Dinner Club in the Fall

A couple of weeks ago, we hosted a group of 12 for a fall dinner party, and here are the flowers I brought home and prepped for arranging.  The roses and sunflowers came from Costco, and the others all came from Trader Joe's.  I was a happy girl when I found all of this and didn't have to make a trip to the floral wholesaler.

This is the container that I chose.  It's French, but I found it while visiting a friend in Indianapolis.

Here's the result.  It's got lots of texture and even though the colors are within a very specific palate, they are varied and vibrant.

And this cachepot!  I can't even!

 

Since eight is the maximum that we can seat comfortably in the dining room, this is the way it came out.  Lots of color and a casual vibe.  Just what I wanted.

Here's the placesetting.

The rattan charger and the napkin rings are from World Market and similar ones are available everywhere.  The Portuguese plates and napkins are from Homegoods.

I like the way this Martha Stewart flatware shows up on this busy tablecloth, which is also from Homegoods.  

These stems are just perfect for fall with leaves and acorns.

I added these for a bit of whimsy.

On the dining room buffet, I piled lots of white and green pumpkins and gourds.  You can see the flowers reflected in the mirror.

I do not understand why I didn't get better pictures of the table for four in the breakfast room, but here's the placesetting.

And here's the way I carried the flowers onto the other table.  This time I used a narrow bark covered vase that saved space.

 

Our fall decorations are some of my favorites.  This tiered server brings everything I love about fall into the bar.

I buy lots and lots of small gourds and use them everywhere.

These French shelves sported neutrals and pops of bright green. 

The powder room gets it's share of  pretty, as well.

This candle from Michael Aram is perfect for this room and this season.  It was a gift from a very dear friend.

These corner shelves holds pumpkins and mums.

A small flower arrangement and some guests towels.......

and this French water bearer sit on the vanity.

Instead of water, she is carrying these teeny little fall fruits.  

These lasted days and days, and we enjoyed them immensely, just as we enjoyed our guests.

Joining:

 Tablescape Thursday 

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Between Naps on the Porch

Dishing It and Digging It (Sun.)

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Rustic and Refined

Share Your Style (Wed.)

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No Minimalist Here

The Scoop (Mon.)

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Cedar Hill Farmhouse

Inspire Me Tuesday

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A Stroll Thru Life

Home Sweet Home (Fri.)

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The Charm of Home

Feathered Nest Friday

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French Country Home

Foodie Friday

Designs By Gollum

Wow Us Wednesday

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Savvy Southern Style

Monday Funday

All Things Heart and Home

Make It Pretty Monday

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The Dedicated House

Moonlight and Mason Jars (Wed.)

Celebrate It Sunday

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Share It One More Time (Sat.)

designthusiasm.com

Share Your Style (Thurs.)

21 Rosemary Lane

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Gobble, Gobble, Gobble

Pintrest

I thought I'd show you what I took to a dinner party Saturday night.  Since it was the weekend after Thanksgiving, and I thought everyone might be looking for a fresh, lo-cal nibble, I fixed this guy.  In full disclosure, this is not a photo of my dish, as I forgot to snap before I had it in the car.  This photo is from Pintrest, but, I'm not kidding, mine looked exactly like this one!!  And I have to say that even though they were all adults, I think the guests got a giggle out of it.  Cute as it was, it couldn't hold a candle to the rest of the truly delicious meal we were treated to!

To accompany it, I made this dip that has been a family favorite for a long time.  Do NOT be afraid of the anchovies in it.  I promise you, that if you don't mention them, nobody will be frightened off.  BTW, this keeps for several days.  Enjoy!

Lemon-Anchovy Dipping Sauce

(You’ll never know there are anchovies in this!  Even those who think they hate them will love it!)

2 egg yolks

3-4 T. Dijon Mustard

2” squirt of anchovy paste(from metal tube)

Juice of 1 lemon

1 shallot

Capers to taste

1 c. (or less) vegetable oil

¼ c. sour cream

Salt and pepper

Combine 1^st 6 ingredients in food processor.

With machine running, add oil a little at

a time until thick and creamy.  You may

not need all of the oil.  Stir in sour cream and

seasonings.  Garnish with a lemon twist and

a couple of capers.

Great with pea pods, sugar snap peas, peppers, squash, tiny corn ears, green beans, or any vegetable.

I use the left over sauce as a mayonnaise on a sandwich, or thin it a bit for a salad dressing.

It will be a late entry, but I'm joining:
 Yvonne at Stonegable for On The Menu Monday:  http://www.stonegableblog.com/2012/11/on-menu-monday-week-of-nov-26-2012.html