HAPPY NEW YEARS!

CHRISTMAS DRAWS NEARER

A TALE OF TWO PARTIES

We entertained twice this holiday season.  The first time was for our couples antique group.  That sounds like an odd name, but there are nine couples who get together socially four times a year and one or more persons of the couple is a collector/and or dealer.

We offered to have the winter gathering.

 

For the table's centerpiece, I decorated my old dough bowl with greens, sugar pine cones and my stuffed pheasant!

 We went out for dinner first, then returned to our house to enjoy the vintage Christmas items and have coffee and dessert.

I served my triple chocolate cheesecake, Cocoanut jewels, 

 and acorns that I found the recipe for on Pinterest.  

http://sixinthesuburbsblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/chocolate-peanutbutter-acorns.html

Of course, there was a large plate of Christmas cookies and bars, and Buckeye balls, too!

 http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Buckeye-Balls

The second time was when I entertained my Quester chapter, The Okoboji Queen Chapter in the greater Iowa lakes area.  We don't meet in December.  I thought it was a shame not to get together at this special time of year, so I hosted a "Cider, Carols and Cookies" gathering.

 

At this party I served apple cider, and gingerbread cupcakes with cinnamon-brown sugar frosting.
Click here for the recipes:   http://tidymom.net/2011/gingerbread-cupcakes/

The house looked very festive with vintage holiday decorations.  Here are a few: 

A small tree with vintage Shiney Brite ornaments and below my chocolate and ice cream mold santas.

 There were reindeer everywhere!  Mercury glass, white plastic, and on the cardboard village tower were silver plastic deer that I gave my mother for Christmas when I was five years old.

 And what holiday blog wouldn't be complete without a Christmas Tree?

 

 MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

THIS WEEK LAST YEAR

Happy Holidays!  Are you getting into the holiday spirit yet?

This weekend last year, my husband treated me to a weekend at the Ritz Carlton in Buckhead (Atlanta) GA.  We attended a holiday show house which I have already blogged about, but we also visited five wonderful antique stores and malls.  I have never blogged about the gorgeous things that we saw (and I wanted!) So here goes:

This piece has the crest of Marie Antoinette on it!  I can't believe it was for sale.  I would have loved it for the Arizona house.  Love the sunburst effect!

I also saw several Black Forest items that I coveted for the lake house.

There was a pair of terra cotta figures that I liked but really didn't need.

 There were fabulous Cream ware and Tortoiseshell everywhere!

 There was a store that had a lot of rustic items.  Since moving to the lake, I have become enamored with Black Forest, Tramp Art, Victorian Shell Art and rustic items.  I loved the frames on the mirrors and pictures!

And there was Majolica!  

The above pieces were Victorian Wedgwood.

 And there was an asparagus tray and drainer that I don't have in my collection.

 

Also a few different Asparagus plates....

A wonderful smoking item...

I promised my husband a while back that I would stop collecting Majolica if I got: 1) a cheese bell, 2.) a Palissy plate, 3.) A sardine box, and 4.) a game pie dish and 5.) a gurgling fish pitcher.

They had a Palissy plate, but I didn't get it.


My husband purchased several wicker flasks for himself, and a Victorian hanging hat rack for the lake home and this was my prize!  A late 19th Century Minton game pie dish.The cover is molded with a rabbit, coot and mallard on a bed of ferns and oak leaves, the osier molded base with a turquoise interior, without a liner, 36cm wide.  I scored!!!  

I got the gurgling fish pitcher and sardine box this summer.  Just the cheese bell and Palissy plate to go!  Will I have withdrawal?  I do like hunting for Majolica!

Stay tuned...holiday entertaining to follow....