AND TOILE A GOOD NIGHT

When I posted my two decorated Christmas trees, several of you asked how long it took me to decorate them and/or how in the world did I have so much energy. I have a trick I use to get my two trees decorated. My daughter and her husband and my son and his wife do not pass up a free meal. So…when I’m ready for my trees to be decorated, I invite them over for dinner. (I’ve done this since they left home, so they usually have a pretty good idea that I’m going to pull a “Tom Sawyer” and start decorating the trees and talking about the origins of each ornament and how much fun it is to decorate the trees, until they join me.) Of course, these days, their four children join in “helping” decorate, so the bottoms of the trees get very heavily decorated.

This year, when I used my dinner trick on my children, I had fun using my pretty new toile Christmas table runner, which was a gift from my friend Susie, who also came up with the title for this post (it’s so nice to have such a kind, generous AND clever friend).

Toile paper plates on inexpensive aluminum cookie trays carried the theme over to the grandchildren’s table.

The dolls’ Christmas tea set under a cloche was the centerpiece for this table.

The other trick I use is that dessert and boiled custard are not served until the trees are decorated. We turn off the lights and sip our custard and eat cookies while we admire our work. The theme for the dessert table was toy horses. The grandchildren even get to drink out of the Christmas tree stemware for this event. Maintaining control of  four grandchildren toasting one another with their stems, filled with boiled custard and cinnamon, has become more than a little problematic though!

When I went to the estate sale of a friend’s mother, I found this vintage decorated Christmas tree. I asked my friend if it had originally been covered with a glass dome. (I’m never sure if people who aren’t bloggers know what a cloche is. I know I didn’t until Marty told me!) My friend said that the dome had been broken somewhere along the way. Of course, being the good cloche collector that Marty has taught me to be, I had a cloche that fit the tree perfectly!

I have always loved Christmas tree skirts, but I usually use them on tables instead of under trees. Since our trees are real trees with large stands, the skirts do not really show up very well. I like being able to enjoy them by using them on tables. The one I used on the dessert table was one that Mother put under our tree every year when I was growing up (I did wash it!).

In honor of Marty’s Cloche Party, I am posting photos of some of the other cloches around the house. Some of you may know that I have a large Santa collection, so you may wonder how I decided which Santa would go under glass. I based my decision on which Santa would FIT under the cloche!

See that blingy reindeer hanging from the cloche? That was on top of my package from my friend, Susie. I told you she was generous and clever.

My Mother’s flocked tree (which is a little worse for the wear) fit under another cloche.

When my sweetheart and I first married, we couldn’t afford much in the way of Christmas décor, so when we found this miniature set of houses, trees, and caroling monks at a yard sale, we bought them. (They are also becoming a little worse for the wear! Does anybody else use that expression?)

I added the little house with the red roof to the set. It is one that I played with as a child. (it’s a lot worse for the wear!)

Can you see all of the little French people under this cloche?

 

They are on their way to see The Nutcracker Ballet.  (Note:  I apologize for the blurry pictures.  The dancers in the theater are moving all of the time, so it is difficult to get a clear picture of the performance. )

I love this Scrooge set that belonged to my mother. I remember when she received it as a gift from the vintage collection of an older friend of hers.

This may be cheating, but since I tied a Christmas bow on my cloche that displays my granddaddy’s and grandmother’s watches, I decided I would include it in my set of cloches for the party.

Whew! This ended up being a very long post. If you stayed through all of this cloche craziness, I thank you!

I am joining Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch,

and the Christmas Cloche Party at A Stroll Thru Life.

Thank you so much Susan and Marty, for hosting these fun events!

Don’t forget about Favorite Things Saturday. I’ll have the link up on Friday evening, and it would be wonderful if you would join me. I’m so glad you came by to visit. laurie

BUT CAN YOU FOX TROT?

Yea! It's time for the Cloche Party hosted by Marty at A Stroll Through Life! Marty's cloche parties are always so much fun, and you won't want to miss seeing all of the decorated cloches in Blogville today.

But can you fox trot?

Christmas has come early to my house, because I have recently won some fabulous give-aways!

Look at all of these Christmas goodies from Cindy at Applestone Cottage. I even thought the gift bags were so cute! Do you see those little dancing elf's? Look at this beautiful "made by Cindy herself" Christmas tag. I have it hanging from a lamp in my family room. And isn't that the sweetest angel? I really wish you could see this snowflake ornament in person. My photo doesn't do it justice (although I tried several ways of photographing it). It's made of tiny pieces of mirror, and it sparkles beautifully! And that cute gingerbread man potholder will be decorating my kitchen this season. Even Cindy's Christmas card (a depiction of an area that is near where she lives) is beautiful. Cindy has such a charming home and lives in such a charming part of the country. If you've never visited Cindy, you definitely need to go see her blog -- Applestone Cottage

Before you go running over to Applestone Cottage, I have yet another prize to show!! Lady Luck has really been shining on me lately! I have a small (make that very small) collection of Quimper plates. I used to call it a "small" collection until I found bloggers with huge collections.

I love this pottery, so when I spotted a blog title that was "Quimper International Club", I had to go visit! I have learned so much and seen such beauty on this blog. (I probably shouldn't admit it, but the only kind of Quimper I had ever seen was the kind with the Breton people on it!) Let me tell you, there is a LOT more Quimper than that, and it is all beautiful, and a beautiful group of ladies share the postings on this blog. This is another blog you definitely will want to go see.

You can just imagine how excited I was when I won the Quimper calender tea towel, which came all of the way from France! In addition to loving Quimper, my kitchen is blue and white, so a 2010 calendar will be in my kitchen FOREVER! Oh! And look at the postcard of a French Quimper pottery painter. I just had to share the first line on the card with you. I have never received a card with the greeting "Bonjour Laurie"! How fun is that?

Be sure to visit A Stroll Through Life to link to others joining the Cloche Party. I know there will be some fabulous cloches in Blogvile today!

Reminder: I am still sending cards to Katherine and to Andrew. If you want to send a card, please see my sidebar. Thanks.

Thank you for coming to visit me. laurie