Yes, I'm Dreaming…Of Alot Of Things!

"I'm Dreaming Of A White Christmas"!

I am dreaming of a welcoming gate with a beautiful wreath on it just beckoning all of my friends and family into my home!

How about you? If I could...

I would have everything white…and dreamy…

Even my windows would be adorned to say, 

"Welcome…come in and sit down!"

I would want the ambiance to convey that for sure!

This is one of the warmest and most welcoming entrances ever!

And I love nothing better than white ironstone and greenery mixed in together….

But would it mean starting over? If I wanted to change over to an all white Christmas? 

Isn't that what "white" represents?

A fresh, new beginning? 

 Maybe I should just try to incorporate a lot of this into my home that is definitely already filled with color and collected memories.

I am definitely loving all of the natural elements in all of these lovely Christmas photos! 

Much of these were found on Pinterest and I'm thankful to so many of my blogging friends for posting these wonderful images for all of us to enjoy and take notes from!

I would love for my home to be filled with paperwhites! I love them…but a lot of my friends are bothered by their smell…I can understand that! 

But I sure do love the look!

And I also love beautiful amaryllis! 

When they do well…they are incredible and such a show stopper!

I may have to decorate a "serving" table just like one of these two gorgeous tables that I found from The Enchanted Home above and The French Tangerine below.

Our party is in less than two weeks! Oh, My!

 I am truly getting excited! 

And I know EXACTLY what I'm doing with this image above…I am using it for a huge inspiration for the shop! 

I will show you the pictures for sure if it turns out well for the Open House on Thursday!

I can't wait for Melissa to bring her fabulous hand painted wine glasses as well as her incredible paintings on Wednesday to help us get ready for the Open House!

I love this dough bowl above filled with vintage and new ornaments! This is just one way in which we will be getting the shop ready for Thursday!

Whether it's a welcoming gate, a heart warming entrance or a roaring fire on the back porch…it all leads to you to dreaming of that "White Christmas" or just Christmas in general!

And while part of me might be thinking, "Don't let the door knob hit you in the rear end" when I'm tired and cranky from too much festivities….

The other part is thinking this is definitely the most special time of the year! Don't you agree?

Can't wait to talk soon! There will be so many things to discuss!

Wednesday's What If Post…"What If I Couldn't Decide What To Do?"

Well then, if you were Pattie or Ellen…or let's say even Brenda or Sharon…you would laugh and say, "She can NEVER decide what to do when it comes to this annual Christmas Party!" And I'm sure in the back of their minds they are thinking to themselves….when will she ever learn?



Each year we have the exact same Christmas Party with pretty much the exact same guest list…and I love it that way! What I don't love is trying to decide what to do…should I have a seated dinner party or a buffet style party? Just ask Brenda and she will tell you that the ONE year I had it buffet style I swore I would never do it again! Why? I'm not quite sure...

 I thought I had learned exactly what kind of party I liked to have at my house…that is, until I attended my own Grandfather's 90th birthday celebration at my Aunt Jayne's house! You can see my blog post that I did on my personal blog right HERE  if you want to! It was such a lovely affair…and it was buffet style and seemed so 'effortless' on her part! I bet you $100.00 she would hit me right now if she heard me say that! Because, the truth of the matter is…she worked her "can" off! And it showed! We had the best time! But it got me to thinking…"Why do I always do a seated dinner?" It's hard to set up tables in my house and seat 30 or so people…and yet, I like to be organized and in control! So, if I do it buffet style, will they stick around and linger and talk and laugh like we always do, or will they eat and run? 

That, my friends is the "What If" question for today! HELP!!!

Just look at these pretty 'seated' dinner party tables! 

Some are so elegant and then some are so traditional and welcoming and let you know that you are indeed in someone's home! We Southerner's tend to want to do that, you know! We WANT you to feel at home!

Just like you can see HERE at Sweet Something Design Blog!

I mean really….who wouldn't want to be seated at any of these lovely tables for a Christmas Dinner Party?

I'm in love with this pine farm table!! What a gorgeous setting! After this post was done I also saw it on Tina's blog…you know, my sweet friend Tina of The Enchanted Home! Check out her fabulous idea of the perfect winter day! You won't be sorry!

And then I also love the "elegant but understated" feeling you get when seated in someone's dining room! What to do?

Wouldn't you feel so very special if you were seated in any of these spectacular dining rooms?

And yet, you get to these beautiful buffet pictures and you think to yourself, this is good! 

Maybe I should do this!

You can find these great buffet tips here!

And then, just when I think I have my mind made up…I get to some more of these beautiful dinner party pics that show both ideas and I'm even more confused!

Thank you Barbara, for these fabulous pictures of both a buffet style dinner party as well as a beautiful seated dinner party! You are the Hampton Hostess, I might add! Now I know why you are the hostess we all desire to be! You can check out Barbara's beautiful blog HERE!

via Hampton Hostess

What would you do? Formal… seated... stand around…buffet?

find the source here

It's the biggest decision I face all year, every year!

 So, after that being said….I guess we will have fun NO MATTER what we do! If that's my biggest decision of the year... then we are definitely good to go... I'll keep you posted!

Love you all dearly!

Also, if you missed the very sweet blog post that Teresa of Splendid Sass did yesterday for my shop, please take a look at it right HERE!!!!