Search This Blog

Showing posts with label white. Show all posts
Showing posts with label white. Show all posts

Saturday, January 23, 2016

White, Birch, and Antlers

Sometimes, a table just comes from nowhere.  Many times, I sort of "percolate" a design and think and gather and play with options.  Today, this started with a quick errand that inspired me to set this table. 

Sort of woodland, sort of winter, and sort of serene.

These latex birch placemats were left over at Pier One from their holiday line.  I never saw them at Christmas time, but spied them in the clearance area last week.  I mean clearance!  They were originally $5.95 but were 90% off.  Yep!  Fifty-nine cents.  I sure wish they had more than four.

With the wood grain of the placemats, I decided to add wood grain plates.  These came from Boxwoods in Atlanta, my favorite table-top store.  (Maybe my favorite all-around store.)

I thought I'd pick up the grey in the placemats with these ikat napkins from Pottery Barn.  I never saw them in the regular store, but found them at the outlet.  I used them to separate the dinner plate from the salad plate. 

Then, for some more grey, I chose this twig flatware that Michael Aram designs for MadHouse.  Beautiful! 

I tried several different combinations of stemware, but settled on my trusty Waterford.  I like  rustic/elegant, high/low combinations.

Whole Foods was on my errand list anyway, and their flowers are often so interesting.  This week was a bonanza of glorious spring blooms.  I don't even remember putting these in my cart, I was so fast.  I had this white washed birch vase that seemed perfect, so into it they went.  I'm not too good arranging flowers without oasis to stick them into, but these soft stems do not want to be jammed into oasis, so this arrangement is sort of sketchy!  I did add some river birch twigs from the yard to give it a little more interest.

Just look at these feather edged Dutch tulips!

And I truly wish you could smell these fabulous hyacinths.  Heavenly!

Without a runner, this arrangement seemed sort of lonely and puny, so I grabbed these silvered antlers from the living room to extend the interest. 

They helped, didn't they? 

Then I remembered these silver antler candleholders that I've never even used yet.

They are a little small for these white faux bois candles, but even if the proportions are a bit off, I think they worked just fine. 

A Waterford crystal wine coaster seemed to be the best choice, since I have the Waterford stems on the table already. 

Because it's so cold out, I knew we'd be drinking coffee after dinner, so I sat the cream pitcher, sugar bowl, and a small custard dish with sweetener onto a fluted tin plate.  Grey and white again, get it? 

I can't wait to sit at this table, smelling these spring blooms, while we await the "snow event" here in Georgia.  We've been hearing about snow for days. It's ok.  We'll light the fire and cozy up reading tonight.  I need to finish my book for book club by Tuesday!!!


Joining:

Tablescape Thursday
at

Share Your Style (Wed.)
at

Show and Tell Friday
at

The Scoop (Mon.)
at

Inspire Me Tuesday
at

Be Inspired (Tues.)

Table It (Sun.)
at

Home Sweet Home (Fri.)
at

Feathered Nest Friday
at

Wow Us Wednesday
at

Monday Funday

Make It Pretty Monday
at

Fridays Unfold
at


Celebrate It Sunday

Share It One More Time (Sat.)

The Inspiration Gallery (Thurs.)

Share Your Cup (Thurs.)

Share Your Style (Thurs.)

The Creative Exchange (Thurs.)



Tuesday, October 14, 2014

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

Centerpiece Wednesday
at

Show and Tell Friday
at

The Scoop
at

Inspire Me Tuesday
at

Table It
at

Home Sweet Home
at

Sheltered Nest Friday
at







Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...