But

Beach Themed Party & Tablescape

We had a very special day yesterday-my beautiful "baby" boy turned 10!!!

Beach Themed Tablescape


Big Al  is a real "outdoor" kid and loves playing sport!

Beach Themed Party & Tablescape, Natasha in Oz
 


He loves his new Powerwing thingy....


A boy is Truth with dirt on it's face,

Beauty with a cut on its finger,
Wisdom with bubble gum in its hair,
and the Hope of the future with a frog in its pocket.

Author Unknown

And he loves going to the beach.

Beach Themed Party & Tablescape, Natasha in Oz, beach

He also loves to party so we had a little party at home to celebrate. Both sets of grandparents came and so did his great Aunt.

His favourite food is pasta so we had spaghetti bolognese for dinner. I used the recipe that I posted the other day as a starting point and then added a few extra ingredients.

First I fried up some pancetta, onion, garlic, chopped celery and capsicum (red pepper) with some olive oil.

Beach Themed Party & Tablescape, Natasha in Oz, Pasta

I then added some mushrooms and some fresh basil and oregano.

Beach Themed Party & Tablescape, Natasha in Oz, Pasta Recipe

Look at these yummy fresh herbs from my parent's garden!

Beach Themed Party & Tablescape, Natasha in Oz, Pasta Recipe

I forgot to take some more pictures after this stage (oops) but I added some minced pork and lamb (instead of beef) and I also added some grated carrot and courgettes (had to try to sneak in some vegetables!) I know the recipe calls for beef but my kids love the combination of pork and lamb in bolognese sauce. I also added the 2 cups of red wine that the recipe called for and I added some Barilla pasta sauce. I then added my 2 secret ingredients...don't tell anyone that I am telling you this but the 2 things that make my pasta sauce "sing" are.... 1 tablespoon of sugar and 2 teaspoons of granulated instant coffee. If you haven't already tried these "secret" ingredients in your bolognese sauce I really suggest that you do!

I cooked everything over a low heat (adding water when it looked a bit dry) for about 3 hours.

That gave me time to set a beach themed tablescape.

Beach Themed Party & Tablescape, Natasha in Oz


We had to fit quite a few people around the table so there wasn't much room to set an ornately decorated table.

Beach Themed Party & Tablescape, Natasha in Oz


I placed a Maxwell and Williams square bowl on a seashell serviette and a Maxwell and Williams side plate.


Beach Themed Party & Tablescape, Natasha in Oz


Beach Themed Party & Tablescape, Natasha in Oz

I used our Strachan silverware.....

Beach Themed Party & Tablescape, Natasha in Oz

and I used lots of seashells for a beach themed tablescape!

Beach Themed Party & Tablescape, Natasha in Oz

Now for a bit of "Show and Tell'....Do you like my little seashell/candle tray?

Beach Themed Party & Tablescape, Candles


I was inspired by the beautiful tray that Cindy has on her divine blog My Romantic Home so I made one too!

 Beach Themed Party & Tablescape, Natasha in Oz

I served the pasta "family style" with a green salad and some cheese bread.

Beach Themed Party & Tablescape, Natasha in Oz
  
The birthday cake was a white chocolate mudcake (recipe from the great foodie blog Exclusively Food found here) and to continue the beach theme it was decorated with Guylian seashell chocolates.

Beach Themed Party & Tablescape, Natasha in Oz, cake


All-in-all it was a lovely evening and I am pretty sure that Big Al had a good day. 

Happy double-digit birthday my handsome son! 

Thank you  for visiting today and for helping me celebrate my son's birthday-I am so glad that I can share these special moments with my very special friends!

Best wishes always,
Natasha In Oz 
Please join me each weekend for the Say G'day Saturday Linky Party!
You can also visit me at PINTERESTTWITTERGOOGLE+,


52 comments:

  1. Bonne FĂȘte to your son. I love it, the table, the seashells with the candles, the food,that Cake and you have fresh herbs;all I can say is Wow!he is lucky boy.
    Rita

    ReplyDelete
  2. Bonjour Natasha,
    Happy birthday to your handsome son. He must have had such a great birthday party with all that delicious food and decorations - right down to the chocolate seashells and fresh herbs. I love hearing about family celebrations.
    By the way, your new header looks so good!
    Enjoy the rest of the birthday week!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Your post makes me excited for summer and warmer weather and the beach!! What a great tablescape! Happy 10th to your son!! Hurray to him for loving the outside and sports!!
    Thanks for your sweet comment today, you are a true gem!
    Wendy

    ReplyDelete
  4. Happy Birthday to your son. Your table is lovely and the dinner too! How great to have those fresh herbs from a garden! Thanks for sharing that. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Happy birthday to you boy! What a wonderful day with your famaly, the table setting is superp!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Happy birthday to your son!I love the tablescape and I also love the pasta with "bolognese".
    Have a lovely day,
    hugs,Annalisa

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a fabulous job you did on that table setting Natasha! I'm sure your son was appreciative. I like the way you angled the chairs, great idea.
    My eldest turns 16 today and all he wants is to get his "L's"! Won't be much of a party for him as hubby is taken our middle daughter to the Taylor Swift concert in Brissy tonight.
    Have a happy day:o)
    Angex

    ReplyDelete
  8. How delicious! Nothing like a good pasta and mud cake to celebrate a birthday. And your table setting was just lovely - your boy would have felt very special.

    ReplyDelete
  9. beautiful seaside table for a special boy on his birthday!

    i am so going to copy it, someday. :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Happy birthday to your son! Love your table setting.

    i now host a party every Thursday called get your craft on. Come on over and check it out...

    Lori

    ReplyDelete
  11. What a great BirthdaY! Everything looks so yummy and the table is really neat!!~

    ReplyDelete
  12. Happy birthday to your son...love the beach table...nice to see instead of the snow that is outside my window!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh Natasha sweetie...
    Happy Birthday to your beautiful son sweetie, and oh my goodness what a beautiful table you set for his special dinner, and that cake looked so yummy. I bet he was tickled "pink" over it for sure.

    The picture of him wondering the shore is just beautiful, and I love seeing him play ball. How sweet he is. Enjoy him sweetie, they grow up so fast. I find myself wondering where the time has gone.

    Thank you for sharing with me tonight. Lovely post. Country hugs and much love...Sherry

    ReplyDelete
  14. Everything looks so yummy, especially the cake! Your son must have felt very special. I used an ocean theme this week too. Thanks for sharing your special event. Wishes for a special year for your son. Joan @Americana By Candlelight

    ReplyDelete
  15. No, I don't like your shells and candles, I LOVE them! Way to go! You are so making me want to go to a beach right now. We do have beaches around the lakes here, unfortunately, they are covered in four feet of snow right about now... I have been wondering what you were going to do with the many choices for your sideboard, I think you have the perfect start with all your lovely shells and candles. Your tablescape is so pretty, and your silverware... Love it! Happy Birthday to your son, I know he must have had a great day!
    Kate
    And don't even get me started on that yummy looking cake!!! Adore the sweet poem, it's the truth!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Very fresh and calming colours! Love the shells down the runner of the table. Happy Bday to your son!

    DD

    ReplyDelete
  17. Happy Birthday to your boy. You have a beautiful house and I like your kitchen and your dressing up the table..... nice theme

    ReplyDelete
  18. Your Birthday table is just beautiful, fresh, simple and just the perfect touch of the beach,,, love the shells down the center and all the beige and white and crystal, beautiful...Phyllis

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hi there, dearest Natasha, I truly enjoyed reading your post. Bit of laughter when reading 'baby boy' I recognize the feeling ...
    So much fun, the Bertoli bottle on your sink... her twin sister lives on my sink right here in the Netherlands!
    Have a sweet festive day!
    Saskia
    ox

    ReplyDelete
  20. Natasha, The birthday dinner is just too perfect. We had a bridal shower here last week with a beach theme. If you would like to see pictures of our seashell studded cake and table, go to my blog and check out the previous 2 posts. Happy 10th year to your son...I hope it will be very happy and healthy for him
    Susan

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hi Natasha
    Thank you thank you for your very nice comment and thank you for following my blogs to!
    I was so excited when saw the pictures of your tables with seashells earlier today, they are absolutely gorgeous.
    It's nice to meet you too - I'm looking forward to seeing more lovely table ...
    Have a nice early weekend!
    xx
    Lene

    ReplyDelete
  22. And a big Joyeux Anniversaire to your lovely boy Natasha all the way from France ... Bisous

    ReplyDelete
  23. Happy Birthday to your son! What a great looking meal and beautiful tablescape.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Happy belated birthday to your son!

    Your party theme looks wonderful and yummy!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Hi Natasha,
    This is my first visit to your blog, so glad I found you through Cindy's! You set a lovely table, the food looked divine, the cake was fabulous. A perfect party. I love that there were no cartoon character or movie hero paper plates! All very civilized for a handsome and grown-up 10 year old. Wish him a very happy birthday. Don't the years go by fast?
    I'd love for you to stop by for a visit sometime.
    XO
    Heidi - Heart and Home

    ReplyDelete
  26. Natasha, Happy Belated Birthday to your son! I hope his day was extra special, and with a meal like that, I'm sure it was. YUM! Not only did you have that delicious menu, but your tablescape it equally lovely. Thanks for sharing it all with us.

    Happy Foodie Friday...

    XO,

    Sheila :-)

    ReplyDelete
  27. Your tablescape is breathtaking. I love the shells as a centerpiece. Happy Birthday to your son--the cake is awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  28. What a fun birthday party for your boy. Happy birthday to him! I love your beachy tablescape. It looks so relaxing. And you just gave me an idea of using the shell chocolates to decorate the cake. Neat! I bought the servers (rectangular and oval) with warmer at Marshall's and they were so cheap I thought. I paid $12.99 for each of them....Christine

    ReplyDelete
  29. I'm a little jealous that you are enjoying summer since it's quite cold here! Please wish your son a very Happy Birthday. It sounds like you made his day extra special.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Your table is so lovely and tell your son happy birthday too!

    ReplyDelete
  31. What a wonderful birthday celebration for your son! I am drooling over your tablescape, it's gorgeous. Love all the beachy touches! Have a great day!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Beautiful table, beautiful food, and beautiful 10 year old. This looks like the perfect birthday dinner! The sea shells down the center of that long table are quite stunning. Like the chairs at an angle for the photo. Great job!

    ReplyDelete
  33. What a lucky boy to have such a wonderful birthday. Great table and great food! I love the beach theme!

    ~ Tracy

    ReplyDelete
  34. Happy Birthday to your son! Everything looks so great! (Loved your table)

    ReplyDelete
  35. Happy Birthday to your son. Nice table, makes me think of summer! good weekend catherine

    ReplyDelete
  36. Happy Birthday to your growing son. What a beautiful table setting you did up. Its nice to know that there is summer somewhere in the world. Thank you for your sweet comments on my blog. Rosie

    ReplyDelete
  37. Happy b'day to your dear son.The table with the delicious meal and the yummy cake must have made your son's day.Just the perfect treat.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Natasha, Happy Birthday to your Handsome Son! What a wonderful spread you planned for him- The table and food look perfect! He must have felt so very grown up and special. That mudcake looks so yummy!
    Yvonne

    ReplyDelete
  39. I love it when kids ask for REAL food for their birthdays. Happy bday to him!!

    :)
    ButterYum

    ReplyDelete
  40. Hello, Natasha! Sending happy birthday wishes to your son! You are most kind to share your secret for delicious pasta sauce. I do add sugar but will try the instant coffee the next time I have some.

    Your beach theme table was just lovely. Looks like you didn't miss a single detail.

    Thank you for stopping by my place and leaving you comment!

    Kindly, ldh

    ReplyDelete
  41. Happy birthday to you son! 10 is such a wonderful age!!! Your table looks amazing and so does your pasta! Thanks for joining in on Show and Tell! And thanks for saying my blog is beautiful and inspirational! That was so sweet!

    ReplyDelete
  42. I love your tablescape and the cake is adorable. I have to remember to decorate a cake exactly like your cake this summer. thanks for sharing.
    Joyce

    ReplyDelete
  43. Your table, food and home are beautiful! I hope your son had a wonderful birthday! :)

    ReplyDelete
  44. Oh what a wonderful beachy birthday! Wishing your son many blessing for this year and your table is beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  45. I have a son ,soon to be 7,its a pure joy see them grow.My best wishes to the handsome young man :D

    ReplyDelete
  46. Happy Birthday to your son!

    I enjoy your cooking posts so much and looking into your beautiful and refined life!:)

    ReplyDelete
  47. hope its not too late to wish your son happy birthday and many happy returns! and your table setting really lovely.. thanks for sharing..

    ReplyDelete
  48. God bless him.
    There are very few kids who like to play outdoors.

    ReplyDelete
  49. Happy birthday to your son. Your table is just wonderful! Thanks for stopping by and visiting. I so enjoy stopping by and seeing all your wonderful post. Thanks for sharing.
    Sandy

    ReplyDelete
  50. Happy B-Day to him and congrats to you on a beautiful table setting decor... ;)

    ReplyDelete
  51. That's lovely Natasha! Love the tablescape; very "grownup" for Big Al's 10th! Wow, double digits :)
    xx

    ReplyDelete
  52. everything looks great! I LOVE your table setup! Fantastic!

    hugs! Kim @ http://frostmeblog.blogspot.com
    party inspiration

    ReplyDelete

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...