Garden Party...

 For a nice change of pace I figured I'd share something in a timely manner...(Besides I need more time to finish my 100 things... I am stuck at #78.)

A friend of mine, Lynda and her sweet daughter Vicky ( a sweet christian girl who befriended Sparky just before she started school and introduced her to a most of her friends making our move to Maine so much nicer for Sparky) is moving at the end of this coming week...

This all came about very suddenly so I offered to throw her a little send off party. I am in the process of planning a baby shower so I borrowed a lot of my ideas and items from that for this little garden party... The girlies and I are considering it a "trial run."

 Lynda's favorite colors are brown and blue and since the shower I'm planning is orange and turquoise I just borrowed the turquoise and added a "bird" theme...

The weather yesterday was a picture perfect Maine summer day...

Here was the welcome table...

I borrowed the lanterns from my living room...

Here is a closer look at the invites I made...

I framed one to add to the decor.

(I just noticed it is crooked in the frame... It is details like this that I can't help but focus on, so I am glad I didn't notice it at the time...)

I also bought her a prayer journal instead of a guest book and asked each guest to write a message on a random page. That way as she is using the journal she will unexpectedly come across some love from her friends...

 I found covers for our directors chairs that matched the theme so I set up a couple little conversation spots around the yard. After I snapped this I added some big brown floor pillows... This spot under the tree was very popular.

Here is a shot of the tables... I had three set up as we were expecting 22 (including the girlies and I) so set up for 24 but we had three "crashers" so we were one place setting short. The girlies and I did a good job swapping places so I don't think anyone noticed...

The girlies and I spray painted some branches white and they were supposed to go down the center of the tables, but the guests started arriving thirty minutes early so that was one of the things that got dropped at the last moment so we could welcome our guests... I still think the branches would have added something as the little blue birds were somewhat lost on the two blue tables and the shells and sea glass looked like confetti... Not what I had in mind but everyone thought the tables were great, so I guess they didn't miss what they didn't know about.

Cate put the silverware out... She sets the table regularly, so I don't know what was up with her rather creative placement... I did love how the little starfish looked on each place... It was their little take home item and such a simple, inexpensive ($1.00 each) little thing, but they were a hit...

I did the water bottle labels myself and was happy with how they turned out. I really do think it's the details that make a party more memorable...

 Here was the drink station... There was supposed to be a brown wooden screen with a banner I made on it behind this, but it was the other thing that didn't happen. (I think for the shower I will set up the yard first so we get to do everything.) I spent a lot of time making the banner so Sparky did hang it up on the porch at the last minute but alas I didn't think to take a picture of it. I made it mostly out of the turquoise so all I have to do it make some lettering changes and swap out a few brown pieces for orange for the shower, so you will get to see it then.

Here is a close up...

 I am totally in love with mason jars and these little striped paper straws...

It just seems so... "garden party"... Don't you think?

I had classic punch, peach sweet tea (not pictured),  raspberry lemonade and ice water of course.

Here is the last photo I took... A close up of the brown table... Note to self, charge camera before baby shower... I am bummed I didn't get a picture of the buffet, dessert tables or any during the actual party ...

But I can tell you about them...

I served four different chicken salads ("plain jane", curried, one w/ apples, grapes and candied walnuts and one w/ cherries and almonds) with a selection of  fresh breads & rolls. I also made "loaded" potato salad, pasta salad, and a green salad. For desserts I had a "make your own" strawberry shortcake bar and then a separate table with five kinds of mini cupcakes (chocolate with peanut butter chips in them and frosted in actual peanut butter fudge, a "ricotta" cupcake with strawberry glaze, a tiramisu' cupcake that was a sponge cupcake with an espresso creme filling frosted in a mascarpone' butter creme frosting and dusted with cinnamon, a dark chocolate cupcake with a vanilla butter creme frosting and a blueberry cupcake with a simple cinnamon crumble topping.) I also made cake pops in blue (candy melts... colored white chocolate... I guess) and brown (milk chocolate) I think I will do a very similar menu for the shower so you should get to see it then.

It was a lot of fun to throw this party but alas I've only known Lynda for about nine months and only knew about six of the people she put on her guest list... It feels like so much more pressure to have your home perfect when you have people you have never met let alone had over to a party. The baby shower is for a cousin so it will be mostly family... 

We'll see which is better...

Thanks for listening,