Month: January 2017

I went to Target yesterday to look for table setting inspiration and found the cutest writing tablets with the crayon print cover.  They were only a dollar for four tablets.  I then found the four pails of coordinating colors, which also only cost a dollar a piece and the lidded jars with the blackboard labels which cost three dollars each.  I was onto something!

Next, I went to the Dollar Store and found the alphabet border and the handwriting practice boards.  How lucky was that?  This was shaping into something awesome and inexpensive.

Armed with my newfound treasures, I went home ready to set up a children’s playful and colorful pasta dinner table.

I first placed my crisp white linen table cloth as the base for the setting.  I then laid the black runner to pick up on the blackboard labels of the lidded jars and to create contrast. I then placed the alphabet border on top and felt it was perfection!  I also glue gunned the remaining border to a hurricane lamp and created the perfect match to the writing tablets which I placed as giveaways to the left of each setting.  Then I used my aqua mats for added color and texture.

I then purposed the handwriting practice boards as place mats and set the white pasta dishes on top.  This was taking shape!  I used the four pails to flank the matching white linen napkins and the blue rimmed clear glasses to finish the look.

So there you have it, for a total of about sixteen dollars, I created a colorful and playful table setting ready to delight any child with a fun filled meal!

Okay, this morning I’m going to prepare a pretend lobster lunch table setting, inspired by my white Mikasa soup plates with the red lobster print.

As is my favorite canvas for coastal settings, I’m leaving my distressed wood tabletop.  I then use three different mats for drama, theme and a pop of color.  The first woven for texture, the next aqua woven for color and the last woven with the shells for theme.  I think this layered look is the perfect backdrop for the white and warm red plates.

The beautiful coral as the centerpiece is a real one I purchased from a souvenir shop on a trip to the Florida Keys.  I’m always on the look out for inspirational pieces for my settings.

I use simple woven napkin rings with crisp white linen napkins to pick up on the white of the plates.  And lastly, I use my flatware with the shell motif to again pick up on the theme and, there you go!  A simple yet elegant setting perfect for Ina Garten’s Lobster Salad, Lobster Corn Chowder or Lobster Mac and Cheese!

And for dessert, Ina Garten’s Easy Craberry & Apple Cake, yum!

Occasion:  Family Get Together

Style:  Casual, Warm

Color Scheme:  Earth Tones

Flowers:  Hydrangea, Roses, Alstroemeria and Lilies

Today, my husband and I hosted a lunch for my granddaughter, Isabela and for my parents, Connie and Lino.  The ulterior motive was to watch a televised soccer match together, since we are all avid fans.

The weather was gloomy, cold and rainy so what came to mind was to prepare comfort food served in a warm and inviting table setting.

I selected a beige linen table cloth with matching napkins I had purchased in Spain years ago, to begin permeating that warmth.  I then placed my galvanized metal chargers to anchor the main and soup plates, which belong to my everyday dinnerware, ” The Friendly Village ” by Johnson Brothers.

I have a matching water pitcher which I felt was perfectly imperfect to place my bouquet of roses, lilies, hydrangea and alstroemerias.

I found the hydrangea napkin rings at Pier One Imports last year and love to use them whenever they match my floral arrangement.

The little galvanized metal churches which I used as name card holders are actually tree ornaments I found last year at a Michael’s holiday sale. They were originally $6.99 but I got them for only $1.99 so I purchased twelve.  I love these finds!

I first served my own recipe Lentil Soup followed by Ina Garten’s Weeknight Bolognese.

And, as always, since the best is saved for last, I served Flan drizzled with caramel sauce and coconut flakes.  Yum!

Theme:  Pirate

Occasion:  Toddler’s Lunch

Style:  Fun, Rustic

Color Scheme:  Black, White and Sand

I stopped by the Dollar Store and found these children’s pirate vests inspirational for a pirate themed toddler’s lunch.

One of my main rules of table setting and decor in general, is not to over-theme.  It creates confusion and doesn’t allow the theme to actually stand out.

Once again, my aged wood tabletop is the perfect backdrop to create a beach feel.  I then place these shell trimmed woven mats with the matching coasters which I had purchased on a cruise to The Bahamas.  I thought I’d never use them because they’re a little too small to anchor dinner plates but they work beautifully with toddler size plates (or salad plates).

I then set the black runner horizontally to add more drama to the hurricane candle arrangement.  This one I had actually purchased for a Halloween setting and it has a black and orange print on the front, so I turned it over and, voila!

I then place the black dishcloths, which I had also purchased for the Halloween setting, between the white salad and soup plates for contrast.

The mason jars with the twine ribbons and the black take out containers give this toddler’s setting the finishing touches worthy of the funnest meal for the scariest of pirates!

As a menu suggestion, I think the Ham and Cheese in Puff Pastry recipe by Ina Garten would be ideal!

Occasion:  Children’s Dinner

Style:  Colorful, Playful

Color Scheme:  Red, Blue and Yellow

Flowers:  Mixed Bunch

I have this set of dishes I purchased years ago at a Mikasa outlet which are white porcelain with a pattern of thin stripes in yellow, blue and red. They inspired me to create a children’s dinner setting in these basic colors.

Luckily, I found the water goblets with a similar pattern at a Dollar Store near my home and believed they would match beautifully.  They have an additional moss green stripe which I blended into the setting with the placement of the moss green taper candles.

I used a white linen tablecloth as my canvas and then dressed it up with a red border runner and matching napkins.  These last two I purchased at a holiday sale from LandsEnd.com, and the quality is outstanding.

As always, I opted for contrast by placing the blue woven mats and then the blue chargers on top of them for a more layered look. The napkins are bound by white porcelain napkin rings and placed on an angle on the main plate so as not to obstruct the design.

I purchased the adorable red clothespin card holders from Michael’s for about a dollar each.  How cute are they?

And lastly, to bring it all together, I placed a small bowl of the theme color mixed flowers inside a white gloss lantern (I took out the glass panels to fit the flowers).

All in all, I think any child would get a kick out of such a colorful and playful setting, don’t you?

I wanted to display the tulips from my last post, Seafood Lunch With Friends, one more time before they wilt so I came up with this “pretend” country style breakfast.  The rabbit weather vane and the tulips could easily transform it into an Easter setting as well.

Theme:  Country

Occasion:  Breakfast

Style:  Informal, Elegant

Color Scheme:  White

Flowers:  Tulips

My kitchen tabletop is weathered wood which is a perfect canvas to my country style setting.  I placed wood chargers because their dark color would contrast beautifully with the paper dollies I placed underneath the white fruit salad plates.

Next the chicken wire bread basket and the crisp white linen napkins set inside the clear water goblets add to the clean freshness of this country look.

Being a “pretend” meal, I won’t be preparing any food but I can recommend a menu previously tested and prepared by me.

First I would serve a fresh berries salad with raspberries, strawberries and blueberries.  I usually add one tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice and dissolve one tablespoon of sugar with it before mixing in the fruit to bring out the flavors and conserve its freshness.  A dollop of homemade whipped cream as a garnish doesn’t hurt either.

Then I would serve a delicious Potato Basil Frittata, recipe by Ina Garten, Family Style volume.  I tone down the amount of basil and add a little bit of parsley.

Corn muffins, recipe by Ina Garten, Raspberry Corn Muffins recipe, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook Volume, minus the raspberry preserves, would be a nice companion for this main course.

And finally, I would recommend a Fresh Raspberry Sour Cream Crumb Cake, recipe by Williams-Sonoma, Muffins Volume.  It is moist, creamy and sinful.

I can safely say this country breakfast would not only have been delicious, but it would have been country elegant as well!

 

Theme:  Nautical

Occasion:  Lunch

Style:  Informal

Color Scheme:  Blue and White

Flowers:  White Tulips

Today we are having dear friends over for lunch and they do not eat beef, pork, poultry or game.  They do enjoy, however, seafood and this is where I got the inspiration for my table setting.

My kitchen tabletop is reclaimed wood which I feel is the perfect canvas for my nautical theme.  I then placed white beaded plate mats because they remind me of the shimmer of shells, and also for contrast with the tabletop.

I then select denim blue chargers and white dishes, keeping with the theme colors and once again for contrast.

Placed on top are my two napkins choices, one denim blue and the other white, to add volume and interest, and bind them together with the shells napkins rings.  Perfect!

Lastly,  the pitcher holding the white tulips and the coffee mugs have a denim blue lobster print that further enhances the nautical feel.

We’ll enjoy a menu of stone crabs and sushi, none I which I had to cook.  This allowed me to prepare a labor intensive dessert which is absolutely delicious and well worth the effort, Ile Flottante, recipe of Ina Garten, Barefoot in Paris volume.

And now, I’ll enjoy our lunch and our friends!

I set this candy table years ago for a July 4th party and it actually stole the show. The stunning combination of our patriotic colors basically did the job for me.

I used a variety of different larger sized glass containers along the perimeter of the setting, (sorry I only found this one picture), and the large lollipop sticks formed the illusion of fireworks in the back and center.  To further anchor the interest of the eye towards the middle of the table, I placed the four lidded candy jars with different gummies.

I usually look for commonality so I used the silver tray to pick up on the silver of the candy jars’ lids and as the final touch, the USA and star cut outs sealed the deal.

If I had placed a print pattern tablecloth, I would have created confusion so I think the bright red one served as the perfect canvas.

A true tribute to our red, white and blue!

 

Theme:  Patriotic

Occasion:  Lunch

Style:  Country, Informal

Color Scheme:  Red, White and Blue

Flowers:  Country Field Bouquet

In honor of today’s inauguration of the 45th president of the United States, I’m going to post a luncheon setting I had actually prepared for July 4th of last year.

Obviously, the first thing that comes to mind for any patriotic celebration are the colors of our flag.  Then, to establish the relaxed, country feel, I placed the woven runner and place mats.

For contrast, a blue denim charger anchors the white main plate and then another contrasting denim blue salad plate.  This set of dishes I had purchased years ago at a Mikasa outlet in Sawgrass Mills, Sunrise, FL.

The cloth napkins I used actually belong to a holiday tablecloth/napkins set I also displayed in my “Valentine’s Day Informal Setting” blog.  I love to repurpose my items as much as possible.  I then used the woven napkin rings to match the runner and mats.

The glassware with the blue rim and the “stars” cocktail napkins add to the color coordinated finishing touches of this patriotic lunch.

The appetizer salad was a roasted pears with blue cheese recipe by Ina Garten.

And the main course was chicken cutlets with asparagus spears wrapped in prosciutto.

Lastly, and the one to steal the show, was the berries trifle dessert, a delicious color coordinated finale to this joyous occasion!

I love having my Mom and Dad over for a meal because they always find everything delicious.  They’re so easy to please!

My inspiration for today’s table setting were the burnt orange tea roses left over from a previous post, “Girlfriend’s Birthday Lunch”.

I just so happen to own chinaware that has orange, plum and green as the main colors in a beautiful fruit and floral pattern.  Since it is colorful enough, I decided to use a cream color tablecloth with mating napkins as the base of my setting.

I felt I didn’t need chargers for contrast so I placed the main course plate directly on the table and the soup plate on top of that.  The matching bread plates and the coffee cup and saucers add more color and continuity to the setting.

To place the flowers, what better container than the matching tea pot?  Charming isn’t it?  Lastly, I used two bread plates as the base of the candle holders and lastly, to add to the coziness of the setting, I used two hurricane lamps to “protect” the green candles…perfection!

The napkin fold which serves as a silverware sleave can be found on, napkinfoldingguide.com

I first served Cream of Broccoli Soup;

Then a veal chop, accompanied by quinoa and “Spinach in Puff Pastry”, recipe by Ina Garten, Barefoot in Paris;

Lastly, I served my Dad’s very favorite dessert, rice pudding.  It is my very own recipe which I’ll pass down to my daughter’s (it’s that good).

Once again, it was a magical lunch with my loving parents, whom I treasure!