Homecoming Dinner

My favorite tablescapes are the

 ones that can be enjoyed

by friends and family.

And this tablescape was lovingly done

for my beautiful daughter Madison 

and 4 of her most excellent friends

for dinner prior to Homecoming.

Madison helped pick the colors.

White... Pink...Blue

And for this evening we pulled out 

our rose china and "wedding" flatware.

A few dollars of grocery store clearance flowers

and two mini teapots became

sweet flower arrangements. 

Chocolate cover strawberries so fresh

that they steamed the glass!

The mudroom counter transferred to a perfect place

to stage drinks and dessert!

Homemade Mocha/ Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

Twizzlers- they make mouths happy! 

And did everyone have a good evening?????

These beautiful faces don't lie!

I am linking to Tablescape Thursday

over at Between Naps on the Porch!

A Winter Picnic

It's my motto!

I learned it from my mom!

My Aunt Judy, see her wonderful blog here,

gave me this little plate...

isn't it the "sweetest"?

Under the sky blue sky...

we gather ....

With the warm winter sun....

casting it's glow all around.

China cups and

 a silver pot with steaming hot tea.

A "room" with a view.

My Mom Mom's candlewick dishes...

add the sparkle I love!

Mom Mom's Sheridan silver reflects the world around!

China cups are marked

3541- Georgiana

M Japan.

I found the sugar container at a local thrift store.

My mom uses one like this for my grandma's powder creamer....

It makes me smile each morning to get my sugar

out of something so pretty!

The candlesticks and candles 

were all gathered from different

thrift stores over the past few months.

Home Made Auntie Annes

(thanks to Wayne and the kids!)

My friend, Elyce, surprised me last year

with this wonderful handmade picnic blanket!

The pink edging is simply

the icing on the cake!

Thank you for joining me today on my Winter Picnic!

I am linking to 

Tablescape Thursday

at Between Naps On the Porch!

A Midnight Snack

Yesterday my daughter, Madison, and I made cupcakes!

I love a good coffee cupcake

and came across the following Paula Dean recipe

Chocolate Cupcakes with Coffee Cream Filling.

Since I had most of the ingredients

I decided to give it a try!

Of course, I had all the needed ingredients for

everything except the filling!

Oh Well...

Even without the filling the cup cakes were

YUMMY!

(next time we will make the filling too!)

The homemade butter cream icing was the perfect topping!

Madison enjoyed using her creative skills

to frost each cake!

We halved the recipe,

making 12 large cupcakes

and

12 mini ones, too!

These were just too good to pass up on a midnight snack!

I love my  Grandma's candlewick plates!

Should I save you one?

I am joining Susan for

Tablescape Thursday

over at

Between Naps On the Porch!