Going Green for Spring

April 9, 2013August 16, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 56 Comments

INSPIRATION: Fun acid green woven favor boxes from Beau-coup.com

It’s finally starting to feel a bit more like Spring here in the Kansas City, MO area. Hooray! This time of year means a round of Spring cleaning (ugh! :-(), which means it’s time to reduce, recycle and reuse. So here’s a tablescape to remind us to go green (have a garage sale, donate to thrift stores, use old items for new creations, vow to stop shopping…..whoa! Wait a minute! Who threw that last one in there??!?!?!!). In other words, time to go green!!!
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This fun green & white table for 8 begins with a fresh white full-length linen from LinenTablecloth.com. I was so happy to once again have a chance to use this fabulous Mikasa “Daylight” dinnerware. With its freshly sprouted leaves on a wispy branch, it says Spring to me like no other dish I have whether it’s for a birthday, a ladies’ luncheon or Sunday brunch! (Click HERE to see these dishes used in another colorful Spring setting AND in a subdued Asian-inspired theme. They’re just that versatile!)

Simple clear glass stemware from Old Time Pottery doesn’t compete with the flurry of decor on the table. The “chargers” are rustic grapevine wreaths. (These were also used as chargers for an American Royal tablescape HERE.) Dark faux bamboo flatware from Home Goods works in concert with the chargers and branch design on the plates.

The good folks at Beau-coup.com sent me these eye-popping acid green woven favor boxes. They look terrific “as is”, or you can dress them up with any manner of flourish. Here, to keep the organic look and theme of recycling to go green, I hot glued pieces of broken from the chargers. Imagine these with a pretty silk posy, a tilted bird’s nest, a pouf of ribbon, or a simple twine bow. Just go wherever your imagination and theme take you! TIP: This shade of green is often hard to “match.” Don’t even try to go there. Take your cue from nature’s variegated colors and strive to complement rather than match.

I found the squared-off green vases at a nearby wholesale store that always has something fun to tempt me. The shape of these vases lends itself to a variety of looks. On this table the arrangement is merely 3 majestically tall faux agapanthus. (I used these same green vases on the buffet with lots of orchids overflowing HERE.) An oversized acid green butterfly with pretty mesh wings perches on the side. To bring the moppy heads of the agapanthus down closer to eye level, I snipped and plopped a few into sleek white ceramic urns.

Candlesticks aren’t just for candles! I used these white turned wood candlesticks from Z Gallerie to hold large, heavy mercury balls that sow a little shine into the otherwise unpolished setting.

I bought a bunch of these little rose bundles wholesale a while back in several colors. I’ve seen similar ones in stores like Michaels. They look really good massed together as seen here in this white weathered aluminum planter. A single bundle is just enough to fill a smaller white ceramic urn.

On the buffet is a massive grapevine wreath that carries on the look of the chargers on the dining table. In the spirit of recycling and looking for something with a funky little beat, I used the stems cut from the agapanthus on the table to create a rambling design on one side of the wreath. The asymmetrical design is balanced a little with the presence of 3 more of the large butterflies. A mercury ball finial brings shine to the vignette, while dessert plates and forks peek out from beneath a floral arrangement.

On the tea cart are faux bamboo spoons and gorgeous Mikasa “Daylight” cups & saucers. A Ralph Lauren pierced cake pedestal (Tuesday Morning) holds more of the Beau-coup favor boxes, this time unadorned and filled with cookies for guests to take home. Your choice: favors on the table at each individual place setting, or displayed en masse for guests to pick up on their way out the door.

Many thanks to Beau-coup.com for providing these pretty favor boxes for me to play with! It was tons of fun! Beau-coup has a wonderful variety of “favors, party supplies, gifts, and more for all of life’s celebrations.” (I couldn’t have said it better myself, so I didn’t even try…I just plagiarized it! :-)) Stop by and check them out!

Other posts on this site with green and white tablescapes:
“The Party She Deserves”
“Moss & Manzanitas”
“Ready for My Close-Up, Mr. DeMille”
“Spring Has Sprung”
“Rolling Fields of Green”
“Apple Green Luncheon”
“Upscale Irish”

There are lots of fun blog parties out there with ideas from the creative minds of bloggers all across the United States and around the world. Partying hearty here in the Midwest (U.S.A.) are blog buddies like Marigene “In the Middle of Nowhere“, Lynne at “Lynne’s Gifts From the Heart“, Cindy at “Beaux R’eves“, Cherry Kay at “Entertaining Women” (she had a gorgeous green & white table last week!), Judy at “JBiggs Little Pieces“, sweet Pat at “Back Porch Musings“, “The Home Girl“, and newcomer Christine at “Rustic & Refined“. Join us this week at:
Cuisine Kathleen’s “Let’s Dish!”
Susan’s “Tablescape Thursday“

Blog parties are a wonderful opportunity for you to learn from tablescapers who do this regularly and have lots of tried and true ideas!

Better Kansas City Morning Show

April 1, 2013March 15, 2014 / Alycia Nichols / 48 Comments

I’m just back from making my third appearance on the “Better Kansas City” morning show here in Kansas City! Even though I have to get out of bed before dawn to make that long drive into the city, it’s totally worth it when everything comes together. Sheri and I were able to get this morning’s table up in less than 45 minutes, so I even had a few moments to actually study my script!

The look for today’s show is similar to the one I did back in mid-March, “Rolling Fields of Green“, which captures the versatility of a table that can transition from Easter to Spring and right on into summer.

I mentioned fellow blogger Vernice of We Three Dogs & Me during the segment. Vernice is a very special over-the-miles friend who is very dear to me and who recently celebrated her 82nd birthday. Listen for her name, and then drop by her blog if you have a moment. Vernice puts her heart and soul into her tablescapes, and she always appreciates a visit!

A few pics that Sheri snapped….see if you can figure out what I forgot!
Horrors!!!! Too late to turn around and go back home!
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Starting the table set up…moving much faster than this photo depicts! 🙂

Getting closer to completion…and running out of breath!

Who’s letting me play with sharp objects??!?!?!?

Place setting. Have you figured out what’s missing yet?

All done! Off to powder my nose, slip into my high heels, and take a breath before air time!

The finished table is created with a full-length white linen from LinenTablecloth.com topped with a moss runner, gold glass chargers from Costco, white dishes with scrolled edging from TJ Maxx, Godinger “Dublin” crystal stemware, lots of moss balls, faux cabbages, evergreens and spring florals in rustic pots.

Reviewing the script with producer, Sherie (not to be confused with my best friend, Sheri, who was on set taking photos of me!), before the show.

Cameraman Chris is the best! He always gets my good side…even if he has to search for hours to find it! 🙂

Lovely producer’s assistant, Lauren, gets me mic’d up.

On the set after the show with co-host Lisa Holbrook

On the set after the show with skinny (I’m so jealous!) “Better Kansas City” co-host Lisa Holbrook

Many thanks once again to producer Erin Cansler for inviting me back! I had a blast and a half!

Thank YOU for stopping by, and I’d like to invite you back for my regular weekly post tomorrow!

I’m linking up with Tablescape Thursday!

Easter Bloom

March 26, 2013November 15, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 78 Comments

Easter Sunday is just a few days away now, and here is one final table that I hope can be of help to someone in search of last-minute ideas.
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INSPIRATION: Wreaths with pale pink & yellow Easter egg-like beading that I bought 8 years ago and have never used.

I started this demure Easter table with a full-length pure white tablecloth from LinenTablecloth.com.

Each place setting begins with a pink, green, yellow and white striped cotton placemat from Pier 1. (I used these reversible placemats on this side in “Pretty In Pink” – a birthday luncheon for my Mom – and on the flip floral side in “Days of Wine & Roses”.) A white ceramic charger from Old Time Pottery is topped with the inspiration for this table: a wispy pink & yellow beaded wreath that has a very “Easter-y” look about it. The dinner plate is creamy, buttery yellow stoneware purchased at a local grocer last autumn (for just $1 each!!!), and the lacy white salad/dessert plate is one of my favorites from Pier 1. “Danish Princess” silver given to me by my Mom looks smart and adds just a touch of understated formality to the table.

The pretty petal pink napkins and the celery green silver-banded napkin rings that adorn them are both from Bed, Bath & Beyond. I wanted to pick up just a little of the green in the placemat through the napkin rings. The white egg cups are from World Market.

If this stemware seems at all familiar to you, it’s because the pink patterned stem graces the Home page of my blog. The green goblets are a part of one of my favorite go-to sets from Dollar Tree. (If you can get a goblet that will work as hard for you as these green ones do for me year-round for just a buck each, buy every one you can possibly fit in your storage closet!)

TIP: I’d like to call your attention to the dried curly willow branches running along the two long sides of the centerpiece florals. This is a way to easily (and very economically!) visually corral your centerpiece. It has the same subconscious visual effect as placing the florals on a tray or setting them on a runner.

Look at the effect of the willow branches…how they lend a truly organic feel to the overall look of the centerpiece. These evergreen topiaries are faux, but you could certainly use real ones and plant them later. (Unless you live in the Kansas City area where it seems like the snow is NEVER going to melt!!! 🙂 )

I used these fun paper hydrangea bunnies in another Easter tablescape two years ago. They have such a fun and feminine quality that I really like. Something I like about these is that they are both cream and white which allows me to use them with either shade.

The buffet has plenty of space on it for food, but I wanted to dress it up just a little. On one end is my stone bunny, Barton. Barton last made an appearance in another Easter tablescape two years ago as well as on an Easter brunch buffet table last year. This year, Barton has switched up from the usual eggs on his tray in favor of pretty pink carnations surrounded by a bed of white waxflower. He’s sporting a pink Ombre ribbon tie that Ramon put on him like a proud Papa. 🙂 Nice knot, huh?

I want to wish you and your family the very best of this Easter week,
and may you be blessed always by the grace of God.

Tablescapes suitable for Easter breakfast, brunch, luncheon or dinner on this site:
“Easter Floral”
“Barton’s Easter Brunch”
“Easter Brunch”
“Pinky Peter Cottontail”
“Carousel Colors”
“The Bluebird Special”
“The Party She Deserves”
“Rolling Fields of Green”

I’m joining the following blog parties this week, and you’re invited along!
Marty’s “Tabletop Tuesday“
Cuisine Kathleen’s “Let’s Dish!“
Susan’s “Tablescape Thursday“
The Home Girl’s “Festive Friday Fiesta“

UPDATE: This post was featured as the most viewed entry for The Home Girl’s blog party!

Find this and other fun posts from my blog at BeBetsy.com!

The Bluebird Special – In My Mother’s Honor/My Brother’s Memory

March 19, 2013July 28, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 74 Comments

It’s going to take forever to write this, but this time I’m going to do it……………

I love my parents. They put up with a LOT from me when I was a kid. I mean A LOT, people!!! I was crazy!!! If I had a daughter like me, I would have put her in a nunnery and not just throw away the key, but melt it into a doorstop to make the door more secure!!! They hung in there, though…especially my Mom. Frustrated and befuddled as she may have been, she hung in there. Throughout my life she has weathered my boyfriends, husbands, breakups, career changes, household moves, hairstyles, and even my “I just want to experience life” crap. My Mom has been good to me and good for me. For all three of us – Berishia (who I call Barf), Jay (my little brother who I called Hemorrhoid because he was such a pain in the @$$!), and me (who Jay called “Erica” as in Erica Kane because of the aforementioned “husbandS” thing!). She has been a role model and a cheerleader in more ways than I could write without a serious case of carpel tunnel setting in. She has been a Mother and a friend all in one…and that’s not always easy with a kid like me. 🙂

So….my Mom’s birthday is coming up this Friday. I don’t think she’ll mind my telling her age because it’s in her Senate bio and has been splashed across every newspaper and mentioned in every television or print media interview she has ever given. She’ll be 84 years young. And when I say “years young”, believe it!!! She can still out-shop (“rag pullin'” as she calls it), out-party, and out-dance me by a mile. (I suffer from extreme “Elaineism” when it comes to dancing…y’all know that “Seinfeld” episode!) This woman stirs Eveready® batteries in with her oatmeal for breakfast!
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INSPIRATION: (1) I almost broke this little pot I found about a month after my little brother, whose trucking handle was “Bluebird” – lost his life in a motorcycle accident. (2) While driving today, I saw 3 of these Pavlich trucks (the company he loved and worked for) when I haven’t seen any in months. It was a sign. I knew it was time.

I started this Spring birthday tablescape with a full-length white linen from Linen Tablecloth.

I display the bluebird pot in a guest bedroom. I’ve had it since 1999. When in 2010 when I saw these beautiful “Early Bird” plates & bowls at Pier 1 with the bluebird in the bowl, it hit me right away that I had to have them. I wanted to create a table to honor my brother. For 3 years I tried…and for 3 years, I couldn’t do it. It was just too hard. Still is. So this year, I’m using them to honor my Mother’s birthday – which is joyous and because last year I teased her about eating dinner at “The IHop Hour” which is like 3 in the afternoon when the senior discount starts at IHop restaurants! – and my brother whose memory from this day forward I choose to rejoice in rather than mourn.

I ran my sister all over the state of Minnesota looking for these square rattan chargers from Tuesday Morning last year. She shipped them here just in time for my stepdaughter’s birthday dinner party. The faux bamboo flatware was a great buy at JC Penney Outlet.

The stemware are those wonderful green Dollar Tree goblets we all know and love! These are the best buy!!! Attractive, usable in all four seasons and, at just $1 each, unbeatable in value! I bought the napkins, aptly named Spring Tulips, and the green woven napkin rings at Bed, Bath & Beyond several years ago. I like this “bow tie” because it can be both masculine (in black, gray, or some manly pattern) or feminine like it is here in this buttery yellow.

The centerpiece is a tangle of delicate yellow tulips in white ceramic vases (Michaels), a variety of bird nests filled with eggs, birdhouses, and boxwood balls atop white ceramic pots.

TIP: When using multiple elements in your centerpiece, try not to line everything up straight like soldiers. Try lining up a single element and then “scattering” the rest to break up the uniformity and add visual interest.

The buffet is simply topped with a wire birdcage and vase full of willowy branches at one end, a vintage-looking clock in the center, and an urn filled with Spanish moss and bird eggs on the opposite end.

Finally, the tea cart is made ready for coffee or tea with “Early Bird” mugs and a white teapot from Home Goods.

Clockwise: Mom & me when I was 3 months old; Mom & chillin’ on a Sunday afternoon; Mom, Jimmo & me at last year’s Mother’s Day dinner at our house; Mom, Barf (hands on skinny little hips) & me; Mom & me at Mario Tricoci Salon; Mom & me at her 80th birthday dinner at our house. Center photo: Mom, Daddy & me before they headed out to a gala

Clockwise: Ramon, Mom & me celebrating my 50th birthday in the nerd…uh, computer store; Mom & me doing that Grape Nuts commercial thing where the mother is mistaken for the daughter (we do weird stuff like that!); Mom & me at her campaign party; Barf, Mom & me at Thanksgiving 2010; Kelly, Mom & me celebrating Mother’s Day at our house, 2010; in the parking lot upon my return from living & working on Capitol Hill in D.C. Center photo: Mom, me & famed hairstylist/entrepreneur Mario Tricoci (he cut her hair!!!)

Clockwise from top: Mom & me at Bruce R. Watkins Center; at my cousin’s wedding; at Watkins Center again (we spend a lot of time there!); at my parents’ home before heading out to the Rod Stewart concert; posing like the Doublemint Twins! Center: Mom & me at her 81st birthday luncheon at our house.

Me being the very annoying kid I am giving Mom the bunny ears; kissing her little head at her 80th birthday party at our house; my sister, niece (kneeling), Mom & me at one of her Senatorial pep rally/photo shoots; Mom, Daddy & me on the Missouri Senate floor; we laugh alike!!!; Mom & me at Elton John concert. Center photo: Mom, Daddy, Ramon & me out to dinner at the M&S to celebrate Daddy’s 83rd birthday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!!!

In memory of Bluebird
July 3, 1960 – Forever in Our Memories

Joining Susan for “Tablescape Thursday”.

For more Spring-inspired tables on this site:
“Rolling Fields of Green”
“Easter Floral”
“Peonies & Pearls”
“Moss & Manzanitas”
“Easter Brunch”
“Spring Has Sprung”
“Taste of Wine Buffet”
“Apple Green Luncheon”
“Barton’s Easter Brunch”
“The Party She Deserves”
“Pinky Peter Cottontail”
“Daffodillyicious”
“Springtime in Paris”
“Welcome Back, Joel”
“Peony Power”
“Carousel Colors”
“Spring” page – featuring 2 Spring tables

The Party She Deserves – Birthday Dinner for My Blog Friend, Vernice

March 4, 2013April 16, 2014 / Alycia Nichols / 79 Comments

When I first started blogging about 3 years ago, I had no idea I would make so many long-distance friends. I have such a good time getting to know you! Even though I’ve only met a couple of my blog friends in person, I have still developed deep, lasting friendships with several people. One of those people, Vernice, celebrated her 82nd birthday last week. (I don’t think she’ll mind my posting her age since she has it right there on her blog, We Three Dogs and Me.) Because Vernice and I live about 1300 miles apart and I have a profound fear of flying, I have never had the pleasure of seeing and embracing this lovely lady in the flesh. I hope to remedy that some day. Meanwhile, I want to honor Vernice in the best way I know how. This is the birthday dinner I would give to celebrate 82 wonderful years of my friend, Vernice…the party I would give if I just lived closer…because in my heart, she deserves it.
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I still think of 82 as being a spring chicken! I would want Vernice to enjoy being Queen for a Day in a room filled with light, spring-like colors that express the joy and optimism I see in her personality, her heart, and each tablescape she lovingly creates. And flowers…Vernice would be treated to LOTS of flowers!!!*

This table for 8 would work well for an upscale Spring birthday celebration, bridal shower, bridesmaids’ luncheon, and even a St. Patrick’s Day dinner party! Swap the apples out for eggs, and it could even work beautifully for Easter Sunday.

I chose to expose the bare wood of the table and use placemats, draped off the side. I used Granny Smith apple green and white houndstooth placemats and white poppy bowls from Pier 1, along with cotton napkins and B. Smith square dinner plates from Bed, Bath & Beyond.

Simple clear glassware and stemware keep the place settings from competing with the abundance of decor. I used many of these elements in another tablescape, Apple Green Luncheon, a couple of years ago. It never ceases to amaze me how the same basic elements can produce so many different looks!

The centerpiece is made up of many different elements including fresh white bird salt & pepper shakers purchased from Pier 1 several years ago. Vernice loves birds (and all animals…especially her dogs Peanut & Bambi, and her frisky new kitty cat) so I wanted to be sure to include them! A pair of white turned wood candlesticks from Z Gallerie are parked on each side of a Ralph Lauren reticulated white pedestal bowl piled high with apples. White roses spill from the same small bowls used at each place setting and white ceramic vases from Michaels. TIP #1: Using multiple heights of flowers on the table adds interest and color.

I wanted the dining table backdrop to be really dramatic, so I used a number of different white and clear floral vessels to achieve that look. Tall white ceramic cylinders overflowing with wispy white orchids, white reticulated vessels (these are actually candle holders, but you can simply slip in a clear glass vase to hold the water) filled with hydrangea, viburnum, roses, tulips and hypericum berries, and smaller containers with roses and hydrangea are scattered across the buffet. White wood candlesticks like those on the dining table create a bit of ambient light that bounces off the mirror behind. TIP #2: Using a mirror as a backdrop works wonders to double the depth, color, beauty and ambient light in your decor. TIP#3: Use a variety of flowers in the same shade for a textural bonanza!

Always a little something-something for the tea cart and top of the china cabinet.

To my dear, sweet Vernice…I love, admire, honor and respect you with all my heart. You are a strong, sensitive, brave and giving person with untold talents and a heart as big as 1000 lakes. Happy Birthday #82, and I wish you the best year ever!

Other posts on this site using green & white:
“Apple Green Luncheon”
“Upscale Irish”
“Moss & Manzanitas”
“Spring Has Sprung”
“Ready for My Close-Up, Mr. DeMille” (buffet)

I am sharing Vernice’s birthday celebration dinner with Jessica at A Humble Creation for her Monday Link Party, Marty’s “Tabletop Tuesday“, Cuisine Kathleen’s “Let’s Dish!” (Wednesday after 6:00 p.m. Central time), The Style Sisters for “Centerpiece Wednesday“, Yvonne at Stone Gable for “Tips, Tutorials & Tidbits”, Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for “Tablescape Thursday” (Thursday after 9:00 a.m. Central time), and a brand spankin’ new blog party, “Fiesta Friday”, over at The Home Girl! You can also see my work at BeBetsy.com!

*The florals used for this “fantasy table” are faux, but I recommend using fresh flowers for real dinner parties whenever your budget allows. There’s just nothing like ’em and you can give them away as favors to the guests as they leave!

Moss & Manzanitas

February 19, 2013March 15, 2014 / Alycia Nichols / 63 Comments

We’re under a stupid winter storm watch here in the Midwest. Wednesday night into Thursday is supposed to get really ugly. Stock-up-on-supplies-and-pull-out-the-longjohns ugly. (Mine actually have a Dennis the Menace flap in the back! :-)) So as we brace ourselves for a less-than-pleasant end of the week, I’m getting more and more anxious for Spring to arrive.
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The concept for this table for 8 started back in January when I made an appearance on a local morning show here in Kansas City. (Click HERE to see the post, “Ready for My Close-Up, Mr. DeMille” with video clip and start-to-finish photos.) I set up a buffet table that would work well for this weird in-between stage when the bareness of Winter is still painfully evident, but Spring is just a stone’s throw away. On that buffet, I used a lot of bling along with the moss and manzanitas that would have been great for a bridal luncheon or a 60th wedding anniversary, traditionally dubbed in the U.S. as the “diamond anniversary.” The post with that television appearance does include photos so you can compare that buffet setting to this sit-down one.

While diamonds are absolutely a girl’s best friend (well…diamonds and Spanx! :-)), for this more casual table I wanted to use “rocks” of a different kind. Hence the abundance of smooth river rock nestled around the manzanita “tree” centerpiece.

Nothing says Spring like color, and this citrusy green dinner plate really grabs your attention! (Dollar Tree, folks! Dollar Tree!!! If you don’t have one in your area, petition the company to build one there!!!)

A plain white cotton napkin is wrapped around a tri-color menu and topped with a single stone. The natural look of bamboo in the flatware further complements the setting.

Unadorned clear glass stemware gets an upgrade with the addition of individual bottles of chilled wine. I like using these mini bottles from World Market to dress a casual table, but always have plenty of the big boys on hand as well. Some guests take the minis home as a souvenir, others drink it on the spot.

The centerpiece is made up of these cool manzanita branches I bought last year at Gordmans. When I first used them last Halloween I gave them a much more ghastly graveyard look. Here they take on a totally new role, dotted with white orchid blooms as if Spring is making its first appearance. With all the moss (the famous Moss Bridge, not to mention the mossy hillsides) and the stone (stone walls, the Blarney Stone), this would make a great table for St. Patrick’s Day!!!

I just love the color and texture and smell of reindeer moss! It’s so…woodsy! I tucked little sprigs of it among the branches as well as loading up on it at the base of the branch structure.

I found these fun-shaped ceramic vases at Home Goods about a year ago. They help extend the bright, invigorating color of the lime green plates and reindeer moss from the dining table to the buffet behind it.

I want to extend a HUGE thank you to The Home Girl for naming my blog as one of her “Five Fabulous Finds” and to Jenna at The Painted Apron for listing me among her picks for “Very Inspiring Blogger”! It’s always uplifting to receive recognition from fellow bloggers, and I appreciate it very much! These ladies both have an enviable array of weekly posts on tablescaping, recipes, home organization & decor…their talents abound! If you’ve not seen their blogs, I most certainly recommend that you treat yourself!

This week I’ll be joining Cuisine Kathleen for her weekly blog party, “Let’s Dish!“, The Style Sisters for “Centerpiece Wednesday“, and Susan for “Tablescape Thursday“. Join me, and you’ll be able to see the work of talented tablescapers from all around the world. It’s really cool to see decor from places like Sweden (Chubby ‘N Chieque), India (Crystal Grandeur), Australia (Desire Empire), and, of course, right here in the good ol’ U.S. of A.!

Other tablescapes on this site to help you prepare to entertain this Spring:
“Spring Has Sprung”
“Welcome Back, Joel!”
“Apple Green Luncheon”
“Mum’s the Word”
“Carousel Colors”
“Springtime in Paris Mother’s Day Brunch”
“Peony Power”
“Daffodillyicious”
“Taste of Wine Buffet”
“Mikasa Daylight Giveaway”
“Daisy Crazy”

Purple + Green = Happy Birthday!

August 21, 2012December 19, 2012 / Alycia Nichols / 56 Comments

“Best friends are those who, when you show up at their door with a dead body, say nothing, grab a shovel, and follow you.” –author unknown

I have been very fortunate to have the same best friend for nearly 50 years. Yes, yes, I know…I only look 25 (HA! :-)), but it’s true: Sheri and I have been friends since the 1st grade!!! We have seen each other through all of what life has flung at us, and we’ve had a rollicking good “Thelma & Louise” kind of time through it all. No two people could be more different, have more diverse interests, be as “day and night” as we are, but that has never seemed to matter. We’ve always remained the Yin to the other’s Yang. Like Felix and Oscar…with ovaries! 🙂

Sheri has a birthday coming up on Friday. While she prefers to keep things low-key these days, I can still at least imagine the party I would throw in her honor! This is a setting that would also work well for a bridal shower or, with grapes and pears added to the mix, a lovely summer vineyard wedding reception.
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Varying shades of purple with bright lime green tempered with white would be a welcome sight for the birthday girl and her guests. The setting is simple with relatively clean lines, but it has lots of energetic color. The setting is anchored with a floor-length white table linen that, not unlike an artist’s canvas, shows off that color at its best.

Each place setting begins with an acrylic lavender charger from Michael’s, followed by a lime green dinner plate from Dollar Tree (a great place to really stretch a buck…everything in the place is just $1!!!) and a white Corelle salad plate. You don’t always have to use top of the line dishes and accessories to create a beautiful, tasteful, memorable tablescape!

White cotton hemstitch napkins are simply cinched with a length of lavender organza ribbon.

The flatware is also kept simple. The only embellishment on it echoes the ridges on the rim of the dinner plate.

Sheri and I both love to eat good food. She sometimes phones me to ask, “What do I feel like eating? I know I’m hungry, but I can’t figure out what I want to eat.” I ceremoniously smack my lips and wrack my brain for something tasty that I think will satisfy her taste buds. It actually works about 90% of the time! The menu for her birthday would include food that I know she loves. I created these menus on my home computer using specialty papers from Michael’s and Hobby Lobby.

I have waited what seems like a lifetime to use this stemware!!! I love the sultry plum color! The goblets are from Stein Mart, and the fun pilsners are from T.J. Maxx.

Sheri has always loved flowers, and there would be no shortage of multi-bloom bouquets at her dinner party to perk up the room! Here, an assemblage of hydrangea, roses, Dutch tulips, acid-green viburnum, and Dutch lilac in simply-styled lime green ceramic vases mixes with a scattering of plums and green apples.

The buffet behind the dining table boasts the same colors for the florals and accessories but includes a bit more white. The purple & green floral pots are actually lightweight and convenient-to-store Styrofoam™! I bought them at a wholesale place headquartered in a town just about 35 minutes away from our home. These will come in very handy for future Spring and Easter tablescapes!

Chunky pillar candles embellished with the same organza ribbon used to tie the napkins are set atop curvy white turned wood Z Gallerie candlesticks.

Ask guests to wrap gifts in colors that will complement the decor. Here, woven strips of lavender organza and lime green satin ribbon dress up a plain white gift box. The box is gussied up even further with a few blooms that match the decor.

A plain pitcher is made to look special by the deep, rich apple juice/plum juice/peach nectar beverage created just for this occasion. Slices of fruit always give a little more “oomph!” to beverage displays. The lime green acrylic appetizer plates are from Target.

I always like to add little touches throughout the room that complement the table decor. The china cabinet in the corner is treated to the same flower pots as the buffet but filled with chartreuse roses and raffia filler.

So what cocktail hour music would I choose? Songs about friends, of course, with Queen’s “You’re My Best Friend”, Sweet Baby James Taylor’s “You’ve Got a Friend”, and Kenny Rogers’ “You Were a Good Friend” topping the list. And as we’re both fast approaching our AARP years, what kind of friend and hostess would I be if I didn’t include the theme from “The Golden Girls”? 😉

Through thick and thin, good hairstyles and bad, for better or worse, from here to eternity…Sheri Lynn Grant will always be my best friend. She has to be…the girl knows way too much! 🙂
Happy Birthday, Sheri!

Other posts on this site using purple:
“Purple & Pastel“
“Planning in Purple“

I will be joining Cuisine Kathleen for “Let’s Dish!” this week along with Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for “Tablescape Thursday“. C’mon by and take a peek at what all the tablescapers from around the globe are up to!

Something Blue Bridal Luncheon

May 22, 2012July 16, 2013 / Alycia Nichols / 39 Comments

Shhhhhhhh! Do you hear that? The sound of church bells tolling in the distance….do you hear it? It’s May, and you’ll hear a lot of those now that the wedding season is in full swing. May is a popular month for outdoor wedding events in many parts of the country because the air is yet untainted by the overwhelming aroma of summer barbeques and swimming pool chlorine.

In the hustle and bustle of preparing for the big day, an intimate luncheon just for the bride and her attendants might be in order. A quiet spot under the branches of an old oak tree provides the perfect venue. (This setting would also work very nicely for a ladies’ luncheon.)
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Hanging the canopy over ground space uninterrupted by massive tree roots was way out of my league! Nothing like the handy dandy help of a good husband with no fear of heights to get things going! Be sure to test the ground beneath the canopy to make sure it’s level enough for the table and chairs before going through the trouble of hanging it. (Also a good idea to make sure all nearby bird and squirrel nests are unoccupied. We found this out the hard way!)

The foundation of this tiny round table for four is a full-length white linen topped with a soft blue Ralph Lauren “Veranda Paisley” cotton linen from TJ Maxx.

Silverleafed terra cotta chargers and simple white Corelle plates are enlivened with a soft blue cotton napkin from Burlington.

Luncheon breads are tucked safely away from nosy birds beneath a 6″ clear glass cloche from Hobby Lobby.

The Baroque design of heirloom flatware is a good fit.

What’s a wedding celebration among friends without a champagne toast? (Remember to have a chilled sparkling cider on hand for any non-drinkers in your group!)

I chose this particular iced beverage glass because of the shape of the stem. The ball there is similar to that of the top of the cloche and the “ankle” of the floral vessel. I always try to consider shape similarities when choosing tabletop items to create a sense of unity. Your guests won’t necessarily make a conscious connection, but their subconscious will pick right up on it as that “something” that makes the table work. This is yet another reason why it’s good to get very well acquainted with your personal tablescaping inventory.

A clear glass vase of simple apple blossom branches is the only centerpiece needed. The sheer white canopy is festooned with the traditional “something blue” of trailing silk ribbons.

When the breeze catches it just right, the canopy looks like a bridal veil or the train of a beautiful gown.

The canopy is anchored away from the table to accommodate chairs just before lunch begins by using pearl head pins along the hem to secure it.

See 6 more wedding-related events all on one page by clicking on the “Wedding” tab at the top of this page. You can see even more entries suitable for wedding-related events by clicking on these individual posts:
“Roses in October“
“Blushing Bridal Shower“
“Peonies & Pearls“
“Showered in Pink“
“Raining Orchids“
“Get Me To the Church On Time“
“White Hot“
“Autumn White Wedding“
“Pink Plaid & Posies“
“Flirty Peach Skirt“

I am joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for “Tablescape Thursday” again this week. I hope you have a chance to visit!

Tulips In the iHop Hour

May 9, 2012April 18, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 54 Comments

My parents have for as long as I can remember preferred to eat Sunday dinner in what I affectionately call “the iHop Hour.” You know…those early bird special hours between 3 and 6 p.m. when seniors aged 55+ can get a discounted meal at the International House of Pancakes. (I’m not knockin’ it! That’s exactly where I plan to have lunch…yes, 3:00 will still be lunch for me!…on my 55th next year!) Although my husband and I still like to wait until after the sun goes down, we always try to honor the tick tock of my parents’ gastronomic time clock and get “dinner” served by 3:30 at the latest.

This year’s Mothers Day celebration will be no different. Our table will, therefore, be devoid of candles reserved for twilight dining and take on instead a light, sunshiny, Skip-to-My-Lou air with energetic orange as the star color.
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Tulips In the IHop Hour

Fearful of Mother Nature’s unpredictable outbursts of wind and showers, I have decided to serve a nice sit-down meal in the dining room. Surprisingly, no full-length linen this time around! (I’m just as shocked at myself as you are!!! :-)) This would be an excellent table for a casual ladies’ luncheon or birthday celebration.

Inspiration…as slow as it was to take hold…came from these Prima Design tulip-splashed salad plates I found at TJ Maxx. I love the happy color and the simplicity of the design. That simplicity, I thought, is what mandated the absence of linens and effusive decor. The plain white ceramic charger is from Old Time Pottery. The vivid orange dinner plate is one of the best finds of the year from the Dollar Tree. (Did you know that Dollar Tree and Deal$ are owned by the same company and therefore carry many of the same items??? It was news to me until a couple of days ago!)

I created the menus using cardstock from Michaels. (I wait it out until it goes on sale for 25¢ a sheet and then go nuts!!!) I included a bit of yellow to mirror some of the flowers used in the centerpieces and add depth to the menu piece. The little flower brads are from Hobby Lobby. (Again, catch them on sale for a song!) I am not a “crafty” person by any stretch, so I am so grateful for my handy, dandy Fiskars paper cutter!

White bird salt & pepper shakers from Pier 1 fit right in!

It’s too early to buy the real flowers, so I’m using faux blooms here. I plan bouquets by creating them in advance with faux flowers. It makes the trip to the flower market go so much faster and easier! One book that really inspires me to keep my arrangements fun and creative is Paula Pryke’s “Table Flowers”. (Click HERE for my brief review of her book.) I never try to imitate a creation bloom-for-bloom, but innovative and unabandoned style is what gives me a kick in the britches. (Used here: Holland tulips, daylilies, calla lilies, poppies, and mums.)

I like for the items on the buffet behind the table to coordinate whenever possible. This time around I used a massive orange wooden platter from Z Gallerie as a backdrop. The pure white pitchers, purchased a couple of years ago at Home Goods, are spruced up with silver beverage tags affixed with mandarin orange ribbon. A jumble of orange, yellow & green beads add color and texture.

I took a cue from my sweet blogger buddy, Vernice at We Three Dogs & Me, and wove orange ribbon through the slats of the Ralph Lauren “Pavillion” footed stand that will hold the key lime pie. (I’ve never made key lime pie before. Check back to make sure we’re all still alive, please! :-)) Vernice did the same using bright pink ribbon for her Mother’s Day 2012 post in which she told the most touching story about her own Mom and her very interesting childhood. HIGHLY recommended reading…have tissues handy!

Mom & me, 1958

So that…finally!!!…is our Mother’s Day 2012 table. Simple, sweet, sunny, and fun! I hope my Mom likes it. I was warned NOT to go pink & green for her, so I just stepped WAY outside the color box!
Happy Mother’s Day, Mom, and the same to my dear readers…even if you’re not dining in the IHop hour! 😉

Other Spring/Summer tablescapes using orange on this site:
“Mandarin Bling“
“Orange You Glad You Came to Dinner?”
“Oranges & Blossoms“

I will be joining Cuisine Kathleen again this week for her “Let’s Dish!” Mother’s Day Tablescape Challenge. Be sure to check it out for lots of great ideas from other tablescapers around the world! I’m also joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for “Tablescape Thursday“, and I hope you’ll drop by!

Peony Power!

May 1, 2012April 18, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 88 Comments

Do you remember those 1970s Chiffon Margarine commercials with “It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature!” as the slogan? Apparently someone didn’t get the memo, because this has been one of the weirdest weather years in recent history. We experienced one of the mildest, driest winters, and Spring has rapidly turned to Summer without so much as a “How do you do?”. To quote yet another, more contemporary TV commercial, “Wasuuuuuuuuuuuppppppppp??!?!?!”

Peonies generally wait to pop their big moppy heads out sometime in mid-May, but it’s only May 1 and most blooms are nothing but a memory around here. Pitiful. But that won’t stop me from sharing this with those of you who still have a few weeks of peony power on your side! This would make a great Mothers Day celebration table, or work great for a birthday, rehearsal dinner, engagement party, or bridal shower.
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This Tuscan-style table for 12 on the deck starts out with a full-length white linen topped with a beautiful piece of blue & white fabric I found at Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft Store.

A basic white ceramic charger from Old Time Pottery is topped with a cobalt blue glass dinner plate from Pier 1.

Each place setting has a white hemstitch napkin gathered with a fun napkin ring from Bed Bath & Beyond. I just love napkin rings that look like jewelry!

The very subtle pattern of Godinger’s “Chelsea” collection works well with the busy topper.

I favored this flatware because the design on the handle looks a lot like the pattern of the fabric. I always look for similarities in shapes, patterns and angles to make details mesh.

A mix of small and large peony arrangements in cobalt blue glass vases line the center of the table. These peonies are not real for this demonstration table (alas and alack, those bad boys have long since met their Maker!), but when you use real ones, be sure to check for those pesky little ants that like to hang out in the blooms. (There are 2 schools of thought on whether or not ants actually promote the opening of the multi-layered blooms. I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and spare them a date with a can of Raid. ;-))

After the sun retires for the evening, these reticulated canisters – set at intervals between the florals – are great for disguising a chunky LED candle that will make light dance across the table.

Visit other posts on this site oozing with peony power:
“Peonies & Pearls“
“Peaceful Peonies“

Other posts on this site using cobalt blue:
“Daffodillyicious“
“Blue & White 30th Birthday“
“Surf & Turf Dinner“
“Brilliant Italian“
“Summer Blues & Greens“

I’m joining Cuisine Kathleen’s “Let’s Dish!” and Susan’s “Tablescape Thursday” again this week. Pop on over to see what a bunch of other ladies and gents are up to this week with their tablescaping!