By Libbie Summers
Assisted by David Dempsey
Cuisine Apron in White Linen from Libbie Summers Yum Yum Smile Shop
Orange Gingham Trimmed Linen Napkin from Libbie Summers Yum Yum Smile Shop

While your cake is baking, there’s time to make a sweet zesty little centerpiece.

Fresh Orange Centerpiece
makes 1

What you need:
1 quart wide-mouth mason jar or other clear sided jar
1 clear juice glass or small clear jar that will fit inside the larger jar
1 par scissors
2 oranges, sliced
1 small grouping of orange, yellow and white flowers
2 sprigs fresh rosemary or other herbs/greens
1 small rubber band
1 piece ribbon, jute or twine for tying around neck of jar

What to do:
1. Place the small juice glass or small jar inside the larger jar. (NOTE: You can use putty or tape on the bottom of the juice glass to keep it in place) 2. place orange slices around and down the sides of the large jar between it and the smaller juice glass/jar. The small jar will keep them in place.
3. Make your flower arrangement by grouping the flowers and rosemary together into a sweet bouquet (Don’t overthink this…it will be adorable). Cut ends just long enough to fit inside the juice glass and secure ends with a rubber band.
4. Fill juice glass with water and place bouquet in it. Adjust flowers as needed.
5. Tie ribbon, jute or twine around the neck of the large jar.

By Libbie Summers
Assisted by David Dempsey

A simple red and white candy cane inspired this fabulously festive (and fun) holiday table! It checks all the boxes…inspirational (yes), attainable (YES, anyone can do it) and affordable (yes, minimal dollars spent).

Here’s How You Can Do It!
Step 1: Make a Tablecloth (create a woven ribbon “tablecloth”)
Lengths of inexpensive holiday ribbon were cut to run the length of the table and taped securely under the edge. My table was white so I love the idea of using the white as part of the pattern, so I left space between the ribbons. Then going the width of the table more of the same ribbon was cut as well as widths of a coordinating bandana ribbon. Then the ribbon was woven (under and over/alternating) into the already taped ribbon. Once each piece has been woven, adhere under the edge with tape.

Step 2: Make a Centerpiece (we made “kissing balls” out of starlight mints). I hot glued starlight mints onto a varying sizes of styrofoam balls that had been painted with red craft paint (optional). You could also use other soft candy and pin the candy to the styrofoam ball with long straight pins.  Soooo much fun drama. The balls were placed on old milk glass as holders for elevation and some just on the table.

Step 3: Set the table.
Since the woven ribbon tablecloth and centerpieces are so over-the-top, I wanted to keep the place setting fairly neutral. I used hand thrown white dinner plates, simple white-handled flatware, clear tall cut-glass water glasses and pink champagne glasses. To bring the bandana ribbon into the rest of the setting, I used a ric-rack trimmed red bandana from the Yum Yum Smile Shop as each napkin. For the name card, I wrote my guests name on white paper cut into a tree shape and tied it onto a peppermint stick with red and white baker’s twine.

Finally, add a little extra candy cane flare with candy canes as glass “garnishes”.

By Libbie Summers
Assisted by David Dempsey
Tabletop Linens from Yum Yum Smile Shop

“When I asked her to tell me a food the inspired or held a special memory for her, she quietly whispered “radish”. And so a luncheon table was set in her honor..”

I wanted to honor a friend by setting a table inspired by her favorite vegetable, radish. I started with a foam head form from my local craft store, and three dozen pink geraniums in three different shades of a radish – the idea was to duplicate the beautiful ombre color of a radish. I carefully removed the tops from the stems and pinned them to the foam head using long corsage pins. From the back, I pinned darker pink or reds and in the front I pinned the lighter pinks. Once finished I added a fun temporary tattoo from Tater Tats! Isn’t she beautiful?!

To set the table: I used white hand thrown plates, pink water glasses, rosé glasses, gold flatware, and Agen Linens Napkins from Yum Yum Smile Shop!

We opened a great bottle of rosé, poured two glasses and sat to eat.

The coarse; a fresh greens salad with matchstick radish, a sprinkle of fresh thyme and a drizzle of homemade Raspberry Jam Vinaigrette dressing.

Raspberry Jam Vinaigrette
(sweet, smooth and pretty)

By Libbie Summers
Assisted by David Dempsey
Photography by Siobhan Egan
Tabletop Linens from Yum Yum Smile Shop
Published in Paprika Southern, Fall 2019

“Take a lover who looks at you like maybe you are magic.” – Frida Kahlo.

I was asked by Paprika Southern magazine to style a table and write a little something for their Fall issue with inspiration from Frida Kahlo. And this is where my head went. .

Maybe she said to me, “Set a secret dessert table for two in the garden,” a certain September day in 1938. Things had been rocky with she and Diego –his philandering getting in the way of their happiness so it was only natural she took her own lover. The brilliant colors used in her artwork had been missing in her personal life. So maybe, I would have created a scene for her sweet tryst just like this one. With the colors that surrounded her at La Casa Azul. With the colors of her Autumnal world in Mexico City. With the colors of lost love and newly found lust. With the colors of magic. Just maybe she said to me “Set a secret dessert table for two…” -Libbie

Shop my Yachtie Linen Napkin Set from the Yum Yum Smile Shop

(Frida Kahlo’s Blue House; Mexico City, Mexico)

By Libbie Summers
Assisted by David Dempsey
Location: The Loft at Straton Hall Events

When you have a box full of baseballs leftover from a previous event and your “Pork and Berries” dinner needs a centerpiece…you make blueberry baseballs! #homerun

Blueberry Baseball
makes 1

What you need:
1 Baseball
Newspaper
Scissors
Blue, white, and black paint
Masking Tape
White glue
Water
Paintbrushes
Paper Towels

What to do:
1. Mix equal parts white glue and water in a small bowl. While that mixes, cut the newspaper into half inch strips. Then, cut the strips into small 1-2 inch pieces. Use the masking tape to create a “lip” on one side of the blueberry…this will be the top of your blueberry. Paint the mixture onto the baseball, place one piece of newspaper on the baseball. Continue one by one until ball is completely covered. Allow to dry completely.
Pro Tip: We made a “stand” out of rolled up foil for the balls to dry on.

2. Mix white, black and blue paint together to make a perfect blueberry color. Cover the entire baseball blueberry in the blue color. Allow the blueberry to dry completely. Save leftover paint, you’ll use it soon!

3. Mix black paint with a slight amount of white paint. Using a thin brush, paint a primitive star in the lip at the top of your blueberry. Allow to dry.

4. Add a bit more white to the saved blueberry blue paint mixture. Wet a paper towel and dip it into a slight bit of paint and pat the color all over the sides of the blueberry. Let dry overnight.

Thats it! Gather some trimmings from your Blueberry Bush (or any tree outside), lay the branches down the center of your table. Add in your blueberry baseballs and fresh blueberries if you like.