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Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Black and Yellow with Sunflowers

We had a very special group of people here for dinner on Sunday.  I wanted a cheerful, but not fancy table for us to gather around.  I decided on black and white with sunflowers.  Good for mid-summer, don't you think?


The sunflower theme started at the gates.  Actually, I'll probably keep these baskets up until fall.

Wouldn't you feel welcome?

Since our driveway is long and has a Y, we put this directional sign up to get our guests to our front door.
Although we know these folks well, none of them had ever been here before.

Here's the front door with a sunflower wreath.

It looks so pretty in the sunshine.

This is a bit blurry, but we put a sign on the door when the weather is nice and we are apt to be outdoors.  I'd hate to have someone ringing the doorbell and nobody answering!

At 97 degrees, it was too hot to be outdoors for dinner, so starting with a bare dining room table, I used these placemats from Homegoods.

I toyed with using these black wire chargers, but

as you see, it was too busy.

Much better!  I combined two sets of black and white dishes from Target.

One plain bordered, and one with a damask pattern.

Here is the opposite combination.

Here's the placesetting.

I tucked a sunflower-like daisy into the napkin pocket.


These water glasses have a sort of harlequin pattern in black on the crystal, and I paired them with Waterford Lismore wine glasses.


The flatware is my favorite mismatched silverplate.

This black wire obelisk is one of my favorite go-to pieces for a centerpiece.  I used it inside an oasis ring with lots of yellow and white flowers and a candle.

These don't whisper, they scream "Summer"!

Lush, but not at all overwhelming.

No placecards here, as everyone knows each other well.

What else but sunflower plates for dessert?

I decided to set the food up buffet style in the bar.  I used this drop-leaf tavern table.

I added a bit more color to the flowers here.

You know I'll do a faux bois look anytime, anywhere!  This held the orzo salad.

This wonderful pottery basket held the rolls.  I won this at a silent auction before Christmas.  I was NOT going to be outbid for this!

This twig handled set of servers worked well for the shiskabobs, which we took off of the skewers to serve. 


Here's the handle of the serving spoon for the salad.

I actually have a sunflower candy mold which I used for the butter.

Also in the bar, I set up sweet tea and unsweetened tea, and I labeled each.

And I put the "fixins" on another faux bois plate.

The appetizer was made to resemble a sunflower.  It is just a boursin-like spread topped with olive tapenade and surrounded with endive.

I used lots of other places to make our guests feel welcome. 

One powder room held a small, Japanese style vase with a tiny handful of flowers and berries.

The other guest powder room had a small white pitcher of daisies and some paper sunflower guest towels.

This is the one that gets used the most.




This arrangement ended up in the living room, but I forgot to take a photo of it there.


And outside, I only set up one table with a cloth and flowers, but, I did have enough sunflowers left for three little vases.

Menu

Endive with Boursin Sunflower Spread

Chicken Shiskabobs
Orzo and Corn Vegetable Salad
Dinner Rolls with Sunflower Shaped Butter

Peach Melba Ice Cream Pie
(I'll try and remember to post this great recipe for Gollum's Foodie Friday!)


Look for this post at Wow Us Wednesdays

look at Tabletop Thursday

33 comments:

  1. How beautiful! I love the way to your house from the beautiful gate with the sunflowers. Your table is gorgeous, I love it all and your entior decor too. Everything is great, no wonder you like fixing pretty tables for your guests. The menu sounds very yummy. Thanks for sharing and hope you come visit my post. Lots of hugs. FABBY

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  2. I came so close to using black and white with sunflowers this week....I LOVE your tablescape. You followed through beautifully with your motif. The sunflower butter blows me away!....and Peach Melba Ice Cream Pie...I hope that you'll share the recipe some time. Thank you for sharing your marvelous design. Cherry Kay

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  3. Wow, just wow! I'm so impressed by your attention to detail -- even sunflower-shaped butter pats! The black and white scheme looks wonderful with the bright sunflowers, and your centerpiece is stunning!

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  4. This is just sunflower SPECTACULAR!! I love how you started the motif at the gate/driveway/front door and carried it through everywhere....the B&W/yellow are fabulous together and I am IN LOVE with that black obelisk for centerpieces!!!!!!!!

    Love/hugs/blessings,
    Lana

    PS I hope that you, please, get a chance to stop by my blog and leave a comment to enter my first giveaway!!!

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  5. Hi lovely lady.
    Your Tablescape is Gorgeous !!! I love black and white together , Your China is so Beautiful..I also love your dishe with the black olives sweet lady... I hope you can come see my new Tablescape.. I miss your comments.. I also hope you have a great week with your family.
    XXOO Diane

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  6. What a happy theme...sunflowers!!! Love the way it started at the gates and continued throughout the evening...a sunflower shaped hors d'ouvre (too cool)...and the abundance of flowers is lush. I look forward to your blog every week...it's an inspiration!!! Hugs. MJ

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  7. So very pretty...the yellow/black/white colors are great! I really love how you carried the sunflower theme from the front gate throughout the house.

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  8. Wow, everything looks amazing! I am sure you wowed your guests. So far, it's my favorite tablescape I've seen this evening. Your home is gorgeous, too.

    Jane
    frugalfineliving.com
    Join us on Facebook!

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  9. What a beautiful post! Love all those bright colours...so summery! Thanks for sharing those lovely sunflower pics:)
    Hope to see you on my blog:)

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  10. We had the same idea this week, I did black and yellow too! Love yours...

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  11. Love your sunflowers. everywhere makes just arriving so special. I love your table. Black makes everything pop! thanks for sharing, xo marlis

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  12. I just love it when a theme is carried throughout the decor but when it lends itself to the food...well, that's amazing! I thoroughly enjoyed this post and seeing all your sunny-sunflowers! The tablescape looked very striking with the yellow and black together!

    DD

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  13. The entrance to your home is amazing. I love how you carried the theme throughout your dinner party. I love the check napkin. Darling table.
    hugs ~lynne~

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  14. Very well thought out and pulled together. Love the sunflower theme. Cute idea about the butter, and I love those checked napkins.
    D

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  15. I am sitting here just shaking my head. Girlfriend.....girlfriend!!!! I am bowled over! Yowza! Love the treatment on the gates that tease the guests just a little bit. I think those wreaths will be fantabulous right into fall. The table is set SO great!!! Oh, my goodness! The yellow & white are playful and summery, but the addition of black gives it an air of quiet sophistication. And that endive sunflower....too much! TOO cute!!! TOO clever!!! I can barely sit still! Have a great weekend, my friend. Oh...and I love the stone work at your front door. I had to mention that, too!

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  16. This looks like some party! I am in awe of all the attention to detail, it looks wonderful.
    Please invite me next time?

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  17. How special you must have made your guests feel! Your entry gate with the sunflowers is so beautiful! Your take and dishes looks so wonderful not to mention your food!
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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  18. Such an fun fun table, most be a wonderful paty!!!

    The sunflowers all around the table and house looks great.

    Thank you for sharing.

    Lots of Love,
    Karin Şen Cankan
    karinsfairytale.blogspot.com

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  19. Blown away<------ You didn't forget a detail!! I will have to remember this post the next time I have a party and bring the party theme to every room in the house!!

    I am you newest follower cuz I think you can teach me plenty!!

    ~~Wendy

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  20. You put a lot of thought into making your guests feel welcome. Great job!

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  21. What a wonderful theme you've created from door to dessert! This is so welcoming and I know that your guests enjoyed all those little extra touches that make us all feel so special. This is so cheerful and unstuffy -- perfect for a table of lively conversation.

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  22. Gorgeous gorgeous!! Sunflowers are so pretty~ and love your entrance too~ how beautiful!! Thanks for sharing at Feathered Nest Friday! :)

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  23. Oh my! That is so cute! I love the texture combinations!

    http://lessonsofanewlywed.blogspot.com/2011/07/splash-of-green.html

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  24. Linda, this is my kind of theme party! No detail left out. Your sunflowers added to classic black and white is a striking color combination and so very perfect for screaming SUMMER! I love it all. Nice job! I'm sure your guests were impressed and felt very welcome.

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  25. Hi and nice to meet you as I'm visiting from The Tablescaper's Seasonal Sundays party.

    Your sunny, summer sunflowers are so happy and bright! I love all the sunny details that are carried out throughout the seasonal setting.

    Beautiful!

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  26. I love black and white and with the sunflowers ... screaming summer! Such a nice menu. Yummy!

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  27. How wonderful to carry your colors and your theme from the gates right to the table -- absolutely beautiful, and so carefully thought out. Your guests know that you CARE that they are there!
    Lovely -- thanks for sharing.
    The menu sounds wonderful, too!
    So summery!
    Cass

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  28. How beautiful this all is. I love the centerpiece on your table and I love that charming little bath. Thanks for linking it up on Home Sweet Home!
    Sherry

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  29. LINDA!

    What a gorgeous tablescape!
    Every little detail.... stunning!
    I hope your close friends/guests enjoyed and appreciated all the work that went into your decor. An affair of the heart for sure.... you certainly put your heart into this.
    LOVE it.
    Fabulous, Linda!
    Thanks for sharing every detail with us!
    xx
    Alison

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  30. I am so glad I saw your blog while just looking around. Your party must have been a big hit with everyone who attended. The color combination was so cheerful and inviting.

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  31. Wow, what attention to detail. I never think past the table. Next time I have a dinner party I'll remember to spread the theme to the rest of the house. Your table is so lovely. I love the colors. I did the same colors this week.

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  32. How absolutely darling! What a special event you created and we are so glad you shared it with us last weekend at Inspiration Friday!
    Vanessa

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  33. I love this table and everything you had surrounding it and keeping with the theme. The table just pops! Thanks for being a part of Seasonal Sundays. So sorry it's taken me so long to visit.

    - The Tablescaper

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