A Williamsburg Apple Tree Centerpiece for Your Christmas Table: Welcome to the 19th Tablescape Tuesday!

When I posted a Christmas tablescape a few weeks ago, I received several questions about how I made the fruit tree centerpiece. Even though Christmas is over, I thought it might be helpful to see how it's made, just in case you would like to make one next year. Honestly, I think this would be beautiful for any occasion, not just Christmas. So for this Tablescape Tuesday, I'm sharing the "secret" to this all natural centerpiece, including the pineapple candle holders on both sides.


I start by gathering nandina berries from my yard...


...as well as some holly...


...and some magnolia leaves from the the big magnolia tree in my front yard.


You'll need a pineapple for the top of the tree. I bought 3 since I also like having the pineapple candle holders on either side. And, of course, you'll need some small, Red Delicious apples. I always use Red Delicious because I love their deep, red color for this centerpiece.


One of the most important components is a form a friend of mine gave me as a Christmas gift 15 years ago. She knew I had long wanted to make an apple tree like the ones you so often see when visiting Colonial Williamsburg. The form I have is a wooden, cone shaped structure that's painted green, with finishing nails protruding all around. There is one really long nail and three shorter nails on top. I found some similar cones online for sale at the Williamsburg Marketplace...click HERE to access that site.


I didn't think to take pics when I first assembled the tree on December 12th...I was too busy panicking about the 25+ neighbors who would be arriving for a cookie party at my home two days later! :-) So I took some pics this past Sunday, as I took the tree apart. The fruit is a bit past it's prime in the pic below, since it's a couple of weeks old...so please try to ignore that. :-) The apple tree normally looks great for about a week and a half...then things begin to get a bit wilted.

When first assembling the tree, I start by placing the apples on the tree. I push the apples onto the nails, turning the tree around and around, as I work. I always start at the bottom and work my way up to the top. If you use apples that are too large, you will run out of room. It just doesn't work well and you end up with the apples not fitting correctly and sticking up way past the top of the tree. Once the apples are in place, I push a small pineapple down onto the nails at the top. In the pic below, you can see what the tree looks like with just the apples in place and no greenery.


Next, I cut short pieces of holly and tuck them down in between all the apples to hide the form underneath. I use holly because that's what I have available in my yard; boxwood would work great, also. The holly stays looking great for a long time. It actually still looked good before I removed it for this pic.

Once I have the tree in the center of the table, I tuck magnolia leaves under the base. I place the magnolia leaves so they are pointed outward, kind of like spokes in a wheel. This year I tied a sheer ribbon/bow around the top of the pineapple. I really like the way it looked so I think I'll use that idea again next year. :-)

I found a great article online that gives some history of Williamsburg fruit trees/cones. It also shows some great pics of trees using other types of fruit like pears, lemons, kumquats and pomandered oranges. The article, which you may access by clicking HERE, is taken from Susan Hight Rountree’s book, Christmas Decorations from Williamsburg.

The pic below is of the finished tree, when it was still fresh.


A few tips: You want to purchase a pineapple that is relatively small, for the top of the tree. Otherwise, it will overwhelm the tree itself.

You may have to shop around to find pineapples that are "pretty" without crushed foliage. When I was shopping at Publix, they only had around 3-4 pineapples out...and they all looked waaay too big and squished. I asked the produce manager if he had any others and he brought out a whole box full. They looked much better and the tops were in better shape. :-)

The pineapple candle holders (see pic below) on either side of the apple tree, are done with a "kit" I purchased about 17 years ago on a Christmas home tour. The home tour was sponsored by Traditional Home magazine and since I was a subscriber, they sent me two free tickets. :-) After touring this beautiful, historic mansion in Atlanta, we shopped in the gift shop "tent" they had set up behind the house.


I found this candle holder "kit" in the little gift shop tent and bought two.


There's a base that you push the pineapple down onto. The other piece you see pictured here, gets pushed down into the center of the pineapple...ta-dah...instant candle holder.


There's not a lot of info. on the box, but I took a pic just in case you wanted to look online to see if these are still being made. It appears these were made by a company called Carnevale in 1991.


Tammy at White Iris Designs found a candle holder base and spike online that will work with fruit...it's at Gardens etc. Thanks Tammy for sharing this! Just click HERE for the link.

I love this centerpiece and make it every year for my annual Christmas party. The apple tree would actually work well anywhere in the home. I could see it on a large coffee table in a family room....or perhaps as a focal point on the counter in a kitchen.

Please take time to stop by the blogs shown below. They all have beautiful tablescapes posted that will surely inspire!





The following blogs have beautiful tablescapes awaiting your visit:

A Diva's Hammer...Wielded by The Muse

A Southern Daydreamer

Above the Clouds

British Colonial Love Affair

Carolina Panache

Christine (Xinex on RMS)

Creating Myself

D's Daydreams

Designs by Gollum

Donna's Den

It Could Be Worse

It's a Sweet Life!

Kathleen Ellis

Lady Katherine Tea Parlor

Life at Ann's Place

Linda (Mom of a German Shorthair on RMS)

Lynne's Gifts From the Heart

Manning Family Tree

More Than Heirlooms

My Heart's Ease

Note Songs

Royal Touch

Susan's Colorful Life

The Crowned Casa

The Happy Wonderer

There is Always Thyme for......

White Iris Designs

He's Still Not Talking...But We Know!

A few weeks back, you and I went on a shopping/antiquing trip for Pink Saturday...and I came across this pillow.

I was sure Max, my constant companion, had snuck out of the house and posed for the maker of the pillow...although, Max wasn't talking. Just look at the tip of the tail and that girth...I think there's no denying it! :-)

I didn't purchase the pillow...that day. But after reading all of the comments y'all left on that post, I called the store and said, "Don't sell that pillow! That's my cat and I'm coming to get it!" Well, what do you think?

Since the screened-in porch is Max's favorite spot, the pillow just seemed to belong here, too. :-)

I attempted to get Mr. Max to pose again tonight, but he wasn't having it. Still in denial...it would seem. :-)
Little reminder: Tuesday is Tablescape Tuesday. (Click on the pink TT logo in my sidebar for the details.) Last week we had thirty-seven participants...fantastic! Remember, you do not have to dress a full table to participate...a single place setting or a lovely table for two is fine, too!

If you don't blog and thus, don't have a blog on which to post a tablescape, you can participate by posting your tablescape on Rate My Space. Just e-mail the direct RMS link to me at betweennapsontheporch@gmail.com, and I will include you as a participant in this Tablescape Tuesday. :-) Please let me know by Monday evening, 8:00 PM, if you do plan to participate. Looking forward to seeing your tablescapes!

A Champagne Punch Your Guest Will Love!

When I have a Christmas or New Year's Eve party, I always serve this easy to make, Champagne punch.



The Recipe:

Champagne Holiday Punch

Ingredients:
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
3 cinnamon sticks
4 whole cloves
2 cups cranberry juice
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1 bottle champagne (Korbel Brut works great)
Small amount of Grand Marnier (or any orange liqueur you prefer)
Red sugar
Green sugar

In a saucepan, bring water, sugar, cinnamon sticks and cloves to boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Discard cinnamon and cloves.
Cool to room temperature and pour into a large pitcher.
Add cranberry juice and pineapple juice.
Chill in fridge until ready to serve.
At serving time, add 1 bottle of chilled champagne.

If having a party, I recommend at least doubling, tripling or quadrupling this recipe, because it's a huge hit and folks keeping coming back for more. When I had around 25 guests for a recent neighborhood cookie party, we went through four batches, with none left over!

When serving, put red sugar, green sugar and Grand Marnier in a three-part dish or in three separate bowls. Dip the rim of the champagne glass into the Grand Marnier, then into one of the sugars. Then pour the punch into the glass.




You can serve it from a punch bowl and ladle it into the glass, but since the opening of a champagne glass is so small, this can be pretty messy with the punch ending up running down the sides of the glass. I found it's much easier to just pour it from a pitcher.




Your guests will love the look of the sugar rimmed glasses...they will ooh and aah and demand the recipe!




For large parties, I love to use the little charms around the stem of the glass. I have a limited number of champagne glasses so it helps my guest keep up with their glass. And, I just love the way they look.




This would probably even be great for a a wedding shower in the spring, using a pastel colored sugar around the rims.

For a New Year's Eve party or a birthday party, I like to dip the rims of the glasses in nonpareils, instead of the the colored sugars.

I've placed the glass in front of the paper towels so you can get a better look...




Doesn't this just say, FUN?!


Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

I'll be back posting soon...just taking a few days break to spend with family. I have a wonderful recipe that I can't wait to share with you! It's perfect for the holidays or a New Year's Eve party. (Debbie...it's the one, for which you were asking.) I'll try to get it posted for everyone tomorrow.

In the meantime:

Welcome to the 18th Tablescape Tuesday!

Christmas is only two days away...hard to believe! This is an exciting Tablescape Tuesday for me because two very special ladies, who are also dear friends of mine, have graciously agreed to let me post some of their wonderful holiday tablescapes. You most likely know them from their beautiful postings on Rate My Space...they are Carol, Cedwards55 and Linda, Mom of a German Shorthair .

When I was "chatting" with Carol recently, she told me, "When I entertain it's never a formal occasion. I love to cook but I'm a totally casual person, and so is my home. The furniture was all purchased from flea markets and the table was a steal from a showroom that was going out of business. I do love my creamy white furniture. It's kind of like vanilla ice cream. You can never have too much."

I asked Carol about the wonderful cabinet in her dining room. She said, "I found it at a darling little boutique in Champaign, IL called the Checkered Moon. The shop is every bit as cute as the name. It was a steal and although it wasn't exactly what I was looking for, I knew I could make it work.

"I covered foam-core board with batting and the Buffalo Check fabric. I hid the tacks where I attached it to the doors with gimp. The piece on top of the cabinet is actually a piece of architectural salvage. I'm sure it was under an eve of some old building. That piece, and the cornice over the jelly cupboard, both came from Third Sunday Market (flea market) in Bloomington, IL. I bought both pieces the same day, from the same vendor and was able to make a deal for $50 for the lot!"

I love the the adorable Christmas village displayed on the bottom shelf!

Carol continued, "The jelly cupboard (shown below) is from a little shop in Monticello, IL called Steeple Gallery. It was about $150 and the chairs are from the same shop. They were covered in a hideous fabric and were $25 each. I did my dining room furniture for under $1000."


I just love the palladian (arched) mirror...this room has so many neat architectural features! And look at the wonderful "deer" centerpiece on this tablescape! Carol shared, "The deer hurricane came from a local garden center. I use coffee beans in it and when the cranberry candle burns.... the fragrance is yummy! This place setting is just a collection of things that I've had for years. The plates are from Target...


...and the water goblets are from Hobby Lobby."


When describing the pretty things used in her tablescape, Carol said, "The only thing of any value is my mother's silver. If my house was burning and the boys were already out, I'd grab that silver. My parents were married during the Depression and I know that many people must have sacrificed in order to "gift" that wedding silver to my parents. I really do treasure it."
Carol told me, "The shutters were from a trip to New Orleans pre-Katrina. Found them on Magazine Street. They were shipped back to IL. I love the crunchy peely paint on them. I'm sure they have a story to tell."

I love the color of Carol's dining room walls, but Carol told me she is getting ready to make some changes. She said, "the paint color is Benjamin Moore's, Rhubarb. It's a coral red. I love it but it's going to be changed in February. I'm going for a latte color with brown and cream toile drapery." Doesn't that sound beautiful? If there's toile involved, I already know I'm going to love it! Maybe I can convince Carol to share a few pics with us then, too. :-)

Carol, thanks so much for inviting us into your beautiful dining room and for sharing this wonderful table setting with us on this Tablescape Tuesday! :-)

But were not done yet! I have the treat of sharing another wonderful home and table with you today! Linda (Mom of a German Shorthair on RMS) has invited us into her beautiful home, as well. And just look at our "Welcome"! Linda says, "The lantern has 3 candy-cane candles representing Jim, Belle and myself...to "WELCOME" family 'n friends."
What an inviting entrance...I can't wait to go in and see Linda's beautiful table all set for a holiday dinner!

Can you see what china Linda has used for this table setting? I'll give you a hint...it is made by Spode and it involves wildlife...
The pattern is Woodland, one of my favorites...one of Linda's, too.


Linda shared details on how she prepared this lovely table. She said, "This (see pic below) is the "Ladies'" table-setting. It features green Villeroy & Boch glass chargers, "girly-gold" lap napkins, included with our regular, over sized, monogrammed napkins and antique silver napkin rings that I've "found" or received as gifts from family and/or friends. Each one is different and from various countries. I used a more casual flatware than my sterling, as I thought this "went" better with this particular setting/feel."

Linda continued, "This is the "Men's'" setting, featuring feather wreaths, used as "napkin rings" (they like the "MANNNNLY" things, right?) and old horn forks & knives I found in Europe, mixed with the other flatware...again for a less formal feel, but cohesive with the ladies' settings." I just love how much thought Linda puts into making her guests feel special.


You can see the cute feather napkin rings a little better in this picture. Linda shared that the quail place cards are from Pottery Barn and the antique, wood dessert forks are from Europe. She told me, "They were pretty inexpensive at a flea market, and I just LOVED their character."


Look at the darling "dog" pitcher on Linda's buffet. Linda says it's a favorite of hers.

Linda found this wonderful deer wine cooler/bucket at Pottery Barn.


About the platter pictured below, Linda shared, "The silver turkey platter and "special fork" was my Great Grandma's and it was always much loved and used. I haven't polished it in years...I like it just the way it is, memories and all."


Linda made me smile, saying "after dinner and before dessert, we'll go to the living room to relax. This is the chair that is reserved FOR ME after dinner (and USUALLY, O-N-L-Y then!)"


Linda sends this magical Christmas "card" out to everyone...



The following blogs have beautiful tablescapes awaiting your visit: