Showing posts with label Garden. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Garden. Show all posts

Thursday, August 9, 2018

A Garden Friends Fix, July, 2018

Things have been hopping in the month of July.  Dinner with friends over the 4th, meant no tablescape at our house. With the exception of a few weekend trips, we've held pretty close to home. I've been blessed to welcome guests to gather around our table on several occasions. Today I'm eager to share a luncheon that I hosted for my Garden Friends Bible study group. 
 

With some of us away for a fair chunk of the summer, I set a table for seven. After I finished taking my pictures, we had a late addition, so the luncheon was actually for eight. Ahhh, about the pictures. I've been doggedly trying to wrap my head around shooting in manual with my trusty Nikon. I fear that the quality of the photos to follow will reveal that for me, it's going to be a very steep learning curve. I hope that you will bear with me. Right now my results seem to yield aces and spaces. Okay, that's my disclaimer, now on to the luncheon.  I find that since we redecorated the kitchen, I enjoy entertaining in the space more and more. Today we gathered for lunch in the breakfast room. Come on in and join us... 

For my dear Garden Friends, I wanted to sculpt a softly feminine, creatively colorful tablescape. 

It's hard to go wrong when your art work is framed by the Mottahedeh Cornflower Blue Lace charger. 

The Mottahedeh Tobacco Leaf is easily one of my favorite patterns in China Town. The colors are truly magnificent. 

The Williams Sonoma banded linen napkin was the perfect amendment with its aqua accent border. 

Making an appearance after the luncheon began, the Tiffin Minton luncheon plate was used for dessert. The coupe soup and underplate held an avocado cucumber soup as a first course.

The taller Pier One wine was purchased many years ago, and I've used it often over the years. The larger goblet was a recent purchase at Hobby Lobby on the clearance aisle. I found a full dozen, and they are a perfect color match. I think I will now use them even more.

This canvas was complete, and my guests loved the place setting. 


Two different pair of petite bouquets from Whole Foods Market were snipped and placed...

...in a quartet of green vases found at a local florist some years ago.


The vases surrounded a Mottahedeh tureen. The celadon background and the pink trim worked well with the colors in the Tobacco Leaf plates.

It was a blazing hot summer day out here on the plains. It was one of those days when no one wanted to eat anything heavy or hot. Following the chilled avocado cucumber soup, we dined on chicken salad, egg salad, and a fruit salad featuring a variety of summer berries and fresh peaches.

Dessert consisted of birthday cake and brandy ice.

When we finally stood to leave the table, everyone realized that they would need to rush right home. It was almost time for them to have supper on the table. 

Sweet Mister called with plans to take me out for supper, a wonderful ending to a fabulous day. Remember, if you're coming my way, give me a call, and I'd love to set a table for you.

This week I'm joining:

























































Friday, November 17, 2017

Garden Friends Birthday Luncheon, 11.15.17




Well, I'm not quite sure how to explain my long, long absence from blog world.  All I know is that since my lung surgery, I've felt better than I've felt in decades.  I've been able to do more things than I've done in years, and I've just been so doggone busy, I haven't had extra time to work on my blog.  I appreciate that you are willing to stop by for a visit again and check out what's happening on the tables at Entertaining Women.  I'm so glad you are here!


Today the Garden Friends Bible study met for the last time before Thanksgiving.  It was a perfect opportunity to celebrate Sheila's birthday with a luncheon.  I've set a table for 8 in the dining room.  Come on in...


Lately, I've been indulging my passion for blue and white.  Today's table is chocked full of a variety of blues and white with gentle touches of Autumn. Makes me smile.  The birthday girl requested my homemade chicken noodle soup for lunch today.  It was pretty much a gray old day, and hot soup and cornbread muffins filled the bill perfectly.  We finished off our simple menu with Italian Cream Cake. Can you ever go wrong with comfort food?  I think not!


I just wasn't in a mood for a tablecloth today, but our dear Nana's antique ecru tape lace placemats and runners seemed to be calling to me.  The older runners are not as long as more modern offerings, so I layered three of these magnificent old pieces to cover the entire length of the table.  Fittingly this old lace design features acorns!  How perfect is that!




Nana's antique Madeira napkins with a floral design stitched in ecru were caught in silver reticulated napkin rings.

 The Mottahedeh Blue Lace Charger provided the foundation for today's place setting.  I adore this pattern.  It continues to be the plate that guests "want to take home".


Making its premier appearance, the Royal Copenhagen Blue Fluted Half Lace is one of the newer denizens in my "China Town".


The antique Meissen Blue Onion was eventually edited from the opening act of the production.  I just couldn't bear to cover up the Royal Copenhagen.  The dinner plate deserved to stand centerstage on its own.  The Meissen did make an appearance later,  during the dessert course.

 The Waterford Simply Blue and the Tiffin Elyse were superb in the ensemble cast.  I' found my collections of each on eBay and Replacements.com.


Appearing as extras were the Reed & Barton Grande Renaissance flatware, my wedding sterling.  I use it more than my other patterns mainly because it's stored close at hand, and that's the truth.  That and I still really like it.  If I were registering today, I would still choose Grande Renaissance.


Every production needs an eye catching backdrop.  Today's centerpiece is concocted with an assortment of blue and white appointments and a variety of autumn touches.

The tureen is from Andrea by Sadek.  It was an eBay find.

The pair of bell candlesticks are Mottahedeh Blue Canton.  They definitely make a statement, and I am a little bit in love with them.  They fascinate me.

I recently found the smaller pair of Mottahedeh candlesticks at a local estate sale.

The pair of blue and white lidded jars are from Hobby Lobby.  The wooden acorns and sleeping foxes were found at a local antique shop.

Knitting all the elements in the centerpiece together, several Hobby Lobby garlands of autumn leaves meander down the table in a serpentine fashion. 

Let the festivities commence!  My precious friends would be arriving shortly.  Thank you for stopping by for a visit.  I'd be thrilled to pull up an extra chair and add another place setting just for you.  Well, a girl can always dream...Someday...if you happen to find yourself out here on the prairie... give me a call and plan to come for a meal.  We'll visit for hours!

This week I'm joining:






Thursday, May 25, 2017

Garden Friends Luncheon, May 25, 2017

The Garden Friends Bible study group met for lunch to have a fellowship time before we begin our summer break.  I was blessed to gather these priceless friends around my table.  Today I set a table for 8 in the dining room.  Come on in and join us!


It's Spring, and the perfect time for a celebration of color...


 and what says Spring?...


...more deliciously than...


TULIPS!  Thank you Whole Foods Market.


Of course, there were other pretty blossoms to be shared!


Now sometimes we need to amend the soil first, so I started with the Vietri charger,...


...which added just the right finish to the Mottahedheh Light Blue Lace charger.


Today's blooms are brought to you courtesy of the Spode Chelsea Garden dinner plate blossoms...


Close enough to smell the flowers


All good gardens need pretty ground cover, right?  Today it was the Reed & Barton Grande Renaissance flatware.






So many pretty posies...


There's even a tiny blossom on the Madeira linen napkin.


My wedding crystal Lalique Trèves wine was a fitting addition to the Waterford Simply Blue,


Amethyst,


Pink, 


and Lime garden art.

 And of course, one must have glorious potted plants.



Herend Queen Victoria...

So many incredible details

  A garden to be enjoyed any day of the year laid on a lawn provided by the Williams-Sonoma jacquard linen tablecloth.


Do you find inspiration for your garden while looking in magazines, or at a flower show perhaps?  Now you see where I found mine.


I'm always seated at this end of the table...a great view of my garden, but mainly closest to the kitchen.  Do you seat yourself in a place that allows you quickest access to the kitchen, too?


Every lovely bloom needs to be adequately watered...I like to place decanters at my table for my guests to be able to refill their water goblets without interrupting their conversations.

 Another delightful Garden Friends gathering.  Let me know if you're coming through our city on the prairie.  I'd love to set a lovely table just for you, and I know that my Garden Friends will join me to make you feel welcome.  There's always room for another blossom in my garden!

This week I'll be joining:

Inspire Me Tuesday with Marty @ A Stroll Through Life

The Style Sisters Centerpiece Wednesday linky party

Tablescape Thursday with Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch


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