Tablescapes do not always have to be for a formal sit down dinner with your fine china and linen napkins. It can be a simple buffet or a fun and casual get together using paper plates and paper napkins.

Below are a few pictures from a Dessert Party I quickly put together a few years ago for a group of friends…

Perfect example of shop what you own first… The centerpiece is one of my many cake plates (I collect those too) with my pancake batter bowl, cupcake spatula and some fresh flowers

(click on pictures to enlarge)

The table was a nice mix of fruit, pastries, scones, cookies, sorbet, gelato, cakes,

linzer tarts and cupcakes.

I can’t take credit for all the desserts.

The carrot cake, black forest cake and cupcakes were from

Jacqueline’s Patisserie in Babylon, NY

Scones, linzer tarts & chocolate almond tarts were from

Robinson’s Tea Room, Stony Brook, NY

The gelato and sorbet were from Fresco, Holbrook, NY

Candy, wafer cookies and crème puffs from Costco

The rest was me …

Just for fun, I even included a mini candy bar

 

Remember your theme and shop what you own. I just happened to have glasses that were shaped like ice cream cones that I bought in Crate and Barrel many years ago that I used for the cutlery display, candy display and the gelato. Cupcake candles I bought in a party store on one of our vacations (yes, I am always shopping for tablescape supplies) and some hand embroidered chocolate covered strawberry designed cloth appetizer napkins that I purchased from Sur La Table 5 years ago because I couldn’t resist and had no idea what I was ever going to use them for. The tablecloth is covered in a sprinkles and cupcakes design that I use for family birthdays. Since the predominant colors were pink and brown and I had a guest list of 20 women, I used pink and brown plastic plates, and paper cups and napkins with a cupcake design. All the cake plates were mixed and matched from my collection of cake stands, plates and serving pieces. I tried to keep them all in white not to throw off the colors of the party.

And what is a party without a favor?

I am famous for my favors at parties, so at this party I bought wash cloths that were folded to look like slices of cake and ice cream cones and also handed out cake boxes I bought at the bakery so that guests could take some desserts home to share with their families (because I couldn’t trust myself in a house with all these goodies). I am definitely addicted to sugar and I didn’t want to gain 25 lbs. It was a close call for my waistline but the desserts safely made in out of the house.

Needless to say, we all had a great time, and then 20 women needed a nap after the sugar high.