Happy Belated July Fourth!

I just attended a reunion of a choir I used to sing with because the director is retiring.  It was a wonderful night.   The evening was one of sharing memories, catching up on present accomplishments, re-connecting with old friends, but mostly enjoying the choral sound of 175 singers brought together for one main reason: singing the songs that filled our rehearsal and performance hours under the tutelage of our extraordinary director. He and his wife will now be "on the road" with their motorhome!  However, because my attention got diverted,  it became very clear that I could not make the deadline for posting a Fourth of July tablescape.  So, I now I share with you a belated July Fourth table!

Here's How It Was Created:

I started with an unusual set of table runners. Actually, these are not table runners at all: they are Waverly window valances that I just got back from the dry cleaners.  They were hanging in my den since I hadn't put them up yet, and they called to me as I went into the room looking for a table covering.  My red, white and blue table was about to be created!

I then added my red ruffled straw placemat. I just like to use these placemats on different holidays: they add a sense of "celebration".

I chose my Block Zen Chop Plates from Mikasa to use as a charger. I thought the white stripe that would be showing under the other dishes in the stack would mimic the white stripe of the American flag.

Next on the stack I used my blue Churchill dishes in its Willow pattern.  I bought these plates two years ago and had yet to use them. I'm glad I got to use them for this tablescape; they really are so very pretty.

To complete my red, white and blue color theme, I went back to the watermelon plates I used in my Father's Day tablescape.  There are no markings on them, but I found them at Michael's.  They are perfect for a BBQ or any summer table!

I completed my place setting with plastic glasses from the Dollar Tree store, my red flatware from the grocery store, and kitchen hand towels from HomeGoods that I will be using as napkins.  I loved their watermelon embellishment. I found the watermelon "mini-clothespins" at Michael's and thought I could use them for adding placecards to each place setting. I also included individual appetizer plates marked as Room Creative, Susani Red from HomeGoods.   I found the cheese spreaders at Tuesday Morning. There are four different patterns.

My centerpiece started with a basket tray I found at Michael's.  I "lined" the basket with a casserole dish from my Polish Pottery set.  I filled it with a patriotic pitcher I got from Tuesday Morning. I added faux flowers and American flags to the pitcher.  I have had this lighted wreath since last year.  I was going to use it for the holidays, and never did. I've been itching to see if the tiny lights would show up in a daytime tablescape, so I decided the look could replicate "fireworks" and used it for the Fourth of July! I also added a red berry garland for contrast. Unfortunately, the tiny lights don't show up as well in the photos as they do in "real life", but you hopefully get the idea! The basket is flanked by candleholders I just got while antiquing.

For accent pieces, I added a glass star I bought at a church yard sale (MANY good bargains there!) and a Villeroy and Boch bowl I found on our Maine trip last month.  I'm trying to add more red transferware to my tablescaping stash, and I couldn't resist this darling bowl.

I had to share the "artwork" from some of my grandchildren from Father's Day.  They wanted to color July Fourth pictures, so these are just a few, for fun.

I hope your Fourth of July was full of fun and celebration for the wonderful country in which we live.

I'll be joining Christine for her Table It! Link Party at www.rustic-refined.com,  Susan for Tablescape Thursday at  www.betweennapsontheporch.net. and Kathy for her Home and Garden Thursday at www.delightsomelife.com
A continued sincere "Thank You" to these ladies for hosting these parties!

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