{"id":3100,"date":"2011-06-29T19:01:42","date_gmt":"2011-06-30T00:01:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/?p=3100"},"modified":"2011-06-29T19:06:04","modified_gmt":"2011-06-30T00:06:04","slug":"gettin-ready-for-the-holiday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/?p=3100","title":{"rendered":"Gettin’ Ready for the Holiday"},"content":{"rendered":"

Author: \u00a0Autumn<\/em><\/h3>\n

Mr. Autumn and I are just home from a beautiful four-day bicycle ride in the mountains of Virginia, near Blacksburg. \u00a0The scenery was breath-taking, but the cycling was very challenging. \u00a0So, with so little time before the holiday week-end, I thought I better start making some plans.<\/h3>\n

And if you have been wondering about Jordan, she is still busy working in Ohio. \u00a0She catches a plane every Monday morning and returns home Thursday night. \u00a0She only has a few more weeks of this crazy schedule before she will be home for a while. \u00a0She and I have two takes on the same recipe for Friday’s post. \u00a0Hers will be the easy version, and mine will be the “from scratch” version, but they are both very tasty.<\/h3>\n

So, I think the first thing I will do is make the plans for our week-end meals. \u00a0 Come along while I plan our holiday table.<\/h3>\n

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First, I’ll start with a faux leather equestrian place mat by Pomegranate.<\/h3>\n

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Next, I’ll use a large dinner plate as the charger. \u00a0This one is called Barnyard by Noble Excellence. \u00a0I bought ten of them at Dillards years ago on sale 80 per cent off.<\/h3>\n

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For the dinner plate, our new Nantucket Basket by Wedgewood will be perfect. \u00a0My friend Beth has the entire collection of this pattern, and I just love it. \u00a0I opted to just get the dinner plates because they will go with everything else that we own.<\/h3>\n

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You can see the basket weave pattern in this close-up. \u00a0It is supposed to resemble the famous Nantucket purses that are so special and so expensive.<\/h3>\n

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I think this rugged and masculine Crate and Barrel salad plate will make a nice contrast against the delicate Nantucket Basket.<\/h3>\n

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This bowl by Bennington Potters, \u00a0called Blue Agate,will be a perfect addition to complete the red, white, and blue theme I want. \u00a0The chilled soup will look perfect in it. \u00a0I bought a set of eight place settings of this pattern when our children were little. \u00a0Sadly, there are only five bowls remaining, and that’s it.<\/h3>\n

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Let’s see. \u00a0Which napkin should I use? \u00a0What about this bandana patterned dish towel from Martha Stewart’s K-Mart collection of a few years ago? \u00a0Hmmmm… No, I think it needs more contrast.<\/h3>\n

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I like this powder blue gingham napkin better. \u00a0It offers some contrast, but it still follows the theme. \u00a0It, too, is from a set of Martha Stewart K-Mart dish towels.<\/h3>\n

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And here are the final touches. \u00a0I am adding our everyday stainless by Oneida and some blue water goblets I found at the Dollar Tree a few years ago. \u00a0Mission accomplished.<\/h3>\n

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Here is one last peak. \u00a0Now all I have to do is figure out a center piece, plan a menu, and do the shopping so that Mr. Autumn and I will have to only deal with the fun part of our week-end: \u00a0concert, parade, and lots of bicycling with friends.<\/h3>\n

Take care.<\/h3>\n

Linking to\u00a0\"Between<\/a>