Hello, Dahlia!

September 9, 2011July 31, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 25 Comments

I don’t think I have ever posted on a Friday, but I’m feelin’ frisky this week…so please indulge me! This is just a little extra something-something that I didn’t want to let slip through the cracks.

After peeking at this post, I’d like for you to take a moment to visit my blogger friend Vernice’s site at We Three Dogs & Me. Vernice put together a very touching patriotic tablescape that, as we inch closer to the disturbing anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on America, reminded me of how many lives have been sacrificed in the scant 235 years our nation has existed. She includes memorabilia from WWII, our nation’s costliest war in terms of human life in which over 100,000 American lives were lost. So if you get a moment, please peek in on Vernice’s blog post entitled “Independence Day”, dated August 31. (Scroll down 3 posts on her home page!)

Without further ado, I give you “Hello, Dahlia!” which was actually shot last year but never published. I set this up for a little before-shopping excursion so we could get our energy levels up! 🙂 This table would also be nice for ladies’ teas or luncheons.

Floor-length layers of white and scorching hot pink linen cover the table which is set for coffee and sweets.

Each of the four place settings is set with Noritake “Spectrum” china and “Royal Danish” sterling flatware. The napkins – truly a favorite in my collection – sport floating images of hot pink dahlias which, like summer in which they bloom at their heartiest, will soon begin to fade with the approach of cooler weather.

Dahlias are an excellent cut flower and come in a variety of colors, sizes, and varieties. They present beautifully in clusters as shown here or interspersed in a variety bouquet. Cut the stem off, and they are gorgeous floaters!!!

The florals are displayed in an silver antique reproduction tussie mussie. The cool thing about this tussie mussie is that it comes with its own decorative stand that automatically turns it into a vase! I have used the stands as candle holders on occasion. I wish I could tell you where to purchase these lovelies, but I bought them many years ago wholesale and have no idea where! (Same goes for the pretty silver cake stand in the photo below. Sorry!)

My trusty silver coffee pot all shined up and waiting to serve!

I hope you enjoyed this little “hiccup post.” Like I said….feelin’ frisky! Have a great weekend! 🙂

Other teatime posts on this blog include:
“Tea Roses“
“Coming Up Roses“
“Tee Mit Hans Dresden“

If you’d like to see more photos of tables suitable for ladies’ luncheons and teas, click here or on the Fun Stuff tab above and scroll down!

Tall & Toile, Y’all!

May 11, 2011July 30, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 51 Comments

The packing process is in full swing now. This will be my last post for a while. I’m taking a short hiatus to get moved to Savannah, GA with my husband. Before packing the last of the dishes and other “stuff”, though, I had to host one final (albeit small) dinner party a few weeks ago on the deck. This was an evening filled with both laughter and tears as I said, “So long!” to a couple of very dear friends. We all had horrible “racoon eyes” from crying and didn’t want to be photographed for this post. Suffice it to say, we had a wonderful time and I will treasure this final dinner party at our Lee’s Summit home.

I’m feeling sort of blue because we’re leaving the Kansas City area, so I decided to use that color for my last table.

I bought this wonderful toile table topper several years ago for a display table in my shop. I absolutely adore toile, and it was an even bigger hit with me combined with these dangling “jewels.”

Each place setting consists of silver-leafed terra cotta chargers topped with my favorite Noritake “Spectrum” china. Heirloom silver, Longchamps crystal and white cotton monogrammed dinner napkins rounds out the setting.

Creamy agapanthus in three silver julep cups was just enough for this tiny table.

I like the look of very tall candles! One of my 5-lite silver Revere candelabra held these svelte 25″ metal case candles that kept up with the cool spring winds accompanying our outdoor meal.

I will miss everything about you, Kansas City. You have been my only home for nearly 53 years. I will miss my awesome neighbors – the Alsups, the Rutherfords, the Jenisons, the Breshears – who have all been so sweet and generous and kind. I don’t know that I will ever be able to replace the feeling of “home” that they have provided on our little cul-de-sac over the years. I will miss Kansas City barbeque, the Sprint Center with its incredible acoustics for some of the coolest concerts ever, Chiefs games at “The K”, and the Kansas City symphony. I will miss the many parks, fountains and boulevards that make Kansas City so special. I will miss the Country Club Plaza, Z Gallerie (the closest one to Savannah is 5 hours away!!!), and Town Center Plaza where I have spent countless hours (and $$$). I will miss my former colleagues in the wedding industry, many of whom I still pop in on from time to time. I will certainly miss my friends – Sheri, my best friend of more than 45 years who has made life such a joy; Monica, Audrey, Rene, Michelle, my Kauffman Foundation crew – all of whom have been there for the best and worst of times. Most of all, I will miss my family: my sister and her children who make frequent trips into Kansas City; my very crazy cousins (yes, Dee…I’m singling you out!); my fun-loving aunt and uncle; my grandchildren; my stepchildren and their lively friends, and; my baby boy, Jimmo, who is the beat of my very heart. And, of course, I will sorely miss my parents. My parents who have loved and supported me in everything I do. My parents who I love so much it almost hurts. My parents who provided me with an upbringing that has made me strong enough to withstand the hardest things in life…even this move. For them I will hold my head up. That doesn’t mean I won’t cry. I’m crying right now, in fact. It does mean, however, that I will do them proud and not turn Savannah on its ear…too much! 😉

My dear blogger friends, please check back with me in a month or so. Once we are settled in to our new home in Savannah, I will be so happy to rejoin you in Blog Land.
Take care…y’all! 🙂

I am delighted to join Susan and the host of talented tablescapers who join in each week for Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch.

Princess Pink Birthday Dinner

February 2, 2011April 25, 2018 / Alycia Nichols / 48 Comments

Last Friday before all the snow fell upon our fair city (a full 12 inches where we live!!), I hosted a Sweet Sixteen X 2 birthday dinner for my best friend’s daughter-in-law. Pink was the “reigning” color of the evening.

A pink, black & white evening of celebration in honor of “Princess” Stacy’s 32nd (Sweet 16 x 2!) birthday. (Elements used for this royal tablescape would also work very well for a pink, black & white bridal shower or wedding. With a little tweaking, it would also be perfect for a Breast Cancer Awareness Month luncheon or dinner.)

A pink birthday party takes on a new air of sophistication when after-five black, rich silver tones, and lots of “bling” work alongside. A black table linen is the foundation for this tablescape, topped with white rhinestone-studded chargers. My favorite Noritake “Spectrum” china sits atop yet another beaded silver charger. Black cotton napkins from Bed, Bath & Beyond with a sheer silver underlay from Pier 1 “crown” the place setting. Of course, I had to pull out the “Royal Danish” sterling, and the silver crown place card holders and diamond cut Cristal d’Arques Longchamps crystal stemware were the perfect finish! (I added a little temporary pink “bling” to the top of each place card holder.)

I found these fabulous crown napkin rings at…you guessed it!…Z Gallerie!!!

I made the menus using heavy black paper topped with fabulous rose petal pink paper I found at Hobby Lobby. I printed the menu in color on plain white paper and then blinged it out with faux gemstones to give it that purely regal look!

I bought these sweet pink rose balls at a wholesale place and blinged them up a bit with “diamond” head stick pins. Each ball sits atop a slender silver candlestick with a bobeche dripping with crystals to give it a little extra “ooo la la.”

Photo by Sheri L. Grant

To bring color closer to the table deck, I used these pretty little multi-hued rosebud kissing balls that I made several years ago when I was feeling kind of crafty/bored. Again, I added rhinestone stick pins for this occasion.

Rhinestone candle holders are perfect on this table! The “crowns” hold a Swarovski crystal-studded pillar candle from Kaos, while each of the rectangular holders brings another level of light closer to the table. All of the centerpiece items reflect nicely in the black framed door mirror. (Also used HERE.)

Photo by Sheri L. Grant

I don’t always change the decor on top of the rustic china cabinet in the dining room, but this time was an exception. Another style of rhinestone candle holder and another larger homemade rose kissing ball shared the stage with my usual iron cross and a bevy of mercury glass votives.

A confection bar fit for a princess!

OK…so I’m a sucker for baby’s breath!!! I can’t help myself!!! This just looked so great in this ornately carved silver epergne. (I purchased 14 of these epergnes wholesale for my fine rentals business several years ago and just haven’t been able to part with them!) I replaced the candle lamps that came with the epergne with plain white metal case candles. The little wooden princess signs were purchased at Hobby Lobby, and I affixed lots of “bling” to the crowns on them for a sparkly 3-D look.

Pretty pink confections on the candy bar include M&Ms, Tootsie Rolls, Hershey’s kisses and heart-shaped marshmallows in clear glass apothecary jars. Engraved silver tags identify the various candies. Sheri, the birthday girl’s mother-in-law/my best friend, baked the pink-sanded sugar cookies that just somehow kept leaping up into my mouth. 🙂 Party favors in pink organza bags were displayed on a silver beaded-edge stand. Each guest went home with the organza bags stuffed with candies and cookies, plus a vial of exclusive perfume.

What proper princess doesn’t have something with her initial prominently displayed? For Princess Stacy, it was a silver cake plateau full of luscious pink cupcakes! This tasty confection was served alongside a mini martini glass (Crate & Barrel) filled with strawberry ice cream.

Photo by Sheri L. Grant

The guests checking out the dining room before dinner.

L to R: Sheri, Kelly, Chris, Angie and Princess Stacy

This tablescape would also work incredibly well for Valentine’s Day, to honor a breast cancer survivor, a bridal shower, or as head table for a very blinged out wedding!

Other pretty pink tablescapes on this site include:
Peaceful Peonies
Days of Wine & Roses
Peonies & Pearls
Chocolate Traditional
Platinum & Pink Valentine
Blushing Bridal Shower
Easter Floral
Easter Bloom
Pink Plaid & Posies
All A’Bloom In Pink For Spring
Pretty In Pink
Showered In Pink
Easter In Pink & Grey
French Poodle
Peony Power
Fairy Princess Party
Fairy Tale Wedding Shower
Blurred Lines With Shades of Pink
Tea Roses
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Pretty In Pink, Wicked In Spurs – Breast Cancer Awareness
Bald Is Beautiful – Breast Cancer Awareness
Pink & Purple Chocolate Christmas
Au Revoir!

I’m delighted to once again join Susan and the other talented tablescapers at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.

Ringing in the New Year

January 5, 2011July 28, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 10 Comments

The year 2010 had its ups and downs. As we close the book on the previous 12 months and look to the year ahead, I continue to be thankful for everything and everyone in this wonderful life God has given me.

I am SO glad to see 2010 behind us! It was with great pleasure that I set this last table to help ring in the new year.

I’m showing the table with lights on and candlelight only to demonstrate the effect of the mirror ball. (For some reason that effect is not visible in the photos with the lights turned down.) It was so cool to watch the shimmer on the table all evening when all the candles were lit!!! Kind of made me want to put on some Bee Gees and strut my stuff! 🙂

Once again here I’m showing the photos in both “lights on” and “dimmed light” mode so you get the idea of the effect. On a white cotton table linen, a shiny silver charger topped with Noritake’s “Spectrum” platinum-rimmed china dinner plate. The flatware is “Bellaserra” stainless by J.A. Henckels, and the stemware is Mikasa’s Jamestown Platinum.

Simple white cotton napkins are made special with the addition of these fabulous jeweled napkin rings in hues of silver, platinum, pewter and slate.

To the right of each place setting, a menu adorned with a tiny rhinestone for a more glamorous effect.

To the left, a fun little noisemaker for the midnight revelry. (I intentionally chose these horns in silver and gold. I like to introduce a touch of surprise color into each tablescape when possible. Kicks it up a notch and keeps the tablescape from appearing boring! 🙂 )

This had to be one of the most simple but stunning floral centerpieces I’ve ever used! This is plain ol’ everyday tree fern sprayed with silver paint and doused with a bit of shimmer. I picked it up from my local florist. Amazingly easy, inexpensive, and fun…a contemporary twist to a traditional celebration! (Please note that the tapers used were metal case Paradise candles that do not burn down. I suggest using these whenever placing candlesticks near a floral arrangement or other flammable objects to avoid near tragedies/disasters like this.)

The floral piece sat atop a 13″ round mirror to double back the sparkle and shine of the tree fern and the mercury glass votives. I’m not always a fan of mirrors unless they’re oversized like these or an unusual shape or design.

These 20mm ornaments were the perfect simulation of and substitute for the traditional mirror ball drop! I simply plopped them atop 5″H Revere candlesticks. (I considered hanging them from the ceiling, but they’re a bit heavy and the thought of them dropping onto the table and shattering glass everywhere – like in THIS Thanksgiving disaster – during dinner terrified me!) To see these mirror balls used in another New Year’s Eve tablescape, click HERE.

I hope you and yours enjoyed a wildly exuberant and joyous (yet safe!) New Year!!!

HAPPY 2011, y’all!!! 🙂

Other New Year’s Eve tablescapes on this blog you might enjoy include:
“Hooray For Vodka!“
“Platinum New Year’s Eve Wedding“
“White Hot“
“Fete Noir et Gris“

To kick off the new year, I am pleased to once again join Susan and my fellow tablescapers for Tablescape Thursday. After viewing my photos on the “Winter” tab, you might want to mosey on over to Susan’s place for a look-see at their creative designs! Happy New Year, one and all!