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Christmas in July

Holiday table setting

I am so delighted to be part of a very talented group of bloggers who are celebrating Christmas in July. What exactly is Christmas in July? I did some research and you can read more about it at the bottom of this post. Psychologically, in the sweltering Arizona heat, a mental escape to Christmas it is a quick way to beat the high temps.

Pinks, burgundy and silver for a different holiday scheme

But right now, some stores already have their autumn decorations up and retailers seem to dictate the seasons long before they arrive. Each Christmas, I do try to decorate something/someplace in a “different” way. For years I would put our decorations in the same areas. But stepping back and looking at your space with a critical eye, can spark refreshing ideas on how to use the decorations you already have. Whether it be a new color combination or a holiday theme, by mixing it up a bit, tends to keep me out of a decorating rut.

Experiment with Color

Being a bit of a traditionalist, I do love reds and greens for Christmas. However, last year, instead of focusing on Christmas colors, I based my decorations on the shades and tones of each individual room. Since we do decorate nearly the entire house, there is a great deal of pleasure in making each room unique and different.

Our dining room (see post here) has a beautiful Oriental rug with shades of cranberry, pink and greens. This rug isn’t going anywhere as it is very high quality and the perfect size for the room. But red and green in a room whose dominating colors are cranberry/pink/teal, just doesn’t work well.

Pink it is!

Pink ornaments from Michaels

Though pink isn’t a traditional Christmas color, I am able to find this large container with ornaments in the blush/pink tones. The ribbon is typically available on Amazon here. But it is currently out of stock. A pink polka dot ribbon in similar shades can be found here.

In addition to the ornaments, these glittery floral picks are also from Michaels. Please note that I waited to the early part of December to look for pink-toned items. The inventory is so low at that point, but by chance I did find one container of ornaments hidden along with these pink blush picks on a low shelf. If you are looking for a unique color, I recommend starting your search a lot earlier than December!

Addition of a fresh tree

Armed with ornaments and ribbon, we did splurge on a fresh evergreen tree in a corner of the room. This tree is the perfect size for the dining room, elevating the entire Christmas theme (and smell) of the room.

Surprisingly, I did find pink Christmas wrapping paper to give the gifts under the tree a similar theme.

For a tree skirt, I gently wrapped my pink/white Valentine quilt around the base of the tree. Again, try and utilize what you have on hand.

With the tree complete and in the pink, now I need to focus on the rest of the room.

The Mantel

Being a historic home, we have a fireplace in nearly every room. With a wide and deep mantel, they are perfect for holiday decorating. In the dining room, I apply a faux garland, white lights and tuck in dried pink peppercorns, pink hydrangea and a sparkly pink ball floral wire.

The bottle brush trees in shades of pink, teal, evergreen add height and dimension to the linear mantel. For fun and balance, I hang the pink balls on fishing line on clear Command hooks on the underside of the mantel.

You don’t need to buy new holiday items every year. Here’s a photo of Christmas 2019 where I use the same pink balls, but in a different application. Playful and festive, they are hanging from the crystal chandelier over the dining room table. Reimagine and repurpose!

More festive touches

With the tree decorated and the mantel adorned, the rest of the room gets a few pink touches.

Pink satin ribbon with boxwood wreaths are pinned to the tops of the upholstered Parson chairs. These wreaths are an after Christmas significantly discounted purchase from Ballard Design. I use them year after year in different ways and they look as good as they day they arrived. See boxwood wreaths here.

Our Christmas dinner is a bit on the formal side and many memories are shared here in this room. Instead of using our traditional red/green, it is fun to change it up a bit to go with the rest of the pink/blush/tree decor.

The sparkly bits of the centerpiece are glittered pine cones, silver trees, coppery votives and silver mint julep cups as vases.

Natural elements like fresh greens, deep ruby pomegranates, alstroemeria and pink roses bring color to the table. Dark cranberry ribbon secure the napkins and a sprig of greens tie it all together. Plain white dishes, pink glassware are layers toward a compliment of colors.

With a burgundy/pink toile tablecloth, the entire new color scheme pulls together.

I can honestly say this is one of my favorite holiday rooms. Getting the colors right with minimal cost is so rewarding. Just writing this blog post and seeing the photos over again, makes me so happy.

Since this is a time of celebration, change your decorations up a bit. If you always put the snow globes in the same place every year, think of where else you can still display them but in a new and exciting way. And if you are buying a unique item or color, don’t wait until December to do it. Most stores will be out of stock by then.

What is Christmas in July?

Per Real Simple Magazine, according to legend, Christmas in July was first celebrated at a summer camp in 1933, when Keystone Camp in Brevard, North Carolina decided to dedicate two days (July 24 and 25) to the holiday—complete with cotton fake snow, a decked-out tree, a gift exchange, and, of course, Santa.

The tradition carries on today, and blistering-hot Southern summers have yet to stop the camp’s tradition—now they simply go for a dip in the lake post-presents. 

Thanks for joining me today! And now let’s see what these talented gals are sharing below.

Christmas in July Blog Hop

Don’t you love looking at other holiday ideas? Me, too. My sweet friend, Rachel from the Pond’s Farmhouse is the host and clever coordinator. I you are visiting me from The Pond’s Farmhouse, welcome to my historical home.

Let’s get started and see what the other 13 bloggers have in store.


Click on the highlighted links below to follow along on the tour.

Stacy Ling – Bricks N Blooms –/– Chloe – Celebrate & Decorate –/– Anne & Ann Marie – Simply 2 Moms –/– Cindy – County Road 407 –/– Jenn – Down Shiloh Road –/– Kelly – The Tattered Pew –/– Rachel – The Ponds Farmhouse –/– Mary – Life At Bella Terra –/– Michele – Vintage Home Designs –/– Jen – MIdwest Life & Style –/– Kim – Shiplap & Shells –/– Kristen – White Arrows Home –/– Andrea – Design Morsels –/– Chas – Chas Crazy Creations





Cinco de Mayo

Image from istockphoto.com

Since we are a border state to Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is often celebrated here on May 5th. Cinco de Mayo is NOT Mexican Independence Day and it isn’t a federal holiday in Mexico either. So why do we acknowledge this holiday?  Cinco de Mayo was first celebrated in the United States in Southern California in 1863 as a show of solidarity with Mexico against French rule. This holiday is more of a general celebration of Mexican heritage and culture. A unusual fact: Denver, Colorado has the largest Cinco de Mayo celebration.

I love to cook but I can honestly say I really don’t make many Mexican recipes. The reason is because we have SO many great restaurants who serve authentic south of the border food. We take the accessibility of this cultural food for granted. But if you are interested in participating in this fiesta, here are some quick tips.

Grilled corn on the cob

What You Need

Here is a relatively easy way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo and enjoy some of the tasty foods available. Some important items to have on hand are:

  • Carne Asada~ is a dish of grilled and sliced beef, usually skirt steak, sirloin steak, tenderloin steak, or rib steak. It is usually cooked with a marinade and some searing to impart a charred flavor. 
  • Tortillas
  • Guacamole
  • Cilantro
  • Cojita Cheese
  • Chopped white onion
  • Lime slices
  • Salsa
  • Corn on the Cob
  • Watermelon
Fresh tortillas from Food City

Fortunately, we have some grocery stores who offer a full variety of ethnic and Hispanic food choices. We are able to purchase carne asada, already marinated and ready to go. Food City provides everything we need for this meal. And their produce department is off the charts!

Pre-marinated carne asada at Food City

Preparation

It takes minimal prep work to dice the onions, slice the limes, crumble the cheese and chop the cilantro.

The best basic guacamole recipe is from Serious Eats and takes 15 minutes to make. See the recipe here.

Best Basic Guacamole recipe from Serious Eats

Another FABULOUS recipe is Elote which is grilled Mexican Street Corn, again from Serious Eats. You will LOVE this! Recipe here. I have made this multiple times and it is a winner.

Elote

Easy Cooking

A quick grilling of the carne asada and cutting into bite sized pieces, is all it takes to prepare the meat.

Grilling the carne asada

Put all the fixings into bowl so your guests can help themselves to the cheese, onions, cilantro and limes.

Serve buffet style

Warm the tortillas in an oven or microwave and wrap in a towel until ready to serve.

Warm tortillas

This is such an easy, simple and delicious meal to serve anytime, but definitely for Cinco de Mayo!

A Mexican feast

For dessert, slices of cold watermelon and cookies are a great option.

Fresh watermelon

For more Cinco de Mayo ideas, a group of blogging friends create a Cinco de Mayo Virtual Supper Club. See my friend, Rachel’s Cilantro Lime Black Beans side dish. Rachel also has wonderful ideas for Cinco de Mayo table setting too! Click here to see more.

Rachel from The Ponds Farmhouse

My friend, Chloe from Celebrate and Decorate makes a fabulous tissue paper garland which is perfect for this holiday. To see her post, click here.

Celebrate and Decorate tissue garland

I hope you are inspired by all the festive table decorations and delicious food. May is just around the corner and remember, Cinco de Mayo is May 5th.

Happy Wednesday, my sweet friends! I am traveling this week and hope to get a Saturday Meanderings out to you. Enjoy the rest of April and we will chat again soon.

If you enjoy this post, please share on Pinterest.




Holiday Front Porch Decor

When I painted the front door a new color in April (see post here), I was worried the color might only be appropriate for summer and spring. But surprisingly, the color is proving to be one for all seasons. Remember my autumn wreath against this color? Just perfect. Well now, I want you to see how it fairs in the Holiday Front Porch decor.

It’s funny how the angle or light changes the color of the door a bit, but it is more aqua than sky blue. Since the door is 4 feet wide, I need an extra large wreath. The ribbon is from Costco and I love how the red plaid really stands out against the blue.

During the front porch re-do, I added 2 artificial cedar trees, mostly to survive the summer. But they are perfect for winter too. By adding the red plaid bow to the tops of each, they compliment the wreath. Initial “C” door mat is from Wayfair. Cedar trees can be found here.

We don’t decorate the area of the property closest to the street, due to the huge trees and excessive foliage. But the front gates get lighted wreaths and also plaid bows. Once the gate opens, the driveway leads you around to the front door, where the holiday impact really happens.

My husband sets up numerous trees to create a forest like setting on either side of the front door. When the pre-lit trees had functioning lights, it was easy. But since those only last a few years (right?), he hangs additional lights on each and every one of them. Sometimes we add snow to cover any electrical cords, but this year, I decided to remove it after taking this picture.

Faux wrapped packages are tucked in at the base of the trees for fun.

Even the stone bunny rabbit gets his own bow and bells.

Costco has a nice selection of large and small poinsettias, too! This helps fill in and cover some of the artificial tree bases.

My helper, Sox

With chilly mornings and evenings, one definitely needs a blanket for your lap on the rocking chair.

The porch looks best at night with all the twinkling lights and bursts of red. Here is an afternoon shot.

And this is how it looks in the late afternoon/dusk.

This decorated porch fits in nicely with my theory on life. Make the entrance warm and welcoming, keep the first 3 rooms upon entry clean, and then live life fully (and don’t worry about the mess!).

Happy Tuesday! We are supposed to have frost this morning so hopefully my garden covers will work! Stay safe and healthy.




Saturday Meanderings

Happy Saturday, friends! I hope your Thanksgiving was as wonderful as mine. From the food to the family to the weather, it couldn’t have been more perfect! I am so happy you are joining me this morning for Saturday meanderings~a glimpse into the previous week’s activities.

The Turkey

We always buy a big turkey for this holiday. Whole Foods provided the 22 pound organic bird. When I picked it up, I asked if the butcher could break it down for us, however, the turkey (though fresh) was too frozen to cut it apart. This is the first Thanksgiving my son is able to convince me to try cooking it this way. So Benjamin (a big, strong guy) googled how to break down this bird and I can say, it isn’t for weaklings. So happy he is home to do this!

Again, we used the dry brining method on the turkey 2 days prior to cooking. This year we added a different dry brine recipe that has many more spices.

I can honestly say this is the BEST TURKEY EVER! Cooking a 22 lb. turkey took 2.5 hours. And it is delicious! Moist breast, crispy skin, perfectly cooked thighs….just yummy.

Here is the link to the Bon Appetit recipe in case you want to try this. Also, I highly recommend you have your butcher break down the bird or find a handsome, strapping young fellow to do so.

The Table

The weather has been very chilly (for us) in the mornings, but the day time temperatures are perfect. On Thanksgiving Day it was 71 degrees and we decided to set up the table outside on the back terrace. We’ve never eaten our holiday meal there, so it was very pleasant and gave us the space we needed.

Calligraphy place cards

My son’s girlfriend, Delaney did the lettering for the place cards. Aren’t they pretty? Calligraphy will be on list of new things to tackle in 2021. Anyone else want to do that?

The Cocktail

Jungle Bird Cocktail

I love this picture so much that I thought I would share this cocktail. Created in the 1970s at the Kuala Lumpur Hilton, the Jungle Bird is a tropical rum cocktail featuring a bitter hint of Campari. Recipe below.

The Desserts

Our dessert selection includes pumpkin and cherry pie. My husband is responsible for the pumpkin as he has his “secret” recipe. The cherry recipe is straight from Oregon Fruit’s website. No fancy cakes this year.

Cashmere Problems

With the change in temperature, I find myself reaching for sweaters to wear in the morning. One of my favorite gray cardigan is cashmere and when I put it on I discovered dreaded moth eaten holes. I’ve never had moth damage in the closet before. Sadly, we also have a cedar closet and some of the items in there have moth damage too.

So after reading a blog post from Between Naps on the Porch, she suggested buying a cashmere bag to store your sweaters. I will try this and see if it works for the very few remaining cashmere sweaters that I have.

Christmas Jammies

Striped pajamas from Soma

As you well know, Christmas holiday decor and celebrations do not start here at Bella Terra until after Thanksgiving. In order to welcome in the new season, I just bought these fun red/white striped pajamas from Soma. The pants have pockets and a drawstring waist~so very comfortable. Even though these pajamas are featured in their catalog, I could not find them online. However, the store at the Biltmore Shopping Center does have them in stock. Plus Soma has an extensive collection of other pajamas online.

Family Photo Holiday Card

Does anyone else have difficulties getting the family together for a photo? At least this year we didn’t have to google how to set the timer and have someone run back to the group before the camera clicks! Anyway, it is time to write the family holiday letter and get the card created. The annual goal is to get cards in the mail by December 15th.

Well that wraps up the week. If you are a reader, please check out my post this week on Reading and Relaxing here. Please enjoy the last few days of November. The holiday decorating begins and next week I want to show you the gorgeous mantels my blogging friends created! Stay safe and warm!


The Jungle Bird cocktail

The Jungle Bird cocktail dates back to the 1970s, when it was served as a welcome drink to visitors of the former Kuala Lumpur Hilton, which opened in 1973. The cocktail was crafted by Jeffrey Ong inside the hotel’s Aviary Bar, hence the drink’s name, and is said to have been served inside a porcelain bird-shaped vessel.

  • 1 1/2 ounces dark rum
  • 3/4 ounce Campari
  • 1 1/2 ounces pineapple juice
  • 1/2 ounce lime juice freshly squeezed
  • 1/2 ounce demerara syrup
  1. Add all the ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.

  2. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.

  3. Garnish with a pineapple wedge.





My Easter Table

I know many of us are having smaller Easter dinner celebrations this year. However, albeit cozy, it is important to make it special for several reasons. Easter is a time of rebirth, joy and celebration. Even though we may be apart from our friends and family, we are healthy and safe.

Typically we have our sit-down dinners in the dining room, but since I have a “new” (from a yard sale) table in the family room with 4 “new” (from a yard sale) chairs, this location felt right for 4 people.

I chose the Royal Worcester Yellow Urn/Roses/Greek Key china because of the cheerful colors. An old business friend bought me 4 dishes many years ago. Slowly, over time, I have added to my collection but it is a rather difficult to find other pieces to this pattern.

Check out my adorable DIY bird nests! I am still tickled over how they turned out. If you missed my last blog post, click here. They fit perfectly inside my creamed soup bowl and add the Spring touch the table needed.

Yellow linen napkins are from Sferra. The sweet lamb napkin holders are gifts from my friend, Gwen. I am putting the napkins off to the side in a non-traditional location but this seems to work best with the round table configuration.

It’s hard to have Easter without bunnies! Daffodils were from our local Safeway store. I have no idea where the bunnies came from…maybe I just started with two? Ha!

My latest glassware purchase include these drop dead gorgeous Rogaska Gallia crystal glasses. They stand 9 3/8″ tall and the crystal cuts are stunning. Thanks to my friend, Louise, I was introduced to them at her dinner party last fall. I fell in love with the weight of the glass and was fortunate to find these on eBay.

Though I haven’t finalized the menu, I am hoping we have all the ingredients here so no one has to make a trip to the grocery store. We are wearing our masks out in public. I am encouraged by the latest projections as it appears that sheltering in is helping.

Wallace Silversmiths Bee Flatware from Horchow

Today I am making the annual family Lamb Cake. I am hoping all my siblings and my son are doing the same so we can have our Lamb Cake competition. My mother would bake one every year and it is one of many fond memories I have of her. Here’s a glimpse of last year’s cake. To learn more about the tradition of this cake, click here.

Happy Saturday and wishing you a blessed Easter with your family. May you continue to have good physical, mental and spiritual health!

The post shared with Between Naps on the Porch Tablescape Thursday #653




Spring and Easter Inspiration

Generally right after St. Patrick’s Day, I am full steam ahead on Easter. But I feel like the last week has been a blur and it’s hard to stay focused with so much going on around us. The purpose of this post is to tune out all the noise, and enjoy Spring and remember that Easter is 2 1/2 weeks away. Really.

* Daffodils in my tulipieres

A small treat for you today, is a link to this adorable Spring printable. Lucy, from Craftberry Bush is SO talented and generous in sharing her happy artwork. Makes me want to take watercolor classes. The printable comes with or without different messages. Click here for the download. So easy to print!

The evolution of the bulb garden is a source of constant joy and amazement. The sweat equity of planting of over 400 bulbs is now paying off. The hyacinths are past their prime, but the tulips! That red! Nothing beats the colors of nature.

Here is a before picture of the non-existent bulb garden last September…..

And now today! You can see the bearded irises just starting to show their blooms.

It dawned on me that Spring is happening all around us. I am very behind in my decorating for Easter. I pulled out boxes today and found some items that I cherish and bought many years ago. It was enough of a lift to get me at least thinking about the Easter holiday.

In order to help get you into the spirit of Spring and Easter, here are some photos from some of my favorite bloggers.

Yvonne, from Stone Gable, never disappoints. Her photos are fabulous and her blog is so informative.

PRETTY BLUE AND WHITE EASTER TABLE FOR 4
Stone Gable

Plus if you want to make these Chinoiserie eggs, click here. Aren’t they beautiful? I am definitely going to try this.

I just discovered Ann at Dabbling and Decorating. She has a home in Vermont and Maine and a fresh, light look to her decor.

My friend, Kristin, from White Arrows Home is part of an Easter Tablescape and Bunny Hop tour. Kristin lives in the Northwoods of Wisconsin in a big log cabin and I had the good fortune to meet her last October. Isn’t this a whimsical and fun table?

White Arrows Home

Another new discovery is Rachel from The Pond’s Farmhouse, who sold everything, built a home and moved to the country! I like her “nest” chargers.

Barbara from Mantel and Table has a Tuesday teacup series and everytime I see her post, I am inspired to make a cup of tea in a pretty cup. I think we all deserve some pampering now and again.

Royal Albert Moonlight Rose Teacup
Mantel and Table

Courtney from French Country Cottage is a professional photographer and has the most beautiful pictures. Her photos have encouraged me to focus on improving my own photos. To read a previous post about attending her book signing at Patina Farm, click here.

French Country Cottage

Isn’t this tablescape so serene and peaceful? Karen from Sanctuary Home Decor has stunning taste and wonderful ideas on how she changes her home from season to season.

Sanctuary Home

Even though I’ve never met many of my Instagram or blogging friends, I feel like we would be kindred spirits if we lived next door. The internet has provided an opportunity for us to get to know others while respecting the physical distancing requests that have been made of our country.

On a separate note, I wanted to share this last photo to show you our new norm. My daughter, Elisabeth, had to move out of her dorm and back home. She is completing her freshman year by taking online courses here at home. She has found the perfect spot to listen to her Criminal Justice class.

Inspiration can come from many sources. Do you have any Easter or Spring inspiration you want to share? Let’s keep each other’s spirits up!

Have a fabulous Wednesday and stay healthy!

*The tulipieres in the first picture are from The Enchanted Home. Daffodils are a great price at Safeway right now at 3 bunches for $5.00 (while tulips were $1 each). They are closed up but within 24 hours are showing their pretty yellow blossoms. To see a post about these tulipieres, click here.