Monday, December 28, 2020

Tête-à-Tête ~ Christmas 2020


Christmas Tête - à -Tête 
December 2020

Tête - à -Tête 
~ a conversation between two people
In French, a Tête - à -Tête literally means "head to head."
Pour yourself a cup of tea and a let's have a
Tête - à -Tête about Christmas 2020 here at HFTS.


No question the holiday season of 2020 was by far
very different from all our past celebrations, 
though that didn't deter me from adding festive 
touches around our home this December.

A tray of Connie Roberts' folk art Santa whistles added
a touch of whimsy and brought smiles.

Twinkle lights and collected Santa figures are 
like old friends come for a yearly visit.

Christmas mice, given to me by an aunt in 1975,
brought sentimental memories of special times.

Early in our marriage, The Chef  hung a petite copper 
heart chocolate mold on our tree, a thoughtful, romantic gift.

Over the years we found more petite copper hearts,
 and a new collection began as I came across other little copper chocolate molds here and there, along with small copper bells. 
Isn't that how most collections begin?
 Now they decorate a small tabletop tree each year.

Another year, the chef gave me a large 
copper heart with an endearing message in German. 
Over time, he found a few more, and they are treasures.
The handsome wooden soldier came to live here in recent years, 
 a purchase from my friend, Rita @ Panoply
She and her sisters have a fun filled space at an antique mall.

Nutcrackers gather on the sun porch table.
Can you spot the new one?  
I couldn't resist the small Highland Nutcracker on a flash 
sale the week of Christmas with Christmas Eve delivery!  
Thank you, MacKenzie-Childs!

The darling watercolor by Monique @ La Table de Nana
is a cherished reminder of friends across the miles any time of year.


The talented Jenna @The Painted Apron surprised
me with this darling farm truck that she painted.
It's the perfect accessory with my 
MacKenzie-Childs Farmer Nutcracker.

Let's talk about holiday table settings!
COVID has changed traditional entertaining.
Tables for eight or ten are now a table for two.
To keep our home festive, I made a point to keep our table
set with the ambiance of the holidays through out December.
I simply changed up the plate stack a little from week to week.

Juliska introduced their Stewart Tartan this fall.
Those little gnomes insisted I add a touch of 
this traditional look to our holiday table. 

My generous, thoughtful friend Victoria @ Crown Linen Designs
sent me the salad plates of the new Arte Italica Natale,
They are a perfect pairing for the tartan!

A snowy vignette on a silver tray served 
as a simple centerpiece for our holiday table.

I added a few bottle brush trees and an
origami reindeer from my ornament box. . . 

Along with this cute MacKenzie-Childs gnome 
and old fashioned faux snow sprinkled across the tray 
to complete the winter wonderland scene.

An Instagram and blogging friend, 
shared this wonderful stag plate on her IG feed, 
and I rushed to Hobby Lobby with hopes of adding these
to my plate stack for yet another look.  I bought the last one, and searches far and wide to add more turned up empty handed.  
If any of my readers see this pattern for sale, please alert me.  
They are part of the Farmhouse Christmas by Robert Stanley.

I layered the plate stacks atop my favorite 
Crown Linen Design's 
black and white check linens with a touch of 
MacKenzie-Childs tartan napkins kicked to the side.

I traded out the white Vintage Garden charger 
from the Ambiance Collection 
for a green porcelain charger by Zirke.

Part of playing with dishes is trying out different
looks with the same basic stack.
Just change out a charger, salad plate, stack topper, 
flatware, or linens for a complete new look.

Don't forget to add a fun plate 
topper for a holiday touch!

Our Christmas dinner stack included a fun new touch
with Bauble Stockings at each of our place settings.  
Donner for The Chef.

Napkins ~ Victorian Red by Crown Linen Designs
Bauble Stockings are exquisitely hand stitched by women in Haiti who are paid a fair trade wage and provided with tuition for their children's education, books, after school curriculum, breakfast, and lunch.
As a lifetime stitcher, I stand in awe of Kate Stewart, her generous business model, her enthusiasm, her kind heart, 
and these perfect little stockings.

Thanks for the visit.
Leave a comment and let me know
how you celebrated this holiday season.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As we sometimes say in Texas,
"Happy Y'allidays!"

Joining
Thursday Favorite Things @ Katherine's Corner Charming Homes and Gardens @ Shiplap and Shells  Embracing Home and Family @ The Everyday Farmhouse   Farmhouse Friday @ The Painted Hinge 
Sarah
Sarah

The summer we married, my husband was in graduate school, and I was employed as a teacher. We took a portion of our savings that summer and purchased a sailboat. We christened our Catalina 22, “Hyacinths For The Soul” after Saadi’s poem. Our "Hyacinths" provided years of pleasure.

24 comments:

  1. Sarah, Your home is so merry and bright decked out for Christmas with your collections and vignettes. I love all the Courtly Checks (that lamp, swoon!), nutcrackers standing at attention and changing dish stacks and linens. Wishing you a merry week. ♥

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  2. Even with the struggles the pandemic brought to having a true fun and meaningful Christmas, I think you outdid yourself this year with such amazing and beautiful decor Sara! Everything is just so colorful and makes one happy to spend time here looking at. Your statement ". . . . like old friends come for a yearly visit" really touched my heart and I admit I feel that way too when unwrapping the tissue paper and taking out each precious ornament. History of Christmasses through the years are mostly lovely, sometimes a wee bit sad, but all special in some way.

    Thank you for sharing all the loveliness displayed in your home here.
    Stay well - be safe, and may 2021 be a better year for us all.
    Hugs, Mary

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  3. Monsieur et Madame Souris are so you and Monnie♥Beautiful collections and vignettes..That wee nutcracker is un petit bijou:)

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  4. Oh, Sarah, the details!! I am in love with each and every....but the M-C gnome makes my heart go pitter patter, as do each of the plate stacks. So gorgeous. Your copper ornament tree looks so nice with your soldier. I was very tempted by the Highland Nutcracker, but packing away Christmas without adding another tote for storage is my goal so I resisted! I love all of your holiday decor. It's all very special. So glad you shared. And, btw, I saved that paper dimensional tree card....it will become part of my decor!

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  5. You have so many charming vignettes around your cozy home, Sarah, and so many wonderful and cherished gifts from friends and family. Happy New Year to you and your Chef. Let's hope that 2021 is a better year.

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  6. Oh Sarah, I am so dazzled by the beauty in every single photo! It is a magical world in your Sarah-land, filled with the joy of holiday spirit. Those little copper molds are so pretty. And I confess, without the usual madcap Christmas, there was time to really decorate to perfection, then settle back and enjoy it all. Isn't it wonderful to surround yourself with friends, through their gifts and their art? I love this. Wishing you much joy this season and after!

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  7. Sarah I enjoyed this post so much! Your black and white collection is stunning with all the MC pieces! The dish stacks are gorgeous and I'm in love with the black and white checked placemats! We too had a quiet Christmas with just my sons and had planned to travel next week ...but that is out of the question now. Stay safe and healthy and have a wonderful New Year!!

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  8. Beautiful collections make for a gorgeous table setting. How sweet your gifts are. Love the plate stack. I shall look out for your lovely plates. Happy New year Sarah.

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  9. What a delightful post showcasing your charming collections and various plate stacks for the holidays. You gave me so many ideas to try. I enjoyed this post very much. Bonnie@livingwiththanksgiving.

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  10. Sarah I love all of your collections you showcase for the holidays. The little tree with the copper hearts and bells is so special and yes, so romantic! The nutcracker collection really adds such a festive holiday touch, love those! We do seem to enjoy so many of the same things. I've kept my tables set and change up for the week leading up to Christmas. I enjoyed seeing your beautiful holiday decorations and your magazine worthy plate stacks, beautiful!

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  11. So many treasures make for very festive vignettes. Your table setting is an absolute delight and makes me think I need to look for some new Christmas dishes.

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  12. So many treasures make for very festive vignettes. Your table setting is an absolute delight and makes me think I need to look for some new Christmas dishes.

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  13. Sarah, I SO enjoyed seeing your Christmas collections and tablescape this year. I'm now wanting an elegant Christmas frock in Tartan Plaid like Miss Mousie, Loving your wonderful needlepoint stockings and your precious spirit of Christmas that keeps us celebrating Christmas even in times that are so hard. Wishing you a blessed and Happy New Year! xo

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  14. Sarah, your home is beautifully festooned with charming Christmas vignettes. I love every one of them, so thoughtfully displayed. Your plate stacks are amazing...the Juliska tartan is stunning. Wishing you and the Chef a Happy New Year filled with health and happiness!

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  15. Everything looks a o festive and beautiful, as always. I’m envious of all your amazing Mackenzie Childs pieces! I know it’s wrong to be envious, but I can’t help it !!

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  16. Such attention to detail and your attention is stunning. Love it all and especially your new nutcracker.

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  17. So beautiful, and I love everything. The table is gorgeous and I adore the plate stack, and, of course, the new nutcracker. Happy New Year to you!

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  18. I love all the plaid. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

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  19. Thank you for the peek into your lovely holiday home Sarah! You have so many memories and wonderful things to enjoy, the copper mold ornaments and tree are so special! I am delighted you like your little red truck, I had so much fun making those for our TTT group! Just because we can't entertain doesn't mean we shouldn't enjoy our pretties daily and oh la la that Juliska Tartan is so pretty! Happy 2021 Sarah!
    Jenna

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  20. Darling...darling....darling. Love it all Sarah. Happy New Year my dear friend!

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  21. Sarah, your Christmas decor is stunning. I think the chocolate mold tree is so precious. Your husband is a rockstar! I love the story behind it. Your main tree is gorgeous!!! I love all your special little touches. I will probably pin half your photos in this post! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! xo, RJ

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  22. Thank you for sharing with us at Embracing Home and Family! I just love all of the plaid in your tablescapes! I have rooster that was my grandmother's, it reminds me so much of the one in your photo! Happy New Year!

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Thank you to each of you who take the time to leave a comment. I read and appreciate each and every one and will respond to any questions. Your notes are the only way I know who has stopped in for a visit.