Christine's Home and Travel Adventures

Monday, September 23, 2013

Family Room Coffee Table has Fallen

I told you I was not done! I took more Fall accessories from the bins in the garage so I changed the coffee table accessories again.

I have had this divided tray basket in the kitchen and used it as storage for various tableware. I moved it to the family room coffee table and added some Fall stuff in it..

This Turkish candle holder used to be on the end table. John bought it a long time ago because he liked the color and the sheen of the base. He thought it was different and he likes unique stuff.

I am doing progress! I have not bought anything new, instead, just moved stuff around and took items from storage. I really should stop shopping cause we have too much and I am running out of storage room.

It used to be like this. Remember the natural rock collection showcase? I moved it on to the ottoman to the left of the TV cabinet.

Thanks for stopping by. I enjoy having you over and really appreciate your visits.

I am linking with

Kathryn's Make it Pretty Monday

http://thededicatedhouse.blogspot.com/

Metamorphosis Monday

http://betweennapsontheporch.net/

Marty's Inspire Me Tuesday

http://www.astrollthrulife.net/

The Scoop

http://confessionsofaplateaddict.blogspot.com/

Centerpiece Wed

http://thestylesisters.blogspot.com/

Mary's Masterpieces Monday

http://boogieboardcottage.blogspot.com/

Maria Elena's Tuesdays at Our Home

http://mariaelenasdecor.blogspot.com/

Tuesday's Treasures

http://www.myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/

Paula's What's It Wed

http://ivyandelephants.blogspot.com/

Thanks for hosting. I really appreciate all your efforts!

Saturday, September 21, 2013

Fall Decor in Dining Room and Family Room

I decorated for Fall , only in the formal dining room and family room. Just mostly foliage and pumpkins, nothing scary yet, no ghost except for the prints on my throw.

I made a small simple wreath for the door. OMG! The door needs to be cleaned. Note to myself: Do it tomorrow. I wiped it before I hang the wreath but the lawn guy came afterwards.

I moved this pair of hand painted fruits on oval wood to the wall on either side of the mirror. The long orange table runner is from Williams Sonoma.

The oval paintings used to be on either side of the French cabinet. Do you see one of them there?

I moved the gold framed Limoges plates in their places. I pretty much just interchanged them.

The family Room mantel and this seating area is probably the one that got the most decoration.

The frame is a signed and numbered Salvador Dali lithograph. I moved it from another wall because I think the colors blend so well with the fall foliage colors.

In case you are wondering, that little pass through window on the right is a small wet bar. The entrance is on the other side, in the kitchen.

The TV area got a few pumpkins on the coffee table and on the TV table.

Do you want to know what is inside the set of 3 trunks in that corner? Plates, of course, lol, Christmas ones. They are my Lenox Winter Greetings Collection.

I took out my guitar. I thought I would start playing and start practicing but I ran out of time again.

I bought the lighted maple tree from Kirkland's last year. I bought the wooden Sto. Nino from St. Francisville, MS about 2 years ago.

The Santos bust came from an antique store in Atlanta, GA, during one of John's medical meetings. I always tag along for the shopping part, lol. It's not an antique though, just a reproduction, but I fell in love with her chippiness and her crown.

That's it for now, until next month when I take out the witches and ghosts but I usually just put them out on the front porch.

Beverly of Pink Saturday invited us to link fall decorating posts even if they are not pink.

I am linking with

Pink Saturday

http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/

Seasonal Sunday

http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com/

Susan's Metamorphosis Monday

http://betweennapsontheporch.net/

Kathryn's Make it Pretty Monday

http://thededicatedhouse.blogspot.com/

Mandarin orange Monday

http://www.lorikart.comy

Cindy's Amaze me Monday

http://dwellings-theheartofyourhome.com

Thank you so much to all the hostesses and thank you all for stopping by! You are all very much appreciated.

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Park Lake City, Utah last 4th of July, 2013

I am long overdue in posting this but as most of you know, I have been out of town for most of the summer. One week of that, the 4th of July week to be exact, John and I spent it in Park Lake City, UT, to join his daughter and her family. They live in FL but they own a condo at the ski resort there. I don't really ski (and I stop John from skiing because he has not done so for so long and is not really fit right now), so we like to visit in the summer.

They have a big parade on Independence Day and it seemed like all of Park City residents were there. The shuttle buses were standing room only. And of course, we did not want to miss the big event either.

Here I am with the 3 grandkids, Noah, Zoe and Holden.

Even John wore red, white and blue. Aren't the flowers gorgeous? They have so many flowers everywhere and so healthy. It must be the cooler weather and the snow that had melted from the past winter months.

Yep, Kerri is carrying her 4th who is due very soon. Isn't she cute with her patriotic maternity tank top?

....and so the parade began

I won't say much since the photos speak for themselves. Just enjoy them!

Thank you so much for stopping by.

Thanks also to the wonderful hostesses!

Oh The Places I've Been

http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com/

Sarah's Homemaking Weekend Link Up party

http://bloggingwhilewaiting.blogspot.com/

Festive Friday Fiesta

http://the-home-girl-blog.blogspot.com

Kathryn's Anything Blue Friday

http://thededicatedhouse.blogspot.com

Seasonal Sunday

http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com/

Monday, September 16, 2013

A Small Birthday Party For a Friend

We have a very closed knit Filipino group here because there are only a few of us, so we really treat each other like brothers and sisters. We make impromptu plans all the time and this is one of those times. The only Filipino adult guy (there is one teenage boy too) is having his birthday on Sept. 15th and the Friday before that, Riza, who lives about an hour away, was coming to drop off her little girl and she said she will bring a dish to share. So I offered my house to get together for dinner and since Gary's birthday is coming, I decided to just have a little surprise birthday party for him. And that is how this came about, a busy day for sure since there really wasn't any preparation beforehand.

I was organizing the kitchen a little bit when I saw these salad plates in the rack on the kitchen counter. I had forgotten about them and never really used them yet. I thought they would be perfect for this time of the year.

I know I have plain yellow dinner plates so I pulled them out of the dining room French cabinet. The yellow placemats are cheap ones I bought from the dollar store. I planned to take them to Cape Coral to use when dining on the deck since we have yellow chair pads there, but let me use them here first.

Behind the salad plates are the words written, "222 Fifth Demure Turquoise". I like the paisley design on them. These are probably my most practical napkins. I bought a dozen of them on Ebay before we moved here and I like how thick they are and how easy they are to care for, no ironing needed. The silver plated napkin rings are from an antique store downtown. I think I paid $3 for 7 or 8 of them.

"Shells" flatware, also from Ebay.

The goblets with fleur de lis on them were from Horchow. I like them very much but I always forget to use them because they are not stored with my other stemware.

Name tag holders are from Southern Living at Home, which is now Willow House. They can also serve as napkin rings.

I made a simple centerpiece since I know I was going to serve food on the lazy Susan. I snipped some sunburst from my bush outside which is forever bursting with bright yellow flowers, and just stucked them in an Italian vase. Birds S & P shakers and a blue candlesticks holder, same tinge of blue as the goblets.

The covered tureen serves white rice, which is a must for a Filipino meal.

The table for the kids.

I like how colorful the plates are!

Emerald green goblets for their drinks and bird house name plate holders.

Aren't these just the cutest napkin ring holders? So appropriate for a kids' table.

The little yellow lantern I won just by sharing the photo on my FB.

I laid the dessert and tea on the kitchen table.

I baked a Coconut Cream Pie, which was so good! I have the recipe below if anyone is interested.

I just bought this pie or cake server from a store downtown that was closing, for $2.00. It was new, still wrapped. Is that initial a "J"? Perfect for John! I like how heavy it is.

The teapot is also 222 Fifth, "Adelaida green and white". I have cups in the same pattern but I forgot to take them out. I did not have a matching sugar and cream servers so I used another set that blends with it.

I baked some brownies to drink with our "Pear and Guava" tea.

Here is the recipe for the pie, if anyone is interested. I got the recipe from Facebook.

Coconut Cream Pie (Princess Pie)

Crust:

1 c flour
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 tbsps. sugar
1/2 c chopped pecans (optional)

Mix and pat in an 8x8 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 min, until just beginning to turn golden. Do not overbake. Let cool.
Layer 2:
8 oz cream cheese, room temp
1 c powdered sugar
1 c whipped topping

Beat together sugar and cream cheese. Fold in whipped topping. Spread on cooled crust.
layer 3:
1 small package coconut cream instant pudding
1 -1/2 cups whole milk

Mix until thickened. Spread over cream cheese mixture
Top with remaining tub of whipped cream
Toast 1 cup coconut. Sprinkle on top. Refrigerate
　

Thank you so much for stopping by.

You are all so appreciated and especially the hostesses for all their hard work organizing these parties. Thanks a bunch!