Smashing Plates Tablescapes: May 2018

Sunday, May 27, 2018

Memorial Day

The Sunday before Memorial Day is always a day I spend in front of the TV watching motorsports. The day always starts with breakfast watching the Grand Prix de Monaco. Wouldn't you like to visit Monaco? I send private Gulfstream charters over that way all the time and I wish I could stow away and go too! As soon as that race is over it's time for lunch and the Indy 500. The Indy 500 is on my bucket list to see one day. I toured the track and museum many years ago, but I have never made it up to a race. Sunday evening will bring the Coca-Cola 600 from Charlotte, NC which is near my hometown. I grew up going to NASCAR races with my Dad and have several dear friends that are now retired drivers. I always wanted to drive a car when I was much younger. I've taken a few laps with a NASCAR driver friend at Charlotte and Martinsville during testing days. My brothers were the race drivers and one was a series champion several times.

My table is set with a patriotic and racing theme. The most important thing to remember this weekend is Memorial Day is not about the race events or the barbecues, but the lives that were given so we are able to have freedom. We must fly our flags and remember those that sacrificed so we can be free to enjoy time with our family and friends.

Memorial Day tablescape.

I made the patriotic candle rings with red, white & blue roses from Hobby Lobby. The printed daisies are from Dollar Tree.

I found the Indy 500 collector glassware at a local thrift store last year. I am always "junkin" looking for items I can use on a table.

I used wheel yo-yo's to hold the place cards.

I used hose clamps as napkin rings. The napkins are also the color of the flags that the flagman will use during the race.

Overhead view of the table.

The plate stack starts with hand painted checkered chargers I painted a few years ago. The red plate is from Pier 1. The red, white & blue salad plates are from Sur La Table last season. I added the race logos.

I used several of my racing collectibles on the server along with some illuminated stars from Valerie Parr Hill. The boxwood topiary's are also from Valerie's collection. The preserved boxwood wreath surrounding the vase is from the Lisa Robertson collection. The mini topairy's are from a new place I'm addicted to Southern With Grace. They offer the neatest home decor at a great value. Each Tuesday at 7:00PM they do a Facebook live sale for their Facebook VIP club and offer very low shipping if not free.

Always remember those that sacrificed all for our freedom!

This post was featured on The Dedicated House Make It Pretty Monday #256

Catherine

This post is linked to the following parties:
504th Tablescape Thursday - Between Naps on the Porch
Dishing It & Digging It Link Party #202 - Life and Linda
Inspire Me Monday – Week 334 - Create with Joy
Make it Pretty Monday – Week 255 - The Dedicated House
Amaze Me Monday #265 - Dwellings-The Heart of Your Home
The Scoop #328 - Confessions of a Plate Addict
Celebrate Your Story! #130 - Clelebrate & Decorate with Chloe Crabtree
Creative Mondays Link Up - Claire Justine
Thursday's Favorite Things - Katherines Corner
Home & Garden Thursday #327 - A Delightsome Life
Vintage Charm #135 - Our Hopeful Home
Wow Us Wednesdays #389 - Savvy Southern Style

Monday, May 14, 2018

A Royal Fairy Tale

I am so excited that the royal wedding is a few days away. I cannot imagine how nervous Meghan Markle must be at the moment. The eyes of the world will be on her Saturday morning as she steps out of her car/carriage at St. George's Chapel on the grounds at Windsor Castle. I will be up ready to watch at 04:30 AM Eastern time. I remember getting up very early to watch Charles & Diana marry then William and Kate a few years ago I started planning this table the minute the engagement was announced. I wasn't tablescaping as often when Wills and Kate married, but I created a tablescape for the Queens Diamond Jubilee in 2012 way before I started this blog.

Royal Wedding tablescape.

Yes, I made the cake. Well, sort of made the cake. I made the buttercream icing. The actual cake is a dummy. You will see pictures of the foam near the end of the blog. I love to watch the cake decorators on TV, but I'm no cake decorator. It was fun and I had lots of laughs while attempting to ice the cake. I had considered baking a cake, but I'm trying my best not to eat sugar so I didn't want to be tempted.

The pumpkin carriage is from the Valerie Parr Hill Collection. I used it last year on a Fall tablescape.

I painted a couple wooden letters white and attached to preserved boxwood wreaths from Lisa Robertson.

This is the bridal veil my Mother made for my wedding years ago. I never dreamed I would be using it on a tablescape, but I'm happy I kept it. I still have my dress tucked away too.

A top hat for Harry.

I used silk flowers to make the bouquet then added baby's breath.

A nice lady shopping beside me in the ribbon isle at Joann's showed me how to wrap the ribbon around the flower stems then add the pearl pins.

I looked high and low for my bride and groom cake topper, but I could not find it. I picked this one up at Party City.

I used real roses and baby's breath on the cake. The pink flower is silk.

The place cards are held up by a soldier ornament.

Coat of arms of Prince Harry

The crown napkin rings are from Amazon.

I used the Napoleon Bee flatware from Horchow.

I used a Union Jack charm at Harry's place setting and a US flag at Meghan's. I found the pretty silver crown charms at Michael's last weekend to use on the water glasses.

Overhead view of the table.

If you follow my blog you have seen this beautiful hand crocheted tablecloth made by my Mom over 40 years ago. It has graced many wedding and shower tables over the years. It was used on the cake table at my wedding.

The plate stack. I used a pink cloth under the hand crocheted tablecloth. The mirrored chargers are from Tuesday Morning. I used my Mother's formal china and crystal again this week. I thought the pink flowers in the design would look great with the pink theme. I placed a Union Jack plate on top.