Long Table Tablescapes

I love having a party and sitting everyone at one long table.  I think it creates a really fun and interesting dining experience.

In early October I hosted a small shower for a friend at my house.  To create a family-style brunch I put three folding tables next to each other and covered them with burlap.  Every guest, including the small children, had a place at the table marked with a box of cookies displaying their name.  The food was set around the table and passed.  Everyone sat there chatting long after the meal was over and enjoying the intimate company.

Here are photos of my simple long table tablescape and some other's I love.

My Table for a Fall Brunch

The shower colors were brown, orange, blue and green.  Dark brown burlap with cream dishes and napkins set the table.  The napkin rings were tissue paper poms in blue and green, and the pumpkins and bright flowers added the orange.

Onesies, hats, mittens and blankets in the shower colors hung on a clothesline.

 More Long Tables

The place tags also served as the favors for the shower.

Small take-out containers contained mini chocolate chip cookies and were tied with a ribbon.

Each guest had their own container with their name on it.

A simple yet sweet item on the menu is seasonal fruit served with a honey-yogurt dip. It's also healthy and a crowd pleaser.

Slice season fruit and place it in individual serving dishes, like a small cocktail glass.

Mix 2 cups vanilla greek yogurt, 1/4 cup honey and a teaspoon cinnamon.  Put a dollop of dip over the fruit and serve.

Etiquette and Inspiration: "Second Baby" Showers

Traditionally baby showers were given so that women could pass on wisdom and lessons of motherhood to the expecting mom, and friends and family shower the expecting parents with the necessities they'll need when the bundle of joy arrives.   The celebrations and gifts help make the anticipation of waiting for a baby to arrive joyful and creates excitement for the parents-to-be.  Every new mom deserves a beautiful shower.

The general rule, and assumption, is that a woman doesn't have baby showers past her first baby.  It's assumed she no longer needs the wisdom of the moms who came before her and she should already have all the baby gear she'll need.  It's also considered a bit rude to ask those who gifted and showered the new mom already to do it all over again. However it's becoming more common for friends and family to host celebrations with baby two, three, and so on.

Etiquette  The etiquette for "second baby" showers is to keep them quaint. Only invite those friends that didn't come to showers for your first baby, and family members who may be disappointed if they aren't invited.  Unless specifically requested by the host, do not register for gifts.

Inspiration I believe every occasion deserves a celebration.  A girlfriend has just found out she's having a boy, her second child, this fall. She has a beautiful daughter and will need to add a bit of blue to the nursery. I'm honored she's agreed to let me host a small brunch to celebrate.  Just eight to ten guests, and a simple sit-down meal will make her feel special.  I'm inspired by preppy plaids, argyle, and fall colors.  I think I'll decorate with patterns in orange and browns, with accents of greens and blues.  I'll post photos and details in September. I hope she likes it!