About Me
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Graduation
5:22 PM | 
Posted by
Sophisticated Stationery |
Well, two down and one to go! That's what I told my husband this weekend when our second child graduated from high school. While exciting, it's also a little bittersweet. But before the tears begin to flow again . . .I thought you might like to see what we did for the luncheon we gave in her honor immediately following the ceremony.
We used the Red & Navy Stripe Invitation because she will be attending the University of Mississippi in August and the school colors are red & blue. Not her actual invitation pictured but you get the idea.
I used card stock paper and stickers to make these messages that hung from the chandelier with red and blue raffia. For the supplies, I went to Michaels and shopped the scrapbook aisle.
I had some extra daisies that I cut short and used two small mason jars to place them in. I love mason jars and keep a variety of sizes on hand that I use for all kinds of things. Wal-Mart always has a good selection.
This Fruit Salad recipe is a family favorite! It's a Paula Deen recipe I found in the March/April 2009 issue of Cooking with Paula Deen. I've made it several times since then and my family gobbles it up each time. So nice they gobble something healthy! Well, it is healthy under the whipped cream-cream cheese topping!!
For the citrus salad I just toss mandarin oranges, grapefruit sections and some toasted pecans with salad greens and then top with this old Celery Seed Dressing. My kids would eat it with a spoon if I would let them! This salad is yummy in summer and I often serve it with some grilled chicken and avocado slices as an entree on a hot summer day.
Who put that chair there? I think my little cousin twins did. They kept stealing strawberries off the table when they thought I wasn't looking! This is the danger of having fruit loose.
Well, two down and one to go! Our son, Ben, graduated in 2008, Grace in 2011 and our youngest daughter, Sarah Kate, won't graduate until 2016 so it will be a little while before another high school graduation and I think that's okay. Spreading them out just a little is good for Momma's nerves! Grace was tickled with the lunch and she deserved every minute of it. Hope you get an idea or two you can use from her special day!
Until next time! Lori
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| Red & Navy Stripe Invitation |
We used the Red & Navy Stripe Invitation because she will be attending the University of Mississippi in August and the school colors are red & blue. Not her actual invitation pictured but you get the idea.
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| We're so proud of you! |
I used card stock paper and stickers to make these messages that hung from the chandelier with red and blue raffia. For the supplies, I went to Michaels and shopped the scrapbook aisle.
I folded the 8.5" x 11" paper in half and taped them closed. Hole punched two holes and threaded the blue and red raffia through. Then I added personalized messages on both sides of the cards with letter stickers and tied them around the candlesticks of my dining room chandelier.
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| Messages on both sides of paper. |
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| Varying heights add interest. |
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| I just love easy centerpieces! |
Grace's favorite things are strawberries and daisies. It makes for an attractive centerpiece that's easy on the pocketbook. I layered the lemon slices and strawberries after placing a mason jar of water in the center of my larger vase. Then simply add the daises. We used the school mascot and a framed picture of Grace with more lemons and strawberries. The table runner is an old picnic tablecloth I had that I just folded to make the runner on the table.
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| Fruit Salad and Citrus Salad |
I had some extra daisies that I cut short and used two small mason jars to place them in. I love mason jars and keep a variety of sizes on hand that I use for all kinds of things. Wal-Mart always has a good selection.
I used my everyday white ironstone plates and kept the menu simple. A citrus salad with a yummy dressing recipe passed down from a friend's grandmother. (Recipe below.) A fruit salad, lima beans, poppy seed chicken casserole and rolls.
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| Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole |
I love to have varying heights on a table and I use all kinds of serving pieces not necessarily as they are intended. I used my cake stand that when you invert it they tell you to use it as a punch bowl. I thought it was perfect for the salad and as you can see I used my gravy boat to serve the salad dressing. I served the poppy seed chicken casserole in my Emile Henry Auberge Ruffled casserole dish that I just happened to already have in red! The lima beans were in an Emile Henry blue bowl from my collection.
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| "Diploma" cutlery |
I took a cue from the diploma she was to receive
and used just plain white dinner napkins to wrap the red and blue plastic cutlery. Tied with the red and blue raffia and placed in an antique milk bottle carrier, they were an attractive addition to the table.
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| Fruit Salad with Cream Cheese Pecan Topping |
This Fruit Salad recipe is a family favorite! It's a Paula Deen recipe I found in the March/April 2009 issue of Cooking with Paula Deen. I've made it several times since then and my family gobbles it up each time. So nice they gobble something healthy! Well, it is healthy under the whipped cream-cream cheese topping!!
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| Citrus Salad with Mrs. Henry's Celery Seed Dressing |
Here's the recipe:
Mrs. Henry's Celery Seed Dressing
2/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. celery seed
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 c. honey
1/3 c. vinegar
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. grated onion
1 c. salad oil
Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Add honey, vinegar, and lemon juice. Whisk together to blend. Add salad oil in a slow stream while mixing. (This dressing will be thick because of the honey. I store any leftovers in the fridge but set it out to bring it to room temperature before serving again, though with my family there's usually not much left.)
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| Poppy Seed Chicken |
I have to admit I cheated! I do make a nice
poppy seed chicken casserole, but this time I let someone else do the cooking! Sometime it's just easier and Katie's Kitchen does a lovely job. All I
had to do was pop it in the oven when we got back and by moving it over to my dish, no one was the wiser, well, until now that is!
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| Katie's Kitchen |
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| Miss Muff'n Strawberry Cake |
OK, I'd love to say I was talented enough to bake
this cute cake and while I might could bake it, frosting it is another matter! I picked it up from a lovely little bakery in town - so much easier that way! Miss Muff'n Bakery makes a yummy strawberry cake with strawberry filling and was the perfect dessert for our luncheon.
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| The whole table |
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| It wasn't us! |
Well, two down and one to go! Our son, Ben, graduated in 2008, Grace in 2011 and our youngest daughter, Sarah Kate, won't graduate until 2016 so it will be a little while before another high school graduation and I think that's okay. Spreading them out just a little is good for Momma's nerves! Grace was tickled with the lunch and she deserved every minute of it. Hope you get an idea or two you can use from her special day!
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| Grace Ellen Hanks - Class of 2011 |
Her cap and gown photo taken by Holland Studio of Photography. A momma has to brag a little right? Did I mention she graduated with a 3.8?! Love you Gracie!
Until next time! Lori
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