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Spring from
the Garden
When
life gives you lemons, make brunch. Inside or out, spring, summer or
fall, a gathering themed around America's most refreshing drink gives
spirits a lift. While lemonade is considered 
a casual beverage, I put
a sophisticated spin on it, keeping the fresh country colors and giving
them tea party style.
Lemon yellows, crisp whites and garden greens are a natural backdrop
for the center of attention – a curvy glass canister of pale
lemonade, garnished with slices of fresh lemons and flanked by miniature
lemon topiaries. A pale yellow tablecloth and a yellow and white runner
set up the sunny place settings. Citrus-hued china and fresh as a daisy
place cards lighten the mood, while glass accents add sparkle. A crystal
chandelier gives a glimpse of glamour. Create your own by draping faux
crystal ropes to the fixture you have. Use hook-and-look tape to swag
the crystals around the arms, hooking a crystal prism at the bottom
of each swag for 
extra sparkle. If you don't have a light fixture,
create a similar effect by draping crystals around the edge of your
buffet table. End the meal on a sweet note, with Lemon Pudding Brulee,
dotted with blueberries – a fitting finale to a gracious afternoon.
How To Make the Clever Cloche Party Favors
An
elegant English bell jar cleverly “wraps” bath botanicals
packaged as a take-home favor.
- Purchase a small cloche, or bell jar, for each guest. Local flea markets and craft stores are good sources.
- Buy 2 yards of three-inch-wide yellow voile ribbon.
- Tie the ribbon into a bow, and attach it to the top of the cloche with a hot-glue gun or hobby glue.
- Arrange
small bottles of lemon body spray and liquid hand soap on a white
plate. Tuck sprigs of faux greenery around the bottles and cover
with the cloche.
Terrific Tip: Make your place cards double as napkin
rings. Cut a daisy shape out of white card stock, draw a yellow border
around the inside edge and write your guest’s name in the center.
Punch holes below the name; wrap a thin yellow ribbon around a napkin
and place the place card on top. Thread the ends of the ribbon through
the holes and tie into a bow.
