Placemat Fun: The Finale

I hope you haven't grown too tired of my Placemat Fun experiment, because alas we have come to the final installment.  Just one version left to conquer...the camouflage placemats.  Remember, originally I presented these mats fashioned into a runner.  Today...they're mats.

So many colors to work with!  I started this tablescape with this chartreuse runner...

(actually a darling scarf from Target trimmed with the tiniest pompoms).

My orange paisley salad plates sit atop plain white plates...

...which sit atop simple silver chargers....

...all atop the wavy colorful placemats.  I wrapped these deep red-orange linen napkins from Sur La Table around my plates.  They are just the perfect color.

This mid century smoky gray bowl became a vase today for some vibrant alstroemeria.  I'm so glad I uncovered it from my stash recently.

I like the way the greenish hue of these recycled wine goblets picks up the sea foam color in the placemat.

I've used these little tumblers before as wine glasses, but today they are votives.  I simply tucked some tea lights into a few coffee beans.  Looks cute - smells great!  Well I have mixed and matched until I can mix and match no more.

Do you have a favorite tablescape?  I'd love to hear your thoughts.  As always I will be visiting my fellow dish aficionados at:

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)

Hope to see you there.

Even More Placemat Fun

Welcome back to the next installment of Placemat Fun.  Remember my bold flowered runner from a few weeks back.  As you recall, I made this runner out of three reversible placemats.  This week, the placemats will shine on their own...as placamats!  I began layering away.

This tablescape begins with a Chilwich "salt and pepper" runner...such a versatile pieces that is easy to dress UP or dress down.

I opted for white plates, just to let the vibrant flowered mats be the star of the show, but I switched things up and chose square plates this time.

These vivid tomato red napkins from Sur La Table certainly stand out against the white background.

I've dressed them up further with some bold black and silver square napkin rings.

Once again, I've broken the rules and lined up my Aero flatware just a bit differently.

There is nothing timid about this table, including these hefty bowl shaped wine goblets.  Remember those orange napkin rings from the first table table setting?

Today, they have a new job as votive holders!  I was lucky to find these chartreuse green Fuji mums.

They are just the ideal color!  Three Placemat Fun tablescapes down...one to go.

Do you have a favorite?  I'd love to know.  Next week, I wrap this project up.  Crossing my fingers for some cooler weather...dying to set a few more outdoor tables before the summer is over.  This week I will be participating in:

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)

Hope to see you there.

More Placemat Fun

If you missed last weeks posting, I am having loads of fun with a set of double sided placemats.  I'm mixing and matching and even repurposing.  Here's some of what I started with.

Last week, I turned three placemats into a runner.  This week I'm flipping it over and recreating a whole new table!

The flip side of the flowered mats features a colorful, almost camouflage print.  Orange still predominates but this print also includes charcoal grey...and I love grey!

I really think I prefer this "B" side.  How about you?

I've wanted these deep orange grass placemats from Crate & Barrel all season long.  This table was the perfect reason to snap them up.

Naturally, I chose my Hayes grey dinnerware, also from the Crate.  Crisp white napkins brighten things up a bit.

The greenish tint of these recycled wine goblets and water glasses picks up the aqua in the runner.  A lucky find from a recent trip to IKEA were these candle jars...

the perfect orange...and $1.99!!  To bring some height to the tablescape, I borrowed this really versatile candleholder from my friend.  Thanks, Sharon.  Please tell me I can borrow this again and again.

For a final touch, I wove this paper flower garland from Ten Thousand Villages down the center of the table.

I thought it would be fun to see the two scapes side-by-side.  Do you have a favorite?  Stay tuned...next the same placemats will reappear as placemats, (fancy that!) for two more table settings.

This week I will be participating in:

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)

Placemat Fun, Part 1

If you are reading this posting right now, then you most likely belong to the special group of people who find sheer pleasure in setting a pretty table and who also know that placemats can be FUN!  Trust me and follow along.  Today is the first installment of a series of mix and match placemat fun.

Last summer, I found these really cool placemats at Kohl's.  What makes them even cooler...they are double sided, and both sides are cute!  The fact that they were very much on sale is just one more bonus. So I bought a whole stack...I's think of something to do with them all.  And think I did.  I came up with the idea to fashion some of them into a runner...a reversible runner at that.

So 8 grommets and 4 ball chains later...

...this was my new runner.  I just love it!  I had lots of ideas for accessories...time to mix and match and set four fun tables.  Setting #1 starts with my newly fashioned runner, flower-side up.

My plain white plates look perfect set atop...

...simple black placemats.  I rolled black napkins up tightly and slid them into bold orange napkin rings,

a recent find from Sur La Table.  I decided to play with my Aero flatware a bit and set them ajar...

...but still in the right order!  I'm so glad I remembered these charming glasses.  Frosty on the bottom and with a cool turquoise band around the middle,

these glasses look rather classy sitting at the top of the plates.  My centerpiece is once again my favorite candleholder.

This time, votives are nestled into black beans.  Simple...elegant...playful.

I think my guests will enjoy this table.  Stay tuned.  Next week, the same placemats will take on a whole new role in a fresh new tablesetting.  Hope to see you then.  Always remember to see all the other fabulous tablescapes at Between Naps on the Porch.

Entertain Fair Trade, Volume 1: A Colorful World

Welcome to the first of a new series that I'm calling Entertain Fair Trade.  For almost three years, I have been a volunteer at Ten Thousand Villages in Glen Ellyn , Illinois.  For those of you who may be unfamiliar, Ten Thousand Villages is a fair trade retailer which creates opportunities for artisans in developing countries to earn income by bringing their handicrafts and stories to market through long-term fair trade relationships. Ten Thousand Villages stores are located all across the United States.  You can learn much more and order merchandise from their website, Ten Thousand Villages.  The store carries so many unique items, including gorgeous table linens, candles and so much more.  From time to time, I will be featuring lots of items from the store mixed and matched with pieces from my own collection and setting beautiful tables. Hopefully, I will inspire many of you to entertain fair trade while entertaining friends and family.

This table begins with this vibrant orange Spring Blossom tablecloth, hand screened in India.  This cloth is accented with companion napkins.

Since I love to layer, I next added these Summer Breeze placemats, made in Vietnam from bamboo and recycled newsprint.

My own Hampton Green plates, topped with orange paisley enameled salad plates, add to the riot of color on the tabletop.

Made from bamboo by artisans in Vietnam and painted bold shades of green...

these Tidbit and Treat footed bowls add yet another splash of color.  My guests will love sipping something exotic from these Highlands tumblers...

...made in Bolivia from 100% recycled glass!  There is nothing tame about this table, so I chose this colorful hand painted ceramic Rickshaw planter from Bangladesh...

and am using it as a vase by simply slipping a glass jar inside.  As always, Trader Joe's had the perfect flowers for my table.  Matching Rickshaw candles in adorable little flowerpots add to the festive mood.

I decided to write my guests' names on them with chalk and use them as party favors.  That way, my friends will always remember the good times spent at...

...this fabulous table.  You can find out so much more about all of the products featured in this posting and the artisans who made them by clicking on the links provided.  Please support fair trade and visit the Ten Thousand Villages website.  You might just discover a store nearby.  And if not, all products are available on-line.  I had so much fun setting this table and look very forward to future fair trade postings featuring the beautiful times from Ten Thousand Villages.