Party Prep Day Two...

So, my pal and I  were off again, ready to wrap up the food shopping...

His attention is on a squirrel!

After making the rounds at the fish market and the grocery store, we went home to start cooking and building the buffet table.  First on the list, making a floral arrangement.  I went outside and cut some tree branches for fall color, some fading fern, a few hosta leaves, and some coleus.  It's amazing what you can do on a budget -- think outside the box.  I'm sure everyone has a gorgeous arrangement waiting to grace a table, right from their own backyard.

I added the sunflowers I'd bought the day before.

Then it was time to start building some interesting height on the table.  Easy to do -- just grab some sturdy items from around the house, and make sure to put heat protectors on them if you'll be putting hot food there.

Now to add some fabric -- I often get fabric remnants, like this toile, and use them either layered over another tablecloth, or on their own.  This is a great budget-stretcher -- you get all kinds of table coverings for a lot less than a collection of finished tablecloths (and what people notice is the color and pattern, not the fact that it's a piece of fabric!)  Just be sure to have neat edges, or tuck them under.  Next, the flowers and some plates.

The table will end up with several heights of serving plates -- doing this makes your guests feel special, I think.  So much more interesting than a bunch of serving pieces spread out on a table with a small flower arrangement flanked with candles.  Then it was time to start on the dining table (oh, and do a lot of cooking in between all of this!)

Not super exciting,  I must confess I was running out of steam, with the cooking and of course, balancing family life on my day off.  I felt like Kipper at this point...

After following me around non-stop all day in the kitchen, the stress just got to be too much.

Wrapping up a day of prep, I put a pot of mums in the living room for a little fall color.

Ready for my dad's 80th birthday party!  Stay tuned for some photos of the food, and of course, the birthday boy!

Talk to you soon,
Carol