Let The Holidays Begin!

We had a flurry of entertaining late summer and early fall, then a flurry of vacationing, so it seems like quite a while since we've had folks here to dine.  I feel like this meal will be Holiday '15 liftoff!  We are expecting some dear friends that we have not been with for a long time.  They will be on their way from their summer home to their winter home and they are putting Atlanta on the route so we can re-connect!  Oh, joy!!!!

This arrangement of real and faux gourds has been on our dining room table most of the fall.  While I am usually all about fresh, it is such a treat to take this bin out of storage and decorate the table..Slam bam, done!  I don't worry about rotting or drooping or fading. (I might have to re-think the fresh bias.)

This turned out to be an abundantly beautiful table.

Since I already had the centerpiece sitting on a green linen runner, I didn't want to take it all off and add a tablecloth, so I used cream colored straw placemats to make a contrast on the dark wood table.  Then a cream charger from Z Gallerie, and a dinner plate with the image of a cross cut of a log.

Then, (drum roll please), this salad plate that makes the whole darn table work!  I love it so much.  These were a gift from one of my bridge buddies and the are just about one of the most perfect gifts.

This light wood handled flatware is an old Martha Stewart pattern that, again, shows up well on the table.

I "auditioned" several different napkins before I decided on this dark brown one and then I tied it with a wood slice as a placecard.  I was wishing I had a woodburning tool to write the names, but settled for a brown magic marker.

The glasses are some I use often.  The green stem is from Swoosie's and the amber tumbler is from Bobby Flay's line at Kohl's.

These little plates from the floral wholesaler make a good bread and butter dish.

I regret not buying enough of these little salt and peppers to use them as individuals.  They were from the dollar bin at Michael's a few years ago.

Somehow, water served from this French bottle seems so much better than any of my many pitchers.

This rattan coaster is waiting the perfect bottle of wine.  Hmmm.  What should it be?  Something crisp and white.

Buried in the midst of the gourds, grapes, and nuts, are these wonderful old twisty candlesticks.

As you can see, one reason I like this table so much is that it suits the colors already in this room.

We can't wait to share a meal with these friends.  When you put your feet under the same table, magic often happens.

This year, may the abundance of the harvest season......

translate into an abundance of riches from the presence of your friends.

Joinng:

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Hydrangeas Just Make Me Happy!

Mother Nature decided that my hydrangeas would not be providing very many blooms this year, but fortunately, they are easy to find in grocery stores and farmer's markets.  There's nothing like cutting your own, but with a little planning, I'll still be having hydrangeas.

This table celebrates the hydrangea and is full of color.

These plates are made by Nature's Home, and the pattern is called Hailey Sky.

The glassware is an large, old blue stem for water and an inexpensive swirled glass for wine.

I sort of promised myself that I would not buy another straw placemat, since I have so many, but this color was so perfect for this plate, right?  The flatware is very old and I've no idea where it came from.

These little Emile Henry pots make fun salt and pepper servers. 

This French urn was an easy decision to hold the flowers.  The French blue color is lovely, isn't it?

I would have loved darker blue hydrangeas, but these are the darkest that Trader Joe had today.  I added lime green hosta leaves to pull out the green in the plates.

Then, for a little extra comfort for lingering conversations, I brought out some French grain sack pillows.

Can you tell that this table sits in the round part of the deck?  It is off of the living room and overlooks the lake.  It's our favorite place to dine outdoors. 

See where the round part meets the straight railings?

We sometimes put extra tables out here if we have more than a dozen people dining outside.  

Pretty as they are, I just know that those hydrangeas will be put on the railing during dinner so we can see each other.  I'm never insulted by rearranging the centerpiece because, after all, we're there to enjoy each other, not the flowers.  Well.....mostly!!!

Tablescape Thursday

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Inspire Me Tuesday

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Moonlight and Mason Jars (Wed.)

Celebrate It Sunday

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Salute to Bullseye

I had these same dishes in a round shape last year, but I gave them away.  And regretted it.  Then, when our sweet grandson, Teddy adopted a show bunny named Bullseye who looked just like this, I really regretted it.  THEN when Bullseye went over the rainbow bridge, much to Teddy's heartbreak, I really, really regretted it.  So, when I found these at Homegoods this year in the square shape, I went to the checkout counter with tears in my eyes, buying every piece they had.

I placed a latex cabbage leaf under the plate to give it a bit of definition and used these World Market pieces of flatware.  Sure wish I had bought more of these.  Why did I think 6 placesettings were enough?

I started with this gray and white stripe remnant from a client's project. ( Relax....I paid her for it.)

I decided to make this a soup and salad lunch and I served asparagus soup in these cups.  It was delicious, and the green color looked great on the table, I must say.  (Yes, I'm one of those people who sometimes match my food to the color or theme of the table.)

These $1.00 glasses from Ikea were the perfect color, too.  I was going for a range of green, not a match.  

Thank you, Kroger, for the carnations which worked perfectly in this ribbed tin pot.  My second choice was the shamrocks that I have left from St. Patrick's Day.  Glad I didn't have to resort to them.

I rolled these grass green napkins into a tight roll so they wouldn't take much room on this small table.  I like the way they looked in these pewter napkin rings.

Dessert was served on these plain gray plates from Ikea.  You can see the cabbage leaf better in this pic.

I rarely set a table that is so matchy-matchy, but this accommodated the soup, salad, and roll just fine.  Hope the dish police don't arrest me.

Crowded, but ok, since I plated in the kitchen and we didn't have any serving dishes on the table.

So, here's to you, Bullseye.  I hope you are taking the blue ribbon in every heavenly show.

Joining:

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Moonlight and Mason Jars (Wed.)

Ferns in the Garden - 100th post!!!!!!!

Welcome to my 100th post!!!!

I could never have known, almost a year ago, how much I would love this wonderful use of the internet.  As a celebration of your interest and friendship, there is a giveaway at the end of the post.

First, though, I invite you back into my garden for a dinner among the ferns.

 

This round tablecloth was the inspiration.  Homegoods!!!!  Again!!!!  It came with eight napkins.  I'm not sure who could use eight napkins with a 90" tablecloth, but better too many than not enough.  I'll be set to replace those lipstick-ruined, grease-stained, or just plain lost-in-the-laundry napkins that we all have.

 

As soon as I saw this fern design on the border, I had a great idea. 

I decided I wanted to set the table along this fern bank that we have in the woods.  Then, the thought of dragging the table, chairs, dishes, flowers, ice, and so on into the woods made me come to my senses.

I did take a few shots of some of the elements among the ferns.

So, I left the ferns to the wildlife and set off to the garden.

I brought out this unfinished table that I keep in the potting shed.  If you want to see the shed, take a peek here.

Also, on the border was this design of ferns with white flowers.  Ding, ding, ding!  The flowers were now planned out of the ones that were growing right there in the garden.

And here's the result.

Just two place settings tonight.

Here's how I brought lots of different shades of green together. 

Starting with a wicker charger, I added these simple dinner plates.  You might not believe this, but these plates came from Goodwill.  I was so sure as I picked them up, that they were old French plates, but when I turned them over, they said "microwave and dishwasher safe"!  Hummmm.  Guess they're not old!  They also have "mse" in tiny letters on them.  What do you think?  Martha Stewart Enterprise????

Then I layered the apple green salad plates from Target and the white lion's head soup tureens, also from Target, I think.

Years ago, I bought these little plates at the floral wholesaler.  I use them for tapas, appetizers, or as I have here.

These green glasses for water are made by Imperial Glass, and the little wicker covered ones are for wine.

The flatware is from World Market.  I got it a couple of months ago, and they still carry it.  It is available by the piece.

This green urn is a good size for this small table.

I added these two small baskets for interest and texture.  One is wicker and one is carved ivory.  I bought them from a sweet little antique store on Cape Cod.

There's one more thing on the table.

Our anniversary is coming up in a few days.  I'm giving Mr. Pressed Pants some golf lessons and he has to schedule them, so I'm giving them to him tonight.  Don't tell.  I love pretty papers almost as much as dishes, so I love to wrap pretty gifts and make cards.

These French burlap pillows make these generic chairs more interesting and more comfortable.

This wooden tray holds a brown glass bottle I like to use for water, a couple of bark covered votives, and some bark gathered in the woods for a project I'm working on.

And what have we here?

An ice cold bottle of white wine in this faux bois cachpot.

I put the pasta salad in this lidded tureen from Portmerion.

The ferns on the lid are perfect for this table. 

It was a nice night, and we sat for a long time until we were either going to have to use bug spray or go in.  It was getting dark, the dishes needed to be loaded, and Design Star was soon on.  In we went!

And NOW....may we have a drum roll, please?

I'd love to invite you to enter to win this beautiful book by Joe Nye.

Wouldn't you know that I would find something with toile?

Joe is a Los Angeles interior decorator and party planner.  This beautiful book is rich in photographs and inspiration.  He covers exquisite invitations, lush flowers, and gorgeous table settings. He also offers shopping resources and host/hostess etiquette.

To enter, please become a follower, or tell me if you already are.  If you are not a blogger, be sure that I can reach you by email.  Anyone in the continental US is welcome to enter.  Then leave me a comment and let me know what you like best about this blog.  I promise to have an independent party fairly choose the winner. 

I'll be linking up with Tablescape Thursday with Susan's Between Naps on the Porch at:

http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/