Galentine's Party with the Craft Group

I know I am a little late posting 

this, but I wanted to get it done 

before the pictures got lost in my 

busy life.

Our Craft Group had a Galentine's 

party this year.  We started with this 

fabulous charcuterie heart box 

made by our hostess Laura.  

The beautiful boxes were all laid out 

on a side table.  We took them into the 

living room and munched and talked.

I have to admit by the time we finished 

our boxes, we were stuffed and we 

still had dinner!

You can see there is a full meal 

in the heart shaped box consisting 

of cheeses, crackers, fruit salsa, 

a chopped salad, a petit four, 

nuts and a chocolate. 

Because we were too full to eat 

anything more, we moved on to 

our Favorite Things baskets.  Some 

contained books, and some Valentine's 

things, and some had date items.  

They were all beautifully done.  

The table was set with 

a Valentine's theme with

chocolates on each plate and 

fresh flowers in the center.

Our lovely hostess, Laura, had 

prepared a gift bag for each of us.

Earlier she had asked us for the 

name of a boy we liked in 

grade school.  Inside our gift bags 

were hand written notes from our 

crushes!  What a fun idea.  Mine said, 

"Jackie I like you.  Meet me at recess!" 

What a clever and fun idea.  She also 

wrote a Valentine to each of us from 

herself, a beautiful note to keep telling 

us what she admired about us.  

There was also a pretty hanky, 

candy and treats.  It felt very 

special.

Ribbons were hanging from the 

chandelier and six pots of 

fresh flowers were lined up 

down the table. 

We each got a See's Chocolates 

Heart Shaped Truffle.  I just 

loved that ruffled white plate.

A second theme of strawberries 

was featured and Amy made 

these beautiful strawberry shaped 

macarons.

Here is our lovely hostess Laura.

She is holding the chocolate 

dipped strawberries I made 

for the party.  Our husbands 

call us the "Overachievers", 

so I knew the strawberries had 

to be special.  Some were painted 

gold and some were covered in 

pink sparkle. 

Even though we didn't do a craft, 

(seems to be the way this group 

is going), we had a wonderful 

time and still didn't get home 

until 11:00!! 

So fun to share food and fun with 

fabulous friends.  

 I will be posting this with 

Tablescapes Thursday

A Jane Austen Party Tablescape

Join the lovely ladies of my Craft Group,also known as the Overachievers, by some of the husbands.  We gladly embrace that title. 

We received a Save the Date in the 

form of a small vase filled with 

flowers at the beginning of the summer, 

and then we received this lovely 

invitation.  

Karen and her husband are the owners 

of Dove Cottage.  She is a master gardener 

and she and I have collaborated on 

several Relief Society parties this 

year.  

(Relief Society is our church's 

women's organization and 

we are both in charge of parties!)

Everything she does is over the top.

The gazebo is situated at the back of 

their property along the river and 

she lives in a Victorian house.  What 

a setting for a Jane Austen party!

The table was decked out with pink 

ribbons, pink flowers and pink candles 

with lots and lots of lace.  

The table settings were pink and white.  

We each had a fan and our name tag 

at the places. 

She purchased images on Etsy and 

sewed together little pockets that 

held our napkins and flatware.  

There are eight of us in the group.  Our sweet 

Jann Olson of Have a Daily Cup 

passed away earlier this year from cancer.  

We miss her dearly.  

The chandelier was hung with roses,

pink tea cups and cards featuring 

Jane Austen's books.  

It was so magical with all of the 

flowers and ribbons and candles. 

Karen made the center greenery runner 

with branches from her yard.  

We were each given an assignment for 

the food and it was all delicious. 

Even our punch was pink.  

As we ladies were gathered and 

taking photos and admiring all 

of the beauty, we got a huge surprise.  

Let me say first, before I show you 

the surprise - we were all watching 

Jane Austen movies in preparation 

for the party, and I had just seen 

this very scene in 

Sense and Sensibility.  

I thought - "We need this!"

Across the lawn walks her husband 

Gene carrying a tall cake on this 

magnificent stand that he made, 

and he was dressed in costume!!!

Karen and Gene holding the 

fabulous cake on the amazing 

cake holder!  Now we have to have 

yearly Jane Austen parties, just to get 

the use out of this.  

I had just given Gene a hard time.  

Silly me, I had assumed that the 

men were invited, so hubby has 

his costume all ready.  Karen said 

she had asked Gene and he had said 

there was no way he was dressing up!!!

Surprise!!!

The pound cake made by Amy 

was delicious.  We all said the 

Empire dresses made it easy to 

eat so much delicious food.

As night fell we had a 

reading by Becky.  She 

read an article her 

great grandmother had 

written and published in 

the Relief Society Magazine 

in the early 1900's.

The sun went down, the crickets 

came out and it was a magical 

end to a fabulous evening.  

We suggested to Karen that 

she leave the decor up and 

have this be the theme for 

their next Relief Society Party.

I am so blessed to have such 

lovely and talented friends.  

Thanks Jane Austen for your 

inspiration!

I learned I need a lady's maid!!!

Hubby was gone to a meeting and 

I had a hard time doing my own 

hair, zipping my own dress up, 

and even doing the clasp on 

my necklace!!!

Thanks for visiting and joining in our

fun!  

I will be posting with 

Tablescapes Thursday

and 

Love Your Creativity

Spring Birds Tablescape

Time for another lovely Crafty Girls dinner and

get together.  Tonight's dinner was at Jann's

at 

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson

Jann told us that she always decorates

with her birds before Easter, but since

Easter was so early, she decorated her

house with birds after Easter. 

 The whole

tablescape was filled with birds, and eggs,

and nests.  

I just love her wonderful pink plates.  She used

a collection of vintage napkins on the table.

The place mat was a beautiful large leaf.

We all drooled over her crinkled tablecloth.

Her pink goblets were the perfect touch for

the beautiful table.

 A stack of darling bird plates adorned the table.

I just adore her little vignettes all over her home.

Under this cloche she had created a nest.  I love

the touch of the Scrabble letters.

Our craft for the night was painting this large

flower shaped footed platter.  Jann had

made hers a while ago in aqua.  She had

a neighbor cut the wood.  She really went

overboard as she hosted, did the table and

much of the dinner and the craft.

She belongs to quite a few groups and

had made three main dishes for her

groups in two days!  I hope she got

some rest afterwards!!!!

Jann loves going junking and she has a home

filled with her vintage treasures.  This darling vintage

vase holds Hellebores from her garden.  Such a 

beautiful touch of spring to go with her table.

She even decorated her chandelier over the table,

with hanging cups with little nests in them.

We had chicken and waffles for dinner with a

most amazing caramel syrup.  We finished 

up with waffles and fruit and cream.  

I chose to make my platter a distressed white

with a wax finish.  They have little ball feet

on them.  All we had to do was paint, distress -

if desired, and wax so I told hubby we wouldn't

be late that evening.  Of course, once we finished

our craft we couldn't stop talking so we were

pretty late anyhow.  How I love being a part of

this groups of talented ladies. 

We always have a lovely table with a delicious

dinner and a fun craft, but most of all we have

great conversation and friendship.

And I will finish with a final shot

of my little spring flower!  They 

grow too quickly!!!

I will be posting with

Tablescapes Thursday

Share Your Cup Thursday

Pink Saturday

Dishing It and Digging It

Thanks for stopping by.  Visit these

fun parties above.  There are always

such visual delights and fun ideas being

posted.