Three things you probably don’t know about me. 1) I have Royal Worcester soup bowls I love and have never used (after hunting for them for 10 years!); 2) I have always wanted to host a sophisticated lunch with friends; 3) I am design-challenged. I can pick out tile and do a massive restoration project, but when it comes to decorating I can honestly say it is not my strong suit. Low confidence in this arena.

I decided to put all those things together and organized a lunch with friends who are superb at design and whose opinion I value. The deal was I would provide lunch if they would help me with my design obstacles.

Soup was a definite item on the menu as I was excited to use these beautiful footed cream soup bowls and saucer. Since it is January and many people are watching their nutrition, I decided on a simple broccoli soup~~one without cream. Plus I was able to use fresh broccoli from the garden!

I’ve never made cheese crisps before (very easy) and it was a nice accompaniment to the soup. All you do is shred cheese in a 2″ pile on a cookie sheet (lined with parchment paper) and bake for 18 minutes.

The entree would be my Pomegranate, Kale and Wild Rice Salad with walnuts and feta (see previous post here), but I also added baked chicken and avocado.

Since we are in the height of our citrus season here, I thought it might be fun to attempt a new cake~~something small but reasonably healthy? It was timely to receive a blog post from Kitchen McCabe with a recipe for a Candied Orange Olive Oil Cake + Cornmeal and Rum.

I made the soup the night before so it was easy to heat up just before my guests arrived. However, the cake is supposed to be made on the same day you serve it. A rather big undertaking the morning of the lunch.

Thankfully, the table was set the night before and the centerpiece was two simple glass rectangular vases with yellow and white flowers. Placemats vs. a tablecloth seemed more appropriate for lunch too.

The cake preparation took longer than expected. So naturally, I was running a bit late~~hence some of the blurry photos! After looking at the inspiration photo, I think I cut my oranges too thin before I candied them. As a result they didn’t stick as well to the cake. Also, the recipe called for a 6″ pan but 3″ deep. Mine are only 2″ deep, therefore I made 3 layers.

In spite of it not looking as GREAT as the one from Kitchen McCabe, it was still pretty and was very tasty. Kumquats and mint are from our garden.

In addition to a delicious lunch, my friends gave me several constructive ideas on how I can improve the dining room and family room. At first I thought they would tell me to throw everything out and start again, but with they were very complimentary and helpful. Their suggestions were affordable and reasonable and I am excited to make some changes.

I don’t know why it has taken me so long to have a luncheon with friends in my dining room. Typically we would go to a restaurant, but having guests in your home, with food you have lovingly made, is the best gift you can give yourself.

It was so much fun I can’t wait to plan another one! Recipe links below.

Creamy Broccoli Soup with Cheddar Crisps (Note: I seasoned my soup with Better than Bouillon Chicken in lieu of more salt) https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/creamy-broccoli-soup-with-cheddar-crisps

Pomegranate, Kale, and Wild Rice Salad with Walnuts and Feta (I added cooked chicken and avocado)

https://pinchofyum.com/pomegranate-kale-wild-rice-salad-with-walnuts-feta

Candied Orange Olive Oil Cake and Cornmeal & Rum

https://www.thekitchenmccabe.com/2019/01/13/candied-orange-olive-oil-cake-cornmeal-rum/

Beverages: water, Miraval Cotes de Provence Rose, coffee/espresso

Someone recently asked me where I put everything. The challenge with having a large property is to not fill it to the brim with stuff.

I tend to organize by categories. Some people organize alphabetically or by color or project. But it’s easier for me to focus on the object~~looking for scissors? Go to the scissor drawer vs. scissors could be with the sewing stuff or craft supplies or junk drawer.

Since I just finished putting all holiday decorations away, I thought I would show you where I store them.

Basements are rare in Arizona. Basements are common back east, but for some reason, it is unique to have one here. Ours is not a full basement, but a partial one below the dining room, butler’s pantry, kitchen and breakfast room.

Our basement is comprised of three rooms~~the wine cellar (see post here), the Christmas storage room and a center room between the two. We refer to it as the Christmas Room, however, it also serves as a utility room, where we have our water heaters, reverse osmosis water system and a heating/AC unit.

Years ago, I painted the concrete floor large with checkerboard pattern of cheerful red and green with gold squares. Placing the pattern on a diagonal makes the room feel bigger. Even though there are 3 transom-like windows in this room, the northern exposure doesn’t allow for much natural light. Fluorescent ceiling lights are the reason for the sub-par photos.

Since this room has flooded in the past (burst water heater), everything is on rolling racks or above the ground. The walls are the original plaster or brick. When you first walk in the door, you see this.

There are 6 rolling racks filled with tubs of holiday decorations. These are stacked against each other and are easily moved when I need to access the boxes.

*Note: I purchased these rolling racks from Costco and quickly assembled them. I wish I had considered the size of the tubs prior to installing the shelves. I also wish I had been consistent in the tub size since some tubs don’t easily fit on the shelves.

On the adjacent wall is a single rolling rack. Here I store kitchen items that I don’t use every day~~bundt pans, large roasting pan, cake molds, apple peelers, bread machine, ice cream machine, pressure cooker, etc.

Though the main gift wrapping area is in our mudroom, I keep extra supplies of tissue paper, bags and tags here.

On another wall, there is a wooden book shelf that holds signed cookbooks, large stock pots, small electrical appliances, and oversized trays.

All my Christmas artwork is stored in large moving boxes on a platform nearby. Since the basement temperatures tend to be cooler than the garage or barn, most of our cherished Christmas items are safely stored here.

I hope to share more storage ideas with you. I am always inspired when I see someone’s organizational style or skill. Please feel free to send me any tips you have!

The time between Christmas and the New Year is an interesting one.  I love having less cars on the road, a fluid schedule, and more time with my family. The house is a bit messy but I don’t really care. As this year closes and a new one is ready to begin, it is a good time to reflect on the last 12 months. I am guilty of sometimes thinking ahead, and not spending that necessary time to ponder on what has been.

Here are some of the highlights of 2018:

Entertaining

Most of what we do for entertaining is simple, spontaneous, come on over for drinks and nibbles.  But having scheduled, more formal events forces us to clean a bit deeper, tackle the projects we’ve postponed, and step things up a notch.

It is always such an honor to host a charitable event, where people have a wonderful time for a good cause.  In March, we had our second Afternoon Tea with New York Times Bestselling Author Rhys Bowen. We get to play dress up with our hats and nibble on civilized food, gather with friends all while helping others.

In the spring, our property is at its best.  Flowers are blooming, the trees have their spring buds and the weather is generally perfect.  Hosting Junior Prom for my daughter and her 20 friends, was as much fun for me as it was for them.

Perhaps one of my most favorite events is Valentine’s Day.  We are at an age where we don’t do much as a couple, but having a small group of good friends for a lovely sit-down dinner is just perfect. I tried something different with the table setting and the effect was magical.

Recipes

I tried some new recipes this year ~~ Key Lime Pie, Lemon Pots de Creme, Madeleines and a gingerbread house.

Before and After

As some of you requested, I posted more Before and After pictures of Bella Terra, including the master bedroom, wine cellar, kitchen, library, mudroom, my girls’ bedrooms and the exterior renovation.

Organization Projects

Each year I try and reorganize some cluttered area of the house (there are MANY), and was able to improve both the Butler’s Pantry, the kitchen pantry, and the mud/laundry room.

Personal Achievements

Yes, there were a few milestones this year~~our son’s graduation from college and the beginning of his professional career.

However, I do not miss assembling Ikea furniture at his apartment in Washington, D.C.!

My Willetta house restoration finally sold and the family kindly invited us to their holiday open house. It is such a gift to know this family loves all the hardwork and attention to detail we put into restoring this grand old dame.

All in all, 2018 was a good one for us.  Some years aren’t so gentle, but we are basking in the glow of this one.

Personally, I couldn’t have continued writing this blog without you, my subscribers.  Just when I am feeling discouraged, someone has a generous compliment or comments about a recent post.  I know in this busy world it is difficult to find time to sit down and read about life around here, but I so dearly appreciate it when you do.

As always, I look forward to your comments and criticisms.  With feedback I can only get better. As the year comes to a close, I send you my biggest hugs and lots of quiet, loving moments for your and your family. Thank you for your continuing support and friendship!

P.S. I didn’t provide links to the various blog posts mentioned above, but if you are interested in any topic you can enter it in the search bar.

With only a few minutes to spare between finalizing recipes and last minute shopping, I want to wish you a very Merry Christmas!  Since we are having our big dinner tonight, here is our holiday table. Photos haven’t been edited, but hopefully you will enjoy them anyway!

I almost ALWAYS do a white table cloth, but this year I added placemats given to me last year by my friend, Connie. The design reminds me of a New England snow scene.

Once again, I am using my silver beaded chargers. The napkin ring is from Pottery Barn – a simple velvet ribbon and silver bells. Napkins are from Ballard Designs.

Since I only have 6 napkin rings and we are having dinner for 8, I used a wired red ribbon for the settings on the ends of the table.

The dishes are the Reindeer pattern from Pottery Barn.

Behind each chair has a ribboned wreath from Ballard Design (as shown in my last blog post).

I have refreshed the flowers in the silver mint julep cups with white tulips and roses.

Candles and votives complete the ambiance.

Dinner tonight will be individual beef Wellingtons, roasted root vegetables, and a salad.  For dessert, I am making a mocha and raspberry trifle from a 1998 Bon Appetite recipe.

Lastly, this is the VERY first time I have made a gingerbread house from scratch.  I used a Martha Stewart template for a log cabin and baked each of the sections.  I had such fun doing this, maybe because I love renovating homes.

The chimney is covered in pecans, while the roof tiles are mini Hershey chocolates and York Peppermint patties. Gingersnaps make up the border fence and walkway.  Hershey kisses top the roofline.

Graham crackers mimic shutters on the yellow cellophane window panes.  My snowman is made up of 3 snowball cookies.

He even has a carrot for a nose!

My husband added lights and the control box is tucked in the back of the house.

I’m dashing off to do some last minute shopping! Have a glorious day!

As promised, here is our 2018 holiday home tour.  I tried a few new things this year. There are several pictures so please pull up a chair, grab a cup of coffee/tea and enjoy!

The Entry

Since the outside of the front door is rather magical, I wanted to make the entry feel as special. As I mentioned in my last post, I have ALOT of fresh garland and used it on the front staircase bannister.

The petticoat table isn’t really my style, but it’s an antique and I’ve never seen another.  The mirror on the bottom was used to check your hemline. Unfortunately you can also see my Dyson vacuum cleaner in the reflection! So much for trying to take perfect photos.

I assembled a collection of colorful ornaments in glass vases this year.

I love those fabulous faux candles (that light with a remote) and placed a few on the stairs. Bells are hung in the garland on the newel post.

In 2011, we went to Disneyland right after New Year’s to celebrate my daughter’s 10th birthday. The Chip and Dale store had all their ornaments on sale for 75% off.  I bought them all, literally, with the intention that they would be appropriate for a Christmas tree at our cabin.  However, we have never had a tree up in the mountains so the ornaments have been boxed up for the last several years.  A woodland theme for the front hall tree was the perfect solution. Now we are enjoying all those ornaments.

This old log cabin has been in our barn for years collecting dust.   With its own rocking chair, the tree on the porch and wreath on the upstairs window, it fits with the woodland theme.

I even wrapped my hostess gifts with simple in mind and placed them under the tree for handy retrieval at the front door. Custom made tags by Dixie Design.

Living Room

To the left of the entry, this is the view of the living room.

I kept the mantle rather simple this year, with garland and candles but added 2 new trees on the ends. The boxwood topiaries are from The Enchanted Home and stay on the mantle throughout the year.

The tree is a fresh one from Whitfill Nursery. We have never been disappointed in the quality of trees this wonderful nursery provides. Combined with the fresh cedar garland, the entire house smells like winter. Tucked into the corner by the windows, the tree is filled with cherished ornaments we’ve collected over the years.

The Nativity Scene is placed on the top of the piano. Baby Jesus will arrive on Christmas Day.

Meanwhile, the 3 Wise Men roam around the house as they make their way to Bethlehem.

Dining Room

Tried and true, the vintage glittery village rests on the sideboard.  Lights are placed under the snow and each little house is lit from behind.

On the adjacent wall, above the fireplace, is a mantle filled with snow globes.

Here is the view from the front hall to the dining room.  I added these sweet boxwood wreaths (from Ballard Designs) to the back of the chairs.  I feel like I need to do something about the dark furniture in the dining room, but that’s a project for the new year!

The Kitchen

My friend, Janie always has a Christmas tree on her counter.  I stole her idea and this year I added a small Christmas tree on the kitchen island, with any ornament related to cooking or food.

The Library

Most of the artwork on the first floor gets changed out for Christmas paintings. Matryoshka dolls we purchased in St. Petersburg are placed on the mantle.  Done by a Russian artist, each doll represents a Russian fairytale.  There are 8 more inside the smallest one below,  but if displayed, the cats would have a field day.

We also tuck these remote control lighted candles in the bookcase.  With the fireplace roaring and the candles on, the room is quite magical at night.

Lastly, my sweet husband had my last 3 Christmas paintings framed and they are hanging in the mudroom.

Thank you for joining me for my holiday home tour.  We feel so blessed to live in this historical home, where many holidays have been celebrated over the generations.

This weekend I will be setting the holiday table and if time permits, I hope to share it with you on Monday.

The first exterior decorations to go up for the holidays are the multiple wreaths placed around our property.  There are two lighted Balsam Hill ones on the front entry gates.

The largest lighted one is placed on the front of the well tower.

Everything looks very different at night.

Since our daughter is living in our guest cottage during her last year in college, we simply added a lighted wreath beside the front door.

Bright red amaryllis and holly leaves are the perfect complement to the wreath on the forest green Dutch door at the back of the house.

My husband gets all the credit for erecting and lighting the 7 trees that grace the front entrance.

Battery operated candles are placed in each window.  Someone recently asked me why we do this.  Growing up in Connecticut, my mother always had candles in the windows. So I researched why and here’s what I discovered.

The tradition of lighting candles in the windows of homes during Christmas was brought to America by the Irish. The Irish were persecuted for their religious beliefs by the English. When Christmas came, they would leave their doors unlocked and a candle burning in the window to let the priest know he was welcome in their home.

Each year my husband and I have the debate about white vs. colored lights.  I am partial to white lights; he loves colored ones.  So we compromise~~he gets colored lights on the wreath on the well tower and a tree that is placed in front of the pool house. White lights are used everywhere else.

I was a bit ambitious on ordering fresh cedar garland this year (2 strands each 75 feet long) and I am using it EVERYWHERE.  On the outside back terrace, the garland is the main stay of the centerpiece.  I added faux bois vases I purchased from Painted Fox.

I then added seeded eucalyptus, red berries and a few pinecones.

The vases are filled with fresh greens, red roses and white hydrangeas. Every year we host our neighborhood board holiday party and this centerpiece was perfect for the wintery theme.

Two metal hand painted angels are hung on the master bedroom terrace fireplace.  I bought these years ago from a street vendor and have never seen them again. I love how whimsical they are!

My next blog post will be an interior holiday home tour.  I have tried a few new things this year and cannot wait to share them with you.  I hope you are taking quiet moments for yourself during this crazy time of year!