Cast Iron Friends Birthday Party, February, 2018

A week or so before Guyanne's birthday party, I was blessed to host a birthday celebration for Becky, another vital link in my circle of lifetime friends. Like so many of us, Becky was the bride of a Vietnam soldier, a pilot, and she owns an amazing story from that era. Bill was stationed in Thailand during the war, and, she was allowed to travel to  live with him. But of course, there was the proverbial catch.  Shortly after they found their home and established their household, Bill received a new set of orders sending him to be stationed in Vietnam. Now they were not living on a base, at this time, so Becky found herself, at all of twenty - four years old, living on her own in a strange, to her, Asian country. She found a job teaching English to Thai employees who worked for the Air Force. Talk about the heart of an adventurer! She Rah lives.  Becky was there alone for ten months before returning to the United States. During her time there, she became quite fond of Asian art and design. As a nod to Becky's Great Adventure and very difficult year, I chose to design her birthday table with an Oriental focus.  Might you be wondering why such a luncheon would include cast iron? Well...that's another part of the party plan. The guests were told to dress comfy and casual on this cold winter day. We're dining in the breakfast room.  Come on in and join us...

My guests were greeted by the Ladies of the Court, antique figurines acquired at an estate sale.  Although there were additional plates during our meal, I can never bear to cover up...

...my Aunt Ida's antique Imari chargers.  She bought them while she was stationed as a WAC major, intelligence officer, in post-war Tokyo at the end of World War II.  They were antiques when she acquired them in 1946, and I am their shepherd for my generation.  It is always a treat to share them with friends for smaller occasions; I only have six of the plates. I continually search for more...maybe some day.

Other pieces which were pressed into service for our celebration included...

The Royal Copenhagen Gold Fan dinner plate,

and the Gorham Royal Regalia Teal salad plate, (Part of a service that a friend asked me to take. It was her daughter's wedding china, and the young lady decided that she wasn't ever going to use it.  My friend was downsizing.) ...

...were joined by the pair of Venetian Gold Flecked goblets. 

 

A quartet of plump turquoise vases held mixed bouquets...

... and joined the foursome of antique Ladies of the Court to surround a brass Oriental Incense Burner for today's centerpiece. 

Wait just a minute!  What in the world does Cast Iron have to do with this whole shindig? Well, okay...

Becky, Guyanne, and I love to lunch at a local restaurant that features an amazing individual chicken pot pie, served in a cast iron skillet. It's so good, it's necessary to call and reserve one because the pies sell out so quickly!  Guyanne and I met with the owner of the restaurant, and she kindly agreed to prepare the pot pies for our luncheon.  We also gave Becky her own set of cast iron skillets as a birthday gift!  It was all great...especially the pot pies. We're planning lunch at Becky's soon. She's preparing Chicken Pot Pies in her new mini skillets.

Pot pies, green salad, Mimosas, and birthday cake made a well-received menu.  We didn't leave the table until everyone had to get home to put dinner on their own tables.  It was a comfy and loving celebration for a precious friend.

Precious friends, shared histories and stories, a no-brainer menu, making new birthday memories as we grow older together...What are you waiting for? There are celebrations to commemorate!  Don't waste another minute.  At the end of the day, you'll be really tired and completely content!  Call your friends!  And if you're passing my way out here on the prairie, give me a call, and I'll create a table just for you. I'd love for you to be a part of my history, and I'd love to be a part of yours. We have stories to share!

This week I'm joining:

Inspire Me Tuesday with Marty @ A Stroll Through Life

Dishing It and Digging It with Life and Linda

Tablescape Thursday with Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch.

  

The Five O'Clock Tea Club Tablecloth, 4.9.18

 In the 20's, 30's, 40's, and 50's our Nana belonged to The Five O'Clock Tea Club with many of her friends, all of them wives of highly successful leaders in our city.  After decades of wonderful times with the other club ladies, the 60's had rolled around, and Nana was probably one of the last living members.  As a result, I'm guessing that she was the club member left in charge of the Five O'Clock Tea Club tablecloth.  Last week I was blessed to  share a selection of my collection of china, silver, and antique linens with The Oklahoma Art League for their April Guest Day Meeting.  One of those items was the Five O'Clock Tea Club's tablecloth.  Once again, it found its way to the center of a lovely ladies' tea. I'll primarily let you get a look at our tea table and the centerpiece for the group of about 80 ladies.  Come on in and join us...
  

For the third time in less than 30 days, tulips are the flowers of choice.  By now you're familiar with the Accent Decor tulipiere.  The flowers were arranged at my house three days prior to the meeting.  They were in full bloom this day.  I chose the colors for a painterly effect.  I kept thinking of a painter's palette covered with dabs of color.  

 The Herend Queen Victoria tureen was a unanimous choice by the hospitality committee.  It's also making a third appearance this month; it's hard to get tired of this lovely dame.  Teapots here include Wedgwood, Coalport, Royal Albert, Bernardaud Limoges, and a darling pink stoneware teapot.

When I go to estate sales, I frequently add to my collection of oriental wooden stands.  Today some of them combined to charming effect as we elevated each of the elements in our centerpiece. 

Nana's pair of silver pedestal shells were just right for the lemon curd, which accompanied cranberry-orange scones.  You can't have a tea without scones, right?!

It seems rare that anyone takes coffee or tea after a meal anymore, so it was really fun to pull out an assortment of teacups for the ladies to sup their tea.  We served a French Caramel Crème Brûlée tea by Teaoli. Find it if you can.  So delicious!  This is another of Nana's cutwork linen cloths.  Teacups included Lenox Beltane, Castleton Laurel, Royal Copenhagen God Fan. and Coalport Countryware. Replacements were waiting in the kitchen.  Tea was served from a pair of Silver Urns at either end of the table.

 Here's a pretty good look at the tea club's tablecloth.  It's about 100 years old now.  It's over 200" long, and I had to create a pair of folds to reduce the length for today's table.

 Teapots included Russian china, Meissen Blue Onion, Bernadaud Limoges Artois, and a Mad Hatter teapot that KC brought me from one of her trips to Australia.  The empty spots on both sides of the table would soon be filled with silver trays laden with a fresh assortment of tiny tea sandwiches, cucumber sandwiches were mandatory, of course!

 Lace cookies with milk chocolate filling, Macarones, and the Cranberry Orange Scones waited to be uncovered.  The tea party was enjoyed after the group's business meeting and program.

 I pulled several patterns of luncheon plates for the ladies as they selected their goodies.  Here, the Schumann Empress Dresden Flowers reticulated plate.

 Coalport Sèvres Group luncheon plates.

It was indeed a job for our committee to pull, pack, transport, unload, layout each item for our tea, clear, wash and dry, and then repeat the process to return everything home, but it was so worth the time and effort.  The happy faces of our guests, the enthusiastic conversations that permeated the fellowship hall, the pronounced lack of leftovers...all of these were more than enough to make me willing to do it again the next time the occasion presents itself.  The next time you have the opportunity to share your lovely things with one of your organizations, go for it!  You'll be tired, of course, but there will be no denying the contented smile on your face.

This week I'm joining:

Tablescape Thursday with Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch

Inspire Me Tuesday with Marty @ A Stroll Through Life

Life and Linda @ Dishing It and Digging It Blog Party

Tulip Palooza, March 24, 2018

Note: 4.15.18  Thanks so much to Linda @ Life & Linda for featuring my blog in the Dishing It & Digging It Link Party #196.  Linda is the host this week.  Please, be sure to visit Linda and the other blog hosts this week!  You'll find an abundance of talent and inspiration.

The tulips have captured my heart this Spring.  I posted about our Easter table last week, and today I want to share an intimate Baby Shower Brunch that I recently hosted with several other friends.  Once again, the tulips held centre stage.  I set two tables for 16 guests.  Brunch was set out in the breakfast room.  Pull up a chair. This is a photo intensive post, but what else is new.  Enjoy if you're up for it...or just scroll quickly.  Either way, I'm so grateful that you stopped by for a visit.

The front doors were already decked out for Palm Sunday and Easter week....

The table in the center of the foyer...

...and the demi-lune just inside the front door gave guests their first peek of what lay just beyond in the living room and dining room.

Guests gathered in the living room to greet the mom-to-be's family.

Chloe, the Lop, that I sculpted years ago, was in charge of oversight in the kitchen...

Her crew made sure that the St. Louis ice bucket was filled for drinks and plenty of room was available for drink preparations

More of the bunny patrol made certain that the counter was clear for mixing the fresh berries salad and the oven was hot and ready for the Eggs for Brunch Bundt Cakes to bake.

Tucked away in the breakfast room...

The breakfast room was prepared with serving dishes for the brunch menu which consisted of: Orange Cranberry Scones with Lemon Curd,  Eggs for Brunch Bundt Cake,  Fresh Berries Salad, and dessert consisting of Petit Fours, and iced cookies decorated with the new baby girls initials.  Now, the tables...

In the living room, I prepared a table for six guests at the games table.  The ever reliable flip-top table top was pressed into use, yet again.  Gifts were placed on the marble topped refractory table that lives on the wall between the living room and the kitchen.  At one point I entertained opening up that wall for an open concept kitchen/dining room.  I thought that I could use the large table as a kitchen island.  Didn't happen.  I decided that I like my walls in my house. 

 

I prepared a pair of the green tulipieres as a centerpiece for the games table.  Didn't happen.  The tulips were so successfully dancing by the morning of the party,  I only had room for one container on the table.  Do you remember where you've already seen the partner arrangement?

With few exceptions, both tables were pretty much the same.  One difference was the old fashioned champagne goblets, used to serve Prosecco, a sparkling wine.  Here is the champagne goblet that belonged to my mother-in-love.  I don't know for certain, but I believe that it is Rock Sharpe Crystal. I don't know the pattern name.  Remember, brides from 1938, through the end of World War II, in 1945, were no longer able to register for European crystal or china.  During this period, American manufacturers came into prominence.  Now, the dining room...

Spring has arrived in full color.  The tulips could not have been more cooperative.

Pow!!!

No tablecloth today.  The Mottahedeh Blue Lace Charger was placed on the preserved boxwood placemats.  I actually have to spritz/bathe these placemats with water once per month, so they don't dry up and curl up.  The flatware on both tables was Reed & Barton Francis I.

Both tables were set with Coalport Sevres Group.  There are multiple varieties of bouquets on the plates.  Perfect for Spring....really for any season.  This is one of my favorite patterns.

This time the old fashioned champagne was our Nana's antique French crystal.  Antique dealers agree that it is French and antique.  So far no one can identify the maker or pattern name.  Some day! On both tables, the champagnes were paired with the Waterford Simply Pink Goblets.

I was pleased to have enough of the tiny salt and peppers to share with each guest.  I never tire of the lovely whimsy of these tiny works of art.

A quartet of Accent Decor "Rose Bowl" tulipieres...

...flanked the Herend Queen Victoria tureen and underplot.  This piece always makes my heart beat faster.

I could be happy sitting on either side of the table.  The bunnies on the buffet look quite whimsical...

And the contents of the crystal cabinets keep my eyes happy, too.

Spring is always so welcome at our house...

...and definitely on our tables!

Thank you so much for indulging my passion and spending your precious time here.  I absolutely do not take you for granted.  If you ever pass my way out here on the prairie, please, let me know.  I'd love to set a table for you.  We can visit into the evening and get to know each other better.

This week I'm joining:

Tablescape Thursday w/ Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch

Inspire Me Tuesday w/ Marty @ A Stroll Through Life

Dishing It and Digging It @ Life and Linda

The Scoop w/ Yvonne @ Stone Gable

Easter, April 1, 2018

Resurrection Sunday is my most important day of each year. And it is so appropriate that as Christ came back to life for you and for me, so each year our loving God gives us a world where the bareness of winter surrenders to spring and its own annual renewal of life. Trees unfurl their tender new leaves, and buds bless our world with hope for another year filled with the fragrances and the beauty of bountiful blooms in our gardens.