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!

Joining:

 Tablescape Thursday 

at

Between Naps on the Porch

Dishing It and Digging It (Sun.)

at

Rustic and Refined

Share Your Style (Wed.)

at

No Minimalist Here

The Scoop (Mon.)

at

Cedar Hill Farmhouse

Inspire Me Tuesday

at

A Stroll Thru Life

Be Inspired (Tues.)

Elizabeth And Company

Home Sweet Home (Fri.)

at

The Charm of Home

Feathered Nest Friday

at

French Country Home

Foodie Friday

Designs By Gollum

Wow Us Wednesday

at

Savvy Southern Style

Monday Funday

All Things Heart and Home

Make It Pretty Monday

at

The Dedicated House

Moonlight and Mason Jars (Wed.)

Celebrate It Sunday

at Celebrate and Decorate

Share It One More Time (Sat.)

designthusiasm.com

Share Your Style (Thurs.)

21 Rosemary Lane

The Creative Exchange (Thurs.)

The Happy Scraps

A Swan Party for a Rare Bird

My sweet friend, Anne, deserved an epic birthday party, but while I would have loved to have taken these six women to Bali for an extended vacation, I had to settle for a girly luncheon on a weekday in Georgia.  Never the less, it was a wonderful day and we all showered her with love and hugs.  My  partner in crime and co-hostess was our dear, mutual friend, Judy, who is an amazing hostess and cook.  

The Swan Coach House at the Atlanta History Center is an Atlanta tradition and many, many special times have been celebrated there.  We couldn't get everyone there for the afternoon, so we settled for our version of a Swan House luncheon.  Our menu was chicken salad in a pastry cup, frozen fruit salad,  and cheese straws, just like the iconic lunch at the Swan Coach House.

The table was refined and lovely, just like Anne.

 

I used a charger made of white feathers, and a Juliska-like white plate with heirloom silver.

These embroidered organdy napkins in a simple fold were topped with a simple feather, tied with a tag for a placecard.  

These fine, etched glasses were my choice to add more understated glamour.  (Someday I'm going to learn to photograph glassware.)

Chocolate swans in these paper swan boxes were the favors.

The powder room had a smaller swan with the same flowers.  These plastic swans came three to a set and I ordered them from Wayfair.  They are really planters. 

I used white hydrangeas for the body of the swan, and lisianthis  to represent the tail feathers.  

Then I stuck some real feathers in to re-enforce the idea.

For the pre-lunch drinks, I made these swan straws that I found on Pinterest.

I started with these styrofoam balls from Michael's,

and these cute paper straws from Target.

The straw easily goes through the ball, and then a pipe cleaner and feathers finish it off.

The feather chargers started out as a couple of cardboard circles,

and a bag of feathers.

I glued the feathers to the circle with tacky glue and then backed it with another circle, white sides out.

It took me a very short time to make eight of these.

Here's the way I wrapped her present.  I used the Silhouette Cameo to cut a swan and a crown out of cardstock and added tulle and feathers and some vintage tinsel wire.  

I would love to show you a  photo of these ladies at lunch, but I have a policy of protecting our guests' privacy.  Just imagine six beautiful women with even more beautiful hearts.  We couldn't possibly express to Anne how much we all love her, and how much she inspires us to be better women.  She's one of God's very best.

Joining:

Tablescape Thursday

at

Between Naps on the Porch

Centerpiece Wednesday

at

The Style Sisters

Show and Tell Friday

at

My Romantic Home

The Scoop

at

Cedar Hill Farmhouse

Inspire Me Tuesday

at

A Stroll Thru Life

Table It

at

Rustic and Refined

Home Sweet Home

at

The Charm of Home

Sheltered Nest Friday

at

French Country Home