Mardi Gras 2021 Purple and Green Tablescape

With our busy schedules, we have learned to be somewhat flexible when it comes to special celebrations. I don't want to skip a special holiday or a birthday meal just because we have other plans on that day. I just adjust! We celebrated New Orleans and Mardi Gras last Saturday night with a fun tablescape and a delicious meal. Most of all, we celebrated the time we had together.

Jewell is off to college in about six months. Granted, Faulkner is only 45 minutes away. And yes, her daddy works there, so he has the potential of seeing her each day! But she won't be home where I can look in and see what's she's up to. Or have her help me in the kitchen. Or watch a last minute movie with her just because it fit our meal. (We decided to reward our hard work by watching "The Princess and The Frog" on Disney+ after supper. BTW - it is hands down my favorite Disney movie!) Enough of that! No need to start the waterworks now. That will come soon enough. I just want to take advantage of every minute we have. 

My girl loves Cajun food. Who am I kidding? She loves ALL food! She's definitely a foodie like me. She helped me with every step of the meal - appetizer to dessert. We had a lot of fun Saturday as we worked together. The result? Memories made with awesome tasting food to boot!

On to the tablescape! Mardi Gras is nothing if it isn't gaudy! Lots of color and music! I took my cues from the traditional rich greens, purples, and golds you associate with Mardi Gras. I had a few new finds that I combined with things I had in my stash. It made for a really fun tablescape!

I had made the napkins to use for our anniversary dinner a few years ago. The colors are so pretty and helped to tie the table all together. The motif is very French-looking to me. The flatware is "Abigail" by Hampton Silversmiths. The wood grain chargers came from Dollar Tree last fall. The purple "crackled" plate is from Hobby Lobby this season. They were 40% of $5.99 off last week. I just got four. Probably need at least two more! The little bread plates were the perfect size for our mini cheesecakes. They are "Lorlelei" by Oneida. They came from a thrift shop I saw on the way home from my in-law's home one day. I paid a whole .25 cents each for them! They showed up for the first time in the same anniversary dinner Spring tablescape I mentioned above. Check it out. I'd forgotten how pretty it was!

The amber glasses are vintage Fostoria "Jamestown". They're always perfect when I want to accent gold in a subtle way.

Here's a new find! I was in Montgomery a week ago with a little time to kill between appointments, so I ran into Goodwill. I don't often find things there, but you never know! I haven't identified the style and maker yet, but it looks like probably something from the 60's or 70's. I paid $9 for four cup and saucer sets. They are stunning in person. The teal is so rich and vibrant! 

The larger beads came from New Orleans, but the mask and the smaller beads with the crown pendants came from Dollar Tree a few years ago.

The amber glass votives came from Dollar Tree last fall. I got them to use for Jewell's 18th birthday party. They're so pretty when they're lit!

I picked up the amber fluted glass vase from Hobby Lobby the other day. It was 50% off. I know this will be perfect for Fall decorating. 

The pretty lilac table runner also came from Hobby Lobby last week. It looked great with the napkins. I already have plans for a spring table using this!

I casually spread the beads down the center of the table. Almost as if they had been left there after a parade!

The floral arrangement is artificial. I am moving more toward those, because Possum Kitty will eat real flowers. He's crazy. Anyway - the tea olive branches came from Bless Your Heart in Eclectic. Amy has the prettiest and the most realistic flowers there. I add a little to my collection each season. The lavender came from Hobby Lobby, and I used a 40% off coupon (sniff, sniff) on it. Y'all know those are gone after the middle of March, right? But as long as you plan ahead and don't get in a bind at the last minute, every thing is on sale every few weeks. 

I draped the beads from the inside to tie it all together.

I got all the Mardi Gras colors into the place settings! It's a little busier than I usually like, but Mardi Gras is meant to be fun!

One more look...

I went to NOLA with Gerald the month I turned 50. He used to have a conference there every couple of years, and I always liked to tag along. The kids went one year, but the last time, it was just the two of us. I signed up for several cooking classes at the New Orleans School of Cooking and had the TIME OF MY LIFE!

The dip above was not one of the recipes I learned there. I found this on Pinterest and then tweaked it. I call it "Cheesy Andouille Dip", and y'all, it is one of the best things I've ever eaten. This will be a staple in my tailgating recipe rotation next fall!

BBQ Shrimp and Grits was a recipe that I learned at cooking school. It is rich. It is creamy. It is AMAZING and different from any shrimp and grits I'd ever had. Jewell requested this dish.

The sauce has a beer base with lots of seasonings, however, it's not "spicy", just full of flavor! The grits are made here in Alabama (I found them at Whole Foods), and are made with heavy cream, cream cheese, and freshly grated parmesan. This dish is not for the faint at heart!

We had to have Banana's Foster for dessert! I found a recipe for these mini bananas Foster cheesecakes on Pinterest. It was good. I will have to work on it some. The sauce set up like candy as soon as it hit the chilled cheesecakes. It needed to stay loose like a sauce. I'm going to have to talk to my candy-making mother-in-law to figure out how to improve on this, but I will make them again! The little bread plates were perfect for these small bite-sized treats.

The meal was decadent. It was delicious. I should have had a lighter first course - something like a salad to balance the heavy shrimp and grits. But you don't go to NOLA for salads, do you?! The mini cheesecakes were perfect for the end of the meal. A touch of sweet, but not too much. A rich cup of freshly brewed (decaf) coffee was the perfect ending to a perfect meal.

Laissez les bon temps rouler!

I'm so glad you stopped by my neck of the woods!

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