Happy Easter!

My children's schedules continue to be as crazy and unpredictable as ever, so this year we celebrated Easter with an early morning breakfast.  The table was set the night before . . .

First thing first:  My husband/sous chef checking e-mails before heading to the kitchen to prepare breakfast . . .

Some pretty egg-shaped salad plates in soft pastels . . . 

The soft paisley green napkin by Ralph Lauren goes on top . . .

These fun hopping bunny napkin rings appeared in last year's Easter table, too.  Click here to see that post.

I love all the different textures on the table, the homespun squares on the tablecloth . . . the bird's nest chargers . . .

Beautiful tulips . . . Spring is here!!!!!

Then the Easter bunny did his thing and filled the table with candy!

He even brought chocolate umbrellas and hung them from the flower vase . . .

Here are our two “little” boys, who never seem to grow too old for candy . . .

And now, Mama can sit down and have a cup of coffee . . .

And before long, my oldest goes back to college with a batch of cupcakes for his buddies . . .

Happy Easter to my family and friends!  God bless you!  The Lord is Risen!  Alleluia!

Details:

Nest Chargers - Pottery Barn

White dishes, cups and saucers - Traditions by Apilco from Williams-Sonoma

Pastel egg-shaped salad plates - Pottery Barn

White ramekins holding M&Ms - BIA Cordon Bleu, Amazon

Napkins - By Ralph Lauren at HomeGoods

Napkin Rings - Pottery Barn last year

Green water goblets - The Dollar Tree

Tulip-shaped wine glasses - IKEA

Parfait glasses (holding jelly beans) - Bed Bath and Beyond

Flatware - My everyday from Costco

Mini salt and pepper shakers - Crate and Barrel bought eons ago

St. Pat's - Part 2

Two St. Patrick's Day parties this year, and we are not even Irish!  Well, not much anyway . . . It was a lot of fun, but with two meals to cook, one in the middle of the week (after work!) there was no time (or energy) to plan two distinct tablescapes.  Besides all that, I'm a lingerer, and I wasn't done playing with this tablescape.  So I laundered the napkins, and it was déjà vu all over again . . .

I did make a couple of changes from the earlier tablescape, click here to see the first one.  I used my every day dishes, Tradition dinner plates by Apilco, instead of the Mikasa dinner plates. 

When I first saw these salad bowls at Crate and Barrel, I looked at the bottom and they were marked "Cavolo."  I was so excited!  I was thinking Caravaggio, Michelangelo, Leonardo . . .  All great Italian artists whose names ended in "o" . . . Was I holding a future masterpiece in my hands . . . ?  I googled the name the minute I got home . . . Alas . . . cavolo is Italian for cabbage!

And, instead of the Tava chargers from the previous post, I used these woven brown placemats from Bed Bath and Beyond.  It added a lighter feel to the setting to counter the color-saturation of the napkin . . .

Shamrock plants made an easy centerpiece, their lovely green color brightening the table; and afterwards, guests took them home as party favors . . .

A thorough watering really perked them up overnight . . .

We served Irish coffee after dinner . . .  A little advance prep kept this hostess out of the kitchen and enjoying the company of her guests . . .

And a cute little pillow that I couldn't resist . . .

St. Patrick's Day is officially over at our house!

Now I can start thinking about Easter . . . yikes!

Here are the details:

Tablecloth - White, linen, Williams-Sonoma

Placemats - Bed Bath and Beyond

Dinner plates - Tradition by Apilco for Williams-Sonoma

Cabbage "Cavolo" Salad Bowls - Crate and Barrel

Napkins - Raymond Waites at HomeGoods

Napkin Rings - Bed Bath and Beyond

Goblets - The Dollar Tree

Candlesticks and candles - The Dollar Tree

Glass coffee mugs - Bed Bath and Beyond

Silver charger - Pottery Barn

Flatware - Costco

Shamrocks - Dominick's (our local grocery store)

Pillow - Joann's

I'm joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday and Cuisine Kathleen for Let's Dish!  I encourage you to stop by to enjoy the creativity of these amazing tablescapers!

A Topsy Turvy Easter

Our sons had complicated work and school schedules so we had our Easter feast on Saturday night - our Topsy Turvy Easter Brunch!

Instead of the simple, symmetrical lines I usually prefer, I tried something more whimsical, and, overcoming the testosterone that surrounds me, I went pink!

I bought these glass candy dishes from Lillian Vernon, a long, long time ago - at least 15 years ago . . .

They are tiny, but perfect for candy-coated sunflower seeds . . .

Remember the nests from Williams-Sonoma?  They are making their second appearance, this time holding jelly beans . . .

The jelly bean colors were pure serendipity.  The Jolly Ranchers jelly beans were, at first, a make-do substitute for the Jelly Bellies I'd bought earlier . . . and which my DH ate as soon as he discovered the stash!  But the colors in this bag matched my theme . . . Sometimes, things seem come together so beautifully!

More rabbits!

The tulips were placed in bud vases in two different heights to create interest, and it was still easy to see the person sitting on the opposite side . . .

The taller bud vases came from IKEA (79¢ each!) . . .

The smaller vases came from Crate and Barrel . . .

I bought the tablecloth and napkins at HomeGoods . . . The pink and green plaid was a strong design element that balanced the overall softness of the pink theme . . .

I placed tea light holders on the table thinking that it would be dark enough to light them.  However, there was still plenty of daylight left when we sat down at 6:30 P.M. . . . And that was totally fine with me!

Later on, they glowed beautifully on the fireplace mantle.  What a lovely green color!

Where do you go if you want the best seasonal - and reasonably priced - flowers?  Trader Joe's of course!

The tulip-shaped Chardonnay glasses came from IKEA.  At $1.99 each, who could resist?

Fresh Blueberry-Raspberry Muffins with Streusel topping . . .  The napkin has a Reticello lace corner and is part of a tablecloth set given to us by my godmother on David's baptism.

What would Easter be without a butter lamb on the table . . . ?

The menu, as always, was my kids' favorite:  Dad's pancakes, scrambled eggs, and sausage . . .  

I added the muffins and Quiche Lorraine, and a nice bottle of Chardonnay (I mean, it was dinner, right?)

Oh, and some flaky rolls . . .

Never surprise the kids while eating, or we get this . . .

And this . . .

Happy Easter to everyone!

A casual dinner with visiting relatives . . .

Sometimes, we choose the palette, and sometimes . . . the palette chooses us! It started with these lovely mini carnations I picked up at the grocery store, followed by contrasting fillers in bright green and deep purple . . .

And, somehow, we ended up with this . . .

I added elements, one by one, using things I already had on hand . . .

It all worked together rather nicely, I think, for this family dinner . . .

This time, it wasn't Lee's name written on the butter . . . he beat his brother to the punch by writing his name before he arrived . . .

And when the dinner was done, I ended up with these delightful window flowers . . .

White dishes - My everyday Apilco, from Williams-Sonoma

Flatware - Costco

Tablecloth - Crate and Barrel, at least four years ago

Napkins - World Market

Green goblets - Williamsburg by Reed and Barton Winter's Garland

Clear wine glasses - Crate and Barrel

Bud vases - Crate and Barrel

Tea light holders - Walmart

Napkin rings - Pottery Barn

Miniature Salt and Pepper Shakers - Crate and Barrel, a long, long time ago

I am participating in Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps On The Porch. Please go for a visit. You will be inspired with many wonderful ideas! Click http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/2010/06/welcome-to-93rd-tablescape-thursday.html to visit.