The 70 Cent Safari

I wanted to do one more tablescape for January, so I went to HomeGoods to use a gift card my sweet stepdaughter gave me for Christmas, and found inspiration for my January table!  You just gotta love the clearance aisle of HomeGoods! You never know what treasure you may find there.  On the bottom shelf of the aisle there were stacks of dishes, all in the same pattern: some dinner plates, and some salad plates. When I picked one up and checked the bottom, the sticker read, "70 cents"!  I couldn't believe it!
So, I immediately grabbed four salad plates and headed for the checkout.  For some reason, the minute I saw these plates I thought of an African Safari. I think maybe the pattern reminds me of "Big Cat" prints: like a panther or cheetah...something like that. I thought of my black dinner plates at home, and felt the color combination really lent itself to a Safari theme.  So, this table was born:

HOW IT WAS CREATED:

I did not use a tablecloth because I felt the wood of the table added to the texture and color I was looking for (minus the flash!)

First, I added my seagrass woven placemats to use as chargers.  I found these at Kohl's.

Then, came my black pebble-bordered dinner plates, gifted me by my other sweet stepdaughter last Christmas. (It's so nice when your family helps support your obsession hobby!)

The inspiration plate came next. I love the color palette of these plates! Can you see what I mean about the "footprints" on the plates? I'm not sure why these didn't sell (there were many plates unbought!). I must say that the bowl of the plate is very flat and serving food on them could present a problem: it's almost as if the food would slide right off! So, maybe, these were seconds and rejected for that reason.

My place setting was completed with my Treble clef flatware from World Market, new Lenox
napkins from HomeGoods (I know they look rather formal, but I thought the fern pattern in them looked like a jungle tree!), wrought iron napkin rings from Bed, Bath and Beyond and Dollar Tree stemware (just love that store's glassware!)

My centerpiece got started with a scarf of mine whose print reflected the zebra and spotted cats that might be seen on a Safari. The focal point of the centerpiece is something I discovered on the way to the checkout line at HomeGoods on my shopping excursion.  As I was thinking about a Safari theme, this darling wood elephant was right at my sight level! Before I knew it, he was in my shopping cart!  I'd like to think his raised trunk will bring my luck to my house (isn't that what they say?), but I know for sure he's a welcomed addition to my tablescaping goods and perfect for this table.  I then added a wrought iron lantern that normally sits on my kitchen counter, and filled it with faux greenery that is usually on my fireplace mantle.  I wanted to give the impression that my little elephant was getting ready for lunch at an oasis on the African plain!  I then added some wooden spools I'm using as candlesticks (found while antiquing in Santa Cruz).  I completed the centerpiece with some votives for extra glow, and surrounded them with some wooden necklaces for accent.  Another accent are my elephant salt and pepper shakers I received for Christmas.  How cute are these cuddling elephants?!

So this is my 70 Cent Safari.  I can't believe January is almost over.  Soon I'll be taking out my red and white dishes to get ready for Valentine's Day!                                                                                            I hope your new year is starting out well. I'll be linking up to
Susan for Tablescape Thursday at www.betweennapsontheporch.net  and Christine at
www.rustic-refined.com for Table It! on Monday.  Thank you, ladies, for giving us all a chance to share our tables.

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