Easter Table, 2016

Easter Sunday was a wonderful day: full of family, laughter, hugs, an egg hunt, flower planting, ham, tri-tip roast, scalloped potatoes, 7-layer salad, grilled asparagus, birthday cake (five family birthdays in April!),  bubbles, sidewalk chalk and games. Easter and the three days before it were so jam-packed with things to do, that I only had time to take a few pictures of my Easter table before everyone arrived, but I wanted to share them with you today:

Here's my Easter Table:

The place settings consisted of my Mikasa Zen chargers, my Lenox Butterfly Meadow dinner plates, napkins recently purchased from Bed, Bath and Beyond (I wanted to go with pink this year instead of the napkins that match my Butterfly Meadow tablecloth: just for a change), Butterfly Meadow napkin rings, my late mother-in-law's Roger's silverplate in the Heritage pattern and to top it off a little "nest" filled with Cadbury Eggs. My place cards were a gift from my cousin who makes the loveliest cards for each special occasion. Thank you, Karen!

The highlight of my centerpiece is also a gift from my cousin. She made this lovely faux flower vase for me and I knew it would be the focus of my Easter table. Don't you love the colors? I flanked the vase with glass candlesticks from a late dear friend, and then added my Fitz and Floyd salt and pepper shakers.

I hope your Easter was filled with warmth and joy and the hope that this spring time of year represents.

I'll be joining Christine at www.rustic-refined.com for Dishing It! and Digging It! and
Susan at www.betweennapsontheporch.net for Tablescape Thursday. Please be sure to stop by these blogs and see all the creativity out there! Thank you, ladies, for hosting these parties.

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Thank you in advance for your comments. They really do put a smile on my face.

St. Patrick's Day Table

I am honestly so confused with the time change and the idea that no sooner have I decorated in green, it will be time to pull out the pastels for Easter! I had a "betwixt and between" table all planned out to fill up the time between St. Patty's and Easter, and the time went so fast, I never had a chance to photograph and post the table!! Before I knew it, it was time for Kathleen's St. Patrick's Day Blog Crawl at www.cuisinekathleen.com. So, here I am, ready for St. Patrick's Day and my mouth is watering for corned beef and cabbage.  This year I'll be trying a crock pot recipe for my corned beef.  My Mom, being from Massachusetts, always called it "New England Boiled Supper". I thought it would be good to try a recipe that I didn't have to worry about during the day. With Easter so close, I've been using my time to decorate the house and put together all the Easter baskets.  I usually do a family basket for each of our girls' families and then separate baskets for the grandchildren. So, I'm working on 12 baskets!! But, first, let's celebrate St. Patrick's Day in all its green glory!!

Here's the table I created:

Here's how it was created:

I started with placemats I had found on sale last year at Sur La Table.  I love the toile pattern feel to them and I am especially fond of this shade of green. I can't believe this is the first time I am using them, because they are so pretty!

I then layered a felt shamrock placemat that I will use as a "charger". I found it at The Dollar Tree Store. Ya gotta' love that place!!

Next came my Metaceramica dinner plates from HomeGoods.  They are made in Portugal, and are workhorses in my dish collection!

I then added my favorite plates for adding interest and texture to my plate stack. They are called Castleware from Tabletops Lifestyles and I also found them at HomeGoods. I'm always happy when I can use them on my table. I love their pointed scalloped edging and raised pattern.

To top the dish stack I placed a leprechaun hat from The Dollar Tree Store. I'm hoping my dinner guests will be good sports and wear them during dinner (or at least for a picture!). Would that be asking too much? It is a holiday, after all.

My place setting is completed with white handled flatware from Tuesday Morning (I can't remember the pattern; but it is pretty popular with tablescapers); my favorite green goblets from Pier One; and, white napkins that I've placed into the goblets to give some height to the table.

My centerpiece consists of a leprechaun hat I found at the Dollar Tree store that I'm using as a "vase" for my faux green carnations and some shamrock picks. Flanking the hat are green and white sprays also found at the Dollar Tree store. I encircled everything with a St. Patrick's Day garland. For some added interest I added my salt and pepper shakers that my stepdaughter had given me one Christmas (I love their sweet expressions!) and some other frogs from my hubby's frog collection (this is getting to be a tradition on my St. Patrick Day's tables!).  See here and here. Then I added some green and gold scatter of shamrocks.

So, at least my table is ready.  Now, I just have to wait until March 17th, get out the crock pot, add all of the ingredients, and wait until that delicious aroma fills the house. Then, we can officially celebrate St. Patty's Day and get ready for EASTER!! Yikes!!

I'll be joining Kathleen at www.cuisinekathleen.com for her St. Patrick's Day Blog Crawl and
Susan at www.betweennapsontheporch.net for Tablescape Thursday as well as Christine for her Dishing It! and Digging It! at www.rustic-refined.com. Many thanks, ladies, for hosting these parties. Dear readers, please stop by these wonderful blogs for a chance to enjoy the creativity of all the participants who share their tables, et al.

Thank you for your comments. They are so appreciated.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!