New Dining Table

Friday before last was like Christmas all over again! When I got home from work I was greeted at my door by six huge Crate & Barrel boxes full of the prizes I won from the Inspire Me! Holiday Entertaining contest. At first I tried to keep things neat and tidy, putting the bubble wrap and paper back into the boxes as I unwrapped all my new entertaining goodies. But I just got too excited!

Seriously, I think I have all the “entertaining essentials” I could ever need! (Or at least that could fit into my tiny kitchen!) Among my favorites are the Serving Set, Dizzy Cocktail Glasses and Appetizer Plates. My mom is also happy about the two-tier serving stand, since I can now give her back her three-tier stand that I borrowed for a few months. I can’t wait to throw a party with all my new party items!

Also among the loot were two C&B gift cards totaling $1,250. I could hardly wait to go shopping! Saturday afternoon I ventured out, gift card in tote, to the Crate & Barrel at Knox-Henderson to meet my mom for some “simul-shopping.” Simul-shopping, as she likes to call it, is when we both go to the same store – her in Austin, me in Dallas – so we can scope out deals together. My first purchase was a big one. I bought this fabulous Avalon Extension Dining Table.

While I love my current table, it was thrift store purchase and every time I want to add the leaf I have to turn the table upside down and unscrew all the hinges to make them fit. There was nothing quick or easy about it and often times I’d reassemble it wrong. I opted out on the chairs since I don’t really like matchy-matchy things. I’ll keep looking for chairs, but in the meantime I love the poppy-back antique chairs my mom helped me paint black. I picked up  my table yesterday and set it up! It is so cute and fits perfectly in my dining room. It will make serving six so much easier and more fun! I promise to post pics when I get them off my camera!