One of my all time favorite vacation spots is Williamsburg, Va. I just love roaming the village, visiting the museum and of course hitting the shops and taking tea!

This year I'm trying to squeeze in a visit to Christiana Campbell's Tavern for Holiday Tea.

Here's what the official invitation states:

"Join Mrs. Campbell and her contemporaries for an afternoon tea, chocolate fancies, melodies played on harp to set the holiday mood, and lively discussion about 18th-century holiday traditions." 

Doesn't that sound divine?!

I haven't been able to tour the streets during the Christmas season, have you?

 

Wouldn't it be delightful to sit by the fire, listen to the pianist playing Christmas music while sipping tea?

Let's meet for tea!

 
 

Photo courtesy of http://blog.christmaslightsetc.com/

 The Holiday season is upon us, Thanksgiving Day is just around the corner and I bet your Christmas decorations are around the corner too! In fact, I bet that you had to crawl over the Christmas Decorations to get to the Thanksgiving decorations!

This year I am trying to begin my Christmas decorating early. My youngest son's birthday is Dec. 8th and we have always tried so hard to just do birthday decorating at the beginning of the month and not let Christmas intrude on his special day.

Well, while shopping last year he and I had a talk about it. Last year we had a snow storm that made it hard to get the Christmas decorations up in time. He didn't like that at all! I explained to him how we wanted to make his birthday special and he replied that the best part of having a December birthday was that "There are decorations everywhere!"

This week's Certified Santa Helper is a page to help keep the decorating simple! Make your home festive, fun and comforting. Comforting is a relaxed atmosphere that is shared by the family. Select the decorations that you love and follow the traditions that make you smile! 

This is the busy season for my business and I find that if I don't pay attention, I go to bed late saying "I forgot to do this or put out that!".  Peace of mind and time with family is more important than vacuuming the carpet or filing the invoices or blogging. :)  Enjoy  the Helper for week 3 and keep it simple!

Download Certified Santa help3 decorate

and visit www.flylady.net, you'll be glad you did!

This is the second of our 5 part series to help you sail through the Holidays this year.

Photo credit/Country Living Magazine

Last week, we began thinking of gifts and getting organized-shopping on-line to save time and money. Starting now means that you don't have to panic when the gift is back ordered or just plain gone! It also saves you money on shipping, because when you have time to wait you have more money in your pocket!

This week, we are still focused on gifts- now we can get going with the gifts to make and the others to purchase as we are out and about shopping. Keep track of those items, don't stash them away before you log them onto your list and WRAP them. Yep, you heard me- wrap the item as it comes into the house.

So, enclosed are two lists that will keep you on track and fly through the Holiday prep! I think a nice cup of Ceylon Chai tea, good and strong and yummy will help you relax-and don't forget some nice music!

Download Certified Santa help2b gift list/ gifts to make

Download Certified Santa help2 gift list/ gifts to purchase
 

Last week I set up a corner all for myself and used my Autumn colors and had so much fun that I put this table together this afternoon. I invited a few friends over to the shop for lunch! I just love the soft chocolate tones of this set! Well, how can you go wrong with chocolate? I named this the Bloomsbury Truffle Collection. I just love the fun flowers on the tea cosie and did I mention that the chocolate tones just whisper to me? :) Okay, they scream at me! :)

 

Here are the little friends stopping in for tea on their way south for the winter! (from Micheal's Craft Store)

I just love this plate with the quote along the rim and the gardening theme! (from Portmerion) I'm getting good use from my flatware purchased at Tar-get! And what do you think of the napkin tucked under the plate?

Thanks for stopping in for my fall fest! I hope that you enjoyed the setting! And do stop in at Susan's to vist with the other talented tablescapers!
 And please do visit all the talented tablescapers over at Susan's blog!

 

 I do so love the fall, the changing of the seasons! And I love that I still have a child (the youngest of 3)who adores Halloween!

Here's a recipe for a Scone"Treat" sure to make the goblins in your life smile at Tea Time.

 
So easy!

*  Bake 1 package Sweet Creme/Vanilla scones as directed. (Remember, our scone mix only needs one ingredient! :)

*  Add a scoop of vanilla or chocolate ice cream and sandwich between two scones.

*  Roll in your choice of sprinkles or candy halloween confetti.

Enjoy with a cup of cranberry harvest tea or cold fresh apple cider with your goblins!

**This would be yummy with eggnog icecream for the next holiday!

Happy Halloween!