Zebra Shopping Day Tablescape

I've said it before - inspiration for a tablescape comes from some odd places. This time it was my cheapness (I'm not as cheap as my sister but close.....) We were shopping at Michael's and found these ugly chargers on sale. Yes, anything on sale stops us in our tracks. Well, I bought them - "too good a buy to pass us." The zebra chargers that I said I wouldn't have in my house then sat on the shelf until my niece came to visit and played with dishes. She put together several place settings using them, and I saw the possibilities.

Then I went to Pier 1 with my coupons, reward points, etc. and bought a nutcracker - it cost me $6.00 in the end for a $40.00 nutcracker. (I love Pier 1 but that's another story....)

So - together with Jennifer's place setting and my nutcracker, here's the tablescape:

Over view of the table - yeah, I know, a bit shocking, huh?

Close up of the place setting

Love this flatware - by Cambridge from Ross

First layer of the place setting is dual napkins held by a glitzy red beaded napkin ring (to match the curling ribbon on the packages)

Next layer is a turquoise blue Fiestaware salad plate by Homer Laughlin

A simple white plate follows

The dinner plate is black "Fun Factory" by Waechtersbach

Good Grief! This charger is ugly.......I know Pat has plans to use it again.....

Close up of the glitzy napkin ring

Pat refers to these glasses as "Ruffles have ridges" because of the unique rims

Only elegant thing on the table this week - Pat's gorgeous Depressionware candle holders holding 14" tapers

In addition to the nutcracker, the centerpiece has two white boas down the center holding an assortment of small package in white, turquoise, and zebra to match the packages on the nutcracker

My great buy - I wish I could take credit for being a savvy shopper but once again, it was Rayleen at Pier 1 who showed me how to get this nutcracker at a remarkable price.

One last look at the table from the other end

Where it came from:
Tablecloth - gift from Pat
Zebra Flatware - by Cambridge from Ross
Zebra Charger - Michael's
Black Dinner Plate - "Fun Factory" by Waechtersbach from Tuesday Morning
White Salad Plate - "Food Network" from Kohl's
Turquoise Salad Plate and Black Bread/Butter Plate - Fiestaware by Homer Laughlin from Replacements
Glassware - Pier 1
Turquoise Napkin - Handmade by Pat
Zebra Napkin - eBay
Napkin Ring - Pier 1
Candle Holders - from Pat's collection
Candles - Ferndale Emporium (a fabulous local boutique)
Shopper Nutcracker - Pier 1 this season
Turquoise Ornaments - Michael's this season

We will be joining Cuisine Kathleen's "Let's Dish" this Wednesday:  http://www.cuisinekathleen.com/

Mexican Christmas Tablescape

It's obvious that Pat got bored with the last two monotone tablescape. This week is definitely one that has color. Tamales at Christmas time have always been a family favorite (we've been known to forgo the traditional holiday fare and have Mexican food instead.) So - here's the table for the first of many get-to-gethers this season.

Over view of the table - nothing dull or monotone here.....

Close up of the place setting

Flatware is "Montana" by Gourmet Settings

First layer of the Mexican place setting is a German bowl by Waechtersbach.....go figure...

Pat used a mix of red and blue shades for the accent plates

Obviously, bright yellow was the perfect choice for the dinner plate

This is actually a beautiful periwinkle blue charger in Fiestaware. Sorry the color is so bad.

Everyone recognizes the placemat - from Pier 1

The five piece place setting of flatware

I love yellow. I can't get enough of it. Pat thought she was joking when she said something about using this glass....I took her seriously.

The napkin ring has every color from the table

Here's Santa - he sits on a bright yellow plate of hot chilis

Both trees sit in yellow bowls

One last look from the other end of the table

Where it came from:
Mexican Throw - from Mexico over 20 years ago
Placemats - from Pier 1
Flatware - "Montana" by Gourmet Settings from Bed, Bath, and Beyond
Charger - Periwinkle Fiestaware by Homer Laughlin from Replacements and eBay
Dinner Plate and Bowl - Fun Factory by Waechtersbach from Replacements
Chili Accent Plates - "Hot Peppers" by Laurie Gates from Macy's
Napkins - Handmade by Pat years ago
Napkin Rings - from Pier 1
Yellow Glasses - by Dansk from Replacements
Margarita Glasses - by Libby from Kohl's
Mexican Santa - Ross years ago
Green Christmas Trees - Michael's
Mexican Ornaments - anywhere we can find them

We will be joining Cuisine Kathleen's "Let's Dish" this Wednesday:  http://www.cuisinekathleen.com/

Bordallo Uptown Tablescape

Yesterday was a truly wonderful day. Our cousin Trev, Pat, and I played for hours with dishes. And this was after we raided Trev and his partner Gary's entire house. Pat packed up dishes, sterling silver flatware, chargers, napkins, placemats, everything and anything she wanted - nothing was off limits (I already told you what a great cousin we have - he's the one that gave me an entire collection of blue Portieux glassware from France. This time, he gave me eight place settings of Wallace Grand Colonial Sterling Silver. Can you believe it???)

Anyway, here is what we came up with using just some of Trev's Bordallo Pinheira Cabbage collection:

Over view of the table

Close up of the place setting

Pat "had to use" these tiny vegetable bowls - they measure less and 4 1/2" across

Both Trev and Pat wanted to use the round salad plate even though we were using the crescent-shaped salad bowls on the table

The dinner plate measures 10 1/2" across

I admit it - I am probably the only person in the world who does not like these chargers - that is to say, until I saw Trev put a Cabbage plate on it. I was wrong. Totally. It looks fabulous together. So, I publicly apologize to Trev, to Rayleen at Pier 1 and to the rest of the world. You were right - you all said that you just need to use it with the right place setting. I'm hooked......

Trev wanted to use some of his collection of Waterford glassware - I said no. He fought - I won. I was so afraid that a glass might break.......so he had to settle for my glassware.

I wished this photographed better - this is absolutely beautiful sterling silver. Simple. Elegant.

The five piece place setting - "Grand Colonial" by Wallace

Trev and Gary have dozens of different piece of Bordallo. This is one of my favorites - the crescent salad plate

The butter pat

No argument here - both Pat and Trev wanted to use the soup tureen as the centrepiece. Trev has the cream soup bowls and liners to match

Covered mayonnaise dish and ladle

A cruet

Individual covered tureen 

Trev wanted to use his sterling candle holders. Pat wanted brown candle holders. I wanted to use crystal candle holders. My table................I won the argument. They chose the sage green candles.

One last look at the table

Where it came from:
All Bordallo Pinheira Cabbage Dinnerware - graciously borrowed from our cousins
Flatware - "Grand Colonial" by Wallace from our cousins
White Chargers - (from Pier 1) from Trev's collection
Glassware - from Pier 1
Candle Holders - Depression glass from Pat's collection
Sage Green Candles - TJMaxx

We will be joining Cuisine Kathleen's "Let's Dish" this Wednesday: 
http://www.cuisinekathleen.com/