Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Waiting for Edie Elizabeth to Blossom

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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As promised, I'm sharing the baby shower that I hosted with my friend Marsha a little over a week ago.

I am blessed with a friend who runs an invitation/stationery business from her home.  I designed this invitation, and she produced it for me.  We called our baby shower, "Waiting for Edie Elizabeth to Blossom."  The liner paper that I chose to insert in the enclosure set the tone for our party.  It was all about flowers....many. pink. flowers.




 As guests entered, they were offered an "Edie Elizabeth Special", otherwise known as a Cranberry/Pomegranate & Pear Nectar Bellini.  Over time, I've painted six dozen of the gold flutes.  They've really come in handy, and I often loan them to friends for their parties, too.  Today I've presented them on one of the Barker-Ellis Silver Galley Trays, a wedding gift from many years ago.  Come on into the dining room...on your left...

We created a buffet table in the dining room....lots of pink...lots of flowers.  Tip:  My favorite time to host a shower is Sunday afternoon from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m., for ladies.  I find that the response is always good, and it ends up as an economical time to entertain.  Everyone has already had lunch, and they're not ready for dinner.  Fill the table with savories and sweets, and you'll be good to go.




With our floral design emphasis, the Coalport Sevres Group Luncheon Plates were a no-brainer choice.  I really like this set of plates.  They are all on the same white embossed blank, but there are numerous designs using similar flowers.  I set the table with a combination of the Reed & Barton Francis I and Reed & Barton Grande Renaissance forks.  They always seem to play well with each other.  
  

Over time, I've kind of developed a formula for these events.  Cheese and fruit...One of my favorites to prepare is Brie en Croute.  Today I created a teddy bear to top the Brie's crust.

 Up to my old tricks today...The flowers in the chandelier are merely a pair of pink Wisteria garlands found at Hobby Lobby.

The Williams-Sonoma White Matelasse Tablecloth, an eBay find, added a nice spot of texture to the design.

I perched the pair of Pottery Barn Mercury Glass Globes atop the Juliska-like candlesticks.  The Cookie Princess mini-cupcakes were crowned with mini cookies decorated with E monograms, flowers, and baby buggies.  These mini-cupcakes are always a hit.  Because they are tiny, ladies tend to eat them without hesitation.  I rarely have left-overs.  I served them in our Nana's antique silver serving piece with ivory handles.  I actually think that it was originally a fish server...not today!
  
Chocolate Cream Sherry Bars and Coconut Cake.  Tip:  True confession...the cake is from Sam's and cost about $16.00.  At one party I served a homemade Coconut Cake that was really good at one end of the table....and the Sam's at the other end of the table.  The Sam's cake was demolished, and we had left overs from the homemade cake.  Now I was born at night, but not last night.  I've bought the Sam's cake ever since, and it's always a hit!


I like to serve a variety of tea sandwiches...just in case someone didn't have an opportunity to grab lunch before they came to the party. For years, I had a wonderful little lady who made them for me.  She finally retired when she was 100 years old...really!  I made these myself, but they don't compare to the beautiful little jewels that Mrs. Beavers made.  Mine tasted good, but hers were tiny works of art.  I miss her!  The antique Dorothy Thorpe Crystal trays holding the tea sandwiches and the Brie also belonged to our Nana.

I had such fun using the looping ribbon over the Christmas holidays that I decided to try it again with a shimmering pink mesh ribbon layered with a pink and white argyle ribbon.  I interspersed the ribbon with sparkling candleholders from Hobby Lobby.  Some of them were used with candles and some of them were used for my floral arrangements.  In both instances, I lined them with hot pink glass containers.

The Hobby Lobby French Wired Bird Cage was filled with more flowers and featured our hostess gift for Edie Elizabeth...a silver duck bank.  The flowers came from my usual floral boutiques...Sam's and Homeland Grocery Store. 

The table is ready to roll.  Come on in the living room for a minute...

More flowers graced different spots in the living room.  This is an antique pink and white vase that belonged to Nana.  Today it shared the table with the silver tidbit tray that eventually held a delicious hot artichoke dip.  Did you notice the flowers on the right side of the coffee table?...


 I always enjoy the opportunity to create an arrangement in our precious Nana's antique Black Starr & Frost silver presentation bowl.  It's probably my favorite of all the lovely things that belonged to Nana. We are blessed to steward it until it goes to the next generation.

Sans food, of course, I even had a spot of time to capture some candlelight shots the evening before the shower...






 It was a delightful day and a wonderful baby shower.  All this pink has me thinking about Valentine's Day.  Hmmm....I think that you might see more of these frilly girly elements next week!  Stay tuned!

I'm joining Marty from A Stroll Thru Life for  TABLE TOP TUESDAY.  Won't you come along , too?

Wednesday is the 46th edition of Cuisine Kathleen's meme, "LET'S DISH".  I'm excited to be a charter member.  Pop over (pun intended for the Chef Supreme Kathleen) and join the fun!

Lots of great ideas to be gathered when you visit Yvonne at Stone Gable forTUTORIALS, TIPS, & TIDBITS.  Don't waste another moment...hurry on over!  
                                                                
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 THURSDAYS."   Hop on over and check out the myriad of marvelous tablescape designs, after 10:00 AM on Thursdays.  You'll be glad that you made the trip...it's a wonderful adventure.

I always enjoy January for the expectations that it doesn't bring each year.  How about you?  With thankfulness for her dedication and efforts (even in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy), I'm joining the multi-talented Tablescaper for her fabulous memeSEASONAL SUNDAYS.  Hope to see you there! 

  
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 "The Tag Hollow Sessions""  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.

31 comments:

  1. A really pretty pink "girly" table!!! Very pretty and the food looks fantastic!

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  2. What a treat it was, on a gloomy January morning in a hotel, to click onto your blog and enjoy the pink shower! Always a pleasure to visit, but especially today!
    The roses in your Nana's bowl are wonderful. Did you use a frog to arrange them? I have a similar bowl and would like to try this.
    Thank you for such an uplifting start to my day.

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  3. CK, this is pink-o-licious! Your beautiful heirloom silver with all those frilly pink details is perfect for a sweet baby girl.......or Valentine's Day for that matter. Thanks for sharing all the details. The cookie idea is clever. Love coconut cake so will remember the Sam's source. ;-) Getting some valentine touches out and about around here. Love this time of year!

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  4. Just beautiful! I am with you about the diversity of an afternoon tea. I love the (relative) ease for the hostess and the flexibility for the guest, to eat just a tiny bit or a little more. Plus, you can make it all girly and pink! Very pretty and inspiring!

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  5. So very lovely....It's great to see someone using their special heirloom items...and thank you for sharing your hostessing tips as well!

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  6. So pretty...Love the champagne flutes you painted and your table is lovely (I also use post-its to label my serving dishes!) And you always choose the prettiest flowers, the arrangement in the low silver bowl is stunning. Looks like a wonderful party!

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  7. I was soooo looking forward to seeing the photos from the shower, Cherry Kay! It was even more beautiful than I imagined it would be.

    Spectacular entrance with lovely [i]HANDPAINTED[/i] stemware & lots of gleaming, freshly polished silver.
    (I'm going to paint my birdcage TOMORROW!!) Love the look of a white ones by the drinks as well as in your centerpiece.

    Your chandelier looked fabulous, ensconsed in pretty pink flowers.

    I adore your Coalport plates & your already know that I covet your Reed & Barton flatware. *sigh*

    I've never seen Dorothy Thorpe trays before...Lordy, Woman, you were blessed to have so many wonderful treasures passed down to you.

    The floral arrangement on the coffee table takes my breath away! Just GORGEOUS!!

    I'm bookmarking this post for future reference!!! Fantastic ideas from beginning to end.
    Thank you so much for sharing your pretty things & many blessings on baby Edie Elizabeth!

    With grateful hugs for all the inspiration,
    Rett




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  8. Born at night but not last night. ... I will have to remember that!

    beautiful party!

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  9. You girls did go all out for this baby to be. It must be a girl with all the pink. Is the coconut cake a good one? That is my favorite and it would be a lot easier to get it from Sam's than to make it.

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  10. Oh my goodness, Cherry Kay, that is the prettiest baby shower I've ever seen! Your serving pieces are timeless treasures. Everything is just impeccable, from the chandelier to all the wonderful food. I love it all!!

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  11. Where to start? Where to start? Let's start near the front door...LOVE the way that linen drapes over that hexagonal (or was it octagonal?!??!) table! It just looks so incredibly crisp! LOVE the dining table set up! You did an outstanding job with everything! The centerpiece just about knocked me out cold! What a great idea! That's what I like about your centerpieces: you stretch them out on long tables instead of just plunking a single item down in the center. I traded in my Sam's Club card for Costco, but I need to hit Sam's up for that cake! I LOVE coconut cake, and if it get rave reviews like that, I'm all for buying rather than slaving in the kitchen making one from scratch! That's amazing about the tea sandwich lady!!! She must have really loved her craft to keep going that long!!! Will that be us with tablescaping? :-) The floral arrangement in the living room in your Nana's bowl is...is...is...I don't even have a word for it! Beautiful doesn't even scratch the surface!!! Fabulous party, Cherry Kay! THIS is the way to bring a baby into the world!!!

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  12. OOh the presentation bowl. That is one magnificent piece and I agree, it should be your favorite.. Gotta love the post it notes on the platters. Always a great idea. I should do that.. I just put the platters out! with serving utensils. This is a fabulous shower. I love love the whole pink theme and you carried it out beautifully. Well, beyond gorgeous. The flowers are so pretty. I know the shower went off without a hitch.. xo marlis

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  13. Every time I come over I wonder what fabulous event you will be showing us, and I am never disappointed. This is absolutely gorgeous! The invitations, centerpiece, floral arrangement, even your chandelier! Do you tremble every time someone picks up your beautiful dishes? Congratulations to the new mom-to-be! Linda

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  14. Your table is so gorgeous. I love all the roses. The afternoon shower was a hit, I'm sure.

    Jocelyn @
    http://justalittlesouthernhospitality.blogspot.com

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  15. Cherry Kay, I need to bookmark this post! So many fabulous ideas for a baby shower! Your menu is just right. Love the teddy bear added to the brie en croute! I know the mother-to-be was thrilled with all the lovely and delicious elements of the shower.

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  16. I can't believe it and you wouldn't either if you knew me but I'm kind of speechless after viewing your lovely, gorgeous, breathtaking, inspiring table. Wow! (Look at that...I did find the words!) Happy to have found your blog and follow along. Love it.
    melinda

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  17. What a beautiful table to welcome a little girl into the world...so feminine in every way. Thanks for sharing, Cherry Kay.

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  18. WOW!!! What a lucky mama to be treated to such a beautiful baby shower!!! How wonderful!

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  19. Such beautiful things, love the table and those beautiful glasses, the flowers and dishes all so wonderful, thanks so much for sharing it all,..

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  20. WOW! What a blesssed mama to have all this beauty for her baby shower! Every detail is just perfect!! LOVE IT!!!

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  21. What a beautiful table! I love all the dishes, flowers and serving trays.
    Bet you can hardly wait for the baby.
    Beautiful Baby Shower.
    Mary

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  22. Wow! not your average baby shower, but a very elegant celebration! Your tables and food look wonderful. I love all the flowers so pretty and feminine.

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  23. Oh my, What beautiful heirlooms you have! I think I concentrated more on table accessories than on your food. The flowers in the Black, Starr bowl are outstanding. This is my favorite all time arrangement I have ever seen. Thank you for sharing. WHoever inherits all these beautiful heirlooms are very very lucky.

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  24. I love the beautiful flower arrangement in Nana's bowl, as many others have commented. I will have to try this with my (cough, cough) Sam's roses, too. I love how you have incorporated your inherited treasures into this beautiful tablescape.

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  25. I love the beautiful flower arrangement in Nana's bowl, as many others have commented. I will have to try this with my (cough, cough) Sam's roses, too. I also love how you have incorporated your inherited treasures into this beautiful tablescape.

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  26. I'm quite certain that is the most elegant baby shower I have ever seen! You have outdone yourself!

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  27. A lovely girly table, done with such class. I love your beautiful heirloom silver and all the details. The cookie idea is clever. I just started thinking about a Valentine table, and I had decided on pink just before I came her. Love this time of year!

    I have a question for one of the experts on dishes ;o) Have you come across the MacKenzie-Childs flower frogs in your travels? They are retired and hard to find. Maybe they didn't sell many.

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  28. Wow, Cherry Kay! Everything is gorgeous. The flowers are fantastic. So pretty! I love your menu and the food looks wonderful. Thanks for the tip about the coconut cake.

    Your table wowed your guests I know. You do more entertaining in a month than I do in several years. All of your serving pieces are beautiful and the matelasse table cloth is delightful. Your hand-painted flutes are sensational! China is perfect!

    I know the mother-to-be was thrilled. It's the prettiest shower I have ever seen.

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  29. Such a pretty table and the flowers are amazing! Love the handpainted stemware and the beautiful plates. xx, Sherry

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  30. What a wonderful theme and of course as usual, you do everything with such finesse. I gasped when I saw your flutes and then I got a closer look and realized they were hand painted, then I read you painted six dozen! What a fabulous collection and you are so sweet to lend them out to your friends. They make any occasion special. Your flowers and food are just incredible. What a lucky mommy in waiting!

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  31. It looks beautiful, CK. The roses look wonderful in that bowl! I see Sam's had the 100 baby roses for 14.99 again, but it was too soon for them to last till the 14th.
    I am sure the guests were thrilled to be part of such a lovely luncheon.

    Thank you so much for linking to Let's Dish!

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