For my birthday my kids all made the meal and my husband provided the dessert. I decided the least I could do was to set the table. I wasn't thinking of blogging about it but as I got it put together, my husband told me that it was so pretty that I should take pictures for my blog. I chose my beautiful white embossed square plates with lavender chargers and my fancy silver plated flatware. I just love the shape and design of these plates but wanted a little touch of color. A little dark punch of purple was added with napkins and goblets. The goblets are dark amethyst with a clear twisted stem. I had the centerpiece put together with some pink flowers (not the best) when my friend Monique stopped by with a purple flowering plant for my birthday. The pink flowers were quickly moved off the table and replaced with a much prettier flower that fit in perfectly. Talk about timing! I just gathered some purple accessories from around the house to accent the center of the table. A purple organza table topper anchors the centerpiece. My son made a deboned whole chicken (which he deboned himself) that was stuffed with ham and peppers and onions with mustard and herbs which he learned on his mission for our church in Argentina, his wife made an artichoke dip, my other daughter in law and my son made a savory monkey bread style appetizer with homemade roll dough which she stuffed with a piece of pepperoni and a piece of mozzarella, then rolled in butter and parmesan and parsley. My oldest daughter made incredible, rich creamed corn and my younger daughter made a baked Havarti cheese ring with biscuits. It was so much fun to eat all of their wonderful creations and realize that they had done this for me! That afternoon my good friends Annette and Wally and their daughters Hannah, Grace and Esther stopped by and gave me some fun gifts they found in an all purple store in San Antonio Texas. This was on a little card they gave me from the store: Purple Profile You are a purple person if: You are imaginative, sensitive, artistic and sophisticated. You have noble ideals and a keen appreciation of the cultural You are alert, demanding, foresighted, confident, resourceful, spontaneous, and highly independent. You take delight in the beautiful, the gracious, the sensitive, but maintain an attitude of critical appraisal. In love you seek to attain a magical quality and refuse to settle for anything else. You refuse to be "swept off your feet" unless genuineness and integrity can be absolutely ascertained. You are active in the support of things you believe in, and are concerned with the pursuit of truth and other human values. You take chances and believe that you must do so to make the most of what life has to offer. Purple is an exclusive color, mystical in quality, blending the two extremes of the spectrum, red and blue. Traditionally, purple represents splendor, dignity, royalty, rank and wealth. Purple is a unique color, and it is a truly unique individual who holds it dear. I think a lot of it fits!! It was such a great birthday! Thanks to all of my family and friends who made it so great. I will be partying this week with Tablescapes Thursday Feathered Nest Friday Sources: Plates - Tai Pan Goblets - Spiegel catalog (years ago) Tablecloth and topper - homemade Chargers - Z Gallerie Silver plated flatware - Horchow Napkin rings - Bloomingdales Home Purple mercury glass and candlestick - Home Goods Candle - Home Goods