Hen Party

First things first...We are truly blessed to have the means to set a pretty table and invite our friends to join us for good food and fellowship. I am mindful that many are not so fortunate. My daughter has a passion for the work of the Food Bank. As a singer-songwriter, she has written and recorded a song that is the anthem for the world wide Crop Hunger Walk project. Her song, "Raise Your Voice" is featured in their video. I've included a link in the side margin of my blog. I hope that it will encourage you to support projects in your community that contribute to the effort to overcome hunger.

After two blizzards over the past two weeks, I was so excited to be with my Garden Friends Bible Study once again.    To celebrate our reunion, I invited them to stay after Bible study for "A Hen Party."  Fare featured homemade Chicken Noodle Soup, Chicken Chili, and Chicken Salad....do you see a theme here?!

A table for ten was in order for today's "dine and dash" luncheon.  I knew that because I was featuring a variety of chicken recipes today that I wanted to feature my Fitz and Floyd chicken tureen and individual chicken ramekins.

I've had the chickens for many years...probably more than thirty years.  A long, long time ago, we used to be one of the owners of a gift store called "Applefields."  It featured fine cookware, Dansk, Fitz & Floyd, and many other tabletop lines.  I never worked there, but I took full advantage of an owner's discount.  My poultry collection was one of my favorite acquisitions....I collected chickens before chickens were cool.

Mama Chicken takes stage center today.  She is flanked by a pair of inexpensive estate sale find, blue & white import vases filled with a casual grouping of roses and tulips.  Tip:  My "casual" bouquets really aren't that casually constructed.  I didn't have enough flowers to fill the vases...allowing the flowers to hold each other in place...so I stuffed a chunk of Oasis into the throat of the vase and placed my stems "just so" to use the space effectively.  You might have observed that I wired the tulips.  For today, I wanted them to 'stand at attention' instead of drooping over the rim.  To either side of Mrs. Chicken, I placed a pair of Coalport, Blue and White Decanters.  I see these decanters frequently on eBay.  They can be bought quite reasonably; I think that they were originally limited edition bottles for some brand of liquor...works for me.

My choice of flowers was dictated by this neat old tablecloth.  It features a cross-stitch and embroidered pattern of florals, done by hand.  The reticulated design running down the center of the table is crocheted.  This belonged to my grandmother Madden, but I don't know if she personally stitched the piece.  She liked to do hand work, and I'm guessing that this is her creation...but I can't be certain.

You saw the Royal Cauldon square plate last week on my Valentines tablescape.  Today, I liked the way that its embossed edge picked up the crocheted design in the tablecloth and  the lace corner of the linen napkin, one of our treasures from sweet Nana.  The Spode, "Wildflower" dinner plate is another example of the benefits that can come from dropping by estate sales during the last hour.  These sell for $60. 00++ on Replacements.  I brought them home for $5.00 per plate.  Yes, my chest was just a bit puffed up.

My everyday stainless, Towle, "Antique Bead" was perfect for soup and salad.  I bought the set of silver plate cream soups recently on eBay.  I don't know the maker, but they were a useful purchase.  The blue pressed glass butter dome was a birthday gift.  It's new; I don't know who made it, either.

When I want to achieve a maximum effect with a minimum of flowers, I often march a variety of miniature containers  down the center of the table.  In a former life, the small blue & white 'pots' were votive candleholders.  I bought them with the idea that they could become great mini-floral containers.  Today I paired my new Mikasa, "French Countryside" goblets with cobalt and clear stemmed goblets from The Dollar Tree.  Tip:  I had seen these goblets at Dollar Tree, but when I wanted to purchase them, they were no longer available.  I asked the manager if there was a way to obtain them.  He gave me the phone number for the distribution center.  I called them, and they shipped them to me.  I can't remember if they shipped them directly to me or to the store.  It was not a big ordeal, and I was thrilled to have them.  Just sayin'....

It was a bright and sunny 78º here today...perfect weather to gather with precious friends for Bible study, good food, and treasured fellowship.  I hope that someday you'll be able to join us at the table.  

Thank you, yet again, to Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for hosting her magical meme, "Tablescape Thursday.  I'll be linking my post to "Tablescape Thursday.  Click  HERE to hop on over and check out the myriad of marvelous tablescape designs, after 9:00 pm on Wednesdays.  You'll be glad that you made the trip...it's a wonderful adventure.

You can check out KC's music at www.kcclifford.com, on iTunes, and on YouTube.  I hope that you'll take a few minutes and give her a listen.  You'll also enjoy reading back through her blog on this site.  The girl can really write!  Her latest CD is called "Orchid."  It is available on iTunes or through her website.  I hope that you'll give her music a chance.  I know that I have zero objectivity where she is concerned, but I think that you'll fall in love with her music and her!