Garden Tea

Olivia and Emma hosted a Garden Tea to promote Olivia's bath products that she is making.
She is using a Southern Belle theme (big surprise...right?), so Belles and Teas just go together.

She dressed for the occasion to present her products.

She and Emma worked all week in the yard, and then they labored all day on the food.

I made some cloth napkins, and then just stayed out of their way.
Not that I didn't want to help, but this is something 'they' wanted to pull off.
And they did a GREAT job.

Although at a Tea you should serve hot tea, it was a bit warm and humid today so
they served Lemonade and Iced Tea,
after all we do live in the south! ;o)

Sandwiches cut with a heart cookie cutter and garnished with roses from our neighbor's yard.

Crackers and dip served in small clay pots.
The pots are lined with plastic wrap.

Mini cupcakes, with Cream Cheese Icing,
garnished with wild flowers and a small piece of chocolate bar.

Cucumber wedges with cream cheese and dill.

Strawberries and whipped cream, garnished with a small mint leaf.

Small cake with raspberry filling and Cream Cheese Icing,
surrounded with pralines.

Here are some carrot and celery sticks in the small flower pots, along with the dip.
Also pictured: fruit platters, mints and chocolate covered pretzels.

Hospitality~ Napkin Folding

I barter homemaking lessons for Olivia's piano lessons. It's a great trade! Pictured below is sweet Ana (in the blue) and Olivia (who is sweet too!) as they prepare a four course meal for Ana's dad's birthday dinner that we hosted last night.

Emma did the napkin folding and set the tables.

Lay your napkin flat, fold all four corners in to the center.

Gently flip it over.

Fold all four corners in again to meet in the center.

Place a glass in the center to leave an imprint on the napkin,
lift the corners slightly.

Place some greenery, fresh herbs, a fresh flower,
or even their place card in the center of the napkin.
It is January so we have no flowers in the yard,
and this was a man's supper, so we used some evergreens!

The girls did a great job!

Here is the desert.
You can see details of this over HERE!

Hospitality

We love having company, although it can be challenging with a smaller house, but the Lord did not command us to practice hospitality only if you have a long enough table for everyone to sit at together! :o) We practice most of our hospitality during the warmer months because my Wonderful husband built a nice picnic pavilion and fire circle for us. We love doing cookouts. We also hosted an outdoor tea last spring.

BUT... someday we hope to have one of those long dining room tables to be able to invite families over to a nice sit down meal. :o)

Some of our most beloved friends invited us over for a BEAUTIFUL, DELICIOUS, four course meal just before New Years. One of their family's goals this year is to invite each family in our church over for a nice, four course, sit down meal at least once this year. This is PERFECT training ground to help teach their children (and everyone else) table etiquette for a fancier meal than a hamburger and french fries. :o) Because my grandmother is visiting us they chose to have us over first...I'd hate to think we were the guinea pigs...lol (just kidding Trish!)

Trish had all the food ready and our daughters
and their daughter's did the food presentation
(making it look pretty on the plate) and serving.

They served the adults and the boys/young men.
We had pleasant conversation and joked about
what was 'proper' and what was not and why.
We had a very nice time and their family has once
again inspired us in the area of hospitality.

~~~~~
Another avenue of hospitality is in the form of 'Take Out'! :o)

New Years Day Olivia and Emma took part of our
meal to our elderly neighbors across the road.
They are like second grandparents to them and are
PURE COUNTRY FOLKS, if you know what I mean!

They fixed a lovely tray complete with the good silverware,
goblets, cloth napkins and a small vase with fresh herbs in it.
That was fun for the couple and for the girls!

Romans 12:13

Distributing to the necessity of saints;
given to hospitality.

Easy, Inexpensive Place Cards

The purpose of hospitality is to make your guest feel welcome. They will notice a warm smile and a cheerful attitude alot more than they will notice how the food tasted or if the house is spotless. True hospitality is from the heart, because the greatest gift you can give anyone is your time and attention.

Here are a few ideas for Christmas place cards that only take a few minutes and they'd be a great project for the kids to make, because hospitality is a family event!

All of these would be great items for the guest to take home.

Glass Christmas balls, a metallic marker, ribbon and a piece of greenery.
Other options would be a small craft pearls on a string, raffia, velvet ribbon...

Goblet and a permanent marker.
It washes off with hot soapy water.
Not only will they know where to sit, but as the day/evening goes on,
they'll know which glass is their's.

Silk poinsettias and a permanent marker.
Write name on one petal.

Ribbon with wire sides, pipe cleaner, a small Christmas ball and hot glue.
Fold and twist two pieces of ribbon, glue in the back.
The wire makes it easy to form.
Glue the head on.

Place the name card in the arms (pipe cleaner).

Use an evergreen leaf, a silver or gold metallic marker, some ribbon or raffia.

Pine cone with raffia tied to the bottom and the name card slid in the top.
Or you can lay it on it's side and do the same.

Two candy canes tacked together with low temp glue gun.
Add ribbon of your choice and tack on the name card.
This is perfect for the kids table.

Wood slices with wholes for a ribbon to also be used for a wall hanging.
These can say Welcome, Merry Christmas, Christmas 2007 or a name.

Wood slices propped up on a glass.

Try to have extras made up in case you have surprise guest.
If you are not sure who is coming, just write Christmas 2007 or Merry Christmas.
Use your imagination.

Hospitality Ministry

Hospitality is such a powerful way that families, especially women, can minister to anyone and everyone. It need not be burdensome either.

I was talking with a friend today, and she has had new neighbors move in across the road. These neighbors are not married, but living together. My friend made a little goodie basket full of homemade items and took it to them, as a 'Welcome'. A few days later the lady across street called my friend and thanked her for the basket commented on how people just don't do that kind of thing any more. Then she asked my friend where she went to church.

Now showing small acts of kindness/hospitality like this does not always bring such gratefulness or interest in spiritual things, but it can be a small stepping stone to building a relationship. It is very difficult and often impossible to share the Gospel with anyone when there is no relationship with them.

We don't have to travel across the ocean to be a missionary. We begin in our homes. And for most of us that will be our primary place to minister, not only to our family members and in our church, and but to those in our community that need the love of Christ shown to them, by Christians that walk their talk!