Another Favorite

To go along with my resolutions to entertain more - I discovered the need to have more plates available at my house. (I've never been married so I never acquired a full set of dishes - I've been using the same set of 4 dinner plates, 4 salad plates since college!!)

I usually keep things simple - serving kabobs and various appetizers, cut fruit and veggies. What is important to me is the people. My people don't care if everything looks perfect - just keep their glasses and their tummies full!

But, what I can't bear is the thought of 1) serving my guests off of paper plates - tacky!!! and 2) the guilt of tossing paper plates in a landfill just 'cuz I hate doing dishes!

So, leading up to my housewarming party I browsed some antique stores and found these old glass party plates.

Over time, I've added to my collection. All glass party plates and dessert bowls! The bowls are curvy and heavy and lovely. Not heavy, just solid with a nice heft.

Anytime I'm in an antique store I keep an eye out for more. At an estate sale last fall, I found a set complete with the corny little zippered case! How kitschy is that!

And, I pick them for about the same price as a package of new paper plates - but these are reusable.

You should see the adorable 50s finger sandwich plates complete with punch cups I picked up last summer. Maybe I'll share if I dig that box out sometime soon.

Last summer I hosted a Sunday Brunch in my building's courtyard. Many people gasped when they realized I wasn't using paper plates! Not what they expected I guess - especially since it's enough trouble carrying the food and such down three flights to get outside! But, I think it's wrong to eat from paper and plastic. Won't happen at my house!

I only wish I had enough to serve the crowd at dad's birthday BBQ.

It's gonna kill me to use paper plates, no matter how apropos for a BBQ.

Good Times at the Ranch

My brother tends to plan things without thinking them through.

When he brought his family out to visit and ski last month, it took him another week after he returned home to tell me that he's planning a big surprise party for Dad's 75th Birthday.

Gee man, I'm glad you told me - so that I can arrange to be home for it!!!

Well, this is an occassion.
My family tends to keep things simple - so my suggestion to make appropriate invitations was way out there!

Until I came up with this:I love, love, love them!
I think my brother really likes them too. I made them up to be mailed as postcards. The detailed information is on the business side. I mailed the majority to relatives, but my brother will just hand out the rest to folks at home... neighbors, parishoners etc.

I really like how they turned out - except the printer surprised me with the white border. I didn't want - or ask for - the white border. I think that's what he thought of when I said "postcard" though I wish he hadn't.

When he sent me jpgs of the mock ups - I was opening them on a white background so I didn't notice! Boo hiss!

Oh well. No sense wasting more paper and resources just to eliminate the weird little border.