Easter Tea in the Castle Library

I feel very blessed to live in such a beautiful place where castles, old and new are common! After celebrating the resurrection of our Lord, we headed with friends to Schloss Kronberg
www.schlosshotel-kronberg.de

I was taken to this lovely place last year by some friends for an unforgettable birthday and this year I thought it would be an amazing Easter treat.

I made reservations for tea in the library, but to our excitement, we were given a private dining room to accommodate the 9 of us that attended! Noggle family, April 4, 2010 Easter Day

Vince and Tawni in the rear

My friends, Cheryl and Tawni

Chloe ready for her tea

Tawni ready for her choice of tea sandwiches

Scott having a great time, Tawni and Vince's daughter Paige is sitting to the left of Chloe.

2 yummy dessert trays were brought to the table with scones, chocolate covered fruit and many other delicacies

Trentan being silly

My handsome son Micah who is turning into be quite a Godly young man

We felt like royalty for the afternoo

Love, love, love this chandelier

Following tea, we took a stroll over the castle grounds, it was a lovely close to a lovely day!!!

1st SUPPER CLUB

Our 1st Supper Club Event
February 5, 2010

A girl that I work with would talk about this Supper Club that she and he husband do with couples that her husband works with. My husband and I did something similar about 2 years ago with 4 other families, but it died out when some of them moved.
In an effort to step out of our comfort zone and get to know other couples that we don't already know, we started our own Supper Club.

Rules are simple, we meet once a month and the host/hostess home is responsible for providing the complete meal for the other 4 couples. We rotate homes and take 2 months off a year so each couple hosts once every 5 months. It can be as simple or fancy as you like. Most important-NO KIDS! We all have children, but we agreed that we need at least 1 night a month for just couples!
Since this was the 1st month, we wanted to go all out! I had purchased a William Sonoma Paris Cookbook about 18 months ago and never took it out of the box. I thought this was an appropriate time to do so. I found the recipes I wanted to make and headed for France. How convenient to live right over the border. Friday morning came and I began my preparations. I started with the Creme Brulee. I bought 16 ramekins and a torch over a year ago and never used them until Friday. The Creme Brulee (my favorite french dessert) turned out WONDERFUL and I will be making it again very soon! (This was a photo before the brown sugar was added and caramelized)

This was my table setting for the evening. Very simple. I used my milk bottles that I purchased at Comptoir de Famille (once of my favorite French stores) and placed 1 tulip in each. I had ordered beautiful hand stamped french ribbon from etsy, but it never came in:( I purchased all my silverware at a second hand shop for 1 euro a piece (score!) and I used a simple white plate/black and white damask napkin and a white bowl for salad. Simple and elegant.

I also gave each guest a cone shaped box filled with French caramels and a rocher chocolate to savor after dinner.

There were supposed to be 10 total guests, but one lady's husband was flying and another lady's husband is deployed to Iraq and she stayed home because one of her children was sick-so that left 7 for the night! Still so fun!

I purchased this old silver tray for $2 at the thrift store and used my chalkboard paint in the center. I posted the menu for everyone to see.

I still have to find a place for my mirror that used to be in my bedroom, so for the evening, I just put it on the piano and placed some small treasures on it.

My old cabinet door that I bought in Bath, England. I change up the message on a regular basis.

Ahhhh, the beautiful roller and stuffed pork loin-it turned out FABULOUS!

Scott came home from work a little early to help. Here he is placing the endive and red pepper pieces around the loin to cook.

The guests are seated and we pray and begin to eat. I was worried about all the items that we made as I NEVER cook like this, but everyone kept saying that everything was just divine! I was so pleased.

From the left there is, Michelle, Teresa, Steve, Darryl, Debra and of course Scott and myself

Michelle was having a good time and enjoyed a glass of red wine with her meal!

And here is the gang! We had a fabulous night and I can't wait until March-Darryl and Debra have graciously agreed to be the hosts!
More SC posts to follow. **Disclaimer** Earlier in the week (Monday) I was diagnosed with bacterial conjunctivitis; was treated with one medication, had an allergic reaction to it and placed on new med; the infection is gone, but the redness remained, so by the end of Friday night my eyes were burning so badly and I could barely stay focused on anything; hence why I am squinting. Glad to say that today (Sunday) is a better day! Praise God!

Happy 2010 Transformation!!!!

YEAH!! My 1st entry in Show and Tell Friday with Cindy over at My Romantic Home
Check it out!



I have been trying for months to make the arrangements in our home work to accommodate more people comfortably and I think I found a solution. I got a new camera for Christmas (yeah!), but my sweet husband deleted the pictures off the camera before I had a chance to make sure that they were all saved on my computer. I had a lot of "before" the move photos; but can't seem to find many of them, so I threw in some from Christmas so you can see how the house was set up before the move! I love the change; now I am just saving my euro for some white slip covered couches, which may take awhile thanks to Dave Ramsey!


Ok, so here is our wonderful German neighbor Ida who brought the kids presents on Christmas Eve. You can see she is standing in the old dining area that comes right off the kitchen

I was testing out my new camera and shot some photos in black and white. This too is the dining area and my lovely center piece with real red roses floating in water and my German Schwinboggen in the window

This is looking in the the dining area before the move

This was my tree this year; I threw the picture in b/c I knew I wouldn't have time to do an entire post just on Christmas since it is already 15 January, 2010
I did the tree with lots of mercury glass ornaments, and silver plates with friends and family photos on them. I put TONS of real roses and baby's breath in the tree with white lights of course! It just glistened!

Months back a friend and I bought these old chippy window panes for 10 euros a piece and so I used one this Christmas season as a backdrop on my buffet and for my manger scene

This is a very strange are in my house, our living area is long and somewhat narrow and the bookcase and fireplace are in the center of it. Once I save up enough a white loveseat will sit infront of it. I was excited to fill my dough bowl from Tongeren, Belgium with sparkling silver balls and some of my favorite silver pieces.

This is looking in the old "living area". I like the space but there is not a lot of room for seating

I threw this picture in b/c I did my cabinet with all things roses on top and I liked the way it turned out.

This is looking to the right of that "living" area. I always kept my 2 winged back chairs there, but I just needed more space.

Here is my last "before" picture and before all the Christmas decor was down

Here was have the after! I moved my living room to my dining area and vice versa! It literally came to me as I was sleeping! When I woke up, I had to call my husband about the change; he could hardly contain himself! Well he went along with it and helped me move. Just because it says "Essenzimmer" Eating area on the blueprint doesn't mean I have to abide by it. I am going to take that approach from now on.
My plan is again to get some white slipcovered couches and loveseats and to get a really old shabby table that is perfect for under the chandelier. I may try and find a piece that wasn't intended to a table at all; I guess I am going on a mission to France real soon.

I love the change! I still really want to paint the beams white; or better yet, take them out, but hubby is not on board AT ALL! He says we will most likely sell back to a German family and they LOVE these beams.

Still need more seating, but the area is so much bigger than the previous living area

When summer comes, out balcony will just become and extension of our indoor living space. See that odd area again in front of the white shelves? It is hard, even now to keep the conversation flow going with such a narrow set up; but we do the best we can.

Can you tell that I love roses? I took lots of them off my tree and put them everywhere. I found a new spot for my dough bowl; atleast for a few months

Don't get me started on the fireplace. When the house was built in 1970, the slanted fireplace was all the rage. Well it is 2010 and not so cool, but we are thinking of doing it all in the faux stone and for sure getting an insert so we can seriously put off some heat and make it worth while. I did paint it khaki right before Christmas, but not sure I like it now. Looking for some small table and wooden chairs for the kids because the yellow one has to go; it does work for the little people right now.

And now looking into my new dining room! Yes, I can actually say that I have a dining room and not a dining area. Would LOVE to put white french doors on, but only in my dreams, maybe I will find curtains to accent the area.

Still working on the camera functions, so I tried to capture the light.

Ahh, that's better. My walls are khaki and my accents are silver, black and brown and I love it!

Even with the baby grand in the corner, I still have space. I will have to rearrange eventually as the door goes out to the balcony; but for the winter months it is just fine.

One of my favorite pieces b/c it is unique is my singer sewing machine wash basin that I purchased at an antique's store in Louisiana. I put a piece of glass on top so I can use it as a table. I already changed out my candy for Valentine's Day; Conversation heart and red and pink M & M's.

So I found this old glass door on the side of the road about 1 1/2 years back. I painted it white and then just randomly used it to decorate.I needed something for this area so I quickly found some of the fabric that my sister bought me for Christmas (GREAT PRESENT by the way-yards of fabric!) and I put B & W and sepia family photos with double sided tape on top! I literally did it in 5 minutes and I love it! I just need to add more photos. Off the right hand side you can see my new silver tray with black chalkboard paint on it. I found the silver tray at the thrift store for $2 and now I am going to use it as an elegant way to present my menu.

Some of my favorite silver pieces and a few roses

My buffet with some of my silver pieces and a wedding photo. I love the new damask runner that my mom bought me for Christmas from a french store in Ohio!

Last one, more silver of course, would love to find some vintage jewelry and old wedding gloves to dangle on the small tiered stand that I bought in Dinkelsbuhl, Germany (love that place!)

So there you have it! My 1 day transformation. I have touch ups to do and furniture to by, but the new set up works so much better! I will be back soon! God bless and Happy 2010!