Tablescape for July Fourth

Celebrating Independence Day

I am having such fun creating these holiday tables!!!  All of the linens have a home in a cedar chest but I am not sure where I will keep the new dishes and chargers.  We will probably shoot off the fireworks one night in July.

A Michigan Table

I was introduced to Tablescaping while we were wintering in Florida.  I had NO idea what all was in the cedar chest of linens I inherited from my mother and grandmothers,  I was vaguely aware of the dishes and things I that passed down to me.  I couldn't wait to get home to look at everything with a new eye.  It took me many days to gather together the dark blues for the main table.  Then I took the rejected light blue items and created a second table nearby for my granddaughters.

Tablescape Record

After I discovered what "Table scaping" was, I discovered a huge group of bloggers that take part in "parties", linking their newest scape to the first blog.  I think there are "Table scape Tuesdays" and all kinds of other special "parties".  One is a mosaic photo party.  Some make a mosaic of their tablescape and others make the mosaic out of other related photos.  I like recording my tablescapes in this mosaic style.  I haven't joined any of the challenges, preferring at this point to stumble along unrecognized until I know more about what I am doing.

Easter Tablescape for Brunch and Family Dinner

One Easter, Two Tables

For the last week or 10 days I have been working on our Easter dinner table, for the 6 of us.

As luck would have it, the guest list expanded to 10.  After a few tantrums, we settled on a fancy breakfast for the 6 and make whatever adjustments in dishes, etc, were needed for the dinner.  I had to also switch the menu from picnic fare to a little more Easter Dinner-like.

Fresh fruit in Margarita glasses worked.

The napkins, a gift from a friend, napkin rings from Pier One and margarita glasses also from Pier One.

All of my fresh flowers come from Sherri's Floral Shoppe, Inc in Sebastian.

The menu was French toast, fresh fruit, and fresh orange juice and coffee.  The bee hive pot for the syrup was a new purchase from a local antique shop.

Imagine my surprise when the willow branch of blown glass eggs, leafed out (and rooted). 

Changed plates, no place mats, freshly washed napkins and the table was ready for dinner for 8

Shopping pays off!!!

I went back to the Hospice resale shop in our town (Hidden Treasures).  While I was there I asked about volunteering next winter and they said they always need people early winter.

The dishes I saw last time were gone but I liked another set they just got in better and same price...complete setting for 6 for $20 and made in USA.

2 contrasting napkins and the new dinnerwear

3 or 4 stores down the way is the florist I like.  I asked about apricot flowers for next Friday and they said they would order a few.  Then I asked about a branch of some kind for the Easter glass ornaments and they brought out a perfect piece of willow.  Two days later and the thing is leafing out and looks perfect with the eggs hanging on one side so gracefully!  I won't show that until I get the flowers into the basket-vase next Friday.  The Margareta glasses will hold fresh fruit for an appetizer.

Margareta glasses for fruit and pitcher (on the right) for juice

I took a couple of the apricot napkins (print and plain) to Pier One and barely got in the door.  That place just assaults the senses.  This time their tables were as beautiful as the ones in Melbourne.  I am going to ask about the designer next time.  Imagine having that whole store at your disposal. The girl who met me at the door had some wonderful suggestions including these napkin rings and pairing of contrasting napkins.  Thanks to the wonderful gift from my fellow Granny Rosie I had just the napkins needed for my Easter table for 6.

The breakfast table for Easter is almost done

As I said, the whole table including flower arrangement will be posted on Friday.  It has become the Easter Morning Breakfast table.  I just heard that 1, 2, or 4 or maybe 5 more people will be here for dinner.  I have a tablesetting for 8 so there will have to be a big change between meals and still get in the Easter Egg hunt, the basket hunt, and more.  I can do it, though.

Bargain Day

I have already found the thrill of bargain hunting last week at the Dollar Tree, Home Goods, and Bealls.  Today I wanted to go a bit further...thrift and antique stores.


Sebastian is a relatively small town, but right on the water, it has a good Spring Break crowd and lots of Snowbirds...thus lots of specialty shops.

Very close is a small strip mall that acquired two new shops this year.  One is a resale shop for the charity supporting Breast Cancer Research.  There were some interesting linens but nothing that spoke to me.  I did find some napkin rings.  There was a whole set of china, service for 8, no pieces chipped or missing for $20 just sitting there. I  may go back Thursday.

This will do...for $.25

Next I walked next door to the Party Treasures store looking for Easter decorations.   All I found there was a package of fancy disposable finger towels that might make for good decoupage Easter Eggs like I saw in a blog yesterday.  I did get a set of 6 Easter egg sidewalk chalks for the girls.

If I don't get to decoupaging the Easter Eggs then these will go well in my bathroom for guest towels.

I bought these eggs-ornaments last week but still don't know what I will do with them.  Branched sticks are few and far between in Florida. Maybe I had better go see my florist on Thursday, too.

Then we had lunch and chased a large brush fire we could see but wanted to locate, since it was rather close to where we live.  That adventure is in my Snowbird blog . 

Then we went to an antique, resale shop on Main Street that we have looked at many times.  It was so chock full that I only got a yard or two inside the door before I knew I better stop before I ran out of money.

First I saw these adorable salt and pepper shakers that I knew went beautifully with the shell dishes from last table setting so, of course, I bought two sets.

The 2 bunny bowls and one plate just screamed at me for Easter breakfast for the girls.  I can pair them with other plates I have available.  $1 apiece.

The crystal with the gold edge will go back to Michigan with me because it goes with the water goblets that belonged to my maternal grandmother.  Don't they just scream the 1920s?  All four for $20!

007 - What? USE the table? Gasp

 That's right.  We have company for lunch today and I have a table all set soooooo.  We are actually going to use it.

I am not all that happy with the flowers and will replace them with Oasis and a few choice posies from the florist, but not time to do that before lunch today.

Not sure about the iced tea glasses with the gold rim.  Maybe a little too formal for this luncheon table.

I just thought tipping the camera was a little artsy.  um...nope.  But I was standing on a high chair and couldn't move around at all.

Another tippy photo.  I must check the tablescape blogs to see if anyone gives photography tips.

I really like this little glass fish and think he looks right with the shells.  There is a blue and purple one, too, but not for this table.

006-More Perfect Finds and a Gift

 I tried using green and yellow plates from the Dollar Store Mexican collection with the Sandy Shores bowls and mugs but the colors were a little TOO vibrant. I am still struggling with this table.  I am sure the gorgeous tables I see in the blogs just FELL together (lol...I can see they take a bunch of time)

Just as we were leaving to do a few errands and get in a little shopping, I noticed a fat mailer on the porch.  OOoOOoooOOoo!!!  It was from the sweet lady who introduced me to TableScaping (Dogs and Grandkids Blog).  There is a whole stack of wonderful napkins, including several sets of peach that will compliment the new dishes and shells.  A blue set of tablecloth and napkins, and a fascinating vintage tablecloth that reminds me so much of my mother's tablecloths I have packed in a cedar chest back in Michigan.  Fortunately, Rosie will be visiting me this summer and can help me go through the linens of Mother's and Grandmother's. 

We had to go out today and I found myself at Bealls store #3 (I think there are 3 more in our vicinity) to see what I could see.  There was a stack of dark beige plates with brown edges.  Perfect!!!  I bought 4 to replace the 3 that were broken in the Sandy Shores set and feel like it is almost complete, now.

I think these peach flowers on the napkin are so beautiful with the shell dishes.

See how that dark plate compliments the shell dishes?  And that Napkin!!!

This shell vase was just sitting there on a shelf at Bealls calling my name.  It matches the dishes and the theme!

Here in the shell vase is s part of the collection of napkins from my sweet friend.  I am thinking of making a little trip to Orchid Island Botanicals and finding a couple of orchids to put in moss in this vase instead of fresh flowers.  You can see one of the real shells in the background.  Last winter I had orchids in the real shells.

I bought the patterned napkins and the plain ones were a gift...they had not been bought to go together but they sure do, don't they?

005 - New Finds

My first reaction to the gorgeous tables in the blogs was to excuse myself because of 1) being in a house we only occupy 4 months of the year and 2) not wanting to put a lot of money into extravagant purchases.  I was wrong on both counts.  There are a lot of little things around here, most in an old, broken china cabinet.  I had sorted out the plaster "I Love You This Much" figurines and kept some good, or at least usable pieces.

Most of this is the result of my latest shopping trip.

After reading more in the blogs I recognized more stores than just the Dollar Store I frequent.  We had a Bealls, Home Goods, Pier One.  So we went shopping.

Nothing at the Dollar Store this time.  But Bealls was next door and I found a treasure.  There was a box of Pfaltzgraff china on the bargain shelf.  It was the "Sandy Shores" pattern.  2 plates were broken or missing and one salad plate.  Still...list price for this service for 4 (I later found) was $140.  On sale at the home site I found it for $69.99.  I bought this set minus the 3 plates for $20.

Paisley table cloth, round yellow placemats, blue and yellow napkins were from Home Goods.

I tried to use the 2 blue plates and they were TOO blue. 

The amber "vase" is a stoppered bottle and glass plate that were here.  The tiered amber dish was also here.  The flowers are from a local independent florist that may become my new best friend.  I changed from the slightly-past-prime vase and flowers from last table with this tall, sparse arrangement and tangerines.

The shell (and others I might add later) were here.

004 - Second Table

Here is the treasure-trove of findings at Bealls in Florida.  These are NOT expensive things.  I can see whole tablescapes sitting right here.

This is my second attempt.  I found the table runner at the Dollar Store and used it at the ends instead of placemats.  The napkins are from a set of 8 from Pier One.  The glass vase was here and the marbles came from the Dollar Store as did the dishes.  I have a collection of those dishes including striped and plain designs.

003 - Not Just for Tables

One of the first things I discovered roaming through tablescape blogs is that you can tablescape almost any surface

The wine bottle has been here as long as we have.  I think his father left it here.  The placemat is a new Dollar Store purchase.  I bought the plant at a Florida Flea Market.  The flamingos and turtle are from Bealls.

002 - Scaping the Breakfast Bar

Dishes and place mats from the Dollar Store, Margareta glasses fro Pier One

Bamboo Salad bowl and servers from Woot!, shamrocks from the Dollar Store, plant from the Flea Market

Fresh Flowers from Sams Club, flatware from Oneida

001 - First Tablescape

This is my first "tablescape" since learning that there IS such a thing.

I decided to start very simple with a setting for two.  The placemats came from Dollar Tree as did the dishes.  The ramekins came from Bealls as did the flamingos.

The wine bottle and candle holders were here.  The plant came from the flea market and the blingy flamingos from Bealls.