Tag: tablescape ideas

Posted on

Setting An Easy Spring Tablescape

Ah Spring… we smell you in the air, we feel you on our skin, we have waited through the chilly nights and short winter days for you to arrive and finally spring is here. It is time to put away our winter coats, open up all the windows, sweep off the front porch and welcome spring into our homes. Yes, please come on in. First step, setting an easy spring table.

Whether it is a kitchen table or a dining room table, creating a Spring inspired tablescape is as easy as heading to the garden to find colorful bulbs and clipping the early flowering branches. If you have a small garden or can’t bear the thought of cutting back the long awaited color, your local farmers market or grocery will no doubt be filled with the bright colors and flowers of the season. For this spring inspired tablescape a white ceramic bunny is nestled between vibrant purple hyacinths mixed with bright fuchsia and green cuttings.

Pink chargers at each place setting create the perfect backdrop to stack plates for each course. Soft boiled eggs placed in whimsical duck feet holders begin our brunch, followed by a spring mix salad with dried currants to be placed on turquoise scalloped edged Italian stoneware plates. The main course of Green Asparagus Soup with Seared Scallops will be served in a low white china bowl.

Setting a pretty table does not equally a stuffy formal affair. Keep with the informal feel of this brunch table by placing additional hyacinths in juice glasses and group together around our happy white ceramic figurine. Sand colored linen napkins and everyday flatware complete the table.

Once the table is set, continue to welcome spring by placing flowers around the house on any flat surface you find.

Seasonal decorating gives you the opportunity to move items around your home, rotate décor and personalize each space as the seasons change. Be sure to enjoy every minute of this fresh new season by playing around with different colors and textures on your table and throughout the house.

 

Posted on

How To Make Your Own Nautical Centerpiece.

Did you know that the glass floats we love to use in our summer decor were originally used in the 1930’s by fishermen in many parts of the world to keep their fishing nets, as well as longlines or droplines afloat.  In fact they were so abundant you can still find them floating in the seas today. Original Japanese glass fishing floats, as they are also called, are now popular collectors’ items and can be found in vintage stores or as reproductions in design stores.

Nautical themed centerpiece #Video via @AnAppealingPlan #SummerEntertaining #Beach #Tablescape cover

Collect a few glass floats in different colors from your local vintage store and pair them with a handmade rope wrapped vase filled with flowers and use them to create your own nautical centerpiece.

Mixing in vintage nautical pieces with some items that you may find in your local stores is the perfect way to create a nautical centerpiece. For this particular tablescape, we are going to start with a singular clear vase. I like to use square or straight side vases, as this ensures the ribbon will go up smoothly. If your vase has a slight tilt to it, it may change the way the ribbon lies.

We’re going to begin by placing the rope ribbon around the edge and measuring for length. Once you have the ribbon wound around, about twice, then apply the glue. Apply the glue, just to the edges, as you won’t need very much. Press down the edges and ensure that they are secure.

Fill with water and place blue and white flowers in the vase.

Nautical themed centerpiece #Video via @AnAppealingPlan #SummerEntertaining #Beach #Tablescape

To complete your centerpiece, top your table with either a large a fishing net or bunch it in the center for a more casual feel. Group the nautical glass balls around the floral and finish it off with coordinating nautical style votives.

This centerpiece is ideal for summer parties, beach weddings or simply to decorate the table for the summer season.

kickstarter - AnAppealingPlan Book LeaderBoard passion to print large #CelebrateEveryday 728 x 90

See more of my projects on eHow.com.

Posted on

Anniversary Gathering :: Cheesecake with Fresh Strawberries

It has been a while since I was able to participate in the Sunday Supper weekly posting but when Isabel, The Family Foodie, reached out and asked if I would be interested in adding a tablescape portion to the weekly blog posting, I was thrilled. {For those of you unfamiliar with the term; Tablescape, it is a word used to describe “the artistic arrangement of articles on a table”. It may be plates, napkins, flowers or other decor. It can relate to a table where food will be served or to an arrangement of items on a side table in a living room with out food.} It may not work for every topic but when it does we will try to bring a fresh idea and look to the Sunday Supper table.  Tables may be a buffet, a children’s birthday party, or some, like today, are a private table to celebrate an  Anniversary of a special couple.

An Appealing Plan. #SundaySupper. Tablescapes. Cheesecake. Anniversary Gathering.

This tablescape was designed to be a special breakfast for two {My Grandparents} but could be used for a desert table for the a large family get together, or Valentines Day celebration. As with cooking & baking, by first learning the proper way to set the table you can then play with moving items around to create the look you are going for.

Placing a photo of the couple in an aged silver frame on the table is an immediate reminder of why you are here and celebrates the love of a happy couple of many years. Metallic votives mirror the frame and give the table a classy festive touch.

An Appealing Plan. #SundaySupper. Tablescapes. Strawberries. Champagne. Valentines Day Breakfast.

Use cakestands to raise the cheesecake and bowl of strawberries off the lower table surface. This creates not only the effect of showcasing these items but also allows for additional space on the table for oversized plates. Clear flutes filled with Proseco keep the look clean and allow the bubbles to be the star. The “OFF DUTY” section of the morning paper again reminds you to slow down and enjoy this celebration.

An Appealing Plan. Tablescapes. Barbara Barry Chair Collection. Wedgwood Dinnerware. Black & WHite. China. Anniversary Gathering.

 Use oversized dinner plates as chargers, then place a smaller decorative salad plate on top to be used as the service plate. I love this chair plate and am feeling that a Chair theme table will be coming soon….  A dark brown linen tablecloth adds richness to the color scheme and allows the white plates and red strawberries to be the pop of color. Crisp tan linen napkins topped with polished silverware add additional layers of texture.

 

An Appealing Plan. #SundaySupper. Tablescapes. Cheesecake. Anniversary Gathering. White Hydrangea. Red Gerber Daisy.

CHEESECAKE WITH FRESH STRAWBERRIES

Recipe adapted from Cristina Ferrare &  The Messy Baker

INGREDIENTS:

GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST

  • 1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 1 cup pecans
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

FILLING

  • 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tsp. lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

TOPPING

  • 1 pint fresh strawberries, halved and arranged on top of the cake
  • 1/4 cup strawberry jam

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

To make the crust: In the bowl of a food processor, add 1 cup of pecans. Pulse the pecans until they become a fine crumb. In a medium-size bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, pecan crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and butter until moistened. Using the bottom of a glass, press the crumbs into the bottom of a 10-inch by 3-inch springform pan. Bake for 15 minutes, and cool completely.

To make the filling: In a mixer using the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese for two minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add 1 cup of sugar in an even stream, and mix for 2 more minutes, until light and fluffy, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition to incorporate thoroughly, and scrape down the sides of the bowl each time. Add the of sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla. Process until well blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Pour the filling into the cooled crust, and spread evenly in the pan. Lift the pan and tap it on the counter several times to release any bubbles in the batter. Bake for 1 hour, or until the top is set. If it wiggles slightly, that’s okay. Do not overbake.

Cool the cake completely in the pan overnight. On the next day, release the springform pan from the cake. Arrange the halved strawberries attractively on top of the cake. Heat 1/4 cup of strawberry jam in the microwave for about 40 seconds. Using a pastry brush, brush the strawberries with the jam to give it a sweet, shiny coating. Slice and serve. Enjoy!

 

We are celebrating this week’s birthday event by choosing recipes from contributors that have inspired us in the past year.  Boy was this a tough week… how do you choose just one recipe from 52 weeks of fabulous Sunday Supper Recipes?

Sunday Supper Appetizers:

Sunday Supper Soups and Breads:

Sunday Supper Main Dishes:

Sunday Supper Veggies:

SundaySupper Desserts and Snacks:

Sunday Supper Breakfast Faves:

Sunday Supper Wine Pairings by ENOFYLZ Wine Blog

An exciting to announce a New Addition:  Tablescape by An Appealing Plan, Anniversay Dinner featuring Cheesecake with Fresh Berries orginally posted by The Messy Baker Blog

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday. We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET and you do not want to miss out on the fun. Follow the#SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat.

What if your favorite way to celebrate an anniversary? Let me know in the comments below, SHARE with your friends and sign up for Free Updates.