Summertime Grilling With Martha Stewart

I’ve spent the past month working in our backyard and garden at our home in Washington and now that I’ve finished planting all the flowers, I thought it would be the perfect time to have an outdoor summer BBQ and enjoy this beautiful space surrounded by gorgeous evergreen trees, and Martha Stewart’s Grilling collection is the perfect addition.

Disclaimer: This post does include affiliate links for your convenience. This is at NO additional cost to you but earns me a small commission. To read more, check out our disclosure policy.

(Sources are linked at the bottom of the post)

I like to serve buffet style when I’m hosting a dinner and I convinced my husband to help me haul this antique table that I recently purchased outside. With it being close to the Fourth of July, I decided to do a patriotic theme using items from the Martha Stewart Grilling Collection from Macy’s to create this look. I absolutely loved setting it all up and kicking off the start of summer with a family dinner in our backyard.

 There are so many items in this collection that make summertime grilling and backyard BBQs easy to pull off. One of my favorite items I used were the red cocottes. As soon as I saw them, I knew they would be perfect to make Martha Stewart’s Sour Cherry Pistachio Crisp Recipe in. Not only are they decorative, but they are perfect for individual desserts.

I also grilled some veggies on this enameled cast iron grill pan and the stainless steel skewers worked perfectly for my chicken and steak skewers.

Planning the Menu

When planning a BBQ outdoor dinner, I like to use the grill and plan my menu around that. I kept this dinner quite simple and had lots of veggies, fruit, chicken, steak, and two desserts.

I wanted to do something different than burgers and hotdogs so I chose to make chicken and steak skewers with vegetables. I seasoned them with salt, pepper, and garlic seasoning salt and they came out perfect!

I grilled the skewers on the BBQ grill and the veggies on this cask iron enameled grill pan on my stove. I  brushed the veggies with olive oil and then seasoned them with salt, pepper, garlic salt, and Johnny’s seasoning salt. (do this on both sides)

The cast iron grill pan stays hot for a while which helps the food to stay warm. I put a dish towel underneath it to keep it from damaging my antique table.

I made a fruit salad with rainier cherries, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries and served it in a clear glass bowl. I garnished it with mint leaves that I picked from my garden.

It’s cherry season in Washington right now so I chose to make a sour cherry pistachio crisp in the individual coquettes. I also made a chocolate cake since not everyone in my family likes cherries.

Table Decor

I always like to dress my buffet or serving tables up and I kept this one quite simple. I picked flowers from my yard and garden and arranged them in a vase and then I used them in the center of the table as a focal point.

I used a large dish towel as a small table runner in the middle of the table too.

I also set out the plates, drinking glasses, flatware, and napkins on the serving table.

I used the flower pots and containers in my backyard to dress up the bottom of the table and the area surrounding the table.

I love this outdoor space in our backyard and it’s so much fun to set a pretty table to serve dinner on. I had a second table set up nearby that we ate on and I added some flowers in a vase to the end of the table.

We had perfect weather for our outdoor summer BBQ and I’m looking forward to doing it again soon!

Lilo, our eighteen-year-old kitty likes to hang out in the backyard with us.

Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope this post inspires you to host a little backyard barbecue as we head into summer. I would love it if you subscribed to my blog and followed along with me on Instagram and Pinterest. Wishing you all a great summer!

xoxo,

Sources are linked below:

* Similar sources linked for unavailable items.

Pin This For Later

The post Summertime Grilling With Martha Stewart appeared first on Home With Holly J.

I absolutely love lavender season and look forward to it every summer! I dream of creating a beautiful outdoor tablescape in a lavender field somewhere. Since I wasn’t able to do that this summer, I was inspired to create this Lavender and Mint Green tablescape for a luncheon I was hosting at my home.

I had planned this tablescape out in my head for months and just before I was ready to start putting it together, Yankee Candle Company reached out to me and asked if I would like to use their new Dried Lavender and Oak candle from their Farmers Market Collection.

Of course, I was thrilled because I love using candles in my tablescapes. These candles not only look nice, they smell amazing. The timing of this couldn’t have been more perfect.

Lavender and Mint Green Place-Setting

For the place-setting I chose these hyacinth placemats. I like layering different textures and patterns and these worked perfectly. I used mint green scalloped dinner and salad plates and for the top plate these colorful lavender dessert plates.

I chose a bright lavender cloth napkin and the napkin ring matches the charger. For the flatware I used a simple sterling silver pattern. The clear crystal wine glasses mixed well with the vases in the centerpiece so that is why I chose them.

The Centerpiece

For the centerpiece, I decided to use fresh flowers and a mix of vases and greenery to fill up the center of the table. I like to keep the centerpieces lower on the table so you can converse with the people across from you. A centerpiece should enhance and bring beauty to the table but not interfere with your ability to engage with the other guests at your table.

First, I layered a few faux eucalyptus garlands thru the middle part of the table and on top of a burlap table-runner.

I filled a large clear glass vase with purple, lavender, and white flowers for the main centerpiece and then added two smaller vases filled with more flowers on each side. Creating height in the middle draws your eye to the centerpiece.

To fill in the rest of the center of the table, I nestled in small purple bud vases and filled them with the leftover flowers and then set the Dried Lavender and Oak Yankee Candles all throughout the garland.

Mixing Fresh and Faux Flowers and Greenery

I get asked often if it is okay to mix fresh flowers and greenery with faux flowers and greenery? I say YES! I do it all the time! The faux eucalyptus is easy to work with and lasts forever! I have invested in some quality faux garlands and I use them over and over. I chose to use fresh flowers in vases in this tablescape but you could use faux too!

The Dried Lavender and Oak Yankee Candles added the perfect accent to the tablescape!

I’ve shared all the sources I can below! I hope you enjoyed seeing all the beautiful details of this lavender and mint green tablescape. As always, I hope to inspire you to set your own beautiful table and gather with those you love!

To see another Lavender Inspired Tablescape click here: Simple Lavender Inspired Centerpiece Tablescape

XOXO,

Sources:

Yankee Candle Dried Lavender and Oak Farmers Market Collection Candles : https://www.yankeecandle.com/product/dried-lavender–oak/_/R-1623672

Sharing sources and/or updated similar sources to recreate the look:

The post Lavender and Mint Green Tablescape appeared first on Home With Holly J.

Create a Simple Lavender Inspired Centerpiece

I love entertaining and there is nothing better than a warm summer night in the Pacific Northwest and having my girlfriends over for an outdoor dinner party. I created this simple lavender inspired centerpiece for a dinner party I hosted in my backyard a few weeks back.

For this dinner party, we were celebrating my sweet friend Gina’s birthday. I didn’t have a lot of time to prepare so I kept this one simple and sweet. One way to keep it simple is to create a centerpiece out of potted plants that you can purchase at a grocery store.

Choose a Theme or Color Palette

I always choose a theme or pick a color palette based on something I see that inspires me. When I was planning this party, I had gone to Trader Joe’s to see what flowers they had and to shop for ingredients for the food I was planning to make. As soon as I saw these potted lavender plants and the smaller flowering plants in purple and lavender containers, I knew what my theme was going to be. Fresh, locally sourced lavender plants along with some smaller purple and white flowering plants in varying shades were the perfect pairing.

Faux lavender stem options: 14″ Lavender Garden Bush // 15.5″ Lavender Bundle // 18″ Lavender Bush //

I like to choose my color and then I vary the shades of that color, usually using 3 different shades. This also adds depth and character to any tablescape. Here I chose the color lavender for the centerpiece inspiration and then I’ve varied the shades of lavender and purple throughout.

Create Different Heights and Layers

When creating a centerpiece, you want something that is lower to the table so you can see your guests and converse during dinner. I chose two of the taller lavender plants to create some height and then I used the smaller containers of flowers to fill in-between the larger containers.

To add layers into the centerpiece, I added in some rustic candlesticks and some votive candles that were wrapped in burlap. This adds texture and variety to the centerpiece as well as fills in some of the gaps and holes. I also used a long, sheer, ivory colored table runner and I layered everything on top of.

Using a table runner is not required but it adds another layer of color and texture and helps fill up the middle of the table. I always use a corresponding color in the palette I’ve chosen for the table runner. The dinnerware has some cream or ivory shades and it ties in with the dinnerware.

The Place-settings – Lavender and Green

For the place-settings, I chose wicker placemats and wooden napkin rings that matched well with the brownish colors in the dinnerware. I used silver flatware and a solid green napkin that matched the salad plate. I like to stack different plates in different shades and match the napkin to the stack of dishes.

You can see in the dish stack that I also varied the shades of green I used. I did this in the centerpiece and in the dishes and tied them all together with some warmer rustic elements.

I picked the wine I was serving based on the color of the wine bottles. The wine bottles had purple labels so of course, those were the picks for the dinner party! I may be the only person that picks wine based on what the label looks like! My friends all liked the wine so I think it worked out!

I hope this simple lavender inspired centerpiece inspires you to host your own dinner party with your besties! One of the reasons I enjoy hosting these dinner parties is that it creates connections and memories. Life is too short to not connect with the people you care about and I enjoy taking the time to create something warm and inviting for my friends who lift and inspire me each day.

You don’t have to be a professional floral arranger or have any experience with flowers. This is something everyone can do. Just pick a theme or color palette and make a simple centerpiece out of store bought flower pots and be creative! Most importantly, take time to gather and cherish the moments with good friends and good food!

P.S. At the end of the evening, I sent each of the girls home with one of the smaller potted plants as as a little token of my appreciation for their friendship. Your centerpiece can also become a little gift!

I have teamed up with a few of my friends to give you even more summer centerpiece ideas! Click on the links below for more inspiration. I have some seriously talented friends! Go check them out!

More Summer Centerpiece Ideas

Rustic Summer Centerpiece with Dahlias at Modern Glam

Outdoor Summer Centerpiece at My 100 Year Old Home

5 Minute Summer Centerpiece at Happy Happy Nester

Summer Table Decorations at Lolly Jane

French Country Centerpiece at Sanctuary Home Decor

Easy Summer Centerpiece at The Handmade Home

Edible Summer Tablescape at Twelve on Main

Lavender Inspired Centerpiece at Home with Holly J

Simple Summer Centerpieces at The Happy Housie

Enjoy!

XOXO,

For more outdoor tablescape inspiration check out my Outdoor Farm to Table Entertaining post.

Sources: I’ve linked exact items where possible and other items that are similar to help you recreate this look.

Faux lavender stem options: 14″ Lavender Garden Bush // 15.5″ Lavender Bundle // 18″ Lavender Bush //

The post Simple Lavender Inspired Centerpiece appeared first on Home With Holly J.

Disclaimer: This post does include affiliate links for your convenience. This is at NO additional cost to you but earns me a small commission. To read more, check out our disclosure policy.

Red, White, and Blue Patriotic Tablescape

I love the Fourth of July! Celebrating this holiday has always been so fun and meaningful for me and my family. I also get an excuse to create a Red, White, and Blue Patriotic Tablescape and use my dishes in different ways!

I’ve traveled the world playing and coaching soccer, and whenever I have been in other countries, I almost always choke up when our national anthem is played. I have been able to observe how other people in various countries sing their national anthem at the top of their lungs with as much pride for their country as I have for mine. It’s such a beautiful thing!

I’m that person who will always sing it when it’s appropriate and my kids look at me weird and probably wish I’d just stand there with my hand on my heart. I am a stickler for putting the hand on the heart, hat off, and taking that time to show the respect to our flag and our country and the thousands of people who have sacrificed for our nation. I love my country and am grateful for the freedoms I have here in America!

In honor of our Independence Day, I created this patriotic tablescape from mostly things I had on hand. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to find little patriotic trinkets to put on the table! I found the star candles and flags in the dollar bins at Target and have seen them at the dollar store as well!

The Tablescape Details

For the center swag I used faux eucalyptus as a base. I layered individual stems on top of the table runner. Then I added in a mix of faux white flowers stems and faux blueberries. I tucked them in until it looked balanced and then nestled in the candles and wooden stars.  To finish off the middle I added in two small flags.

Patriotic Place-Setting

For the dishes, I had these pretty blue and white plates and then I found a pretty red salad plate to layer on top! I pulled out some cobalt blue tumblers and finished it off with a red cloth napkin and a white napkin ring.  My cute mom was in town and had the idea to slide the dollar store flags into the napkins, which added a nice patriotic finish!

[holly_healthful_tips]

Holly’s Helpful Tips

*Keep it simple. The colors with your plate settings will do most of the work

*Try to incorporate things that you already have in your home, like candles or other little trinkets like the stars

*Mix and match dish patterns to create the dimension and contrast.

*Incorporate your own style! If you are more feminine or traditional in your style, choose pieces that reflect it

*Use real or faux flowers to build your swag. The faux flowers can be nice, because you can reuse them over and over again[/holly_healthful_tips]

Creating Family Memories

My mom, niece, sister-in-law, and daughter helped me put it all together. One of my favorite parts of doing tablescapes is having my family work together with me and creating memories we will enjoy for years to come! My mom’s love of dishes has passed on to me, and now I’m passing it down to my own daughter. It brings us all together and photographing and sharing them preserve it for us!  I hope that someday my granddaughters will look back at my photos of these tablescapes and feel inspired to create too!

My Own Families Service in our Armed Forces

I have so much gratitude and respect for those men and women that have chosen to serve in the armed forces. My husband served in the U. S. Army for 6 years as a dentist and I was an Army wife. It was difficult at times to be in the service with a young family but I’m so grateful for that experience and for my husbands service.

My second son, Jordan, enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corp just 5 days ago (June 2019) and is hopefully surviving his first week in boot camp. He went into the delayed entry leadership program and just turned twenty five. I am so proud of his willingness to serve his country and to delay his pilot career to enlist in the Marines. I can’t wait for his graduation from boot camp in September.

My third son, Cameron, has been doing the U.S. Air Force ROTC  program while attending UVU/BYU. He’s been at field training the past few weeks and I’m looking forward to seeing him when he returns. He just received a scholarship for the remainder of his college education and will enter the Air Force in two years after graduation. I am also extremely proud of him and know he will be amazing at whatever he does.

My heart if full as I write this post and I’m looking forward to celebrating our countries independence in a few weeks with an even greater respect for the men and women that serve this great nation we are so blessed to live in.

I hope this patriotic tablescape inspires you to create a beautiful and fun table-setting for your own family gatherings. Wishing you all a wonderful and safe Fourth of July. Enjoy!

Pin This Post for Later

Shop The Look Here

For some great recipes to go with this patriotic tablescape click here:

Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie Recipe

Stans Scones and Honey Butter

Pink Party Punch and Refreshing Summertime Drinks

The post Red, White, and Blue Patriotic Tablescape appeared first on Home With Holly J.