Archive for the ‘Great Gatherings’ Category

I always serve brunch on Mother’s Day for my Mom and Mother-in-law.  This year, I plan to set a very girly table. Shades of pink, lots of bling and pearls.

A few weeks ago, I started looking for vintage dinner plates with a floral design in pink. 

Design Tip: It doesn’t matter if all your dishes match, as long as you choose a theme.  In this case pink flowers.

I love a layered table, so I started with a pale pink tablecloth and added fuchsia placemats.

What could be more feminine than pearls?  (Think Grace Kelly, sigh!) These bracelets do double duty ~ napkin rings and gift for our mothers (no wrapping!).  This wrap style fits perfectly around the napkin.

Tuck in sentimental old photos to get the conversation going. Bisous means kisses in French.

For the centerpiece, I found various candle stands at Goodwill. None of them matched, but each has interesting patterns and texture.

A few coats of spray paint and ropes of pearls add another layer of glamour to table. I’m always on the look-out for costume jewelry on sale.  I can use them for props then wear them the next day!

Pamper your Mom with a meal and table that says I love you! And lavish her with pearls.

After the Easter egg hunt, treat the family to a yummy and festive Brunch. Keep it simple and let everyone serve themselves. But do it with style!

I found some fun supplies at Goodwill. These orange and hot pink bowls were only 49¢ each!

Instead of the usual dinner plate, I used rectangular shaped dishes. For a bold punch of color, fold a napkin in thirds and lay it on the plate under the other dishes. Fill little bird nests with jelly beans (who says you can’t eat dessert first?).  Chop sticks are fun and unexpected at an Easter meal.

A roll of orange paper raffia can do double duty for two holidays (Easter and Halloween).  I made enough paper carrots to share with a crowd.

Cut a piece of raffia (or heavy duty tissue paper) in a V-shape. Twist the bottom tightly and secure with a glue stick.  Fill the carrot with jelly beans and glue the seam.  Cut strips of purple raffia, tuck into the opening and tie it together with another piece of orange paper.

No time to dye eggs? Wrap a hard-boiled egg with left over raffia. Or wrap plastic eggs filled with candy for a special treat. I like old torn book pages instead of traditional “grass”.

Create your own colorful holiday table setting for a few dollars and a bit of imagination.  I would love to see how your table turned out. Send me photos.

It doesn’t take lots of time or effort to make special treats for St. Patrick’s Day.

Fill little plastic cauldrons, (left over from Halloween), with candy coins and they become the pot-of-gold found at the end of the rainbow.

Or make each friend their own little edible gold treat.

Instead of baking cupcakes in the usual size, fill mini muffin tins with chocolate batter.

Allow cakes to cool. 

Slice off top and fill with frosting tinted with yellow food coloring.

Replace “lid”.  Make sure the gold peeks out. 

Make grass with a bit of green frosting and tinted coconut.

For the little ones, tuck a mini cupcake in a sugar cone.  Yellow frosting holds it in place.  (Be sure to remove the paper you baked it in!)

More green frosting and coconut and you have cones that won’t melt!

What kind of treats do you make for St. Patrick’s Day?

Food and the art of eating are very important to the French. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that lots of thought goes int the design of the dining room. After all, they take time to enjoy and savor their food.

Est Magazine | Sarah Lavoine.

Yellow, black and white color block. Breakfast anyone?

Another fabulous Paris dining room. Lauren Santo Domingo

This elegant dining room make you want to linger over coffee and dessert.

Colorful French dining room. White walls with black floor and table top. The red chairs keep the room playful.

Serve up a romantic dinner for two this Valentine’s Day without a bit of red!  Be adventurous- set a safari table.

So often trends in home interiors come from the fashion industry.  Animal prints will continue to be popular in clothing and in decorating in 2013.  Accessories are the easiest way to bring a little jungle into your home. 

Set a small table in a cozy, romantic spot in your living room like in front of the fireplace.  I topped a pink tablecloth with a faux zebra fabric remnant.

Continue adding layers.  A black charger, a pink napkin folded in thirds and your basic white dinner plate.

I’ve been collecting black Luminarc dishes and stemware from Goodwill for years. These octagonal bowls and wine glasses were made in France.  Each piece usually sells for 99¢, but I’ve found them in antique stores for more than $5.00!

The polka dot napkin is a square of fabric.  Use pinking shears for a no-sew finish.

Place cards add a special touch even if it’s dinner for two.

Fold an index card in half. Using a rubber stamp put a heart in the middle and cut along the top edge.  Fold the card in half and the heart stands up!

You cannot have a romantic dinner without candle light.  I wrapped little votive cups  with pink zebra ribbon and added a couple of tapers for height.

Serve your favorite dinner and a yummy dessert. What could be more romantic?