Food & Entertaining

Tablescape Tuesday: Heavenly Fragrance

March 24, 2015~ Food & Entertaining, Tablescape Tuesday

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God”
Ephesians 5:1-2

With spring refreshing our senses these past two weeks, I have been thinking of using hyacinths for an Easter tablescape. On Friday night, Butch and I went to our favorite restaurant in Birmingham and made a stop by Whole Foods! Much to my pleasure, they had the most beautiful hyacinths and we bought more than we had intended because they were absolutely gorgeous! The colors just announce that spring is here! Although they are a feast for the eyes, their fragrance is what is dominating our home right now! The smell doesn’t dominate, but just enough for a sweet aroma to fill the air! And the best part-they haven’t aggravated my allergies at all!! I love how God gives us everything in his creation-even beautiful flowers that I love-to show us how to live to please him! God commands us to love as he has loved us, as demonstrated by Christ on the cross.
It is our prayer that we will be a heavenly fragrance to the Lord in our everyday living as these beautiful flowers have been for our home this week!

Doesn’t this tablescape look like an invitation to a Saturday Easter brunch? The beautiful hyacinths became the inspiration for our tablescape! Pastel yellow and green placemats complement the flowers!
The scent of hyacinths is heavenly, and I am loving them! They are one of my favorite spring flowers! The cute egg holders line the table with my collection of chalk eggs! We have had so many days of cloudy skies and rain, at least the dining table offers a splash of spring! I am using my vintage wedding china, Reverie by Noritake. The green stems are also Noritake. The flutes were a great find at Tuesday Morning several years ago! The pastel colors of the linen napkins are perfect for Easter! The egg napkin rings (in pink, yellow, blue, and lavender) were found in Cracker Barrel’s gift shop! This setting is really simple- I just added the hyacinths to what I have collected over time! The compote is antique depression glass and is filled with tiny eggs! Fitz and Floyd salt and pepper set (you guessed…Herb Garden)!! The covered asparagus dish is also FF! I always hope that you are inspired to make your table a feast for all the senses. Sharing a meal with those we love is a celebration of life!!

“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver”
Proverbs‬ ‭25‬:‭11‬

Linking with Pieced Pastimes , It’s Overflowing , Be Different Act Normal , Silver Pennies ,Life on Lakeshore Drive , Thoughts From Alice , Pink When , Mod Vintage Life , Coastal Charm , My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia , The Dedicated House , Dwellings-Heart of Your Home , Savvy Southern Style , Ivy and Elephants, French Country Cottage , From My Front Porch To Yours , Stone Gable , Confessions of a Plate Addict ,Worthing Court , Between Naps on the Porch , Cedar Hill Farmhouse , A Stroll Thru Life , The Style Sisters , The Charm of Home , The Winthrop Chronicles , Cornerstone Confessions , A Delightsome Life , Imparting Grace , Craftberry Bush , Posed Perfection , Katherines Corner , My Romantic Home , Chic On A Shoestring Decorating , Rooted In Thyme , Share Your Cup, The Enchanting Rose, Alabama Womens Bloggers

Tablescape Tuesday: Bunnies & Lilies

March 17, 2015~ Food & Entertaining, Tablescape Tuesday

“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver”
Proverbs‬ ‭25‬:‭11‬

You know when something unexpected just takes you “back”? By that, I mean that you are taken to a special time and place-one that could never be recreated or replaced! As I was putting this tablescape together, my mind and heart were flooded with memories of when Seth was about three years old. He loved Winnie the Pooh-and I, of course, watched with him! I can’t even begin to tell you the hours spent watching the antics of A.A. Milne’s classic characters in the “Hundred Acre Wood”! We would hit rewind on those video tapes so many times we had them memorized. In one of our favorite episodes, “Party Poohper”, Rabbit was planning a party. He was the practical one and the self-appointed leader among his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood. Much time and effort went into the planning of Rabbit’s party, only for it to completely fall apart. And I love the comfort that Rabbit found, even when his well-planned party didn’t pan out…

“Who needs a schedule for a party? Parties are supposed to be fun! And you can have fun whenever you want”

I still have a love for rabbits, and I can nearly bet that it started with this sweet memory. We welcome you to this, our second spring tablescape.
Lucky for us, our party didn’t fall apart as Rabbit’s did…but even if it did, we would still have fun!

The sun was actually in abundance on Sunday morning! It has been so rare over the past weeks that Butch asked me what that “bright light” was! As I was shooting the pics, I was grateful to see the sunshine coming through the bamboo shades and the promise of spring’s arrival!

Even though spring has not officially “sprung”, I was ready to see happy colors on our dining table!

I have always enjoyed watching the rabbits from my kitchen window. It seems that over the past few years they have increased in population (we all know what rabbits do!). I have a small collection of ceramic rabbits that I have acquired along with oil paintings of bunnies!
This is a Fitz and Floyd rabbit pitcher that my sweetie gave me!

This is the companion bunny tea pot!

Pink and yellow lilies in ice cream sundae glasses were the perfect addition to our bunny family!

This sweet bunny was a gift from my friend, Kathy’s granddaughter, Nalin!

The “Herb Garden” FF bunny is part of the set seen here: Anxiously Awaiting Spring.

The setting began with a new yellow and white seersucker tablecloth recently purchased from TJ Maxx. The hardboard cork-backed placemats have a floral and butterfly design. You often see the pink and white toile dinner plates by Churchill along with the wicker chargers. The cabbage salad plates were a Tuesday Morning find a few years ago!

The pink napkins are in one of my favorite napkin rings-hand painted mini clay pots! I bought these from a craft vendor at the Huntsville Botanical Gardens.

For the center piece, I used a cake stand with a bird’s nest and eggs tucked in moss. It’s topped with a glass cloche for protection from the bunnies!

The rustic place card holders made by my friend, JoAnn for Seth and Allie’s wedding add to our spring table. The carrot salt and pepper set was a gift from Katy! Carrots and rabbits go together, right?

A small bunny carrying dried roses!

The bunnies seem to be hiding under the lilies!

For a pop of color, a pair of green taper candles in crystal holders was placed on our tablescape!

I love welcoming spring to my dining room!

“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome”
-Anne Bradstreet

Linking with: Pieced Pastimes , It’s Overflowing , Be Different Act Normal , Silver Pennies ,Life on Lakeshore Drive , Thoughts From Alice , Pink When , Mod Vintage Life , Coastal Charm , My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia , The Dedicated House , Dwellings-Heart of Your Home , 21 Rosemary Lane, Savvy Southern Style , Ivy and Elephants, French Country Cottage , From My Front Porch To Yours , Stone Gable , Confessions of a Plate Addict ,Worthing Court , Between Naps on the Porch , Cedar Hill Farmhouse , A Stroll Thru Life , The Style Sisters , The Charm of Home , The Winthrop Chronicles , Cornerstone Confessions , A Delightsome Life , Imparting Grace , Craftberry Bush , Posed Perfection , Katherines Corner , My Romantic Home , Chic On A Shoestring Decorating , Rooted In Thyme , Share Your Cup, The Enchanting Rose, Alabama Womens Bloggers

Tablescape Tuesday: Blue & White Edition

March 10, 2015~ Food & Entertaining, Tablescape Tuesday

“Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings”
‭Psalm‬ ‭17‬:‭8

Today is installment two of our tablescaping marathon with my friend, Patti! This table was so much fun to set up with all of her blue and white china. So many of you love the crisp and clean look of this ever so popular color combination! And as beautiful as the blue and white is, there is something that just stands out. I want you to notice the focal point, the element that sets it apart-the apples. In Psalm 17, David (in his suffering) cries out to God,
” …keep me as the apple of your eye”.
As true followers of Christ, we are the apple of God’s eye! Let that sink in! We are chosen, loved, and beautiful! And just as the apples are the sweet spot on this table, so are God’s children, in his eyes.

A menu of tomato basil soup and grilled pimento cheese sandwiches was perfect for a cold and rainy day!

With only placemats, the beautiful wood of the antique table is warm and inviting. A white linen placemat is the foundation with a quilted French blue mat on top.

Lunch was served in the family room with its lovely surroundings of books and antiques! You can see more here: Everyday Living at Patti’s.

The white charger and bread and butter plate is “Christina Porcelain” Bavarian China from Germany. The dinner plates are The Spode Blue Room Collection “British Flowers”. The large soup bowls with handles are also The Spode Blue Room Collection, the pattern is “Italian”. The sterling silver is “Buttercup” by Gorham. The blue and white knife rests are unique and add a little whimsy!

A pair of French Henriot Quimper candlesticks with hurricane globes add just the right touch to the table!

A set of Spode salt and pepper shakers!

At this end of the table sits a different set of Spode salt and pepper shakers! Notice the sweet pewter place card holders!

Lenox crystal in the “Desire” pattern adds a touch of elegance!

Pretty cotton floral napkins paired with white linen napkins give more texture and pattern to this setting! The sterling silver napkin rings were a gift from me (at least, that is what Patti said, I don’t remember!!)