Wisteria and Polka Dots

Ah!  Springtime in Georgia!  I never had wisteria before I moved here.  I can't believe how it grows wild along the road and into the trees.  We have this tree in our front yard that is putting on the most incredible display.  Please, please, please ignore the pock-marked grass.  I had a fight consultation with my landscaper about it yesterday.  You can see how I set the table so differently with wisteria last season here.

I thought we'd have dinner on a card table in front of it last night, but as I was setting it up, the bumblebees were swarming so  badly that I just knew that Mr. Pressed Pants would have nothing to do with it.  So.....I never bothered with the chairs.  I just set the table, snapped some photos and ran!

Lavender and spring green seemed just the right choice, especially since the dishes were melamine.

I made this tablecloth from Waverly fabric years and years ago.

So last year, when I saw these dishes at Target, I scooped them up and used them here with this flatware from World Market.

The co-ordinating fabric made cute napkins with green frosted napkin rings and a sprig of wisteria.

The glassware is pale purple but I can't remember where I got it.

Pretty fun, huh?

But what's up with that knife?

I didn't need much of a centerpiece, but I did grab this green wire vase and put some wisteria in it.  Too bad that it doesn't last very long.  It gets even droopier than it normally is.

Oh, the scent!

Makes me sort of weak-kneed.

Graceful and lovely.

Even the scattered petals have their own beauty.

Look at the tree trunk.  It has looked like this for five years, so it is apparently healthy, just full of character.

When I stepped around the back of the tree, this is what I saw!  Surprise!  It is exactly the way I found it.  Pinky swear!  Isn't the discovery of this a perfect gift?

Pollen be damned!  I wanted to eat outside!

Amazing!

Check out the blog party at:

French Country Cottage

Wisteria and Wonderful Friends

Every now and then you have a dinner party that is so much fun that you know you'll remember it forever.  We had such a party Saturday night!  The wisteria was blooming, so it became the theme of the table and I added French zinc as the accents to go with the lavender and cream.

It was a soft look and just right for the occasion.

Each placesetting was simple and pretty.

Here's how the plates stacked up.

I started with "zinc" chargers.  These are really plastic charges from Old Time Pottery spray painted with a primer and then chalkboard paint.  Then using the side of a piece of chalk, just rub it in and wipe off.  I made these for so many people on my Christmas list this year.  I saw the tutorial on someone's blog and I wish I could remember where.  I'd love to give credit where it is due!

This looks like a Ralph Lauren pattern that I have admired, but it is Gibson china from Old Time Pottery.

Then the cabbage leaf dessert plate was added for the "something special".  These are very old and I'd love to have more.  I got them from a dealer at Queen of Hearts Antique Shop in Alpharetta, Georgia.

This French flatware adds more cream to the table.

I stuck a little bit of wisteria into every one's napkin ring.  These wire ones are from Pottery Barn this spring.  These lavender napkins are over stock from a party rental site.

I really have to learn to photograph glassware.  This is a light purple stem from Crate and Barrel and a Reidel stemless wine glass.

Every placesetting had a reproduction of a Victorian velvet bird at the top.  Aren't these wonderful?  They are from the floral wholesaler.

These salt and pepper shakers not only fit the color scheme, but felt like spring to me.

Pierre Deux makes this pewter cream pitcher.  Doesn't he make you smile?

I was going to use this basket for the rolls, but I ended up using it for something else.

This domed plate held the Parmesan crisps.  I found that I had lots of this wire look to put together.

Here's the pedestal I used for the floral arrangement.

Here's the bar set up for drinks.  It was such a beautiful day that we had them out by the pool, even though we were covered by pollen when we came in.

This was the most delicious cocktail that I've made in a very long time.  I'll post about the meal latter this week.  The blackberries made it tie in with the purple theme!!!

This is the dish of garnishes for the drinks.

Here's how I used the wire basket.  I put our monogrammed glasses for drinks in it with the lavender napkin.

These are my most favorite napkins in all of my linen closet.  They are antique ones that my mother found for us with our initials on them.  I've had them for years and they just get more beautiful with use.

Thanks, friends, for the memories!

Be sure to go to

betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com

for a great blog party of tablescapes.