Under a Blue Moon

This will be one of those update as you go posts.  I just finished ironing the tablecloths.  I just ironed them right on the table.  I don’t know of a better or easier way to do it.  Unfortunately the cord doesn’t reach so I warm up the iron, unplug it, iron a section, plug it back in, rinse and repeat. 

Beauty products were used in the making of that arrangement.  My white pumpkins were looking a little sallow to me so I used some leftover shimmery white hair spray from Halloween.  It gives the pumpkins and goards a nice shimmery white look.

I’m still not sure about the funny, feathery white artichoke looking things.  I think I want the arrangement to look a little more organic (well as organic as spray painted pumpkins can look).  I may replace them with a couple of votives.  You can never have too many candles.

I spent yesterday afternoon ironing cloth napkins.  I’m about to go get the white party dishes out of storage.  My mother loved entertaining and purchased place settings for 60 (!).  There is a cupboard out in my dad’s garage where all the party dishes, extra wine glasses, chafing dishes are kept. 

Growing up with someone that entertained frequently has given me a really relaxed attitude about having a lot of people over.  Our family, up to 25 of us, get together for dinner every Sunday.  We, my sisters and I, take turns coordinating it.  So pulling together a dinner for 20 people, give or take a few, is nothing.  A walk in the park.

More pics to follow as the rest of the table get sets.  Looks like I’m on pie duty too (so much for not doing any of the cooking) so there may be a food pic or two as well.

Added Pics:

Melissa – look darling, just for you ~ store bought pie crusts.  Pie crust is an art and science that very few can master.  I’m all about the store bought.  Some day when I have scads of time on my hand I’ll work on my pie crust skills but for now – store bought.

And updated centerpiece – I’m thinking no artichoke feathery things.  I also swapped out the picture of the table above once I had it set.  For some reason we have silverware for 20 except six dessert forks are missing.  What is up with that?  I had to run over to Bed, Bath & Beyond and buy six forks that don’t match the rest of the silverware. 

Back to the pie crusts – I have an extra one and I’m thinking I should cut out some leaf shapes or something to cover the cracks in the pumpkin filling.  Or not.  Let’s see how busy I am tomorrow.

And finally:

And because it’s cute – the three graces:

Also known as Camille, Maddi & Emily.  Those girls can really put it away.

I am getting off easy this Thanksgiving – I’m in charge of table decor and clean up.  No turkey roasting for me.   I have some weird mental block when it comes to roasting poultry – I can never figure out the timing of how long it’s supposed to cook so we end up eating at 11:00pm. 

We are going to have dinner at my father’s house.  Various sisters are in charge of the food (I am blessed in that my sisters are all accomplished cooks – the food is in the proper hands).  He has a fabulous dining room table that my mother had commissioned for her ever expanding family.   We are going to have 20 (well, 21 if you count the bird) sitting around that table on Thursday.

I am thinking of pale green, silver and white look for the table.  I have two tableclothes (no one tablecloth has been found to fit the table) in a beautiful pale green.  I was thinking of white pumpkins, trailing ivy, small white flowers, crystal candlesticks and creamy white pillars. 

I wish I could find a job where all I had to do was create tablescapes.  Not a party planner because I don’t want the food, logistics piece of things, not a floral arranger (though that wouldn’t be bad) because there’s more to tablescaping.  All the lovely china, silver, candles.  What fun that would be. 

I know a woman that has about half a dozen full sets of china and matching linens.  She sets her dining room table, according to her whims and the seasons, and leaves it set up like that.  No one is actually allowed to eat at the table.  Just admire it.  We all say she is a tad eccentric but secretly I can kind of understand her hobby.

Of course I use my own dining room about once a year – the rest of the time we either eat at the kitchen counter or at the eating room table.  I’m thinking of repurposing the dining room into an office/craft room.  But that’s another post for another time.

I need to go find white pumpkins. 

Centerpiece photo courtesy of www.bhg.com