Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Private Quarters

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.

My precious daughter, KC, asked me to help her host a Private Quarters party, last night in my home, for her friend Alee, a consultant.  KC and I had so much fun designing the table to serve a light buffet supper for our guests.  Private Quarters is an in-home business that markets some beautiful linens for the home.

KC is such a wonderful 'girly-girl.'  It was great fun to give her free reign to poke through my china closets and choose the items that she wanted to use for her party.  

Dusk was upon us, and I enjoyed the opportunity to entertain in the glow of lovely candlelight.  The base for our table is a Williams-Sonoma Matelassé Tablecloth.  I'm a huge fan of matelassé; I think that it bridges the entire spectrum of entertaining from casual to formal.  If you are only going to have one tablecloth, I encourage you to strongly consider matelassé.


KC selected the Mottahhedeh "Musée de Decoratif" tureen for our centerpiece.  The tureen is flanked by two pair of crystal lidded compotes from Tuesday Morning. As our source of candlelight, we used small pink votives and the Val St. Lambert crystal candlesticks.  Tip:  I like the light effects when the candlelight comes from high and low sources.  It a great technique for maximizing the "sparkle factor."

I sent our selection of flowers from Sam's home with KC.  She also took two of my peg nappies, and she created these lovely arrangements which were set in a pair of crystal candlesticks. For our light supper, we offered our guests a Spinach Salad, Bruschetta, Chicken Salad, and Iced Sugar Cookies from The Cookie Princess.  Check out her amazing creations HERE.  

I'm impressed with KC's skills...we're both amateurs with a passion for flowers. Tip:  I layered a small white linen tablesquare with pink embellishments (a Christmas gift from my dear friend, Janet) between the white of the matelassé and the white of the tureen.  It provided just enough of the pink to keep the tureen from visually fading into the tablecloth.

The spinach salad was served in Nana's salad bowl by Dorothy Thorpe.  Dorothy Thorpe was a California artist who created beautiful pieces during the 30's and 40's.  The silver pieces belonged to my mother-in-love.  They are Reed & Barton, "Francis I."  

The Bruschetta was served on a Dorothy Thorpe tray, a companion to the salad set.  Haviland, "Ranson" held the Chicken Salad.  A small pink Fenton, "Coin Dot Ruffle" bowl was a nice pop of pink and held my all-time favorite salad dressing, La Martinique, True French Vinagrette.  Give it a try; I think that you'll love it!

I sent the Cookie Princess an email with a picture of the dinner plates that KC selected for the evening.  I told her to use her imagination, and she created these....which I think are perfect for...
...the Royal Doulton, "Old Chelsea" dinner plates, an eBay purchase... and the vintage pink linen napkins, estate sale treasures.

KC chose to use my wedding silver flatware, Reed & Barton, "Grande Renaissance."

The pearlized pink goblets from Pier One provided a good shot of pink for the far end of the table.  I'm always comfortable with guests walking around with these stems because I bought them on deep clearance for $1.00 each, a number of years ago.  The silver champagne bucket belonged to Nana....our sweet, "hostess with the mostest" in her day.

Everything was ready for our guests to arrive.  We had a wonderful time learning about the Private Quarters line of beautiful linens.  I feel confident to encourage you to check them out!  I'd love to know if you have favorite items from Private Quarters.  I bought the feather bed!  I can hardly wait for it to arrive.  Some evening, I hope that you can join me for a time of good food and good fellowship.

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! 
Entertaining Women
Entertaining Women

Hello, I'm Cherry Kay I was 40 before I realized that I am an artist. I love to paint, work in clay, rubber stamping, design tablescapes, entertain, and share ideas. I'm an interior designer wanna-be...no credentials, but lots of experience.

52 comments:

  1. Another beautiful table, and an antidote to the snow that is piling up outside my window. We are well and truly snowed in now, so I've enjoyed escaping to your lovely gathering.

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  2. Absolutely beautiful. I have always loved that salad dressing.. It's my most favorite too! The Royal Doulton dishes are really very pretty. The flowers in the peg nappies are prefect for the table. You are the most accomplished hostess and I'm sure the party was an absolute success.

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  3. Very pretty! She did a great job. The food looks delicious too.
    I have never heard of Private Quarters here in NY. I will have to google them.
    Lovely, lovely table. But then you have so many beautiful accoutrements!

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  4. I can ony imagine your daughter digging through your closets of treasures to come up with the table of her heart's desire. It is a gorgeous table - but then with all of your beautiful things how could it not be?

    I can't believe you got those pink goblets for $1@. I'm always on the look out for pink.

    - The Tablescaper

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  5. Such a beautiful feminine table! I love the flowers towering over it all!

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  6. Hi lovely lady`` Just Beautiful sweet lady you always know how to put it all togeher for a lovely party. I love your dishes !!!!
    xxoo

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  7. Beautiful table, Cherry Kay. What a great deal on those glasses. KC did a great job and you too! I love your plates and the tureen and everything else...Christine

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  8. Elegant, refined and so feminine. The Royal Doulton plates are stunning! I can see these being mixed with so many dishes and colors. The night time shot is enchanting!

    Nancy

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  9. You KNOW I am in love with that tureen!!! It is absolutely beautiful!!! What a genuinely clever idea to have the cookie stylist create a cookie to complement your china! Genius!! I love the Reed & Barton serving pieces...those are right up my alley! I, too, love matelasse. I've not had occasion to use it (I have a round cloth), but love it dearly. It just has such a nice texture and warm feeling about it. The flowers look great! Isn't it wonderful when you get to do something with a "girly girl" who truly appreciates all the pretty things? Everything looks wonderful - food included! - and I'm glad everyone had a good time!

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  10. So pretty...and what lucky guests they were to be treated so elegantly for a linen party! I never heard of a Private Quarters party before. The flower arrangements are terrific!

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  11. Everything looks beautiful and delicious. You and your daughter did a wonderful job as always!

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  12. You are always a wealth of information with your posts. I love that you don't keep all your secrets, but rather share with the rest of us to help make our tables beautiful too. Those dishes are stunning, and I love how heirloom pieces of silver and crystal are paired with bargain finds from Tuesday Morning and Pier One. I think it makes for a lovely story to tell.

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  13. Wow, beautiful table...love that green transferware pitcher and of course, that gorgeous soup tureen!

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  14. Breathtaking!! I just love it all......

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  15. How fun when your daughter likes to "play" with your pretties just as much as you do! She did a terrific job on the floral bouquets! I LOVE those pink glasses and what a deal you got on them! The table linens are beautiful and the food looks super yummy!

    DD

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  16. Simply stunning. I absolutely love the pink wine glasses. they would work well on my blog as all the settings have to come from Op-shop (thrift shops) or discount stores etc. I can think of several settings that they would look amazing on. You are so blessed to have such a gorgous house to set off all youe tablescapes. Am I jealous? yes you bet your bottom dollar I am! lol

    Love, love, love that tiered cake stand too!!
    Jo

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  17. Thank you so much for such the lovely comment you left on my blog! I love the way you stated that! :) I bet your daughter had such a great time picking out pieces to use for this setting. I love all the pops of pink that I see here! I really like how you used the pink dish for the salad dressing. Great idea! Looks like a delicious and fun time. I will have to check out this linen co. too!

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  18. So elegant from start to finish! I love the way the cookies match the plates. Thanks so much for stopping by. It's always great to find another majolica lover. Jane

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  19. What a gorgeous buffet table! The pink touches set off that pretty china perfectly. I'd say KC has learned a lot at her mother's knee about entertaining and setting a beautiful table!

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  20. I love the use of glass. Fabulous!

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  21. Hi,

    I love the use of the pinks. The wine glasses look wonderful. In fact the whole table setting is wonderful, right down to those pretty cookies. Well done

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  22. Cherry Kay, I have to start by saying how wonderful that you and your daughter were able to do this together. I miss my daughter terribly but often think how much fun we had doing our family Christmas dinner together. You both did such a lovely job. I love what KC chose to use and how you all put it together. The menu sounds wonderful!

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  23. I love your table! KC picked out beautiful things. It is so elegant... Thank you for sharing.....

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  24. I'm closing my eyes and pretending that I am invited to the party, dressed very chic and just adoring the table before I start tatsing all the wonderful food. The table looks wonderful again and again. In Turkey we say "Ellerine Sağlık" meaning "Health to your Hands" as to great work done by hand effort.

    Lots of Love,
    Karin
    karinsfairytale.blogspot.com

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  25. This really looks beautiful. I love the wine glasses. I am your latest follower. I would love for you to come and check out my blog and follow me back at www.diybydesign.blogspot.com.

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  26. I have NEVER been to a home party that looked like this! Wow, the consultant must have been thrilled and I hope it was a successful party. I'm sure the guests enjoyed it, everything is just beautiful. I love the flowers!

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  27. Such a beautiful table...so elegant. I love the pretty plates (isn't ebay wonderful?) and those pink glasses are beautiful. The food looks wonderful too. I'm sure everyone had a wonderful time.

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  28. I think we would all ove to dig through your closets and set a table -- it is beautiful. Love your tureen and the beautiful plates. That's a great tip on high and low candles. Joni

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  29. Your tureen is absolutely amazing! If you ever get tired of it....

    Your table is so beautiful and inviting. How wonderful to be a guest in your home and experience such wonderful hospitality. It is even more special that you and your daughter collaborated on this event.

    You made a wonderful suggestion in your comment on my blog that I try some of the recipes that are available in Junior League cookbooks. Ironically, I was the editor of one of those cookbooks about 20 years ago and it is still in publication. I also collect other Junior League cookbooks! I have plenty of information and inspiration...now I just need some motivation!

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  30. As always, your table is magnificiently appointed in every way possible! I dearly love visiting you and drinking it all in......I linger a long while each time I visit. As one other lady commented, you are more than generous to share your talents with us! The florals are one of my favorites on this table.....so simply done but such a statement to set the tone of the entire tablescape!

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  31. Beautiful table, Cherry Kay. I'm sure it was so fun to have your daughter assist you in the planning and preparation. She has 'the touch' just like her mother! I love the china, and that was a great tip to email the picture for the cookies! Everything is gorgeous, as usual, and I do love your tablecloth.

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  32. I am in loooove with your Royal Doulton plates -- never seen these before. I am a sucker for anything pink and girly. You really got a steal on those goblets -- I have looked forever for some pink ones.

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  33. She obviously has learned a lot from her mother. Beautiful table! Love the gorgeous floral arrangements and all of the pretty, feminine touches. The food looks delicious too. laurie

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  34. Cherry Kay, your centerpieces are always beautiful, and I'm thinking I know just who to call when I want a very elegant table set. As always, yours is lovely.

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  35. Absolutely beautiful! I enjoyed looking at every detail. Thank you for sharing the special occasion.
    Angela

    http://amcinnisartworks.blogspot.com

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  36. Yes, you can definitely set the table for the Oscar party !!

    xx's

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  37. As they say "the apples doesn't fall far from the tree" and KC certainly is taking after her mama. The table is stunning and I'm in love with your tureen. Thanks for sharing.

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  38. KC did a great job with her mother's most beautiful things! and yeah..."The Apple does not fall far from the Tree". The table is gorgeous, so very feminine with beautiful flower arrangements. The tureen is exquisite, I like how she used it.
    Thanks for sharing this great party with mother and daughter.
    Love
    FABBY

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  39. Cherry Kay...you know I'm one of your fans, I love all your tables and your china and all the beautiful things you have! I'll be cotinously visiting.
    Love
    FABBY

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  40. Hello,
    thank you for your visit and your nice comment. Your tables are always gorgeous and the items are always exquisit. I have never heard of Matelassé before and it was very interesting to learn about this wonderful tablecloth. Light and shadow play with the structure and make the pattern very interesting although it is plain white. I love that. And this tureen is really dreamably. I must consider, I also hadn't heard the name Mottahhedeh before. I always love to see new things with charming design and good quality. Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful creations. Your daughter certainly have a creative soul. She sings and decorate and I guess, she has inherited those talents from you. I am sure this party was a wonderful even with a big Whow-factor.
    Greetings, Johanna

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  41. Beautiful, feminine touches- the flowers, the china, and the pretty cookies.

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  42. I love this post and all of the gorgeous pictures, but those goblets really called my name seeing as they would go so beautifully with my set of Old World Maps dishes. I was stunned to see that they are from Pier One. So...guess where I'm going this week? I know, I know, they're probably no longer available, but I tend to not think of Pier One when it comes to such things and I need to change that frame of mind.

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  43. Such an amazingly beautiful table. The china and pink stemware are gorgeous. Everything looks so elegant and inviting.

    Jocelyn
    http://justalittlesouthernhospitality.blogspot.com

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  44. Love your beautiful name! And the Academy Award parties tonight will have nothing on you. In fact, I am surprised they did not call you and your daughter to come host their parties. :) Hope you had a wonderful weekend. ~

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  45. SO BEAUTIFUL! The stemware from Pier One is FAB!! The ebay score of the old chelsea is wonderful. I'm always scouring ebay! Thanks for stopping by my blog!!!!!!

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  46. Cherry Kay, that is just a beautiful table! Beautiful choices in everything. I love the Francis I with the Grande Renaissance too. Love those plates!! I"ll have a coffee pot update this week. I took a totally different direction at the lat minute!

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  47. What a lovely table! I'm sure it was such a joy to be able to dig through your table settings closet. Those cookies are unbelievable! What a great idea to send the cookie stylist the pic of your dishes. Love that idea! Thanks for sharing.

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  48. My goodness..now THAT is a tablescape! Entrancing! I love all the beautiful dishes you used..espeically the vintage things. How fun that you could host a party like this for your daughter. I LOVE your daughter's song and voice. She sings beautifully and the song has such a wonderful message. I played the utube video for my own daughter. I write music too so I was especially interested in hearing hers. She has a much better voice than mine. We may very well get her CD.

    xo
    Donna @ Comin' HOme

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  49. Beautifully done! Such great attention to detail. Love the flowers, they are so beautiful and so elegantly arranged!

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  50. Thank you so much for stopping by my blog. I enjoyed your beautiful buffet tablescape. Everything looked lovely, down to the nice linen napkins. Estate sales are my favorite places to find treasures. Those cookies looked yummy!

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  51. Thank you so much for stoping by my blog. You table is so beautiful,mother like daughter.daughter like mother. I love the china and the wine glases sooooo... beautiful.
    Beautiful table
    XO
    Isora

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