    bellesmom1234@comcast.net

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi Linda, Your table is beautiful and I also love the fabric of the runner. The cloche is gorgeous and I adore the serving pieces. Thanks for joining the Open House party and I am featuring your post at this weeks party. Happy Holidays! xx, Sherry

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  10. How did I miss this?!??!?!! Seriously, I think I must be losing my mind! There's no way I should have missed this! I already see from your discussion with Linda in AZ that there is no point asking about getting the fabric, but it is one of the most lovely I have ever seen. It has such refined elegance about it. It doesn't scream Christmas...it just whispers, "Winter." That bell cloche arrangement is too wow, wow, wow for real words!!! I looked at the tutorial on how to make it, and it looks like something I could possibly do. I'm going to give it a try. It's a gorgeous centerpiece! I could just run away with those serving pieces. Yes...I COULD see the stag! I love the place card holders you used on the buffet. I saw those at Z Gallerie and flipped for them!!! LOVE what you did with the spoons!!! I am not a chocolate lover myself, but I know many of my friends and family members are. They would go bananas over these with after-dinner coffee or for brunch! That's another idea I'm storing away in my brain file! :-) Your edible pine cone looks fantastic! I keep saying I'm going to make one of those, and I always forget!!! This year would have been a great year for me to make that for our annual cul-de-sac dinner since I was in charge of the hors d'oeuvres!!! Aaarrrrggghhh!!! Foiled again! :-) Have a Happy New Year! Take Care!

    ReplyDelete

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