If wishes do come true...

We have, it seems, reached the end of 2009.

But for all of you, I have a few SPECIAL WISHES for 2010:

May you have only GOOD HAIR days!

May you look GREAT in EVERYTHING you wear!

May you always LAND on your FEET, even in the most embarrassing situations!

May your miniature power tools make you DANCE with joy!

May you do SOMETHING EXCITING that you have never done before!

May you learn MANY interesting and useful things!

May your paths cross with many AMUSING and ENTERTAINING people!

May you NEVER run out of the necessities!

May you receive what your heart desires... not JUST at Christmas BUT always!

 May you too walk with JOY in your heart and a SPRING in your step!

But on a more serious note:

I hope you are able to look back at 2009 with at least SOME fond memories.

The year 2010, like all other years, will hold many changes.

We'll ALL be (at least!) one year older by the end of it.

Some of us will have had the flu (bird/ goat/ pig, whatever develops next..). 

We'll have made new friends, (and hopefully NOT have alienated any old ones).

Apple will have sold another few billions of electronics,  
global warming will (optimistically) have dissipated 
and world financial market will have bounced back.

Whatever happens in the New Year, dear reader,
I wish you happiness.

May you be content with what you have,
or may you have the energy and power to change those things that you are not pleased with.

May luck be your constant companion
and may you always remember to count to ten before saying anything.

Wherever you go, go in peace to avoid leaving in pieces.
(War leaves scars on winners too).

Carpe diem

Lize

This is my LITTLE house!

CORRECTION!

It seems that some of you are under the impression that the whole building is my house?
That would have been very nice... BUT NO!

Our villa is just ONE  of these (look closely and you'll see numbers, as well as separate buildings!), and that pool does not belong to me, we SHARE it with the other villas. 
Our LITTLE house, on the left side of the table, is unfortunately not visible in one of the photos.

Winter Wonderland... but no snow!

I do not like cooking. But I do like decorating, so when I knew we were expecting 30 people for Christmas Eve Dinner, I promptly delegated the task of cooking and started planning a Winter Wonderland around the pool.

The evenings are quite pleasant now, and even the mosquitoes venture out now that the nights are cooler.

Two days ahead of time, I started organizing the table decorations. When you are  satisfied with the objects you are going to use, it is so much easier to be more creative putting them together when laying the table.

We decided to have one single rectangular table instead of a few round ones, as this is a 'family'  dinner (albeit one extended 'ex-pat family'!).

I love using white, silver and turquoise.

Even though I started around 3 in the afternoon, the sun was starting to set very early, and I took a lot of photos even before the tables were finished, as I find the photos at night time never shows the colour and details well.

Even though I had plenty of help, carrying 30 table settings out of the house and to the pool took me ages, and then I can tell you that laying a table for 10 is MUCH easier than doing it for 30!

I added lots of little details in an attempt to keep it interesting.

It took me ages to decide where the trees were to be placed! And a very welcome breeze kept blowing them over (they are very light!), until my husband stuck them to the tiles with duct tape. That worked.

Try to pretend that you don't see the ladders and tripod, mosquito killer machine etc, but this was a work in progress.

I also tried to keep the people out of the picture, but I was not always successful! Perhaps you can see my son doing ninja kicks at the back somewhere.

This table is ready for the desert. There were also tables for the main dishes and coffee etc.

Soon it became dusk and as the sun was setting I took more pictures as the evening light can make interesting patterns.

The blue bowls on top of the serviettes were for salad which followed the soup.

Time to light the candles as the guests were on the way.

Candle light always cast such interesting glows on objects.

The night was a success. The food was cooked to perfection. From the two turkeys (my husband's speciality) to delicious side dishes (thank you to my friends!) and a variety of deserts. They all helped to make it a very special evening!

And I didn't have to cook (or burn) anything!

Anybody for MORE food or cake after Christmas lunch/dinner?

No?

Me too, I HAD ENOUGH!!!

Did you enjoy looking at my tablescape?

Then please feel free to leave a message.

I do appreciate it AND I read every single one!

If you have another minute to linger,

My New Years Wishes for you are HERE.

Back to Tablescapes with Susan...

Merry Christmas

From my family to yours

May every minute you spend with your  family be precious and filled with love,
May all the wrapped parcels contain gifts that you want,

May your Turkeys be well cooked and the pudding sticky and sweet,

May Santa bring you whatever your heart desires!

Merry Christmas!

Isn't this just the most darling little silver pitcher?
A friend of mine had it made for me by the talented jeweler who makes jewelry at the company of which her husband is the owner.

Changing the world into miniature...
One thing at a time

I'll be home for Christmas...

Come on in... Welcome to our open house!  Can you believe that there are now only a few days left before Christmas!

Only the finishing touches are needed in our preparations for Christmas.  We still need to make our gingerbread house, it fills the house with a wonderful aroma.  Do you also prefer to have a really old fashioned, traditional Christmas.  Which are your favourite colours for Christmas ?

When we travel, we normally like to bring back some souvenir for Christmas.  Many treasured ornaments were given to us by friends.

Please sit down and make yourself at home. Would you like an eggnog or a mulled wine?  Do you also like all the old Christmas songs?  Which is your favourite?  Do you prefer Dean Martin or perhaps Sinatra?

Do you like the smell of cinnamon, or chestnuts roasting?  Or perhaps the fresh scent of poinsettias?

Do you also like to use your every day ornaments at Christmas time?  Even some 'chinoiserie'?

These are some of the entries in our Guest book for Christmas Eve, 2008.  It brings back so many memories when you read through the old comments that friends and family wrote.

Please leave a comment, and let me know if you and your family have special traditions, or even how you would like to spend yours!

Good Night and we hope that you are having a wonderful time with your family preparing for Christmas.

Hope to see you again soon....