I love parties....I love them even more when it's MY party...
Getting all ready is work...but, O so much fun..I wanted a "new look" for my old mantel...Decided to use some of my Mackenzie-Childs pieces...those things look good anywhere I put them!!
(SUSAN, I hope this will qualify me for MET MONDAY...??)
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This is one of the vintage shutters I have on either side of my fireplace...I put a garland of faux flowers and fruit...I know that some folks would say that is for summer...but....it's FAUX, people.."make believe"..so it can be used any time one wants to use it....:O) and, I wanted to dress up that ole shutter for the party....
those are vintage blue house numbers...they have absolutely NO meaning...just think they are pretty..
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It's such fun making things clean...and pretty....and festive for family and friends, about to have a wonderful
time...
Since I LUV stuff...and have a lot of it, it takes awhile to fluff and dust....
(I am so in love with SWIFFERS, I could just marry them!!)
(SALLY...do you see that sliver of BLUE here??)
Gathering flowers, candles.....fluffing the pillows....and shaking the rugs....(OK...vacuuming the rugs!)
Chilling the wines and cleaning the glasses until they sparkle....
gathering fresh holly from my front yard for the tables...
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(oops...excuse me but I already have this rug picture ...shut your eyes so you won't see it twice...
well, open your left eye and see that I tucked a little fresh holly into my pocket pillow..(I just love that little pocket pillow...) if ever I find any more, I am going to buy them and have a giveaway...
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The dicing of veggies, grating of the most delicious cheeses...some I can't even
pronounce the names but PIONEER WOMAN told me to get them...and, by golly, I got 'em....
D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S.
I used her recipe for several dishes, including FANCY MACARONI with those fancy cheeses and....
we thought we'd died and gone to heaven when we tasted it....
You will find TONS of delicious recipes over at her site...
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YEP...getting ready for a party is work...
but not that hard !
I loved every minute of it...
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....and all the while......
sipping on EGG NOG.....
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but MY egg nog has no "kick" to it...
only a little fresh NUTMEG sprinkled on top...
Ummmmmmm....
O...and I just read somewhere if you leave it out of the fridge for a little while before you drink it.... ALL the calories are gone and your hips won't look a BIT bigger the next morning !!
I am linking with SHOW US YOUR COTTAGE Monday
BLUE MONDAY (Sally girl...look closely....there really is quite a bit of blue ..:O)
46 comments:
BJ, I have to hear more about this party! Your home looks wonderful! The holly is sooo pretty in the white pitchers...just love all your decorative touches, including the faux flowers. I'm trying that egg nog trick real soon! ;-)
Susan
BJ,I wish I could have been there to your wonderful party! Your home looks so welcoming. I love the shutters, the MacKenzie -Childs pieces on the mantel and the holly tucked into the pillow. It is all wonderful!
Hugs,
Penny
Oh BJ sweetie...
I love those shutters on either side of the fireplace. What a wonderful idea. If I see another set of those setting somewhere I now, know what to do with them. It would be so perfect. Oh I love it so BJ. And I love the MacKenzie -Childs pieces on your mantel, they are so pretty. How beautiful everything looks.
I only wish I could've been there. What a beautiful atmosphere there had to have been with such elegant decorations.
Now imagine that. I didn't know that about the egg nog. What a concept. One way you can have your cake and eat it too.
Thanks for sharing sweetie. It is always such a pleasure to come and visit you.
Country hugs and so much love, Sherry
BJ, I had heard that about eggnog! I am so glad that it is true. LOL
Everything looks so elegant, just simply stunning. I bet it was a wonderful party.
Just lovely! Thanks for the eggnog tip! And, you are so cute in your Christmas pic!!!
Well I really did enjoy that party. The nog was good and everything was so clean and neat and pretty. Girl you did triple duty on this. I am always complaining about how much stuff I have and I guess I just need to move it around and dress it up a little. Love this blog. Us older ladies know how to keep up with things. Along with all the others too. Blessings
QMM
BJ, your mantel looks spectacular. You know I love the MacKenzie-Childs. Some of us just can't get enough of that lovely Courtly Check. Can we? Your party food looks delicious. I'll have a bit of Egg Nog. Thanks ~ Sarah
Sounds like a lovely party, BJ!! I think it is so cool that you can go into your yard and find holly. I have never seen the real thing!!
xoxo
Janie
Hi B.J.
First I would like to wish you a happy belated birthday dear friend.
Second your home is lovely as always. My mother in law would LOVE all that silver, and to think you love cleaning it? OH WOW. I make wind chimes out of mine.
I must try that mac and yummy cheese one day. I have come to the conclusion that one must feed the husband... or you don't get to go shopping : (
Happy New Year B.J.
Love Claudie
oxoxox
Ohhh how sweet and charming! It's almost like we got to come to the party of the year.
Love your home sooo inviting.
If you have a moment — I would love you to stop by and say hi!
TTFN~~ Claudia ♥ ♥
BJ-I love all your Mackenzie Childs and you are right--it makes any place a party. I love love your Fruits of the spirit sign. Do you think it will work if I empty the entire refrigerator? How does the pantry trick work ? :)
Happy New Year BJ! What a warm and inviting party setting. Eggnog and fancy cheeses sounds good to me.
I hope someday to have a formal mantel to decorate with beauty like those shutters.
The holly was the perfect detail tucked in your pillow. What a "sweet surprise."
Sweet wishes,
Sara
OH MY... what a wonderful party! Your home is always so warm and inviting! Girl, I LOVE that rug "shown twice" was just fine with me:) Enjoy your day with your swiffer:)
BJ happy New year. Thanks for sharing your Blue Monday shots they are beautiful....See you in my blog...
Everything looks soooooooo beautiful, BJ! How was the party? Did you take pictures of that?
I wanted PW's cookbook for Christmas, but Jimmy said, "It's $30 and there's nothing in there I'd want to eat." Wiener.
Justine :o )
Everything looks lovely! You have a magic touch with your home BJ! I managed to avoid eggnog alltogether this season (not that it did me any good) but it sure looks good! and I love those Mackenzie-Childs pieces. You are right , they look good everywhere:>)
BJ...Happy New Year, love your blog, and I love "The Pioneer Woman" too! would love pictures of the food you prepared with the cheeses.
What a lovely home you have and what a delightful party preparations. Thanks for sharing these lovely photos and mosaics. I suspect your New Year's gathering was a huge success. Once upon a time I loved to entertain, but not so much any more. I shared a Mosaic of Neighborhood Shadows at Sacred Ruminations this week. Happy Mosaic Monday ;-)
Hugs and blessings,
Your party sounds wonderful, BJ!
I love the new mantel look and all the mosaics are beautiful!
Beautiful and Delicious! You are so glld BJ...really. I don't have as much energy as you. ;)
That Mackenzie Childs black and white is going on my wish list.
BJ, I love those shutters on either side of the fireplace.I would have never thought of something like that. I just love visiting you, it gives me such a warm happy feeling.
Hugs,
Chris
Sounds like a fun party, it certainly made for some lovely mosaics.
Happy New Year from Normandy
Maggie
Maybe if we leave all of our food and drinks out of the refrigerator for a time, we'll all lose those huge hips. Happy New Year and Happy Blue Monday.
Gosh...I need you to come over and revamp The Muse Room!
Sounds like a great party in a oh so styling room!
Cheers, with the egg nog!!
I love the new look on the mantel. Black and white (and particularly THEIR black and white) looks elegant and spiffy most everywhere. Oh, I am in love with Swiffers also, BJ! Best thing since sliced bread. I didn't have any eggnog this year because I need to lose poundage. Maybe I could try your trick...
Brenda
It looks and sounds like a wonderful party BJ. I imagine your guests had a marvelous time. A wish for a Happy Blue Monday comes with greetings for the New Year. I hope 2010 brings you good health and ever increasing happiness. Hugs...Mary
Your mosaics are very interesting and I LOVE your Mackenzie-Childs pieces.
I've been to her shop in New York and was overwhelmed with all the wonderful pieces.
Happy New Year
Sounds like a fun party and love the egg nog trick.
BJ, your MacKenzie Childs pieces look perfect on the mantel and I love your shutters! I am playing and rearranging today so now you have me thinking about my mantel :)
Hugs,
Dena
Oh I wish I could come to your New Years party. What fun and hard work to get ready for a party. Everything looks wonderful. I love your mosaics BJ. Also your wonderful MacKenzie- Childs pieces. The mantel is beautiful with the shutters as an accent. Alas, mine are still Christmas. I'm working on it.
Happy and healthy 2010 to you and yours my dear sister friend.
Love, Jeanne
for sure it will turn out to be a great party! you got a beautiful home BJ! hugs!
u may view mine here
Happy Birthday, BJ and Happy New Year. Boy does that egg nog look gooood~
I LOVE the courtly checks! i want a whole set of all of it!! The pieces look great on your mantle! i just bought the clock and love it. happy New Year
Oh BJ, what a cute blog. I loved your decorations. Wish I could have come to your NY Eve party!
About the pillow with the pocket - I am sure you could make one of those..you are so creative!!
Blessings for 2010!
what a lovely post! so much eye-candy to drool over. I really love the pillow with a pocket, just too stinkin; cute. We love shutters too and yours are decorated beautifully. Aren't numbers fun? Thanks for sharing so much goodness. Deborah
Everything looks so pretty. Happy Birthday and Happy New Year too!
Carolyn
Your home & food look wonderful! Thank you for the link to Pioneer Woman. Have a happy week!
Beautiful pictures! Now you are the second person to introduce me to MacKenzie Childs! Sarah at Hyacinths for the Soul did a feature last week and I absolutely fell in love!! I have ordered their catalogue! Although I may need a second mortgage to buy something out of it!! Have a great Blue Monday and Happy New Year!!
Sherri@lavenderfields
Hi BJ,
I can tell from just a few minutes of looking at your blog that a party at your home would be an awful lot of fun! Love your MacKenzie-Childs pieces on the mantel! Thanks for stopping by and saying hi...I am glad you did as now I am here visiting you at your charming blog! Wishing you a happy new year!
:) Laura
Hi BJ, Love your mantel and I LOVE the addition of the MC pieces! Hope you'll share more pics of your party! I bet it was wonderful! Oh, and I tried the refridgerator trick with the eggnog, and it didn't work for me...the calories were still there! I must have gotten into a bad batch! LOLOL!
Wishing you many blessings for the New Year, 2010! ~hugs, Rhonda :)
Gorgeous decorations! Your little black and white checkers are so cute and original!
Wow, how pretty, love the mosaics. Have a great week!
Bj I really like the Fruit of the Spirit plaque. Thank you for the visit.
I'm reading posts backwards...trying to catch up. Everything looked just perfect...and I now know the party was a huge success!
Sue
Oh BJ, you are such a sweetie-pie -- I'll bet your parties are the best! Your home looks so warm and welcoming. LOVE the mantel redo -- beautiful!!! Thanks for sharing at MM. :)
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