Smashing Plates Tablescapes: September 2016

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Three Harvest Tables

It finally feels like Fall in South Florida. The temps were in the low 70's last evening which was a nice change. I'm sure the 90 degree temps will return very quickly, but I'm going to enjoy it for now. This weeks table is decorated in the Fall leaf theme with a few pumpkins mixed in. I have too many harvest/Fall themed dishes to choose from so I tried out three designs before I settled with the leaf top plate with a mini pumpkin. I posted all three designs so let me know which one is your favorite.

Harvest table using Boston Warehouse into Autumn leaf dishes found at Tuesday Morning several years ago. This table is my favorite of the three designs.

Overhead view of the leaf dish table.

Up close view of each leaf plate along with the Sur La Table pumpkin embossed salad plates I found on clearance for .50 cents each early this year.

I used my Grandmother Smith's dough bowl to hold a pretty small mum I found at Trader Joe's. I filled it with my white tail deer sheds I picked up on a ranch in Montana many years ago. I never dreamed I would be using them as decor on dining tables. Their normal display is atop my curio cabinet nestled in green ivy.

The pumpkin plate table top. I purchased the pumpkin plates at Walmart several years ago. They were part of the Better Home and Gardens collection.

Overhead view of the pumpkin plate table.

The golden antler napkin rings are currently available at Pier One . The napkins were from Pier One years ago.

This was the first table set up. It's a pretty table using the wood coasters with a mini pumpkin on top, but I needed more excitement so I decided to use the leaf plates. I coated the mini pumpkins with Mod Podge so hopefully they will last for a few weeks.

Overhead view of the mini pumpkin table.

The stack! Seeing that I used the plaid fabric charger plate covers on top of the leaf print tablecloth I needed to separate the two patterns. I used a harvest orange straw placemat on top of the tablecloth then the fabric charger plate. The avocado green dinner plates are from Dollar Tree. The cream salad plates are from Sur La Table last season. I was hoping to find a pattern name on the back, but it was not listed. I placed a wooden coaster on top of the plate as a base for the mini pumpkin. In the end I used the Boston Warehouse leaf plates on the final tablescape with the mini pumpkin on top.

I used ceramic glass pumpkin bowl with lid on the server along with other Fall items. The gold mercury glass lit candle holder pedestals with mirror inserts are from Valerie Parr Hill. They are currently available at QVC. The ivory candles are Luminara Flameless with remotes from QVC. These are the six inch candles and a bit pricy, but well worth it in the long run. They look so real and I love the fact they are remote controlled or you can set the timer. I have one in my glass curio that I turn on at night to light up the beautiful glassware.

I hope you enjoy the three tables and let me know which table is your favorite.

Catherine

This post is linked to the following parties:
Celebrate Your Story #45 - Celebrate & Decorate with Chloe Crabtree
419th Tablescape Thursday - Between Naps on the Porch
Bright Light and Thursday Favorite Things - Katherines Corner
Home and Garden Thursday - A Delightsome Life
Home Sweet Home #291 - The Charm of Home
Grace at Home #221 - Imparting Grace
Dishing It & Digging It Link Party #116 - Life and Linda

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

It's Fall Y'all

It's hard to believe today is the first day of Fall! Living in South Florida we only have a change of season around January when it finally cools down enough to turn off the air and open the windows for a fresh lower humidity breeze. In North Carolina we enjoyed all four seasons. This time of year the night air is crisp and the Carolina sky is a brilliant blue during the day. The leaves are beginning to change at the higher elevations in the mountains and the foothills foliage will follow soon. When I as a child we always took a Sunday drive to the Blue Ridge Parkway to view the beautiful leaves during their peak. My Mother would make homemade fried chicken will all the normal picnic trimmings and we would have a fun family day together.

Seeing that it's still very hot here in South Florida I'm not ready to drag out all of the pumpkins yet. I decorated the first day of Fall table in the colors of this beautiful table cloth I found at Walmart a few weeks ago. I'm sitting here this week with the AC cranked down still wearing my Lilly Pulitzer Summer prints and yes white. (Don't tell my Southern friends. That's a no no after Labor Day). It may not feel like Fall outdoors, but it's beginning to look that way in the dining area.

First Day of Fall tablescape

First Day of Fall places setting. I found the turquoise plates at Goodwill. The top plate was purchased at Bealls. The turquoise goblets are from Dollar Tree. The tablecloth was purchased at Walmart recently and should be in stock now.

I collect Iris Herringbone carnival glass and I've had this vase for many years. The goes nice with harvest colors.

Fall tablescape.

Birds eye view of the Fall table.

I found these large acorns at Dollar General two years ago.

I found this check fabric at 1502 Fabrics in Winston-Salem while home this Summer. I knew it would be perfect for Fall charger plate covers.

The Iris Herringbone carnival glass candle holders match the vase used in the centerpiece.

This is a cross stitch piece was made by my Mother many years ago. It was in my Grandmother's home for years and now hangs in my dining area. It reminds me of so many country homes in North Carolina.

Happy Fall Y'all!

Catherine

This post is linked to the following parties.
418th Tablescape Thursday - Between Naps on the Porch
Autumn Thursday Favorite Things Link Party - Katherines Corner
Home and Garden Thursday - A Delightsome Life
Home Sweet Home #290 - The Charm of Home
Grace at Home No. 220 - Imparting Grace
Simple & Sweet Fridays # 238 - Rooted in Thyme
Celebrate Your Story #44 - Celebrate and Decorate with Chloe Crabtree
Anything Blue Friday -Week 115 The Dedicated House
Anything Goes Pink Saturday - How Sweet the Sound
Share Your Style Link Party #84 - 21 Rosemary Lane
Thoughts of Home on Thursday - Decor to Adore
Vintage Charm Party #49 - My Thrift Store Addiction
Foodie Friday and Everything Else
Home Matters Linky Party #105 - Life with Lorelai
Dishing It & Digging It Link Party #115 - Life and Linda
Amaze Me Monday #182 - Dwellings The Heart of Your Home
The Scoop #242 - Stone Gable Blog
Make It Pretty Monday - The Dedicated House
Talk of the Town #39 - Sadie Seasongoods
344th Inspire Me Tuesday - A Stroll Thru Life
Wow Us Wednesdays #293 - Savvy Southern Style

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Whimsical Reno Air Race Table

This weeks post is a whimsical tablescape using the Reno Air Race theme. The Reno Air Races, officially known as the National Championship Air Races, is a multi-day event that takes place each September a few miles north of Reno, Nevada. Air racing is billed as "the world's fastest motor sport". Being a pilot I always enjoy seeing the vintage war birds flying in airshows or at the races. Nothing brings goosebumps faster than the sound of a P51 Mustang or a F8F-2 Bearcat roaring by at almost 500 mph. Yes, 500 mph!!!. Seeing that I'm not making it out to Reno this year I thought I would decorate in a racing theme this week. One of my all time favorite planes that I follow is a modified P51 Mustang named Precious Metal. Unfortunately Precious Metal (my centerpiece model) had a major fire after fueling on way to Reno last year and is currently undergoing restoration in Kissimmee, FL. Hopefully she will make the races in 2017 and I'll be there to see her race again. The air race theme would be perfect for a child's birthday party or even an adult.

T-6 race at Reno

Reno Air Race tablescape.

P51 model I found at Home Goods years ago and painted like Reno air racer Precious Metal.

Reno Air Race tablescape using my airplane collection.

Air race and aviation themed items on the server and table.

Place cards with vintage airplane pins, wine charms (made from aviation earrings) and napkin rings made from airplane children's shoelace locks I purchased many years ago.

Every airshow has jumpers to open the show. I found these a few weeks ago while junkin' and knew they would be perfect for the Reno table.

Place settings using fabric covered chargers, clear glass plates and my Hallmark airplane collection.

Vintage war bird print fabric used to cover the charger plates.

P51 Precious Metal Unlimited Class racer flown by Thom Richard.

Precious Metal departing for the Unlimited race at Reno.

Jet class racer at Reno.

F8F-2 Bearcat Rare Bear departing to race in the Unlimited Class.

Flight line pre race line up prior to the Gold Unlimited Class final race.

Bi-plane Class racing at Reno.

Another of my all time favorites that I was able to watch at Reno in the early 90's. This is a P-38 "White Lightnin" Unlimited Class racer flown by Lefty Gardner.

This post is linked to the following parties:
417th Tablescape Thursday -Between Naps on the Porch
Thursday Favorite Things - Katherines Corner
Home & Garden Thursday - A Delightsome Life
Home Sweet Home #289 - The Charm of Home
Grace at Home #219 - Imparting Grace
"Anything Goes" Pink Saturday - How Sweet the Sound
Dishing It & Digging It Link Party #114 - Life and Linda

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

September Sunflowers

Growing up on a tobacco farm in rural North Carolina we always had beautiful flowers blooming from early Spring to the early Winter. I must say the bearded iris is probably my favorite flower of all time, but the sunflower would be my second choice. My Father and Grandfather always planted rows and rows of beautiful sunflowers on the first few rows of the family vegetable gardens and along the country road in front of our homes. I always enjoyed walking through the rows of yellow flowers that were larger than my head. One of my Grandmother's had a beautiful flower garden with a smaller variety that was perfect for smaller arrangements. My grandmothers would decorate their kitchen tables and living areas with the pretty blooms in the Summer and early Fall. Grandparents Day is this Sunday, September 11th and my sunflower table will bring back wonderful memories of four lovely people that are no longer with me. I'm also reminded of one of my favorite feel good movies each time I decorate with sunflowers. Under the Tuscan Sun starring Diane Lane was set in Tuscany and the sunflower fields in that movie were amazing. Italy is on my bucket list to visit one day and I hope to do it when the sunflowers are in full bloom. For now I will sit at my table and day dream of being in Tuscany while having dinner.

September Sunflower tablescape.

Sunflower place setting.

Lemons, sunflowers and roosters.

Credenza and assorted bowls, plates on display. The cobalt blue vases were a gift from my Mother years ago. The iris and sunflower bowl was found at a local art fair years ago.

Bird eye view of the sunflower table.

Place setting layers.

Sunflower and lemon dinner plates purchased at Home Goods years ago. The four hang in the archway in my dining area. I love the vibrant blue and yellows.

This was a sunflower and rooster table two years ago. The golden glass hen dish in the center belonged to my Grandmother. The rooster plates are from Pottery Barn years ago.