Blue and Yellow May Birthdays 2023

I hosted my group of close friends back during the summer for a May birthday luncheon. Two of the ladies had May birthdays. I decided that yellow and blue was just perfect for channeling happy, Summer vibes! Add a blueberry theme for my meal, and Voila! The perfect summer table.

How to set an interesting table? Layers, layers, layers! 

Gold reads yellow, so it I pulled several gold pieces to add warmth and sparkle. The flatware is "Abigail" by Hampston Silversmiths. 

The vintage blue and white transfer is actually more off-white, but I still mixed it with my white everyday pattern. I think it adds to the aged eclectic look of the tablescape. My everyday white pattern is "White Satin" by Nikko. It's 24 years old, but I still love it! So classic and versatile.

I staarted with a white tablecloth, then added the yellow and white runner I made years ago for my Mount Vernon Love Story book club. The blue and white Jacobian floral pattern runner came from the same party. I've used them both many other times, including an Orient-Express themed birthday dinner for my mother. (What a flash back! My dining room was red and my photograhy was lacking, but it was still a pretty table!)

You know I love to use flowers that I can then add to my planters outside. Possum Kitty (ruling cat in our home) will chew on fresh flowers and many are dangerous for him. I don't like to spend a lot on an arrangement I can't keep out to enjoy. So often, I will buy annuals that I can use for a pop of color and then put in a planter outside where they can be safe (and he can be safe from them!). Marigolds are a summer staple in pots on my deck and front porch. I simply pulled them out of the black plastic six pack, dropped them in a small Mason jar, and then potted them later that day. The daisy gardenias smelled amazing. I just snipped a few blooms and dropped them in small vases which I scattered down the table.

I collected a dozen or so small vases to use for Jewell's senior tea. You can see the details of that Hobbit-themed party that was by far, the most involved party I've ever thrown! It was wonderful, though!

I have a couple of these woven runners that I regularly use on a coffee table and a small chest of drawers. I just grabbed one and threw it on the table to add another layer and to add some warmth to the color scheme.

The blue and white transferware pattern is by Nikko. It doesn't list the pattern on the dishes, but I believe it is probably part of the Double Phoenix line. The clear beaded glasses are by Pioneer Woman. 

I was afraid white napkins would be a little stark (and perhaps boring) against the different yellow and blue patterns, so I took a chance and used these blue plaid napkins. I found them on Amazon several years ago and used them for my Blue Christmas tablescape I created for a cheer squad Christmas party one year.

Of course I scattered tea light down the table. I love candlelight...even during the day. It adds such warmth and is so welcoming!

I use this Mason jar holder a lot. It covers a good bit of real estate on my table and is really flexible about what jars I can use inside.

Of course I forgot to take a picture of our meal, but here is dessert. An old-fashioned lemon buttermilk pie with fresh blueberries. It was a delicious end to a worderful meal! Happy birthday ladies! We sure enjoyed celebrating you!

 

Don't Worry...Bee Happy! Miss Manners Spring 2023

Between Covid and the surgery I had last year, Miss Manners parties have been few and far between over the last few years! But I hope to ease back into a more regular schedule now. I hosted a rather large group back in the Spring. Very large in fact. I'll show you how I handled so many girls. But first...the table!

I happened to see this bee-covered burlap in Dollar Tree early last Spring, so I snagged a few. It was the jumping off point for my tablescape. I think they were about 18x21 inches. I thought about sewing them together in a runner, but decided not to. Instead, I evenly spaced them down the middle of my table on top of a black tablecloth. It really made them pop! I pulled several items from around my home to complement the bee theme. I have several pieces of the Round Top Collection that I purchased locally at Bless your Heart in Eclectic. This little bee was just perfect! I added a honey pot that I was gifted a couple of years ago.

I had another jar of honey that was given to me as a hostess gift. It looked lovely on the table, and the yellow fabric gave a pop of color to lighten the scene. I found the bright yellow flower pot holders at a thrift store a year of so ago. At the time, I had no idea what I would use them for, but they were so cheerful in color, I knew they needed to come home with me. There were two of them and they were $2 each. I found some yellow pansies at Lowe's to use in small mason jars. I put them on my deck table afterward to enjoy for a month or so.

The cute little "Bee Happy" sign came from Hobby Lobby years ago. I had the black and white straws in my stash. I think I got them 90% off at Walmart after Halloween one year. The "glasses" are small Starbuck's bottles I kept after Brack drank them. They're fun, and a great recycle project. The size is also perfect for small hands.

Here's a view of the center of the table. I wish they showed up a little better, but those are three wire bee skeps down the middle of the table. We found them at a thrift store last year. I took two and my BFF took the other. She loaned hers to me to use for the party. They added great height, but they could also be seen through which was great since the girls were smaller. It made it easy for them to talk across the table.

I used white chargers that have a touch of gold on the edges. They came from Dollar Tree. I think the only thing I had to buy for the table was these cute paper plates from Hobby Lobby. I got them the week they were half off. I placed them directly on the charger, then placed a clear glass plate on top. My flateware is "Abigail" by Hampton Silversmiths. It came from Target over twenty years ago. I hand wash them to protect the gold plating.

I draped a cute strand of bee-themed wooden beads over one of the skeps. I think they came from Hobby lobby. Jewell also wrapped the skeps in tiny fairy lights.  

Here's a better picture of the bee skeps. They're so cute!

They're very hard to see, but I found some little bee wire picks at Hobby Lobby when I got the plates. I stuck them in the pansies, so it looks like they're flying!

The cupcake stands have been in my collection for years. I think these black and white cupcake papers were from my Walmart Halloween clearance haul. By the way - I always place my cupcakes in another cupcake liner after I ice them. The wrapper isn't always pretty after being baked. Plus, it adds a frilly layer. The little plastic bee picks in the cupcakes came from Hobby Lobby, as well. They have a whole line of bee party supplies. I didn't want to use it all. I just found a couple of inexpensive items I could add to what I had.

Jewell cut the placecards out of black cardstock and hand lettered them for me. It was fun for the girls to walk around and find their name. They got to take them home afterwards. As for the black and white napkins, you guessed it! Halloween leftovers.

I served fruit kabobs, pita chips, ham and cheese roll ups, a few veggies with Ranch, baby dills, and a string cheese! I tried to have kid-friendly food and something for everyone. 

Jewell was a big help preparing for the party. She also helped me host. The girls loved spending time with their "big girl" friend!

Ashlyn was also a tremendous help and served as a hostess, as well. She graduated from high school in May and began college last month. She grew up in Miss Manners! 

In my next post, I'll show you our craft, and I'll let you in on how I easily hosted two parties that day! See you soon!

 

Mother/Daughter Senior Brunch 2023

 

We had four young ladies from our church to graduate from high school back in May. I have known each one of them since they were born, and all of them were part of my Miss Manners program as they grew up. I wanted to honor them, so I hosted them and their mothers for brunch last Saturday.

One mother and daughter were unable to attend, and my own daughter was out of town. That gave us an uneven seven in attendance, so I decided to squeeze in an extra setting so we could all sit together in the dining room.

I'm so happy with the way my tablescape turned out. It's feminine, summery, and so welcoming. Let me take you on a little tour!

Normally I mix and match my plates, but this is perhaps my favorite set of china that I own. I decided to just use it and let it shine in all it's glory! This pattern is called "Double Phoenix" in red, and it's by Nikko. I have used it several times, most recently for Valentine's Day 2023. But My favorite table featuring these dishes was a Paris-themed Valentine's Day dinner a few years ago. Take a look at it. It's breathtaking!

I went ahead and set the plate stack, even though I removed the bowl and dessert plate before they arrived. I always like to give you a bird's eye view of a table setting. As usual, I took the liberty of placing things where they fit, and not necessarily where they go.

I wanted a lot of texture to break up the red and white dishes. I think I succeeded!

I don't have anything blooming in my yard right now, so I picked up a $5 bouquet from Walmart and fleshed it out with greenery from my yard. Actually, I took a chance and ordered it online to pickup with my grocery order. I got lucky. It was in pretty good shape. One rose was beginning to turn a little brown, but I removed a few outer petals, and it was fine. I've completely changed my mind about baby's breath. It is usually just used as a filler in a rose bouquet, but when there's a mixture of colors and lots of greenery, I think it provides a pop of color (yes, white is a color!), and a textured softness to the arrangement. 

I added some fern fronds and some gardenia greenery for bulk.

I always use candles or at least tea lights in my tablescape, no matter the time of day. They add such a warmth and intimacy to the table. These little red tealight holders picked up on the dish pattern.

I made these pretty little rose bowls several years ago. You can see how I did that here.

I pulled out my pretty little green stem glasses to use. I wanted to add another color to the mix, and there was green in my napkins. I was given these glasses years ago by my sister-in-law. She had purchased them at Cracker Barrel. I only have eleven. If you ever see them anywhere, let me know! I got the vintage juice glasses off eBay a couple of years ago for Jewell's Hobbit-themed senior tea party. I used them with amber colored stemware for that party, but I like them mixed with the green better.

I made these napkins over twenty years ago. I was in charge of setting a table for an event, and I used these with green stems and my white everyday dishes. I wish I had a picture of the table, but that was before I began keeping a record. I love toile! And these play so nicely with my dishes, don't you think?

The flatware is Abigail by Hampton Silversmiths and came from Target nearly 25 years ago. I only hand wash it, and so far, the gold accents have held up beautifully.

Another view of the entire table...

You know I love a theme. Strawberry was my choice for the day. Each course contained strawberries, and it went nicely with the plates. I chose to serve this Strawberry Kiwi fruit blend tea from Harney and Sons. I always like to offer a non-caffeinated option.

It's hard to read this tea canister, but it was a traditional English Breakfast tea. I purchased this at Biltmore on our last trip. I've started displaying the tea canisters as part of my tablescapes. I think they're pretty, plus, it allows my guests to learn about the tea I'm serving them. 

I love a good salad for breakfast or brunch, especially when it's full of fruit! Baby spinach, strawberries, blueberries, feta, red onion, and some walnuts I toasted that morning in a skillet with butter, salt, and sugar. I topped it off with a poppy seed dressing. It was a hit!

We love French toast at our house, but it's hard to make it for a crowd. I made a French toast casserole with fresh strawberries and blueberries. I made it the night before and then just baked it off before they arrived. A friend had recently given us a gift basket from Vermont, and it had a very nice quality maple syrup in it. It was the perfect topping. I baked the breakfast links in the oven, as well. That meant all I had to do that morning was make my cheese grits. I make my grits with milk and chicken broth, and then I finish them off by adding grated applewood smoked gouda cheese. Delicious!  

In keeping with my strawberry theme, I made strawberry lemon blondies. They were delicious! This was also a make-ahead dish, so I just had to make the glaze the morning of the brunch. Easy Peasy.

One last look...

I loved having these precious young ladies and their sweet mamas in my home! I wish them all the best as they begin this new chapter in their lives!

Valentine's Day Dinner 2023

As the kids get older, it's hard to hang on to all the little traditions we have built over the years. We love a special holiday meal, and have certain recipes they look forward to having for different occasions and holidays. They enjoy carrying on with these traditions as much as I do, but the trick is finding a night when everyone is home. Valentine's Day fell on a Tuesday this year. Brack was working and Jewell and Colby had school activities. I can't remember what day we actually had our Valentine's Day dinner. I think it was the next Sunday night!

I didn't really have a theme. I couldn't even find pictures of what we ate, so I guess it was something ordinary. But I did want to set a pretty table and make it a special time for everyone.

First I pulled out these dishes. They screamed Valentine's Day, don't you think? I've used them before for a very fancy Valentine's Day several years ago. You can see that post here. This was a lot more understated than that table! But still very pretty. This pattern is called "Double Phoenix" in red by Nikko. It is so beautiful!

The amber stemware is "Jamestown" by Fostoria. 

I seldom set a table without using a tablecloth - and it's generally a white one. But this time, I went with a bare table. I think it makes it a little more casual. And my cherry table has some pretty gold in the wood grain. I think it all worked nicely together!

The bowl with the filigree balls and the gold and marble obelisks came from my bedroom. I grabbed them off a tall chest of drawers. They have lots of interest and movement in the details and are just what I needed for the center of my table.

I like the varying heights I have going on.

I usually mix and match my plates, but as I said, this was a quick dinner for family, so I kept it simple and used matching pieces. The flatware is "Abigail" by Hampton Silversmiths.

I like to mix patterns, so I pulled out these gorgeous napkins from Pottery Barn. They retailed at way more than I would ever spend for napkins, but I found six at a yard sale for .50 cents a piece. Then I found another six at a local thrift store for the same price! A floral swirl pattern help pull them together with the dinner plates.

I hope you enjoyed this quick and easy tablesetting, and that it inspires you to take a few minutes and pull out some special pieces for your friends and loved ones! It doesn't have to be expensive or extensive to be beautiful!