Southern State of Mind Blog by Heather

How to Host an Outdoor Spring Soiree and an Irresistible Simple Salad Recipe

in Food, Lifestyle, Porch Life, Spring, Tablescapes on

Welcome to Southern State of Mind! Today is an exciting one because I am hosting a virtual Spring Progressive Dinner party. This includes a colorful spring tablescape along with a simple spring salad recipe to impress. I am thrilled to be hosting this fun “party”. If you are hopping over from Lindsay at Aratari at Home, HELLO! Grab yourself a sweet tea and meet me on the porch- it’s time to soiree! This post is in partnership with ChristmasTreeShopsandThat!
 
spring salad
 
This is the first of four seasonal progressive dinner parties we will be hosting this year. The most exciting part is that we have partnered with ChristmasTreeShopsandThat! to showcase their fun seasonal items to help share inspiration for you to host your own soiree. 
  
spring salad

 

Since we can’t physically invite each of you into our homes, we figured this would be the next best thing! OK, let’s get to it. Let’s take a stroll out to the back porch.
 
 
 

Colorful Spring Tablescape

It is warming up here in Atlanta and I am getting excited to be able to host outdoor parties. For this outdoor tablescape, I mixed lots of fun spring colors of pinks and greens. And of course, no table of mine would be complete without my signature color blue. I had so much fun mixing and matching dishes and linens using lots of new finds from ChristmasTreeShopsandThat! along with some staples I had here. 
 
 
When I was shopping and spotted these green lettuce bowls, I was immediately sold! These are so perfect for serving a spring salad and I love the way the green matches the blues and pinks. 
 
spring salad
 
I also snagged the blush pink place mats and the floral napkins that help pull all the colors together. The outdoor green striped pillows were a steal and they are perfect to brighten up the porch.
 
 
For the place card, I used a magnolia leaf. Just a gold metallic sharpie and a few leaves from the yard and you are all set! 
 
 
To serve my spring salad,  of course I couldn’t pass up this blue and white speckled platter.  I have a feeling this dish (along with this salad!) will be a staple for me!  
 
 

Simple Spring Centerpiece 

When I saw these great faux speckled colorful eggs– I immediately knew they would make a great spring centerpiece.  This colorful centerpiece came together using eggs and faux flowers from ChristmasTreeShopsandThat!, fresh tulips, and my go-to glass vase.  

 
To make this, I just started with a large cylinder vase, and then added a smaller glass vase on the inside. This allowed me to place the flowers in water and still see the eggs. For the flowers, I picked up these faux flowers at ChristmasTreeShopsandThat! – don’t they just scream spring? And then I added a bouquet of fresh tulips. I love the way it turned out!
 
 
For my Spring Progressive Dinner, I thought I would serve a colorful spring salad. This is super simple, but the homemade dressing makes it feel like special. I found that dressing bottle at ChristmasTreeShopsandThat! as well. If you aren’t hosting, a bottle of homemade salad dressing would make a great hostess gift. 
 

Spring Salad Recipe

Spring Mix Lettuce

Dried Cranberries

Candied Glazed Pecans

Crumbled Goat Cheese

  • I like to mix the lettuce, cranberries and pecans- toss with dressing- and THEN add the goat cheese.
  
 spring salad

Homemade Spring Salad Dressing Recipe

  • One Cup Balsamic
  • One Cup Olive Oil
  • Big Spoonfuls of Honeycup Sharp Honey Mustard
  • Half Cup Sugar

(What I am showing in the bottle is this recipe cut in half)

  

It was fun to cruise around my local ChristmasTreeShopsandThat! to put this together for you.  I hope you found some inspiration in today’s post. Whether it is to just pull out some colorful dishes this spring, host a spring progressive dinner, or serve this salad at your next party.  

 
 
 
Be sure to check out all of the other participants that are hosting the Spring Progressive Dinner Party below! 
 

Southern State of Mind    |   At Charlotte’s House   |  A Tufted Life   |    Jor Decor   |    Aratari at Home

 

PIN THIS! 

spring salad recipe

 

xoxo-

Heather

Related posts:

Spring Progressive Dinner Party – Easy DIY Napkins from Fabric Taco Tuesday || Cilantro Vinaigrette Salad Dressing Chicken and Avocado Chopped Salad Recipe It’s a Keeper || Orzo Salad with Lemon, Feta and Pine Nuts Recipe

Comments

  3. AvatarRachael @ This is our Bliss says

    OK – now I need to find a way to have a dinner party outside! Your salad looks so delicious and that shot of your darling centerpiece is perfection! I need to snag some lettuce bowls like the ones you found. Everything looks amazing! xo

    Reply

  4. AvatarMarley says

    I never thought I would use pink place mats but those are adorable, paired with the green and pink napkins! Perfection!
    I just clicked on the Christmas Store link and I believe I could drop some cash there! They have some cute coastal things!
    Your tablescape is beautiful and the outside setting tops it off!

    Reply

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