entertaining ideas at hodgepodge

The new merchandise has been rolling into Hodgepodge and it seems I was developing a subconscious theme—entertaining!

Many of our new inventory items will help you pull-together a picture perfect event.  From appetizers to aperitifs—we’ve got you covered.  So, when I started thinking about how to incorporate these items into our displays, I decided to arrange and entire display around the entertaining theme.

Here is the the whole shebang:

 

This porcelain handled service set elevates an iceberg and shredded cheddar salad to  mixed baby greens with goat cheese.

 

Cheese platters are almost always a part of our offerings for our guests.  I love these cheese knives from Comptoir de Famillie; along with the cheese marker tiles (you can write on them with dry erase markers) on one of these bamboo cutting boards would make a great presentation.

 

The low profile of this sugar mold votive holder makes it ideal for a buffet table.  The three tier server also helps make the most out of limited space on a table.  Try elevating items on cake pedestals—such as the willow dome at the rear.

 

Arrive at a party with this jute tote filled with wine and you’ll be at the top of the invitation list every time! 

 

These monogrammed bottle stoppers make a great gift, but they’re wonderful to have on hand to re-cork your wines, balsamic vinegars and oils!

 

The perfect cocktail napkin for a wine and cheese party . . .

 

This corkscrew is a piece of art!  You won’t want to put it in a drawer.

 

These 6-inch square, linen blend coasters are only made better with a monogram!

 

The Derby provides the perfect opportunity to have a few friends over for a celebration.  These footed mint julep cups are silver plated, adding authenticity to your celebration.  The willow dome  and tray are great for outdoor entertaining—helping to keep the bugs off of your food.

 

If you prefer your mint in a mojito, perhaps we can interest you in this beautiful wooden muddler.  It comes in a muslin bag with the recipe printed on it.

 

This wonderful peasant boy statue is ideal for serving nuts, candies or olives, but for now he’ll just hold the extra corks.

 

These easy-mix dips from Gourmet du Village blend into tasty appetizers with the addition of only a couple ingredients.  I keep them in my pantry—just in case.

The only thing better than brie . . . brie with apricot & jalapeno topper!  The cheese ball mixes come in sweet or savory flavors.

 

Use the brie baker for serving, as well.  The dip chiller has been a favorite of ours for years!  Mix-up your dip and keep it chilled with the addition of ice in the base.

 

I hope this gives you a few ideas for your next get-together.  If you’re interested in any of the items you see here, please visit the Hodgepodge Boutique.

Thanks for your indulgence.

Paige

a valentine bistro

tablescape thursday.

it’s a little early, but not for retail. i’ve already set the valentine table for the shop. it’s subtly suggestive of valentine’s day—not overtly.

a table for two.

set with the plates from comptoir de famille—a charger from the mary carol collection.

a petite fondue set in the center for dessert.

plates at the ready for the fondue and coffee.

another angle on the table . . .

the tablecloth is actually a throw.

the linen blend napkins are a generous 20x20 in size.

note the cute tomato salt and pepper.

love this la brasserie flatware.

so there you have my bistro table set for two.

i've set-up a new site where you can buy many of the items I feature on my blog. if you're interested click here.

thanks for your indulgence.

some last minute table ideas

If you haven’t figured out what to you’ll use to set your holiday table, please allow me to offer the following suggestions:

These are great appetizer plates or they work well to set the table as a salad plate layer.

You can mix them with your everyday dishes—like these green dishes, made in Portugal (don’t you love the simple detail on the rim?) and/or the gold tone dishes.  The placemats and napkins are a great –Christmas-y in color, but they also have that bird theme we love so much.

The bundle of vintage flatware helps to capture the glimmer of the gold-toned plate.

Here I show my personal favorite black and cream winter theme plate on a square embossed dish—also trimmed in black.  A nice simple look which could carry you from Thanksgiving through Valentine’s Day.  The dinner plate has an embossed bird pattern—very subtle.

There are three others in this collection—I couldn’t possibly limit myself to just one!  You’ll also find an elk, wild hares and a squirrel.  The flatware offers enough elegance for your finest china, but can be used for casual settings as well.

Here I’ve started with a basic brown and cream transferware pattern from Mary Carol Garrity.  The dinner plate has a farm scene, while the salad plate has a gardeners scene—again, there are four different patterns.  The flatware has brown handles.   These are perfect for everyday, but I wanted to show how I would dress them up for the holidays.

I thought I’d go with a red charger, to really make things pop.  Don’t you love red with chocolate brown?

Then I added another layer using the gold toned plate I used in the earlier settings.  Notice how it really brings out the browns, though.  Instant elegance with your everyday dishes!

Then I took it one step further with this simple pine and berry wreath.  We’ve used these things everywhere in the the store—on the back of dining chairs and looped three together in a vertical row.  The ideas for this basic accessory are limitless!

Well, the ideas could go on and on, but I’ve got to get this posted and get on with my own preparations for Christmas.  I’m going to post this on Tablescape Thursday, so be sure to peruse the other posts there for more inspiration.

I wish you the Merriest Christmas and hope you spend it with those you love!

Thanks for your indulgence!

Hodgepodge serves Dinner for the Dead

Welcome to Dinner for the Dead at Hodgepodge!

(Okay—now that I have no time to go back and take new pictures, I’m noticing the bowl is off center.  ARGH!)

This is the front window display at the shop. 

We set the table with Mary Carol Collection dishes, vintage silver plated flatware in a sheer black bag on linen napkins from Comptoir de Famille.

We presented our dinner guests with a black rose,  a Shipyard Pumpkin Head brew and a frothy concoction in our silver plated mint julep cups from Two’s Company.  The glass bead spider webs are a wonderful accent—draped across the settings here and hanging on the mirror below.

Vintage look apothecary jars deck the mantel along with very convincing holographic “family photos.”

The mercury glass skull is one of my favorite items this year—elegantly spooky.

The haunted house (in the back) is on loan from The Roxy Regional Theatre.

While flea marketing, I keep an eye out for books with Halloween themed titles—references to murder and death are always available.

The torn umbrella is from a frightful display in last year’s window.  I love the rat escaping it’s cage.  The silhouette of the witch at the door was happenstance, as she’s actually facing the the display of the “outdoor room” in our window.

These hand beaded mini chandeliers will carry over from our sophisticated Halloween display into our Christmas display with ease!  (Why didn’t I put votive candles in them?  Why do I feel compelled to point out my short comings???)

I hope you enjoy our Dinner for the Dead!

Now I’ve got to look at all of the other fun tables at www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com

Thanks for your indulgence!

Autumn at Hodgepodge

The colors, the textures, the temperature (well, soon . . .) I’m loving this change!  It’s my forever favorite season.  We’ve transformed the shop and I wanted to share our new look with you.

You can’t beat these stylized-floral plates from the Mary Carol Collection for a great impact! 

Brown transferware pitchers and a fabulous new bird vase.

   

A leaf shaped appetizer plate layered on your favorite dinnerware is all you need to set the scene.   (Be sure to pick-up some of our mixed pattern, silverplate flatware to complete your setting.)

Some festively fall buffet napkins with dried hops.

Couldn’t agree more!

 

 

 

Find a basic pattern you can mix-and-match with seasonal favorites.  I love this brasserie collection from Comptoir de Famille.

One of my favorite cabinets in the shop—a blend of an old paneled door, barnwood and a screen door—serves as a display for items to coordinate with the dinnerware.

The full scene.

An outdoor urn with and oversized pumpkin make a dramatic impact here—imagine it in your home!

 

 

This beautiful santos-style fairie stands watch over our new collection of write-on, wipe-off placecards, bottle corks and cheese markers.  The blues of this billow teapot and matching tea cups and saucers set a stunning table for tea and scones—paired with the season’s browns—it’s a can’t miss combination.

A new bookcase from our custom furniture line is the perfect display for our favorite bubble glass, handcrafted barware.

Been looking for this for years—a quality lavender at a reasonable price! 

Another favorite scent, our “fall gatherings” potpourri—instant fall!

A buffet table updated from summer to fall with a few simple changes.  Let us help you do this for your home.

Our favorite sideboard—which I understand serves as a great plasma screen tv “under cabinet,” too.

A vintage metal bed (with a great floral accent) is outfitted in this brick red matelasse, mixed with some linen blend porch pillows and striped euro shams.

A bucolic scene of these figures bringing in the harvest transitions our mantel for fall.  LOVE this burlap-backed clock!

  

We’ve pulled all of our fragrances and ambient lighting together along this wall.  Great scents for fall have arrived—to include our best selling Archipelago Botanicals Bergamot Tobacco, Burl Wood and Pomegranate Citrus.

A screen door backdrop displays this incredible feather wreath—another sure fire bet for your fall decor.

Our Caldrea stocks are full, as are our mini journals.

More candles in an array of colors ad scents

Another display of the quintessential autumn colors, mixed with a variety of gift items.

I hope this photo montage inspires you to make some changes to your home; I hope you start at Hodgepodge!

And for those of you who live at a distance—we ship! 

Thanks for your indulgence!

Paige