Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Launch Party

I've been talking about the Launch Party that Mr. Beaux 
and I hosted for his new company. 
 I thought I would share a few pictures with you that my son took while we were setting up. 
 Looking over the pictures I realized that I've never shown pictures of my basement other than shots of the floor while I was working on painting projects.
  Sadly, there weren't that many pictures to choose from as we were so busy getting everything ready for our guests. 

I made a floral arrangement for the dining room table as it's the first thing you see as you enter the house. 
 I bought two growers bunches of flowers, where else but Costco.  I'm really liking the new tangerine color that I am seeing everywhere.  I wasn't sure at first but now that it's Spring and Summer is soon on it's way I'm really warming up to it.  I've got more of this color to show you in the Kitchen later this week.

I arranged the flowers in a silver bowl that was an Estate Sale find last year.  It's still looking good today except the hydrangeas are shot.  I can't wait for my own hydrangeas to start blooming. 

Since you haven't seen my basement I'll show you a few pictures of what it normally looks like.
You can see the stairs leading down from the main level on the left.  This is what I named the "Pit"  sofa.  We watch TV down here and you would be surprised how many people can fit on this sofa.  The ottomans are great for extra seating or to pull up and stretch out.  
 My wide angle lens makes this room look huge.  
There is usually a Poker table beyond the pool table in the corner under the second TV  but we moved it to put the buffet table there for the party.
 And from the other side.  We placed the buffet tables where I am standing taking this picture and across the room in front of the window.  I am always trying to get better traffic flow during a party.  Everyone ends up congregating in front of the bar.  I think breaking up the food tables really helped.
This is a shot of one of the buffet tables as you walk downstairs into the basement.  We were still setting up so you can see the Saran is still on the platters.  I placed more flowers on the table also.  I wanted to keep the atmosphere very casual so I used white tablecloths that I draped over plastic bins that I had in storage.  Then, I draped burlap about the width of a table runner around on the table.  I bought the hydrangea plants at Home Depot and draped a lighter colored burlap around the base and tied it with twine. 
See the writing on the burlap?  That's from my Bench Re-do that didn't work out!!!  Hey, everything is recyclable right?  I like the way it looks around the plant.  My oldest son made all of the food for the party!  He is in his second year of Culinary School.  He created a beautiful Crudites platter on the left and I stole some of the veggies and placed them in the Mason jars with ice in the bottom.  It was more for the look than anything else.
 Little tealight holders from Target were sprinkled all over the table and around the room.  They looked so pretty all lit up.

 OK, we went a little overboard on the strawberries and pineapple.  I see smoothies in my future!

Here is the "Hot" hors d'oeuvres station. 
I found these adorable chalkboard stakes in different colors at Target in the dollar section.  I bought small pots of flowers and kale and sweet potato vine and placed them in the tin buckets and pots from the Dollar Store and Target and put the stakes in the pots. 

Here's what was on the Menu:

Pepper Jack Sliders with Chipotle Aioli sauce
Spinach and Cheese Spanakopita
Stuffed Mushrooms
Chicken Quesadillas
Crudite Platter with Peppercorn Ranch Dip
Strawberry and Pineapple Skewers
Cookies and Brownies

Everyone had a great time (I hope) and I was so happy to meet all of the new folks working for the company and welcome them into my home.  I'm already planning a Christmas party and maybe a Summer BBQ!

Until Next Time,
Beaux R'eves
XO Cindy


Newbie Party at Debbie Doo’s Blogging & Blabbing
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday
Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
Roeshel  at DIY Showoff
Kristin at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Tuesday's Treasures
Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Faded Charm for White Wednesday
Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays
Judy at DIY by Design for the Winter Blues Party
The Brambleberry Cottage
Gina at The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursdays
Sherry at No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays
 From My Front Porch To Yours for Treasure Hunt Thursday
 Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
Honey at 2805 for Potpourri Friday
Heather and Vanessa at At the Picket Fence for Inspiration Friday
Diann at The Thrifty Groove for Thrifty Things Friday
Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday
Sherry at The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday

Five Days...5Ways
Jen at Tatertots and Jello for the Weekend Wrap-up Party
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
The Tablescaper: Seasonal Sunday  

Embracing Change
 

17 comments:

  1. Your basement is nice!! Love the layout for the buffet! Blessings, Tammy

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  2. What a dream basement. Mine is full of toys and has been taken over by 4 ankle-biters. Looks like a lovely party. Thanks for sharing.

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  3. What a beautiful basement! It is huge! Great space to be with your family or to host a party! It sound like you did a wonderful job!

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  4. Gorgeous big basement and looks like a nice set up for entertaining.

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  5. Beautiful large basement - looks like the perfect place to have a party whether a large group or small family gathering. (I'm jealous!)
    Hugs -
    Carol

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  6. At last we got to join the party! How wonderful that your talented son could make such great food. The room is lovely, but it's your artistry on the tables that makes it really special!

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  7. Cindy,

    AWESOME party and absolutely stunning basement. WOW!

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  8. Great post! I enjoyed seeing your amazing couch in the basement! Definitely a party spot! Your buffet table looked wonderful, and I appreciate your explaining how you set it up, with some dishes elevated. I always forget to try that! Lucky you, with a chef as your son! The food all looked amazing!

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  9. Is that your dog on the corner of the pit sofa? If he's real, he's adorable! :-)

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  10. What a great basement you have! It really has the perfect layout for a party!
    -Shelley

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  11. That is one whale of a sofa area down there!!! I thought ours was a monster, but yours...I think you win the prize!!! Beautiful area for entertaining or relaxing. Your son did a maginficent job with the food!!! The skewers looks so tasty, I'm surprised there were any left over!!! I like fresh fruit on a stick like that!!! I'll eat pretty much anything when it's on a stick...it's more fun!!! Great find on the little chalkboards. I would love to be able to convince Ramon that we need to have the entire lower level in tile, but he has fought me every step of the way on it. Says we need carpet in the sofa area for warmth in winter. I keep telling him that's why God created furnaces!!!!!!!! Very pretty, and great job on the dining room floral piece!!!

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  12. Lovely basement!
    Greetings from Australia♥
    ~Pernilla

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  13. Hi Cindy: I'm Connie at http://hotflashncraftn.blogspot.com/, your new GFC friend. I would just love it if you stop by and be mine.
    Beautiful basement, and you sure know how to have a party. Every thing you served sounds fantastic. Thank you for sharing.

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  14. What a party space! It is just perfect. Love your sofa. The food looks so good. I am sure everyone had a fabulous time. The presentation looks so great.

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  15. MOTH... man of the house is drooling looking your basement.

    TY for sharing the beautiful and very charming home.

    Happy TS,
    /CC

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  16. Beautiful home!! Found you on between naps on the porch party!

    Amber
    recipeswelove.net

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