Plaid Lunch for the Bridge Buddies

My sweet group of bridge buddies came for lunch yesterday.  I've been in Ohio with my grandsons, but as soon as I got home, the entertaining began.  We have several back to back to back events here, but these women are so wonderful to have over, that I love the planning and the cooking for them.  I decided to feature this sweet fawn salad plate and lots and lots of plaid.  

Their first taste of plaid was at the front door.  It's just about the same way I decorated last year with these vintage sporting goods.

This wonderful old sled was made of one piece of wood, but over time it has split a bit.  I actually used this at on a buffet table at a women's event.  I'll do a quick post about it in a few days.

The wreath has vintage ice skates.

And these very old skis usually hang out in our terrace level family room, but they are fun here for the season.

Inside is festive and seasonal.  I love to mix plaids and I went to town on this table.

This deer salad plate from Walmart sits on a plaid dinner plate from Target and a wicker charger from World Market.  Who says you can only set a Christmas table with your "good stuff".  You can see the red handled flatware.  It's so old I can't remember where it came from.

The bread and butter plate was a plain textured red glass.  I can't remember where I got them, either.

The glassware was a mix of formal cut red glass, and an etched tumbler with a regal stag.  The red ones are from Homegoods, and the tumblers are from World Market.

This plaid napkin was held with a napkin ring that is really an ornament from Walmart.  I saw this idea on "Between Naps on the Porch" a few weeks ago.  I can hear you asking, "What is that black thing?????  Well, my friends....that's the ditzy photographer's slipper!  Just keeping it real!

I love, love, love this chachepot that is presently holding a small cedar tree, pointsettias, and pepperomias.  I change it out often but this worked just as it was, so I plopped it on the table and was done.

Here's another ornament from Walmart.

And here's how I used it!  Isn't it cute?

These candlesticks were a no-brainer, too.  They sit in our entryway most of the year, but I love them on this table.

I love to make interesting invitations and paper details when I entertain.  I didn't have time for invitations this time, but I did make a menu.  It makes me feel so flattered when my guests take them home to remember the event.

Here's a close-up of the quote that I chose for this menu.  

I love to send my guests home with a small gift.

Here's the plaid ornament I chose in hopes that they would remember this plaid luncheon when they hang it on their trees.

Also in the dining room, I have a small chest that has a little deer vignette, 

and a woodland Santa on the sideboard.

His colors are perfect for this room.

We played bridge in the breakfast room, and I used this ultrasuede cloth trimmed with brown velvet trees and stags.

We really did play several games!

It was a beautiful day outside, so I moved this pot of amaryllis and paperwhites out to the pool area.

I think this needs some red berries in it, don't you?

And what was I wearing as I pulled this table together?  Well, what else?  My red plaid sneakers!

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Cuisine Kathleen

Alabaster and Acorns

We have some friends who are undergoing a massive remodel of their home, and they are in need of a homecooked meal.  We'll have them over tomorrow for a casual dinner.  I haven't decided on the menu yet, but I did decide on the important part....the table setting!

There will be just four of us, but I did decide to eat in the dining room, rather than the breakfast room.  I don't know if it's because all of my mums have frozen by now, and they are all sort of beige, but I seem to be turning to light neutrals for the last few tables.  Just this week, I set a similar toned table for some other friends.  See it here.

I really wanted to use these new oval alabaster plates.  Aren't they sweet?

I haven't used this fall cotton damask tablecloth yet this year, and it was a good complement to the plates.

And these napkins were a good match for the cloth.  I bought a tablecloth and 12 napkins at a resale shop last spring, and none of them had ever been used.  I love old linens, so they were in my hands the moment I saw them.

And, oh baby!!!!!  Look at these napkin rings. I know you want to swoon.  My very dear friend, Barb, gave me eight of these.  Barb is the person who, years ago, talked me into starting a blog.  She knows me so well, and I know any gift from her is  the perfect choice, and these gorgeous rings are maybe the best ever!!!

This white French flatware looks good on these twig place mats, and I like to use these wooden bowls in place of bread and butter plates.

I use this combination of glassware often.

This picture is a little fuzzy, but I wanted you to see this sweet squirrel placecard holder.

You've probably seen this brown water bottle that we brought home from France before.  I haven't decided on the wine yet, but there will be a wicker wine coaster, too.

Here's another accessory I use a lot. 

Since the place mats are twig, I added a couple of small twig votives.

Sugar anyone?

Butter?

These old wooden candlesticks sport twig candles.  I wish the candles were beefier, though.

I thought this faux bois candle holder would be a good choice for the centerpiece. 

I used a piece of oasis on the top and added these brown and cream flowers.  Do you see the little white pumpkin and white wheat?  Then I scattered a few acorns around.

Bird's eye view.

Man, those napkin rings sure are the star of the show, aren't they?  Those alabaster plates were fun to work with, too.  I only found four of them, so this was the perfect chance to use them.

No matter what menu I decide on, I know our guests will appreciate putting their feet under a table tomorrow night.  I've remodeled kitchens several times, so I can commiserate with them.  Any suggestions as to what to fix? 

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Stripes and Plaids for Fall

My last little dinner party was sooooo bright that I thought I'd switch it up to this more subdued palate.  Sorta looks like "fall-light".  

I bought this stripped tablecloth at Homegoods a couple of months ago, but I forgot about it.

When these plaid napkins appeared at Pottery Barn, I held my breath that they would work with this cloth, and I loved the combination.  Then, I remembered these twig, corn husk and raffia turkey napkin rings, and voila!  I had a plan for this casual dinner party.

I chose these tan opalescent  chargers, pumpkin colored plates from Portugal, a chocolate brown salad plate, and then these leaf-shaped plates for bread and butter.  Then the big decision was whether to use this light colored wooden handled flatware or dark wooden ones.  The light ones won out.

Glassware was easy.....a gold, grape etched stem for water and these short wicker-covered glasses for wine.

The centerpiece was an unfussy wicker-covered bowl of gourds, and astromeria.

This color of astromeria is called "pumpkin" and they look so good in these birch covered vases.

Here's a close-up.

I love these colors with the tablecloth.

This also seemed a good place to use these cement faux bois candleholders.

Simple.  No extra details.  

Just the basics, ma'am.

I've always loved stripes and plaids together.

I wanted to show you how it complemented the Soumak rug in the dining room.

This made a pleasant weeknight table.

We are enjoying picking up the entertaining pace toward the holidays.

In order to set this table, I moved the paper mache vegetables over to the sideboard.

And this arrangement was from my table I set in the woods that you can see in this post.

From the other angle, you can see the entryway.  I wish you could all walk through it and join us.

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