Bonjour, Bestie!

It's always a special time when my best friend, Lesesne, comes to visit!  But, even though I want to spoil her, we never take the time to entertain her very well.  We don't take time to cook or set pretty tables, since we just want to shop, shop, shop, and show her some of our favorite restaurants.

But, I did set a fun breakfast table one morning.  Since she and her sweet husband were our tour guides for our trip to France, (my most favorite trip ever), and we share our love for all things French, I decided to use these "Bonjour" plates by HomeEssentials.

I snapped these photos in the a.m. instead of waiting for the sun to provide me with good light.

These Eiffel Tower stems were perfect for juice, or, in her case, a Diet Coke!!

And the napkins were some we bought at a market day vendor in Provence.  Then I added this cobalt blue handled flatware.

I had this bouquet of sunflowers outside, so I just brought it inside.  Is there a flower more French than the lovely sunflower?

The milk for our cereal was poured from this fun little bottle that I got at World Market.

This creamer is a pewter cow from Pierre Deux.  I love how any drip falls into this little bowl.

And the salt and pepper came from another piece from Pierre Deux.  I really miss this store. 

It was a quick bite before hitting the antique shops and ADAC.

These blue lined plates and bowls are so versatile.  They can look All-American, French, or English. And they go with almost any color. 

We just have one thing to say........

"Come back SOON, Lesesne"

Joining:

Tablescapes Thursday

at

Between Naps on the Porch

Feathered Nest Friday

at

French Country Cottage

Home Sweet Home

at

The Charm of Home

The Scoop @ Cedar Hill Ranch

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

Centerpiece Wednesday @ The Style Sisters

Father's Day '14

Yesterday, I wanted to honor the most wonderful, devoted father, Mr. Pressed Pants.  There's not a man alive who loves his girls more, or is prouder of his children.  Since they are 750 miles away, it falls to me to make him feel special and pampered.  

After church and a round of golf, we grilled steaks and lobster tails and enjoyed a lovely evening on the back deck. 

I wanted to use something that looked masculine, so I chose these bird plates on a green and brown table.  Last year, I used the fish plates that this company makes, and the table was very similar.  You can see that table here.

I've probably had these plates 8-10 years, but they are probably still available.

Each plate and salad plate has a different bird on it, and I just love the acorn and oak leaf border.

I used a wicker charger, and this plaid dupioni runner over a brown cloth.  This flatware is used so often, it's a wonder it isn't worn out.  I got these soup bowls at Tuesday Morning several years ago, but I'm using them as salad bowls here.

These glasses are often used, too.  The green wines are from a wonderful gift shop in Atlanta called Swoosie's, and the brown etched glasses are from the Bobby Flay line at Kohl's.

The little tapas plates make good bread and butter plates.  

This salad bowl is one of several serving pieces I have for this pattern......

and this sugar and creamer are others.

I gave a quick look around the garden for some flowers, but there were none blooming yet in the right colors, so I started with some foliage from a Japanese maple and added several shades of hosta and some herbs.  I think the fennel foliage adds a lovely texture.  I slipped it all into a faux bois vase and grounded it all with a twig tray and a primative wooden decoy.

These wonderful old wooden candlesticks added a little drama and some much needed light after dusk.

This was a cozy little dinner with colors that looked more like fall than early summer, but it seemed appropriate for Father's Day.

We sit on 7 acres, so it was private and quiet.

There weren't even any geese on the lake.

But the frogs were going crazy!

This is the other end of the deck,

and this is the chimney between the French doors that lead into the living room.  The ferns are struggling after the cold winter we had, but they are slowly coming back.

You can see another table I set in the woods with these dishes here, but this one was just for my sweet, sweet guy.

Joining:

Centerpiece Wednesday @ The Style Sisters

Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage

Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch