Exercise always leads to food...always.

When we first moved to dear sweet Columbus almost a year ago, I had no friends...so I needed something to do with all my time. I started running. I know, I know...I probably could have found something more productive to do with my time, but running was what it was. I am half-way through with my 2011 New Year's Resolution of running one half marathon every month. When one runs as much as I have this year, one has plenty of things to think about. I often find myself brainstorming about reasons to throw a party...then, naturally this thought process takes me to how I can decorate for this party....what flowers I would use, the color scheme, the music and of course the food I'd have at this party! It's amazing how I can be in the middle of running 13.1 miles and my mind almost always ends up reflecting the topic of food. Hmmm.

Anyway, I am not a cook or a chef or a baker, but I try. Most everyone who reads my humble little blog knows I used to be a party planner for a bunch of big-wigs in Palm Beach. If I were to throw a party here in my dear sweet Mississippi, I probably wouldn't have the budget of a Palm Beacher...nor would I have the access to the variety of flowers or linens or anything along those lines. BUT, what I do have is food. Yes, finally, Mississippi being the fattest state in the union (I am not kidding about this fact) is paying off!

While creating amazing food is indeed a talent, I am not highlighting that talent right now. Instead, I just wanted to show one very fun way that food can be used in a centerpiece for a party! You have a beautiful arrangement of flowers at the top of a vase or container and the only thing at people's eye level?!?! GLASS! Not the most exciting thing in the world, no matter how clean and sparkly the glass is. A lot of people fill the glass with water and a little something extra....and it's a good look, don't get me wrong. HOWEVER, my favorite thing to fill a container with is food! You know my thoughts: Crafting (food in a vase is crafting in my eyes) always trumps cooking.

Anyway, below are some pictures of parties I have done in the past where food makes a statement.

Lemons and limes.

All sorts of fun fruit in this vase!!

It's not to fill the vase, but rather the whole focal point of the vase...kumkwats!



My dear friend just got married and had a beautiful wedding with purples and green being their colors. I helped out with their cocktail centerpieces and she wanted limes used somewhere. SO, even for a smaller container, fruit can be used!!



A carnival-themed party, so a vase filled with peppermints!