Leap Year Tablescape

Finding this fabric launched a great idea for Leap Day, 2-29-12! I knew immediately this would be the perfect way to celebrate a day that leaps into our lives every four years. The treat frogs haven't been filled yet, but by tomorrow, I know I'll have a delightful idea. Who can I surprise with this? Hmmmm.

What will you do with your extra day this year? My Bible Study leader, Patty Bivens says, find someone you can express God's love to. I like that idea. I decided I'd forgive my husband for every mistake he makes today!! He's up to eight and it's only 2:30! ;-)

Tea at the "Posh Pheasant" in San Clemente

Three reasons to have tea at the Posh Peasant: Great Tea, Antique Stores & Beautiful Ocean

After leaving my credit card at an antique store 40 miles away in San Clemente the day before, I returned to retrieve it the next day and felt I should make my return trip delightful in some way. So I decided to pop in to The Posh Peasant Tea Room I had discovered the day before. The ocean is a quick drive of about a mile away.

They were fully capable of serving walk-ins and their "Sampler Tea" was fabulous. They served diminutive tea sandwiches of cucumber, egg salad, and tuna salad. The blueberry scone was warm and perfect, and accompanied by a few slices of fresh pear, and other fruits. This was accompanied by homemade lemon curd, strawberry jam and cream fraiche. I had the Peaches and Cream Tea, which was recommended on Yelp.

I met the sweetest patrons there and shared in delightful tea talk. The all raved about the salad that was served. My server was most accommodating. I would definitely recommend this Tea Room for Tea. If you can't go there, why not pour your own cup and add a small sandwich and a cookie and look out at the nature around your home. Or invite a friend for "just a visit".

5-Minute Southern Banana Pudding

This favored dessert is wonderful if you need to construct something impressive quickly. You could say it is semi-homemade ;-). For this large purple depression era cocktail glass, a first instant banana pudding single was placed at the bottom. Mini Nilla Wafers were chopped and added to 1/2 of a sliced banana. Another instant banana pudding was placed atop that mixture and topped with the other 1/2 of the sliced banana, then topped with whipped cream, drizzled caramel sauce and a fresh purple flower.

There are so many variations you can feature:

• Replace the flower with a melted and formed chocolate, butterscotch, or white chocolate decoration
• Top with Butter Brickle bits or chopped peanut butter cups
• Top with your favorite chopped nuts

The sky is the limit!

This is an easy but elegant way to make your dessert presentations delicious and delightful!

Low Cost Tablecloths in Laguna Hills!

I have been purchasing tablecloths in all different colors from Tablecloths For Less since this summer. I am impressed with the true color match and the quality of the tablecloths and napkins. If you are having a small event or a huge event, you will not be disappointed with these tablecloths. I have ordered from other vendors and have been disappointed as their table cloths were almost "see-through"! These are thicker and hemmed too!

Here is a link to their color chart: Tablecloths For Less: Color Chart

I have ordered these online, but I believe if you are a local, you could drive down and pick them up.

I'd love to hear about your experiences with this company. I derive no benefit from telling you about them, other than knowing you are getting a great deal too! They sure have made my events more delightful.

A Tribute to Chris

Photo by BodieQuirk.com

This is my son, Chris. I am so proud of him! He helps me with ALL of my computer challenges...with a great measure of patience :-). I have learned so much from him. Don't we learn a lot from our children?

He is wise, makes great decisions, and gives excellent advice. He taught me how to blog, make my banner, add blog buttons, add gadgets and other blog essentials. Actually, he's taught me almost everything I know about computers. I had to learn graphic design on my own as he loves dealing with the inside of a computer with things I can't pronounce or understand.

Since he moved to Utah, we speak about once a week, on Saturday mornings (which I really look forward too). But he receives numerous "Help!" texts from me within each month. He always responds with a great attitude. Don't know how that will work out when he meets "Miss Forever" and has kids, but for now, it's so nice. I imagine it can only get better!

Our Chris is respectful, kind, and quietly humble. He has a very interesting sense of humor. He's zinged you before you know it, but with love. I'm most proud that he loves God and that his life reflects that. He makes John and my life DELIGHTFUL! I'd love to hear about someone who makes your life DELIGHTFUL.

This has been posted exclusively for my blog followers.
Because Chris is not braggadocios, he reluctantly allowed me to print this.

A New Take on Chocolate Covered Strawberries

With Valentines Day the perfect day to share romantic food with your loved one, try these scrumptious Chocolate Covered large, long-stem strawberries.

Melt one bag of Nestles Chocolate Chips or White Chocolate Chips in the microwave in a deep small bowl for about one and a half minutes, 45 seconds at a time. Add one teaspoon of Canola oil to the chocolate and stir til smooth. Dip the strawberries in the chocolate until thoroughly coated. Then dip in chopped Chocolate Covered Butter Brickle pieces. This is amazingly good.

PS, you can make these anytime, not just for Valentines Day ;-).

Great Idea For a To-Go Container

Take a paper plate, cut a slit on each side the width of the ribbon you are using. This plate's gross-grain ribbon was about one inch wide. For this plate, the ribbon measured one and a half yards in length. Trim the ends of the ribbon as you wish. Press the ribbon through the slits so that it is ready to tie over the dome when you have placed it over your food items. (The domes are made of plastic plant pot liners!!) Once the dome is secure, tie the bow over the dome. This was a delightful presentation! Have the plates slit, ribbons attached,and ready to go for your guests. You don't want to have to fumble with cutting and tying ribbon when your guests are departing your event.

Yesterday, my incredibly gifted and talented sister, Jane Perry, hosted a delightful Valentines luncheon for her close friends. I was blessed to be a helper and a guest. She is very generous and thoughtful. I'm so glad I'm getting much closer to her since our younger sister passed away in 2008.

We both love to create pleasurable experiences for others. We delight in the anticipation of the joy our guests will experience and have so much fun creating these events. My sister designed this To-Go Container which can be customized to whatever event you are having.

I told her to just listen for the Oooohs, Ahhhhs, and Wows! And she got them. Her friends were delightful, as was the food and the activity she planned for us: We ALL got to design a multi-rose floral arrangement with Master Flower Designer, Pam.

Romantic Valentines Cookies

Here's the recipe I use for Sugar Cookies and Royal Frosting. It is amazing! You must use the King Arthur Flour for the best Results. :-)

Best Ever Sugar Cookies

3 cups King Arthur’s all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

Powdered sugar, for rolling out dough

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Place the butter and sugar in large bowl of electric stand mixer and beat until light in color. Add egg and milk and beat to combine. Put mixer on low speed, gradually add flour, and beat until mixture pulls away from the side of the bowl. Divide the dough in half, wrap in waxed paper, and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sprinkle surface where you will roll out dough with powdered sugar. Remove 1 wrapped pack of dough from refrigerator at a time, sprinkle rolling pin with powdered sugar, and roll out dough to 1/4-inch thick.

Cut into desired shape, place at least 1-inch apart on greased baking sheet, parchment, or silicone baking mat, and bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are just beginning to turn brown around the edges, rotating cookie sheet halfway through baking time.

Let the cookies sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes after removal from oven and then move to complete cooling on wire rack. Serve as is or frost as desired. Store in airtight container for up to 1 week.

Best Ever Royal Icing

Makes 2 1/2 cups

1 box confectioners' sugar (1 pound)

2 large egg whites

4-5 tablespoons milk

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine sugar and egg whites. Mixing on low speed increasing to medium speed. For a thinner consistency, usually used for flooding, add more water. A thicker consistency is generally used for outlining and adding details. Mix until icing holds a ribbon-like trail on the surface of the mixture for 5 seconds when you raise the mixer blades.

I hope you and your friends find these as delightful as me and my friends did. :-)

More Valentines Tea Pictures

Janny reads her Valentine to Jesus.

We all read pre-written Valentines to Jesus. This sharing was so sweet!

Trina

Mary sang her Valentine to Jesus!

We always LOVE to hear what our Precious Carolyn has to say. She is AMAZING!

Betty constructed a very clever poem to Jesus :-)

Nancy got us started...

Sandy, Mona & Nancy

Mary Ann, Vonny & Caren

Janice, "photographer extraordinaire", and Shannon. The Youngins.

Trina, me and Dorothy

Nancy, Jennifer & Cindy

Caren, Denise, Nancy, Janny & Mona
We dressed in Valentines colors which makes everything seem so much more festive!

Shirley & Mary Ann

Janice & our Big Sister, Dory

The Servants Team and the best partners anyone could every ask for!!

Cindy, our flower designer. Love her work!

Patty and me, getting ready for the ladies.

Patty, putting the finishing touches on her Turkey, Cream Cheese & Cranberry Sandwiches

Janny, cutting out the melon hearts.

One of my favorite settings.

I love this set too! Do you notice the bow and rose tied onto the water glass?
The butter pat dish is used to collect used tea bags.

A photo of me by Janice.
Got my hat at an Antique Store! I think it was made for me!
It was a great day!

Wow! What A Valentines Tea!!

EVERYONE LOVES Mary's Chilled Raspberry Soup! Recipe is on this blog.

The Sandwich Course: Cucumber Mint Sandwiches tied with a bow and rose, Ham & Cheese Crescent Rolls, Jerk Marinated, Bacon-wrapped Shrimp, Turkey Sandwiches. Yum!

Turkey, Orange-Cranberry Sauce and Cream Cheese on Cinnamon Raisin Bread.
Topped with Tangerine slices.

Scrumptious Desserts! Chocolate Covered Strawberries, Southern Banana Pudding Parfaits, Sugar Cookies & Paula Deen's Red Velvet Cupcakes.

Dining Room Tea Table

The Pink Living Room Table

My friend Cindy designed all three floral arrangements. They were better than I could imagine!

Violets Are For Remembrance Table

Two Hearts Joined As One Sugar Cookies With Royal Icing

Paula Deen's Red Velvet Cupcakes

This year's Tea was sweet as I totally focused on Valentines Day for the food and decor. Themed "And The Sisters Showed Their Love" from John 12, fragranced oil bottles were given labeled, "The Fragrance of Love". This was to be a reminder of the perfume Mary poured on Jesus' feet before he was to die on the Cross as an act of love and devotion to Jesus Christ.

We each wrote and read a Valentine for Jesus. Such sweet sharing. He is what True Love is all about. I will post those Valentine messages once I have compiled them and secured their permission.

This was a blessed day with treasured friends. Absolutely Delightful!

Here is the Menu for the Tea:

Ice Water with mint Leaves

Raspberry Soup with Raspberry & Sour Cream Leaf Garnish

Caramelized Pears, with Walnuts, Dried Cranberries & Bleu Cheese on Endive

Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Scones

Maraschino Cherry and Pecan Scones

Clotted cream

Raspberry jam

Jerk Marinated Shrimp

Cucumber & minted cream cheese on white bread rectangles, Tied w/bow & flower

Baked Ham & Cheese Crescent Sandwiches

Turkey, Orange-Cranberry Sauce & Cream Cheese on Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Cantaloupe, Watermelon and Honey Dew Melon Hearts

Red Velvet Mini-cupcakes With Red Rose & White Chocolate Leaf

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Two Hearts Joined As One Sugar Cookies

Mini Southern Banana Pudding Parfaits

Assorted Teas-Good Earth, Earl Grey, Orange Spice, Raspberry, etc.

This was definitely a Spirtual-i-Tea!