Cheery Cherries and a Question

 As you can see, I am focused completely on Spring.  This old Kitchenaid was in need of a makeover. It has served me well for at least 15 years, but I have to admit I've dreamed of trading it in for something a little brighter. I don't think the company offered all the colors they do now way back then, and I would have a hard time choosing just one! At any rate,  I have an oldie but goodie plain white machine and I needed to brighten the old girl up.  Enter my silhouette machine and vinyl decals.
Don't you love the cottage feeling she has now? So fun and cheerful, and when I get tired of this design I can peel them right off without damaging the finish. I love it! I've listed a few of these in the etsy shop and I'll be working on some other designs so you can Springify your machine too:>)

I've bitten the bullet and joined Instagram. I'll be honest, I find it hard to keep up with social media sometimes, so my Instagramming, Facebooking, Tweeting is sporadic at best. But if by chance you follow me on Instagram you would have seen this photo of our Valentine's day dinner.

Our dining room table is still hosting the Ikea countertops and copious amounts of sawdust, (progress is being made!) so I dragged a little table that we used to start seedlings in the basement, up to the living room and threw pillows on the floor. I lit some candles and made my sweetie a lobster tail and filet mignon dinner with parmesan crusted asparagus, salad and chocolate covered strawberries for dessert.  We hate fighting the crowds on holidays and I have to say, the change was fun.

I love pulling out all my garage sale and thrift store finery to make things special:>)

While we are on the subject of setting a pretty table I have been hoping you would tell me your opinion on something. I have been talking to friends about entertaining. It seems that so few people have someone over for dinner anymore. Our lives have become ridiculously complicated and busy. Earl and I look forward to warmer weather because, with a small home, we do most of our entertaining outside in our yard and garden.

What I want to know is this, do you think that using "good" china, fancy tablecloths, centerpieces and things make people comfortable or might it intimidate them? It almost seems like a silly question when I see it here in print, but I have heard over and over again that people hesitate to entertain because they are afraid their house isn't nice enough or they don't think they have nice enough things. Maybe they don't "get into" decorating the table and think that is required.

At any rate, I have daughters who are setting up their own households, their friends are starting out too, and they have asked me to write a few posts about entertaining.

I would love to do a linky party if you would be interested in adding your advice for the next generation. What have you learned about making people comfortable? About planning a low cost but nice meal? What would you tell your own kids about hospitality? And if you wouldn't mind giving your opinion on the poll on my sidebar, I would love to hear what you think!