Festivities, etc.

Panic has subsided and things are getting done. My father's early arrival has become quite the joke, even his wife thought they were leaving a day later.

We are having two surprise guests, surprises to my Dad and Stepmom, but that means tables cannot be entirely set. Ack!

Here is a quick roundup of my DIYs. So easy!

I got these nutcracker place card holders at Target last year after Xmas. They say 2011 on the base. Is that a ridiculous way to try to get folks to buy a new set each year?

Krylon gold leaf pen to the rescue!

I seriously just crossed it out with a fat swipe of the gold leaf pen.

  

With that done, I folded napkins that were crisply ironed. As you can see, I have not yet ironed the table cloth. It is one of those things that makes me nuts and I will probably wake up at 5 am , like I have been, worrying about having the time to do it.

Since the plates are a "Willow" pattern, I wanted to echo the Chinoiserie theme just a bit. I had tons of this Greek key ribbon and decided to make these napkin rings.

I made sure the wrong side was out and measured my length, the stapled twice. 

Turn it right side out, seam in and...

slide it over the napkin.

These napkins were monogrammed by hand by my great-grandmother, Jeanne Camille D'escazos.  She grew up in a convent in Paris and was taught by the nuns to sew and sew well.

It is a "B" and "D" for Banigan and D'escazos (her father was Mexican). It is beautiful work.  I wish these sorts of monograms were more widely available today.

This is all I have of my Xmas table, late on Sunday night. Perhaps I'll give y'all the full Monty on Christmas day but no promises. 

Here is my big reveal that has been in the works.

"Rave" by Kerry Steele

This is my latest painting, "Rave" I intend to keep it but one person expressed an interest in having it so who knows. I just wanted a huge painting in that room. It adjoins my dining room so many of us will be staring at it during Christmas dinner.

Random question-Does "Its a wonderful life" make you cry or at least tear up?

 The older I get the harder I cry each time.