Guess who's coming to dinner?

Why it’s Kelli,  Sheila, and Vanessa, 

three favorite bloggers
just goofy enough to mention

that they would have gladly dined at last week’s ice table in the Piney Stick Forest.   

Silly girls.

We thought we would reward their adventurous spirits by inviting them inside for a nice steamy bowl of invisible chowder.

Chowder is the perfect comfort food

for the dreary weather we’re having,

and it’s the inspiration for this week’s table. 

 It’s not just any old chowder, either. 

It’s corn chowder, my favorite.

That's why I'm coming too...

We have the Newlywed Niece to thank for all the color at this table.

You see, we wanted to use a set of dishes in this pattern. 

 Warm? Yes. 

But just a tiny bit too brown.

We wanted the table to say corn chowder, not beef stew.

Fortunately, we remembered some maize colored place mats that The Niece  had gotten for a shower gift.  

So we borrowed them…

 

And also a blue tablecloth to go underneath them…

And then some napkins for a little pattern. 

We used photocopies of her table linens 

to decoupage coasters and place cards.

Then, we nestled the name in little bowls of croutons

to give them a little personality.

Not that these ladies need any more personality...

We were about to leave when we noticed 

these plates 

hanging on the wall at the Love Shack.

So we took them, too.

We sandwiched them between the brown ones

and topped it all with a little yellow bread plate.

 

Finally, we added a soup bowl. 

large  enough to put

the chow in chowder...

 

See what I mean? 

 By the way,, those candlesticks belong to the niece too

As does the casual stemware.

And the idea for a chocolate dipped marshmallow

in each cocoa mug.

With much thanks to The Newlywed Niece, 

we finished our table. 

We couldn't have done it without her.

I call this one

Chowder and Chatter.

It may not be as sparkly as an ice on a piney stick forest,

but it's a whole lot warmer. 

*****

Sharing this with the Porch People

News Flash!

The little birdie in comment number one was right. 

Wednesdays with the Duchess will feature  this tonight.

Corn chowder...

Inspired by our table...

Yum.

Who knew it would be this easy to get her to fix my favorite soup?  I think next week, I think I'll suggest a tablescape inspired by Fettucine Alfredo.