Sunday Morning Coffee

We all have our rituals. Ours growing up was to have a great Sunday morning breakfast for as many guests who wished to attend. I miss that. I would (almost) sell my soul to get that back. Meanwhile, I’ll just settle for this one day.

For those of you who like to study still photos like I do, here ya go!

This was one of the last setups in this space before selling my beloved Louis XVI reproduction vitrine.

Despite being perfect for breakfast and brunch settings, I’ve seldom used these fun coffee-themed placemats.🤔 The last time I remember pulling them out was for my stepdaughter’s birthday brunch more than 10 years ago!

I like the idea of setting casual tables with no regard for rules. ALL the flatware rests comfortably to the right of the plate here.

Mikasa “Jamestown Platinum” stems for champagne or an apricot Bellini and platinum-rimmed Noritake “Spectrum” cup and saucer.

The color of these Z Gallerie “Delfina” dishes always reminds me of cocoa or coffee. Perfect for this setting with the snippet of satin ribbon adorned with a silver coffee pot ornament clutching a vintage napkin.

Fun little guest favors: mocha-scented candles.

Assorted muffins are part of an edible centerpiece.

This white ceramic rooster nestled in a bittersweet-laden basket makes an easy breakfast/brunch centerpiece.

I’ve been asked again and again where I got these coffee syrup pumps. Amazon, of course!

Do you have a Sunday morning ritual? I’d love to hear about it!

If breakfast is definitely your jam (see what I did there😉), here are a few more breakfast/brunch posts on this site to check out!

Other posts using the Z Gallerie “Delfina” dishware:

Sunflower Breakfast

Good Monday Morning!!! Hard to believe we are into October already, but I’m rollin’ with it! Sunflowers, sunshine, apple cider, pumpkins, football, and warm & hearty breakfasts are top of mind this time of year.

A 1-minute video!⬇

If you’re like me, you like to study the details. Still pics ahead for you guys!

A simple breakfast doesn’t mean you can’t go bold! A massive floral piece at one end of the dining table is a big wake-up!

Cock-a-doodle-doo!! A pair of ceramic hens add a little breakfast time flair.

Casual acrylic chargers from Hobby Lobby play host to lovely cocoa brown & white Z Gallerie dishes. The sunflower “napkins” are dish towels from Dollar Tree.

A big ol’ basket of assorted breakfast pastries to please every palate makes a great edible centerpiece! The Home Goods sunflower table runner pulls the basket, floral arrangement, and place settings together as one.

Breakfast is served!

Are you looking for more ideas for breakfast or brunch? Take a look at these posts!

Thanks so much for stopping in! Remember…you can also find me on Instagram! Here’s to you!!!🥂

Orange Dreamsicle

Have you ever tried the grownup version of an orange Dreamsicle? The one with whipped cream vodka, orange juice, triple sec or Cointreau, and cream or half & half? To beat this ongoing heat to a pulp (See what I did there? Pulp? Get it?😉), I whipped one up…at breakfast. Don’t judge me. It contained 2 of the 5 food groups.😜

Here’s a fun luncheon or dinner tablescape where a grownup Dreamsicle might be more appropriately enjoyed! (Faux flowers used here, but real ones would kick it up a BIG ol’ notch for guests!)

I first used these fun open tulip salad plates in 2010 for a Mothers Day tablescape, “Tulips in the iHop Hour”, referring to my Mom’s penchant for eating so early on Sundays. I’d not used them since, so this is as good a time as any. I’ve set them with plain white dinner plates and juicy orange Bormioli Rocco “Inca” glass chargers. My Mom’s Towle “Calypso” flatware and recently acquired orange stemware from Home Goods add a nice finishing touch.

Red-orange and white (faux) ranunculus in a curvy white ceramic vase.

Bright orange (faux) tulips are prominently used across the table.

Brilliant orange (faux) poppies add color and texture.

What’s a meal without dessert?🍰

Reticulated dessert plates look almost like old-fashioned doilies.

The pièce de résistance…Dreamsicle cocktails by the pitcher! Here’s the Pinterest recipe I most often use: Dreamsicle Martini

Do you love the color orange as much as I do? Here are a few more posts featuring this energetic color!🧡

National Donut Day

Oh, yeah! Now we’re talkin’!!! DONUTS, baby!!!🍩🍩🍩 I could eat nearly a dozen by myself! If you love donuts like I do, Friday, June 3, 2022, is National Donut Day. It’s like mid-year Christmas!!!!!!!! June 3 also happens to be National Egg Day🥚, but really…who cares?😐 Glazed, powdered, chocolate, old-fashioned, crullers, cake, jelly-filled, long john…I don’t care! Just gimme my donuts (and my elastic-waist pants!)!!!🍩🍩🍩

If a Bloody Mary or mimosa isn’t in your brunch plans, you may as well go back to bed!



Bordallo Pinheiro green cabbage plates and fruit bowls play a prominent part at each place setting. Notice the birds on the runner that complements the napkin rings.

More Bordallo Pinheiro in the form of sauce bowls nestled between the tall Z Gallerie mosaic shell vase and the smaller green glass arrangements.

Sausage links, eggs, fruit…yeah, whatever! It’s all about the DONUTS, man!!!!!!!!!!

Of course, mimosas are always nice for brunch, too!

Doesn’t matter where you go (because there are literally hundreds of “the best”)…just get yourself to a donut shop on Friday, June 3! Krispy Kreme (my personal favorite) is offering a free donut and/or a $1 original glazed dozen with the purchase of a dozen or 16-count minis. Dunkin is offering a free donut with beverage purchase. Better yet, dial up Pinterest, pull out ye olde Fry Daddy, and whip some up in your own kitchen!🍩🍩🍩

Other breakfast/brunch posts on this site include:

Late Spring Lilac & Green

The neighbors’ lilac bushes are in full bloom now, and I’ve got at least 3 of the 7 Deadly Sins goin’ on over it.🫤 I can’t just run over and go all Edward Scissorhands on their property, so I suppose I must reconcile myself to the next best thing.🙄

Some prefer mini-movie clips, but some (me included!) prefer still photos to study all the details. So I will, whenever possible going forward, provide both a nutshell clip and photos for your convenience! Whatever suits you best!🙂

A massive vase like the center one isn’t practical during the meal, but it makes quite an impression when guests first view the room. Relocate the larger vase to a predesignated area just before guests are seated to provide an unobstructed view across the table.

White “doily” chargers from Hobby Lobby lay the foundation for the generous stack of dishes. Lilac Matceramica dinner and salad plates embossed with a “lace” rim play host to the royal purple glass compote and white lacy service plate from Pier 1. My Mom’s Royal Danish flatware seems right in step with the place setting.

Napkins folded into a nice tight rosebud design are nestled into the compotes.

A trio of glassware in varying hues of purple and green.

The centerpiece is visually connected by a purple, green, and white woven runner. The towering center floral spills over with faux greenery (Kirkland’s) and lilacs.

Pretty purple (faux) tulips from Home Goods in a white glass vase from Hobby Lobby.

Green glass vases cradle a mix of (faux) lilacs, citrus green button mums, and hypericum berries.

Diminutive milky white glass vases from Hobby Lobby filled with (faux) agapanthus blooms in a lovely shade of purple.

So there you have it! Another celebration of Spring…even if the fragrance of lilacs must come from a Bath & Body Works wallflower plug-in!🤭

If you would care to see more posts in shades of purple or purple & green on this site:

Pink Cheetah Ladies Luncheon

Egads!😱 Has it really been nearly FOUR MONTHS since I last posted?!?!? That post-Christmas cleanup kinda wiped me out, so I took a step back. Apparently WAY back…off a cliff and into oblivion!😄 It’s springtime now, and I’m ready to jump back in feet first with this mix of pastel pink and moody black inspired by tableware bought at Hobby Lobby last year. (Yes, I know…I’m slow as molasses!)

With my 1st pastel tablescape of the 2022 Spring season, I made an easy transition with the use of black ceramic that played off the cheetah’s spots.

A setting ready to take on a soup, sandwich, and side entrée.

Black-handled “San Remo” flatware from Hampton Forge Silversmiths adds a touch of formality.

There’s always time for just “one more” cup!

My late Mother’s Mikasa “Elegance – Black” iced tea stemware paired with pretty silverplate goblets.

The black napkins are transformed into individual bread baskets at each place setting.

The sleek black lidded vases are a Tuesday Morning purchase from many years ago.

Tulips. A sure sign of Spring! These faux beauties in a range of pastel colors are from the famed Nell Hills boutique in Kansas City, MO.

As I generally prefer, the vitrine behind the dining table is laden with after-luncheon sweets and spirits.

Silver cordials from my Mom’s collection along with junior-sized snifters for a lovely Oatmeal Raisin brandy from my friend, Dixie, that despite its homespun cookie name will knock you on your keister!

A matching side floral. Tulips – real or fabulously faux like these from Nell Hills – are so easy to assemble to create gorgeous arrangements.

Champagne-Blackberry cake to finish!

I wish you the best Spring possible given the state of the world at present. Let’s all be kind.🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦

If you would like to visit a few more Spring-inspired tablescapes on this site, click on the links below. And please follow me on Instagram!

Wildflower Easter

Here is the 3rd of 3 tablescapes I’m considering for Easter Sunday…and just in the nick of time! I’ll have to decide by Friday so that I can get the ball rolling! If YOU have a favorite of the last 3 posts, please drop me a comment to let me know which most tickles your fancy! I’ll combine your votes with those from my Instagram account for the final decision!

The inspiration for this tablescape came from my Mikasa Stone Craft dishes in mixed and matched hues of mauve, pistachio, cornflower, and green. SO MANY tablescaping opportunities with a mix!

The Mikasa plates and mugs are paired up with 222 Fifth Bunny Land bowls (Home Goods) that also have varied color checkerboard rims to mix and match.

Bright lavender napkins from LinenTablecloth.com sprout from each coffee mug, and the egg cups are filled with pastel M&Ms that mimic the melange of colors in the dishes and centerpiece.

The mix/match of dish colors at each place setting is unified with uniform white ceramic and rattan chargers, bamboo stainless flatware, napkins, egg cups, and glass cloches from Nell Hills in Kansas City, MO.

The “grass” centerpiece, purchased for a mere $10 at an estate sale some years ago, has been punched up with a variety of Spring “wildflowers” in colors that complement the dishes. You’ll notice the same daisies on the plates are in the centerpiece to tie it all together.

On the vitrine behind the dining table are colorful cupcakes (in cupcake cups and on a ceramic cake pedestal from Home Goods/TJ Maxx) with another small arrangement of daisies. (All flowers used in this post are faux for demonstration purposes. I’ll use the real deal for my Sunday tablescape!)

So…take a peek back at the other 2 entries – “Lettuce Talk About Easter” and “Artichoke Easter” – then let me know which is your favorite. I’ll post the winner!

Looking for more Easter tablescape inspiration? Look no further! See if one of these floats your boat!:

Bellini Birthday Brunch

BELLINI BIRTHDAY BRUNCH
(a re-post from August 2009)

 In 2009 we celebrated my stepdaughter’s birthday with an open house brunch. As a hint of what was to come, guests were greeted by our jolly old English butler, Geoffrey, offering coffee and a donut on the front porch.
  Upon entering the foyer, guests were offered peach Bellinis served in cut crystal Mikasa flutes displayed on a beautiful silver tray.
 The dining room was set for six with fun coffee motif placemats from Bed Bath & Beyond.
I like to use edible centerpieces on tablescapes whenever possible. This one includes lots of fresh fruit stacked on glass cake plateaus, accented by aromatic roasted coffee beans and simple bouquets of colorful alstroemeria.
 Set up on the buffet behind the table is a scrumptious coffee bar with variety sugars and liqueurs. The silver Victorian sugar scuttle and rock candy sticks are fun details that help it all special. The faux mother-of-pearl handled flatware from Target is set end-to-end for visual impact. I created the fun coffee bar sign using an inexpensive miniature chalkboard from Hobby Lobby. Displaying it on the gold easel makes it look a little bit fancier despite the unfinished wood frame.
 Fun touches like this chalkboard cow from J’Adore in Kansas City, MO, make the buffet service area a little more fun. The kitchen pigs presiding over the chafers and condiments are from Stein Mart.
 A juice bar was set up near the buffet, with each serving vessel accented with corresponding fresh fruit slices. Name tags are displayed on card holders resembling miniature coffee pots.

Mother’s Day Brunch

This colorful brunch tablescape in Springtime shades of blue, white, and cheery lemon yellow punctuated with bright pink paid homage to my Mother. The bouquet – my son and his girlfriend’s way of honoring me on Mother’s Day – was perfectly coordinated to the setting, especially the fresh fruit compote! (Please pardon the horrible fold lines in the table linen! This is one of my very early blog posts before I realized just how awful lines look in photos!!!)

These placemats from Bed, Bath & Beyond caught my eye because of the playful lemons adjacent to the traditional & decidedly staid damask. The lemon yellow cotton napkins are also from BB&B. The cornflower blue juice glasses and compotes are from Old Time Pottery, and the cobalt blue chargers from Pier 1. The plates are basic white Corelle.

Fresh, fragrant lemons in blue & white transferware bowls with a few lemon leaves tossed in for color elongate the tablescape’s centerpiece. Not one to be wasteful, freshly squeezed lemonade is on the next day’s menu. (Oh, for heaven’s sake…those folds in the linen are killin’ me!!! :-()

I embellished the lush mix of lilies, roses, Fuji mums, orchids, hyacinth, button mums, monkshood and carnations with a few butterflies.

Coffee cups in the colors of the day are from Old Time Pottery.

Pre-sliced bagels are presented in a long napkin-lined basket. Find the recipes for the homemade vegetable or honey cream cheese spreads HERE or by clicking the “Recipes” tab above.

Nothing like a little fruit juice to get the day started! Here, clear glass decanters hold a choice of pink grapefruit, orange or apple.

I just love to take something basic and make it special! Plain white ceramic pitchers from Home Goods are gussied up with the addition of custom silver tags that mark the frothy, cold chocolate and strawberry milk.

The hostess awaits her guests’ arrival!

Other posts suitable for a Mother’s Day celebration on this site:
Peonies & Pearls
Showered in Pink
Pink Plaid & Posies
Days of Wine & Roses
Blushing Bridal Shower
Pleasant Under Glass

Another tablescape using lemons on this site:
Lemonade From Bill

A few fun accessories that will help make your Spring table feel fresh, inviting, and alive!

  • Budding branches (you can get these from your yard or nearby wooded areas)
  • Fresh curly willow (adds a lot of character and dimension to arrangements or can be used alone)
  • Grapevine
  • Flowers in seasonal colors (e.g., daffodils, tulips, hyacinth)
  • Potted green plants
  • Topiaries
  • Moss
  • Freshly grown grass in pots or flats
  • Nests
  • Birdhouses and cages
  • Glass bell jars and wire cloches
  • Chicken wire
  • Baskets (plain, moss covered, embellished with twigs or pussy willow branches, etc.)
  • Pots and vases with a vintage look
  • Parasols
  • Fresh or faux veggies (e.g., lettuce, cabbages, carrots)
  • Easter eggs
  • Smooth river rock
  • Floral wreaths
  • Softly colored solid and patterned fabrics: plaid, paisley, floral
  • Ribbon and twine
  • Candlesticks, chargers, and other tabletop items made of wood, grapevine, straw, iron and other natural elements
  • Flatware with handles made of wood or bamboo
  • Figurines of woodland animals (e.g., rabbits, squirrels, birds)
  • Figurines of Spring- or Easter-related animals (e.g., chicks, hens, roosters, sheep, butterflies)
  • White or pastel spray paint for lightning and brightening everything from branches & twigs to….you name it!

Oranges & Blossoms

ORANGES & BLOSSOMS
(a re-post from September 2010)
Folks, I’m revamping my blog a bit and getting rid of “pages” from my early days of blogging that featured multiple posts. I don’t want to lose the posts altogether, though, so I’m re-posting them. Makes no sense, huh? Believe me, if there was an easier way…!!! So, if you’ve never seen this one before it’s all new to you. If you have seen it, I apologize for the rerun but hope you can enjoy it all over again! There will be additional reruns coming into your box every couple of days until I’ve emptied these pages from the early days. Who knows…maybe what’s old can be new again with ideas. Let’s hope! Meanwhile, all new posts are on the way, too!!!
Some get-togethers are just a little more relaxed than others, but that doesn’t mean the tablescape has to suffer!
 
 Bright colors can go a long, long way to bring a summer tablescape to life!
 
With about 24 hours notice, I was able to construct this casual but inviting tablescape. Atop a white cotton linen, the brilliant orange matchstick placemat really stands out. The next layers are a simple white Corelle dinner plate, a bright pink & orange melamine salad plate from Burlington, and a fun little orange slice plate for the appetizer. The place setting is finished off with a folded white napkin and fun white handled flatware from TJ Maxx. Nothing fancy…just pure fun!
 
 When it comes to centerpieces in a hurry, let your imagination kick in. A couple of white cake stands (Ralph Lauren “Pavillion”) did the trick in this case, stacked high with oranges from the fridge (tomorrow morning’s orange juice!), and dotted with waxflower and brilliantly hued plumeria blossoms. Any small flowers will do that match or complement your tablescape colors. (See the cake stands used for other displays at “88 Years & 88 Keys” and “Blushing Bridal Shower“.
 Tiny orange glass vases from Hobby Lobby repeat the floral theme of waxflower and plumeria from the main centerpiece with impatiens from the side yard landscape tossed in for good measure.
Simply using items from around the house, the fridge, and the yard, a jaunty little tablescape is born!
This easy, breezy tablescape was quick to assemble and, thankfully, quick to take down as we were chased in just before dessert by a rain storm!