salad in a...vase?

My latest issue of Better Homes and Gardens had a great idea for a bridal or baby shower theme...an "advice"-themed party. (For some of you that may sound more like a nightmare than a party, but stick with me for a moment.) The invitations were printed in a simple newsprint-type font, and guests were sent cards along with the invitations on which to write some advice for the bride-to-be. Then, the cards were collected into a scrapbook at the party.

But here's where it gets cute: they used large, photocopied versions of vintage advice columns like "Dear Abby", etc. which they covered the table with. And here's where it gets nearly genius: the "Confucius-say Salad Bar" was actually a noodle-salad bar and every topping for the salad bar was in a different-size square glass vase (I guess to pick up on the Asian theme of "Confucius-say"?). Anyway, the images of this salad bar were gorgeous. I have looked and looked online to see if I could find the image from the magazine, but no luck so far. It doesn't appear to be on BHG's website, and I don't have a scanner, so I'm doing my best to describe it. (Pictured here are the same type of vases from Pottery Barn.)


I loved the visual, though: picture different heights and sizes (i.e. both rectangular and square) of glass vases - not bowls - with colorful veggies in them...shredded carrots, shredded purple cabbage, cherry tomatoes...you wouldn't need a centerpiece with such a beautiful salad bar! But, that being said, then they added to the beauty by including a few vases full of luscious, brightly-colored blooms (just one variety per vase). The whole thing was gorgeous and definitely something I want to try in the future.

I was thinking, though, that this could work with any kind of event, and any kind of vases - cylindrical too - or what about using large footed hurricanes? They're beautiful with candles in them - but how much more stuffed full of julienned green peppers! Stunning!