It's Football Time in the Bluegrass!

College football season kicks off this week and I couldn’t be more excited as I head to Nashville for a UK game.  Well……let me back up for just a minute, because those who know me will call “shenanigans” on my last statement.  It is not really the game of football that I am excited about (this becomes painfully obvious when I am spotted reading US Weekly during the first quarter of the game or using my binoculars to spot my friends on the other side of the stadium throughout the second half).  It is the weekly appointment for tailgating that gets my heart racing!  My husband and I have our season football tickets, our parking pass and a group of friends that we gather with each week during the season.  We have affectionately started calling ourselves The Liftgaters because none of us has a truck with a tailgate, instead we all drive SUVs with hatches that lift upward. 

In the South tailgating is a big deal and these products that I’ve recently spotted are sure to enhance any tailgate situation! 

Melamine plates & platters.  I devoted an entire blog post to melamine dishes earlier this year and I still adore them!  Just last night I was at Target swooning over a blue & white Ikat pattern.  Who needs porcelain and ceramic dishes that can break or chip when you have durable, practical and most of all beautiful melamine dishware!  There are a few companies who offer these products with collegiate logos for those die-hard fans.

Chandelier.  I was flipping through the pages of my Southern Living magazine when I first layed eyes on this.  Love at first sight (minus the color scheme).  I suddenly felt inspired to help hubby find an old school bus to convert into a tailgate bus on the condition that I could have this fixture gracing the ceiling!

UK Plaid.  I have also focused a past blog post on this product line.  I feel compelled to support this student-driven project at the University of Kentucky, not only because it stems from my major but also because the products are so darn cute!  I know I am biased since I chair the advisory committee but take a look at them yourself.  I bet when I walk past your tailgate tent this Fall, it will be adorned with the tablecloth, a crowd of koozies, tote bags, a grill mit and apron. 

Happy tailgating!

What do fashion greats Badgley Mischka and Polka Dots & Rosebuds have in common??

They both showed their support for the Woodford County Humane Society at this year's Freedom Fest.  Freedom Fest is an annual fundraiser for the animal shelter that provides the majority of their funding for the year.  Each year the event is held on a horse farm in Woodford County, designers transform horse stalls into dining rooms for a weekend, and there is a celebrity speaker at Friday's breakfast (past events have boasted Vern Yip & Jon Carloftis as celebrities supporting the shelter).  This year's keynote speakers were the fashion designing duo Mark Badgley and James Mischka.  They MCed a fashion show of their latest designs while attendees dined on quiche and fruit from Selma's catering.  Saturday evening was the main event where many gathered in designer stalls and at designer tables under the party tent.  That's where Polka Dots & Rosebuds comes in.

For the third year in a row PD&R decorated a designer table for the event.  The themes of each table have varied. This year's theme was the quintessential summer table.  When the heat index is reaching into the hundreds and partygoers are dining outside, the illusion of feeling cool is a useful one!  The color scheme was inspired by fabric ordered for a client's chairs- a navy & white lattice pattern.  White became a major focus for the table due to its clean and cool appeal.  A floorlength white tablecloth was the first layer while white dinner & salad plates were tiered overtop of the navy & white tabletopper.  My take on white dishware is that the usefulness is endless.  The timeless details and color allow them to be so versatile.  You really can't go wrong with them!

The color punch of choice was lime green.  Napkins in the lively shade (reminiscent of limes, another fave for keeping cool) were pulled through white beaded napkin rings for a finished look.  The final, and most important element was the centerpiece.  A four foot lantern stand was set in the center of the table (check back for Thursday's blog all about centerpieces). Three lanterns with battery operated candles were placed inside to create a romantic evening glow without producing any more heat. Arranged around the base were summer florals in crisp colors- white, yellow and green.  This table could have easily been one for a family patio dinner, an outdoor wedding reception, or at a fun summer fundraiser thus making it the perfect summer table!

It was an honor to once again be able to help support Woodford Humane in their great mission of helping animals find homes.  I encourage you to visit their website for more information if you are not familiar with all that they do.  Their work is applauded by many far outside Kentucky and I think it's great that high end fashion designers, Badgley & Mischka, paused their schedule to help keep this cause going for another year!

Let them eat cake...

...or pie, or steak, or green beans or whatever they want on these fabulous plates!  I am madly in love with all the new melamine dishware that has come out this season.  I got a glimpse into the trend in a back issue of Better Homes & Gardens.  Then I spotted it in abundance at my visit to America's Mart in March.  Once back home, I started seeing it pop up on the shelves of Target, HomeGoods and local boutiques.  If you don't know what melamine is, it is a type of plastic that is stiff and unbreakable.  It has always been great for children to use or to take out on picnics or to tailgate parties.  Until recently, the selection of pattern and color has been limited to solid colors and maybe the occasional stripe or sports team logo.  NOW, the design options are fabulous!  When I first saw some of these plates I thought they were ceramic plates because the colors and patterns were so unique.  Imagine my surprise when I picked one up and discovered it was light-weight and plastic.  

These dishes are something the whole family can eat on without worry that one might get dropped on the floor and shattered.  Some of them are even gorgeous enough to replace the good china when guests come over.  I wouldn't be surprised if brides start registering for these as their everyday dishes because they are too cute to pass up.  See what I mean:

America's Mart display 

 French Bull plate grouping

Monogrammed plate from Janice's Invites

Can't you see Easter lunch being eaten off of these beauties?!?!  Happy table-setting!