Wednesday, February 26, 2014

February Al Fresco

"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. 
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Sheeee's baaaack!  Sweet Mister has been a poster child for successful rehabilitation after his knee replacement surgery earlier this month.  He's even driving now.  Life is slowly returning to normal...or as close to normal as we come.  I've missed you tremendously the last three weeks.   This past Saturday, I was blessed to host a baby shower and brunch for the daughter-in-love of one of my closest friends.  Since it's February, I planned to serve our meal buffet style.  Everyone would dine inside the house.  When I arose early Saturday morning, I caught the weather report for the day and learned that we were expecting a 70ยบ day with no more than a gentle breeze.  This was too good an opportunity to squander; it's the middle of a brutally cold winter out here on the prairie!  I immediately grabbed my flip-top tabletops and headed to the back porch.  My precious friend and co-host, Cindy, arrived early to help with last minute preparations, and the two of us proceeded to set three tables for twenty-four guests.

Come on in...it's a great day for a party!  The central foyer table was dressed in a toile tablecloth with an antique lace topper that belonged to our sweet Nana.  Guests were offered orange and cranberry juice, with or without champagne, in my hand painted flutes.  The cocktail napkins were printed with the name of the eagerly awaited baby boy, Asher.

The tablescape featured a monochromatic design in shades of blue.  The Dorothy Thorpe crystal bowl and under plate held mixed berries and fruit.  They were served with sides of Greek yogurt and a delicious granola.  If you haven't tried the combination, I highly recommend it.  It was a hit!

Quiche Lorraine was served in Nana's silver chafing dish.  I adore this piece.  I use it quite often, and I regularly repurpose it.  The Williams Sonoma linen tablecloth features a Blue Willow motif...such a lovely cloth...an eBay acquisition.

This coordinating piece to the chafing dish was originally intended to serve fish.  Today, I used it for mini-cupcakes topped with tiny cookies...baby bottles, baby buggies, and booties monogrammed with the letter "A" for Asher.

 I know that you've already spied the Bing & Grondahl figurines in my centerpiece.

 They belong to another of the co-hotesses, Ann.  She received them as gifts from her husband over a number of years.

 Along with arrangements filled with blue Hydrangeas...

 ...these lovely pieces were just perfect...

 to celebrate the love that exists between a mother and her son.

The Coalport Willow centerpiece bowl was the perfect anchor to the gentle, quiet centerpiece design.

Meanwhile, out on the back porch, there was not a single plant blooming, and the grass had a decidedly brown cast, but not one person cared a whit...

 The tables provided our burst of color and continued the monochromatic tones...

 ...Blue and white toile is always one of my favorites...

 The Dollar Tree Libby cobalt goblets shone like jewels this day.  The cornflower blue napkins featured another of the blue hues found in the toile tablecloths.  They are caught with the Coalport Countryware napkin rings.

 The Steelite cobalt charger plates provided just the right amount of separation for...

 ...the Booth's Real Old Willow dinner plates.  This is one of my long time favorite patterns.

Simple centerpieces featured posies with a wild flower tone...placed in square  blue and white export jardinieres from Nell Hill's in Kansas City.

As of today we are headed for single digit temperatures again.  Just about every guest commented that our day was a blessed gift from our loving God.  We relished every minute visiting and dining al fresco as we celebrated the quickly approaching birth of a precious baby boy.  Asher and his mommy have been covered in prayer since his conception.  We can hardly wait to greet him when he arrives in April.

This week I'll be joining:







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.

15 comments:

  1. Joyful! This is alfresco dining at its best. You know I'm smiling at the sight of all that gorgeous blue and white. The serving table full of delicious goodies looks fabulous. I know this was a happy occasion. You are the perfect hostess! Glad to hear all the good news!!!!

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  2. There is nothing like a blue and white table! And I love how you made everything so fitting for a shower for a baby boy! The figures, the napkins, the blues!

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  3. Cherry Kay,
    This is just gorgeous and so wonderful to have a respite from this cold, cold winter..a perfect day..As always, your tables are magnificent...
    and glad your dear husband is doing so well..
    Love, Mona

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  4. How lucky you were to be able to get outside for your event. Blue and white is a classic and your tables are stunning. The figurines were perfect for the center of the table. Great job as usual. Loved my visit. Peggy from PA

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  5. Oh, Cherry Kay, I am so happy your husband is feeling so well and that you are back with another glorious party design! I was entranced with your dining room table arrangement and then almost gasped when you took me outside! The entire party is just about the prettiest arrangement I have seen! Welcome back, and thank you.

    Francie

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  6. I was just thinking about you and wondering how your husband had done! That's so wonderful that he's back to doing things like driving! Your big table is so beautiful- those little statues are wonderful. All the food is presented so nicely! Love the outdoor tables too. You do such a nice job of entertaining- you really have it down! We won't talk about the chilling weather we're having up here- I'd much rather experience the weather you were having!

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  7. Good to hear that your hubby is coming along nicely and I hope the results of his knee replacement will be all that he is expecting. Love seeing your blue and white, colors I'm always attracted to but with which I seldom work.

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  8. Love, love, love! I can't say enough about both of these tables. I am blue with envy!

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  9. Ugh! I keep getting kicked off as a follower of yours! I used to always get the email alerts, but now I don't. I have to figure out what the heck is going on. That's been happening with a lot of the bloggers to whom I subscribe lately. :-(

    YOUR TABLES!!!! Beautiful!!! Every last one of them! You hosted the perfect party to celebrate the eventual coming of sweet Asher. (What a COOL name, by the way!) No doubt everyone enjoyed the day and cared nothing about the threadbare grass and trees. (Actually, your grass is looking a lot better than ours these days!) So glad you got that day of tolerable weather to host the meal outdoors!

    REALLY glad hubby is back in the pink! It's always tougher, it seems, to recuperate from surgeries like that during the cold weather months. Congrats to him for being good and getting back on his feet...literally!...in record time!

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  10. Hi Cherry Kay, I love love blue and white. It's always an eye catcher. I never tire of seeing blue and white. Glad to read you have been to Nell Hills in Kansas City, it's such a fabulous store. Hope hubby is doing well after his knee replacement.

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  11. It's so wonderful to see this gorgeous outdoor setting again. We had a few days but then it was 84 on Saturday and then 18 Sunday. Yep.. you read that correctly.
    So glad your husband is doing well. I am sure that after God's provision, your superb nursing care was the greatest cause for his good fortune!!
    Love the blue and white. Omg, the tables look magnificent. I do love that toile pattern so much. I actually use mine more than I show. My granddaughters love to look at the images and tell stories about them. so cute.

    I'm busily collecting Spode Mayflower for a few weeks from now, but this post has put me in the mood to find more blue and white. It always looks fresh and new but yours adds the element of great style!! xo marlis

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  12. OH how beautiful! Aren't you glad you weren't having the shower this past weekend! So nice that you were able to enjoy a nice sunny day! Gorgeous tables and dishes!
    Miss Bloomers

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  13. Oh sweet friend, first of all, I am very happy for your dear hubby and he's come along so well with his knee replacement surgery! Your main table is stunning, I've been missing your gorgeous dining room and settings such as this one with all those lovely figurines and hydrangeas centerpieces. The al fresco tables with the ever so beautiful blue and White are just amazing!
    Thank you for your visit, you made my day! ( I have another post you might like too)
    Hugs,
    FABBY

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  14. Cherry Kay!

    I always go looking for you on Tablescape Thutsday when I participate, but you weren't there, now I see why! I hope and pray hubby is better each day.

    I love these wonderful blues. No one, and I mean NO ONE does it better! Sooooo lovely!

    xo

    Sheila

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Thank you for spending your time to leave a comment. I read each and every one of your generous thoughts. They encourage me in so many ways.

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