WE HAD A FEW NEIGHBORS OVER!!!

WOW...WHAT A FUN PARTY

MC and I were the Hosts last night of our neighborhood Wine Party, AKA, DWTS (Drinking With the Snobs).  Title given due to the fact none of us know a THING about wine!


The procedure is very simple and tons of fun.


The Host/Hostess chooses the region where the wine of the evening will come from.  Everyone brings a bottle from that region along with a light appetizer.
We "taste", vote,  and TASTE SOME MORE....Simple!
The guest whose wine is chosen as the BEST, is awarded the SASH to wear at the next party!  Oh this is so coveted!

We chose the Southern Hemisphere as the Region!  MC made it easy.  He wanted to do South Africa, but when we looked around the area, we could only find 4 different varieties in a 40+ mile radius of our home! You need a region that has a large variety,  thus giving us all a great tasting party.

Last night 35 of our neighbors were able to attend.  We always have a wonderful bunch.  We try and have these parties every month. This allows all  a chance to attend.  One couple are now Snow Birds in Florida until May, others are cruising the Seas, Rivers and  Oceans of the world,  or visiting family and friends.  In other words not everyone is home for each party.

We all chipped in and bought three dozen wine glasses at the Dollar Store!  These are delicate crystal wine glasses!!!  Got that ...we have $36 invested in these babies!

 

After the party, the Host washes the glasses  (they all fit in the dishwasher), boxes them up in specially made boxes, (MC made some pretty clever boxes), which will be delivered  to the Host for the next month.  

 The guests take their appetizer dishes and left over wines home!  ...How Simple!

MC and I had the house back to normal in an hour's time!

I was curious about placement ideas and before the party,  Googled "Staging Your Home for a Cocktail Party".  I found some great ideas and implemented a few that worked for our type of party.

It's always a question of where to place the food and wine.  And,  how to arrange seating!

I had decided that all the appetizers would be placed on our 60" dining room glass top table, with the chairs moved out of the way.   This allowed everyone to freely circle the table for their desired goodies!

This idea was #1 on most of the sites I Googled....Gee I should have written a website on that!

It worked PERFECTLY.  Here Sandi is easily maneuvering around!

 This is the perfect place to showoff MC's FAMOUS Penguins made with black olives, carrots and cream cheese!  Perfect for an appetizer, since Antarctica is in the Southern Hemisphere.




We put the wines on the long portion of our kitchen counter.   See the numbers?  As each guest arrives, the Host writes down the variety, winery label, etc. and places a number on the bottle.  There is a chart where all the guests can enter their "vote", by number.....no names...blind tasting!

 


The best advice I picked up on one of the websites suggested that all the seating in your main "gathering" area face each other and have easy access to tables. Dah, who would think of that?   For seating,  I arranged all our seating,  facing the coffee table, in a large square.  No angles.  It worked like magic!  We had our kitchen table available for those who wished to sit at a table, but very few did.  The guests were in our Great Room/Kitchen/Dining Room (open floor plan),  where they could easily visit and chat.  Everyone mingled about.  No one was "stuck" by himself !  That was a main point on all the websites.  It warned not to have remote sitting areas so that all the guests, all the time,  were a part of the party!

 THE SASH

 This is a picture of our last and Reigning Winner, Gayle,   until last night.  We will formally SASH our new winner at next month's DWTS

We are now back to our normal crazy life. 

and

We can get to work on our next project.

HAPPY VALENITNE'S DAY

MC AND I WISH ALL OF YOU THE "LOVELIEST" OF VALENTINE'S DAYS

WE WISH TO THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWING OUR SILLY ADVENTURES IN OUR "GOLDEN YEARS".

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY
MC AND PATTY

NEXT?

WILL HAVE TO ......WAIT....

clue......

Check back ......

GREAT NEWS AND A GIVEAWAY

THIS IS BIG

 THIS IS GRAND

 
I am so pleased to announce to all, that Erica, my Granddaughter, and Brooke,  the editor of  "Inside-Out Design"    have joined forces and are offering  a very unique and clever Giveaway for Valentines Day.

 Please go to Brooke's Post  today to   "READ ALL ABOUT IT!!!"
 HERE

When Erica suggested I write a Blog over 4 years ago,  neither of us ever dreamed it would lead to this!  I have met wonderful, talented, generous, GREAT people through the Blog.  I am overwhelmed and so, so thankful!

Thank you so much Brooke for giving Erica this opportunity!  Your generosity is amazing!

Have fun everyone.  Go to Brooke's Blog. Read --Enjoy and ENTER this fabulous contest!

GOOD LUCK TO ALL!  

FINALLY AN EPIPHANY

I was beginning to panic.  I hadn't had a brilliant idea in over a week!  Then, out of nowhere, it came.

As is usually the case, I was relaxing, doing nothing in particular,  when the Epiphany hit me!

The last two days have gone as follows:

First,  I decided the new,  fantastic Black and White rug in the Great Room, would "fit" the room better if I moved it 90 degrees.  While MC was at a meeting I accomplished this little job!  It entailed moving all the furniture off the rug, pulling and tugging the rug,  then putting the furniture back.  Did it in 45 minutes!!!!  MC didn't even notice.  I had to point it out to him.

Oh I love this guy, some day I'll tell you some of  what I got away with when MC was flying all around the world with the USAF!

Then the "real" Epiphany began!  The Drapery panels in MC's Library complimented the new  rug so well.  "Why not,  I asked myself,  put those panels in the Great Room, framing the sofa and the room.?"   There was no reason to keep the Gold Damask panels in there.  In fact, they  looked wimpy after the rug was added!

Do I need to say more?  THE FUN BEGAN

For two days we have been moving drapery panels.  Not one, is in the same place it was on Friday!

My inventory:

16    White Cotton panels from Ballard Design.  Originally we had them in our first home here.  Friday they were in the Guest Bedroom and the Master Bedroom.  Four panels on each side of the windows.

6     Gold Damask panels that MC "created" with iron-on tape last March. On Friday two were in the Great Room and four were in the Dining Room

2      Blue Ultra-Suede panels Erica made when we first moved in.  Originally the fabric was for a cornice that we were going to hang in the Great Room.  Never was built!  They have been in the Kitchen.

4     Black and White Geometric panels MC made, again with iron-on tape this Fall.  Friday they were in MC's Library.

I put together a  plan of action  and MC proceeded to rehang rods like a Mad Man.

   There is no buying new!  The rules here are set in stone.  When I get one of these crazy ideas,  I have to figure out how to make it work with what I have.  No cost.....MC goes along!

First we moved the Black and White panels into the Great Room.    Had to do this first.  If it worked, then the entire project was a GO.  WOW, they looked amazing.  I can not believe how they brought the room together.  I guess if I were a "trained" Designer, I would have known this from day one!  But I have to learn Patty's way.  One step at a time and I have to literally SEE it.  I  can't imagine how it will look or draw it.  I have to SEE IT!

Also in the mix was the fact this is an "open" space.  All the windows need to at least compliment each other.

This was the PLAN!

The 4 Black and White Geometric  panels in the Great Room. Two on each side of the windows.

The 16 White Cotton panels would be just the right number to put in the Kitchen, Dining Room and MC's Library.  The White would go nicely with the Black and White in the Great Room.

4 Panels in MC's Room, One panel on each side of the two windows.

4 Panels in the Kitchen,  Two on each side of the windows

8 Panels in the Dining Room.  Two on each side of each window.

 This would keep all the windows in the open area to  two different colors and textures.

The Blue Ultra Suede panels were hung in the Guest Room (The Epiphany Suite),  Those pillows on the sofa, BTW,  are made out of the same fabric!

The 6 Gold Damask panels went into the Master Bedroom. Three on each side.  They are the perfect color.  I really like the way they compliment the chair and the bedspread.

DONE......

JUST TWO TYPICAL DAYS AT THE BLH

Great exercise for MC.  He's been up and down the ladder for two days!!!!!  Thanks Honey!