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)

Isn't It Romantic

While I was not exactly planning any special dinner for Valentine's Day this year, I could not resist setting a pretty table for the occasion.

Besides...I really just wanted to use my new tablecloth.  You see...I've been admiring this certain fabric at Hobby Lobby for some time now.  I'd go so far to say it is spectacular!  A natural linen-type background and covered with a large shiny silver metallic floral print, this is considered home dec fabric.

And while if would make an awesome chair, or over-the-top draperies, I simply bought a few yards to make a table covering.  For those of you who favor gold over silver, it also comes in metallic gold.  My next lucky find were these darling paper roses from West Elm.  I oooohed and aaaahed over their collection of faux snow drops, quince and roses...each one cuter than the next.  While they came in many colors, I chose these pale, pale pink ones.

Simply set into a chunky mercury glass vase (also from West Elm), they are as lovely as the real thing!  

(And long lasting to boot.)  I just might have to go back for some more.  Mercury glass tealights add a bit of romance.

The rest of my tablescape fell easily into place.  Naturally, I chose to use my silver chargers,

topped with my favorite plain white plates.  I think everyone should have a set of natural linen napkins. Wishing to do something a bit different with them, I found instructions to make these playful napkin roses.

They were really very easy, and just the touch I was looking for.  Because everything on the table is so neutral, I needed to add a splash of color...

...so I chose my Romantika (how appropriate) goblets and water glasses...vintage Crate & Barrel.  I dug out a few treasures to add some happy memories to my Valentine's table.

My dear Aunt Tess had several pieces of Dorothy Thorpe glassware, like this footed candy dish.  I also found this antique silver bottle holder,

because heaven forbid any wine drips on the tablecloth!  Such pretty details...

Now that my Valentine's Day tablescape is complete, I think I might just have to plan a special dinner after all...

...because I really want to sit at this table!  Hope you too have a happy day.  I'm sure the parties will be filled with fabulous ideas, so come along with me and visit...

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)

Smokin'

To my friends and followers...for those of you who thought I was perhaps in some way "unwell", I am very happy to report that I am just fine.  My absence can best be described as a holiday overdose...a few too many dishes to wash, an overwhelming pile of napkins to iron, and all those holiday plates to safely pack away.  I just wasn't feeling creative or inspired and needed a little break.  And after weeks of looking at my bare dining room table, I knew it was time to return.  With no imminent holidays, I opted to simply set a table with things on hand.

As you know, there is always some element of my table that is the inspiration for the entire setting.  This time it was some beautiful floral fabric, a warm smoky grey background covered with coral and plum and gold mums.  So I...

...whipped up a set of napkins.  Then magically, the rest of the tablescape fell into place, one piece at a time.  I remembered these peachy-coral salad plates from West Elm.  Haven't used those in awhile.

I think they'd look perfect atop my shiny grey Hayes dinner plates from Crate & Barrel, which I layer with my gold leaf(ish) ruffly chargers, all sitting on these lacy paper placemats.

Who can't use a little more gold, so I added these chunky metallic napkin rings (Ten Thousand Villages), turning my napkin into a handsome bow tie.

Never, ever walk through a store without checking out the scarf department...because the scarf department should really be renamed the table runner department!  See what I found at Target...

...grey and gold and pink and cream and fringy and perfect!  Speaking of grey...look what I got for Christmas from my husband.  He found this fabulous smoky vintage barware at a shop in the city.  You should see the martini pitcher that came along with it!

Today I am using them as candle holders, because I have other plans for my beverages.  I found these amazing tumblers at a darling little vintage shop.  How I wished I had paid better attention when the shop owner told me the maker.  If anyone knows the answer, please share it with me.  I'd love to find out more about them.

Mid-century, I'm quite sure, they are so much fun with pink and gold fruits and leaves, all on a smoky grey background.  Quite a find.  My table still needed a centerpiece, so I took a peek at my stash.  This Rosenthal vase will be perfect...

 

...a tablesetters dream come true, with flowers of just the right colors.  It might be frigid outside, but tonight I'll be dining here...

...at my smokin' hot table.  Well, that was fun...and it's good to be back.  Please join me this week 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)

Dress Rehearsal

"Seriously...cooking that huge meal isn't enough?  Now you're telling me I have to practice setting my table!"  Now don't get me wrong.  I thoroughly enjoy preparing Thanksgiving dinner, but as you all know, my true passion is setting the table.  So I take my time, I play around with this and that, and most importantly, I have fun.  Oh, where will I begin?  On the actual day, I'll be setting one very long "Pilgrim-style" table for 22, but today I'm working out my plan on my dining room table.  Rather than renting linens for the big table,

I stumbled across these plaid tablecloths at Home Goods...reasonably priced, pretty, seasonal...they'll do just fine.  Last year I purchased these "Gobble, Wish, Give, Thanks" salad plates at West Elm.

Not your traditional turkey plates...I just love them and am happy to get to use them again.  The turkey plate season is unfortunately quite short!

It is really nice to have a large stack of plain white plates for an occasion such as this one.  While at Home Goods, I also pick up these golden napkins, and figured out a new way to display them...quite by accident.

I rather like how they look, simply gathered up on one side with these cute...

...Ravi pewter napkin rings from Crate & Barrel. I wanted my table to have a natural look, so I chose some jute placemats, but my white plates initially looked so dull on them.  Maybe this table needed a bit of glamour.  Yes...I like these shimmery red beaded mats (Pottery Barn, many years ago)...

...and I like them even better layered along with the jute mats! 

 We'll be sipping from my gorgeous brown Lennox water and wine goblets.

I still cannot believe these were a resale shop find.  I think creating a centerpiece for an autumn table is really rather simple.

I found this very interesting grape vine garland at Hobby Lobby and just kept building upon it...my favorite oh-so-versatile candle holder,

this time entwined with red berries, 

followed by mini pumpkins and gourds

and acorns and dried oranges and colorful leaves.  While I will most likely need to modify and simplify my "Pilgrim-style" table, I hope it still retains the look I have achieved here today.

So go ahead...play with your dishes...those turkey plates only come out once a year after all!  Need more ideas?  Check out the following parties for Thanksgiving ideas galore...

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)

Like my turkey plates?  Please take another look..."Gobble, Wish, Give, Thanks".

Chameleons - Part 1

Some time ago, my dear friend Beth gave me a gift certificate to Crate & Barrel for my birthday.  For months I pondered over what to buy...can I just have one of everything?  Finally I decided...I wanted these placemats.  Placemats, you say!  Don't you have enough?  Well, perhaps I do...but just look at these!  Can you blame me?  At that, I couldn't make up my mind...so bought both kinds!  For this tablescape, I have chosen to use these Casitas placemats as a table runner.

They are adorable...  covered in colorful embroidered spirals on a light brown linen background.  These Stria round mats really caught my eye.  So many colors...I think these mats can take on a whole new life depending on the accessories you place with them.

They are chameleons!  Today, I'm pairing them with autumn colors.  But in my mind, I'm conjuring up a whimsical holiday table.  I think they'll work great in the summer also.  So stayed tuned...you will be seeing these again!  One of the reasons I love Fall is having another chance to use my Constellation dinnerware by Joseph Abboud.

They haven't been out of the cabinet in quite some time.  Instead of the solid colored napkins featured with these placemats at the Crate, I opted to sew some of my own, and chose this very autumnal striped fabric.

I think they are rather charming scrunched into these shiny golden napkin rings.   How I love these...

... South Beach water and wine glasses, also by Joseph Abboud.  If you ever need some new votives, head on over to West Elm...their selection is quite vast.

This season I added another pattern to my collection.  At first I thought about just plopping a chunky candle into this gold tiled vase,

but in the end could not resist these orangey mums.  Trader Joe's does it again. For a final golden touch, I wove this cute gold and orange garland into my tablescape.

If you're like me, you probably have lots of ideas about the upcoming holidays.  I feel Chameleons - Part 2 coming on.  Or if you just need a little inspiration, please join me at the following blog parties.  I guarantee you will find ideas galore.

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)

Please feel free to take another look...

One year ago:  Indian Summer