Around The Table: 2012-11-18

I saw these little satsumas at the store yesterday and thought I'd use them on my Thanksgiving table.

I have a busy work week ahead, so I am doing what I can over the weekend to get organized. Fortunately I will be hosting only immediate family.

I am choosing bronze chargers to place under the Woodland Spode. They were purchased at Pottery Barn years ago.

I have a long farm house table in my main eating/kitchen area that I generally use for entertaining. It's important for me to have the fireplace, the television, and ALL my guests in the family room kitchen area (great room). We spend most of our time there.

Orchids are easy to grow and their flowers last for weeks.

When I want to get a little more formal or have just a few people to dinner, we sit at a table that comes from the French countryside. I purchased it from Annie Brahler and her team did a nice job of refurbishing the pieces.

I painted the table and chairs a white lacquer and had a center piece custom made for the table so I could seat more people. I've got several pieces from her, and my goal was to create a little French themed area in my home. It's been a work in progress!

The seats were completely re-done. The cover is a beige linen and I had Annie make these little covers so I could "dress" up the chair when I entertained. Otherwise, I like the simplicity of the plain linen.

Reinforced and then painted white.

It's been a rainy day here in Seattle and ~ after all the running around today, I'm looking forward to a quiet dinner and a movie at home.

What? This was not my idea!

By today's standards, it's kinda slow and really not scary .. but I decided to bake cookies in order to miss most of the infamous shower scene {it's really not that bad}

recipe!

Over the holiday season I always enjoy watching old movies.

What are your favorite movies to watch with your family?

Gone With The Wind? Do you ever watch the James Bond or Twilight Zone series that airs between Christmas and New Years? I always enjoy the old black and white films. They seem so much easier to watch.. not so fast and flashy, and the styles are always fun.

Back to the French theme..

In case you've never seen Annie's work, here is a sampling.