Posts Tagged ‘Holiday celebration’

Tip 4
If your children are young, you color eggs before Easter Sunday.  If your family is all grown up, bring back the tradition.  Boil eggs ahead of time and have  food coloring ready along with markers, chalk, paint,  glue, bits and pieces of ribbon and any other art supplies you have on hand.  Grown kids can have just as much fun as little ones creating their own work of egg-art!

Write names on your decorated eggs to use as place settings at dinner!

Tip 5
Display your decorated eggs in egg cups and use as place cards at dinner.

Everybody’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day.  I don’t have to pretend, I’ve got Irish ancestors and strawberry blonde hair to prove it!  Because of my hair color,  I was always told that redheads should dress in Kelly green but never did until lime became fashionable (I was such a rebel!).   So I decided to create a St. Patty’s Day table using the non-traditional chartreuse.

Create an updated Irish table with lime green

Monochromatic color schemes (everything one color only) can work in interior design and on the table if you incorporate different shades, hues and lots of texture.  I wanted to set my table with what I already had around the house and didn’t have any trouble finding enough for a table for 4!

Place mats are a good alternative to a table cloth

I pulled out an antique side table with drop leaves from my living room for an intimate dinner.  The woven and embroidered placemats cover most of the top when overlapped.  No need to worry about spills or hot food.

Classic white dinner plates can be the foundation for any table

If you don’t have a set of white dinner plates, start looking for some.  I bought these on sale from Pottery Barn a few years ago and have two other sets from Goodwill.  You can never have too many white dishes.

The clear salad plates with a cut vine design came from an antique store. The label said Heisey, but I haven’t been able to verify that claim.  If you know one way or the other, please leave me a comment below.  They are very pretty and delicate and sold as a set of 8.

"Paint" your own dinnerware

No need to purchase special dinnerware for a once a year meal.  Create your own by placing a little design under a clear plate.  I cut out shamrocks from some left over green craft foam I had.   I drew mine free hand, but you can look for clip art to copy.

Napkins are tied with a matching green plastic wire.

Tie a cord around fan folded napkins

My sister gave me some battery-light candles.  No dripping wax or fear of fire (she knows about my passion for lime green).  I scattered some polished glass stones and craft ribbon on the table.

I added a little drawing to the centerpiece. Looks like an Irish village.

I love this little drawing of an antique village.  Could it be Ireland?.

Beer is the beverage of choice to go with corned beef and cabbage and will look great in the cut glass pilsners.  Add a postcard to each placesetting and the conversation will be off to a great start.

Toast to good health and friendship.

May you always have work for your hands to do.
May your pockets hold always a coin or two.
May the sun shine bright on your windowpane.
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.
May the hand of a friend always be near you.
And my God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.
~Irish Blessing

The same rules apply to Christmas decorating as those for displaying your everyday collections.

• Display items in groups of odd numbers

• Group like items together

• Collections have a greater impact when placed together

• Put all your santas or angels together on the coffee table, shelf or mantle instead of spreading them around the room.
  

You will love the result!

There’s something to be said about tradition.  Red and green never go out of fashion at Christmas time. A great table doesn’t mean you have to break the bank.  I found everything on this table at Goodwill SEW stores!

Festive centerpiece

A simple plaid runner works on any size or shape table. I love candle light, especially on a table.  These unique retro red votive cups are a great contrast to the traditional Christmas plates.  Green holly garland makes the centerpiece simple yet elegant.  Be sure to use unscented candles so the scent doesn’t overwhelm the food.

Retro votive cups add to the elegance of the centerpiece

Traditional red and green for Christmas brunch or dinner

The holly dinnerware originally came with matching soup bowls, salad plates and cups and saucers.  But mixing pieces from different collections makes the table much more interesting.  This contemporary stoneware soup bowl offers a striking contrast to the fine china plate and bright red cotton napkin.

Layering dishes makes for an interesting place setting

Who said the napkin has to be placed under the fork?   When placed between the pressed glass compote and bowl it sets off the colors.

Ornaments are perfect party favors

No need to wrap party favors, use them to decorate the place setting and your guests have a keepsake from a great party.  Or use them as place cards.  Select an ornament specifically for each guest.  Let them figure out where they sit by matching the ornament to the person!

My friends and I have been going to the New Berlin parade on the 4th of July since we were in college.  Over the years we added spouses and children, changed our post parade venue and added brunch.

Summertime is my favorite time of the year and who doesn’t love the celebration of July 4th?  It gets hot by noon, but in the morning we relax on the porch over breakfast and Bloody Marys!

Festive red, white and blue

Setting an independence table is fun and festive.  You can pull out all the red, white and blue stops.  I found the iron table and chairs at a flea market for a song a few years ago.  A bit of sanding and spray paint and it seats up to 6 people comfortably.

Red, white and blue the color for the day

Denim placemats add the touch of blue to the place setting.  Since this is practically a picnic, I bring out my enamel dishes from Sweden.  You can pick up lots of white enamel dinnerware at flea markets, but since I’m part Swedish, I stick with those marked Sweden.

Vintage enamelware

Look for dishes marked Sweden. The cm indicates the size

Start the party with basic supplies

What could be more Americana than a red bandana?  They make perfect napkins—colorful and inexpensive.  I fold them in thirds and then half again.  Triple pleat in the middle and hold together with an old fashion clothes pin.  I write each guest’s name on the pin and add a couple of mini flags.

What could be easier than writing guests' names on old clothes pins!

Bandanas also work as chair seats. No upholstery required!

Bandanas also fit the chair seats.  The upholstered seats are fine, but I like the coordinated look since the table top is glass.

Festive place setting

It’s OK to break the rules when setting the table.  Since the cup and saucer take up the right hand corner of the placemat, I chose to put the knife next to the fork and spoon with the saucer.

Patriotic candles and ribbon for the centerpiece

The centerpiece is a trio of RWB candles, ribbon and flag.

Festive table setting

Such a simple way to start the celebration!