Book club sleepover

August 8, 2016

This past Friday night I hosted our second annual book club sleepover. There were seven of us, and it was great fun. We've been meeting for five years now, and have read, I don't know, more than 100 books together.

We're hoping to celebrate a 25th anniversary someday!

One of my favorite things to do is get ready for a party.

Here are some beautiful hydrangeas cut from bushes by the front of our house. We ate here in the kitchen for a dinner ordered in from a local Italian restaurant.


Brunch the next day was served in the dining room, and I got the table set ahead of time, using my mother-in-law's silver and vintage linens from my side of the family.


I found these chargers 70% off at Michael's a couple weeks ago. They are more a rose gold than copper-y, as seen here.


My grandmother's red transferware in the Bristol pattern by Crown Ducal. I blame her for my love of vintage china.





I am not a gardener, so can't explain how these blooms came off the same hydrangea bush as the bright pink ones above. They were lower to the ground, under some leaf cover, so maybe the sun has something to do with the color?


We were not shy of carbs. This French toast was delicious. Some of us (including yours truly) topped it with real whipped cream and strawberries left over from the night-before's strawberry shortcake.








As I said, carbs were in evidence.



We had planned to make wreaths using old encyclopedias. Too much talking going on to accomplish much. A couple friends looked through several volumes to find maps and pictures to put in clear glass lockets I had ordered from etsy.

One friend, who has a daughter who's worked in Afghanistan and India found little maps of the two cities there, and put one on either side of a locket. Another friend found a colored picture of a Monet painting and put that in her locket. A friend from Malta put a picture of Maltese lace in hers.

We had to laugh that only a book club would find looking through encyclopedias a fun Friday night activity!



This is what we were going to make, but it seemed like too much work, and we watched a movie instead.


I decluttered the extra books and papers that are usually lying around here for our movie time.


It was a wonderful time. So grateful for the friends in my life.

*******

So now, with less than four weeks to the wedding, I must get back on track if I'm going to fit in my mother-of-the-bride dress. So . . . no more French toast and coffee cake . . . just lots of vegetables and a little protein.



Hope your week is off to a great start, friends.

27 comments

  1. What an enjoyable visit this was, dear Deborah. I felt as if I was right there enjoying all the fun, talk, food and I'm sure much laughter.
    Whooo... that french toast was looking mighty good on my computer screen, yummy.
    What a beautiful locket you gave to each lady, and the photo you shared must have been the lady who put Maltese lace in hers, beautiful. Such a great idea those woman had finding photos of special places.
    Thank you for sharing your loveliness with us on this fine Monday~~

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  2. The book club sleepover looks like a lot of fun and is a great idea. There should be a law -- no calorie (or carb) counting at a sleep over! Fun post. Happy Monday!

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  3. What a fun time, Deborah! I love that you all have a goal of 25 years together. Your table looks so pretty and the food looks delish! The French toast looks to die for, and I did spy some protein, with the bacon! LOL!! I can't believe it's four weeks until the wedding!!

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  4. Oh yum! And what fun it must have been. You did a wonderful job! Love the menu...and the wreath is fabulous! 4 weeks? Wow!
    Ruth

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  5. I think it's so much fun to hear about big girls having a sleepover. The food and planned activities were a good idea but I know how a group of women would like to just sit and chat.

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  6. Deborah, Having been out of the country for a month, I am finally catching up on my blogging friends. You have a new look and it looks wonderful. Love your photo too - you look fabulous!

    What a lovely book club weekend. Something special to plan, enjoy and make memories.

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  7. Fun time with good friends is always great. That food looks really good.

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  8. Oh what fun! And all of that WONDERFUL looking food! It was nice to see you had some protein as well...gotta have that sweet/salty thing going on, right? Your table looked wonderful too! Oh...to have been a fly on the wall....lol! Actually, your plate of veggies (and little piece of meat) look pretty amazing too!

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  9. Sounds like a great time together. I love the idea of finding snippets from the encyclopedias for the lockets. Your table setting and the food are great looking. I know this is an exciting time for your family.

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  10. What fun! Your brunch looked yummy but then so do your veggies. I LOVE veggies. Pretty chargers and you know me and my love of red transferware! I love it! How special that it belonged to your grandmother. We are getting rid of all our old encyclopedias. I don't have the time or the space to do anything with them, so out they go. Thanks for sharing, Deborah.

    Blessings,
    Sandi

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  11. Oh the lovely silver and pretty china all look so beautiful...the sleepover sounds like so much fun!
    The food you served looks delicious...
    hope your week is off to a great start too!

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  12. Your book club sounds awesome! I have often thought it would be fun to be part of a book club.

    Your table and flowers are totally gorgeous, and that brunch looks delish!

    And your profile photo is beautiful! I love your hair!!!! You are going to be a stunning mother of the bride!

    Love,
    Patti

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  13. What a delight, my friend! How I wish I could join you and your book club :) You are a lovely hostess and everything looked wonderful and so inviting.

    Have a blessed week! Love and hugs!

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  14. Hi Deborah, Oh what a wonderful time with your book club. The breakfast looks so delish and that french toast so yummy. Love how pretty and inviting your table is set. I can see you girls talking and having a special time.
    You are the best hostess!! Have a great week as you countdown to the wedding. You are going to be a beautiful mother of the bride!!!
    Hugs and Blessings xo

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  15. What fun, Deborah! Carbs or veggies, I love them all. Your soiree looked amazing in all its details.

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  16. This must have been a sheer delight for everyone! Everything looked so beautiful.

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  17. How fun...I've always wanted to be in a book club, not just to read new books but to have the camaraderie with like-minded ladies! I so enjoyed your table settings and food. You are a born entertainer!

    Totally know how you feel about switching gears in food choices. Low carb eating is always a success, especially if you like veggies. I have three kids down and one to go as far as weddings. I'm determined to do the finale as slim as I can be!!

    Just found your blog and love it!!!

    Jane x

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  18. What a lovely evening, Deborah! Your table is so pretty with your vintage linens, china and vintage-looking hydrangeas. I love how your grandmother's red transferware highlights your beautiful chairs.....The food looks delicious, too! Such fun looking for pictures for the lockets, even if you didn't get to make the wreaths. Your guests were very spoiled :) Sounds like the perfect evening to me! xx K

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  19. It's the Sleepover Club for adults come to life! Love it! Your yummy breakfast is making me salivate...

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  20. Dearest Deborah,
    That for sure was a great sleep over time with your book club friends!
    Indeed, all that breakfast food I would not have been able to eat, due to my diet for my CKD stage 3.
    Wow, only 4 weeks before the wedding... that is coming at us very fast indeed! And we all love to look our very best on such a festive day.
    We attend the wedding of our dear friends' daughter and that is on September 9, so also less than a month ahead. I'm still not sure what to wear...
    Isn't it so that we all love to have such events in front of us, so that we can plan and live towards that 'goal'? It keeps us aware and performing at our best.
    So happy that our painters have left and that our household is almost back to normal routine. It is hard with all the extra yard work in summer, as I can use a hand for inside.
    The house seems bigger and bigger as we age...
    Sending you hugs and wishing you the best for this time of preparations for the wedding.
    Mariette

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  21. Well reading this at breakfast time was clearly a mistake as I feel very deprived, sitting here with a plate of scrambled eggs and a garden tomatoe. Oh you have me craving everything you served! :)

    Hydrangeas, at least some of them, tend to change color. A neighbor has one that is white now and will turn a lime green shade. My pee gee hydrangea is also white but will turn various shades of pink as the summer and fall goes on...

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  22. Hello Deborah, wow how fun to have a sleep over with your book group friends. It looks like you all had a lot of fun and good food! :)
    Good luck with the eating and getting ready for the wedding. Enjoy the weekend and week.
    Julie

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  23. What a neat neat thing you hosted. SO sorry no one made wreaths. My advice is right after the wedding start making them as gifts for Christmas - or possibly to sell on Etsy. They're REALLY neat, Deb!

    Hugs!!

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  24. I love this Deborah. This had to be so much fun with your friends. And the food looks delicious. You captured the event perfectly. Great photos.

    I too love carbs. Especially for breakfast. I also love your pretty table setting. The red china is lovely and a perfect match for your vintage flatware.

    Have a great week,

    Janet

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  25. What fun you all had and the food looks delicious!

    Have wonderful days as you get closer to the wedding ~ FlowerLady

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  26. This is truly Beautiful! How wonderful to host such a party. The food all looked so scrumptious and to have a whole night and the next morning with a group of good friends is priceless. Good for you! I'm cheering you on towards that 25th anniversary with each other!

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  27. Book club sleepover and movies and crafts? How fun!!! I gave the paper cone wreath a try years back, and it is a lot of work. So pretty. You might like making the book page rose wreath. It is time consuming too but easier to make in my opinion. I just roll the paper roses while watching a favorite film.
    So fun visiting today, Deborah.
    xo

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