Patisserie de Paris

July 17, 2013July 24, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 67 Comments

After another short absence, I am back for a couple of weeks before my shoulder surgery next Friday, the 26th. Again, thanks to all of you who have been so patient with my on-again-off-again posting as I’ve tried to deal with soul-crushing pain in the wake of Daddy’s death. It has not been easy in any way. Add to that the physical pain with my shoulders and back…not a fun summer!

All that being said…I’d like to dedicate this post to two very special fellow bloggers. First up, Jennie Schumann of Got My Reservations went to Paris earlier this year and was so sweet and thoughtful as to gift me with this week’s colorful inspiration. Merci, Jennie!

Patisserie de Paris placemat - Tablescapes at Table Twenty-One

INSPIRATION: Many thanks to Jennie Schumann for these easy-clean beauties!!!

I also want to dedicate this post to Linda at A La Carte who will be jetting off to gay Paris in September. She’s so excited about it, and I’m truly excited for her!!! What lucky girls! I can only live vicariously through them since I am so afraid to fly!
(Click on any photo, then click again to enlarge it for close-up details.)

Our deck is the site of this lovely French patisserie or bakery. It’s all set up for a lovely ladies luncheon, bridal luncheon, bridal shower, lady’s birthday, the girls’ way of celebrating Bastille Day (that’s a stretch!) or any occasion where femininity and fun are key elements.

Let’s start with the petite dining table set for four.

The placemats are far too pretty to completely cover, so clear glass dishes are on tap today to let the design shine through.

This oblong placemat has a beautiful pink damask background with soft green borders. The image of the Eiffel Tower is set against what appears to be a lacy doily. Images of luscious French macarons seem to bounce right off the placemat. The flatware is International Silver “Royal Danish”. (FUN FACT: the word “macaron” is not an alternate spelling of macaroon. The two terms refer to two distinctly different things. Both macarons and macaroons are confections, and both names are derived from “ammaccare”, which is Italian for “to crush” — but that’s where the similarities end. The macarons as pictured are a meringue-based cookie made with almond flour, egg whites, and granulated and powdered sugar, then filled with buttercream or fruit spread. A macaroon, on the other hand, is more often than not that little quarter-sized dollop of egg whites & sugar rolled in dried coconut and toasted to sweet perfection. In France, this is called a “congolais” and is served during Passover because it contains no flour. Sufficiently confused yet? 🙂 )

You may notice lots of layering going on throughout the space, starting with these 4-ply menus. (Click on the photo, then click again to enlarge and note how the menus honor Jennie and Linda!) A bright celadon green is topped with 2 different shades of pink damask cardstock from Hobby Lobby to complement the design of the placemat. It is held together with a metal fleur de lis brad, also from Hobby Lobby. The stemware used for this tablescape is from Old Time Pottery, and the napkin is from Bed Bath & Beyond.

The dramatic “Eiffel Tower” centerpiece is one that, while very tall, can still be seen through across the table. I have used this piece in different ways for two other posts, “Springtime in Paris Buffet” and “French Poodle”. Here is is lightly embellished with dainty pink silk flowers and a few butterflies. The center holds a glass cake pedestal piled high with pastries.

The layered look continues with the table linens. A 108″ round LinenTablecloth.com tablecloth in “Tea Green” is topped with a soft pink 90″ tablecloth. Layered linens always give a richer, more sumptuous look to a table and allow multiple theme colors to extend below the table’s surface.

Simple white resin patio chairs add to the “outdoor cafe” look.

It’s no jam-packed Parisian patisserie window, but I thought this vintage baker’s rack would be a neat way to display pastries and a few French-inspired knick-knacks as well as to bring the feel of an authentic patisserie to the deck. Notice the replica penny-farthing (bicycle) there on the floor as well as the fleur de lis symbols on the shelves. (TIDBIT: Frenchman Eugene Meyer is credited as the father of the penny-farthing or “high bicycle” by the International Cycling History Conference.)

Crosses show up a lot in French design and architecture, so I used this large wrought iron cross on top of the baker’s rack. The cross is flanked by two celadon green hat boxes with French flair.

Just like in a French patisserie, there is a huge variety of sweet pastries from which to choose. I stuck with pastries in the same/complementary color palette as the table.

Who knew a MoonPie looked so much like an authentic macaron? Hmmm….the MoonPie was created at the start of the Great Depression, so maybe it IS the poor man’s macaron? 🙂 And maybe it’s why they have been a traditional “throw” during the Mardi Gras (very French!) parades in many Southern states since the 1950s? (Where are my ‘Bama girls to back me up on this? Ellen? Sandra?) Something to ponder….! 🙂

More pastries on the dessert buffet, including beautiful pirouette cookies and pretty little cakes that make me want to slap on a crown and shriek, “Off with their heads!“, are displayed in and on glass and silver.

I bought several of these beautiful silver cake servers yeas ago. They come in quite handy for dessert buffets! The dark wrought iron fleur de lis seen here, as well as the white one in previous photos, both came from the clearance aisle at Hobby Lobby for just $1 apiece.

The buffet table carries on the theme of pink, green and white as well as layering. This 90″ x 132″ white tablecloth is topped with pink and tea green satin runners, all from LinenTablecloth.com. It looked nice with the plain white tablecloth, but adding bits of color (for such a teensy, tiny price!) just kicked it up a notch! I used 3 runners to represent the 3 vertical bands of the French flag.

The coffee service set up on one end of the buffet table features a silver 25-cup coffee urn, a vintage creamer and sugar set, soft pink napkins, and a billowy floral design in a French-inspired white vase. The pastoral scene on the side of the cups is decidedly French, too.

Loaves of bread stand tall in a silver champagne bucket while croissants and other breads are displayed in a silver wire basket with Victorian-era tongs alongside assorted cheeses. The Austrian crystal cheese picks and forks add just the right amount of bling.

Finally, this fancy glass decanter with the word “Paris” on it is filled with corks instead of a beverage for a nice decorative touch.

Many, many, many thanks to Jennie for this wonderful bit of inspiration!

More posts using pink & green on this site:
“Showered in Pink”
“Blushing Bridal Shower”
“Fairy Tale Wedding Shower – Princess & the Frog”
“Mother’s Day Luncheon in Pink”
“Pinky Peter Cottontail”
“Pleasant Under Glass”
“Springtime in Paris”
“Easter Brunch”

I’m joining a couple of blog parties this week:
“Let’s Dish!” with Cuisine Kathleen
“Tablescape Thursday” with Susan at Between Naps on the Porch

I’ll be back next week with one more post before surgery. It’s gonna be a doozy, and you won’t want to miss it!
Until next week, au revoir!

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.
(Click on any photo to enlarge/enhance it.)

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!

Ready For My Close-Up, Mr. DeMille!

January 14, 2013March 15, 2014 / Alycia Nichols / 49 Comments

L to R: Friend/Neighbor/Fabulous Helper Barbara, Host Kelly Jones, me
I feel like Uncle Festus standing next to these skinny women! 🙂

I wanted to share the video with you from my second appearance this morning on “Better Kansas City“. This is a local morning show that covers a wide spectrum of topics including home decor and entertaining. I was so honored to be invited back after my first appearance in November! Today I discussed buffet tablescapes…really fun!

When I arrived home later this morning, I hopped out of my car to greet a neighbor and slipped on a patch of black ice in the driveway. I can’t show you the photos of my backside (think rug burn at its worst on top of cottage cheese a.k.a. cellulite! :-)), but my hands got roughed up pretty good. My head may very well have left a dent in the concrete, too. It hit so hard that I literally saw stars!!! The worst part, though? I really scuffed up my beautiful black leather boot!!!!! 😦

I’ll work on getting the post from today’s show ready and try not to completely off myself with clumsiness in the process. Meanwhile, I hope you’ll pop over to the KCTV-5 “Better Kansas City” site and check out the segment! It’ll be up all week, although the page it’s on will change. Many thanks to everyone at Better Kansas City (co-hosts Kelly Jones and Lisa Holbrook, producer Erin Cansler, tech guy/gracious gentleman Mike who, when putting on my mic, didn’t say a word about all the Spanx goin’ on under there, always good-lookin’ cameraman Chris, and sweet, pretty Lauren) my neighbor Barbara, and my friend Sheri who took lots of great pictures!
Happy Monday, everyone!

Here are the photos from the show that tell the story from start to finish!

(Click on any photo to enlarge/enhance it. Photos by Sheri L. Grant)

The set of “Better Kansas City”

We arrived at the studio at 7:45 a.m., unloaded in about 15 minutes. With just 45 minutes to set up the entire tablescape, there’s no time to waste! (But I still always take time to measure for proper placement!)

Depicting a “nearly Spring” buffet, I used a variety of vessels including chafers, flat trays, stacked cake stands, and glass ramekins.

Lots of bling hung among the manzanita branches and placed on the table with the reindeer moss to add a little glitz. This is a table that would work well for a Springtime bridal shower, bridal luncheon, or 60th wedding anniversary.

As Barbara adds the finishing touches, I consult with the producer’s assistant on the minutiae of the script.

With just about 5 minutes to spare, the table is completely set and ready!

The table is dressed, now it’s my turn!

The sound guy is ready to get me mic’d up. Don’t I look lovely in my gym socks and sneakers? Maybe I should have kept them on to avoid the slip & fall described earlier! 🙂

Oh, so picky and NEVER satisfied, Barbara and I discuss possible adjustments in the remaining moments before the show goes live.

We swoop in to make a couple of quick tweaks (like adding “ice” to the forks assembled in the little crystal bucket), then finally declare…

…SUCCESS!!!

To see how this same concept translated into a sit-down dinner for 8, click HERE to see “Moss & Manzanitas”.

Pleasant Under Glass – Revisiting for Mother’s Day

May 8, 2012July 21, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 31 Comments

I’m still working on our Mother’s Day table which is really proving to be a challenge this year! I don’t know where my head is. (No vile, sideways comments from the peanut gallery on that one! ;-))

So, in the meantime, please enjoy this ultra-feminine pink & green tablescape I created a couple of years ago for a ladies’ luncheon just about the time I first started blogging. It has been hidden on the “Summer” page of this blog, so this may be the first time you’re seeing it. This table would be a great one for celebrating Mother’s Day, a birthday, a wedding shower, or even in honor of a breast cancer survivor.
(Click any photo to enhance/enlarge it.)

I have a great fondness for ladies’ luncheons. I am so much more at ease and relish the time spent with friends lingering over girly salads and quiche! When it’s just us girls, I can go all out pink, floral, delicate…no worries!

This luncheon tablescape in our back yard has all the elements of femininity at its all out best: lots of pink and lots of floral!

Each place setting starts with a ruffly hot pink charger (Crate & Barrel) topped with a sculpted ivory “Mckenzie” plate from Pier 1. The green salad plate adds another shot of color and picks up the secondary color in the table covering. The flatware is J.A. Henckels ”Bellaserra” stainless from Macy’s. All of the dishware, flatware and stemware is kept simple so as not to compete with the busy table covering. (The table covering, by the way, is a Waverly vinyl. I think vinyls can be used sparingly for breakfast, brunch and luncheon affairs if they are of a very high quality and every effort is made to smooth out the inevitable wrinkles.)

The napkins from Bed Bath &Beyond are simple poly-cotton in a deep shade of ivory with a BB&B woven green napkin ring. Tucked inside to mimic the colors and shapes in the table covering is a bit of deep green sword fern and a budding pink cymbidium orchid.

I wanted to do something a little different to accentuate the feminine side and the outdoorsy feeling of the tablescape. Tucked beneath a miniature cloche bell jar (Hobby Lobby) is a mound of bright green reindeer moss topped with an orchid. This feature is simply removed from the luncheon plate after the ladies are seated.

The grand 16″ cloche bell jar in the center of the table lords over its more diminutive counterparts and remains on the table throughout lunch. To slightly differentiate it and further play on the outdoor theme of the tablescape, a gazing ball is added along with reindeer moss, sword fern and cymbidium orchids.

Orchids and a tiny cluster of reindeer moss are affixed to the bell jar with a bit of Cling floral adhesive. Cling is great, but beware: clean up can sometimes be a bit of a challenge! To sidestep problems, always roll it into a ball. Any residue can be easily removed with Goo Gone or similar adhesive removal products. Another little tidbit: orchids are resillient and will hold up without a water source for several hours unless it’s scorching hot!

See more Mother’s Day tablescapes on this site:
“Mother’s Day Luncheon In Pink“
“Springtime in Paris Mother’s Day Buffet“
“Mother’s Day Brunch“
“Peony Power“

I am linking up with Susan’s Tablescape Thursday again this week. You might want to check it out to see what all the other tablescape enthusiasts from around the world are up to! Check in anytime after 9:00 CDT on Thursday morning.

Oopsy Daisy!

August 30, 2011July 8, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 71 Comments

Planning a summer luncheon? Hey…summer is NOT over yet! I’m hanging onto it for dear life! The proof is in this sunny yellow, green and white table that is perfect for a birthday luncheon, the girls getting together, or even a casual bridal luncheon or shower with a Gerbera daisy theme!

Even with the hot August sun blazing overhead, a summer picnic on the deck is a perfect time to gather with friends.

Got ugly or very generic outdoor tables like I do? Your most important table decor friend is a full-length white cloth that covers the top and legs with grace and style!

There are no fresh flowers used on this table, but you don’t miss them at all with the profusion of Gerbera daisies peeking out from underneath clear glass plates! A triple stack of colorful placemats makes each place setting really stand out. Clear stemware goes great with the plates. All placemats and the plates are from Bed Bath & Beyond.

A maverick place setting like this calls for a fun twist on the flatware placement! The flatware is from TJ Maxx.

A fun napkin fold mimics the petals of the daisy. The napkins are from & Bed Bath Beyond.

Grass in rustic pots brings color, texture and movement to the table.

No money for fresh flowers and too early in the day for candles? Well, something has to make that centerpiece pop! I used my trusty 31″H clear glass cylinders paired with colorful paper parasols from Hobby Lobby. Just plop ’em in! They look great and provide much-needed shade on a warm afternoon!

If you missed “Candle in the Wind” – my tribute table in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales – you can see it here. Beautiful fuchsia flowers, lots of silver…simple, but befitting the memory of a princess!

Other tablescapes on this site using paper parasols:

“Tropicana”
“Daisy Crazy“

Thanks for stopping in, and please join me as I visit Susan and the other tablescapers at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday!!!