Animal Print Tablescape

My two cousins came to lunch today and we enjoyed a wonderful afternoon together. Tomorrow is the one year anniversary of their mom's passing, so I hope today helped boost their spirits a little. 

I have been wanting to use my animal print tableware ever since I got it for my birthday last February, and today was the perfect occasion.  

The beginnings of the tablescape dates back to 1992 when my hubby went on a Work & Witness trip to Nairobi, Kenya with a group from our church.  He brought back several carved animals that we displayed for awhile then packed them away.  

When one of the staff members from church returned to Nairobi a few years later, he brought me back an animal print teapot, milk jug and four mugs.  Eventually I had a sugar bowl made to go with the set, but I still didn't have enough dishware for a tablescape until last February when I was browsing Hobby Lobby and spotted some leopard print dishes.  They came home with me immediately.  As the saying goes, one thing leads to ten... water goblets, flatware, tablecloth, napkins, table runner, centerpiece, but it finally all came together for today's lunch.    

I replanted a fall mum in the vase [that matches the water goblets from Overstock.com] and found some silk animal print leaves at Hobby Lobby a couple of weeks ago to enhance the plant and make it in keeping with the theme.  I positioned three of my hubby's African animals around the vase, along with some animal print pumpkins also from Hobby Lobby.  I love putting a theme together!  It's fun and gets creativity flowing.

I bought cardboard containers at Hobby Lobby to make individual charcuteries, that also doubled as placecards.  The animal print ribbon also came from Hobby Lobby which I tied into bows and hot-glued them to the container.

Menu:  Beverages - Sparkling Caramel Apple Juice by R.W. Knudsen, Limited Edition for this time of the year from Christmas Tree Shop, and Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice tea.  We began with Pumpkin Soup [sorry no picture].  The main course was Marinated Pork Tenderloin Kabobs on Rice Pilaf, Green Beans and Apple/Cranberry Chutney.

Dessert was Animal Print Cake with Caramel frosting.  It tasted great, but I still need to practice on those leopard spots!  They didn't come out like the instruction picture.  It's a putsy cake to make, so I'm not too eager to practice again real soon.

I couldn't resist getting an animal print top to match my theme!  I ordered it online from Serengeti Fashions.

My sweet cousins, Tammy [standing] and Cindy [sitting].

So that's the recap of today's lunch.  Hope you enjoyed being my guest vicariously.