An African Safari Summer Tablescape

July 16, 2024 by Beth Wilson in Tablescapes

I had been seeing tablescapes with this theme from time to time over the years and I was never interested in creating one myself. But as I was gathering things for a different African animal themed tablescape I saw these plates and I really liked the design so I searched around to see if I could find enough things that I liked to create an African Animals tablescape and here it is. I found the beige tablecloth at HomeGoods a few years ago. It has a slight brown tweed design.

These African animal dinner plates came from Ebay a few months ago. I bought them in a set of six with an elephant, giraffe, cheetah, zebra, lion, and Thomson’s gazelle. The back of the plate is marked Chase, African Portraits. It says, “The wild continent of Africa is the last great refuge of the remnants of a golden age of mammals The unequaled array of wild creatures that survive today continue to lure the photographer to capture a magnificent image.” This series is called Mammals and the designs were copyrighted by Lynn Chase Designs in 1995. A portion of the sale of these Chase Products when they were first sold went to the Chase Wildlife Foundation. They would not be used for food and they would be removed before food is served.

I bought these Mason stoneware beige larger dinner plates at Pottery Barn a few years ago. The color was called wheat. You can read about what you need to think about when you are buying dinner plates here.

These bronze hammered charger plates came from Williams Sonoma several years ago. I really like the hammered design and they are a nice weight. I knew they would be a great color for this tablescape. To read about what you should be considering when you are buying chargers click here.

This marblelized light brown and cream flatware set is marked EM3 Inox 18/10, Made in Italy. I can’t remember where I bought the set online, I have had it for a few years. You can read my blog post about what to consider when you are buying flatware here.

These Utopia Home brown polyester napkins came from Amazon a few years ago. I usually like to buy napkins that are 20” by 20” and these are 17” by 17” but I decided to get them anyway. I found these African animal pottery napkin rings on Ebay. They are Ros Byrne Designs by Delicate Dugga Pottery and it looks like they were originally sold in Harare, Zimbabwe.

I found four of these napkin rings on Ebay a few months ago and I didn’t buy them because I figured that I would never be able to find the other two but I kept searching on Ebay and five more popped up together so I quickly bought them all. I would like to buy a few other different animals but it looks like they are not for sale anymore from the original source. I have a weakness for napkin rings and I have a large collection but I love finding unique sets like this one. To read about the What, Where and How of napkin rings please click here.

I was going to use small plastic African animals like the ones I used on the centerpiece for place card holders on this tablescape but then I found these small African animal candles. I bought them at Beau Coup online a few months ago and they were called Born to be Wild Animal Candles.

To read about the what, where and how of place card holders, please click here.

The brown glass goblet on the left was made by Lenox between 1966 and 1985. It was called Antique Brown. I bought them on Ebay many years ago. It is really difficult to find a brown glass goblet and I am so glad that I found them. The beige glass goblet on the right came from Z Gallerie online a few years ago. You can read my blog post about what to consider when you are buying goblets for your tablescaping collection including the colors that I use most often here.

I struggled with the centerpiece for this tablescape. I really wanted some kind of figure or sculpture that had a few different African animals but everything that I found was either too expensive or really ugly. So I found these Bolzra Safari Zoo Animal toys on Amazon and I bought them. (They can go in the grandkids’ toy box after.) They are painted really well and the animal shapes are realistic. I set them on a long wooden box that Hubby made for me and painted for another tablescape that I did a few years ago.

I added two sets of salt and peppers to the table, this one came from Amazon a few weeks ago.

This Pacific Giftware giraffe salt and pepper set came from Amazon as well. They have magnets to hold them together if wanted.

The center table runner came from Amazon as well and it is called Alaza Double-Sided African Decor Table Runner. I really like how it adds an African vibe to the tablescape.

This was a fun and unique tablescape to create.

To see over 260 different tablescapes that I have created please click here. If you are on Facebook, join my new Tablescape and Table Settings Ideas Facebook group for lots of tablescaping inspiration! Just click on the Facebook Search box at the top of the page and type in Tablescape and Table Settings Ideas or click here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2553689988183392

If you live in Southern California join our Facebook tablescaping group Southern California Tablescapers BTS Group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/440356398581157 We are planning a gathering for tablescapers in January in the Los Angeles area..

Don’t miss the Tablescape How-To tab at the top of my blog for DIY tips and tricks.

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

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A Seaside Summer Tablescape

July 11, 2024 by Beth Wilson in Tablescapes

It’s the time of year that I want to be staying somewhere right on the ocean, where I can just walk out and put my feet in the waves. This tablescape reminds me of that. I chose this tablecloth for this week’s tablescape because it looks like ocean sand. It has a texture to it that you can see in some of the photos. I found the beige tablecloth at HomeGoods a few years ago. It has a slight faint brown tweed design.

My camera photo goofed up the shape of this salad plate a bit, it is round. I have had these Adirondack blue chair beach plates for a few years waiting to pull a tablescape together using them and I finally got it done. Not one of my favorites, but it will do. These salad plates were designed by Susan Winget, a watercolor artist who lives in South Carolina. I have other plates that she has designed in my tablescaping collection. I can’t remember where I bought the salad plates but it may have been Ebay or HomeGoods.

A few years ago I was looking for a basic cream colored dinner plate and I found this one. It is Mason Stoneware made by Pottery Barn. I think this color was called Wheat. It comes in other colors as well. It is a great size (10 3/4”) for a dinner plate and large enough that it could be used as a charger with smaller dinner plates.

This charger was made by Mikasa and it is called Color Spectrum in Royal Blue. I love this charger, it is heavy and a great color. I have several other chargers like this one in other colors. I bought them all a few at a time on Ebay over several years.

This is my newest flatware set, a gift from Hubby for my birthday and Mother’s Day. This blue flatware set is labeled Mepra Inox and the pattern is called Fantasia. We bought it on sale at Macys online a few months ago but several stores online sell it. I also have this flatware pattern in orange and yellow. It comes in several other colors as well and it is difficult to find flatware sets in different colors so I have my eye on a few other colors when it goes on sale again. I have never seen a flatware set that comes in so many different colors. We bought the set on sale at Macys online. You can read my blog post about what to consider when you are buying flatware here. This photo really shows the tweed pattern in the beige tablecloth.

I am disappointed that the colors of the napkin are so washed out in this photo although they are light colors. It is an image of the ocean waves and the sand. I bought the napkins this week on Amazon. The blue Adirondack chair napkin rings came from Wilford & Lee Home Accents online a few years ago. They were white and I used them on another beach tablescape but Hubby painted them blue for me for this table setting to match the salad plates.

A better photo that shows the napkin design.

The blue Adirondack chair place card holders came from Kohl’s online a few years ago. They were a natural wood but Hubby spray painted them white for me for another tablescape that I did a few years ago and then blue for this tablescape.

We found the blue glass goblet on the left at Hobby Lobby last year. I was looking for a light blue glass goblet and these were perfect. The beige glass goblet on the right came from Z Gallerie online a few years ago. You can read my blog post about what to consider when you are buying goblets for your tablescaping collection including the colors that I use most often here.

I wanted a beach type chair for a centerpiece for a beach tablescape a few years ago and I started looking for doll chairs. I finally found this white one on Amazon. It was made by Matty’s Toy Shop and it was just what I was looking for. It was white for another tablescape but Hubby painted it blue for this one. I wanted to add something to it so I found a wash cloth at HomeGoods that looked like a beach towel and I draped it over the arm and I added a small seagull on the other arm. I can’t remember where I found the seagull.

I can’t remember where I found the seagulls. They came in a set of three and I put one on each side of the beach chair.

We definitely need a trip to the beach soon!

To see 260+ 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 and Table Settings Ideas. Don’t miss my Tablescaping How-To section at the top of this blog post 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 Miz Helen’s Country Cottage, https://www.mizhelenscountrycottage.com/ Please visit this blog for lots of great recipes!

A Crabby Tablescape for Summer

July 03, 2024 by Beth Wilson in Tablescapes

We live about a mile and a half as the crow flies from the Pacific Ocean. During the summer months I seem to lean toward creating ocean and beach themed tablescapes. I really don’t do them any other time of the year so I save up my ideas from year to year for the summer months. I created my first red crab tablescape five years ago then I did another different one four years ago, and another different one three years ago. If you read my blog, you can see how they all changed in design over time. Last year I did a white crab tablescape. You can see that one here. It has a very different vibe from this one. This Crabby Summer Tablescape with red crabs is closest in design to the one that I did five years ago. I have wanted to repeat that tablescape with some changes for a while. I found the red and blue crabs tablecloth on Amazon five years ago. I love the wiggly looking legs.

Many years ago I bought three small vintage crab bowls at a garage sale. I used them on an ocean themed tablescape with other ocean elements. When we were in Virginia five years ago, we were at an antique mall and I found six more vintage bowls with a similar design and one larger matching bowl, all on sale, and I bought them too. These hand-painted vintage crab bowls are marked Made in PV Czechoslovakia. I really like the color and the crab leg design.

A great bowl to use to serve Crab Bisque!

Years ago I was looking all over for salad plates with an all over pattern of red crabs but every plate had one crab or the crabs were silly looking. I was googling crab plates and these popped up from Pfaltzgraff. They were on major sale and they are microwave and dishwasher safe. So the red crabs suddenly became blue crabs and the overall design of that tablescape was tweaked a bit. This happens sometimes with my tables, I can’t find what I need so I substitute something else and change the design.

I bought these large blue dinner plates online several years ago at Ballard Designs, they are called Southern Living. They are about 11 1/2” in diameter, a good size to be either a dinner plate or a charger. I love plates that will work for either! You can read my blog post about what to consider when you are buying dinner plates here.

This is a charger that Hubby bought at the Dollar Store for me last year and I had him spray-paint it a bright Christmas red to use on a Christmas tablescape. To read about what you should be considering when you are buying chargers, please click here.

This Milano Red flatware set is Ginkgo International LePrix. I have had this set for years but it is still for sale. Not sure where I bought it. I now have it in other colors as well. You can read my blog post about what to consider when you are buying flatware here.

I can’t remember where I bought the cotton royal blue napkins, I have had them for several years. Over the years I have shopped for napkins at HomeGoods, Pier 1, and World Market so they probably came from one of those stores. Several years ago I looked all over for orange-red crab napkin rings with no luck. I found lots of metal and blue ones but nothing the right color. I had bought these small plastic crabs on Amazon to use as table scatter but they were shiny red when they arrived. Hubby was going to spray paint them orange-red for me and my daughter was over and I was telling her about my bad luck finding napkin rings and she suggested that I turn them into napkin rings, genius! So Hubby bought plain wood rings and spray painted the rings and the crabs and we glued the crab to the ring and viola, cheap napkin rings! To read about other ideas for homemade napkin rings please click here.

I love these metal red crab place card holders, I found them at Pottery Barn five years ago. They were a blue red and Hubby painted them orange red for me to use on a tablescape. To read about the what, where and how of place card holders, please click here.

The acrylic cobalt blue goblet on the left came from Pier 1 several years ago. Hubby found the red glass goblets on the right at an estate sale a few years ago. I think they are hand blown Ruby Red Bubble Glass Goblets made by Artland. You can read my blog post about what to consider when you are buying goblets for your tablescaping collection including the colors that I use most often, here.

I saw this large cast aluminum crab online at Grandin Road two years ago and I knew it would make a great centerpiece someday. I think it is supposed to be yard art. It had a weathered copper finish but Hubby painted it red for me. The crab centerpiece is sitting on a small wood stand I bought online at Pier 1 a few years ago. The stand was natural wood but Hubby painted it white for me.

I found this crab salt and pepper set on Ebay a few years ago. I like to add a bit of whimsy to my tablescapes sometimes. Ebay is a great place to find interesting salt and pepper sets.

Time to find a delicious crab bisque recipe!

To see 260+ other tablescapes that I have created including 25 other different ocean themed tablescapes 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 for more tablescaping tips and tricks.

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

A Tablescape for the 4th of July

June 26, 2024 by Beth Wilson in Tablescapes

This is a repeat of a 4th of July tablescape that I did three years ago but I made some changes to this one. I have had this tablecloth for many years. I bought it with the matching napkins at Pottery Barn many years ago. I love primary colors and my 4th of July tablescapes are always true primary colors, red, white, and blue but when I saw this tablecloth I decided to create a table with colors that were more of a country style.

Hubby found these stoneware salad and matching dinner plates at our local Habitat for Humanity store last year. The flag on wood design was copyrighted by Warren Kimble, and the plates are marked Sakura Casual Dining by Oneida. The pattern was called Colonial. These plates were made with a black edge and also without it. They were produced starting in 1997 and they are now discontinued. You can find them online on the secondary market.

The dinner plate has a white center instead of a design that covers the entire plate.

This charger was made by Mikasa and it is called Color Spectrum in Navy Blue. I love this charger, it is heavy and a great true navy blue color. I have several of these chargers in other colors as well that I bought a few at a time on Ebay over several years.

This flatware is marked D & D Inox, made in Italy. I bought the flatware set online at Neiman Marcus or Bloomingdales during a major sale many years ago. I really liked this pattern and it was a really good sale so I have the same pattern in dark caramel, wine red, and dark aqua. You can read my blog post about what to consider when you are buying flatware here.

When I buy a tablecloth I seldom buy the matching napkins because I don’t want to spend the extra money when I have so many solid color napkin sets already but I did buy them with this tablecloth because I wanted that look. I didn’t use a napkin ring here because I wanted a more formal looking place setting.

I can’t remember where I bought these metal star place card holders. I have had them for many years. The set came with three navy blue, three red, three turquoise, and three white stars in the set. I used the red and the navy blue stars on this tablescape.

I think these simple red glass goblets came from Crate and Barrel a few years ago. I had been looking for some simple red goblets and I grabbed these when I saw them online. Now I wish I had ordered more of them. The acrylic cobalt blue goblets came from Pier 1 several years ago. You can read my blog post about what to consider when you are buying goblets for your tablescaping collection including the colors that I use most often here.

When I created a similar tablescape to this one before, I was trying to find something to use as a centerpiece and I remembered that I had this patriotic ceramic shallow bowl. It is marked on the back sweet olive designs. I stood it on a fake book decorated with stars and stripes. Because the centerpiece is so tall it will be removed before the food is served so that people can see each other to talk. Both the bowl and the book are the same colors as the table linens and plates that are on the table. They were part of some Americana decorations in our family room before we redecorated many years ago. I have had them both for many years and I can’t remember where I found them but it was probably at a local gift shop that I loved that closed several years ago.

I added two small wood flags that I found at Michaels a few weeks ago on each side of the centerpiece.

I’ll let you in on a little secret about this tablecloth. When I pulled it out and put it on the table the first time that I used it to try it out I realized that it was way too wide and the blue stars border wouldn’t show on either side. Hubby helped me fold it in the center just so and line it up so the blue borders matched on each side of the table. The fold is on one of the center stripes and it doesn’t show at all. (I ironed it down so that helped.) Sometimes really large tablecloths are cheaper because people usually have smaller tables so it is good to remember that you might be able to fold them down or cut them down in some way.

To see 260+ other tablescapes that I have created including 15 other different 4th of July tablescapes 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 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 Miz Helen’s Country Cottage, https://www.mizhelenscountrycottage.com/ Please visit this blog for lots of great recipes!