Flurries Tomorrow!

I am not a snow person.  I love snowmen and looking at snow and cute little snow covered houses.  
 I just don't like being out or 

driving around in it! 

I grew up mostly in the tropics with the exception of Ohio and had very little experience with the white stuff  before coming to Oklahoma.   

I do like having all four seasons, just without ice or snow.

 As a child I remember my grandmother coming to visit us when we lived in Ohio and she made 

 snow ice cream with us! 

 I still remember how much
 fun that was!   

I was blessed with a wonderful grandmother who lived in Florida and was a true southern gal.

My father was in the Air Force and we got orders to move to Hawaii when I was in kindergarten.  I enjoyed living in Hawaii but I sure missed my grandmother!  

Hawaii was a beautiful place during the holidays and we lived there for four years. 

I grew up singing 

Mele kalikimaka and enjoyed 
all the 

 warm holidays!! 

 1963 photo of me and my brother in our yard at Christmas.  Note that the poinsettias have turned red next to the house.  I'm sure living in Hawaii has given me a lifelong love of flowers!

Flurries are on the way for us tomorrow and I am dreaming of a tropical Christmas where the palm trees sway!



Sandestin in 2 weeks!  I'll settle 
for white sand!
Are we there yet?


Linking with

Smiling Sally's Blue Monday

Playing with Mud Pie

Mud Pie makes me think of  my childhood, that sinfully delicious chocolate desert, adorable baby clothes and my favorite dishes of all time!

I'm been gathering and playing with my Mud Pie holiday dishes
 and planning a tablescape which I 
finally finished.

The hospital gift shop where I worked as a nurse until my recent retirement, stocked a line of Mud Pie baby clothes.  Thank goodness my kids were grown or I wouldn't have brought home a paycheck!  

When the gift shop eventually started stocking Mud Pie serving pieces
 and the Christmas collection and I knew I was a goner!

2011

The vibrant colors and fun graphics along with the three dimensional designs just melted my heart.   I was hooked!!  I started with a few pieces and ornaments and then the gift shop announced they were closing and everything was 50% to 80% off 
for employees!!  

You would have thought someone gave me a winning Powerball ticket!  

Santa Ornament

 I was able to purchase two of the black and white desert/cheese plates and the adorable loaf  pans...

FaLaLa

and Merry.

The large mugs also found their way into my shopping bag as well.

2011

Oh and lest I forget this adorable picture frame 

and these cute Halloween bowls.

  Oops... and this sea turtle cheese server that I purchased for me and my best friend who adores sea turtles. 

Who could really fault me for falling in love with such an adorable collection?   Especially since I purchased most of the collection for at least 50% off !

2011 
Snowman Ornament

I have bought some darling Mud Pie baby gifts for friends as 
Mud Pie has the cutest baby clothes I've ever seen!  

No I'm not a spokesperson for Mud Pie nor have I received any money or products from them...(although I'd be happy to take some off their hands) I just adore their products.



Each year they introduce new holiday pieces that are fun and festive!   Even though last year's pieces aren't available...the new pieces coordinate nicely from year to year and can be easily mixed and matched. 

 I love that because I mix patterns and plates all the time to get new looks!   I layered the black and white desert plates on my green majolica
and red chargers from Portugal.

This year since the hospital gift shop is no longer open I had to find another Mud Pie source.   Thankfully our local stationery shop,  Paper 'N More in Oklahoma City carries a large selection!  Here's  a photo of the gift department and their Mud Pie display!

I used great restraint and purchased two mugs that coordinate with my desert plates from last year's collection.

  Rudolf and Santa!

I also chose one of the new 
cookie plates with a black and white fluted edge.  
I wanted two more of the black
 and white checked desert plates but 
they were unavailable.  Maybe I can find them on ebay.

Many of you have inquired where to find the collection and online is probably your best bet.  Mud Pie has a great website!  A good number of  hospital and fine gift shops carry the collection so you may have to make a few phone calls to find them in 
your area.   

So finally I set my table for two at our breakfast table and added my favorite teapot "Mrs. Potts".

I used the placemats and napkins I purchased back in February while in Carmel and added a simple silver napkin ring.  

Mud Pie brings out the kid in me and I love playing with such pretty colorful dishes and adding them into the mix with things I 've had for years.   I can't wait to share this table with my best friend!

Topiary in a Mug

Merry Christmas and I hope you find time to be a kid again during the holiday season and do something you love!   Remember to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas with your family and friends!

Glory to the Newborn King!

I'm linking

Tablescaper's Seasonal Sunday 

Susan's Tablescape Thursday

 Marty's Tabletop Tuesday

Kathleen's Let Dish

Nita's Mod Mix Monday

http://modvintagelife.blogspot.com/2012/12/mod-mix-monday-79.html

Sneak Peek

I've been up in the newly re-organized attic getting my Christmas decorations and putting away the fall bins.  I was stressing because the ONLY things I couldn't find were my favorite Christmas Mud Pie dishes!  Silly me I didn't put them there!  I found them safely in another part of the house and I had even labeled them so nicely.  So much for my memory!

When I found them I was so excited I had to stop right then and play with   my dishes!!  This is a preview of my next tablescape.

Now I can relax and go grocery shopping...but I'm definitely going to make a list since I can't seem to remember things!   

Hope you all find  your 

Christmas decorations!!

I'm linking with

Kathleen's Let Dish

Cindy's Show and Tell Friday

Plaid Tidings

We are going to my home state of Florida this year  for Christmas and  I really wanted to get a jump on  Christmas decorations so we could enjoy them before we leave.    

Saturday I went into the attic (recently organized with the help of my son) to get  the dining room tree and managed to get it up and decorated.    I think this is the earliest I've had a tree up.  What a joy it was to go into the attic and find the exact things I was looking for!  My resolution now that I'm retired is to be way more organized!   

I removed my Thanksgiving tablecloth and decided rather than coming up with a completely new  tablescape I would use some of the same basic elements from that table for a Christmas table.

Collecting has been fun over the years and now that I have many seasonal dishes and tablecloths it is easy to just change a few things for a whole new look.

I started with a red tablecloth and 

 used the same lantern, candlesticks,

greenery, topiaries and brass chargers that were on my Thanksgiving table. 

I removed the turkey and replaced him with a sweet little bird to go along with my cardinal dishes.

I switched out the candles for Santas that I found at a thrift store for 50 cents!  I just added a Christmas candle ring where the amber ones had been.

I needed something to replace the oranges and I found a pine cone garland in my stash.

I added a few plaid ribbons to the topiaries for extra color.

The dishes were found at an antique store and were less than $10 for all four.  They are from Cracker Barrel and I love red cardinals and holly.

The brass chargers were from an estate sale and the twig chargers from one of my favorite stores..Pier One.  

The plaid placemats were on sale as well for 50% off and the tablecloth came from a thrift store.  I really didn't spend  a lot on this table since almost everything was on sale or second hand!

I'm linking with 

Metamorphosis Monday

Marty's Tabletop Tuesdays

Kathleen's Let Dish

Tablescape Thursdays