Turquoise Gingham on the Deck

It was time to have our bachelor neighbor over for dinner.  And time to post something!  I haven't posted anything in a month, maybe six weeks.  I've done a Cinco de Mayo dinner, a Kentucky Derby dinner, several small dinner parties, and a lovely picnic, but the situation just wasn't right to photograph blog-worthy pictures.  I'm a firm believer that the event is much more important than capturing it on film, even for a languishing blog!  And that, folks, is why I don't accept advertising.  I just can't promise a certain number of posts. 

But last night's dinner on the deck was simple and lovely and much appreciated by our neighbor.  I went with serene and summery.  He pretends to be all macho, but he loves to be pampered and enjoys a pretty table almost as much as good food!

I started with a white linen caterer's cloth, and then added a pale turquoise straw place mat.  These came from an awesome store in Seaside, Florida called Seaside Style.  The whole store looks like this!  Do not miss it if you are in the panhandle area.  Then I added this whitewashed wooden charger from World Market.  I love how it becomes soft and interesting with the whitewash. 

Then, I chose this scalloped edged dinner plate from Target.  Really!  Target!

These natural handled wooden flatware is Martha Stewart's from years ago when she had her on-line merchandise store.

And these turquoise glass tumblers are Martha Stewart also, this time from Macy's.  I didn't set the table with wine glasses, because we just brought our glasses we used with appetizers to the table.

The salt and pepper and butter looked a bit lost on the table, so I corralled them on this small bamboo tray.  It echoes the color of the flatware. 

White roses and hydrangeas continue to keep things serene.

Today's flowers are brought to you by Whole Foods! 

These candlesticks gave another element of blue/turquoise.

It was a beautiful evening.  We are enjoying the weather before it gets too hot.

The meal was a hit.  Pasta salad and grilled shrimp after an old fashioned appetizer of chips and clam dip.

But the very most enjoyed course was the banana pudding made with Nutter Butter cookies in place of vanilla wafers.  Unbelievable!

Mr. Pressed Pants thought I was way to generous when I sent all but one serving home with Ronnie!  

This deck holds several sitting areas, and  I've softened them with pillows covered with outdoor fabric from Ballard Designs.

The best part is the view of the lake, and of friendly faces across the table!

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Lilac and Mint

When long lost girlfriends call and give you less than a day's notice, do you start cooking and use paper plates, or do you set a thoughtful table and head to Whole Foods for prepared food?  I bet you can guess my answer!

It's been so hot here, but a short storm lowered the temperature to the point where we could dine outside for lunch.  You can still see the rain puddles on the deck. (That's because I did such a great job this spring with the weatherproofing.  Just saying.)

I remembered that Jane loves any shade of purple, so I started with that and added some soft green.

It made a refreshing combination and one I have rarely used.

Starting with a purple hobnail glass charger from J.C.Penney's from many, many years ago, I added a green dinner plate that was not Jadite, but the same color.  It looks like pleats around the edges.  Then, I found a purple paper doily to separate the bowl from the plate.

Here's the Jadite bowl with a lavender placecard.  I glued a simple velvet flower in the corner.

For a little pattern, I added this Royal Staffordshire transferware bread and butter plate.  It's designer is none other than Clarice Cliff.  The subject matter is so great.  I love it.

This flatware is a little more modern.  It is nothing special, but I liked the color on this table.

I don't exactly consider myself a collector of Jadite, but I do have a number of pieces.  These hobnail tumblers are some of my favorites.

I placed this stem on the railing to show the lavender glass.  

I started with some Jadite salt and peppers, but changed to these lavender and green asparagus ones.

These lavender napkins are some overstock ones that I ordered on line from a restaurant supplier.  I wish I could remember the site.  The napkin rings are made from frosted 

green resin.

Here's the way the placesetting looked.

Remember I said I bought all the food at Whole Foods?  Well, I bought these lilac colored lisianthis there too.  I just love this flower.  The buds are every bit as pretty as the open blooms, and when they do open, they are many shades of purple.  

I used this vase that I bought at Goodwill.  I think it looks like McCoy pottery, but it isn't.  

Here's the overhead.

Mr. Pressed Pants was going to join us, but he had a "surprise" conference call.  That seemed a bit suspicious, but we three girls didn't really miss him. 

Can't you just feel the coolness of the day?  Well, the friendship sure was warm!

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White Magnolias - Real and Paper

In January, when I was at the Atlanta Gift Show, I met a fascinating artist named Balushaka.  She does paper floral artistry and her booth was amazing.  At the end of the show, she gave me a gift of one of her large paper magnolias.  I carried it home so gingerly and have stored it so carefully, just waiting for the magnolias that the South is so famous for to appear on the beautiful trees.  Finally, the time is right, and my friend, Charlotte, let me cut some flowers and some leaves for this table for two.

Here's Balushaka's signature on this piece.

And here's the way the table looked.  The lighting was so bad, but I had to shoot before the magnolias went bad.  The gorgeous foliage lasts and lasts, but those flowers are prima donnas that don't like to be cut.  I had to fiddle with the exposure on many of these pictures, so they aren't very good quality.

But, as you can see, it WAS a beautiful night.

Here's the placesetting with a fresh magnolia.  Aren't they beautiful?  And they smell so good.

I chose a plain white scalloped dinner plate and a green and white napkin.  The flowers on them are actually hydrangeas, but they had the right feel for the table.

I put the glassware on the railing to photograph them better.  The green stem is from the Dollar Store, and the clear stem is made by Juliska.  I love high/low combinations.

I sat the plain white serving pieces on an flat antique basket.  It gave the table some interesting texture and a beautiful natural color that brought out the brown underside of the magnolia leaves.

I used a small pottery plate as a bread and butter plate.   

Balushka also gave me a small paper camilla that I placed on the table with a little fresh magnolia leaf.  This looks just like a Chanel flower, right?

I even added a real flower pod with the foliage.  Isn't it pretty?

These old wooden candlesticks and brown Root candles also reflected the brown underside of the leaves.

Isn't this magnificent?

To make it a little more comfortable to linger with wine, then coffee, I brought a couple of grain sack fabric pillows outside.

I must find another use for this beauty.  I feel so lucky to have it.  

Take a look at this commercial installation that she did!  These are all handmade out of paper!  Really!

She'll do custom for your special events, or decor.

Check her out at Balushka.com and see more of her company.  It's headquartered in Houston and she has inventory available for rent.  You will be blown away.

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