I've got friends coming for dinner. Set the table yesterday and bought everything I need a few days ago so I'd be set. Organisation being Key and All.
Who knew so many people hadn't heard of chargers? They're big giant faux decorative plates that you set your real plates on. Their sole purpose in life is to sit there looking attractive.
Some people embrace a neutral table but I am clearly not one of them.
Bring on the Colour and mismatched stuff I say.
I'm going with a Fexican theme. Already actioned my beans and I'm going to whip up some salsas and do some artsy things with avocado and limes. And action some margaritas too.
Met my friends for brunch at Anouk today. Willow was wearing her daughter's Camilla dress as a top.
Am so stealing this idea.
This was Me.
And this was the Baby in a top my Mum bought him at Liberty in London. He looked so cute but didn't really cover himself in Glory behaviour wise. More' the pity.
The whole garden is wilting like hell in this heat, but at least my aggies are flowering
And a lone gardenia sends its love
Mr FF picked this for me today.
I'm baking some brownies and a cheesecake for pudding. What are you doing?
xxxxxx
Hmmm supposedly i'm working but in reality i'm sneaking a look at your blog! Table looks gorgeous, love a bit of mismatched and lots of colour, awesome!! Cheers Judy xx Oh and Baby FF does look sweet :)
ReplyDeleteTable looks fab. Love all the colour, and your cutlery is beautiful. Nothing exciting going on here. I've been meeting with builders all morning about pricing for our extension. V. Dull. xx
ReplyDeleteYour table settings are to die for, i whole heartedly embrace the mismatched and colourful theming xxxx
ReplyDeleteI like your table decor it always looks lovely & inviting. Wish you would start a blog giving advice on entertaining, you seemed to do it effortlessly, all with a little one to chase around. Makes me feel quiet useless LOL.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't really know what advice to give...
DeleteI just invite people who I've nown forever and love and I cook the food I like to eat that has minimal cleaning up and I like to set the table the day before.
I don't fin it hard. I wouldn't bother if it was difficult. I find it soothing.
What sort of things do you need to know?
I'd be hopeless about timing it all.
It is possible to do with a toddler but it was a bit easier when he was less mobile1
My problem is I hate cooking, I don't mind baking I find that relaxing,& I love setting a table all pretty, but meals I dislike doing. I would love you to share recipes for meals that are really easy & can be prepared ahead.
DeleteThe little man looks cute in his shirt & braces hard to believe he didn't behave when he looks so cute! It's an age when they like to be busy (might take after his Mom),
Your table settings are so colorful - nice. Is anything cuter than that tiny Liberty shirt? Maybe the boy in it? It's good when little boy's behavior isn't always perfect. Somehow more normal in the long run.
ReplyDeleteI could eat that little man in his braces. Who cares if he fails to cover himself in glory behaviour-wise when he can pull off a look like that with such elan?
ReplyDeleteI know, aren't all the aggies gorgeous at the moment.
LT
Oh thank you for that charger explanation. I have only basic white dinner plates, so boring, snore.
ReplyDeleteToday I am at home with baby and toddler and am sweating like a proverbial pig. Sweating. Dreading tomorrow.
Yay just got my internet back on! Still struggling with recovering from the excesses of the weekend when I pretended I was back in my 20's.....yesterday and today it became blatantly apparent that I'm not. Your dinner looks swell! Rx
ReplyDeleteDear FF,
ReplyDeleteHip hooray for organisation, it's the key to success.
I'm not a colourfull person in dinner setting but this must change. Loved plate chargers from way back.
Love love love your outfit from lunch. Baby FF I'm sure was doing his best.
The heat is shocking, even some of my aggies dropped yesterday.
I have some gardenias as a centrepiece at the moment and the fragrance is intoxicating.
Actioning a pasta from Sarah Leonardi McGrath new blog. She married Glenn McGrath and is a real foodie. As I love food of any kind I'm sure we will be friends.
B. x
That Baby is too cute in that outfit! Excellent idea to table set in advance. Today I've cleaned out fridge and pantry in preparation for Christmas goodies, and ironed and put away all washing. Productive.
ReplyDeleteWhat am I doing right now? I am at home with my 6 year old daughter who has, according to our very French Dr., slapped cheek disease. Yes, it looks just as it sounds. She is fine, so the four horses of the apocalypse won't be coming any time soon! We have been watching a Willie wag tail Mum and Dad who have built a nest in our back yard! In exciting (and extremely educational news), we have just discovered that they have laid an egg! I know, lucky.We also actioned a gardenia bouquet for the kitchen bench and picked two purple aggies for the side board! Who would have thought Kmart would have $2 charger plates, I must action some, once we are out of quarantine!
ReplyDeleteCute braces, makes me want to have a little boy!
Anna from Brizvegas
had to explain the whole charger thing to my husband on Saturday when he spied some nice ones whilst shopping. A lightbulb moment for him. Loving your table, everything looks fab, I do love a good fexican feast. Baby ff looking very dapper in braces. xx I am home today actioning Christmas deco's
ReplyDeleteChristine in Perth
I have been to the gym for the first time in ages, now am organising a "baked parsley chicken" thing and apple crumble for dinner, and we are decorating xmas tree later this afternoon. I wish it was hot and sunny as it must be there but here in Melbourne it's cloudy and cool and not much sun today. All in all, things are reasonably well here. :-)Mx
ReplyDeleteOoh yum Fexican! I just had Findian for lunch, now might go to Kmart for some of those $2 charger plates, so festive!
ReplyDeleteI spy some croque - Madame??? Kathleen xox
ReplyDeleteOh and my dinner plates are Gordon Ramsey for royal doulton duck egg blue. We use them daily, only one casualty in over 18 months. Love them though going to start collecting a dinner set. Thinking of going for the mismatched look as will be easier to replace breakages and will keep it interesting. l Did pick up a series of 1980-1985 wedgewood queens ware dinner plates on the cheap a few weeks ago - one needs festive everything IMO. Kathleen xox
ReplyDeleteI must admit that I am among the number who had never heard of chargers-until now that is. This blog is so educational and informative as well as glamorous!
ReplyDeleteStunning table !
ReplyDeleteI have to admit FF, i had to google 'chargers'. Never heard of the term. Your agapanthus look good - put a look and key on them. We have a magnificent patch in the front of our apartment building that goes the length of the building.... some eastern suburbs cheapskate has come along and lopped a good dozen off.... i'm furious! Can't believe people would do that. I'm thinking of putting a sign out of the front; get yourself to pearsons and buy some you cheap sod. (It's probably some dowager matron from vaucluse!)
ReplyDeleteYour table and settings are so lovely, warm, cheering, and inviting - you "set" such a inspirational example. The lantern centerpiece is charming.Baby FF is so cute - hang in there!
ReplyDeleteI am wishing I was making cheesecake too. Instead I am being forced to the coalface conference that runs for three days. Is too long.
ReplyDeleteI am also plotting the purchase of the Chrissie Turkey. My Christmas would not be complete without turkey. Is tradition.
"Their sole purpose in life is to sit there looking attractive"
ReplyDeleteYou could be talking about me!
HAHA - I'm soooooo hil-AIRRR-ious!
What lucky guests you have to get to dine so colorfully at chez FF!
ReplyDeleteDear Ms FF, I am getting me some of those fabulous chargers! I have been overly mono coloured tablewise for years but see that it is never too late to change. Entertaining should be a pleasure but I dio find myself getting a bit bad tempered if Mr LiC suddenly springs a business dinner on me. I do remember my Youngest not covering herself in glory behaviourwise - particularly on flight from Melbourne to Mauritius without Mr LiC when she was 17 months. I was literally wishing for death - then when the plane stopped in Perth, a couple I did not know introduced themselves to me (having just met Mr LiC in Mauritius) so I had to pull myself together. Just at that moment, the Youngest conked out, I called for a restorative glass of champers and all was well again. It feels as if I am always on a plane these days: but after a train ride, and two planes I will be back with my family and while travel is lovely, there is no place like home (need those ruby slippers for instant teleporting)! love Lindaxxx
ReplyDeleteI love your mismatched style, unfortunately I have to match everything. I even hang pictures in twos. I do love colour though and I do think of you when I put my pink and orange tablecloth under my Amapola V/Boch dinner ware.
ReplyDeleteLove the Baby's shirt and your Aggies too - they are such great value plants all year around.
ReplyDeletethanks for the clarification of "chargers"! I covered some extra placemats with tin foil last week for my school Mums Christmas get together lunch - got a similar effect however think I need to zip to Kmart pronto!!
Enjoy your dining tonight - looks and sounds "YUM"
C x
FF,
ReplyDeleteLove charger plates, but am confused about how long they should stay on the table-do they just sit there for the first course and then get whisked away? That is what I read somewhere but it seems a bit sad when they look so purdy'n'all.
Thanks in advance for clarifying.
Cheers, Renie xx
The table and those beans look fantastic! Hope you enjoy your night. Lj xx
ReplyDeleteBaby FF (now Toddler FF I suppose) looks so precious as always.
ReplyDeleteTable setting - You're doing it right.
My aggies are powering too, not hot in Sydney ...drizzley
ReplyDeleteMmmm Fexican, Brownies and Cheesecake! Such lucky guests!
ReplyDeleteHave to admit I 'googled' and 'google images' charger plates yesterday. I had not heard of them before also! I will be popping into K Mart this week now too - Christmas Day table in mind....
ReplyDeleteWhat am I doing? Trying to decide if we might keep the kids home from school tomorrow - it's going to be 39 in Bris.
Meg in St L
Have you ventured out for the annual photograph with Father Christmas? I just risked it with my 23 month old and 5 month old - I can assure you the air was thick with tension as 500 women with buggies tried to assess the likelihood of their child heading into full meltdown mode. Luckily my threats to abandon them at an orphanage if they misbehaved worked, resulting in an angelic photo of them with Father Christmas. (With only the barest whiff of trepidation apparent).
ReplyDeleteEmily
I get plate chargers now, thanks! - I've even got some but I don't think we call them that...
ReplyDeleteLoving Leonie's question - I agree entertaining is far from soothing for me I never know what to cook and end up exhausted having run round like a headless chicken - everyone has a great time but me :-(
I also wanted to ask you and your readers for advise about dying your hair at home - I want to for a number of reasons but I'm scared....
Thanks in advance,
PPx
Did you know Lily Brett has a blog?
ReplyDeleteAnd look - here is your painting!
http://lilybrettauthor.tumblr.com/page/6
And....she has set a festive table with plates with her painting on them.
ReplyDeletehttp://lilybrettauthor.tumblr.com/page/8
Love how you committ to a theme ! Please do a post with summary / recap of dinner party themes: I am often stumped for ideas and keep falling back on the same old thing.
ReplyDeleteHave already looked at K-Mart online store to see the colours they come in. Love how you put everything together on a table. I love colour but everything I do is rather too beige.
ReplyDeleteCatherine
I love that the baby behaves ingloriously in company! He looks so handsome in his braces.
ReplyDeleteCoveting those two buck plates. Great find!
I am watching Homeland with the airconditioning blasting. Love that you have a Monday night do !
ReplyDeleteIndia
None of my children covered themselves in glory today either FF. Am blaming the heat. I love your table, am all for colour too, and your new chargers look fab xx
ReplyDeleteDear FF,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad there were others who were also in the dark re: charger plates. Your table does look quite glorious.
I keep thinking that your blog's third birthday is ages away, ie that i have plenty of time prior to the 5th december. alas that is not the case. i suspect december 25 will also come as somewhat of a surprise.
A xx
Hi FF,
ReplyDeleteIt's Monday morning over here right now. Yesterday I hosted my sister and her three daughters (daughters are fab - you need to have one!). We popped open a bottle of Fabulicious - it's a raspberry flavored sparking wine by Teresa Guidice from Real Housewives of New Jersey. We drank it out of my brand new red flutes. Delish and gorgeous at the same time.
I was going to ask you what the chargers were, but didn't because I was ashamed of my ignorance. Thank you for your explanation. And thank the other commenters for admitting that they didn't know what it was either... I'm so relieved.
ReplyDeleteWhat am I doing? I was working, translating "Parenthood" for subtitles. That is, until I stopped and went to read your blog!
Nice blog
ReplyDeleteParfum pas cher
I love chargers and have a stack of gold ones and Christmas themed ones. Your Fexican sounds good.
ReplyDeleteDear FF,
ReplyDeleteOur Kate is pregnant, yeah! You should drop her a line with some pregnancy wardrobe tips.
Great news, lovely to have something to look forward to.
PPx
I am just going to have to up my act when it comes to table setting!!! ...just gorgeous! Loving the baby 's braces too. If only we could all live by the sea in these hot times!
ReplyDeleteMe too! Love the table
DeleteI have read all your posts from the start count me in for the comp!
I love mismatching and those baby braces are the beez neez......B:)
ReplyDeleteThose beans look amazing! Can you post the recipe. I love Fauxican, so delicious and fresh tasting. I wish I could do the mismatched look, but it never quite works for me. It comes out random rather than artful!
ReplyDeleteThe babys outfit is gorgeous. I'm happy to now be in the know re Chargers! Love that top and necklace you had on at Anouk. Wish I could have their delicious banana bread and a coffee right now.
ReplyDeleteI had never heard of a charger but will be off to Kmart quick smart to pick some up. Your table setting is magnificent. I am about to move into a place of my own and I hope my future dinner partIes will look as fab as yours do.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the blog milestone from a long time reader. Your posts never fail to brighten my day or teach me something useful and/or interesting.
Cassie M.
The blue, kitschy lantern at the centre of the table in the first frame - where is it from? Absolutely lovely.
ReplyDelete