Table Scapes

Creating table scapes for a last minute dinner party can be more fun than planning weeks in advance. A last minute casual dinner party can stir up not only food in the kitchen, but your creative juices too.

We all have those no fuss dinner recipes that taste like you worked on them for hours. When there's no time for planing that's the time to pull those recipes out of your head or recipe box. Not to mention, a very helpful husband too.

We recently invited our in-laws for dinner to celebrate their 59th wedding anniversary. It was a last minute decision and a one pot, pot roast recipe worked well. The bonuses, it's my mother-in-law's recipe, easy to make and very tasty. Since it's so easy, I have more time to work on other stuff that comes along with entertaining.

Oh yeah, let's not forget dessert. It's September, fall is arriving and a simple gingerbread cake with whip cream will taste pretty good after a warm pot roast dinner.

Presentation is key to make the occasion special for your guest. Even though it's last minute it doesn't have to look that way and you don't have to spend hours and money preparing.

We're not eating in front of the TV, and I always have fun creating my no fuss table scapes. The food had a fall theme so that's the theme I stuck with.

The color of my hand painted dishes along with a burlap table runner and bamboo candle holders gave the table a rustic look. Adding the chunky white plates, chargers and hand blown glass goblets completed the no fuss rustic look. The blue colored goblets and hand made bead napkin rings gave the table additional color.

Start with your menu first, what you are going to serve your guest? The ambiance you are trying to create for your guest can start with anything. However, the menu that is chosen is usually the key ingredient.

We had a very hot dry summer so our flowers didn't last as long this year. I like small vases of flowers in the bathrooms and sitting in various places throughout the house. No flowers, but our plumes from the ornamental grasses are in bloom and full of different green and purple colors. They worked perfect in our small colored glass vases.

So see, it doesn't take days of planning to put together a simple little dinner party. Don't stress, have fun being creative and use what you have in your house and yard to save money.