Fourth Quarter Dinner Party, June 1, 2018

Sweet Mister has been at it again, so the end of May turned out to be quite a busy period of time. Sweet Mister's birthday was Wednesday, May 30, and to celebrate we hosted about 100 guests in our backyard for a bluegrass concert. Thursday was a whirlwind as I cleared away things from the Wednesday party and maintained a dead run as I prepared for a Friday, June 1, dinner party for 24. Our guests were members of Sweet Mister's Fourth Quarter group. Fourth Quarter is a group of men who seek to invest their resources in significant projects to help others, as they approach the fourth quarter of their lives. I set three tables for our guests. We'll start in the breakfast room; come on in...

The Children's Table, December, 2016

 Christmas Eve dawned, and I was, for once, really well organized.  I had the entire morning to finish wrapping gifts for the local kids tree on Christmas morning.  Our Christmas Eve tree and dinner was scheduled with our family toddlers in mind...tree at 2:p.m. and an early dinner at 5:00 p.m. to include a few extra friends.  The kids planned to take the little ones home for an 8:00 bedtime, in order to have plenty of time to prepare their tree for early Christmas morning.  I was thrilled to know that I would have plenty of time to clean up after our dinner and wrap the last of the gifts to travel to Dallas mid-Christmas Day, after the Santa Claus tree at the kids' house.  At about 9:00 a.m., Christmas Eve morning, the phone rang.  "Mom, David and I are really sick.  We both have 102-3º temperature.  We think that we should head to the Urgent Care doctor as soon as possible.  We think that the most efficient plan is for us to go together, but that means that we need daddy and you to come take care of the kids while we're gone.  Is it possible for you to be here by 10:30 a.m.?  We shouldn't be away from the house very long.  We are determined to rally for your tree tonight."  "Sure," I said, as I envisioned my lovely day beginning to unravel.  What's the saying?  "We make plans, and God laughs."  He must have been howling.  Cutting to the chase...we returned home after 4:30 p.m.  The extra guests had been cancelled because we didn't want to expose them to sickness.  I threw the King Ranch Chicken in the oven as we started our tree at 5:00 p.m.  Dinner for the 6 of us happened at 7:00 p.m.  The little ones were taken home to go to bed around 8:30 p.m., I proceeded to wash dishes and put food away, and I finished wrapping gifts for the Santa tree and the Dallas tree shortly before 4:00 a.m.  We were up early, dressed to drive across town, and at the kids house before 8:00 a.m.  The trip to Dallas was postponed until a 6:00 a.m departure the day after Christmas.  Can you say, "Keystone Cops"?  I can say that the babies had a great time at both trees and never knew that Chaos was making every effort to run rampant through our Christmas.  I was so grateful that I had finished setting my tablescape days earlier.  Turns out that it was about the only thing that was really ready to go for our Christmas Eve celebration.  Well, the lovely yeast rolls that I left rising that morning as we drove away were more than ready...way more than ready.  Let's just say that they were..."interesting". I originally set the dining room table for 8 diners.   Come on in and take a look at what was supposed to be...

The photos were snapped just before the food came out of the oven.  I hope I can give you an adequate view.  I called this year's tablescape "The Kids' Table".  I wanted it to be fun for our little ones.

The Bormioli red glass charger was an obvious choice for my tablescape...

The Castleton Sovereign dinner plate with its gold bead edge was the perfect mate for the Oneida gold tone flatware and...

the Williams Sonoma Night Before Christmas series salad plate.  The salad plate is a new addition to my collection.  I couldn't resist it.

Traditional Christmas colors were added with the Vietri optic green goblet and the AJKA Arabella red wine.

A place setting for the kids' table....kids from 2 to 92!

I knew immediately that this year's centerpiece would include my old Fitz and Floyd Santa's Car cookie jar.  I fell in love with the 6 red lighted mercury glass trees, found at New Leaf Florist.  They had to be included in our Christmas Eve tablescape.  The quartet of red Mercury Glass hurricanes happily added another healthy shot of Christmas red.  They each sat in a festive and glittery green candle ring from Hobby Lobby.  The heavy red and white runner is from a local store called North Pole City.  Really!

On a whim, I added 6 jars, each with a needlepointed Santa Claus lid.  I stitched them many years ago and had forgotten about them.  I just happened to open the drawer in which they had been stored.  So glad that I found them!

Voila!  We have a centerpiece for "The Kids' Table".

Beatrice Emaline (now age 4), seems to be pleased with my design.

We're ready to celebrate the most important birthday of every year!

Candlelight shots seem perfect for Christmas Eve...

As thrown together as the evening came to be, it was nonetheless a precious time to share with our beloved family.  I think that I may always want to be seated at the children's table!  I hope that you had a marvelous Christmas.  I love that our babies are becoming old enough to understand that we give gifts at Christmas to remember the amazing and priceless gift that God sent to us when He gave us His only Son, Jesus Christ, my Lord, the Lover of our ragged souls.  Have a safe and Happy New Year's celebration!

This week I'm joining:

Tablescape Thursday with Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch  

A Riot of Thanksgiving Colors

• This week I bring you a new post for your eyes, but a trip back in my photo archives to our family's Thanksgiving table from November, 2015.  This holiday fell during my prolonged absence from blog world.  I thought that this would be an appropriate time to slip it in, hopefully for your pleasure.  I was still not back to full speed after my second knee replacement and subsequent back problems, but I was determined to lay a welcoming table for our guests.  It was a special moment because all four of my grandchildren would be at one of my holiday tables together for the first time.  Today I set a table for 13.  I thought that I would be preparing two tables, but Sweet Mister and KC, my daughter, were dead set on having everyone at the same table...so I happily obliged them.  This time there is a boat load of pictures, so proceed with fair warning. We gathered in the dining room.  Come on in... 

My inspiration for my Thanksgiving tablescape was...

This Williams Sonoma Harvest Jacquard tablecloth.  

 It pretty much jumped out of the closest and into my hands. Because there were so many of us seated at my dining table, charger plates were out of the question.  I liked the way the way the dinner plate

perched firmly on the dividing line between two of the color blocks of the tablecloth.

 Again, as a concession to the cozy nature of the place settings, I placed the napkins on the top edge of each dinner plate.  I couldn't bear the thought of covering up the elaborate design of the dinner plate.

 If you've been reading my blog for a period of time, you perhaps remember that come Fall, I find myself repeatedly using faux elements for centerpieces.  This table was no exception. The Autumn leaves are nothing more than several garlands from Hobby Lobby.  I've had this one for many years; it has earned its keep.  The small pumpkins were extra party favors from one of my Chi Omega luncheons.

 The pair of lanterns were also from Hobby Lobby.  I chose them because they were rather subdued and didn't try to fight for attention.

Although I wasn't able to post on my blog for a season, I was still delighted to continue adding to my collections.  I don't think that I have shared this Mottahedeh tureen with you, yet.  Again, it is lovely, regal even; but it maintains a quiet presence in the midst of a very exuberant design.  I like it a bunch!

 I think that you will agree with me that the star of this production was the dinner plate.


I kind of held my breath as I placed this Royal Crown Derby Olde Avesbury on the quite busy tablecloth.  It could have been a design disaster...but for some reason, it just worked.  I framed it with the gold toned flatware that I found at an estate sale for a steal.


The Vieri optic amber goblet and the AJKA Arabella red wine begged to be included in my design.  Entertaining tips: The Vietri is still in production, and at $21.00 per stem, I think that it is well priced for a crystal goblet.  They are available in an assortment of colors and work equally well in classic and contemporary settings.  The wine is no longer in production, but you can find it quite regularly via eBay

The tiny spots of lilac are charming little antique Limoges open salt cellars that belonged to our dear Nana.  I love the opportunity to use them whenever possible.  The beaded napkin rings are really candle rings.  Remember to think outside "the box". 

I look forward to this year's Thanksgiving feast.  I'm playing with different elements for my new tablescape.  Is your table already set?  I'll bet that I find lots of inspiration when I visit your blogs this week!  This year I am thankful that I live in the United States of America.  After a turbulent election season for all sides, I find encouragement as I watch the beginning of the peaceful transition that plays out between the current executive administration and the new administration.  We are truly blessed.

This week I'm joining:

Tablescape Thursday with Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch

English Oak Centerpiece Accessories for Lunch

Where do you find inspiration for your tablescapes?  Typically, my inspirations never come from the same place two times in a row. Today I happened across a selection of antique English Oak pieces that I hadn't thought about in quite a while, and I was off and running. 

 I found this silver rimmed oak pedestal bowl on eBay.  I had seen one in a Carolyne Rohm
book and had been searching for one of my own for a long time. The day that I found it, I was definitely doing a happy dance. Since I'm your buy everything possible in pairs girl, I'm still looking for a mate for my bowl.  Some day....


A pair of English Oak biscuit/cookie jars contributed handsomely to my wooden vignette.  One was an eBay find and one was discovered in a local antique store.  One of these would make a delightful centerpiece for a smaller round table.


A quartet of Barley Twist candlesticks provided the finishing touch for the centerpiece.   Plop, plop, plop, and I was done.  So easy...so lovely.


The Williams - Sonoma striped linen tablecloth  set a subtle tone for the luncheon.

From the bottom:  The Caspari rattan charger held  the Wedgwood Queens Plain dinner plate and the Copeland Spode Tower Pink luncheon plate.  The Tower Pink was the everyday pattern that Sweet Mister's family used every day.  We are blessed to shepherd these dear old dishes through this generation.  We also use them as one of our everyday patterns.  Their familiarity is heart warming; they bring a quiet smile each time that I pull them out of the cabinet.  A caramel colored hemstitched napkin held by my Cuisine Kathleen's beaded napkin rings balanced atop the stack of dishes.

Beverages were served in the Vieri amber and the AJKA Arabella red goblets.

 Completing the design, I used the L'Argent Sophia Gold flatware ( Horchow's online and Tuesday Morning).  I used old individual Tower Pink ashtrays as butter pats...thinking outside the box can yield fun results.

 Lunch will be ready shortly.  In the meantime, come on into the living room.  We can visit for a bit before we eat.  For me, it's just another delightful day doing what I love...Entertaining Women!  Won't you join us?

This week I'm joining:
Tablescape Thursday with Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch

Thoughts of Home with White Spray Paint

Dishing It and Digging It with Linda @ Life and Linda