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Monday, February 28, 2011

Random Centerpiece Ideas

I thought I'd share some random centerpiece ideas I've created in my pre-blog era using large glass vases/hurricanes. Maybe they will inspire you for an upcoming occasion/event you have planned.

About 3 years ago, my daughter got her certification as a Medical Radiologic Technologist (X-ray Tech) and we hosted a buffet dinner for family/friends to help celebrate her graduation.  This is how I decorated the buffet table.
 I printed pics of x-rays found on the internet and cut them to fit inside large glass cylinder vases.
 I added a "graduation cap" I made out of construction paper to the top of a wine glass and rolled paper dotted with gold stars and tied with ribbon to form a "diploma" was placed alongside.
 I tried to have all the decorations/tablecloths, etc in black, white and gray (like x-ray colours).  I placed white mini-lights under sheer fabric behind the glass vases.  This looked great at night though I didn't take any pics!

This was when I was first getting 'into' tablescaping and I didn't have near the items I have now and mostly shopped the house for random black & white things that would work.



Below is a centerpiece I created for Mr. Delight's birthday dinner one year awhile back. Again, I used my large cylinder vases, placing white pillars and faux ice chips in the bottom. I wrapped up little Lego blocks (that my children used to play with MANY years ago) with wrapping paper and ribbon to represent little presents.

Pretty simple setting (being pre-Blog and real life) for just the Mr., our son and me! 

This is the Pineapple Lush Cake I made for his birthday cake.

Here is a look at a beach-themed dinner party we hosted one summer when the weather wasn't cooperating and we had to have it indoors!   The large hurricanes were filled with sand, shells and coloured glass beads.  A lantern with shells and a white pillar sits in the middle.

A bamboo runner and shell plates add to the beach theme.  The martini glass on the side is filled with sand and shells and acts as the placecard holders.
 The candles at each place setting are floating in water with pebbles/sand/shells and glass beads.
I highly recommend getting any type of these glass cylinder vases/hurricanes as they come in very handy for creating centerpieces for any occasion.
I've picked mine up here and there over the years including Thrift stores, grocery stores, drug stores and gift boutiques.  These large ones were by Partylite but unfortunately are no longer available through them.

I will be linking this post to Marty's Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life and Susan's Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch. Be sure to check out these great blogs!

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Tea "Fit For A Queen"

 Although I love having tea parties, I'm realizing I've had precious few in the last couple of years....something I should remedy soon!  While I'm a bit too busy this week to have one, I still wanted to join in the "High Tea" party in blogland hosted by Decor to Adore where the tea-scape should be "Fit for a Queen". Thus, I thought I'd share this Easter Tea I had a couple years back for my mom. While she is not true "royalty", she will always be a "Queen" in my eyes! 

I'll also be linking up to Tablescape Thursday hosted by Between Naps on the Porch.

I moved a round table in front of the fireplace and decorated with pinks and whites and Easter decor.

I used my wedding china, Dimity Rose by
Royal Albert

A hurricane candle holder by Partylite surrounded by faux roses creates a centerpiece flanked by a large white bunny (Home Sense).

It was so cozy by the fireside chatting and sipping tea with my mom.

I decorated the mantel with Easter eggs and tulips.
Small teapot placecard holders (Partylite) and a small bunny (also Partylite) adorn each place setting. The little teapots are also tealight holders when you remove the lids.


We started our tea party with a glass of sherry.
That makes it more of a celebration!

We enjoyed various tea sandwiches and squares.


Evening brings an inviting glow to
our tea setting.


This post has reminded me I should make time to have a special tea party with my mom again this year. We really enoyed this one two years ago.  Do you have someone special you'd like to invite for tea? Though "High Tea" is terrific, even a simple "cuppa" tea with someone you love is made even more special just by adding a little tablecloth and a few candles to your tea setting.
Thanks for stopping by! Now grab yourself a cuppa tea and head over to Decor to Adore and BNOTP.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Valentine Dinner Party for Twelve

Sometimes I think we are crazy but this past weekend, Mr. Delight and I decided to throw a one-day-to-plan dinner party for twelve of our skier friends.  Our work schedules are such that sometimes we just have to be spontaneous! Fortunately, we entertain quite often and work well as a team putting things together quickly. Our struggles are around fitting that many people into our dining room!

Mr. Delight has crafted a piece of plywood to put overtop of our dining table which allows for extra seating.
We borrowed some chairs from our church which though not very attractive, took up less room than the more formal ones.
My tablescape started with three of these hurricane shades I got at a local Pharmasave drug store.  I added the "cling-on" Valentine hearts I picked up at the Dollar Store.

Some red and white carnations in a square glass vase with pebbles were placed in between the hurricanes.
 I kept the table fairly simple (for me!) because there were so many place settings.
 I used my lily shaped bowls (Pier 1) for our soup course. Unfortunately, I only have 8 so had to use some other square ones for 4 other settings.


 A black tablecloth adds a bit of drama to the red and white.
 Yes, we are still dining in a "SNOW CAVE" as pictured below. Of course, our skier friends loved it!

 I even hung a few hearts in with the snowflakes from the chandelier.
 Each guest had a menu placed beside their bowl.We "pre-dish" up each guest's plate (like in a restaurant) so if there is something they would rather not have, they can say so.
Mr. Delight made the Beef & Veggie (& Prawn) Shish Kabobs and the Grilled Asparagus.

 I was so upset with myself as I wanted to get pics of the food FOR SURE THIS TIME as I always forget but again, in the panic of getting things to the table hot, I forgot again.  I did manage to get these of the desserts I made though.
 Cherry Cheesecake parfait and Chocolate Truffle cake with Strawberries served on a heart shaped plate.
The lights were dimmed, the wine was flowing, the laughs were plenty and a terrific evening ensued! After dinner, Mr. Delight cranked up the tunes and we all started dancing!  Now that's a fun Valentine party! So glad we made the effort to entertain! 
The most amazing thing to me was that Mr. Delight and I even fit in 2.5 hours of skiing that day prior to the dinner party! Now, that's teamwork!


I will be linking this post to the following fantastic blogs who host some fantastic parties. Be sure to check them out this week!
Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch
Show & Tell Friday at My Romantic Home
Seasonal Sunday at The Tablescaper

Monday, February 14, 2011

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hope you are having a Happy Valentine's Day and are able to share it with those you love!  
Here is a look at some of my past and present decorations to put you in the mood!





 



Best wishes to you on this day of LOVE! 
I'll be linking to Marty's  Tabletop Tuesday at a Stroll Thru Life.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Dining in a Valentine Snow Cave

 This tablescape might be about my LOVE for my spouse but it also pays homage to something else.
His LOVE of snow!
I didn't have to set the table with a "snow/winter" theme, we have the REAL THING as a backdrop!
This Valentine's Day, we will be dining in what feels like, a SNOW CAVE! The 'scape is purposely darker so you can focus on what is beyond the window.
Mr. Delight has shoveled the roof twice and along with the amount of snow we've had, we can no longer see the street and barely have any daylight coming in our four front windows. He LOVES it! (an avid downhill skier!)

But for those of you who are NOT so enamored by snow, let's take a closer look at what's on the table!
I got this lovely birdcage for Christmas from hubby (okay, I picked it out, bought it, wrapped it and said it was from him! Would he have thought to buy me a "birdcage"? I think not!)
I decorated it all up with a LOVE theme for the two lovebirds inside.
In the pic below, you can see the front door even has a "heart" shape on it.
 When set on a pedestal cake plate, I thought it made a nice centerpiece/side-piece on our table for two.
I used two of these swirly heart shaped salad plates and set a small glass heart on each plate.
I layered them on square black plates and square white chargers. The flatware has clear acrylic handles which pick up the colour of the placemat below.
A tall black champagne flute and a full rounded red wine glass reveal what our libations for the evening will be!



Now, let's see how the tablescape looks in the more romantic setting of darkness...
Do you feel the LOVE?
It was actually Mr. Delight's idea a few years back to put a table near these windows.
We enjoy a lot of our meals here.

Even these Lovebirds are getting in the spirit of things.
The snow is so close to the window
Candlelight is the best way to create romantic ambiance.

What will we be putting on these plates?
While it doesn't seem like very "romantic" food, hubby has made a request for ham with pineapple glaze and scalloped potatoes....

...followed by Raspberry Trifle for dessert
Happy Valentine's Day!
If you can't fight the white stuff you might as well embrace it!
I will be linking this post to these fantastic blogs:
Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life
Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch
Seasonal Sundays at The Tablescaper
The Colors of Love Coast to Coast at The Little Round Table