Smashing Plates Tablescapes: April 2017

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Cinco de Mayo Celebration

For many Americans, Cinco de Mayo means enjoying Mexican food and probably a margarita or two (three at my house). But, Cinco de Mayo, which means May 5th in Spanish is probably one of the most misunderstood Mexican holidays.

Contrary to popular belief Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico's independence day. That date is celebrated on Sept. 16th. Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican army's unlikely victory over the French forces of Napoleon on May 5th, 1862 at the Battle of Puebla.

Cinco de Mayo has become more of an American holiday than a Mexican one. I enjoy decorating each year and making home made fajitas with all the trimmings and sipping several margaritas.

I found the small pinata at Hobby Lobby several years ago.

Thirty plus years ago Princess House was a popular home party held by many Southern women. I hosted one or two and attended many to support my friends hosting parties. I have a large collection of Princess House items. The margarita glasses above are made by Princess House. I rarely use them for fear of breakage. I do bring them out of the cabinet to use on Cinco de Mayo, for display only. After a couple margaritas I'm safer using less expensive glasses.

I used a large serape blanket as my tablecloth.

The cactus wine charms are from Pier One and available in store or online this season.

I found these cute margarita glass shaped bowls at the Gulfstream Goodwill in Boca Raton a few weeks ago. I knew they would be perfect for the Cinco de Mayo table or any Mexican theme dinner.

The sombrero and pepper napkins are actually bandanas I found at Hobby Lobby a few years ago.

I added a few fiesta-Mexican themed serving platters displayed on the server. I used a cotton serape as a runner. I attached a few felt mustaches to the candle holders along with a few tissue chili peppers I made.

Silver Patron is my drink of choice for making margaritas or shots.

I made the tiny chili peppers out of pipe cleaners a few years ago.

I found these pepper serving bowls a few years ago. They are perfect for holding chips and various dips.

Have a wonderful Cinco de Mayo and remember to Uber home if you have a few margaritas.

Catherine

This party is linked to the following parties:
Dishing It & Digging It Link Party #145 - Life and Linda
Inspire me Monday - Week #277 - Create with Joy
Creative Mondays Blog Hop - Claire Justine
Amaze Me Monday #211 - Dwellings-The Heart of Your Home
Celebrate Your Story #74 - Celebrate & Decorate with Chloe Crabtree
The Scoop #272 - Stone Gable
Talk of the Town #69 - Sadie Seasongoods
372nd Inspire Me Tuesday- A Stroll Thru Life
Wow Us Wednesday #323 - Savvy Southern Style
449th Tablescape Thursday - Between Naps on the Porch
45th Edition TADA! Thursdays - Chatham Hill on the Lake
Foodie Friday and Everything Else - Rattlebridge Farm
Grace at Home #247 - The Charm of Home
Thursday's Favorite Things - Katherines Corner
Home & Garden Thursday #71 - A Delightsome Life
Vintage Charm #80 - Blue Willow House
Home Sweet Home #320 - The Charm of Home
Share Your Style Link Party #115 - 21 Rosemary Lane
Home Matters Linky Party #133 - Life with Lorelai
"Anything Goes" Pink Saturday - How Sweet The Sound
Saturday Sparks Link Party 217 - Pieced Pastimes

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Van Gogh Irises

I enjoyed the Easter tablescape so much I didn't want to put away the blue and white tablecloth. I decided to add in a little yellow and use my Van Gogh Irises plates I purchased many years ago. I'm a huge lover of irises and the Irises painting is my favorite van Gogh piece.

Van Gogh Irises Tablescape

Overhead view.

Place setting.

I used silk forsythia, white pussy willow and cherry blossoms stems inside the cobalt blue vase in the center. I smile each time I unpack the yellow forsythia. My Grandmother had several of these bushes around the farm and they were so pretty in the Spring.

The tablecloth was made using fabric from the Ballard Designs Outlet. The cobalt blue stemless wine glasses are from Dollar Tree this year. The cobalt blue vase is a Goodwill find.

In the early 80's I joined my Mother in ceramic class. My Mother made many beautiful pieces and I'm fortunate to have a few of her creations. I made several pieces during the classes and the pitcher above is one that I hand painted with my favorite flower. I always found it difficult to paint on ceramics as the paint you use changes color when fired in the kiln. If I recall, the blue color in the iris was a dusty pink color. It was really difficult to shade and highlight, but someone how I created it and this was the final result. I have this stored safely in my curio cabinet and it rarely makes it out on open display. I remember painting other pieces with the same blue iris, but I cannot find them now. It would be nice to paint some dinner plates to match one day.

The iris pitcher is displayed on the server along with my Grandmother's antique cobalt blue vases.

Overhead view of the place setting.

A few iris themed accessories used with this tablecsape. The tea pot on the top left was found recently at a local bi-annual indoor yard sale. It was only $5.00. The iris plate on the right is from Home Goods years ago. The porcelain iris figurine was a gift from my Mother.

The plate stack starts with a lace edged charger found at Michael's a few seasons ago. The yellow plates were found at Goodwill. They are branded HOME on the back and I'm not sure where they were sold new. I love the vibrant yellow and royal blue rim. The Irises salad plates were purchased at either TJ Maxx or Home Goods at least 10 years ago. They were wall decorations at my previous home for many years.

I love the vibrant blue cobalt blue stemless wine glasses and the canary yellow rimmed plates together.

Catherine

This post is linked to the following parties:

Dishing It & Digging It Link Party #144 - Life and Linda
448th Tablescape Thursday - Between Naps on the Porch
Thursday's Favorite Things - Katherines Corner
44th Edition TADA! Thursday's - Chatham Hill on the Lake
Celebrate Your Story #73 - Celebrate & Decorate with Chloe Crabtree
Inspire Me Monday – Week 276 - Create with Joy
The Scoop #271 - Confessions of a Plate Addict
371st Inspire Me Tuesday - A Stroll Thru Life
Wow us Wednesday #322 - Savvy Southern Style
Home & Garden Thursday #70 - A Delightsome Life
Vintage Charm #79 - Blue Willow House
Home Sweet Home #319 - The Charm of Home
Grace at Home No. 246 - Imparting Grace
Share Your Style #114 - 21 Rosemary Lane
Foodie Friday & Everything Else - Rattlebridge Farm
Home Matters Linky Party #132 - Life with Lorelai
"Anything Goes" Pink Saturday - April 22, 2017 -How Sweet the Sound
Creative Inspirations Linky Party and Features - Embracing Change
Flaunt it Friday 353! - Chic on a Shoe String

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Elegant Easter

The table this week was inspired by the DIFFA Easter masterpiece designed by Eddie Ross a few years ago. I love working with blue and white and his DIFFA table is one of my all time favorites. I have followed Eddie for several years and love the way he mixes patterns, colors and styles together to create magical tables and rooms. His work is very inspiring and I always look forward to his next creation. My table may not be as grand or magical as Eddie's, but I love sitting at it at night and enjoying the sparkly eggs and the elegant blue and white mix of patterns by candlelight. I hope you will enjoy it too and have a blessed Easter holiday.

Elegant blue & white Easter tablescape.

The place setting pattern name is Dynasty.

I used a blue and white egg inside my antique cobalt blue champagne glasses. Information on how to make the eggs are at the end of the post.

My inspiration table by Eddie Ross.

This is the table designed by Eddie Ross for a DIFFA event in Kansas City. I love everything about this table.

I enjoyed making the eggs for the centerpiece. I looked locally for a larger tree like Eddie's, but no luck. I found the Manzanita Tree made by Balsa Circle on Amazon last week.

A few of the eggs I made for the tree. I used a royal blue Sharpie to hand paint the Iris egg and the design on the lower right. The eggs are plastic. The egg on the top right does have real egg shell applied to it using Mod Podge then painted and glittered. I love the texture.

I wish I could get a good twilight photo. The tree is so sparkly at night.

I sketched the Iris place cards using a Sharpie and colored pencils.

The antique cobalt blue champagne glass is the perfect size to hold the blue and white glittered egg.

The crystal napkin rings were my Mother's.

A few of the table accessories. The cobalt vases holding the lily's are antique from my Grandmother's. The Bunny Williams Dog Salt & Pepper Cellar was a great find at the Ballard Designs Outlet. In England the front pail is used to serve dry mustard, but I added a few light blue Jordan almonds. I added my antique salt spoons from Ecuador that I purchased many years ago. The blue and white egg plate is a thrift shop find.

The light blue glass egg in the center is a tall candy dish. The smaller eggs are part of my Joan Rivers Classics tabletop collection from many years ago.

The Joan Rivers Classics Collections tabletop eggs. I cannot recall the year I purchased the eggs, but it's been a good while. I'm a huge fan of Faberge. Joan had a large collection of Faberge pieces and made replicas for QVC. The Lilies of the Valley egg is my favorite.

I made the tablecloth using fabric found at a new Ballard Designs Outlet here in Margate, FL. I loved the vibrant color and print so much I purchased a yard to make charger plate covers.

To make the decoupage eggs you will need eggs (I used white plastic), Mod Podge and cocktail napkins. I found this pretty blue and white at Tuesday Morning.

1. Paper cocktail or dinner napkins
2. Open up the napkin
3 & 4 Most are two-ply so pull apart and discard the back portion.

1. Cut out the design that you will apply to the egg. Make sure you trim off all excess paper so the paper be as flat as possible.
2 & 3. Apply Mod Podge to the egg.
4. Then add the cut out design and smooth with fingers then add another coat of Mod Podge.

I love the blue & white eggs. I used a glossy Mod Podge so they shine, but I wanted a little more sparkle so I added clear glitter.

The finished egg.

I made two colors of glitter eggs. I love glitter, but really do not like the mess that comes along with it. The finished product is worth the excess glitter flying through the air.

Have a Happy Easter!