Luvs,
Wow, you did great for having all your things packed away!! Love the holly(?) dishes and the little green bowls. The bird napkin holders are very cute -I dont know why I didnt buy some last year! I like how your placemats and napkins are so crisp.

P.S: If you changed the holly plate to a blue plate and added some blue stuff to the table, this would be a great 4th of July table too. :) Sorry - I ran into a bunch of 4th of July stuff on sale yesterday and thats stayed in my head, I guess.

Mo

Hi Mo, You are so right about adding the blue. I'll have to be on the lookout for some dark blue plates, the only big ones I have now are more of a pastel blue. I didn't even find this tablecloth until after the 4th, wouldn't you know?

You are exactly right about the pattern on the plates. They are called "Holly"--can't remember the brand, and they're already stashed away. The little green "bowls" are actually some candles I found tucked away in my candle drawer. I would have liked to have had some red roses or poinsettias--but they are stashed in the storage boxes too--so I just made tissue paper flowers.

I want to get over to PD's blog so I can check out everyone's pretty Christmas tables there. I did take a peek at Kathleen's blog yesterday and she sure did a pretty Christmas table too. If she doesn't post it here, be sure to click over there and take a look, you'll be glad you did! ;o)

Luvs

Thanks for starting this thread! I completely forgot to come and post these here. We even talked about being sure to post here too. I just did way too much last weekend with my CIJ week 2 blog party and I also participated in two ice cream socials in blog land.

Luvs, I love the red holiday table. The holly plates are great. I'd like to have something along those lines.

I love your flowers. I tried to remember how to make some several months ago and gave up!

Here is a portion of my CIJ post. I left out all the top gobblydegook about the blog party. I hope this works to copy and paste the codes.

You know that you are addicted to thrifty shopping and dishes when you can't drive by a GW or other thrift store without stopping. Although I have numerous other sets of snow people dishes, this one was too cute to pass up. It was new in the box, but had a broken handle on a coffee cup. It was marked $10, but I pointed out the broken cup and they sold it to me for $8. Not bad for a place setting for four.

The tablecloth is a solid dark blue and I decided to use my newly acquired varigated blue handled flatware. (I have been using them way too much, but I really like them.)I found them at Big Lots. The varying shades of blue look nice with the shades of blue in the dishes. IRL the colors are perfect together. The photos look a little off.

I have numerous choices of blue glasses and stemware, but I had the most trouble finding one that looked all right. These are a dark blue that is a very pretty shade.

Even though I am hosting this CIJ Tablescape Party, I didn't have my Christmas things readily available. My dishes are mostly accessible, but things for accents and centerpieces are all packed and stored away. I found the two little blue snowmen in a small plastic container that I had put in the top of the closet, but couldn't decide what else to used for a centerpiece. Then, I thought why not just use a white candle since this is a snow scene. It is not very creative, but was the right shade since the dishes are not a bright white. I placed it on one of my everyday salad plates and flanked it with the snowman pair. It's not the greatest or most creative, but it worked for me today.

Close-up of place setting

I used a set of off white napkins with blue frosted glass napkin rings.

DH was at the golf course while I was playing with this table. He came in hot and exhausted from the heat and I asked if it was snowing at the golf course. He looked at me like I had gone over the edge and then immediately looked at the table and said, "Only in here!"

You've got to love a man who goes with the flow of Christmas dishes all during July and with the main room clock playing Christmas carols on the hour. Now, if he will just buy me a pressie on the 25th...

He also has been tolerant of that little tree in the corner behind the table. I never took it down. I just loved the colors with my room, so it stayed. This month I have another small tree sitting on the fireplace ledge, too.

Add to that a Christmas table a week this month and even one of my ice cream parties during the next several days has a Christmas in July theme. DH just shakes his head and says, "Whatever you want dear..."

DH taking an early evening snooze after a hard day on the golf course!

I hope you don't mind me sharing this one, too.

We went to eat last Saturday with some friends and were returning to our place for dessert and to watch a movie. Since my table was set for the CIJ event, I couldn't resist participating in a blog ice cream social event in a fun way to go with my already decorated Snowman table. I decorated the breakfast bar area in a Snowman theme and talked about Snow Ice cream on the blog.

My friend's husband can't believe that I am so into the holidays, so I couldn't resist surprising him with this. The bowls are from Dollar Tree and I just used my blue plates as chargers and pulled out some snowmen. You can see that I used the small snowman pair from the main table here again.

My earliest memories are of churning the ice cream for what seemed like forever. I remember having to sit on top of the churn atop the wooden bucket to keep it from moving around. We always made vanilla ice cream, but my neigbors were more adventurous and had things like peppermint, chocolate, banana, peach and strawberry. I always loved the flavors, but vanilla was my favorite.

We always used eggs, but in recent years, that became a health hazard, and I started using condensed milk to avoid the use of eggs. I also found many other flavors and styles of ice cream through the year. Still, homemade vanilla is my favorite. I want just it, no toppings, sprinkles, nuts, or other additions. I guess that makes me boring.

However, there is one type of ice cream that I love more than slow churned homemade vanilla.
It is SNOW ice cream. I guess what made it special was the fact that I didn't get to have it often. I grew up in West Texas and although we had our share of snow, it wasn't always deep enough to make ice cream. When I was a young child there were years when my parents wouldn't let us make it because they were afraid of it having radioactive "stuff" in it. I never really knew (or cared) what this was. I was just disappointed that we weren't allowed to make snow ice cream. I remember hearing whispered conversations about the Cold War and fallout.
Shesh, this interrupted a perfectly wonderful childhood tradition.

When I was in junior high, my family moved to North Texas and we didn't get snow as often. I felt deprived during the winter. However, when my children were little we had several years in a row where we received lots of snow. It was marvelous for someone who enjoys the snow so much. I was even able to introduce my son and daughter to fabulous snow ice cream.

When my daughter was quite young, she decided that she wanted to make the snow ice cream on her own. She called her Grannie Ida and asked how to make it. Of course, Grannie obliged and off Tracie and Mickey went to find the appropriate amount of snow to make this treat. Recently, I was looking through a recipe box and found that handwritten recipe in Tracie's childish handwriting. It is now a priceless heirloom that I hope to pass on to her children someday. At the moment, Duke, the Mini Pin, is my only grandchild---uh make that grand dog! But, he does love ice cream, just not snow. Maybe we will tempt him to venture out into the snow this winter with a promise of a bowl of snow ice cream.

Tracie and Grannie Ida's Snow Ice Cream
(with the original spelling)

Clean snow
2 table spoons of milk
2 or 3 table spoons of suargar
1 or 2 drops of vanillia

Big bole Stir it up
and if you need more snow put some more milk in it.

Here is a copy of the orignial hand printed recipe. It was written in red ink on a piece of notebook paper. I found it folded up in my recipe box.

Since I was spending a nice leisurely afternoon in the coolness of the house, I decided to take advantage of my decorated table for my CIJ Tablescape Party this week. featured some snowman dishes. I had the breakfast bar decorated for a small ice cream social that I am having this evening. We are going out to eat with some friends and coming back here for ice cream.

All of this decorating made me hungry, so I expanded the ice cream social to include a lunch for one. I fixed a turkey breast sandwich, with mayo, pepperjack cheese, and red onion. I finished my impromptu lunch off with a Clausen pickle spear and a glass of iced tea. With the heat index at 110 degrees on Friday, a cool sandwich was the perfect addition to my day.

PD,
Run, don't walk, to your nearest Kinko's Copy Place and get several colored copies (each one should be a different size: 100%, 80% 60%, etc.) of the handwritten recipe. Then take the copies to Michael's or a framing shop and find a red mat that frames one of the copies. Put the matted recipe into a nice Christmas-y frame and hang it in your kitchen during the month of December.
What a treasure you have!
OA

I love seeing the Xmas tables in July, especially since its been 115 here this week.

Printer, I didn't even know my DH had a twin...much less that you'd married him! LOL.
Ahh, the life of a golf widow. I definitely like the 'whatever makes you happy, Dear" as they head off to the course.

hugs, Karen

Luvs, that is a lovely CIJ table! The red & white looks so crisp and I really like the layering of the 3 pretty plates. Your Christmas plates are wonderful, love the border on them. Did you dig those out of storage? Cute birdie napkin rings too! Great job for having things packed away.

Printer, I think I commented on your tables on your blog but again, they are lovely. I never seem to think of blue and white as Christmas but I really like what you have done and hope to remember it come December!

DD

This week I decided to add a little of Christmas whimsy with a touch of elegance to my Christmas in July Week 3 table. I am using a newly acquired set of dishes that I bought at Goodwill. These dishes had been there on the shelf for several months. I have to admit that I looked at them early on and thought they were cheesy Valentine's dishes. They were on a bottom shelf and stacked with dinner plates, salad plates and bowls on top. The top bowl was the one that is labeled Cupid. So, you see, I thought they were Valentine plates. I never bent down for a closer look since I thought they were a strange color for Cupid and Val Day. I wasn't even interested enough to pick one up.

So there they stayed for months, just collecting dust. Last week the local Goodwill was cleaning and dusting and rearranging things and the set of dishes got moved up to a higher shelf. This time, I paused to look at the figure on the Cupid plate and realized that it was a reindeer!

How could I have missed these? Well, I guess the important thing is that they were still there that day and now belong to my dish-ease! My friend from the Garden Web forum, Bettyd z7 va, recently used this term and I love it.

I put a leaf in my table today to have a little more room. I really hate to hassle with them unless I have company. I am pleased that I chose to do this today.

The tablecloth is an after Christmas clearance from Walmart in a gold color. I used a set of gold chargers with a scalloped edge that I think set off the plates nicely. I then layered the dinner plates with a bowl on top for salad and the dessert plate to the upper left of the setting.

Here is the Blitzen place setting.

I used an off-white set of napkins that features a gold glittery swirl and gold Christmas tree napkin rings with my everyday flatware. I really need to invest in a set of gold tone flatware!

The gold stems were found at Big Lots in the spring and the clear goblets were another recent Goodwill find.

For a centerpiece I added a glass gold star candy dish in the center of the table flanked by tall gold metal Christmas tree candlesticks and added a roll of gold lacy Christmas ribbon intertwined around the items.

Rudolph

Cupid

Comet

Blitzen

Now if I just had the matching plates for Donner, Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen I would have a great table to use every month on Rudolph Day on the 25th!

PD, what a great and fun set of Christmas dishes. I think it is so great how you've combined the fun with the elegant on this table. Those gold tree candles are unique too. Isn't it fun to hunt for treasures like those plates?

I'm really enjoying all your Christmas in July tables, but of course, snowmen are my alltime favorites! I've been going over to your blog to try to follow the links to see the other tables too.

Luvs

I joined in Printer's party on her blog and so am transferring that post over here. I know the font comes across rather large but hope it turns out okay. Merry Christmas!

This is what I came up with.....

DD

I so LOVE those plates. This table was fantastic!!!!

Beautiful tablescape DD. How fun that you did it outside. Now you KNOW we have to hear what Mr. Delight had to say when he saw it! LOL

Those are really pretty plates, lucky you to have a DD who knows what you like! ;o) And I love the way you layered the two napkins together too. You are very creative indeed.

TFS.

Luvs

PD, I think I missed the gold one on your blog...I have to go back and look.
It is lovely! I know I commented on the others on your blog..
DD, I cracked up when you said you set it up outside..:)
It is lovely, love the new plates your dau gave you!

Thanks Printer, Luvs & Kathleen!

Luvs, "Mr. Delight" did mention that he thought I was "losing it" when he looked outside the next a.m. and saw how I had decorated the cabana. Being the good sport that he is though, he ate breakfast with me there.

DD

OMgosh!!! I am a Christmas person. I count the months until it's time to start decorating, but I cannot believe the work you all have gone through.

Luvs, your table is wonderful, it would look good, for 4th of July, with some blue added. I have to admit I thought without the holly chargers it would be cute for Valentines day.

PD. Your stuff is all just wonderful. Can't imagine doing four different Christmas/winter tables in July. I agree with OA that recipe is such a treasure.

DD, WOW!!! I love everything, especially the little trees from your living room, and the gold trees. When everything is lit up, with candles, the effect is gorgeous.

Thank you all for sharing. There's only about 4 months till Thanksgiving is over and I can start decorating for Christmas. You've got me dreaming now. - Gail

PD, I dont know how you manage to find all these lovely goodies at your thrift stores! Its amazing. The reindeer dishes are very cute and you have used them beautifully. Totally love it!!

And DD, you have just taken CIJ up one notch. You not only set a Christmas table, you even decorated everything nearby with the theme. LOL about your DH's comment but he really is a good sport to join you!

Mo