Sunday, March 29, 2009

Retro Housewife Bridal Shower! (And a prayer request)









The calendar says spring, but we're getting an icy snow and wind tonight....yup, there's snow on the crocus and the emerging hyacinths, daffodils and tulips~ and this last week we saw the bud covers on the big maple tree out front bursting with the promise of tiny new leaves to come. But winter's not giving up too easily, she's clutching on to her last month of being our most unwelcome visitor!





The Retro Housewife Bridal Shower invitations have gone out, the RSVP's look to be around thirty people, and I'm devoting most of my free time this week to planning and cooking and setting up for my sweet niece, Autumn Rose's wedding shower. I've planned the menu and I know my theme for decorating, and the games are my big hurdle right now!

MENU:

Baked potato soup with sides of green onions, crumbled bacon, cheddar cheese and sour cream

Chicken salad on croissants

Olive Garden's (copycat) House Salad with tomato wedges, red onion, black olives, banana peppers, croutons and freshly grated parmesan cheese and the special dressing

Deviled Eggs
Fresh Fruit

Decorated Cupcakes on tiered stands
Strawberry Mousse
(How does that sound?)



The theme is vintage household.

The saucers I've collected all have a floral theme and will be used for serving the cupcakes.

The food will be served on clear vintage snack plates, punch served in the cups that go with them.

I will be using vintage embroidered linens for each table, like the one shown here.

I'll use my vintage punchbowl that's been packed away for years.

There will be vintage household items in little vignettes around the room and on the serving table.

I'm going to put some big-band and old show tunes on the iPod for background music.

I'm inspired by MaryJane's FARMGIRL books for inspiration:

An ironing board decorated with vintage aprons,

Foods labeled with wood scrabble tiles in their wooden stands...
(If any of you have her books, you know what I mean. She's very inspiring!)

I just hope I'm able to tie it all together...

I'm trying to make it interesting, and to inspire memories and promote fun conversations...

Coffee and tea will be served in these cups...


These larger plates, below, will hold the croissants and the fresh fruits...



My hope is for it to be the opposite of your matchy-matchy bridal shower, but that we'll have a lot of Vintage fun!

Back to the games...I like paper and pen games and enjoy them the most, but I know I should have an action game of some sort to get people up, moving, and most of all, laughing.

I need your help with ideas on games and it would be nice, (but not necessary at all) if they were retro games, something played at a bridal shower in the fifties, sixties or even the seventies.

So, if you would, in the comments section, would you tell what two games you enjoy at bridal showers?

And, a prayer request....

If you would, say a prayer for my sweet daughter, Jamie. She found out last week that she's got a 1-1/2" x 2" cyst on her ovary. She seems to be doing okay physically, the pain of it has subsided in the last few days, but I'd like your prayers for comfort and a diagnosis that will give her some answers as to a health situation involved with this...

She called tonight and has an appointment in the morning and I would so love to be there with her to take her to that doctor appointment, but I'm 750 miles away and she was in tears on the phone tonight (nerves? and missing her mom a little, I think) and I held mine off until she hung up, but I'm missing her, too. If I could, I'd be in Alabama in the morning.

The happy times and the hard times are hard to go through without your family close by. Sharing in the joys and heartbreaks in life--those are times --especially-- when you want to reach out to your loved ones.


I know that it's not life-threatening, but I'd sure appreciate it if you would pray that she will feel our Lord will wrap his arms around her...because I can't be there to do it myself. You know us moms when we can't be there physically for our kids...it's hard. I know that He'll be there to comfort her.



Jamie with her cousin Sarah last fall...

13 comments:

Valerie said...

Oh my gosh...where to start?

The Retro Housewife bridal shower sounds like so much fun. And the menu sounds absolutely scrumptious! Loving the vintage china!

As for your daughter...oh dear, I will definitely say lots of prayers. Specifically that the doctors are provided guidance from the ULTIMATE healer, our Heavenly Father, and provide the right course of action for your precious child!

Blessings to you from Kansas,
Valerie

Kelly B said...

Ovary stuff is scary. I had a lot of cysts when I was a teenager. They had to put me on birth control pills to keep them from bursting every month. It was at least three days a month of not being able to move or sit up. It was so painful. We will pray for her. I am sure they will help her out.
The bridal shower looks so cute!! I might have to borrow some of those ideas. Now I have to come up with a luncheon to use them on. :) Not that I would have to have my hand twisted anyway... :)

Sandy~Romantique Inspirations~ said...

Hi Michiganer, The shower sounds wonderful with all your vintage ideas, and what your having for food, I want to come-It's going to turn out just lovely!

I will pray for your daughter Jamie too..

Have a Great Day-

Parisienne Farmgirl said...

I love the vintage idea! I think Mary Jane is great - I have this funny expression I say to my Mom all the time, "Hey, If I had had a little more time, I could have thought of that!" And that is what I say every time I read her Mary Janes Farm book - have her "Farmgirl" sticker in my back car window. (Right next to CHOOSE LIFE!)
I am not a big game person but the one that I think is so cute is the Purse Scavenger Hunt. It is so funny to see what women carry around in their purse. I could email you some list ideas if you want.
I will pray for your daughter - she is gorgeous!!!

The Raggedy Girl said...

Praying for your daughter to get answers, get healed and quickly quit hurting.

Your party sounds so lovely. I have gobs of Baby Shower games but cannot think of a single Wedding Shower one.

Love your vintage plates.

Have An Amazing Monday
from Roberta Anne-the Raggedy Girl

Donna said...

Sending out lots of prayers and healing for Jamie!!! And a BIG ((((HUG)))) for You!!

Here's a game idea:
If you're having trouble deciding which guests get to go home with the main centerpieces on each table, this game is perfect.

Steps
When it comes time for the bride-to-be to open her gifts, hand her a cooking timer and tell her to close her eyes while she twists it to a random time.

As soon as the timer rings, the bride must announce whose gift she is opening.

The lucky guest is the winner!

Happy day sweetie!hughugs

Cynthia's Cottage Design said...

I will absolutely say a prayer for your daughter, that's so hard to go through when your away ,I know , My Mom is about the same amount of miles away and it's hard sometimes! So my thoughts and prayers are with you and Jamie!

On another note, oh my, your menu sounds amazing sweetie! It should be a wonderful time with a fabulous hostess like you doing it! It sure looks like it's going to be fun and so well thought out too!

Thanks so much for always leaving such sweet comments on my blog, I've finally found some "me" time this week, so I'm catching up on my browsing and coming to your site is always a highlight for me!! Enjoy your week and I'll be praying for your daughter!

Hugs, Cynthia

Linda said...

Prayers going up.

As for games..how about the
"Moms Advice". Have each guest tell the best and worse advice from their mother, grandmother or inlaws. Award a prize for the most thoughtful advice.

Blessings

Anonymous said...

That sounds like a fun shower!
I have always done a trivia game for showers--asking people questions about both the bride and groom. It is fun!

Farmgirl Cyn said...

Dear new friend,
Most definitely praying for your sweet Jamie. (I know how hard it is to be away from your children...my Giselle is in Montana with my new grandbaby, Trena)
The shower sounds fabulous....LOVE the menu. Looks and sounds just like something I would do...right down to the ipod selections!

Anne Marie said...

My rosary beads will beam nothing but blessings to you both.

and I can't wait to see how the shower goes!

hey- any pictures of your "new" dining room??

would love to see them!!

Hey- did you take a peek over at my farm today?? two posts!! I know right?

Sit A Spell said...

Will be praying!

Hey, I've just read your post below about the Tea party. I am planning on going to Lansing! It amazes me that America is being torn apart piece by piece by the govt! I won't sit still quietly and let this happen to my country!

Oh, love the dishes!

Rue said...

I'm so sorry Joni... I'll definitely pray.

The shower looks like it'll be wonderful. I'm reading on to find out.....