Ladies Who Garden Luncheon

Welcome to "Tablescape Thursday," hosted by the Hostess with Mostess, Susan, at Between Naps on the Porch.

Happy Spring y'all! Springtime is the perfect time to plant some flowers in your garden, bring out the birdhouses, and welcome those sweet little birds back...or maybe even organize your Spring wardrobe!

Last year at my Mississippi home, I hosted a Luncheon with a "Ladies Who Garden" theme. If I were to host this event today in my Florida home, it would be a "Ladies Who Need to Garden" theme.

For the tablescape, I coordinated my Franciscan "Ivy" china with some Majolica "Green Leaf" pieces; then, I tied in the garden theme by adding a birdcage, bird's nests, and some ivy.

Menu

Cream of Carrot Soup
Bird's Nest Egg Salad*
Fresh Tomatoes, Cucumbers & Sliced Onions
Tomato Basil Beer Bread
Herbed Mint Iced Tisane
~
Aunt Gladys' Lace Cookies*
Lemonade

Ladies Who Garden Luncheon Tablescape...

Bird's nest place card holders and flower seed party favors carry out the garden theme...


Sweet little bird's nest holding the place card...

Birdcage as the centerpiece...

Bird's nest under the cloche...

Luncheon Menu...

Bird's Nest Egg Salad...y'all, the noodles are crispy, not wet!

*Recipe for Bird's Nest Egg Salad
1 egg
3 cups chow mein noodles
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
Egg Salad:
4 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup finely chopped celery
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

In a small bowl, beat egg. Add chow mein noodles and garlic salt; sir to coat. Drop by 1/3 cupfuls onto a greased baking sheet. Using your fingers, shape each into a nest, making an indentation in the center of each. Bake at 350 degrees for 11-13 minutes or until set. Cool for 2 minutes; remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

In a bowl, combine the first eight egg salad ingredients; mix well. Just before serving, spoon 1/4 cupful into each nest. Makes 6 servings.

Tomato Basil Beer Bread...

For a light dessert, I served lemonade and some of my "Aunt Gladys'" Lace Cookies.

Light dessert stand--Aunt Gladys' Lace Cookies with Lemonade...

*Aunt Gladys' Lace Cookies

1 egg beaten
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup cooking oats
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Combine all ingredients. Drop a very small amount of dough (1/4 tsp., as it spreads thin) on greased and floured wax paper-lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about five minutes until slightly brown at edges. If underdone, the cookies will not come off the paper. Allow cookies to cool on paper before removing. Makes 80-100 cookies. Cookies look like beige bits of lace. (Okay, Miss Janice's cookies look like brown bits of lace.)
Don't forget your party favors y'all! An easy party favor for this event...packets of flower seeds on a bed of moss, wrapped in cello with an ivy print bow.

I decided to give out the seed packets as my March "Friendship Gift." This is a very inexpensive small token of love to give to those who visit your home!

My "Friendship Gifts" for March...
Ye sleeping buds, break
Open your green cerements, and wake
To fragrant blossoming for His sweet sake.
~Margaret French Patton

I'm so happy you stopped by for a visit. Enjoy the Springtime y'all and remember to Make it Southern...Make it Memorable!

Lilly Pulitzer Fashion Show Winner!

Congratulations to COLLEGE PREPSTER! My readers have chosen you as the one who "Wears the Lilly the Best"! You look absolutely fabulous in this Lilly dress and I certainly understand why your photo was chosen by Lilly to be featured in their promotional booklets for wholesalers!

Doesn't she look AWESOME in her Pink & Green Lilly Dress!


A proper hug and thank you to all the ladies who participated in the Lilly Fashion Show last week--QueenBeeSwain, KappaPrep, AmandaCBee, CancerSucksEvenWithLillyPulitzerOnYourSide, PinkWashingtoniette, SBelle-LifeOfASouthernBelle, and Teresa Jane. I loved all of your pink & green and have decided that each of you will receive a Lilly-fied Happy from Miss Janice! Thank you again for "workin' that Lilly"!

Here's my gifts ready to send in these gotta-have pink & green Lilly gift bags!

I'm out the door to send off all the gifts and since I'm still in Lilly mode...here's what I'm wearing...

I adore this pink Lilly sweater with the palm tree embroidery detail! I'm pairing this with a white tee and khaki shorts, and adding my pink & green C.K. Bradley belt...also wearing my pearls, of course!

My very-casual, but preppy outfit for today!

Now, I'm dressing very casual...just going to the Postal Center y'all...Okay, maybe I'll be stopping by...

ATM to get some $$$.

A filling station to get some gas.

A stationery store.

A linen store.

Publix.

Walgreen's.

The Library.

So, the hair is in the usual ponytail and tied with a pink grosgrain ribbon. The pink & green monogrammed cap is one of my favorite caps. My pocketbook is... Lilly, of course--a Bermuda bag with the "Shrimp Cocktail" fabric cover! Love this cute cover, just love it! Even though I live in South Florida...and it's Spring Break time, I still can't bring myself to bring out the flip flops just yet...so, I'm wearing my pink Lilly mules. My Cartier wedding band, Oyster Perpetual Rolex, silver monogrammed earrings, and a Tiffany bracelet all work together to add a casual go-to-the-Postal Center, etcetera-look!

To polish off the look, my lipstick is Laser Pink by Chanel and my nails are polished with Pink Mink, also by Chanel. Add a few spritzes of Wink by Lilly, put on my Chanel sunglasses, and...voila, I'm out the door!

Thank y'all so much for dropping by today. I'll be back tomorrow with a springy, garden-like tablescape!

A Lilly-fied Luncheon & Fashion Show

Are you a Lilly girl? Lilly Pulitzer has been a designer of preppy fashions since the 60's and is the Queen of pink and green.

Today is such a big day for all of us Lilly lovers! Martha Stewart is honoring Lilly Pulitzer's Golden Jubilee on her show today and ALL the guests in the audience are Lilly fans and will be wearing their favorite Lilly outfit. I'm so happy for all of you who were able to attend the show and the social events yesterday...very lucky ladies!

To celebrate, I am hosting a Luncheon with a Lilly-fied tablescape. I've also lined up a fashion show, featuring a few Lilly lovers modeling their favorite Lilly outfits. This Lilly-inspired tablescape in pink and green is great for an outdoor luncheon--on the porch or by the pool. The food will be served plated-style at my Lilly-fied tablescape set on my front porch.

When I began planning this event, I sat down and relaxed with a glass of Two Buck Chuck and got some inspiration from Lilly herself... Essentially Lilly, A Guide to Colorful Entertaining, by Lilly Pulitzer and Jay Mulvaney--a must-have for all Lilly lovers!

Everyone loves to receive a party invitation in the mail...but on Lilly Pulitzer stationery, please! These darling pink and green party invitations are from the new line of Lilly stationery and paper products...they are a must-have for your preppy event!
The back side of the invitation and the envelope...
Shall we go out on the porch? As the hostess, I took the "worst seat"--the one without a view. Since I didn't have a guest of honor today, I sat the oldest lady to my right side and the next-to- the-oldest to my left side...leaving the youngest lady to sit across from me. Of course, my Lilly-lovin' friends always practice proper etiquette and stood behind their chairs until everyone had arrived at the table. Then, entering their chairs from the right-hand side, each one sat at the table very ladylike...on the edge of the chair...not leaning back. I picked up my Lilly napkin and placed it onto my lap, signaling to my guests that they may also place their napkins onto their laps. Lunch was served plated-style, serving the food from the left side of each guest and the beverages were poured on the right side of the guest...starting with the oldest lady to my right and continuing counter clockwise, serving myself last.

Let's take a look at the tablescape, shall we?
Pink and green are the colors of Lilly-dom. I have tried to use only Lilly products or products I've purchased at Lilly stores in setting this table. The pink charger plates are from C. Orrico, in Palm Beach, Florida and the cute Lilly green and pink melamine plates are from The Lazy Dazy, in Vero Beach, Florida. The pink and green tumblers are also from C. Orrico, in Palm Beach. How darling are the Lilly beverage umbrellas? I almost screamed when I saw these in the store (Swoozie's--Palm Beach Gardens, Florida)! The coasters are...of course, Lilly--another must-have for Miss Janice and these were also purchased at C. Orrico, Palm Beach. The napkins are tied with pink preppy-esque grosgrain ribbon and I believe I purchased these bandanna scarves on Ebay a couple of years ago--Ford Motor Company commissioned these to support breast cancer awareness.

I just love these Lilly plates...the set of four has a cat, a monkey, a giraffe, and a turtle...waaaay too cute and waaay too Lilly-fied!

I love using these bandanna scarves as napkins...and, here's another idea I saw this week on the Lilly blog--a Lilly fan had these monogrammed for her puppies and used them as a puppy kerchief...Miss Janice is definitely gonna get this done for Mlle. Coco Chanel!

Love these Lilly scarf-napkins!
Okay, look at these photos...too darling! After this luncheon, I'm gonna turn a napkin into a precious and preppy doggy kerchief!
Most girls who wear Lilly are preppy and proper...so, of course they know that one should never move these precious Lilly placecards (Swoozie's--Palm Beach Gardens, Florida). I have had the versatile bamboo flatware for many years and have no idea where I purchase this! Of course, the centerpiece of beautiful, fresh pink and green hydrangeas is low enough that my guests and I may chat without having to look over the flowers!

Love, love, love these Lilly placecards!

Bamboo flatware.....


I love hydrangeas and I especially love pink and green hydrangeas!

Don't forget your party favors y'all! I gave each guest a Lilly shift ornament. These are the cutest things ever...the little pockets even have the rick rack on them, just like the real thing! The little gift bags are adorned with Lilly ribbon in the "Wink" pattern.
Party favors at guests' settings...

Here's the menu I chose for the event:

Menu

Multi Grain Bread
Potato and Onion Frittata with Avocado and Salsa*
Roasted Asparagus with Lemon and Toasted Nuts*
Orange Iced Tea*
Cupcakes
Lilly-fied Champagne

*Recipe for Potato and Onion Frittata
Source--Essentially Lilly, A Guide to Colorful Entertaining, Lilly Pulitzer and Jay Mulvaney

2 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/4 inch cubes (about 2 cups)
12 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium Spanish onion, peeled, chopped
1 cup chopped green onions (from 1 bunch)
1 cup grated pepper jack cheese
1 large avocado, peeled, sliced
Sour cream
Fresh salsa

Bring medium pot of salted water to boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain well; rinse with cold water.
Whisk eggs, salt and pepper in large bowl to blend well.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and saute until translucent and tender, about 6 minutes. Add green onions and saute until just wilted, about 1 minute. Stir in cooked potatoes. Pour egg mixture over potato-and-onion mixture in skillet; reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook until eggs are set around edges of pan, about 12 minutes.
Preheat boiler. Uncover skillet and sprinkle frittata with grated cheese, broil, watching carefully, until cheese melts and browns in spots and frittata is set in center, about 4 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 2 minutes. Cut into wedges and transfer to plates. Top each wedge of frittata with 1/4 of avocado slices. Serve, passing sour cream and salsa separately.
~Serves 6~

*Recipe for Roasted Asparagus with Lemon and Toasted Nuts

Source--Essentially Lilly, A Guide to Colorful Entertaining, Lilly Pulitzer and Jay Mulvaney

2 pounds fresh asparagus
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped toasted macadamia nuts or toasted pine nuts
Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Bend ends of asparagus, snapping where they break naturally. Discard tough ends. Spread asparagus out in single layer on large rimmed baking sheet. Whisk olive oil and lemon juice in small bowl. Brush asparagus with mixture, turning to coat all sides. Sprinkle asparagus generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Roast asparagus until crisp-tender, bright green and just beginning to brown in spots, about 7 minutes. Sprinkle toasted nuts over asparagus and serve.

*Recipe for Orange Iced Tea

Source: Essentially Lilly, A Guide to Colorful Entertaining, Lilly Pulitzer and Jay Mulvaney

Stir equal parts of your favorite iced tea with fresh squeezed orange juice. Ice if you like and add a big slice of orange.

Great foods for lunch...

Here's the dessert table...Pink Cupcakes and Lilly-fied Champagne--a perfect combination! Y'all know Miss Janice likes to serve a "signature beverage" and pink lemonade and champagne are perfect for this lunch...oh so Lilly-fied!

It's all about the Lilly shift y'all! That's the centerpiece for this setting...this shift is one of my favorite Lilly pieces. I love the colors of hot pink and lime green, I love the rick rack on the pockets, and I love the bows on the bottom side splits! Sometimes I accessorize it with the lime green sweater shown--sometimes a hot pink sweater. I might wear a white straw hat and my white Lilly "daisy" sandals, or my pink Lilly mules with the Amanda Bea purse (purchased at a Lilly store waaay up north somewhere)--it just depends on my mood...but I always wear my pearls with my Lilly!!!

Y'all know Miss Janice will use paper plates and napkins, but they simply must be stylish! Check out these too-dang-cute paper plates and napkins! The beverage napkins, luncheon napkins, and dessert plates are the precious Taboo pattern by Lilly...I just love it all!



The pink frosted cupcakes became a little more festive by adding little banners I made from all the Lilly fabric patterns. What's my favorite pattern--Jubilee Toile!





Now, let's bring on the Lilly Fashion Show.

Our first model is Melanie, from PinkWashingtoniette. Melanie is a design student at Cornell University. She is one of the lucky ladies who traveled to New York City to attend the social gathering last evening at the Lilly Madison Avenue Townhouse and was a guest on the Martha Stewart show today! She is super preppy, intelligent and beautiful! I so enjoy her stylish blog. Stop by and visit with her...she features some awesome Lilly dresses! In this photo, Melanie (on the left) is wearing her favorite Lilly and posing with her best friend while visiting France.

Next up is Amanda, at AmandaCBee. She says "There is nothing better than some pink and green"! This photo is of Amanda sailing on the Severn. She practically lives in the Lilly white jean jacket and the Lilly Caprice top in the summer. Check out the Lilly sunglasses and the Lilly cuff. Her coozie even matches her top. While you cannot see them, she's wearing her white patent McKims (another summer staple). This is one of her favorite outfits to wear and she can't wait for it to warm up so she can pull it out of storage. She is definitely workin' that Lilly!

In the next photo, Lorelai, the daughter of SBelle-LifeofaSouthernBelle, is shown in a beautiful Lilly dress she wore as an option photo for her high school graduation. Southern Belle's site is awesome and I feel like I know Lorelai and her brother Legare (don't y'all just love those names)? After reading about Lorelai on Southern Belle's blog, I know that she is not just a pretty face, but she is beautiful on the inside as well! Drop by for a visit with the Southern Belle, you will love her!

Next up is College Prepster. She's a classy and gorgeous college freshman and loves all things preppy! Just like Miss Janice, she has an obsession with bows and monograms! She wore this lovely Lilly dress to her prom. She said "It was a pretty bold statement considering most girls go with a cliche BCBG gown. I felt like I stood out in my pink and green frock, but definitely in a good way. One of my guy friends came up to me and said that he loved my dress because most girls wear boring red or black. I thought it was adorable that this sweet boy mentioned this to me. I sent a picture to Lilly and it was used in a promotional booklet for wholesalers. The owner of my local Signature Store called me immediately to inform me. So exciting"!

"I had an extremely hard time deciding what picture to send in! I have worn Lilly to so many important events, my NJHS induction, Gold and Black ceremony, and graduation, just to name a few. But my prom dress is unique. I loved wearing it"!!!

QueenBeeSwain is up next. I was instantly drawn to her blog--she's a Masters baby, and being from Augusta, I understand how important it is to let others know you were born on Masters Sunday! She is a lover of the British Royal family...so is Miss Janice...and she's definitely "cute as a button." Check out her darling blog and look for her "New York Times Wedding of the Week" posts....again, I thought I was the only one who read wedding announcements in other newspapers. Today she is modeling her fav' Lilly dress:) She "picked it up two summers ago, and it's ever so comfortable and flattering-loose enough that one can manage some serious damage with Bananas Foster at dinner, but fitted enough that one looks lady-like." She can't recall the name of the print, but just loves the little crabs and the poison-apple green color. The necklace is a triple-strand freshwater pearl necklace that she bought last spring for her twenty-fifth birthday at the Lilly signature store in the Twin Cities-Melly.Next up and modeling her fav' summer dress is CancerSucksEvenWithLillyPulitzerOnYourSide. Wow...I just love her blog and would love to meet her some day! She takes everyone along with her as she lives her life as a cancer survivor and raises her three children...and she does it all with Lilly on her side. She's even listed on the LillyBlog as one of their faves...how awesome is that?! She is another one of the ladies attending the festivities in New York City yesterday and today! Here she is last year at the Lilly Pulitzer warehouse sale. Look at this cute girl, wearing her darling Lilly shift...with all her new Lilly loot! When you visit her site, don't miss her "Tips to survive shopping at the Lilly warehouse sale"...you will love it!

Now, all y'all surely know the next model--Hopsy, at KappaPrep. Okay, first let me say that I'm so excited for her. She, of course, is listed on Lilly's blog as a fav', and is in New York today as a guest on the Martha Stewart Show. She was invited by Lilly Pulitzer to host the Meet & Greet event last night at the Lilly Madison Avenue Town House. CAN YOU EVEN IMAGINE???!!!! Hopsy has the most amazing lifestyle and blog. But, above all the glamour and her fantastic social life, she truly seems to be the sweetest girl ever...so well mannered and just a classy young lady! Hopsy, I don't need to purchase anymore fashion magazines, you are my "official fashion guru"! Lord Have Mercy!!!!! I have just heard that Miss Hospsy was interviewed by Miss Martha--on the show!!!! I can hardly stand it!

Last, but not least, is my BF--Teresa Jane. This photo is from the early 80's and was taken at the Masters Golf Tournament in our hometown of Augusta, Georgia. Here she is in her green shirt and a pink floral Lilly skirt. She wanted to honor Lilly today and just loves this photo with her and pro golfer, Ben Crenshaw! In addition to being my best friend evah...Teresa Jane is an awesome website designer and greeting card designer. She loves to bring those two talents together into her scrapbooking obsession.
Thank you so much to the ladies who participated in today's Lilly Fashion Show. You are all just "too cute." I promised a prize to the winner and now, I am requesting that you my readers, decide who should get the prize. Please vote (by leaving your comment) for only one girl who "Wears Lilly the Best." The deadline for your votes is Sunday, March 15, 2009, at midnight, eastern standard time. Let's take a peek at what the lucky Lilly lover will win...From left to right: A stack of Lilly Pulitzer Circle Notes--in the Mumsie pattern, A Lilly Pulitzer Notebook--in the Cabanarama pattern; and Lilly Pulitzer Shift Dress Note Cards!

I am linking this post to the "Spring Fling Event." Please visit The Decorating Voice for great decorating ideas for Spring!

Thank you all for stopping by for a visit. Remember...

"Wear pink and make the boys wink"!
Lilly Pulitzer

ATTENTION ALL LILLY PULITZER FANS!

Isn't Lilly Pulitzer just the classiest-lookin' lady ever?!

As you all know by now, Wednesday, March 11th, the Queen of Pink and Green...her Royal Preppiness, Ms. Lilly Pulitzer will be featured on The Martha Stewart Show--in celebration of Lilly's Jubilee! Now, all the guests in the audience will be wearing their favorite Lilly fashions...and Miss Janice is soooo envious of all those lucky people.

On that day, I will be doing a post which will feature a Lilly-fied tablescape for a Luncheon and would like to invite all you Lilly fans to participate in a fashion show, which will be included in the post. Here's all you need to do:

~Send me a photo of yourself in your favorite Lilly outfit. Include a statement about the outfit and why you love it.

~Don't worry about the season...model a summer, fall, winter, resort, or spring outfit.

~You may use your real name or your blog name.

~Be sure to include your blog address so that I may link back to you.

~Please send your photo to MissJanice@MissJanice.com.

I must receive your photo no later than 12:00 noon, Sunday, March 8, 2009.

There will be a prize awarded to the cutest model! So, run to your closet and find that Lilly...don't forget to accessorize! Please feel free to tell a friend and I look forward to seeing all y'all at the fashion show!