Autumn offers a refreshing, new start. Just the fact that it IS FALL is enough reason for me to want to have a party! Fall also ushers in a new school year {yay, for all you Moms!}, kicks off football season, and gets us ready for the holidays. While I'm still away in Europe sourcing what I hope will be the best antique finds ever, I'm sharing this dinner party with you. As soon as I'm back home - we're having one! Autumn is really the perfect time for a dinner party for family or friends, a celebration of autumn's beauty. Nothing over the top labor intensive. Just a cozy, let's-get-together-before-all-the-holiday-season-crazies-begin. Anytime in autumn is a good time for discovering the delights of warm, cozy food and glowing candles. For this intimate dinner for six, the dining room seemed too expected, so I put a smaller table at one end of our living room, so that we could see the crackling fire-place while we ate dinner. Covered by the Autumn Forest table runner in a muted sage grey neutral color enlivened with forest animals and leaves, the table is just the right size for dining in this space. I was inspired by the cozy nature of the linens and used natural materials for the centerpiece. Annabelle hydrangeas in an antique ironstone pitcher join fall leaves, acorns and a pumpkin colored taper candle on one of our new enamelware platters. This cozy table setting distinguishes this more casual dinner party from the more elaborate Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings that will soon be here! I chose to use hotel silver flatware, to add some sparkle amidst the more rustic elements of this table top. It echoes the shiny rims of the enamelware plates beautifully! After much deliberation {!!} I opted to use the matching enameled napkin rings for the napkins and just placed them on top of each place setting. I set up a simple dessert service on the little tea table that holds our antique angel. A natural wreath of eucalyptus cuttings encircles the little cake for a touch of fall. After dinner, it's easy to slice and serve the lemon cake I bought at Trader Joe's, and serve it with vanilla bean ice cream and coffee. I couldn't resist showing you how cute the matching apron and double oven glove is in this fall woodsy pattern. There are matching tea towels, too. I've used these to wrap around a home baked cake that I brought to a favorite host, and also tied one around a bottle of Merlot for another hostess. A little touch of the season adds a note of graciousness to any gift. I used these new linens to accent our kitchen, they are perfect with our fall decor. This design reminds me of my family's forest in Europe, where I spent so many happy days as a young girl! For some easy to make fall dinners, you can find some ideas here: As a starter, this soup is wonderful. Ladle into bowls, and the scent alone will transport you to the countryside in France. OR...serve up big bowls, add a salad and plenty of warm, crusty French bread and one or more house specialty herb butters...and you have a meal.

FRENCH COUNTRY SOUP

At this time of year, a chicken roasting in the oven makes the whole house smell like "welcome." Delicious, and easy too!

ROASTED LEMON CHICKEN

Feel like baking dessert yourself? These individual apple pies are delicious, and every guest will feel so special to receive their very own pie!

INDIVIDUAL APPLE PIES

{I'll share the herb butter next time! It's so easy, and this butter never ceases to elicit compliments from our guests!}

SHOP THE l'AUTOMNE COUNTRY FRENCH COLLECTION>

DO YOU ENTERTAIN MORE IN THE FALL?

DON'T FORGET ABOUT THIS FANTASTIC GIVE-AWAY I'M HOSTING TOGETHER WITH VENDOME PRESS:

à bientôt

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