For our last summer hurrah, many of you spend Labor Day weekend at the seashore. Here in the Midwest, we call it going to the lake house.
You might find a few shells on our inland shores, but for this tablescape, I used my son’s collection of shells that I found in the garage with some of his other treasures. He’s thirty-six years old; I think it’s time that I considered that collection mine to use! Continue reading
I don’t want to jinx it, but my garden has never looked better! Even with the plant loss from our crazy winter, this rainy June has rejuvenated all of my sad plants. It seemed a perfect week to feature a flowery tablescape.
It all started with my inspiration piece –a Nippon Rose pattern vase. I traced its history here. The greens of the piece combined with the yellow and red roses reminded me of English country gardens, overflowing with colorful flowers. The base of the centerpiece is a distressed green wooden tray found on the sale rack at Joann Fabrics. I created a floral centerpiece with faux flowers picking up the yellow, red, lavender, and greens in the vase and the linens. Continue reading
Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me. Such a ridiculous saying, as we all know that words and name-calling can hurt very much. Today, however, is about a happier set of sticks and stones — the Sticks and Stones Tablescape.
Mixing the colors and textures of wood and stone in a tablescape brings the harmony of nature to your table.
Every year about this time, I pull out the beautiful crocheted tablecloth that transitions my table between summer and fall. The muted grey-brown of the cloth reminds me of summer vacations in Michigan, collecting Petosky stones on a sandy beach.
The pull of autumn brings with it the sturdier browns of fall campfires and walks in the woods. The crocheted tablecloth plays peek-a-boo with the bare wood of the table, and the wooden tray anchors the centerpiece.
The items in the centerpiece echo the colors — grey stones, an amber glass cruet, an olive wood grinder from Provence, and creamy candles that reflect the soft white of the hydrangeas.
It’s not a tablescape in my house without some bargain treasure hunting, so these Waverly napkins from Tuesday Morning were the perfect find to complement my sticks and stones colors. The flowers have more “sticks” on them!
Needless to say, these napkin rings from a local thrift shop jumped into my cart.
Pewter chargers and grandma’s silver…
The perfect napkin and napkin ring…
The glint of gold from the fruit bowl…
The amber plates and the Murano glass goblets weave an autumn spell…
Nature’s beauty is repeated in the floral center and design on the rim of the accent plate …
The waves of the lake show up in the Pfaltzgraff Filigree pattern on the plates.
The transition from summer’s light to autumn’s dark builds a comforting tablescape for a beautiful September day. Only happy memories are served up at this Sticks and Stones Tablescape!
I’m taking a break right now for my son’s wedding, but I encourage you to visit my regular linky parties to see some lovely photos and get some creative inspiration for your tables: Let’s Dish with Cuisine Kathleen, Open House Party with No Minimalist Here, Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life, and Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch. I hope you’ll leave a comment today and let me know you were here!
Got my bags, got my reservations,
Spent each dime I could afford.
Like a child in wild anticipation,
I long to hear that, “All aboard!”
Music and lyrics by Bud Green, Les Brown and Ben Homer (1944)
“The things you do for yourself are gone when you are gone, but the things you do for others remain as your legacy.”
― Kalu Ndukwe Kalu
Did I tell you about our family reunion this year? We’ve been having family reunion weekends annually for thirty-one years. Although not everyone comes every year, we have decided that if we don’t have the reunion annually, it could easily die a quick death and we don’t want that to happen. One of the gifts of having an annual reunion is seeing one’s younger relatives grow up and prosper — especially the children. This year, my cousin asked me to photograph her five grandchildren while at the reunion, and with some trepidation, I said I would. They were adorable and I got some fun pictures that expressed the children’s personalities, even though I’m an amateur photographer. As a thank you for my time, my cousin sent me a beautiful flower arrangement, and today’s sunflower tablescape was inspired by her thoughtful gift.
As I started to put together the elements of the tablescape that would complement the sunflowers, I didn’t really think I had enough yellow to make it work. Then I took a trip to the linen closet, where I found the coordinating placemats and napkins with yellow stripes and checks. It was still pretty pastel and the napkins carried a lot of pink, so I added a few pink-tipped carnations from the grocery store to the arrangement.
Then I began shopping for dishes in the cupboards. Of course, I had to start with my signature style — using grandma’s china and silver. This pattern, Stanwyck by Noritake, belonged to my next door neighbor and when she died, her kids gave me the entire set. The fragile blue and gold filigree pattern balances the bold orange and yellows of the Quimper salad plate.
While reading blogs this morning, I saw a post from Dawn at We Call It Junkin where she used her corn on the cob plates in her design. Brilliant, I said to myself, and since imitation is the highest form of flattery, I added my white stoneware corn dishes to the table with their yellow corn stickers. Who said I didn’t have any yellow stuff in my stash?
After that it was easy — just pull more French pottery from my collection courtesy of my beloved mother-in-law, including the Quimper candy dish filled with dark chocolate coated almonds, a pair of candlesticks, and a French butterfly. I added our wedding crystal, silver napkin rings, and my Gorham Trilogy flatware and got out the camera.
Voila! A sunny tablescape inspired by the sunflowers of southern France and enhanced by my collection of French faience. I’m pretty sure my mother-in-law would have loved the whole thing, and I miss her most at this time of the year because she’s not there to share the family reunion with us. Family is a true gift that cannot be underestimated or forgotten.
I’m linking up this week at Let’s Dish with Cuisine Kathleen for the Summer Fun Challenge, Open House Party with No Minimalist Here, and Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch. Be sure to visit these creative bloggers for lovely photos and inspiration.
Got my bags, got my reservations,
Spent each dime I could afford.
Like a child in wild anticipation,
I long to hear that, “All aboard!”
Music and lyrics by Bud Green, Les Brown and Ben Homer (1944)
If you build it, they will come.
I built this trellis specifically to hold the New Dawn Rose and the climbing honeysuckle that were already in my hedgerow when we moved in. They are happy campers this year with the weather we’ve been having here in Chicagoland! I have more blossoms on both plants than I’ve ever had.
The individual petals on the honeysuckle are just gorgeous and oh, that pink…
I’m linking up to parties at 5 Minutes for Mom, Create With Joy, and A Room With a View for Two. Please stop by to visit these inspiring bloggers and check out some of the links on their party today!
