Caroline Thornton's Baby Shower 2016

On Saturday, January 23rd Southard House hosted a fun baby shower for mommy-to-be Caroline Thornton and baby Sawyer.  Hostess Dana Poslick contacted me to book the first floor of the inn for the shower and she requested that the shower colors be aqua, Navy blue, and grey.  She also requested that the theme be arrows.  I made a lot of really cute decorations to customize this sweet baby shower.

 The hostesses brought all kinds of delicious food for hungry guests to enjoy during the shower.

A wooden S covered in theme-colored papers with a hand-made arrow attached!

 Aqua and Navy blue sugar cookies were served for dessert and were made by one of the hostesses.  They are so cute!

I served aqua baby shower punch and iced tea.  The punch was delicious and had a sparkling berry flavor.

Thank you to Dana Poslick and all of the hostesses for choosing Southard House to host your shower!  Congratulations Caroline on the upcoming arrival of baby Sawyer.  May you be blessed as you raise him!
If you would like more information about Southard House to host a party or shower, please visit our website at www.southardhouse.com.

Alice in Wonderland Tea Party 2016

On Saturday, January 16th Southard House hosted a fun Alice in Wonderland tea party for 10 lucky little girls. St. Joseph's Catholic School in Enid, OK has a fundraiser each year and for the past 3 years we have been donating 10 tickets for a little girl's tea party to be auctioned off to help them raise money. This year we picked the Alice in Wonderland theme and I had so much fun creating this amazing party for the girls!

When the girls arrived I read them the story of Alice in Wonderland. Many of them had already heard the story so they were telling it to me! After the story they rotated in groups between the Red Queen's Dress Up Area and The Mad Hatter's Hat Shop Craft Area.

The girls had fun trying on scarves and feather boas, necklaces, bracelets, and gloves.

 They also had a lot of fun making a mini Mad Hatter's Hat that we slid on to a headband for them to wear that day.
                                     

After the dress up and crafting fun was over the girls were treated to an amazing tea party in the dining room. I had the dining room doors shut and I had all of the girls come together in front of the doors. We pretended like we were falling down the rabbit hole in to Wonderland and then I swung open the doors to reveal an amazing tea party just for them!

I fed the girls peanut butter and honey tea sandwiches, ham and cheese tea sandwiches, strawberry cream cheese tea sandwiches, strawberries and grapes. For dessert there were lemon tea cakes, bunny tails cookies, raspberry lemonade cakes, and Mad Hatter hat cakes. I also served two different kinds of pink tea that the girls drank from their mismatched China teacups! 

A mini Mad Hatter's hat on a rosy mushroom!

The girls had an amazing time at their tea party! After we had tea I gave the girls a tour of Southard House and they took home a special bag of sweet treats I made just for them. We had so much fun together! I am really looking forward to next year! If you would like more information about Southard House, please visit our website at www.southardhouse.com. 

Nutcracker Sweet Christmas Tea at Southard House

Hello Friends!

Business is picking up during the week here at Southard House and I have been working on making beautiful Christmas decorations for each room of the inn since October 31st!  We have some very exciting events planned for the coming weeks, including the Enid Lights Up the Plains event on November 29th, our Kenwood Christmas Home Tour and Open House on December 7th, the Nutcracker Sweet Christmas Tea on December 10th, a baby shower on December 14th, and a children's birthday party on December 15th.

This post is dedicated, however, to providing you with some information about the Nutcracker Sweet Christmas Tea that will be held on Tuesday, December 10th from 6:30-8:30 PM.  The house will be brimming from wall to wall with beautiful, magical Christmas decorations.  This tea is dedicated to all things Nutcracker, so think of pink tutus, glorious nutcrackers painted in pastel hues, lots of candy and treats, and all things girly and sweet.  This would be a great tea party to bring your school-age daughters and granddaughters to!  It will be a fun time for girls of all ages but it is limited to the first 20 guests so you better buy your tickets early before they run out!  Tickets for the tea are $12 for adults and $8 for children and must be purchased in advance.  Ticket prices include lots of treats and sweets, a selection of Christmas teas or coffee, a few fun Christmas games with beautiful prizes, a reading of the Nutcracker book (if time allows and we have some children in attendance), a beautiful hand-made nutcracker favor for each guest (worth the ticket price alone), a chance to win a fabulous door prize basket that includes a free night's stay at Southard House, and a tour of our beautiful inn all decorated for Christmas!  This tea is also a cookie swap so for each ticket you purchase you are asked to bring two dozen of your favorite Christmas cookies to this tea to share with others. I will have a container for you to take your cookies home in.  Can you imagine a beautifully decorated formal dining room with an enormous dining table that seats 12 completely covered with all different types of Christmas cookies that are yours for the taking!  Isn't that what dreams are made of?  Come share in the dream at the Nutcracker Sweet Cookie Swap Christmas Tea on Tuesday, December 10th from 6:30-8:30 PM at 518 W. Pine in Enid, OK.  You can call (580) 231-3960 for more information or to purchase tickets.  I hope to see you there!

Blessings to you!

Tammy Neal 

Pumpkin Pie Crescents

Hello Friends!

I made these delicious pumpkin pie crescents for dessert last week and I just have to share this recipe.  It is so easy and really delicious.  If you are on a diet I do not recommend you make these because you CANNOT have just one and you will be tempted to have at least 4 in one sitting.  They taste just like a pumpkin hand pie with a light, flaky crust.  Here is the recipe:

Pumpkin Pie Crescents

1 (8 count) package refrigerated crrescent rolls
1/2 can pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup brown sugar

Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl.  Unroll the crescent rolls and spread about 2 tablespoons of filling on one side of each triangle.  Roll the bottom of the triangle up until you reach the point.  Place them on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees.

After the crescents cooled I made a maple glaze with powdered sugar, milk, and maple extract and I drizzled this over the top.  Then I sprinkled them with chopped up candied pecans.  These are good for dessert but also for breakfast or a snack.

Something you should be aware of is to make sure you give them plenty of time to bake through.  The first batch I made was doughy because I did not leave them in the oven long enough.  I was afraid of them burning on the outside and I pulled them out too soon.  The next batch I made was perfect.  I used the jumbo crescent rolls and they had to bake almost 30 minutes!  So be patient and they will turn out perfectly.  Enjoy!

Halloween Masquerade Tea at Southard House

Hello Friends!

I am so excited to share that I will be hosting my first ladies tea here at Southard House on Tuesday evening, October 22, 2013 from 6:30-8:00 PM at Southard House - 518 W. Pine in Enid, OK.  The theme will be "Halloween Masquerade" and everyone that wears a masquerade mask will be entered in to a drawing for a door prize basket which will be filled with all kinds of sweet Halloween goodies and a certificate for a free night's stay at Southard House!  Tickets are $10 per person and must be purchased in advance by calling me at (580) 231-3960 and we can arrange a time for you to come by the inn to pay for your tickets.  This tea is limited to the first 20 ladies so I can seat you all comfortably and we can enjoy our time together.  This is not a come-and-go tea.  The ticket price includes: a buffet of sweet and savory hors d' oeuvres- including my beautiful cupcakes all dressed up for Halloween, hot tea and coffee, some fun games with prizes, a tour of Southard House, and a party favor for each guest.  There is no age limit for this tea.

I am hosting teas at Southard House because I love to prepare and host them and because I think it is a great way to make memories, meet new ladies, share special time together, and have fun and relax.  If you haven't had time for yourself lately this is an opportunity to set aside some special time for yourself and come relax and have some fun!  Our lives are so stressful and hectic and this is a great opportunity to step out of the chaos and come to the peace and tranquility of Southard House for some respite.  Our children don't have to have all the fun on Halloween and it is not very often that we as adults get the chance to dress up and have fun - so wear your prettiest masquerade mask and come join me!  This will be a special time for you and your daughter, granddaughter, auntie, niece, mother, grandmother, or best friend to make some special memories together.  I have hosted so many teas in my private home in the past and they have been such sweet times of fellowship and memory making.  I want to share this with you and provide you with the opportunity to do the same!  I have heard that tea time is "the coming together to enjoy sweet fellowship face to face and heart to heart."  I hope you will join me on Tuesday, October 22nd from 6:30-8:00 PM and you will bring the other ladies you love to share this experience with you!  If you have any questions or would like to purchase a ticket, please call me at (580) 231-3960. I hope to see you at the tea!

  Blessings to You!

Tammy Neal 

Fall Mantle in Suite Hope

Hello Friends!

I wanted to share the beautiful fall fireplace mantle I have created for my pretty "Marie Antoinette"-inspired room at Southard House.  I made most everything by hand that decorates this mantle.  I made some pretty princess pumpkins, pink candy corns, a Cinderella slipper and magic wand, a fall crow dressed in pink, an angel dressed as a (good) witch, and a lovely masquerade mask that adorn the mantle.

 I had the most fun making these beautiful princess pumpkins.  I think they are so pretty!  When I bought them they were orange but I gave them some coats of white paint, then a coat of pearl paint to make them look like shimmery pearls!

 Then I made a mix of six different glitters and six different beads and sequins.  I sprinkled the mixes on the pumpkins then I glittered some leaves and glued them on.  I made the vine from a piece of wire and silver seed beads.

 I glued a shimmery crystal in the center of each pumpkin for the stem.  I think these pumpkins are fit for a queen and they shimmer in the light of the chandelier in the room.

 I made these pink candy corns from clay and let them dry for several days before I painted and glittered them with three different shades of glitter.

 Here is Cinderella's slipper and her Fairy Godmother's magic wand!  They give the mantle a whimsical look that is a lot of fun.

 This crow was black with an orange hat when I bought it.  When I got it home she got a few coats of ivory paint.  After it dried I distressed it with sandpaper, then glued ribbons, paper roses, and pink crystals on to decorate it up a bit.  Now she is as pretty as a princess!  No more scary Halloween crow!

I made the small candy corns from clay as well and painted them three shades of pink.  When they were dry I added some sugar glitter to make them sparkle!

 I love this pretty angel bust.  I made her a mask from ivory felt and ribbon, and although it is difficult to see in this picture, it fits her perfectly.

 I also made this darling (good) witch hat from ivory damask fabric.  I embellished it with lace and rose trim.  I think it is darling and I can't believe I sewed it myself!

Everything is better with glitter, don't you think?  I wonder how many pounds of glitter I have used in my life time?  I am sure it is a small fortune's worth!



 I made this pretty masquerade mask by painting it with ivory paint and covering it with thin lace fabric.

 Then I outlined it in pearls and lace trim.  I added flowers, feathers, beads, and ribbon to the side for more decoration.

 I wish I could go to a masquerade ball and wear a beautiful ivory lace ball gown with this mask.  Wouldn't that be so much fun?

 The mantle in Suite Hope is ready for guests to enjoy.  The next treatment will be for Christmas!  I am sure that will be fabulous!

I have a lot of other projects in the works to share, so until next time . . .

May You Be Blessed!

Tammy

Linking to Pink Saturday

http://www.howsweetthesound.typepad.com

Parlor Decorations for Fall

Hello Friends!

I wanted to share some beautiful images of the fall decorations I made for the parlor at my bed and breakfast.  I painted the walls a beautiful shade of blue and I really love it, but I didn't think that orange and yellow leaves were going to look right behind a light blue background so I decided to make some pretty decorations for this room.  I recovered a cute train case with some linen fabric and lace.  I filled it with shredded pages of an old book.  Then I painted and decorated some plastic pumpkins in hues of ivory, beige, and brown.  I also made that pretty fabric sachet that says "Count Your Blessings".  I used hydrangeas, pecans, and pine cones from my own yard to add to the decorations.

This pumpkin is my favorite.  I cut a maple leaf from some scrapbook paper, textured and distressed it, then glued it to the pumpkin with some pretty roses and ivory seam tape ribbon.  I framed the word "Fall" and glued it to the front of the pumpkin.

 I also made some fabric pumpkins in the same colors to decorate the fireplace mantle.  I used fabric scraps cut in to circles and filled them with fiber fill.  The stems of the pumpkins are old silver spoons I purchased very inexpensively at an antique store.  I made the roses from fabric also and the leaves were made from ribbon.

 I love the vintage look of the mantle.  I tried to use antique items like the silver tray, the candle sticks, and an antique book.  I also used natural items like the hydrangeas, pine cones, and berry garland.

 I think the color palate is perfect with the blue walls.  I really love this look and I am so happy with how everything turned out.  I love the elegant and vintage look of my mantle.

 I also altered an old metal cornucopia I purchased many years ago.  When I bought it I think it was brown with orange, yellow, and red leaves.  I spray painted it ivory and distressed the leaves with distress ink.

 I decorated the cornucopia with ivory seam binding ribbon, a rose, and that cute tag that reads "Blessed Beyond Measure" made from scrapbook paper and a rubber stamp.

These pretty fall decorations are sure to please the guests that visit Southard House this fall.  They give the room a very warm, inviting feel although they are also very elegant.  I think the guests will feel very welcome.

I have many more projects in the works to share soon, so until next time . . .

May You Be Blessed!

Tammy