Playing with Plaid!

Just a few more days!  How are you doing with your "To Do" list?  I know mine still has plenty on it but I had to do one more table for Christmas 2011.  So, take a break from your busy day, and join me at Between Naps on the Porch for the final Tablescape Thursday before Christmas. 

Last weekend my daughter and I went to Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World (along with an enormous amount of other people!).  It's one of the advantages of living in Florida.  My house is exactly 100 miles from the entrance to Magic Kingdom (according to my GPS app) so it's a very doable day trip for us.  My daughter had been there at Christmastime a few years back but not me.  The weather was picture perfect.  High in the upper 70's and just a little cooler after the sun went down.  We left my house at 10:30 am and came back at 1:15am!  We enjoyed every bit of it!  Two innovations made the experience so much better, Fast Pass and Disney lines app on my phone.  I took lots of pictures of the Holiday decorations.  For those of you who have never seen the decorations before I am posting a few pictures at the end.  Cinderella's castle is breathtaking! 

I stopped into Marshall's yesterday to pick up some last minute gifts and saw a plaid square tablecloth.  I love squares and the way they look layered on top of another tablecloth.  It was only $7.99 so it was Merry Christmas to me!  So for my final Christmas table for this year I paired the plaid with black and used my white dishes. 

I started by layering the plaid over a black tablecloth.  My "chargers" are felt place mats with a cutout design (Marshall's).  My dish stack is a combination of my Federalist Ironstone dinner plate and saucer divided by a floral plate from Target.  On top of the saucer I placed a black sparkled snowflake (Target, 4 for $1 since they are supposed to be gift tags). 

The glasses are from Bed, Bath and Beyond and Dollar Tree.

The flatware is Cambridge and I found it at Ross for a great price.

I just learned that you can focus on just one part of your picture by using one of the effects on Picnik.  Now I want to go back and change half my pictures!

My centerpiece is from Steinmart years ago.  It usually sits on top of my bookcase in my office.  Instead of decorating inside of it, I just added a candle and then concentrated on the outside.

I started with some faux greens, red berry picks and then added real greens from my gardenia and magnolia.

I found these salt and pepper shakers at Ross along with these red candles (I used then last week on my buffet table too).

I liked taking the very traditional table cover and then updating it a bit by using black as my accent color.  I think the floral plate is an unexpected touch against the plaid.  I am always saying how I don't like red but this silverware has me warming up to the color.  I may have to break down and get some red wine goblets.  They would have looked great on this table. 

A little candlelight! 

Here's some pictures of my day at Disney! Enjoy!

Lots of fruit!

All the shops on Main St. were decorated just a little different from each other.

I cropped out the huge mass of people from this picture!

A nice man offered to take our picture after we took one of him with this wife.  Lots of poinsettias!

Perfect weather for December 17th!

This shop was done in pastel colors. 

I had to take a picture of the "tablescape" at the Swiss Family Robinson tree house!

All the storefront windows are decorated.

The castle at night.

And with the beautiful lights!

If you've never been at Christmastime I highly recommend it. They are expanding Fantasyland and that will spread out the park more so it won't feel as crowded during peak times.

Be sure to visit my sister at Creating Wonderful Spaces.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays to Everyone!