Now bear with me on this one! True, the table cloth needs an iron, the crockery doesn't quite match, the paper napkins are from Ikea and the cutlery could do with a polish. BUT here's the thing. I walked through the door at about 5pm yesterday, the sun was shining but fading, we had a fantastic burrito dinner planned and I felt that spring might just be in the air, so I decided that all of these things were worth celebrating, albeit in a slightly imperfect way.
Table cloth Cleverly Wrapped (£48) Flowers from Peony Flowers Glasses from Oliver Bonas similar here
I could have waited until next weekend when the light wasn't fading, when I'd sorted the crockery, when I'd ironed the table cloth and found some fabric napkins - but then the moment would have been lost, the time investment would have been disproportionate and it may have created pressure. Hec I may not even be around then!
So this post is about looking beyond the imperfect (other than the flowers which are TOTALLY perfect and which we will come to in a minute) and seizing the moment. Everyone who sat at the table - from the 10 year old to the three teenagers and my husband, noticed and appreciated it, so it was worth the effort. But to be fair even if they hadn't, it made me happy! Plus I'm pleased to report that the new table cloth (which was gifted to me by Cleverly Wrapped at a recent event and which can also be used as a beach throw or a wrap) survived the onslaught of tomato sauce spillages and chocolate sauce being dripped all over it.
So what was bunged onto the table in addition to the obvious? Bottles of gin of course. Rhubarb, lemon and elderflower to be precise. I love the colour of the labels and also of the contents. A bowl of lemons and limes, a candle from Neon Beach Club which kind of worked with the flowers and the Easter eggs that my Mum has wrapped up for the children for Easter.
But let's talk about the flowers. Oh how gorgeous are they? I met Julie from Peony at QVC on International Womens' Day. We shared a dressing room and got chatting about all sorts of things. I had seen Julie before, and I knew about Peony Flowers but I hadn't really investigated them. To be honest I just don't think I'd ever really thought about faux flowers. Oh what a mistake was that? Hello lightbulb moment!
Subsequent to our meeting, Julie sent me this beautiful hydrangea arrangement, together with a stunning bouquet, both of which instantly transformed our room. I think that I messaged her straight away telling her that I hadn't realised that this was just what the room needed. Mr SG is very impressed with the flowers. He's slightly mystified by them and he keeps on taking a look at them, and feeling them, to see whether they are real.
And in her kind and generous way, Julie has offered this Lily arrangement (which retails at £160) as an Easter gift in a competition that I have already launched on Instagram but which I would love everyone to be able to take part in, whether you're on Instagram or not and whether you're able to leave comments on the blog or not.
So really it's very simple. If you're on Instagram please hop over to my Instagram page here and tag a friend who you would like to receive this gift. You can tag as many friends as you like. If you're not on Instagram, just leave a comment below, mentioning the name of a friend. And if you can't leave a comment, please just email me at mail@bethgoodrham.com with your friend request. And that's it! The winner will be announced on Easter Sunday - and believe me, this lily arrangement will be far better than any possible Easter egg ever could be. Good Luck!
