Lily of the Valley Easter Table

 

The theme for my Easter table this year, Lily of the Valley, came courtesy of tablescape extraordinaire brand Mrs. Alice.  Setting a beautiful table gives me so much joy and upon discovering the brand in 2020 I've been a super fan ever since. Their raison d'être is "take the hassle out of hosting" and they certainly do with all of the beautiful products they sell. 

 

In previous years I'd leaned towards cute critters for inspiration, but I took a more floral turn this year after seeing this lily of the valley linen set.  The baby blue and green color scheme is very versatile and can be used not only for Easter, but for spring too. 

I decorated the table with moss green bunnies, tiny lambs, pastel colored eggs, ceramic dishes and lots of Easter candy.  

 

Wishing you a very Happy Easter!

Lemon Posset and Lemon Cupcakes

 

For the Lemon Lovers Table that I recently created I included some citrus-infused treats.  At each place setting there was a decorated sugar cookie to welcome my guests.  Other desserts included the cutest  lemon petit-fours from Trader Joe's and homemade Lemon Posset and Lemon Cupcakes.

I had my first taste of lemon posset at ad hoc restaurant and I was immediately hooked on the creamy, tangy dessert.  It was so refreshing, especially after having ad hoc's famous buttermilk fried chicken!  Luckily I found a recipe from Cook's Illustrated that couldn't be simpler to make using only three ingredients: heavy cream, sugar and lemons.

For the lemon cupcakes I used a vanilla cake recipe from The Cupcake Project.  It was the winner of a recent taste test from The Kitchen.  While the cupcakes were really tasty, I actually prefer a cake that has a tighter crumb to it.  I frosted the cupcakes with Swiss meringue buttercream that was mixed with pre-made lemon curd. To pipe the buttercream swirls I used a large petal tip (Ateco #126).  I confess it was a decorating technique I pinched from Violet bakery in London. 

Lemon Lovers Table

 

I couldn't wait to put together this Lemon Lovers Table and I absolutely adore how it turned out.  It all began with the most fabulous citrus-themed linens (tablecloth, placemats and napkins) from Mrs. Alice, the tablescape brand.  If you've never heard of Mrs. Alice I urge you to check out their website because they sell so many gorgeous things.   I could easily blow my paycheck on their products!

Lemons always remind me of Capri, the small island off the Amalfi Coast in Italy that I visited a few years ago with friends.  We had the best time there!  Everywhere you turned in Capri there were lemons present, whether it was the actual fruit growing on trees, the scent perfuming the air or as an ingredient in the food.   I long to return there once the pandemic subsides.

 

The linens paired beautifully with Aerin x Williams-Sonoma tableware I already owned.  I found these darling woven straw fruit napkin rings on etsy.  To complete the table I made a few lemon treats such as decorated sugar cookies, cupcakes and lemon posset.  Talk about a citrus explosion, but I love it!

 

Resources

 

Tablecloth, Placemats, Napkins: Mrs. Alice

Woven Straw Fruit Napkin Rings: etsy 

Plates, Drinking Glass with Raffia collar: Aerin x Williams-Sonoma 

Wine Glass: Amazon

Bamboo Flatware: Pottery Barn 

Bunny-Themed Easter Table

 

 

Easter 2021 seems a lot more hopeful than last year as COVID-19 vaccines are more broadly rolled out in the US.  I wanted my Easter decor to reflect an uplifting mood and I hope I've achieved that.  Decorating for the holidays, be it Easter or Christmas (my other favorite holiday), brings me so much joy and who doesn't need some of that right now?

 

Bunnies, bunnies and more bunnies.  These cute furry creatures were the inspiration for my Bunny-Themed Easter Table this year.  It all started with the floral meadow tablecloth and embroidered napkins I bought from Williams-Sonoma and after that the ideas just multiplied, much like their namesake animal! 

 

Since last year I started collecting Easter bunnies and this year's additions to the fluffle are moss covered bunnies I picked up from Mrs. Alice, a UK-based tablescape retailer that's become a new favorite of mine.   Everything they sell is absolutely gorgeous!

 

By way of desserts I made a spreckled egg cake, raspberry and lemon petits fours, jam-filled thumbprint shortbread and iced sugar cookies.  Colors of pastel pink, blue, yellow and green were used throughout the room to complement the Easter theme yet these cool tones were warmed up by using  rattan and wood elements such as the placemats and napkin rings.

 

Easter candy is a requirement and I filled gingham Easter basket party favors with lollipops, chocolates and marshmallows.  Ceramic bunny bowls brimming with jelly beans and malted milk balls were placed on the dining table.  They made an extra sweet addition to the tablescape.

Wishing you a wonderful Easter (or spring or Passover)!

 

Resources (note: some items may be sold out):

Floral Meadow Tablecloth

Floral Meadow Embroidered Napkins

Scalloped Salad & Dinner Plates (no longer available)

Artesia Honey Round Rattan Placemat

Wooden Bunny Napkin Rings

2-Tier Marble & Brass Cake Stand  

Easter Egg Wreath

Gingham Easter Basket Craft Kit 

food packaging (cello bags, clear plastic boxes, ribbon)

My Easter Table

Self-isolation and social distancing sucks and I think most people would agree with me on that.  I've been in it for a little over a month at this point, ever since San Francisco issued the shelter in place orders at the beginning of March.  I have my good days and bad days to be sure, but with Easter coming up I was determined to do things that would lift my spirits.  Plus, it gave me a great excuse to do even more baking!

Although I can't host the Easter brunch that I would have liked this year I can still decorate my table, right?  I took advantage of the online promotions at Williams-Sonoma and Pottery Barn and bought a colony of ceramic bunnies and eggs to use as props.  I also found some really cute paraphernalia and tons of Easter candy at my local Target.
 

I didn't really have any preset idea of what I wanted my table to look like.  My main goal was to create something that was pretty and I think I've accomplished that.  Pastel colors are used throughout the tablescape to evoke spring and renewal.  And who doesn't need that right about now?  

The baked goods I made included iced sugar cookies, mini bundt cakes and gluten-free carrot cupcakes.   At the center of the table was the pièce de résistance, an Easter bunny made of Rice Krispies treats.   Can it get any cuter than that?  It was so simple to make using a Nordicware Easter bunny pan I bought a few years ago (similar pan found here.)

This Easter table is bringing all the good feels for me and I hope it's  sparked a little joy for you.  Happy Easter to anyone who is celebrating and to everyone out there, please stay safe, healthy and STAY HOME!

Resources:

Scalloped Green Plates and Raffia Drinking Glasses: Aerin x Williams-Sonoma 

Placemats: H&M Home

Wooden Egg Placecard Holders, Happy Easter Place Cards, Raffia Carrots, Pastel Egg, Gold Cutlery: Target