Basket of Gratitude

I'm so excited for my first styling client! I get the joy of styling a "Garden Glam" birthday party for an incredibly talented, smart and beautiful young lady. We are planning a sit down dinner and movie night in the garden. I threw a basket of inspiration together. 

And I was so excited that I took a silly picture!

The day before I packed the bundle, I told a friend that my whole business plan is: Just take one step forward and trust God to show me the next one.

And this happened! I provided a piece for a wedding and the next day I got a text from a friend wanting styling services for a party.

 So this basket is my gratitude, excitement

and her atmosphere for a very special event!

Cheers to a very tight business plan!

Playing with Tabletops

I am delighted, actually a wee bit over-the-moon, to be invited again to guest post and food style for one of my favorite friends and world changers, Beth, over at Community Eats. She recently asked me to chat about how I style my table tops for special occasions using found items. 

Anytime I can play around with Beth in the kitchen or in the blogosphere I am excited. It might not be world changing/paradigm shifting information but if it inspires just one person to express their hospitable personality, set up an inviting space to gather around without spending money, and enjoy the moment created then I'm happy. 

I originally thought I'd share tricks with my dining room table where I typically host meals. However, currently it is living as a full scale craft table securely wrapped in butcher paper, floral duct table and cluttered with at least four different and severely messy art projects. Since I don't have a magic wand to change it back into a "real" table, I.....

--introduce you to my kitchen table! 

I've been eating meals with this old handsome guy since I was eight! When my father passed away it moved in with us and I enjoy it as much as anyone could ever enjoy a little kitchen table. It put a huge smile on my face to dress it up for the Community Eats family. Hop over to enjoy the short & sweet guest post. 

While you're there check out these recipes that I had a blast styling  AND TASTING: Tropical Champion Smoothie, Breakfast Pie, Lovely Summer Pasta and Cumin Marinated Flank Steak. The flank steak is incredible and now a regular on the Gilmore table.

snip, snip, snip!

So our friends were coming over for dinner. It was the perfect night to grill and dine outside. I was quickly trying to wipe down the patio furniture and set the table before they arrived. My cute little succulents had these two tall stems towering over the snug cute flowers I had tucked in just right when I planted. 

They looked ridiculous! Two long skinny, spiny antennas. I ran to the scissors and right before I snipped them off, I noticed tiny, lovely little orange blossoms way up at the top. 

So I didn't snip.

I almost snipped because it didn't look right.

I almost snipped off the prettiest part.

I almost snipped off blossoming beautiful life.

I almost snipped off what the plant is created to do.

And I felt like the garden was talking to me again. 

In parenting, life, business, marriage have I quickly snipped off the blossoms because something didn't fit my original vision? Have I made hasty decisions? Have I been so concerned about what others might think that I cut off something that could have been amazing? Has God asked me to do things that seem or look ridiculous so I opted out? Have I not stepped back long enough to anticipate something blossoming? Snip, snip, snip all through life.

Sadly I probably have. Probably more than once. More likely, a lot. 

Thankfully, I didn't this time! These delicate, precioius, lovely, vibrant little flowers spoke up! They reminded me to pause, step back, and look carefully before I snip!