A Bridal Shower Luncheon

Lately, I've been wearing many "hats"-- that of a landscaper, a party consultant and an assistant caterer! So, it was fun to see it all come together last Saturday when my friend Maureen hosted a bridal shower luncheon in her new backyard.

Since the bride's colors are to be gray and pink, I ordered gray tablecloths with pink napkins. Silver chargers were a perfect addition to the theme.

The centerpieces were potted pink azaleas in sterling wine buckets.

Little pails with monogrammed pink and gray M & M's were the perfect touch too!

It all looked wonderful under the new pergola!

Upon entering Maureen's home, the guests were greeted by this gorgeous arrangement that she made in an alabaster urn belonging to her Mother-in-law.

Everyone was offered champagne cocktails with raspberries.

Maureen gave the bride a beautiful book that all the guests personalized with their messages of best wishes and marriage advise!

Meanwhile, my son Aaron was in the kitchen preparing the lunch.

Beginning with the first course, a cold corn chowder soup, garnished with corn, chives and tarragon relish.

My job: help plate the food and be the photographer!

The second course was a composed salad nicoise!

The Ahi tuna was first seared.....

...then added to the top of mixed greens with heirloom tomatoes, French green beans, egg and potatoes that Aaron prepared sous vide.

A lemon tart with blueberries for dessert!

Since Aaron is studying to be a pastry chef, this was his piece de resistance!

The party was absolutely lovely and a huge success!

It was really fun to see the fruits of everyone's labor all come together for this special day, hosted by a special friend, for a special bride!

I'm joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.

On Friday, I'll join Designs by Gollum for Foodie Friday,

and also My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday.

Tablescapes That Inspire Me

House Beautiful

I'm always on the look-out for new ideas and inspiration for my tablescapes. From designers to bloggers, there is always something new to learn. Here are a few from my file, plus a few of my own that are my favorites.

I love the turquoise table above by Tory Burch, with the juxtaposition of rustic vs. elegant. The bamboo flatware adds punch to the mixture of blue hues.

House Beautiful

Joe Nye also used bamboo flatware in his jewel tone tablescape. I like the yellow cabbage leaf majolica with the blue transferware. Very elegant!

Vignette Design

Tory Burch and Joe Nye's use of faux bamboo influenced me to use it in a tablescape I did last summer featuring Provençal linens.

They were a bargain from Ross!

Of course, nobody does it better than Ralph Lauren! Huge inspiration for me!

Pattern on pattern. Layer upon layer, he is the king of mixing it up.

Vignette Design

Pattern on pattern. Layer upon layer, mixing it up is what I like to do as well!

Another Ralph Lauren table.

Silver and crystal with white plates and textured linens. Yes!

Vignette Design photo

Here is a similar tablescape using the same flatware, chargers and plates featured at the Ralph Lauren flagship store in NYC.

Lisa Ruby Ryan does the same thing with this table.

Textured linens, white dishes, crystal and silver.

What a fabulous idea to use a breadboard as a charger plate! Love it!

Vignette Design photo

I love the combination of textural linen with the smoothness of silver, ivory and crystal in this setting designed by Terri Long and Lisa Dell 'Osso.

Vignette Design

Here is one of my favorite tablescapes that I did last year.

An attempt at keeping it simple! It's all about texture.

This simple table setting is made more interesting with the runners laying across the table.

A couple of simple bouquets is all that is needed.

Ash Imagry

How cool is this table with the madras plaid runner on burlap?

Perfect for a beach theme.

House Beautiful

Bunny Williams set this table for a luncheon in her conservatory. I love all the succulents and ivy, and of course, the rustic stone table.

When I saw the pebble placemat, I thought of so many possibilities for tablescaping!

This tablescape was a huge influence on me. It was the inspiration for a table I set for my book club dinner last December.

Vignette Design

I used classic books for the centerpiece.

The place cards were book marks that I made from upholstery webbing, which my guests took home. The napkin "rings" were pages from a book, tied with twine.

Vignette Design

Tablescaping runs in the family!

All three Arabian sisters-in-law love dishes and love to set a fancy table.

Ann set this table for a birthday luncheon for her Mother using her wedding china.

Her centerpieces are always incredibly creative, and inspiring to me as well.

Vignette Design

I recently set a table using these dishes from the flea market.

I bought them as a gift for sister-in-law Mary to add to her collection of this Johnson Bros. pattern. But first, I needed to do a tablescape!

Today, I'll give them to her when we meet for lunch to celebrate her birthday.

I have no doubt she will set a fantastic table of her own, probably for Thanksgiving!

I'm joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.

Another place that I find lots of inspiration for creative tables.

A Rainy Day in June Tablescape

What is with this weather? It's the end of June and raining like it's January!

It's too rainy to go outside and garden, so I decided to stay inside and play with my new dishes.

They were a recent flea market purchase, "Olde English Countryside" by Johnson Bros. and the inspiration for my tablescape today.

The scene depicts a lovely summer cottage garden, but it looks like a rainy day in the English countryside too!

Wicker chargers and bamboo flatware keep it summery.

I used my purple wine glasses, thrifted from Salvation Army and my new "Bienvenue" water glasses from Timeless Settings, a sponsor of Vignette Design.

The centerpiece was found at the flea market too. An old metal planter filled with succulents!

The numbered linen napkins are from Pottery Barn, last year.

The grain sack runner grounds the table with texture and its neutral caramel colored stripe.

A rainy, summer day in June tablescape!

I'm joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.

Be sure to visit to see more tablescapes and hopefully, some real summer inspiration, including Independence Day themes.

I also want to thank Artie at Color Outside the Lines for his Tuesday Inspiration post on me.

His blog is one of my favorites and I never miss his posts, so to be featured by him is quite an honor for me.

You can read his post here.

A Tablescape For Father's Day

This tablescape is in honor of Father's Day!

And specially dedicated to Mr. A., the best father my children could ever ask for!

Hence, the fishing theme on the plates--Mr. A's favorite thing to do!

The chargers are faux bois, perfect for highlighting the plates. Both are enamelware, and were another great find on OKL.

The tablecloth, a tartan wool throw is Ralph Lauren.

The centerpiece is a bouquet of sunflowers and olive branches from our trees in a cork vase.

Found antlers keep it masculine.

The water glass is Ralph Lauren. The wine glass may say "Provence,"

but the setting is California Wine Country!

It's magic hour, when the sun sets the hills aglow.

As the light fades...

...the new pendant casts its own glow.

It's Mr. A's favorite time in the evening because he gets to turn on all the lights!

Happy Father's Day Mr. A!

I'm joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday, as well as Kim's WOW party at Savvy Southern Style.