Birthday Luncheon for Quilting Friends

My spring peonies were FABULOUS this year!

It must have been all that rain we had earlier.

I cut armloads of them to arrange & there were still TONS left on the bushes.

After shaking off any visible ants from the blossoms,

I plunge the stems into a big bucket of ICE COLD water

and leave them sitting overnight on the deck.

No stranglers...that should be "straglers" allowed into the house that way!

Thanks for spotting my spelling error, Kathleen! LOL

We removed the center leaf from the large square sunroom table so that I could use a white silk tablecloth

that I had bought. This table is 60"x60" & just gives me fits trying to find tablecloths for it.

The white silk didn't work the way I wanted it to AND

it didn't give me the room that I needed so two hours later,

I had DH help me put the leaf back in.

He just loves it when I do stuff like that! ~~insert rolled eyes~~

So the BIG arrangement of flowers went on the dining room table

and a smaller cluster went into a blue & white container.

I used white quilted placemats & white, restaurant weight napkins.

This luncheon was for my quilting group & was also held

to celebrate one of my closest sewing & *tennising* (is that a word?) friend's birthday.

Happy Birthday, Sue!!

I've known Sue for over 23 years & she is a dear, dear friend.

Last year, Mari, author of the fabulous blog

Once Upon A Plate

had a give-away for this Wedgewood/Johnson Bros. Blue Willow tea set

that comes in its own hat box.

I didn't win it from Mari, but snatched it up when I saw it on sale

at T. J. Maxx last year.

If you get a chance, stop by & give Mari a hug,

as her precious pooch, Cinnamon, just passed away.

I've been adding plates & accessories to the set slowly,

whenever I find some Blue Willow items on my shopping trips.

I made a simple pineapple upside down cake for Sue's birthday celebration

but then I got the brilliant ? idea to try making individual little cakes with this pan.

I was inspired by Mari HERE

but her's turned out SOOOO much prettier than mine!

Her photography skills make me swoon.

She is truly a master with her camera AND her cooking!

They tasted good, anyway!

Sue is the only one in the quilting group who

likes to drink decaf tea, so she gets her own special teapot for her place.

I served a Chicken & Artichoke-Rice Salad

on beds of lettuce, topped with slivered almonds.

It has pimentos, green pepper & water chestnuts in it, too.

Recipe can be found HERE!

I know you'll love it...it gets rave reviews & requests for the recipe
every time I serve it.

Thank you for visiting The Gazebo House.

Its nice to be feeling well enough to join in the world of blogland.

I MISSED YOU ALL!

I'm joining Susan's Tablescape Thursday

on her beautiful blog,

Between Naps on the Porch

As well as The Tablescaper on her pretty blog

for her

Seasonal Sundays

fondly,

RETT