In Between Seasons

Oh...March, what is the saying...you come in like a lion but go out as a lamb?  Well, it sure still feels like Winter to me, but I'm so, so, so ready for Spring.  And so I jumped the gun and set a very Springy table this week.

I was doing a bit of cleaning up and stumbled upon a purchase I made, I do believe, last Fall.  Oops.  I do find the most wonderful treasures at West Elm...

...like these sweet little salad/dessert plates.  They are the inspiration for today's tablescape.  What I really love about them is that they are all slightly different, some being quite a bit more vibrant than others.

I simply layered these plates atop my plain white plates, simple silver chargers, and black woven placemats.

Of course, because I love lime green, I couldn't resist these cute striped napkins...

...secured with my stylish black wire napkins rings from Crate & Barrel.  They're a bit like jewelry for table linens, don't you think?  You know how much I love using scarves as table runners, and once again...

I have chosen this simple chartreuse scarf edged with the tiniest ball fringe.

My Lela handmade wine glasses have been hiding in the cabinet all Winter...

Welcome back to the table!  Nothing quite says Spring like a big bunch of tulips.  These purple beauties were calling my name.

I really do love this simple porcelain paper bag vase, another treasure from Aunt Tess's collection.  No flower arranging experience necessary with this vase.  All flowers look perfect, every time.

There's eight inches of snow on the ground, but in my dining room, Spring has arrived.  March is a busy month for me...the kids turn 17 (Yikes!) and my husband's birthday falls on Easter Sunday.  So many parties, so many tables to set.  I'm sure to get some great tabletop ideas at the following parties...

Centerpiece Wednesday (The Style Sisters)

Tabletop Thursday (Between Naps on the Porch)

Feathered Nest Friday (French Country Cottage)

Home Sweet Home Friday  (The Charm of Home)

Potpourri Friday (2805)

Seasonal Sundays (The Tablescaper)

Let's Dish (Cuisine Kathleen)

Open House Party (No Minimalist Here)

Easter, Yet Again

Got myself into some tabletop trouble today.  I blame it on jet lag.  Let me explain.  I thought I was supposed to help with inventory at Ten Thousand Villages.  Turns out, inventory was yesterday.  Oops. With time on my hands, I saw this as an opportunity to wander around Glen Ellyn.  I popped into Marcel's, a lovely cooking school / gourmet shop / cooking store and a wonderful new addition to downtown Glen Ellyn. It just so happens that the shop is filled with many, many gorgeous tabletop items.  It happened again.  My eye was suddenly caught by this Springy striped tablecloth.

I think it was the slightly out of the ordinary colors (melon, apple green, kiwi green, peach, plum and aqua) that made me look twice.  Hmmm...I really did need to set a second table for Easter.  And I really do like this cloth.  Sold.

I really did need these apple green napkins that match so well.

Oh...and these darling tapers.  I could not wait to get home and set the table!  A quick stop at trader Joe's for some flowers and I was ready.

I remembered these multicolored bamboo placemats that I found at Kohl's last summer and I simply fashioned them into a runner down the center of my table.  Now, time to layer.

I knew these pretty coral colored placemats from World Market would be a good addition to my collection.

Naturally, I grabbed my perfect plain white plates and set atop gold leaf(ish) chargers.  I'm so glad I decided to purchase these...

Fann coral salad plates on a recent trip to West Elm.  I simply rolled up my cheery green napkins and tucked them into...

...multi-colored napkin rings, again from Kohl's.  I just love a little bit of chocolate to finish off a great meal, so each of my guests will enjoy a sweet treat.

I have fond memories of eating jello with sliced bananas as a kid from these antique tiny parfait glasses.  I have not used them in years!

How delicious a mimosa will taste sipped from these mint green champagne flutes, old favorites of mine from Horchow.  Not until I took a close look did I notice that the blue and green stripes on these tapers are actually...

tiny strips of wax, carefully stuck on the hand rolled white tapers.  So cute.  I'm showing them off in these...

vintage lavender cut glass pineapple candle holders.

Finally, these deep purple tulips look beautiful in my  handpainted vase from Rosenthal.  I am just delighted with my Easter table.

Lucky for me that I had such a successful (albeit unplanned) trip to Marcel's today!

A Bright Sunshiny Day!

Spring truly has sprung, and I for one welcome the warmth and sun.   So put your flip-flops on, dig out your cutest springtime tabletop gear and set a table to match the beautiful day.  The starting point for this setting...

were these colorful wicker mats that I stumbled upon at Pier 1, on sale no less.  Red and yellow...the wheels starting turning.  I remembered the lovely butterfly print napkins I picked up at Crate & Barrel a few years ago.

I do love them with a brown linen tablecloth.  I think my Aero flatware looks fun, tucked inside the napkins and held in place with these coppery wire napkins, picked up at Pier 1 a few years back. I tried several dinner plates,

but settled upon the Hampton Green (Crate & Barrel, currently at the outlet!)  Again, after a few missteps, I selected these gorgeous pink and orange glass salad plates (vintage Crate & Barrel).  The white centers of the dinner plates and the transparency of the salad plates make for a perfect pairing.

I knew that Lela would be an ideal wineglass choice for this table.  And finally, what better flowers for this early appearance of Spring than tulips.

I was just thrilled to find these red and yellow beauties at Costco!  Even better than the price..they lasted a full week!

I simply plopped them into a bunch of square glass bud vases and lined them up down the center of the table.  No experience necessary...tulips just do their own thing.

Nestle in a few tea lights, and this table is set to go!  Next up...a few Easter tables.  Please stay in touch.