Is it Spring Yet?...

I thought so.

I hosted a dinner last night for a group of women. When I began the staging yesterday morning, I still didn't know if I should keep up my Valentine decor or if I should move on to Easter, but we haven't had St. Patrick's yet...do we really do St. Patrick's though? Easter is just so far away this year. It is a ridiculous dilemma to even openly admit I struggled with making a final decision. I finally pulled out the Easter boxes, but as I unwrapped the little curiosities, it just felt too premature when I came to the faux chocolate bunnies and feathered yellow chicks. But yet celebrating with Spring felt so much more encouraging than living one more dreary day of winter's end. I settled with the Spring theme, but decided to leave the bunnies and chicks out of it. They were fine with it.

Of course we were on a strict budget, think church function. I wanted so desperately to go buy flats of wheatgrass, fresh pussy willow, rhinunculus, tulips, gerberas and lisianthus for long clear troughs I had as containers. But it was all dreaming in my head, and I quickly came to my senses and became resourceful. I went to Costco and spent $8.99 on a gardeners bunch of white tulips. I re-purposed the mini pink carnations from Nanette's birthday brunch (it's amazing how long those things will last) and gathered dead curly willow branches from a neighbor's backyard. Then I followed a trail of glitter down to the basement and waved my magic wand to find handpainted and glittered butterflies, birds, and paper flowers from last spring's Art Market. I also gathered moss, fake greenery spheres and pussy willows, and silk lilies of the valley to really give it the natural forest setting. Oh my goodness, I was giddy over the results. At night, I lit tealights in clear glass votive cups and placed all throughout the organic display. The flickering glows scattered around almost felt like little fireflies dancing around our faces.

Wish I had thought to photograph the desserts served. Lemon tartlets garnished with whipped cream and a blueberry, chocolate mousse in dark chocolate cups with red raspberries, a flower and butterfly cookie and a fresh strawberry. All my favorite desserts in one sitting, yessssssss.