Playing with your veggies

Even if you aren’t Irish, most of us put on a green shirt and eat some corned beef and cabbage once a year.  Much of what is available for this holiday in the way of decorations can be a bit over the top.  If you’re not into green glitter and leprechaun figurines then where do you turn to make your home a little more festive? The grocery store! 

That’s right, your wee little ears were not deceived, I said the grocery store.  With just a few stops, beginning with the produce section, you can get into the spirit of the holiday.  Look for Brussel sprouts and new potatoes; these leprechaun-sized veggies are perfect filler for a bowl for a fun and festive centerpiece.  (Beware: our 10 month old kittens saw this as interactive.)   Find a large bowl or platter, place a large clear glass candle holder in the center and surround with your veggies.  The potatoes will keep for several weeks; however the Brussel sprouts will start to get a little funky after a few days.  Add dried split peas in the clear glass candle holder for extra color.  

Now let’s set the table for dinner.  I think that if you entertain often, the way to go is plain white dishes.  I use them all the time, mine came from a big box store.  By changing out table clothes, chargers, placemats and other colored dishes they can really make any table sparkle.  I set my table with a green table cloth and white dishes, accented with pieces from my collection of Depression glass.  Layered with gold napkins, it sets a table that is fitting for a holiday meal.

For my sideboard (which is actually a repurposed dresser) I add apothecary jars and a tray of jelly jars.  The leftover potatoes and Brussel sprouts are placed in the apothecary jars, along with gold wrapped chocolates.  I am a huge thrift store shopper and over the years have found some pretty cool serving pieces to go with my white dishes.  One of my more recent finds was this rectangle tray with holes in one corner for ribbon.  I added green rick rack and paper shamrocks to the jelly jars before filling them with flowers bought from the floral department of the grocery store.  These are alstroemeria, my favorite because they last a long time, come in some many colors, and are easy to work with. 

So the next time you go for bread and milk, take a look around and see what might work in other parts of your home.  Happy St. Patrick’s Day.