Christmas Élégance...From Christmas Past

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Hello my friends...I hope you're having a fabulous day!
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The Christmas Countdown continues! Ohhh boy, I'm not sure if I'm going to get everything done in time or not. I had planned on having my autumn/Thanksgiving decor down and put away by now...with my Christmas decor well under way...but the Colorado cold has my ol' bones screaming at me and I'm moving very slow! Hopefully I can start some of my "TO DO" list tomorrow. In the meantime, I have another Christmas post from Christmas Past (2009) to share with you. I hope you enjoy!!!
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Christmas Past
December 16, 2009
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Christmas Elegance...Three Christmas Place Settings
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Hello my friends...I'm so happy that you came by today!!!
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Today I am joining in with Tablescape Thursday and Thrifty Thursday...you will find the information for these two fabulous events at the end of this post.
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I have had so much fun decorating for Christmas! I finally finished "decking out" my French Country dining room and posted about it just a few days ago. Today is a bit of a continuation from that post...I decided to have fun with the Christmas centerpiece that I created for the dining room table by trying a few Christmas place settings...each one a bit different! Hope you enjoy!!!
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Silver Élégance & A Christmas Table Centerpiece

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To me...Christmas is about many things! First and foremost...it's the time when I celebrate the birth of my Savior Jesus Christ and it's also a time when I celebrate my family and friends!

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When it comes to decorating... Christmas is the time when I can be a bit extravagant! So to celebrate this wonderful season, I brought out the silver and created a Christmas table centerpiece!
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I just love the look of silver and burgandy together...ahhh, sooo elegant!!!
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I have been collecting silver candlesticks for some time now....but I have a new treasure find! A couple of weeks ago, I found this beautiful silver soup tureen at the Goodwill for just $19! It's in great condition and even has the soup ladle! Ohhh boy...you should have seen me doin' the "happy dance"! Hehe! It is the perfect addition to my Christmas centerpiece!!!

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Now...the fun begins....

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Three Different Christmas Place Settings*

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Christmas Place Setting #1...Red Transferware!
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I just love red transferware dishes...and they look so Christmasy...don't you think?
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This place setting consists of a red transferware dinner plate...a larger solid red dinner plate, and a red transferware charger plate. All sitting atop a silver tray! I have added a red satin dinner napkin and a few pieces of flatware (more silver...yay!)
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Both of the red transferware pieces are different patterns, but one of the great things about red transferware is that you can mix and match them for a great look!
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I also had some fun putting together this little pretty!!!

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I used one of my silver pedestal plates and the glass cloche that my friend Sally (from Salamagundi Blog) gave me when we met! I just couldn't believe my good fortune...this glass cloche fits perfectly upon the pedestal plate! Thank you again, Sally!!! I then added a silver beaded garland with tassels and a silver filigree ornament to the mix! Just look at that silver sparkle...I love it!!! Ohhh...so pretty!!!
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Place Setting #2...Solid Red Dinnerware
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For this second place setting, I used a dinner plate and a salad/dessert plate from my solid red dinnerware set. I also kept the red transferware plate for a little added interest! Ohhh yes...and I added a new silver plate...a gift from Leann over at The Old Parsonage! I just got it in the mail yesterday. Thank you, Leann....I love it!!!
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A close-up of the red transferware plate. Ohhh...so pretty and frenchy looking!!!
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Just a pretty photo of place setting #2 and my red dining room.
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Place Setting #3...Classic Christmas Red and Green
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Is these anything more classic than red & green for Christmas? I decided to change out the red transferware for my olive green transferware! As you can see, the solid red dinner plate is large enough to be used as a charger plate...I love that about this dinnerware! I found this fabulous set of olive green transferware dishes on ebay last Spring. There is a 5 piece place setting for six and I got it all for a mere...are you ready? For just $10! Yeehawww!!! Definitely a "thrifty" treasure find!!! This beautiful olive green transferware/ironstone is manufactured by Kinsington Staffordshire of England.
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I think this might just be my favorite of the three different place settings! Which one do you like best?
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A close-up of the olive green transferware plate. I just love how it looks with the red!!!
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Just having fun! The red poinsettia looks beautiful with this place setting...don't you think?
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Just a couple of "artsy" photos. I used a "frosted glass" effect to frame these photos.
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Ahhhh...silver elegance!!!
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And...there you have it! Three different Christmas place settings! I hope you enjoyed them...I sure had fun playing!!! Hehe!
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Tablescape Thursday

I am joining in with Susan's Tablescape Thursday today! Please go by Susan's place, Between Naps on the Porch...and see what she has for us today and while you're there you can check out all the other Tablescape Thursday particiapants!

and...

I am also joining in with Leigh over at Tales from Bloggeritaville for her Thrifty Thursday party! Please go pay Leigh a visit and see the other Thrifty Thursday participants! Thank you, Leigh...for hosting this fun filled Thursday event!!!
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Well my friends...I'm so happy that you came by for a visit today!!! I hope you enjoyed a little trip back into Christmas Past! Hopefully I will have some new things to share with you very soon!

Warmest Wishes!

A Spring Green Tablescape

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Hello my friends...I'm so happy that you stopped by today!

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It has been a busy week at my place...besides the normal daily schedule,
 I have been trying to get a some spring cleaning done so that I could do a
 little spring decorating!

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I started the spring fluffing in my dining room. As many of you know,
 I have a red French Country style dining room. I love my red walls, however
 it is sometimes a challenge to "lighten" things up for the spring and summer season.
 This year I decided to use as much white as possible and add a little "Spring Green"
 into the mix...you know, that pretty yellow-green color! It's so light and fresh...
just what I want!
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I wanted to do a spring tablescape to go with the new spring decor...my very
 first spring tablescape of the season!
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A Spring Green Tablescape...
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 I have incorporated the same white and green color scheme from the dining
 room decor into my tablescape. Ahhh...a light and fresh table!

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No table coverings today...going for that light and fresh ambiance...all I
 am using is a white lacy table runner...that's it! Fresh and simple!
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As you can see, I am using several white pieces along with a few
 items of that spring green color.

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The Place Setting...

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White and spring green dishes! I am using a dinner plate, fruit
 bowl, bread and butter plate, and a cup and saucer from my set of green
 transferware ironstone. This pretty pattern is called Kensington Staffordshire
 Balmoral 1801. I just love this set of dishes...I found a 32 piece set on Ebay
 for just $10 (plus shipping)! Quite a bargain!!! I am also using a salad
 plate from my set of white ironstone dishes along with a lacy
 metal charger plate.
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The white cotton dinner napkin is trimmed with the prettiest crocheted
 lace. Just perfect for the light and fresh look that I was going for!
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I love, love, LOVE this floral pattern! Ohhh...and
 those beautiful scalloped edges!
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I large glass goblet for water or iced tea.

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I love how the green apples look through the glass!


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I recently found this pretty white pedestal plate at TJ Maxx for just
 $5.99. I love the reticulated edge...I wove two pretty ribbons around the
 plate...one white ribbon and one spring green ribbon!

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I added four green apples to the plate...love that pretty "splash"
 of yellow-green!!!
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The tea/coffee pot is white ironstone by JG Meakins...another thrifty
 buy for just $10!
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Ohhh look...two little spring birds have decided to join us!
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 It just wouldn't be a spring table without a couple of sweet songbirds!

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I love, love, LOVE white pitchers! This is one of my collection...I
 think the embossed grapes and leaves are sooo pretty! I believe that this is
 the first time that I've used this pitcher in a tablescape.
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I wanted to show you a couple of photos of my newly decorated for
 spring...buffet. All white with a few splashes of that pretty yellow-green!
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Long stems of white lilacs along with a few hydrangea blooms in a large
 white pitcher sit center stage on the 6 ft. long buffet. Four silver candleholders
 with white candles...and four cut glass candleholders sporting their pretty
 yellow-green color candles...join in with the mix.
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and...as you may have noticed...there are bunnies...lots of bunnies!
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On the left there is a happy little bunny sitting with his chubby little legs
 up in the air...on a yellow-green bed of moss. A larger bunny is resting under
 the shade of the lilacs. Hehe!

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On the right side...more bunnies! One of the little guys is sleeping on a bed
 of the same moss under the glass cloche. Ahhhh! On the very end is one of my
 prized thrift store finds...a bunny covered casserole dish or tureen. I only paid $8
 for this fabulous piece! If you would like to see more of the spring Green
 decor in my dining room...you can click HERE.
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I really like the look of the red walls behind the white flowers
 and bunnies and the glass!

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And...there you have it! A "Spring Green" tablescape! I hope you enjoyed!
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I am joining in with the following fabulous parties...
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Tablescape Thursday...hosted by Susan over at Between Naps on the Porch.

Thrifty Thursday...hosted by Leigh over at Tales From Bloggerittaville

Show & Tell Friday...hosted by Cindy over at My Romantic Home.
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Thank you so much...Susan, Leigh, and Cindy...for hosting these fun filled parties for us!
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Well my friends, thank you so much for coming by today! Please leave me a comment so that I know you were here. I'd love to come for a visit!!!
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Birds of a Feather

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Hello my friends...I hope that you're having a fabulous week!
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This morning I woke up to cold, foggy weather. In fact, we are supposed to get more snow this week. While some of you dear bloggers are already experiencing Spring...we still have a ways to go here in Colorful Colorado. I really am trying to get to my Spring decor! Hehe!

In light of our cold Colorado weather...I have created a wintery table situated by the fireplace in the living room. I really wanted an excuse to use my new "Brookshire" dishes by Johnson Bros...at least once...before putting them away. They will have to wait until next Autumn to make their return.
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Without further ado...
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Birds of a Feather

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A cozy table set for one...by the fireplace in my olive green living room.
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The place setting..."Brookshire" by Johnson Bros. of England 1883.
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This is the first time that I've used this pretty set of dishes. I found them at Dillards (online) during their "After Christmas Sale". I may very well have gotten the "Deal of the Century" on this beautiful set of dishes! They were originally $99 for a service for four....marked down to...are you ready? They were marked down to just $12! Yes...you read that right...just $12!!! I couldn't believe my good fortune! I ordered two sets!
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Each set had a 7 piece place setting for four! Altogether I received....

8 - 11" dinner plates
8 - salad/dessert plates
8 - bread & butter plates
8 - lg. rimmed cereal bowls
8 - berry bowls
8 - coffee cups
8 - saucers
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Altogether...that's 56 pieces for just $24! And...there was free shipping! Yeeehawww!
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Oooh...aren't they pretty?
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The dishes are off-white with bands of hunter green. Several different types of birds and feathers are seen on the rims of the dishes. We have pheasants, Canadian geese, ducks, chickens, etc. I call these my "manly" dishes because they have a masculine feel to them! Hehe!
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My favorite is the pheasant!
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I thought that this beautiful set of dishes would be perfect for a cozy table in front of the fireplace in my living room! There is nothing like dining in front of a warm, cozy fire on a cold winter's night! Okay...I must admit...this is a faux fireplace, however I can light all the candles that sit on the hearth! Hehe!
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The Table Linens...
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I used a beautiful olive green velvet throw for the table covering. I love the rich feel that it lends to the table!!! The dark olive green, sagey greens, and brown colors of the velvet throw go perfectly with the colors of the "Brookshire" dishes!
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I am also using an olive green striped placemat that I recently found on sale at Walmart for just $1.50/ea. I love the look of the striped placemat with the floral throw! I love to mix floral patterns with striped patterns...it just has an English Country style feel! The placemats are a lighter olive green with rusty brown and cream colored stripes...just perfect!!!
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Along with the floral and stripe patterns...I added a checked dinner napkin done in olive green and cream colors. These pretty napkins are from Walmart...on sale for $1.50/for two. The wood napkin rings have different types of leaves on them...another sale find from Walmart!
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I think I have created an English Country ambience using the floral, stripes, and checked patterns! That's the look I was going for! What do you think?
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The Place Setting...
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A "Brookshire" dinner plate and salad/dessert plate sit upon a woven reed charger plate!
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A Little History About Johnson Bros. China...
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The company's name derives from the names of the company's founders. The four original 'Johnson Brothers' were Alfred, Frederick, Henry and Robert, all four being grandsons of Alfred Meakin. In 1883 Alfred and Frederick Johnson began production at the factory they had purchased at a bankruptcy sale in Charles Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent. At first they specialised in the manufacture of durable earthenware which they called "White Granite". The success of this venture led to rapid expansion. In 1888, Henry Johnson joined them, followed ten years later by a fourth brother Robert Johnson.
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Having established a solid reputation producing basic “whiteware” the company developed a product known as "semi-porcelain", a range of earthenware that had the characteristics of fine china, but the durability of ironstone. This kind of tableware soon became very popular in the United States due to its durability and low cost. By 1898 five additional factories were opened in Britain to cope with growing demand, and Robert Johnson had relocated to New York City to manage Johnson Brothers' rapid expansion into the North American market.
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Johnson Brothers continued its growth in the tableware industry throughout the first half of the 20th century. During the 1950s award-winning designs, like "Old Britain Castles" and "Historic America", became very popular and the company was twice awarded the Queen's Award to Industry for their contributions to the British economy. *
Despite this award, the late 1960s saw changing popular taste, rising competition and spiralling production costs which led Johnson Brothers to curtail further expansion. In 1968, in order to remain competitive, Johnson Brothers joined the Wedgwood Group. This facilitated a further restructuring of the company and expansion into new markets. In 1995 the Hanley Pottery closed down and was soon demolished. At the same time a review of many of the traditional Johnson Brothers lines led to a rationalisation and a reduction in the number of patterns produced. In 2000 the tableware division of Johnson's temporarily moved to the J. & G. Meakin Eagle Pottery works.
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In 2003, the manufacturing of Johnson Brothers products in Britain ceased, and was transferred to China. According to the Waterford Wedgwood company, production in China cost 70% less than did production in Britain. The closure of British production facilities eliminated around 1,000 British jobs, contributing to the rising unemployment in Britain's old pottery-making centre. The Eagle Pottery works were demolished in 2005. (This article was found at Wikipedia)
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Whew...that was alot of reading but I thought it was interesting since Johnson Bros. China is so popular!
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A close-up photo.
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Birds of a Feather Tabletop Vignette...
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I was going for a "hunt" theme with a "days gone by" kind of ambience!

An old rattan chest sits atop a couple of old books (which I tried to color coordinate as well. Hehe!) I filled the rattan chest with pinecones and a ceramic duck that is in flight. The duck is an old vintage wall planter. Do you remember seeing these vintage ceramic duck wall planters? This pair belonged to my husband's grandparents. I thought they would work perfectly with the "Birds of a Feather" table theme! You will also see a few pheasant feathers in the mix! The second vintage duck planter sits on the table in front of the books...with pheasant feathers tucked in and around the planter. Ohhh...and we can't forget the candlelight! A muted orange candle on a tall bronze candleholder will "fill the ticket"!
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Well my friends...I hope that you enjoyed my "Birds of a Feather" tablescape. I'm so happy that you stopped in for a visit! I would love for you to leave me a comment and let me know that you were here! I'd love to visit back with you!!!
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I am joining in with these fabulous parties today...
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Table Top Tuesday...hosted by Marty over at A Stroll Thru Life.
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Tuesday Trivia Tie-In....hosted by Troy over at I Refuse To Recede.
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Tablescape Thursday...hosted by Susan over at Between Naps on the Porch.
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Thrifty Thursday...hosted by Leigh over at Tales from Bloggeritaville.
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A big thank you to Marty, Troy, Susan, and Leigh for hosting these fabulous parties for us!!! Please go by and see what they have for us...and while you're there you will find a list of all the other party participants!
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Warmest wishes,