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Wednesday, October 19, 2011

White Fall Bridge Buddies Luncheon


I always look forward to having my bridge buddies here for lunch. They have become such sweet friends and they make the best guests. 

Here's what greeted them at the gates.

The front door decor has a lot more color than last year. 

But I set the table in a much more subtle palate of green and white and brown.

We first went to the bar for drinks.  Here's what it looked like before the food was put out.  Cider and iced tea and wine were offered.

I lined these pumpkins filled with mums up in a row as a backdrop.  These were take-home favors for the guests.  These will last about four or five days and then the pumpkin gets a bit soft, but the mums can be planted outside.

It was such a beautiful day that we started outside with appetizers.  I served Double Cranberry Crostinis.  I'll do another post about the food in a day or two.

Every beautiful day at this time of year is such a gift.

When we went in for lunch, this was the centerpiece.

Our last home had red silk walls in the dining room, so when fall came around, orange did not work at all.  So I collected these white paper mache gourds to use in place of orange pumpkins. I add nuts and grapes and some bleached wheat and placed them on an olive linen runner.

I used natural colored flat woven place mats on a bare table and then cream plates bordered with embossed acorns from Crate and Barrel.

These bowls with figs on them held pumpkin risotto...........

And these plates were for Fig/Arugula salad.  One of my bridge group gave them to me, since she knows how I love acorns.Can you imagine how thrilled I was.  And another friend gifted me with the matching platter that I used for appetizers.  How lucky am I?  Both the bowls and the salad plates are from Sur la Table.

This flatware from Kmart is made for Martha Stewart.  I like the way the cream color matches the place mats and the gourds.

I used two types of napkin rings with these olive linen napkins.  This one is antique carved bone, and I also used a cream color celluloid style.

The apple green wine glass is from Swoosie's and the etched brown water glass is from Bobby Flay's line at Kohl's.

I tied a cream tag embossed with an acorn onto bleached wheat for a name tag.  Mary Janet would have sat here, but she had to cancel due to illness.  I am so sorry that she didn't make it, especially since she was the one who gave me the salad plates that inspired the whole table!!!!

I like to add a menu card with an appropriate quote.  This one by George Elliot says "Delicous Autumn!  My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird, I would fly about the earth seeking successive autumns."

These sweet acorn salt and pepper shakers came from Michaels last year.

I didn't choose this wine entirely for it's pretty label, but it did play a part!

 Here's the wooden box lid that I used as a coffee tray.  I used the coffee cups that match the dinner plates.

This pretty tea pot was a gift, too.  I guess I am one lucky girl.

My favorite thing on this tray is this black forest bear that holds sugar.  Isn't he cute?

More acorns on the water pitcher!

This all makes a serene fall table. 

I also use these colors because they look good in my dining room, and I use them a lot all year around.  These fruits and gourds and grapes used as a centerpiece just seem to represent the bounty of fall.

And then we played bridge.  We didn't do so well, did we Kay?

I'll do another post on the menu and recipes and house decor in the next couple of days.

Join me at:
Let's Dish







19 comments:

  1. I have NO idea how to play bridge, but I would come just for the fun and food and decor! You have so many great details going on here...I don't know where to start! That bear has got to be the cutest thing, though!!! I LOVE those salad plates and the bowls! When I first got on your page my eyes went straight to those bowls!!!!!!! Man...talk about GORGEOUS! You did such a good job with the centerpiece, and the color combination on the table is fantastic, too! Sorry your friend was unable to attend, but she will be thrilled to see what you were able to do with inspiration from her generous gift. The place cards are fab!!! You beat the heck outta this one! Great job!

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  2. So many wonderful elements in your tablescape. I'm particularly taken with the apple green goblets...gorgeous! Your centerpiece is sophisticated and beautiful...you have a good eye for design. Thank you for sharing your delightful design; I'm sure that you all had a great time. Cherry Kay

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  3. Gorgeous cream and green table, Linda! I love those fig bowls, but not quite as much as the acorn plates...they are both great. Your centerpiece is fabulous...I never would have guessed the pieces to be paper mâché.
    Have a great week!

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  4. This is fantastic! Each and every single picture is gorgeous.Love those warm fall colours. Thanks for sharing.
    Hope to see you on my blog:)

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  5. You had me captured at the bowls.. and then you showed those fabulous salad plates. Wow. I love the centerpiece too. It's so fabulously pretty. xo marlis

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  6. Gorgeous details. I adore acorns too, so am thrilled to see these different plates. Your front gate looks so inviting. No doubt a wonderful time was had by all. Thanks for the idea of the mini mums in the pumpkins. I'm always looking for new ideas for party favors. ~ Sarah

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  7. This table is just beautiful! It's fall without screaming it! Love those plates!

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  8. What a great get together this must have been. The table looks very inviting and those salad plates are great.

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  9. Beautiful Table! love your plates!Thanks for sharing,JoAnn

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  10. This looks great! Those green goblets and the flatware are my favourites. Love it!

    Jenny
    www.simcoestreet.blogspot.com

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  11. Beautiful table, as always. Lucky girl to have such wonderful friends.

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  12. This is just gorgeous- all your details are wonderful! Thank you for linking up at FNF :)

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  13. I love your table, very pretty. My favorites are the plates and bowls. I LOVE them!...Christine

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  14. I don't know how to play bridge, but I sure wish I could've been a part of that wonderful meal! Everything looks so perfect and how wonderful that most of your items were special gifts from your dear friends. It was a serene Fall table. Your friends are lucky to have you as a hostess.

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  15. You did a FANTASTIC job with your centerpiece, Linda!!!!! Wow! Way to go! Color me totally impressed! Everything looks wonderful, and I love the soft tables used for your luncheon table. The front door and the front gate both have bold, intriguing colors to draw guests in, and then the luncheon table is calm and soothing. Very pretty! That bear sugar holder is a hoot! I love the green goblets! They have an almost creamy look about them that is just beautiful. If I ever got within a foot of those bowls and/or salad plates, they'd be outta there...stuffed right under my shirt and out the door! :-) They're gorgeous!!! I'm sorry your friend was unable to attend and hope she feels better soon. I'm glad, though, that you had a good time and enjoyed an afternoon with your friends. That's what life is all about! Have a wonderful weekend!

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  16. Oh Linda~ What a treat for your bridge buddies....upon arrival at your entrance to the adorable pumpkin potted mums! Your table and centerpiece is spectacular! So many wonderful details from your placecard tags to that fabulous wine label!

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  17. Hi Linda, I love your gate--I think I've told you that before. It looks great with the corn stalks and hay bales. And those dishes with the acorns are wonderful!! A Sur La Table is opening near me and I am looking forward to exploring it! I've only seen their catalog and everything is so appealing in it. I also think you did a wonderful job with the centerpiece and I love the candlesticks. Using the quote on the menu card is so inspired! I think I'lll steal that idea and even the poem, too! Looks like you had a wonderful bridge party--too bad the cards weren't with you! Linda

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  18. Wow, pumpkins and gourds have found their way to your house! Your bridge buddies must have been blown away by everything starting at the front door.

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  19. That is beautiful! Stunning centerpiece, and I love your color scheme.
    So glad you mentioned the salt and peppers, I couldn't remember where I got them! :)
    Thanks for linking to Let's Dish!

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