Table Grace Year 3 - 2025 - Nautical Theme

Hey there princess!

For the third year in a row, my mother and I participated in Table Grace at our church. This event invites ladies of the church to decorate a table for a luncheon and fellowship event. It has been such a fun opportunity to be creative and meet new women at the church that I wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to meet. 

When I became a mom back in 2022, my social circle shrank significantly - so having small opportunities like this has been great! I am able to be creative, make new friends, and strengthen the relationship I already have with my own mother. 

There aren’t any rules with Table Grace, and participants are encouraged to be creative in choosing the theme for their own tables. This year, we chose a nautical theme, and I had so much fun with it! My mom had the great idea to gift each person at our table with a mini boat and tote stuffed with a custom cookie, York peppermint patties, a cute scarf, and a bookmark with the name of a missionary for us to pray for. 

People who know me know that I have spent years collecting dishes and this event gave me the perfect opportunity to use these From the Deep dishes that I got from Anthropologie in probably 2014 (if I had to guess). I have used them for little dinners at home, but I was so happy to take them out of the house for others to see. The best thing about them? They’re dishwasher safe!

My mom has these amazing Arthur Court napkin rings in both the crab design and the seahorse that she brought from home. I absolutely love a cute napkin ring, and Arthur Court designs are made to last! If you’re looking to start collecting serve-ware or napkin rings for hosting they are such a great place to start. They are so timeless and durable.

To decorate the table, we purchased a striped tablecloth off of Amazon (click here), then we added a lighthouse to tie in the nautical theme (here), and then I painted a small illustration of a sand dollar for each attendee. The finishing touch was a seashell name card that I placed at each seat so that everyone would know where to sit (here).

My favorite part of this event is seeing what kind of themes everyone else comes up with! Below, please see some photos of my favorite tables from the event. I hope that they inspire you as much as they inspired me!

I noticed that a lot of tables had little gifts for their guests, so I’m really glad that we brought something for ours. If you have any questions about these table settings, please let me know.

I remember when I was younger I would pour through magazines and books about event planning, hosting, and tablescapes. I feel so lucky to be a grown-up and able to engage in this hobby with my friends.

Sparkle on!

No Time To Siesta - It's a Baby Shower Fiesta!

 Hey there princess!

If you couldn't already tell - we throw a lot of fiestas in my family! It's always an easy party theme, and who doesn't like Mexican food? Plus, by this time we have tons of decor to go around! 

This past March, my family threw me the absolute best couple's baby shower. This is my first child, and the first grandchild for my parents, and anticipating his arrival was such a fun time in my life. Pregnancy was absolutely awful, and with the end in sight I really enjoyed this party with all of my most favorite people!

If you know me, you know I was absolutely thrilled when I opened up my mail and saw this invitation! It is absolutely gorgeous, and came from Sweet Caroline Design. Caroline's invitations and Christmas cards have been a staple in my life and I love her use of color. This baby shower was held at one of my favorite restaurants, Escalante's, which is also conveniently located right next to my church! Even with my crazy pregnancy nausea, I was able to enjoy my fajitas. 

The shower was held in the party room in the back of the restaurant and our service was incredible. My family brought all of their fiesta decor, and they filled the room with colorful flowers and brightly painted vases. My mom even brought the party piñata that has been sort of the mascot at many of our fiestas over the years. 

One of the best gifts I received from my family was a baby book full of gorgeous illustrations from Over the Moon Gift (you can see it here). We had everyone who attended the shower sign the book so that we could keep the memory for our little boy. I also love this sleeping ceramic man that doubles as a planter/vase. My mom filled it with gorgeous roses that all of the female guests got to take home with them. Now, the sleeping man sits in my kitchen snoozing away in all of his cuteness!

Speaking of gifts, my mom also got these adorable honey pots with dippers and custom labels for guests to take home with them. These are not only precious to look at, but they are super practical! Everyone loves honey and it makes the perfect topping for sopapillas. You can find something similar on Etsy by clicking here.  When selecting a gift to give your guests at the conclusion of your event, I always prefer something that is practical. Either something edible or something that is useful for their daily lives! 

My favorite detail from the event was the tower of hand painted macaroons. These were absolutely gorgeous, and were created by the ever-talented Treney from Indulge Gourmet Desserts (click here for her info). Treney has created beautiful desserts for several of the parties that I have thrown over the years, and I have to say that these are my absolute favorite! During my pregnancy, I was incredibly sick, and one of the few things that would settle my stomach was Sonic's Cherry Limeade. Treney knew about this and created special macaroons that tasted just like them! I couldn't get enough!

Here is an up-close look at these gorgeous macaroons. Treney used inspiration from the shower invitation to decorate them and they absolutely stole the show! They were also a huge hit with my guests who thought they were delicious. 

Here is a photo of part of the party room (and a sneaky peek of my little brother helping with set-up). The room was absolutely perfect, and all of the little pops of color that my family added were just the right touch.

Here is a close-up of one of the floral arrangements that my mom put together for the table. This little donkey is also proudly prancing around my kitchen now! I love being surrounded by things that bring back happy and cherished memories. 

I had tons of fun at this shower, and with only about a month left in my pregnancy it really was the best way to wrap the pre-kid era of my life. I was so happy to spend the afternoon with the most important people in my life and enjoying everyone's company (and enjoying fajitas as well). 

When planning any party, the most important thing is always to keep your guests in the forefront of your mind. We all love events were we can talk, relax, and eat! Don't overthink things, or overcomplicate what is bound to be a fun and fabulous time. 

Also, my top party-planning tip is to keep your theming consistent from party to party. Try to purchase decor that you can reuse and invest in quality pieces. While some people might want to stray away from theming that feels repetitive, I promise that the creative hostess can introduce new elements each time to help things feel creative and new. 

Sparkle on!