Table Top Tuesday

Thanks to Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for hosting Table Top Tuesday so we can share our decorating designs! Click on her name for lots more inspiration.

Inspiration for this table top started with this pretty deer I found at TJ Maxx a few months ago.
I haven't bought many Christmas decorations this year, but I did want this, it was love at first sight! LOL! He is 24 inches tall and very elegant! His fur is different, sort of a soft straw, I don't know what it is called.
He is mostly white, maybe a light blond color in places! It's hard to photograph a true color, especially using the flash which I had to do as I almost forgot TTT and it getting dark when I remembered, (we've been gone all afternoon.)

I've been dragging my feet with putting up Christmas decorations and couldn't decide what to use for my blog banner. I like to change the hall tree decor in the foyer.
I placed him on the left side and looked around for something else to go with the vignette.

How about this small white Italian Nativity with a cloche?

The white poinsettias look nice too!


The reflection in the mirror looks like two deer!

But, no, only one!

I wish I could think of a nice name for him!
Any suggestions?

View from above.

Mirror reflection (above) shows a bit of the living room.

I think he loves to pose and loves the attention!

The Nativity is one of many I have in my collection:
I hope to share some of them in Marty's Cloche Party this Friday!

I took many photos to try to get a good one for the blog banner.

The verticals are best, but it must be horizonal!

I hope you enjoyed seeing this Christmas vignette in our foyer.

God Bless.

Katherine

Christmas with Victoria

I'm joining Kathy at A Delightsome Life for her Christmas With Victoria Blog Party. Click on her name for lots more Victoria Christmas posts.

I'm sharing an article from Victoria, December 1988. This issue was published the first year Victoria was published.

The article on page 35 "A Winter's Gathering of Swans
Wonderments of the holiday season inspired by the formal grace of swans.

Wonderments

Once a year wonder mists our eyes, and we see the world through the wide eyes of a child at Christmas. A snowfall dusts the evergreens, and we imagine the sugary forests in our first picture book. In shop windows we see the glorious colors and festive bounty of a Dickens tale. A strain of holiday music, and we hear a choir of triumphant angels. And in the faces of loved ones, the glow of good cheer. Come celebrate the wonderments of the holiday with us, and may the spirit of Christmas bless you all.

A Winter's Gathering of Swans

Nearly two centuries ago, Patrick Conway, age 17, wrote in his journal about the beauty of women, likening them to swans. The eloquence of his words and the natural elegance of swans have inspired this gathering, for what could be more spectacular at the holidays than the pure white demeanor of swans or the crystal clarity of t heir image frozen in timeless beauty?

"A beautiful woman, beautifully elegant, impresses us as art does, changes the weather of our spirit..." -Patrick Conway


Swans - "their feathers floating away over the water like the trailing hems of snowy ball gowns..." -P. Conway

To Dance -- Like Swans

"The Swan Lake"

"The Swan Lake" ballet remains dear to our hearts as a classic tale of love triumphing over its eternal foes, jealousy and deception.

The romance tells of Prince Siegfried meeting the swan queen Odette by a lake. Odette laments a magician's spell holding her captive, to be broken only by a faithful lover. Siegfried swears fidelity, but is tricked into betrothal to another. Later realizing his treachery, Siegfried returns to the lake and with Odette, dives into the lake for eternal reunion in the afterworld.

It seems that such a timeless allegory with a virtuoso lead role- two diametric personalities often portrayed by one dancer - must always have been a favorite. Yet when first produced by Moscow Bolshoi in 1877 "Swan Lake" was unpopular.

Not until after the 1893 death of its composer, Tchaikovsky, was new life brought to his earliest work. And not until performance 13 years later by prima ballerina Anna Pavlova, would the full breadth of its poignant drama be realized. Her name became nearly synonymous with The Dying Swan solo - an indelible connection for Pavlova, whose last request was said to be, "Prepare my swan costume."
I hope you enjoyed seeing this article about Swan Lake. Click on any picture to enlarge and read more.

The next two pages are just a little bonus because I thought they were so pretty!


Thanks for hosting, Kathy!

God Bless.

Katherine

Tablescape Thursday

Time for Susan's Tablescape Thursday! Thanks, Susan for hosting so we can play dishes! Click on her name for lots more inspiration.
Inspiration for this tablescape was these plates I found at TJ Maxx a couple of months ago.
This inexpensive price on these plates caught me in a weak moment and I succumbed and bought them! I certainly didn't need anymore Christmas plates! LOL!

That's all that's new in this tablescape:

I already had the red tablecloth and napkins, the red chargers and the red polka dot square plates, along with the black handled flatware, and the goblets from Dollar Tree!

I also had the black container and red poinsettias!

Overhead view:

I've never had a Christmas tablescape with black in it, but I like the color combination!

Red poinsettias are so beautiful!

See the sparkle look reflection on the left, this is from the sun shining through the prisms on the crystal chandelier above! I think it looks like fairy dust! LOL!

Again I had some difficulties with the sun coming through the windows (I also have a very high window above the regular window making double problems!)

I hope you like my red, white, and black Christmas tablescape!
It is simple and came together easily.

Won't you join us! I think I'll serve Red Velvet Cake!

Have a blessed Christmas!

Katherine