Tablescape Tuesday ~ WITCHES BREW PARTY!

Tablescape Tuesday ~ WITCHES BREW PARTY!

Tablescape Tuesday is hosted by our sweet blogger Susan of Between Naps on the Porch, so please stop by her blog here to see a list of other participants!

Today, I'm hostess for a WITCHES BREW PARTY!

No Warlocks Allowed!!

Elvira has already made it!

Everybody loves a GHOUL'S NIGHT OUT!

~ Double Click on any picture to Enlarge ~

The table is decorated with my black beaded & sequined lacey shawl for a little glam! Tucked underneath are tiny purple lights for an eerie little ambiance.

I used solid white china with gold bands separated by a folded witch's hat. Added doilies to the napkins & slipped a spider pony tail holder on as napkin rings. Tiny sparkly spiders dot the dessert plates & are crawling up the silver goblets.


Tiny porcelain hinged boxes in the shape of witches shoes make adorable party favors.



They even open up for hiding potions, pills, etc.!!

I added my new witch's boot from Katherine's Collection, a gift from my sweet daughter for babysitting her pups this week! I also added a glass cauldron of sorts full of black/silver swirl balls & smaller purple balls. A small white pumpkin sits atop a shiny black urn. Black candles with vintage wire bobeches hold silver, gold, & purple ornaments.

My chunky wood Spooky sign that Lindsey of Two Crazy Crafters gifted me with looks great on the table! She also made the adorable vintage look tussie mussie on the back of the chair!


I used a crystal footed cake pedestal topped with a spider webby looking doily to hold an assortment of bottles filled with ingredients the gals might need if they choose to stir up a spell while eating.



Oh, good, two more guests have arrived.

Say hello to Miss Zelda.....



And lovely Miss Broomhilda!

My vintage tea cart has been set up for libations also.

Sweet Beth Leintz of Gathering Dust made me the little Boo tag last year that is dangling from the handle of the cart. Isn't it just too sweet?!

I love the pink necked vulture that showed up!

I cross-stitched this sweet little witch on black aida cloth just for the party. I won't be sewing on black fabric again anytime soon as I almost went blind doing this!

The goblet full of purple concoction is borrowed from my granddaughter & the adorable little ghost cupcake is also from Lindsey. I found the cute little witch's hats at Hobby Lobby & have been adding them around the house to all manner of objects & animals!!



This witch has seen better days, but we always enjoy letting her stand guard by our front door.
I do hope you enjoyed our ghoul-y party. Please go visit my other friends now that are participating ~ you'd be amazed at how many wonderfully creative tablescapes are being shared each week!

Bugs & Hisses,

HALLOWEEN 2008 SWAP ~ Pt. 2

HALLOWEEN 2008 SWAP ~ Pt. 2

Here is the continuation of Halloween 2008 Swap hosted by Amy of Four Sisters in a Cottage. The following items were what I received from my terrific YOUNG partner (she is a mere babe ~ only 19, and soooo very talented!) Lindsey of Two Crazy Crafters.

She stamped the cutest Halloween card for me & signed it "Bugs & Hisses"!!

I just love this vintage look tussie mussie ~ and it was just full of the yummiest candy corn taffy ever (WAS full is the operative phrase here!). I just love the scaredy cat graphic on it! And Lindsey even sent me my very favorite Halloween graphic on a little wooden tag ~ see the pic of the little frightened kids ~ I sent her that EXACT same graphic on a tag I made for her!! Do you feel the vibes, Lindsey?!?!

Isn't this chunky wood Spooky sign just perfect for me ~ I love the lettering style & the fact that it looks aged!

She even made me the most adorable Halloween Pumpkin Wand ~ complete with beautiful purple, orange, & black shimmery streamers. I think my granddaughter might just try to take off with this!!

And for my glittery, sparkly obsession, she included this Boo-tiful Ghost cupcake with the most heavenly pink glitter icing!!!

Love the Skeleton Jack's metal sign

And my very VERY favorite piece ~ one of Lindsey's specialties ~ a terrific piece of altered art ~ a wonderful Halloween collage!! Go check out the blog she shares with her mother here ~ they are quite a talented duo!!

Lindsey, thank you sooo very much for spoiling me with these great treats! I had such fun being your partner in this swap & will always think of you each time that I decorate with your lovely creations!! Thanks from my entire family for helping "Spook Up" our home this year!

Bugs & Hisses to you, too, sweet Lindsey!

My 39th Birthday~That's My Story & I'm Sticking to It!

My 39th Birthday~That's My Story & I'm Sticking to It!

Saturday found me with one of my dear friends & my daughter & granddaughter at our favorite tearoom having lunch & sharing laughs, good food, hot tea, & scrumptious petite fours together!

Kathy (the blonde) & I (the brunette) share the same birthday along with her late father. We've been friends for years & she is a true blue friend. We grew up together at church. Her sweet brother was a year older than me, & Kathy a few years ahead of me in school. My parents loved it when she got her driver's license, as there was never a problem with me going anywhere with a group as long as KATHY was with us & was the one driving! She was a very stable & good influence for all us younger rowdy kids & my absolute favorite!

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Several years later, when Kathy got married to Bill, I was there in her wedding cheering her on. She married one of the sweetest, kindest, most thoughtful men ever. They started married life in El Paso, TX. Many years later, she & Bill moved back to our hometown & he eventually baptized our daughter. Bree had wanted to ask her grandfather (my daddy) to baptize her, but as he was sometimes emotional (like me ~ I can cry at a sweet "telephone" commercial!) she decided to ask Bill to baptize her instead, since she thought "GeeDaddy" would cry. Well, GeeDaddy didn't cry, but BILL DID!!!!

Kathy was the one Mother & I asked to sing at Daddy's funeral. She has a heavenly alto voice. Most recently, Bill helped officiate at Bree & Anthony's wedding. He said a very special prayer for their new family unit which includes her daughter & his son.

We laughed a lot, had delicious croissant sandwiches & fresh fruit, hot spiced cinnamon tea, & petit fours that are to die for!! Birthday girls each got 3!!! YUMMY!!

After lunch, & browsing the tearoom gift shop, we went to my mother's & shared a beautiful birthday cake with her. I'm sure I must have gained 5 lbs. in one day!!

Got in late Saturday night, as we stayed & had supper with Mother, but did get one more important thing done before bedtime........

Took care of my BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY!!!!!

Asked DH to help me by picking the winner while I snapped the picture.....

And the winner is.......

LORI !!!!! Of Pink Faded Roses!!!!!

Now Lori, if you want a surprise.....STOP right now. DO NOT scroll down any further. If you want to see what you are getting, though, be my guest.......

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Here are the goodies Lori is getting from me......a blue Victorian SPODE Christmas plate, Christmas potpourri, a lavender sachet, one of my handmade angel pin/pendants, a German Santa die-cut Tussie Mussie, & a sterling Santa charm in a velvet pouch!

These will ship out first thing Monday so that hopefully you will get them before Christmas!!

Now as for my being 39...........DH put 7 candles on my cake Saturday night. I promptly (and indignantly) said that I was NOT 70!! Then he turned the cake & what I saw was a ~5~ & a ~2~....so guess that blows the lid off the "39 again" story!!

Big Hugs & thanks for all the sweet bday wishes & comments,

Stephanie

Welcome to My Bridal Tea

Welcome to My Bridal Tea

Welcome to my Bridal Tea in honour of my daughter's forthcoming marriage. I'm so glad you could join us today.

Please stop & sign the guest book as you enter. My sweet friend Vickie of Visuals by Vickie found us the beautiful chocolate & strawberry pink cream satin guest book & matching pen set. We love the rhinestone accents.
My Scarlett O'Hara Bride Doll of Gone With the Wind fame by Seymour Mann presides over the guest registry. Please have a wedding cake cookie & petit four as you join us in all things bridal!
~ The table setting ~

The pink & white china is by Spode Pink Tower. The silverplate is my wedding silver, Community & the crystal is my wedding crystal, Lenox Moonspun with Platinum trim.
The stemware has tiny satin ribbon roses at the base with crystal centers & sits upon vintage silver coasters. Vintage embroidered roses linen cutwork napkins are used along with a soft pink damask tablecloth.


The pink 3-tiered cake was designed by the bride-elect. It is placed atop a mirrored silver plateau with tiny prisms surrounded with sprays of paper roses at its base & our own "almost vintage" wedding cake topper.
We are also using my late mother-in-law's silver teapot.

Included is an engagement picture of the happy couple in an engagement ring frame, along with some pink & clear crystal diamond paperweights. Aren't they both adorable? She is a hazel-eyed blonde All American girl next door type & he is of Italian/Hawaiian descent. A miniature bride & groom centerpiece rounds out the tabletop decor'.

At the bride's place setting, several things have been done to make her feel extra special. She has a pretty fluffy chenille & pink roses bow pillow with tiny satin bows & a vintage crystal brooch on it. Her napkin ring is an over-sized "diamond" engagement ring pin. Can everyone join together & say "BLING"!!!!!

A vintage silver tussie mussie holder holds tiny silk flowers & seed bead flowers.
She also has a tiny pink cherub rose covered tiered plate that holds 2 special little gifts for her. Her very first Christmas ornament for she & her groom, a tiny bride & groom atop a handblown heart, & a small box wrapped in the palest of pink satin moire ribbon. Inside is the penny that my father placed inside my bridal shoe on my wedding day for good luck. Now I am passing it on to her in the hopes that it brings her many happy wedded years also.


Each bridesmaid will receive a small box covered in pink roses that contains a special surprise for them to wear with their gown on the day of the wedding. Sorry but no pictures yet, as I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise should they read this! Also, atop their napkins they will find a tiny handpainted roses key tied in organza ribbon to remind them that true love is the key to opening your heart.

My dear friend Karla of Karla's Cottage designed a series of beautiful wedding items for me as a prize in her latest giveaway on her blog. She made a beautiful box with a sepia toned bridal portrait attached to the inside lid cover & tucked in a sweet tiny June Bride figurine nestled among silk flower petals. She also designed the stunning paper doll wedding gown (she intends to sell these on Etsy, or send her an email if you just can't live without one!). Notice the vintage millinery flower bouquet & the tiny rhinestone accent & the pearls & vintage lace at the bottom of the gown. She also sent me the wonderful German die cut of a happy little wedding party.

Laurie of Charming Designs made us the little birdie on the Pearls of Wisdom pin cushion. Adorable, isn't it. Her little birdies are showing up everywhere, even in magazines, I hear!! Can't wait to show you how we use this at the wedding!

And then sweet Vickie also sent us the adorable Bride & Groom Kitty Couple with all those wonderful feathers & little rhinestones that are nestled in among pink & ivory Christmas ornaments in another of my cherub compotes, a gift from my dear parents.

Thanks so much for joining us today for our Bridal Tea. Hasn't this week just been the most fun visiting all the blogs for beautiful teas?!?! I definitely think we should do this more often!

Hugs,
Stephanie