A Birthday Celebration in Retrospect...

Today, I have a very special tablescape to share with you for Tablescape Thursday hosted by Susan at Between Naps on the Porch. I'm also going to join Michael Lee at her blog Designs By Gollum for Foodie Friday since I thought the food might be fun to share there...



My mother-in-law celebrated her birthday a little over a month ago...



And while we weren't there for this latest celebration, I'm going to share the family's 80th Birthday celebration for her that was held summer before last. I was in charge of helping with the tablescape and happily assigned primarily to flower duty which is what I enjoy the most...



These beautiful roses were sent from a well-wisher and were already displayed on a side table in the living room when we arrived in town for the party...



Because we planned to serve the food on tables that share an adjoining doorway, with one table in the dining room and one in the breakfast area of the kitchen, I thought two similar arrangements in matching containers would be suitable...



I took my cue from the colors in the home where the event was held, particularly this shade of blue in a portrait of my father-in-law at age sixteen. Isn't he handsome? My mother-in-law told us she fell in love with him when she saw this portrait at a gallery exhibition...



This Florida seascape painted in the 1920's has a very similar shade of blue captured in the water. Florida does have some glorious water...



This Marie Hull still life incorporates another shade of blue in the vase. And you can see the edge of my mother-in-law's summer blouse in this picture so you know she likes blue...



Moving right along... I have two large blue urns with iron accents that I thought would be perfect for the tables, so I commandeered them into action. Here's a shot of the blue of the urns...



Then I started looking around for inspiration for the flowers. Dad's portrait had a pink and wine colored background as did this deep pink chair in the adjoining living room...



So taking my cue from these items, I thought about stargazer lilies...



They also pick up the color of a Tabriz rug in the living room...



Mr. Magpie's Uncle A was oblivious to the picture-taking, but Cousin P was not...



And Cousin J was taking pictures of me taking pictures, so I caught him, too, sitting in a matching pink chair to the other (which is very light in this shot). Another cousin's mother-in-law is laughing in the background. She's lots of fun and reminds me of my friend Shelia of Notesongs whose blog party I thought was THIS week! [I'm not so sure my own brain isn't 80!]



So with pink in mind and because the others voted pink, too, I asked the florist to incorporate stargazer lilies into the mix...



And my marching orders (through phone calls and email) also included in addition to stargazer lilies: full blown pink roses (I wanted peonies, but somehow the florist's order got off a day late to have them shipped in from afar so this was a perfect substitute with which I was very happy), hydrangea, snapdragons, stock, Bells of Ireland, seeded eucalyptus, orchids (though I'm not seeing them in there), and Queen Anne's Lace...



Robert the florist added some other things, too, like these tulips, that wispy little blue flower, and the white curlicue Dr. Seuss-looking plants I love. Don't they look like something Dr. Seuss would have at a party??? I think they're fun...



I added astomeria lilies to the little containers on top of the candlesticks and was pleased with how they looked. Blue ribbon (called "Tiffany Blue") from Michael's was tied on the candlesticks just below the flowers and echoed the blue of the urns. I used three ribbons here, two sheers and a satin...



The bows had long streamers that pooled onto the table (some unknown culprit kept moving them! ARGH!)...



One really cute thing the guests all loved were these little party favor boxes, displayed here in a basket on a little child's chair in the living room...



Everyone wanted to know where to get them, and I found them at where else but my favorite store, Dollar Tree...



And of course there were balloons that my brother-in-law and his son tied around the yard...



Mr. Magpie's sister made sure we had lots of tasty treats as she was in charge of procuring the food from the caterer. The menu included such things as cheese straws and finger sandwiches in three varieties along with coconut cake, fudge squares, cookies, petit fours, almond bars, nuts, mints, veggie tray, fruit tray, and chicken tenders. That chicken was every bit as good as it looked, too...



We were a little surprised with the size of the pieces (this was supposed to be finger food) so we added forks to the mix just in case guests felt they needed one. We also used paper birthday napkins to go along with our casual dress code. (Okay, it was a corporate decision because we were very, very, VERY lazy and didn't want to iron linen ones... so sue us... bur remember, Mr. Magpie is a corporate defense lawyer! LOL!) I had solid pink which we didn't use, but these were festive and colourwise, echoed the arrangements...



It was about twenty minutes before party time, as we were all racing around trying to get last minute touches added to the platters (that's Mr. Magpie's brother in the picture)...



... when disaster struck! An antique cut glass pitcher broke in the breakfast room, nearly drowning Mr. Magpie's sister in water. Five o'clock found us frantically mopping up the floor (which we did with no time to spare). Bearing that in mind, certain little details didn't get done. Like the tips of ribbons I needed to trim. Shame! Shame! Shame!



And the crusts that the naughty caterer didn't cut completely off a few of the sandwiches. Tsk. Tsk.



And certain foods getting trayed on the wrong platters. Eeeeeek!



And me forgetting to light the new candles before the first guest arrived. Aaaaack!



Then me second guessing my choice of flower color when I looked at the very fine painting to the left of the sideboard (which used to be in a different spot). It did, however, match some of the fruit on the fruit tray, the cheese straws, and the carrots on the veggie tray. I'm a nut about taking inspiration from artwork. LOL!



Then I was wowed by how a favorite seascape on an adjoining wall was accented by the blue of the urns and ribbons. So I got over myself quickly because everything was ready, including the guests who were lolling around on the sidewalk visiting and trying not to be the early birds :-)...



With lights off...



And lights on...



Finally, the candles were lit...



I kept playing with the lighting for the pictures...



I loved the way different lighting made the ribbons look...



And no one seemed to notice any imperfections when the door opened and the guests started arriving. Like Father Magpie's lovely 90-year old cousin. Look how her silk blouse and turquoise jewelry match the urns and flowers! She was wearing some fancy Ferragamo pumps, too. Just because you're 90, doesn't mean you can't be stylish...



Here she is again, conversing with Mother Magpie's beautiful and equally stylish first cousin (who's an interior designer). I think she's approaching 80 as well...



We averted further danger the day before when we discovered a wasp nest in the wreath on the door. My brother-in-law and his son warred against the insects with brooms and Windex (I'm allergic to bug spray!), while Mr. Magpie and I raced to the 24-hour Wal-Mart in the wee hours of the morning to retrieve some silk flowers and a grapevine wreath as we pitched the other wreath, wasp nest and all, into the trash! Don't you just love drama??? ;-) I was pleased with the way the wreath turned out, and Mother Magpie was pleased, too, because it's a gift to her which she can use long after the party is over. And my theory on door wreaths? Skimpy doesn't get it, and this one is like the big hair version of a wreath! ;-)



And speaking of flowers, the sweet aunts brought these...



Along with their smiles...



While another favorite uncle sported a spiffy pink tie...



That coordinated perfectly with the tablescape...



The balloons danced gaily throughout the yard...



While the candles burned brightly...




And the flowers blushed their approval in response...





And the ice tea disappeared into glasses...



While the desserts on the dessert table...



Found themselves...



Disappearing onto plates...



Now, let's take one last turn around the dance floor, shall we?

























Dear Mother Magpie... thank you so much for the light you shine into all of our lives. May each day hereafter be happy and filled with the love you give to others. You are loved, dear lady on your birthday, on Mother's Day, and every day of the year! And I hope that when I'm 80, I can be as stylish (and tiny) as you! :-) Oh, and one last thing... if you ever see this, please do not murder me for putting this picture of you on my blog!



Now, please join Susan and her friends by clicking HERE for Tablescape Thursday.



Then on Friday, please join Gollum and her friends by clicking HERE for Foodie Friday.



I'd like these lovely ladies for hosting these memes each week. I also want to thank you for visiting me here today, and I look forward to visiting you in return...

XOXOXO,

Mrs. Magpie (Sheila) :-)

P.S. Certain key figures are missing from this retrospective because I either didn't capture them, or I caught them in unflattering poses that might, just might = big trouble were I to post them. Naturally, I shall remain illusive and uncaptured, though my picture is right there under my profile if you really must have a look! ;-)

Accoutrements

Flowers: Star Gazer Lilies, Full Blown Roses, Astomeria, Orchids, Queen Anne's Lace, Bells of Ireland, Stock, Hydrangea, Tulips, Snap Dragons, Seeded Ecultyptus, and Misc. Other Flowers

Vases: Purchased Years Ago

Silks and Grapevine for Door Wreath: WalMart

Ribbons and Candles: Michael's

Party Supplies: Dollar Tree

Ornate Sterling Forks: Francis I by Reed & Barton

Coin Silver Forks: Family Heirlooms (the pattern is both typt and beaded, but I'm not sure of its name or the maker since they are there, and I am here!)

Crystal Plates: Vintage

Food: 1-800-Caterer

Edit: By special request from Lisa, I am including here the most delicious coconut cake recipe from my friend Nancy who got it from our friend Betty:

Betty's Sour Cream Coconut Cake

I package yellow cake mix
1 16-ounce container of sour cream
2 cups sugar
1 8-ounce container of whipped topping, thawed (Publix brand if you have a Publix)
3 6-ounce packages of frozen coconut, thawed and divided (again, Publis brand if you have a Publix near you)

Bake cake according to directions in an 8-inch round cake pan.
Freeze cake.
Three days before you are ready to serve, slice horizontally into 4 separate layers.

Combine sourcream and sugar in a bowl and then mix with 12 ounces of the coconut.

Combine one cup of this coconut mixture with your with your whipped topping in a separate bowl and set aside.

Spoon and spread remaining coconut/sour cream mixture evenly on the layers of your cake and stack.

Ice the top and the sides of the cake with the coconut and whipped topping mixture that you set aside.

Cover and chill in the refrigerator (I almost said Icebox! lol!)for three days. Nancy says she covers her cake either with her plastic cake lid or a glass one, whichever you have. If you don't have either, put toothpicks in the cake and make a tent out of tinfoil to cover.

When you are ready to serve, take the remaining 6 ounces of thawed coconut and pat that on the top and sides of the cake. Serve to rave reviews. This was my birthday cake this year, and I had requests from my friends to get the recipe from Nancy which she graciously gave me tonight. Betty takes this with her to parties by special request, and Nancy says it's in the Lighthouse Society cookbook. It is DELICIOUS!

ENJOY!