A Manners Can Be Fun Tablescape

When I was young we had a book called, “Manners Can Be Fun”. It was first published in 1936 so it wasn’t a new book and it was a bit old-fashioned. When our children were young, a new edition was published and I bought it as well because the book held lots of memories for me. The book is actually still in print. When I saw these napkins, I thought of that book immediately and I knew I had to have them. I created a fairly simple table design around the napkins.

I bought the black tablecloth on Amazon. If you are looking for a simple tablecloth design Amazon has some good ones. Just be sure to always read the reviews before you buy. A black background always makes photo taking a challenge!

The black salad plate is unmarked but I probably bought it at HomeGoods. It is similar to a black Fiesta plate.

I love the silverware design on these dinner plates. As soon as I saw them, I wanted them. I have had them for several years. They were made by Emma Bridgewater in England. The pattern is called “Knives and Forks”.

The charger is my Antique Beaded charger that I bought from Williams-Sonoma several years ago. I use it often because it has a simple design that goes with everything.

I bought these black goblets on Ebay and they were one of the first sets that I bought several years ago. They are Lenox Midnight Mood black glass water goblets and they were made between 1974 and 1982. They are 7 1/4 inches tall. When I started buying goblets I didn’t pay attention to the height but now I like to buy goblets that are at least about 8 inches tall because my table is large and I think they show better. The clear fluted goblet with the black stem is called Octime and and the manufacturer was Luminarc Arcoroc. They were made in the 1980’s. I bought them on Ebay also.

The flatware is our every day stainless. It is made by Gorham and the pattern is Studio. It is still in production.

I found the napkins on Etsy a few years ago while I was looking for some other napkins. I really love the sayings!

The napkin rings were made by French Laundry Home and I bought them on sale online at Horchow several years ago.

I found the acrylic chair place card holders online at Wayfair.

My mother received the cream pottery vase as a wedding present in 1938. I have a second matching one as well. I just set a rose ball in it for this table. I added the small black chairs to match the place card holders and provide a bit more dimension on the table.

I wanted to show the entire set of napkins because they are such fun. Manners can be Fun!

Ants at the Picnic Tablescape

I have been thinking about this table for a while. The red plaid tablecloth just calls out Picnic! I think I bought it at HomeGoods.

I’ve had these ant salad plates for a long time just waiting for the right moment to set a table with them.

These salad plates are labeled Boston Warehouse Trading Corp, copyright 2008. I really love the ants crawling on them. I can’t remember where I bought them.

The next black plate in the pile was made by 10 Strawberry Street. I found them at HomeGoods a few years ago.

I use this plate in my tablescapes often because the scalloped edge works well with many designs. It is called Butterfly Meadow Cloud and was made by Lenox. Not sure where I found them.

The black dinner plate isn’t labeled. I found them at HomeGoods a few years ago.

I just love these red plastic cup goblets. I was telling my kids about them and they gave me a set as a gift. They were made by Red Cup Living in 2013.

Not sure where I bought this black Ginkgo Le Prix flatware. I wanted black and it was the only black set I could find at the time. I have had it for several years.

I had someone on Etsy make the ants napkins. I really love that print! Can’t remember where I bought the black basket napkin rings. I have had them for a while.

I bought the ant place card holders at Pottery Barn a few years ago. They were red but Hubby spray painted them black to match the plates and napkins. They are one of my favorite place card holders.

I have had the red basket for several years. It usually sits on a baker’s rack that is on the wall next to the kitchen. I found the ants on Etsy after looking for the right size for a while.

I love the parade of ants!

To see 160+ other tablescapes that I have created please click here. If you are on Facebook, join my Tablescape Ideas group! Just click on the Facebook Search box at the top of the page and type in Tablescape Ideas. Don’t miss my Tablescaping How-To section at the top of this blog post (or here) for more tablescaping tips and tricks.

I put a new tablescape on my blog every week so please check back!

5 Different 4th of July Tablescapes

Since today is the 4th of July, I decided to briefly revisit all my 4th of July tables so you can see them all in one post and compare the design elements. I will share various photos and you can follow the links at the end of the post for more information about each table. Left to right, Uncle Sam’s Table; Stars and Stripes Forever; Red, White, and Blue, for Me and You; Stars and Stripes and Uncle Sam; and Flags and more Flags.

You will notice some repeats with plates, flatware, glassware, and other elements on these tables showing how you can mix and match to create different designs.

Two tables had the same white wooden stars napkin rings, another table had a blue metal napkin ring, and two napkins were placed so that they didn’t need a napkin ring. I used the same napkins on two of the tables but their placement made them look very different.

I used five different centerpieces although three are standing on the same base. Two of the Uncle Sams look the same but if you look close, one is taller than the other one and it has a slightly different design.

You can see the same red goblet on four of the tables and one of the tables has a matching red iced tea. I used two different blue goblets on four tables and the last table has a red goblet with a different design.

The tables all look different but I used the same flatware on all of them.

To read about how I created each of these 4th of July tables, please visit the following links to my blog posts about each table:

https://www.whispersoftheheart.com/blog/2019/5/29/uncle-sams-table https://www.whispersoftheheart.com/blog/2019/5/29/stars-and-stripes-forever https://www.whispersoftheheart.com/blog/2019/6/4/red-white-and-blue-for-me-and-you https://www.whispersoftheheart.com/blog/2019/6/24/stars-and-stripes-and-uncle-sam https://www.whispersoftheheart.com/blog/2019/6/3/flags-and-more-flags

This blog post was featured at Twochicksandamom, https://twochicksandamom.blogspot.com/ and Zucchini Sisters, https://www.zucchinisisters.com/ Please visit these blogs, you will enjoy them!

Stars and Stripes and Uncle Sam on the 4th of July Tablescape

I love this striped patriotic tablecloth and the matching napkins, Lots of movement for the 4th of July.

I wrapped the napkin around the plates on this table, saves using a napkin ring and it’s a fun change. I found the napkins and tablecloth at Kohls a few years ago. The place mat is from Pier 1.

I bought the blue ruffled salad plates online at Ballard Designs. They were called Southern Living. You can read my blog post about what to consider when you are buying salad plates here.

If you read my tablescaping blog posts you have seen this dinner/charger plate before a few times. It is from Pottery Barn, the pattern is Cambria in red. A charger plate needs to be about 11”-12” in diameter and this plate is about 11 3/4”. I have this plate in a few other colors as well. It is microwave and dishwasher safe too.

The second charger is my Antique Beaded plate from Williams-Sonoma several years ago. I have used it before on my 4th of July table settings.

I used my red Waterford Marquis Brookside goblets again for this table setting. If you read my blog you have seen this goblet recently in a few tablescapes. I think if I were starting a tablescaping hobby, a set of red goblets would be one of my first purchases. They can be used several times a year. I bought the blue goblet at Pier 1 sometime this past year I think. I love this shade of blue and the etched design. I also like the height of the goblet. You can read my blog post about what to consider when you are buying goblets (including the colors I use the most) for your tablescaping collection here.

I bought the frosted white flatware on sale online at Wayfair a few years ago, it is made by Cambridge. It is 18/0 so the fork tines are a bit sharper than I would like but I really liked the frosted color. Wayfair has really good sales on flatware sometimes. I have used this flatware often the past couple of months. You can read my blog post about what to consider when you are buying flatware here.

Can’t remember where I bought the metal star place card holders. I have had them for years. The set came with three navy, three red, three turquoise, and three white in the set.

I have had this Uncle Sam Nutcracker for many many years. I set him on a red Pottery Barn Rhodes drink dispenser stand to give him a bit more height.

I found this salt and pepper at an antique mall several years ago.

I found this at an antique mall too. It looks like the US Capitol but it is actually a bank. The slot is hidden on the back.

I always have fun creating 4th of July table settings.

To see 200+ other tablescapes that I have created including 12 other 4th of July tables please click here. If you are on Facebook, join my Tablescape Ideas group! Just click on the Facebook Search box at the top of the page and type in Tablescape Ideas. Don’t miss my Tablescaping How-To section at the top of this blog post (or here) for more tablescaping tips and tricks.

I put a new tablescape on my blog every week so please check back!

This blog post was featured at Life as a Leo Wife, https://lifeasaleowife.com/ Please visit this blog, lots of great craft ideas!