Fest on the Fifth

May 5, 2012...so many things to do...so little time.  There's a wedding to attend.  There are derby horses to bet on. And there are chips to dip.  May 5...Cinco de Mayo.  Who wouldn't love a holiday that includes guacamole (one of my all time favorite foods) and tequila laced drinks served in salty rimmed glasses.

I've been anxious to set a Mexican inspired table for some time now, so here we go!  I found this fabulous embroidered tablecloth at a local resale shop.

Not sure if it is from Mexico, regardless it is perfect for for Cinco de Mayo table.  While I do believe it is vintage, I can also tell that it had never been used!  What a find.  I hope my pictures do it justice.  The stitching is very very vibrant,

and I drew inspiration for the rest of the table from these colors.  Aqua, magenta, purple, yellow white, and all very bright.  Immediately, my gorgeous chartreuse stoneware plates came to mind.

I simply set them atop a silver charger and these white Lula placemats from Crate and Barrel.  Made from paper, these mats are a GREAT layering piece with another placemat, a colored tablecloth, a charger, a dark tabletop, etc.

And they are currently on sale at the Crate.  Run...don't walk and pick yourself up a set.  You can thank me later.  I could not decide between fuscia napkins or eggplant...

so I used both, simply adding a coppery wire napkin ring from Pier 1.  No Cinco de Mayo party is complete without margaritas, so I chose to use my recycled glass margarita glasses with matching tumbler, all from Pottery Barn a few years back.

How perfect they look with their cobalt blue rims.

Simple mercury glass votives from West Elm provide a little twinkle.  My favorite part of this table is definitely this lovely blue vase.

Made my Emilia Castillo at the family silver works in Taxco, Mexico...this vase was a souvenir from my honeymoon in Mexico...21 years ago.  The vase is covered with tiny sterling silver fish which are painted onto the ceramic surface.

It's only downside...it has to be polished!  Oh well, only the best for these gorgeous festive flowers.  

Trader Joe's comes through yet again.

This cute little silver molcajete, a souvenir from Cozumel, makes a great little salsa dish.  The finishing touch for this tablescape is this garland of white paper flowers...

from Ten Thousand Villages which I simply wove in between all of the elements on the table. 

Excuse me while I squeeze a few limes...and Happy May 5th!