6 Easy Tips to Setting a Fabulous Buffet

Is it a challenge to get all your favorite dishes on the dining table for a family celebration?

Here are 6 easy tips on how to set a fabulous buffet for nearly any occasion.

1)  WHITE DISHES AND CLEAR GLASS

If you have read my blog before you will know I like to use white dishes.  I think they are versatile, they provide the opportunity for fun and festive or elegant with a touch of sparkle.  I also use clear glass for the same reason.   They can be paired with table linens to set the mood of your gathering.

2) THINK LAYERS

To do this I am going to layer the buffet table.  I do this with objects from around the house, starting with, yes, the kid’s step stool placed in the center of the table to create a focal point (I know this may sound odd, but bear with me!)  Then I added stacks of books in varying heights on either side.   Next, I cover these mechanics with a pretty table cloth.  Often time I will use a twin bed sheet, and if necessary I knot the corners or tie corners with ribbon so the excess does not puddle on the floor.  For this table I repurposed a lace curtain panel as a runner.  

 

3) THEME YOUR TABLE

I added extra touches to the white and glass to pull the table together.  For this Easter Brunch theme I used Easter eggs, chicks, spring flowers and jelly bean print napkins.  Use seasonal decorations, fabric, toys, really just about anything you have around the house to pull together your theme.  For a beach party use a beach towel and sand toys.  For a baby shower, receiving blankets and baby items pull your table together.  Shop around your house.

4) FRAMED MENU

More and more people are on specific diets and providing a menu on your table can ease some of the inconvenience that goes with that.  Mark items Gluten Free or Nut Free for guests with food allergies.  They will very much appreciate you thinking of them.  For this gathering the plates are stacked next to a framed menu and the flatware is gathered into jellybean print napkins tied with green raffia.  These are held in a juice glass that was placed in the center of a colored egg wreath.  If you find you need more space on the buffet table, set the plates and flatware on the dining table.

5) REPURPOSE DISHES

When thinking about setting a buffet, try thinking outside the box.  For this buffet I used a water goblet on a dinner plate for a fruit and yogurt. (I have also used a wine glass for veggie and dip.) 

Once again I am moving beyond the original purpose of the dishes and using a footed trifle bowl for greens, apothecary jars for topping ( cucumber, feta cheese and crotons) and a gravy boat for the dressing.  Adding silk spring flowers and colored eggs really gives the table a feel for the season. 

 

6) ADD WHIMSY

The baby chick figurine added to the middle of the deviled eggs plate gives a touch of whimsy.  For other themes it might be hanging a beach ball from the ceiling or using a toy dump truck to serve salad.  For New Year’s I used calendar pages and clocks.  Again, I encourage you to think outside the box.

Hopefully these easy tips will help you plan your next gathering and you too can be the hostess with the mostest!

Happy Spring Entertaining!!!

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. 

DIY Ideas to Beat the January Blues

We are moving in to the first part of January and if you have been timely in taking down your Christmas/holiday decorations your house probably looks well…..empty.  Here are a few ideas on filling some of that void with winter seasonal ideas.

If you haven’t taken the decoration down yet, keep the snowmen out.  They are perfect for January.  If you have already packed them away, next year give them their own box so they can hang out a little longer.

Use candles.  They are warm and cozy.  A collection of colored glass holders on a tray can make a nice centerpiece.  Or how about a lantern on your fireplace mantle or bookcase for an inviting touch? Speaking of candles, try the “electric” candles.  They make pillars that take AAA batteries and some even have a remote or timer.  These can be used where the “fire” version can’t be placed, even around kids and pets.

 Glass containers or bowls with pinecones or vases with evergreens…even in January bringing the outside in can make things, well…beautiful.  Add a bow to match your décor…or add a punch of color like turquoise (my favorite).

Think snow…when my daughter was younger I would give her a stack of coffee filters and pair of scissors and let her make all the snowflakes she wanted.  Tape them to windows or hang on string from lights or doorways.

Add a bright colored throw or fun colored throw pillows to the couch.  On the gloomy days of January a splash of color can bring a smile to your face.

I grew up in Florida so for me January in Virginia can be a real downer but I know this so I take it up a notch and make sure I put color in my life.  This goes not just for the house but me too.  I carry a bright colored purse or wear a fun colored hat and scarf.  I even break out a bright coffee mug so that I start the day in the right frame of mind.  So try to have warm thoughts and before we know it spring will be here!

Nancy Masannat

Simple Joy Designs

I just want to make things beautiful, even if nobody cares.

The world is made up of all sorts of people.  People who are have great analytical minds like scientists or mathematicians. People who can wrap their minds around how to build things or make them work like mechanics and carpenters.  People who are healers and doctors that make us feel better.  People who are care givers that know our needs and meet them.  People who are teachers that want to share knowledge.  And there are so many others.  I fall into a unique group; those want to enhance the aesthetic of everything around us.  I have always had a creative knack and now I am trying to make my passion, my profession.

In this season of life, I am trying to focus my path, so to speak.  I grew up on a farm, participating in the local 4-H club, where I learned to sew, cook and much more. As an adult I have spent my fair share of hours doing data entry and booking in number of jobs.  And before I had my beautiful children I attended floral design school, where I learned to make money being creative.  However, raising children came first and my plans were put on hold.  Now that they are older, I can put time into being creative and trying to make money at it.  So since it is my “joy”, I called my business Simple Joy by Design

I like to use things that I already have to enhance my surroundings.  We are in that time of year when I just simply get carried away - Christmas.  Being creative, I believe is a natural talent, some people got it and some people don't.  But there is nothing wrong with "copying" another person idea to improve your project.  I'm not talking about plagiarizing per se, but you don't need to re-invent the wheel to add to your home, entertaining or gift giving.  I hope to inspire others to dig deep and find their inner creativity.  I want to encourage you to put those personal touches around your home that will make you smile when you look at them.

Many of us had that spark of creativity when we were young, but if it wasn’t nurtured and can be extinguished.  I will be creating a kid’s craft each month to encourage the development of creativity.  I have worked with kids for many years and have 2 of my own.  I will tell you that no major catastrophe has occurred due to a child coloring outside the lines.  If they take the items in front of them and construct something different than what you had in mind that is not a bad thing.  Thinking outside the box is something to embrace.

So here goes…