Part 3 Behind-The-Scenes: The Buffet

 Part 3: The Buffet

Here's the third and final Behind-The-Scenes from my December 22 post APPLESandRUBIES: Pure Style Home Holiday Inspired Lunch. My inspiration for this lunch came from Lauren Liess' Better Homes & Gardens article "Christmas Present."

{the sides are chip-carved in Tramp Art style}

 I hoisted this treasure onto my kitchen counter for the background of the buffet. Lauren Liess's love of warm aged brown woods (read her post on it here) has me appreciating even more the carved wooden church made by my great-grandfather Michael McQuade.

I was told he carved it in a day when pregnant women were not expected to be seen much outside the house. So he stayed inside and carved to keep his wife Lucy company, and to wait for the birth of my grandmother, Mabel.

{love this color}

Now, a funny thing about this lunch was I couldn't find the magazine with the "Christmas Present" article in it the day I was getting everything ready! (I may have left it in the fabric store when I bought the fabric for the table runner.) This was probably for the best, so I could just focus on the palette and mood in my head. 

{fold the ribbon in the middle twice for a tight knot}

Aren't these coppery pears so sweet tied with simple citron green grosgrain ribbons? Really easy.

 There was nothing fancy at this lunch, just sandwiches, fruits and nuts, and my little Brown Sugar Coconut Cake. Half of the guests were preschoolers!

That's the end of my three part behind-the-scenes! Read my original December 22 post for this lunch at APPLESandRUBIES: Pure Style Home Inspired Lunch.

Thank you, Lauren for the inspiration!

Loretta

Pure Style Home Holiday Inspired Lunch

{the awaited issue!}

Have you seen Lauren Liess's home in the latest Better Homes & Gardens?

Everyone following Lauren's blog Pure Style Home had been waiting patiently for the issue to come out. Her stylish house is featured in "Christmas Present" on page 66, written by Joanna Linberg, produced by Jessica Thomas, and with luminous photography by Helen Norman. Back in February Lauren gave us all a fantastic peek behind the scenes at the photoshoot. Now, we finally see the results!

{Santa, come on over! (photo: Helen Norman)}

Of course, her home looks GORGEOUS decked out for the holidays! Lauren's interior design philosophy of "Pure Style" is based on keeping things simple, happy & beautiful. Her decorations are nature-inspired and kid-friendly - she has two little ones at home!

Lauren's holiday palette inspired a lunch at my home last week... It's not as gorgeous as her home, I know, but I had a great time putting it together:

{My dining room - real snow on the evergreens outside the window!}

I had some friends and a sweet bunch of preschoolers over on a Wednesday. My Pure Style Home inspiration was moss and citron greens, silver and copper, whites, spheres, vintage-look fabrics, warm brown woods, natural objects, and a touch of whimsy.

{my son's toys}

How cute and whimsical are these little wooden toys at the table? Lauren had adorable white polar bears at the holiday place settings in her home.

{A wooden church carved by my great grandfather behind the buffet.}

Pears tied with citron green grosgrain ribbon sit at the buffet. I served kid-friendly food, but I still went with Lauren's colors - coppery brown nuts and pears, bright green grapes and a snowy white coconut cake.

{centerpiece detail - white roses, aloe spears and evergreens}

Pulling off this lunch was so much fun. I started by gathering up all the objects around my house reminding me of Lauren's holiday look. Her style is so natural, effortless and charming, you don't worry about perfection. I know I'm not even close to how stunning Lauren's decorations look - but it was a ball (bad pun- sorry!) trying!

{"...I'm running off to join the others!"}

I never did get the photo of my cute little guests and their parents around the table I envisioned. The kids and my son scarfed down their food then ran off to play with Legos before my camera came out. And they would not come back to pose!

{David, Lauren, and their adorable sons Christian and Justin (photo:Helen Norman)}

A Happy Holidays and huge Thank You to Lauren Liess and her blog Pure Style Home for all the inspiration! In the next few days I'll post on how I pulled everything together: 1.The Table,  2.The Dessert, and 3.The Buffet, so stay tuned!

Loretta

(p.s. - Don't forget to enter my Fantastic Holiday Jewelry Giveaway  this month! Winner drawn on December 28!)