Spring Redo

You know you're getting older, when you do what I did the other day.  I wanted to present a tablescape that was Spring-like, but not Easter yet. So, I had this idea from a song in Gilbert and Sullivan's operetta, "The Mikado". It is entitled, "The Flowers That Bloom in the Spring, Tra-La!" I put together my floral patterned linens and floral plates, etc. Then something looked familiar.  I went back to my previous posts, and realized that last spring, I did almost the SAME tablescape! You can see it here.Can you imagine?  So.....it was off to the drawing board again.  I wanted something bright and happy, but wasn't ready for bunnies yet. So, using the gift card I had won at Cuisine Kathleen's Giveaway, I headed to HomeGoods. I found some darling bunny plates I'll be using for the grandkids' table at Easter and I also found some brightly colored salad plates that I thought would be perfect for a spring table. Many thanks, Kathleen!! They became the starting point for my SECOND spring table.

Here's The Table:

Here's How It Was Created:


I started with my yellow straw placemats that remind me of the new birds' nests I see the local birds creating as spring gets into full swing.

I then used my blue glass chargers I found while antiquing in Ventura.

The next plates were from a local church's rummage sale. I got six plates for $2.00!! They are Pfaltzgraff (no pattern name noted) and in excellent condition!! I love their lattice border.  Each plate features a different fruit. Aren't they pretty?

I then added my new salad plates. I LOVE the intricate, striking pattern (especially love the rooster!) and the scalloped edging.  They are Fitz and Floyd and the pattern name is Ricamo.  I think all the colors make this plate very adaptable to many tablescapes.

I finished the place setting with my blue Mexican glass tumblers from Pier One; my white-handled flatware from Tuesday Morning;  my April Cornell napkins from HomeGoods; and, my new floral napkin rings that were 99 cents at Bed, Bath and Beyond (love those clearance aisles!). I also added my cobalt blue sherbet glasses, found at a swapmeet.

My centerpiece started with a platter and pitcher from Maxcera in the Chinoiserie Toile pattern that I bought last year at HomeGoods. I added faux daffodils from Michael's. Daffodils just sing, "Spring" to me!  I accented the centerpiece with my ceramic bird figurines.  I wanted another touch of blue, so I took a look at my bottle collection (a gift from my late brother many years ago) and found these little blue bottles that I felt coordinated well with the table.

I then added two pieces from, what I call, my Portuguese ceramic collection. Being one-half Portuguese, I am always attracted to the brightly painted ceramics of that culture.  I figured that the roosters coordinated well with my new salad plates and the watering can worked perfectly with the theme of a spring table!

So, that is my "Spring Redo" table!  Enjoy these days as the warmer weather and longer days signal spring is indeed upon us! I absolutely love this season change: it signals renewal, hope and a sense of ease.  Ahhhh.........

I'll be joining Susan at www.betweennapsontheporch.net for Tablescape Thursday.  Please stop by to enjoy all the pretty tables!!

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Wearin' of the "Greens"

Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone!  It's time to get out the dutch oven and make what my Mom would call, "New England Boiled Supper", which translated meant we were having corned beef and cabbage for dinner.  I do not have a hint of Irish in me (Portuguese, English and German), but I still enjoy celebrating St. Patrick's Day by wearing something green that day, doing a little decorating and making corned beef for dinner.  Ever since I started blogging, I've enjoyed participating in Cuisine Kathleen's St. Patrick's Day Blog Crawl, so I went hunting in my dish closet to see what I have that could satisfy the requirements for a St. Patrick's Day table without using what I did last year.  I found things, but the problem was that the greens that I had were all in a different shade of the color.  But, I figured, "green is green" and hopefully I won't offend any leprechauns with my mismatched components.  Here's how the table turned out:

Here's How It Was Created:

I started with a square placemat that I found at Bed, Bath and Beyond in their clearance section.  It was 99 cents and they had them in some really pretty colors! This is my favorite shade of green for St. Patrick's Day:

The first layer of my dish stack is my new white charger that I ordered from Mikasa.  It, too, was in their clearance section.  I couldn't resist these chargers. They are labeled BLOCK, Zen . They were reduced from $15.00 to $4.99!  I knew I wouldn't have the chance to purchase a charger for that price again, so I got enough to use for family dinners on the holidays.  I'm looking forward to using them with my Butterfly Meadow dishes for Easter dinner.

Next came my square dinner plates from the Shinoda Design Center.

The top layer of my dish stack is a melamine salad plate from the clearance section at Pier One. It is not labeled with any pattern name. These plates look so much like china and I love the pattern. The green is more like chartreuse, not exactly shamrock green, but "green is green".

I completed the place setting with white Lenox napkins from Bed, Bath and Beyond, new napkin rings at $.99 a piece from the same place (gotta love those clearance shelves!), a faux carnation from Dollar Tree, gold-plated flatware on loan from my cousin, green goblets from Pier One and a plastic leprechaun hat also from Dollar Tree.

My centerpiece started with a shamrock wreath from Hobby Lobby surrounding my Farval pitcher from TJ Maxx which is filled with faux flowers from Dollar Tree.  I added green sprays, green wire garland and two accent pieces:  I raided my hubby's frog collection and found one who I'm pretending could be singing, "When Irish Eyes are Smilin'". I then added a salt and pepper set that is labeled, "Two Peas in a Pod" ( a Christmas gift from my stepdaughter): is this not the cutest thing? I know the color is not shamrock green again, but I couldn't resist sharing this darling set. I love the sweet looks on their faces! Some shamrock scatter and the table is done.

And so that's my table for St. Patrick's Day!  I hope you agree that "green is green".  I'll be joining Christine at www.rustic-refined.com for her Table It! Link Party,                                                 Kathleen at www.cuisinekathleen.com for her annual St. Patrick's Day Blog Crawl and                     Susan at www.betweennapsontheporch.net for Tablescape Thursday.
                                     Please be sure and visit these blogs for all the fun!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

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