purple & green

INSPIRATION: Fun, lightweight plaid-rimmed pots in purple, green & white!

As I am writing this, the temperature is hovering right around the freezing mark with expectations of it dipping appreciably below that in the wee hours of the morning. Spring? I don’t think so! Be that as it may, I wanted to participate in Cuisine Kathleen’s “Birds, Bees, Flowers, Trees” blog party this week. I braved the cold temps to get out on the deck to put together this purple, green & white tablescape that welcomes Spring…whenever it decides to finally show up! 🙂
(Click on any photo, then click again to enlarge it & see up-close details.)

A stark white palate shows off the very vivid purples used for this Spring tablescape. A full-length white linen from LinenTablecloth.com covers the 6-ft. table from head to toe.

(Don’t let those blue skies fool you…it was COLD out there!!!)

Each place setting begins with a lavender acrylic charger from Michaels. Purple is one of those colors infamous for coming in a-billion-and-one different shades that are difficult to match. So – like green – I simply use shades of purple ranging from light to dark. Creamy white plates from TJ Maxx are separated by a royal purple napkin from LinenTablecloth.com that gracefully drapes off the side of the table.

I chose silver flatware with a pattern that complements that of the plates.

When trying to draw out more than a single color in a design, I like to use more than one color in either my dishes or stemware. Here, a luscious purple goblet from TJ Maxx is paired with a green flute from Dollar Tree. TIP: Use wine glasses for water. Why, you ask? Why not? 🙂

Unlike our more fortunate sisters and brothers in the South and on the West coast, the Kansas City area is still devoid of all the fabulous fresh blooms enjoyed in those warmer climates. (We actually had snowflakes mixed in with the rain on Tuesday!) These faux floral arrangements boast a wealth of hydrangea, lilac, purple star blossoms, and tulips. Fun purplish butterflies hover overhead. TIP: Keep a few realistic-looking faux floral stems on hand to create spur-of-the-moment designs or replace suddenly wilted blooms in your fresh arrangements.

A large iron fleur de lis symbol anchors the center of the table and is flanked by two smaller ones. Various sizes of green moss balls are tucked in here and there to add color and texture at the lowest level. The cotton runner is woven in shades of purple, green and white.

Other Spring-inspired tables on this post you might enjoy:
“The Bluebird Special”
“Welcome Back, Joel”
“Daffodillyicious”
“Carousel Colors”
“Going Green for Spring”
“Springtime in Paris Mother’s Day Brunch”
“Tulips in the iHop Hour”
“Peachy Keen Breakfast”
“Something Blue Bridal Luncheon”
“Peonies & Pearls”
“Peony Power”
“Peaceful Peonies”
“Daisy Crazy”

Other Spring tablescapes in shades of purple on this site:
“Purple & Pastel Tablescape”
“Purple + Green = Happy Birthday!”

In addition to Cuisine Kathleen’s fun blog party this week, I am joining Susan’s “Tablescape Thursday“. Join me, won’t you?

“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.
(Click on any image to enhance/enlarge it.)

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!