Dinner Party...

What do you do when you throw a dinner party?

I mean apart from the dinner & the party bit?

Even though I'm happy to cook (happier to bake) 

I have a Hubby who's skills & passion far exceed mine.

So when we had dinner guests over recently he insisted on creating this...

Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni - with homemade tomato sauce and extra cheesy topping.

A vegetarians heaven (or early demise, depending on how much of it you eat)

Me?

What do I do for our dinner parties?

Well I'm in charge of atmosphere....

I set the table...

... dim the lights inside...

.... & light lots of candles. 

I don't always use a tablecloth

(we have a lovely Jarrah table that can handle all the mess and spills we often create)

However when I spotted this crazy one at Tree Of Life

I thought it would be quite the conversation piece

It depicts the Mexican celebration of the 

Day of The Dead (coming up soon)

It also hides a myriad of food spills and keeps kids entertained.

I must admit I'm more of a neutral colours and tones person but this garish

orange number is just the thing for adding a festive tone to any outdoor meal.

(can't see myself using it on the formal dining table though)

Once I've lit at least 3000 tea lights 

(I'm never happy until I'm sure my home is visible from outer space)

I go about the business of turning on the garden lights....

... and the fairy lights...

Of course it goes without saying that the house needs to be filled with flowers too

I'm blessed to have a garden that always has a little something in bloom most months of the year.

Another favourite of mine is floating pretty flower heads in water.

This can be quite a thrifty and cost effective way of bringing nature into your home.

These are just plain old Nasturtium flower heads - grown from seed, edible and cheap as chips.

Below are Callistemon(also known as Bottle Brushes) which are the flower heads

of one of Australia's most loved native plants.

I've hung them just outside the front door from our metre box.

A lovely way for a house to greet people don't you think?

Before receiving guests, I like to pay particular attention to my bathroom.

I usually fill one of these little apothecary vials with something pretty and 

light a scented candle

Then it's just a matter of sorting out some tunes...

.. and pouring Hubby a well earned glass of wine

Did I mention he made this 

Orchard Fruit Pudding for desert?

So now that you've seen how it's done at Casa Del JAm

won't you join us for an evening of fine food and fun?