Fall Dinner Party

I think October has become one of my favorite months of the year to entertain. There are so many seasonal elements to incorporate that can make for a chic dinner party! I picked up a few pumpkins at a Farmer's market in town to display on my front steps, along with a few candles and a purple mum. ..




I decided to tackle turning a gourd into a vase, but unfortunately the gourd selection at Publix was not very appealing. I ended up grabbing a pumpkin, which was probably a lot easier anyway! My sister had some leftover flowers from Bennett's baptism, so I spent a grand total of $10 on flowers, which my wallet is thanking me for!


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I don't know if you remember my flower inspiration from earlier this week, but here is how my copy of Martha's arrangement turned out. I decided to throw in some white pumkins for a fun twist!

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Do you think I made Martha proud? **One note of caution if you try this...make sure to place the candles a lot lower than the flowers, so that the flame doesn't turn your flowers brown.

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When having a large dinner party, I usually set up the bar outside (depending on weather of course) and I always drape my table with burlap. Its very rustic chic and I love it! I used a large lantern for decoration and to provide more light at the bar. It was perfect for taking up some space on my large table so that I didn't have to use a large flower arrangement!

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One thing I always tend to forget when planning a party is that it usually takes a lot more time than I think. Thankfully my BF came to the rescue helping me cook and set up, which I was so grateful for. The more hands the better! Happy fall party planning!

Simon Pearce

I'm still somewhat giddy from meeting Simon Pearce and his wife Pia yesterday at their signing event at Table Matters. I am absolutely in love with his hand blown glass, and of course, while at the event I just had to buy my first piece! It was a tough choice (mainly dictated by my wallet), but I decided to go with the Norwich Beaker, which I can use as a tumbler, a juice glass or a small vase...LOVE that it is so versatile! (Maybe Santa Clause is reading my blog and will get me a matching glass so I will have a pair...just a thought). What I like most about my new glass is that it has Simon's signature at the base!

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One day I hope to be able to afford one of these fabulous chelsea bowls...

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or this gorgeous vase!
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And for the food lover, Simon and Pia just came out with a new book, A Way of Living, which contains 27 favorite recipes from the Simon Pearce restaurants, combined with images from their home, gardens, workshops, and of course their glass and pottery!

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Photos via Simon Pearce

Flower Inspiration

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I'm having a dinner party tonight and of course I want to have fresh flowers at my house, but they can be SO expensive. I came across this idea on Martha Stewart's web site and I think I may have to give it a try. I also want to incorporate pumpkins and gourds after seeing so many great images on BHG's web site, which you may remember from this post. Wish me luck!!

Emory & James

A friend of mine recently introduced me to Emory & James, a boutique gift company that creates custom, handmade platters and coasters out of paper memorabilia. I fell in love immediately with Amanda and Elissa's work when I visited their web site. I contacted Amanda about posting her work and she graciously sent me over several images to include. I asked her how she got started and here is what she had to say...



I started the company Emory & James (combination of family names from my mother and father's side of the family) on my own a few years ago in Nashville, TN, but have recently brought my sister, Elissa Bennett of Fayetteville, AR, on board. We currently sell out of two high-end stationery stores in the Nashville area (The Paper Place and Amy's Unique Gifts); but, we're looking to expand into key cities across the country within this next year. A large part of our business, however, is done through word of mouth--I can't tell you how often we hear, "My friend so-and-so gave me one of your platters for a wedding present and it was our absolute favorite gift! I'd like to place an order (or three!), please."



Although wedding invitations and baby announcements tend to be the majority of our business, we also make platters out of 50th Birthday Invitations, business cards, custom monograms or event ticket stubs--you name it. It's a chic alternative to framing, and certainly more special than letting it sit in a dusty box. The platters can be used for anything from display to hors d'oeuvres and are often a conversation piece. We're always looking for new (and of course, chic!) ways to preserve life's most special occasions and thoroughly enjoy getting to help clients give their friends a gift they'll get a teary, ecstatic phone call about--that's always fun.
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How fabulous is this gift idea!! I don't know if you are as sentimental as me, but I think this is the perfect gift to preserve special memories...and so useful for the entertainer too! This is definitely a stand out gift that the lucky one receiving will not forget! Thank you Amanda and Elissa for sharing your fabulous work! (Sorry for the overload on exclamation points...you can tell I am very excited about Emory & James)

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Photos via Emory and James
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Baptism Celebration

Yesterday, my nephew Bennett was baptized and that was cause for much celebration! Of course I jumped at the chance to help my sister plan an intimate lunch for friends and family after the church service. She found the invitation below at Please Reply in Crestline Village and that set the tone for several of the elements we incorporated into the celebration that day.
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I just had to include a photo of my sister's precious family, which was taken at the church right after the baptism. Its incredibly hard to get everyone to smile on cue, but the fact that the twins are actually being still in this picture is amazing!
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My sister hung an adorable wreath on her front door with Bennett's photo to greet everyone as they came in the door.

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Mandy from Hot House Design Studio in Birmingham put together a few arrangements for the house, as well as one for the baptismal font, which we transfered to the coffee table in my sister's living room. I love Mandy's style because every arrangement looks like a work of art. Her design definitely stands out and looks anything but average!Check out more of Mandy's work on Hot House's blog.

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My mother and sister teamed up on the food and made a delicious wild rice, chicken and green bean casserole complimented by a fresh green salad and homemade rolls. For dessert, we went with a cake from Olexa's and had them copy the cross on the invitation. I think the cake might have been my favorite part! And, of course we couldn't let the guests leave without a favor. My sister picked up a couple dozen sugar cookies in the shape of a cross from Savage's bakery in Homewood and tied a special note to each one thanking everyone for coming. It was truly a very special day and wonderful celebration!

Renny Reynolds, Hortulus Farm

This weekend Birmingham Botanical Gardens is hosting its annual event, Antiques at the Gardens, and I had the pleasure of attending a lecture this morning by Renny Reynolds on his AMAZING gardens in Pennsylvania. The images below do ZERO justice to the slideshow he presented today. I was literally in awe at the beauty he has created on his land, known as the Hortulus Farm. I would love to have the chance to take a stroll down his peony walk, or have lunch on one of his several fabulous terraces, or take a dip in his pool with the gorgeous fountain (last image). My mind was racing over the possibilites for parties in the gardens, and the wonderful photos I could be taking with my new (toy) camera. He mentioned that he has hosted several events for non-profits in the area and a couple weddings for close friends. Oh, to be a flower in the garden to have a front row seat to all the fabulous festivities!! His home will be featured in Veranda sometime this fall/winter(can't remember the month, sorry!) so keep a look out if you are a subscriber! Also, if you are ever in Pennsylvania, his home and gardens are open to tours, which I highly recommend.
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To learn more about Renny and his fabulous home and gardens, check out his web site!

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Photos via Birmingham Botannical Gardens and Hortulus Farm

Gourd-tastic

I am so excited that October is here, because now I feel like I can break out the gourds and start decorating! I am loving all these ideas on how to decorate with gourds....they are so fantastic! I'm having a dinner party next week and I think I might need to put together a few flower arrangements in gourds. What do you think? I can't wait to get my hands on some mums too!

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Photos via Better Homes and Gardens