Our menu was as follows:

Chocolate raspberry muffins (Recipe here. These are amazing! Make them tonight if you can.)
Banana bread (Recipe here via That Wife.)
Sharp cheddar + Triscuits
Deviled eggs (I put lots of brown spicy mustard in them.)
Crudite
Sausage stars (Recipe below. Kind of a weird name but they are delicious!)
Red grapes
Cream cheese sugar cookies (Recipe here via inchmark.)
Raspberry lemonade with fresh mint
Orange juice

Sausage stars
1 pound cooked crumbled sausage
1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack
2 ounces chopped black olives
1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
1 cup ranch dressing
wonton wrappers

Preheat oven to 350 F. Squeeze sausage dry. Combine sausage with all ingredients except wonton wrappers. Grease muffin tins. Place wrappers in tins; bake for 4 minutes. Remove from tins and fill. Bake on cookie sheet 4-6 minutes or until bubbly.

John’s and my brunch was just lovely, if I do say so myself. We had about twenty family members from across the country in attendance, piles of food, and some festive decor. The best part, though, was just having so much extended family in one place, especially since we’ve been missing our friends and family so much since moving down south.

I did, of course, throw in a few special details…

The white square plates are from Walmart ($4 each!), and the white cake stand is from Martha’s collection at Macy’s.

The descriptive signs were hand-stamped on paint chips.

We decided to buy plain white paper cups but use my collection of old china saucers for plates. I was a little worried because we had just enough plates for everyone to take one (with maybe one extra), but it worked out fine. The pitchers are also from Walmart.

I had grand plans to send everyone home with a sugar cookie packaged in a glassine bag sealed with a handmade sticker. The bags didn’t exactly work out, so I ended up just putting the cookies out on the table, but I thought I’d share my hard work on the stickers with y’all, anyway. I designed them in Publisher, printed them, and then ran them through my Xyron.

Recipes coming up next!

{Click to enlarge!}

Bond. James Bond. Isn’t the dinner jacket in the upper left so 007? It served as the inspiration for this classic black and white soiree, made a bit more complex with touches of cream, camel, celery, and blush. The clouds of baby’s breath, too, get an updated look in this board.

The Details
First row, left to right: dinner jacket photo by Leigh Miller; crinoline photo by Shyla Photography via Once Wed; cupcake from Martha Stewart Weddings

Second row: classic car photo by Jose Villa; buffet spread by MSW; centerpiece from Martha Stewart Weddings

Third row: baby’s breath bouquet and ceremony decor by Leigh Miller; cheese and crackers from Country Living

Fourth row: cake from Brides; chair decor via Classic Bride; heels photo by Leigh Miller

{Photo c/o Erin Hearts Court via Style Me Pretty}

Well, I accomplished my weekend plans! What about you?

This week on P&P: an inspiration board, a brunch recap, a few wedding photos, and, among other things, my new favorite house (it’s really, really lovely…).

P.S. I may (may) have worked on a Christmas project this weekend. Is that bad? Don’t laugh — I just really, really love the Christmas season. Any other early preparers out there?

P.P.S. It’s Veggie Week at Peach & Pearl HQ, per my 101 in 1001. Any delicious recipe suggestions?