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Sunday, April 17, 2011

Impromptu Easter Buffet



What a great day for sitting on the porch enjoying a light meal! Today reminded me of a ladies' group I was a part of for several years, and I thought that this setting would be perfect for a casual get-together this time of year. Because my tables on the porch are small, I think it is more conducive to set up a buffet in the kitchen. And today, my guests are my children!


I considered a long line of Easter themes: candies like jelly beans and Peeps, bunnies, chicks, lilies, palms, eggs, and baskets. I finally decided that some plates I have were bright enough on their own, and I really didn't want to waste a ton of candy. I would never let my children keep it, and it is not something I really wanted to emphasize to them as my guests. I have other Easter items that I have used with them in the past, such as Lenox Easter votives, cake plates with bunnies, various sculptural items like salt and pepper shakers, bunny flower pots, etc. And I usually choose a more Victorian look. But today was too bright and sunny, and those neat plates were begging to be used.



I found these great plates and glasses on eBay. The water goblets are Independence Crystal in the orange Sculptural pattern. (The mint juleps were a Tuesday Morning find.) The dinner plates are Fitz and Floyd Rondelet orange, and the luncheon plates are by Mesa Home Productions. I have no idea of the pattern name. You know how some people sleepwalk? I saw these plates online and thought they were too much only to find that I had bought them in the middle of the night. The iPhone eBay app makes it tooooo easy. So, I guess I sleepshop now...


Needless to say, green and orange would be the theme of this year's pre-Easter luncheon buffet. I decided to pull all the avocado green items I have, which consisted of: the plates, my place mats, a large fruit-motif ceramic platter, a milk glass mixing bowl with an avocado dip, two large flower vases, and my carnival glass. The carnival glass was quickly discarded in favor of the orange stemware. I separated it between what was going on the porch and what would coordinate in the kitchen on the buffet.


The buffet in the kitchen was simple, dressed in orange and green food:






And the porch was decked out in the bright orange and green.




I made chicken salad sandwiches and cut the bread with a rabbit cookie cutter. I used food coloring to paint eyes and noses.




I painted our initials on boiled eggs and served them in ramekins lined with lettuce and baby carrots.




I made egg-shaped tea cakes and frosted them with orange and green.




I made some lemonade and set it on the porch on a plant stand for a lack of room on the table.




For a centerpiece, I used one of the green vases, surrounding it with potpourri and placing a small topiary inside.




Once the guests (my children) added their plates, it was sufficiently Easter-y for them! And the best part is that I didn't even have to run to the store for anything; I had everything I needed already. And isn't that what Easter is about?


-Andrea




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How to Do Easter on the Cheap (When Easter arrives so soon after the April 18th tax deadline!)


The title of this blog is somewhat “tongue-in-cheek”, but I really did set out to create a great holiday table with just a little bit of money.
I can get totally carried away with beautiful, expensive things, but beauty can be bought cheaply, too.
I began my quest a couple of months ago looking for inexpensive purchases for my Easter tablescape. I wanted to set a table for the eight members of my family, so I had to be creative. My one not-so-cheap item is the beautiful Ralph Lauren tablecloth. However, white tablecloths can be found in any price range in those wonderful stores like TJ Maxx, Marshall’s or Tuesday Morning. I already had this one, so I did not try to find a less expensive one, just for the blog.





Now, let’s look at these great bargains! I found these egg-shaped placemats at Bed Bath and Beyond for only $1.99 apiece.



A discontinued J C Penney pink plate went on top of the placemat. These large plates were found on Replacements for $7.99 each. They work really well as chargers for most regular dinner plates, too.



Four of the Clay Art “Sunflower” plates were purchased at T J Maxx for almost nothing, but I did have to pay around $6.50 each for the other four. I bought them on Amazon.com from one of their online stores.


The robin’s egg blue napkins were found at Marshall’s. They were packaged four to a set for $4.99 and I actually found two matching sets!


I bought the cute napkin rings from Kohl’s for a sale price of $1.60 each. They were very similar to some that I had found at Dillard’s for $5.00 apiece. Quite a savings for eight of them!


I used white flatware from Walmart. It comes as a 20 piece set for $14.97. I bought two sets and used everything, except for the soup spoons. That means I got 40 pieces for $30.00 - less than a dollar each. What a deal!


The musical Rabbit was a previous Cracker Barrel find, but was not expensive, even then. He plays, “Here Come Peter Cottontail”. Of course!


He is placed on a glass pedestal cake plate. This is one of three that I found at TJ Maxx. They are different sizes and can be stacked in a tier. This is the middle size one of the three. I cannot remember exactly what I paid for them, but I think the largest one was $7.99. This one was probably around $6.00.



Egg shaped place card holders and the little bunny dish were bought at Michael’s. I cannot find the ticket for them, but they were quite inexpensive.


Mr. and Mrs. Bunny salt and pepper shakers have been around my house for years. They were not just inexpensive, they were cheap! However, our family still enjoys seeing them every Easter.


I have had the Schott-Zwiesel water goblets (they can, also, be used for red wine) for many years. However, they do fit into the theme of the table, because I purchased them at an outlet store, when I did buy them!


The cut glass ice bucket was the least expensive of all – a gift from my mother-in-law!

My favorite recent purchases are the Kaldun & Bogle egg cup/votive holders and pitcher. I found them on sale at One Kings Lane. The pitcher was only $19.00.






The egg cups were two for $7.99. I think they look much more expensive than $4.00 apiece!




The glittery eggs inside were a Pier I buy – 12 for $9.95.

I think I did pretty well in creating an inexpensive table for eight guests – with all of the money that I saved, maybe, I can afford to feed everyone!!

Now, let the Bunny Parade begin…




-Diane



http://www.thegypsyscorner.com/
http://www.atthepicketfence.com
http://www.504main.com
http://itsablogparty.com
http://iloveprettylittlethings.blogspot.com/





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Saturday, April 16, 2011

To my Trudie: the best grandmother in the world


I love my Trudie! She is my dad's mom, and I have her to thank for her top-secret chicken and dumpling recipe, my green eyes, and the beautiful things she has made me through the years.  She made the place mats on my table for me when I got married, and I still treasure them. 



The fruit motif is really nice because they match so many of my patterns. I think hand-made gifts are the best. I have large cross-stitched wall hangings that she made each of my children when they were born. I have numerous other knitted blankets that are put to frequent use. This year when Emma was so often in the hospital, I was so grateful to have them to bring a little something from home to keep family close when they were not allowed to visit. 




Today, I have used these lovingly cross-stitched place mats with some of my other favorite things. The vintage red Morgantown golf ball iced-teas and the Spode Cranberry Traditions plates are so pretty on a spring table. (These were from eBay, as always, though the Spode Traditions were actually from the Replacements eBay site. These were sold as an auction and were actually cheaper through eBay than on the Replacements site. They have more!)



There are six different patterns in this particular set.







The majolica fruit sculpture matches the place mats and is also a special item. It was a gift from "Mrs. Margie," whom Emma mentioned in her last blog. I grew up across the street from Mrs. Margie, and we still visit even now.


I added my favorite red salad plates from Dillard's, my Dollar Tree soup bowls, and my Target ramekins with bright green apples. My family enjoyed this table for an early spring supper, complete with chicken and dumplings! The only thing missing was my Trudie!


-Andrea






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