Thanksgivnig centerpiece..

 

Decorating the table for Thanksgiving dinner is always one of my favorite things... I worked on planning ahead this year but I changed my mind when the time came.  We have an early dinner for our family each year, this year was one of the largest dinners I have hosted.  With 17 people to feed and seat I took a little extra time once the turkey was in the oven to work on the tables.

I had a simple idea which included the votives that I collected last year and some little pumpkins I had around the house for decoration, and it evolved into this fun centerpiece with feathers, antlers and dried magnolia mixed with fresh greenery from the neighbors trees.  My mom is the best at this kind of thing so while she was here we worked on adding to it and making something I loved,  that was low enough to not inhibit the conversation at dinner.  The little faux candles make it so I can socialize and have the table completely ready as the sun sets with out worrying about burning down the house or forgetting to light the candles.

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Look! Mom's Dishes! ...Connections To Our Past

Sometimes I think I have the best job in the world, getting to work with beautiful 

china pieces day in and day out...sometimes it actually feels more like a privilege 

than an actual profession. After all, each of these plates and cups and saucers 

and other dinnerware pieces all have history behind them. They come from 

many different countries, from all around the world, and their beautiful 

patterns and colors give them a unique appeal that brings them to life 

unlike other ordinary household objects. 

We remember dishes. 

They're a part of our family in some ways, a part of each of our own personal histories. 

Have you not once in your life been somewhere, maybe an antique market or 

thrift shop, and come across an orphaned plate or cup that you instantly 

recognized from somewhere in your own past? 

At that moment of recognition, it isn't just "a plate" or "a cup," but mom's plate, 

or grandmother's cup. There is a connection. Often when that connection is 

made we find ourselves flooded with memories of family from long ago, 

or of our childhood, or of holidays and times past. If you're the 

sentimental type like I am, it can be a comforting experience. 

I've been working with dishes for so long now that I know the patterns by name.

No, I don't talk to them, but in a way, they speak to me. I see them as

valuable, not monetarily valuable, but valuable in a way that fills your

soul with warmth and peace just as memories of loved ones do.

This was, after all, someone's grandmother's plate. 

Someone just like you. 

dreaming of baking..

 

Is it bad to dream about having time to bake?  The Mr. bought me a french deserts baking book for Christmas which I have yet to try, just not enough time!!  I am dreaming of making homemade goodies and eating them up with a hot cup of tea.

image via

 


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2012 a little review... my love affair with instagram

 

It has been a wonderful year!  I was looking through my photos and realized that I really have an obsession with not only my phone but with Instagram..  It allows me to capture any moment of my life and I love to be able to see what inspires me after in a little refresher long after the moment has passed.   These are just a few of my favorites....

This last one is one of my all time favorites.. love these guys!  Wishing you a wonderful day of memories from 2012!  xoxo

 

You can follow me on instagram @greigedesign.

 

 

Christmas table...

 

Living in California at Christmastime can be such a gift.  We are often able to spend the day in the sunshine outside with family.  I don't know that I have ever had a white Christmas and who knows if I ever will, that's okay with me for now.  I saw this beautiful table setting and I fell in love with it and how simply beautiful it was.

Wishing you and yours a very wonderful holiday!

 

All images via Style me Pretty