Girl Power

We invited my daughter's tennis team and coaches to our house for brunch after practice today. 

I purchased brightly-colored party goods from Wal-Mart featuring polka dots and stripes.

 M & M candies mimicked the dots on the plates.

Rainbow licorice echoes the stripes on the napkins and creates an edible centerpiece.

An extra table was brought in to help seat the 25+ expected guests.

The team was treated to mini-bagels with strawberry cream cheese, donuts, assorted muffins, caramel monkey bread, scrambled eggs with bacon and fresh fruit.

Lining up at the buffet

 Food, fun and fellowship

DON'T BUG ME!!

Here's the tablescape I created for my husband's birthday.  As you know, he's a beekeeper, but he's also interested in insects in general.

Colorful bugs serve as napkin "holders".

Although the patterns have been discontinued by the manufacturer, I was recently able to purchase another Fiesta bee place setting and a ladybug setting from a fellow collector.

As I teach first grade science, I felt the need to make the table educational as well as fun.

I'm pretty sure ladybugs are the supermodels of the insect world. 

Here Comes the Bride!

This gold and white table was inspired by son's recent wedding in which the couple's wedding clothes and reception tables featured this elegant color combination.

Above: the couple exchanging rings in a traditional Cambodian wedding ceremony surrounded by the wedding officiant and their attendants. 

My white wedding china was once again pressed into service on a gold tablecloth along with Longchamp crystal goblets and accessory pieces.

I used three mirror tiles, gold beads (from my Christmas decorations box) and white candles to recreate the ambiance of the ballroom where the wedding reception was held.

 Above is the one of the 26 tables at the reception.  I got to help put chair covers on, tie gold sashes around every other chair, and finish off the centerpieces.  Can you imagine...26 tables??  I was in heaven.

Close up (above) of reception centerpieces.  Can you see the photographer's (my daughter) reflection in the beads?

The centerpiece makes an interesting shadow on the white tablecloth.

The happy couple at the reception (above) now in traditional American wedding clothes and their first dance (below).

Deja Vous Christmas

No, you're not experiencing deja vous.  This table is very similar to another one in a previous post.

Yes, I used the same basic tablescape two holidays in a row. Can you believe it?? 

I just discovered this picture on my computer and wanted to share the details.

Note the poinsettia napkins and the place cards.  I bought a big box of these silver-trimmed cards several years ago and have been able to use them on many occasions as the silver coordinates well with not only the flatware but also the silver trim on the Shannon china pattern.

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Gung Hay Fat Choy means Happy New Year!

I created this Asian tablescape for a Hospice Tour of Tables fundraiser several years ago.

Unfortunately, this is the only photo I have of the table.

 

I found some silky, gold Asian-themed fabric at Wal-Mart and had it made into a table square, napkins and chair scarves.

The plates sat on rattan place mats.  I used juniper Fiesta plates and other juniper pieces (see disk pitcher in photo).  

I placed red envelopes and chop sticks on the plates. (Children are given red envelopes filled with money for Chinese New Year.)

Replica Chinese coins were scattered around the table.

Paper lanterns hung from a metal hook served as a centerpiece.

Table favors were little red take-out boxes with fortune cookies inside.

Blue Willow

This Blue Willow table was created by my mom many years ago for a fundraiser which benefited our home town's centennial celebration. 

She used a lace cut-out tablecloth layered over a medium blue tablecloth.  The table also included many cobalt blue glass pieces and blue and white silk flowers.

The blue goblets she used on the table now belong to me.

Blue Willow is a beautiful classic dish pattern which has remained popular through the years and mixes well with other blue and white pieces.

The Story of the Willow Pattern is below: 

Bee My Honey!

My husband is a beekeeper, and it was our 20th wedding anniversary so I suppose this table was inevitable!  

(Below are blocks and a holder from Blessings, Unlimited.) 

He started his beekeeping "career" last summer, and since then I have found so many cute bee items.  It was time they all went together on a table.  Note, also, some of our honey products on the yellow plate.

Fiesta makes makes sunflower colored plates with a bee pattern (now retired).  I gave my husband a set for Christmas last year.

I only have one place setting so I had to split it up around the table.  I also used juniper, black, sunflower, marigold and cream and heather Fiesta pieces.

We had fettucine alfredo with chicken, french bread with oil and vinegar for dipping, salad and watermelon for our special anniversary supper.

Silk daisies in Fiesta juniper disk pitcher with bee accent

Dessert! 

My first grade classroom will also feature a bee theme - "Mrs. V.'s Busy Bees", "We all BEE-LONG" ", "What's the BUZZ in Room 2003?".

Can you stand more bee puns?  Below is our 2011 Christmas letter:

BEE-fore 2011 comes to an end, it BEE-hooves us to reach out to with those who have BEE-friended us through the years and wish you and yours an un-BEE-lievably blessed holiday season!
Here's the BUZZ about what the Viesselman family has BEE-n up to:
Missy likes to BEE in many activities including speech, Target, band, robotics, math league, dance, school musical, church youth group, and the golf and tennis teams.  She got her drivers permit last summer and gets to BEE BEE-hind the wheel now.
J.T. BEE-gan working at Godfather's Pizza in August.  BEE-sides making pizzas, he takes part in knowledge bowl, math league, robotics and the tennis team.  He BEE-came a newly-licensed driver this year, too.
Sam's track team made a BEE-line for the state meet in June where his 4 x 800 relay finished 4th and the team took 2nd place. Sam BEE-came a college student in August when he entered the University of Minnesota Twin Cities majoring in biomedical engineering.  
Laura and Jerry were gracious hosts to our family at their home in BEE-utiful Monrovia, California last summer.  We got to see a Pacific BEE-ch and were BEE-dazzled by the big city of LA.
Nate asked Chariya Prom to BEE his HONEY  for life when he presented her with an engagement ring in June.  He will marry his BEE-trothed on August 18, 2012.
I have been busy as a BEE the past few months (and may-BEE a little crab-BEE) as I packed up my classroom at William Budd Elementary, finished my graduate classes, and unpacked about a BEE-zillion boxes in my new classroom at Fairmont Elementary. 
BEE-fore I say good-bye, I should tell you the reason BEE-hind all these BEE references which may have left you a little BEE-wildered.  I wrote them BEE-cause Terry BEE-came a BEE keeper this year.  His worker BEEs rewarded him with golden honey and honey comb that tastes as good as it looks.   But don't BEE alarmed!  My hub-BEE is still hard at work keeping our county from being STUNG by crime...the BEEs are just a hob-BEE.
From our hive to yours, we hope that you will BEE overwhelmed with joy this holiday season!

Land of 10,000 Lakes

A recent road trip across the great state of Minnesota inspired this Gopher state tablescape.

I got this vintage-look (but new) tablecloth on ebay.  It features a map of the Land of 10,000 Lakes
along with many symbols of my state's industries and tourist attractions.

Our meal featured Minnesota grown sweet corn.  (Don't know where the watermelon came from.)

 My Fiesta Marigold mini-pitcher holds marigolds from my back yard (also Minnesota grown).

 I used Fiesta dinnerware dinner and luncheon plates and berry bowls in peacock, scarlet, shamrock and marigold to match the tablecloth.

The tablecloth shows my hometown and surrounding area.

CENTERPIECE TIP

, e

When I was making a last minute centerpiece for my University of Minnesota table, I used three Fiesta pieces nested inside each other.

I filled all three bowls with water.  I placed the hosta leaf ends in the biggest bowl and the large and small marigold flowers in the two smaller bowls.  Everything was held in place nicely and the centerpiece lasted about a week.

Apples and Chalkdust

It's almost back-to-school time!  Stores are stocked with school supplies, the weather is changing and, I'm being drawn back to my classroom.  Time for a school-themed table!

This table is a re-creation of a table I did with my sister several years ago for a local Tour of Tables fundraiser. 

I used Fiesta dishes and accessories in Juniper and Cinnabar.  I don't recall where I got the cute apple glasses.

Mini-chalkboards can serve as place cards.

Many of the table decorations have been given to me by friends and family through the years.  Note the vintage "Dick and Jane" reader.

The cute little desk in the photo below is actually a picture frame.  I put a teacher-themed thank you card into the frame.

The pot below is another teacher-themed gift I received.

This book, which I received from a student, was the original inspiration for this table title and theme.