How to Host a Taco Party

Spring and Summer are the 

perfect times to host a Taco Party.

Pull out your most colorful dishes 

and accents that offer a bit of texture.

Mix in some seaside details.

Serve fish tacos 

for a light, healthy entrée.

I captured this table setting 

at a local Pottery Barn.

Simply couldn't resist sharing these 

colorful dishes and fun ideas.

Pottery Barn's Cabo Melmaine outdoor 

dishes come in both red and blue.

The designs are taken from earthenware 

but made in unbreakable melamine.

In addition to the dinnerware sets, 

Pottery Barn also offers several fun 

serving pieces, like this set of condiment bowls and tray.

The display table at Pottery Barn 

mixed the Cabo pattern with 

pieces of PB's Rope Outdoor Collection. 

A table runner woven of pure cotton 

added vibrant color and texture 

perfect for the Mexican theme.

Tutorials, Tips, and Tidbits @ Stone Gable

Pottery Barn's web site offers a wonderful collection of entertaining inspiration for Theme Parties, Everyday Parties, and Holiday Parties.  Each party feature includes photos of gorgeous table settings, and party planning ideas and tips, complete with recipes, playlists, and party invitation and placecard downloads.

Click for the

Summer Taco Party

Joining

Let's Dish @ Cuisine Kathleen

Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Tutorials, Tips, and Tidbits @ Stone Gable

Home and Garden Thursday @ Delightsome Life

Share Your Cup Thursday @ Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson

Open House Party @ No Minimalist Here

Open House Friday @ Bernideen's Tea Time

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage

Be Inspired @ Common Ground

Festive Friday Fiesta @ The Home Girl
Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound
Seasonal Sunday @ The Tablescaper
Sunny Simple Sunday @ Sunny Simple Life
Amaze Me Monday @ Dwellings
Masterpiece Monday @ Boogieboard Cottage
Pretty Things @ twelveOeight
Tuesday Treasures @ Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Your Gonna Love it Tuesday @ Kathe With An E
The Scoop @ Cedar Hill Ranch
Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life
Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

Hippity-Hop Easter's On Its Way

Hippity-Hop Easter's On Its way!

Aestas, the work of artist Marc Burckhardt, 

hangs in our stairway and was the 

inspiration for my Easter table.

I set the table with the feel of the 

fresh greens of spring and the

warm earth tones of the soil.

A few of my Easter bunnies finally

hopped out of storage and settled into

a grassy meadow down the center of my dining table.

I wanted the rich wood of the table to set the stage, 

then layered the Pottery Barn chicken wire chargers 

on top of lattice motif linen placemats in a spring green.

I nestled Bordallo Pinheiro cabbage Leaf chargers 

into the chicken wire pieces for some added green.

White dinner plates in Wedgwood Nantucket Basket 

were the perfect choice to pick up the woven design 

in the center of the salad plates of Limoges by Laure Japy.

 ~ Marche Aux Herbes ~

I topped it all with a bowl of grass 

and a natural egg, long the symbol of new life.

Talisman, by Christophe, was my choice of flatware.

The stack is a nod to the 

layers of one's spring garden.

I like the textures that the stack offers - 

the cross hatch lattice of the linen, 

the wire of the chargers,

the nubby cabbage leaf, and the 

basket weave on the dinner and salad plates.

Vintage linens in soft yellow are presented curled 

into tall stems of soft green glass.

They remind me of the happy 

yellow daffodils popping up in the garden.

We'll have Easter brunch out with friends, 

but can enjoy our spring table for meals here at home.

And Remember .   .   .

"You'll wake up on Easter morning
And you'll know that he was there
When you find those choc'late bunnies
That he's hiding ev'rywhere."
From Peter Cottontail by Beatrix Potter

Tutorials, Tips, and Tidbits @ Stone Gable

Every Christmas and through the winter, we receive boxes of fresh citrus fruits with the oranges and grapefruits nestled into nests of shredded green paper.  I put the packing boxes out for recycle pickup, but the soft shredded paper goes into plastic bags to be used in spring Easter baskets.

Happy Easter to each of you!

Joining
Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style
Let's Dish @ Cuisine Kathleen
Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch
Tutorials, Tips, and Tidibits @ Stone Gable
Home and Garden Thursday @ Delightsome Life
Open House Party @ No Minimalist Here
Pearls and Lace Thursday @ Faith, Grace, and Grafts
Share Your Cup thursday @ Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson
Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home
Open House @ Bernideen's Tea Time
Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home
Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage
Be Inspired @ Common Ground
Festive Friday Fiesta @ The Home Girl
Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound
Seasonal Sunday @ The Tablescaper
Sunny Simple Sunday @ Sunny Simple LIfe
Tabletop Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru LIfe
The Scoop @ Cedar Hill Ranch
You're Gonna Love It Tuesday @ Kathe With An E

Let's Dish ~ Tuscan Inspiration

Let's Dish ~ Tuscan Inspiration

I've been out of town and have had little opportunity to create 

a table setting for this week, so I reached into my photo files for something to share.  It's been more than ten years since we've traveled in Italy, but our time in Tuscany is still vivid in my memory.  When I saw this beautiful tablescape at Pottery Barn last year, I was immediately drawn to the rich warm colors.

Reproduction olive jars set the 

mood in the center of the table.

The olives may be faux, 

but they looked good enough to eat.

~ apricots ~ browns ~ golds ~ 

~ olive greens ~ rusty reds ~

~ natural linen ~


 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  The depth of this tablescapes' color palette 


immediately transported me back 


to the richness of a Tuscan landscape.

Textures and layers offered 

the rich look of aged stucco. 

Both color and texture 

spoke for themselves.

Each place setting offered 

simplicity with a touch of flair.

Heavy glassware and chicken wire 


votive holders offered a contrast of texture 


atop the loose linen weave of the textile.

Flatware was presented within a white linen napkin.

Smooth ceramics atop woven reed chargers 


brought in more layers of interesting textures.

Metal napkin rings encircled a duo of linen napkins.


 ~ One a beautiful printed linen, 


the other a simple fringed ecru. ~

I find the contrast of colors and 


textures very appealing.

Add in the white details and . . .

It all stacks up to be very inviting.

A loaf of bread along with a few bread sticks

Was nestled in with more textural linens.

A natural reed wine coaster 


held a bottle of red close at hand.

So tell me, does this table make 

you feel as if you've escaped to Tuscany?

Joining 

Let's Dish @ Cuisine Kathleen

Tablescape Thursday @ BNOTP

Home and Garden Thursday @ Delightsome Life

Open House Party @ No Minimalist Here

Pearls and Lace Thursday @ Faith, Grace, Crafts


Centerpiece Wednesday @ The Style Sisters


Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home


Say G'Day @ Natasha in Oz


Seasonal Sunday @ The Tablescaper


Wow Us Wednesday @ Southern Savvy Style