Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Simple Supper to "Selebrate" Birds of ParadiSe




My husband came in the other day with two clippings from our garden: lovely Birds of Paradise.  As soon as I saw them I thought, "I think I have dishes that would complement those flowers perfectly! So, a tablescape was born:




How it was created:






I wanted the highlight of the table to be the flowers, so I opted for a simple setting for two people.  I started with placemats I found at Pier One.



I started my dish stack with a lemongrass-colored Fiesta plate.






Then I added this plate from World Market.  Made in Portugal, I felt its colors and pattern matched the Birds of Paradise well.  In fact, I ended the stack here so the plates wouldn't be covered up.






To complete the individual setting, I added the matching napkins and a butterfly napkin ring from Pier One.  I thought the colors on the napkin ring worked well, and thought the idea of complementing flowers from a garden with butterflies added to the theme of the tablescape.  My "Treble Clef" flatware from the World Market reminds me of the stamen of a flower, and I felt my amber glasses from the Murano glass factory in Venice, Italy coordinated well with the colors on the table.


I kept my centerpiece simple so that the Birds of Paradise could be the "star of the show".  They're held in a Lenox Woodland vase and rest on a placemat from Bed Bath and Beyond.  I searched my salt and pepper collection for a little pop of color, and found these green shell shakers from Portugal, given to me by a dear cousin from her collection.  The lanterns were a favor from a recent birthday party.  They are marked ZGallerie on the bottom.  I like the extra texture, bright color and similar pattern they bring to the table.


Here are some additional views of the table:








After completing this setting, I wondered if all of us tablescapers do the same thing:  something attracts our eye: a flower, or a decoration, a piece of china or a certain fabric, and suddenly we know a table setting is about to be born!  And with a mixing and matching of the treasures we have collected, suddenly (or sometimes after arranging and re-arranging for longer than we first intended!) we can step back and say, "I've created a scene I want to share!"  I've said it before and will probably say it again,
"This is a wonderful hobby!"


I'll be linking up to two gracious hostesses:
Susan at www.betweennapsontheporch.net and Kathleen at www.cuisinekathleen.com



I love to read your comments and will respond to them if you indicate your name within the comment box!

16 comments:

  1. Rosie, your dishes really complement the bird of paradise flowers or do the flowers complement the dishes...either way, great table.
    Have a wonderful week...

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    1. Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to comment! Rosie

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  2. You were so right about the dishes and flowers...perfect together. Love the napkin rings!

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    1. Hi, Bev! Thanks for visiting and for your kind words. Enjoy your week,
      Rosie

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  3. The Portuguese plates on the lemon grass fiesta plates look gorgeous together. Your flowers are stunning to look at. Beautiful table!

    Candy

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    1. Thanks for your encouraging words, Candy. It was a fun table to do. Rosie

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  4. How wonderful to have Bird of Paradise blooming in your own garden! I enjoyed how you thought through each step of planning your tablescape. I like all your selections. The yellow lanterns and napkin rings added a great dimension giving your table so much personality.

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    1. Thank you for your comments, Bonnie. Aren't these flowers fun? They really look like birds and I smile every time they bloom!! I'm glad I could use them in a tablescape. Rosie

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  5. Your table is so bright and cheery! I just love the way you put all the colors together and they work so well!! I'm so glad to hear you are a 'newbie' at this, too. Isn't it a fun hobby!! I'm following you now. Zenda

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    1. Thank you for taking the time to comment, Zenda. I think we are both fortunate to have found such a special way to be creative! Rosie

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  6. Wow, those flowers are really eye-catching! You did a great job choosing what to use on the table to showcase the flowers, perfect choice of plates. Your little s & p shakers are adorable, too. Take care, Rosie - Dawn @ We Call It Junkin.com

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  7. Such beautiful colors! I especially like the bright yellow lanterns (as I love anything yellow!) The bird of paradise blooms are so neat, I don't think I've ever seen real ones before! Thanks for your sweet comment, sorry I'm so late replying back. We were out-of-town for the weekend and I'm trying to catch up!

    Katherine

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    1. Thank you for visiting, Katherine. I, too, love Birds of Paradise. We had gone to a restaurant the other night where they had a hedge the entire length of the building made up of this flower. It was extraordinary! Rosie

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  8. Rosie - your table setting bought back such happy memories for me. My mother loved Bird of Paradise flowers! You did a beautiful job complementing the spectacular blooms. Love those napkin rings and salt and pepper shakers - great job!

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    1. Many thanks for your kind comments, Diane. I'm glad I got to use these flowers in a tablescape! Rosie

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  9. So sorry I missed this one Rosie! Gorgeous birds of paradise!! Love them with the yellow lanterns and they make your pretty plates look exotic! How fun to have a change of scenery~
    Jenna

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