Summer Solstice Celebration

Hello my friends,

We have had a very hot summer this year, but my friends and I still managed to celebrate our summer solstice. 
 Although to beat the heat we started the party at 8 instead of the original planned time of 6.

 

The official date of the summer solstice was June 21st, so we were almost a month late, but that didn't put a damper on our fun!

 

It was an absolutely magical event!

 

 

I have been the member of this craft group for a couple years now.  Each month we have a delicious dinner and create a craft.  For our summer solstice we decided that we would forgo the craft and just have a relaxing evening.

 

(Amy, Jackie, Karen, me, Laura, Brenda, and Joanne)

 

 

Joanne hosted it in her back yard and used her amazing talent to make it magical!

 

Here she is lighting the candles.

 

The table was set with gorgeous dishes, Spode Wickerdale which once belonged to her great grandmother. The goblets were her grandmothers.  I love all of the family connections!  She gifted each of us with a darling garden tea light holder.





 

 

The beautiful silverware was her mothers.

 

 

We all contributed a food item.  Laura made the fabulous salad and Jackie created this delicious cold citrus soup.

 

Brenda brought chicken salad and I furnished a fruit salad, but I missed getting a photo.

 

The draped netting and coffee filter flowers really made you feel like you had stepped right into the pages of a popular magazine! 

 I have always loved her door dividers.  Last year she added wallpaper to some of the doors and it's so cute!!

I loved the shrub showing through the glass panes of this door!



 

No surface goes untouched.  Not the chandelier or the back of the bench and chairs!  Her special touches are everywhere!

 

 

 



The hammock draped at one end was a big hit.

 

We all took our turn trying it out.  I'm certainly no pin up girl, but nobody can look too bad on this beautiful hammock!

 

 

Sweet Karen created the head garlands for each of us.  She also made a beautiful Maypole that we wound at the end of the evening.

 



 

 

I love this photo of friends conversing!!

 

 

Amy is a baker and her cookies and cakes are to die for!  Not only are they almost too pretty to eat, but they are delicious as well!

 

 

This is what they call a naked cake.  I'm sure many of you are familiar with the term.  If not, it refers to a cake with very little frosting so that the cake shows through.  It's placed on a beautiful cake stand and elevated with two amazing mirrored pedestals that belong to Joanne's mother.

 

Both the cookies and cake were almond flavored.  I was so full that I only ate a sliver and I am dying for a slice right now!  :)

 

Oh what a night!  One never to be forgotten!!

 

I hope you had a happy summer solstice.

hugs,

Jann