Just a reminder…
If you have not already entered, you still have until 7:00 a.m. CDT tomorrow (October 18, 2011) to let me know you’d like to have your name dropped in the bowl for the silver pedestal bowl drawing. If you missed that post, click here for details! Good luck!!!
The winner will be announced tomorrow afternoon!
UPDATE 10/19/11: Click here to see the winner!!!
I love to hear from readers asking for tips!!! This week I set a table based on a reader request for a “shop-’til-you-drop” table. I’ll fess up and say that I pulled one idea from a real-life table I created several years ago for a few friends to enjoy a light supper after an all-day shopping excursion. The sign (bought at Stein Mart) says it all!
This one goes out to my husband who has always let me shop ’til I drop!
I like to double or even triple linens for a fuller skirt and to add lots of dimension and color to the table. Here I used just a black full-length with an ivory cotton overlay, but a bit of red peeking out between them would have been nice, too.
Once the linens are set, the rest is cake! Not a lot of time for fussing over the table when you’re just back from a day on your feet in the shopping trenches. Easy but elegant is the way to go!
Jet black dishes reflect in the mirrored shine of a sleek silver charger. Basic white dishes are a must for easy decorating options, and I feel the same about black. Black is a neutral that never disappoints and that presents light-colored food beautifully.
A fun little menu at each place setting is always appreciated by guests. The fare on this menu (a replica of the one I created for my little get-together a couple of years back) is mostly food that can be made ahead of time. I brought in a little red fabric with these black-edged red silk napkins from my friend, Monica.
One shoe can change your life, and that includes these fun little pewter shoe place card holders! Sorry..I have NO idea where I bought these little gems, but I’m sure something similar can be found on the Internet.
Sexy and sleek Mikasa “Elegance – Black” iced tea stems brazenly pilfered borrowed from my Mom are the perfect match for the place settings! Their shape, style and color are reminiscent of the sultry “little black dress” we all have in our closets.
Hampton Smith “San Remo” stainless flatware finishes out the look. The Baroque detailing on them keeps the mostly black place setting from going flatline.
The unusual hatbox centerpiece is the star of the table! It’s easy to assemble and reminds me of merchandising elements used on the shelves of chic boutiques.
What says “shopping” better than shoes, shoes, and more shoes? Uh….nothing! Duh!!! I bought these cool square shoe/hat boxes (usually displayed on the shoe shelves in my dressing room) at Gordman’s a few years ago. I think they have that Doris Day/Holly Golightly/Marilyn Monroe (or Tony Curtis!)-in-“Some Like It Hot”-look from the 1950s. (Still not sure what I’m talking about? Click here to see Susan’s take on this iconic look from her 9/14/11 post on Doris Day Movie Fashion Style.)
Filled with sumptuous red roses, hypericum berries, and trailing seeded eucalyptus, the shoe/hat boxes are a fun alternative to a ho-hum vase. (The florals are actually in water-filled vases hidden in the boxes. You can give the little vases of flowers to each guest afterwards as a take-home favor!)
A trio of multi-level candle lamps are created with A-line black shades over silver candlesticks. A small LED candle buried inside provides subtle, sexy light as the shadows fall.
Actor James Brolin (now married to Barbra Streisand) once quipped, “Any girl that’s got a $500,000 table and $5 shoes, I’m in love with.” Uh, Mr. Brolin…do you not understand that we’ve gotta have both?!?!!? 🙂
So…..the table….easy enough? I hope so! This look would also be well-suited to a ladies luncheon (sans the candlestick lamps) or even a fun bridal shower, especially if the bride is gifting her attendants with shoes for the ceremony!
Don’t forget to join me at Susan’s Tablescape Thursday to see what the other tablescapers out there in blog land are up to this week!
Tablescapes at Table /Twenty-One 
Love it, Love it, Love it! I have been thinking about hosting a Diva party for some time now. Something like this would be fantastic!
I love the black and silver. That’s a great idea to use a shoe theme. You are full of inspiration Alycia.
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Beautiful! I saw that box with Chelsea on it and had to take a double take! That’s my daughter’s name! She would love this tablescape too! The flowers look so beautiful in the box! Great idea how you hid the vases down inside! Clever girl!
The little shoe place card holders are too cute! Perfect for a ladies luncheon! The black makes it feel so elegant and fefined- just how a lady wants to feel after a long day of spending money!!
Love how you starged the three sized candlesticks around the centerpiece!
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What a fun theme for a party. Love the shoe boxes and the candle lamps. Have a great week. Hope Ramon is home now.
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FABULOUS, FABULOUS, FABULOUS!!!!! Yet again you have given me an idea for my Speakeasy themed 25th Silver Wedding Anniversary in May, 2012. I especially love the “Silver” candlesticks with shades. They would go great with the “SILVER BOWL” I am hoping to win tomorrow! hint hint lol. I also love the use of the boxes with the florals spilling out. Thinking of using mini crates on the table as a nod toward bootlegging, and I would greatly appreciate your imput. My color scheme is black, white, and silver. HAVE A BLESSED DAY.
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You’ve created yet another simple, yet elegant and fun table! You simply amaze me with your talent. xx
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Hi Alycia,
I LOVE this table — such a fun idea!! I would really like to have that sign (and I love “Some Like it Hot”, by the way 🙂 This is such a clever, creative idea. I heart this flatware, have been looking for some in ivory, but they are SOOO hard to find. Hats off to your husband as well for letting you “shop til you drop”. My husband’s great about that too. What would we do without them?
Have a great week.
Denise at Forest Manor
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I agree, you can never have too many shoes! Or dishes!! Love the table. It is just beautiful. Very elegant. Have a great week.
Sandra
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You’ve outdone yourself again, just when I think you can possibly give me a new favorite. The black on black is sooooo sophisticated — now I want to copy it. The roses in the shoe boxes are the perfect imaginative centerpiece. Now you should put on your Louboutins and pour the champagne!
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Alycia, this savvy chic table is just the best! I love the black, white, and red…paired with silver? Yes! Always a stunning combo!!! The rose centerpiece and boxes…just gorgeous! Very tastefully done…without being too “theme-y”. Stunning!!
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This table scape is one of the best yet. How fitting for girls out shopping all day. The combination of colors and the theme are most elegant, You are great at this table scape business… I need you for my annniversary.. what about 200 pairs of shoes can make a different??
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Hello, Alycia. Another great table. What I like is that the centerpiece, being boxes, brings the setting down to fun and not too serious, which could’ve easily happened with the other pieces. Good eye, as usual, in keeping the spirit of the party on track!
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I really enjoy this tablescape — it is smart looking and very chic!
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Hi Alycia~ Nothing like a little retail therapy to work up an appetite~ Cinderella is a girl after my own heart 🙂
Love your black accents~ especially your flatware! I love the height the boxes give & the unexpected vessel they provide for your wonderful floral! I have a couple of sets myself~ they store, conceal & elevate so they multitask & are pretty to boot!
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Alycia: Love this tablescape! What a great way to end a fun day of shopping with great friends! I am already thinking of how i can do something like this when my sister comes to town and we spend the day shopping! You create the most beauitful tables thanks for sharing. Looking forward to seeing the next one!! Cindy
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Wonderful! Again you wowed me with your centerpieces! Those pewter shoe placecard holders are the best!!!! Love the colors!!!!
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how did i miss this.. this is soo cool. Love the idea of using boxes for the centerpiece.. don’t be shocked if you see that happening at CJ! Your dishes and pilfered/borrowed crystal is fabulous.. So ritzy and elegant.. Love the dinner menu too. Did my invite get lost in the mail? xo marlis
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This is another great tablescape, Alycia! I agree that black dishes are a must have. I haven’t found a set, but I do have some pieces I can utilize. The shoe placecard holders are the cutest things! Your table and menu would be such a pleasure to come back to after a day of fun and shopping!
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I want my Mikasa Tumbles back>
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So creative Alycia! Beautiful and fun!
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This is just gorgeous! I had just pinned that saying! I love it. What a fun table and of course your roses are gorgeous and arranged so beautifully! Love the black shades too. Just beautiful.
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Beautiful, chic and dramatic! You have captured an intense and upscale feel. Beautiful table. Thanks for the tip about table linens! So inspiring!
Yvonne
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Love your table and your tips! Those black touches really up the drama! And I do love shoes too!!!
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you are the cats meow girl…this is totally beautiful! and i LOVE the layered linens..really makes it so special!
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Just love your table….it is so elegant and sleek. Truly lovely. The red roses are perfect.
Barb
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Elegance…elegance!! Loved every bit of it. Thanks for sharing.
Hope to see you on my blog:)
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Alycia, your table is so pretty with all that black, white and tiny touches of red, but with the addition of silver, it is rather elegant!
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This is such a wonderful table….I could almost skip the shopping trip…..well….ALMOST! Beautiful and elegant.
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The slash of red against the neutrals…the texture of the roses against the satin finish of the black goblets…the whimsy of the shoe boxes contrasted against the sophistication of the black china….yep…a perfect mix of elements for an elegant design. Thank you for inviting us to the table. Cherry Kay
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Hi Alycia, did you have two tables this week or did I miss one last week? This is darling, my daughter’s name is Chelsea, also, so I did a double take as well, and my goodness does that girl love her shoes!! What a great idea for the centerpiece! Your candle lamps are awesome, and this table just makes me want to put on my heels and whip out the credit card!! So elegant and inviting!!
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What a fun and elegant design. I must say I am stricken with your flatware. I have seen a lot of black flatware with Halloween season, but yours is absolutely stunning. I’ll be on the hunt now:)
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What a beautiful tablescape!! Love the boxes stacked with the red roses…very creative!
Thank you for visiting my blog and letting me know the name of the stems on my island. I worked as a florist for a long time, but had forgotten what in the world those were called! lol…I remember they do last a long time. Thanks again for your visit!
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Gorgeous, Alycia!!! Very elegant combination of black and red. Love the goblets, however they were acquired. The candle lamps add elegance, and the little shoes add whimsey! I am planning on creating a similar centerpiece in a future tablescape, and I am thrilled to see how beautiful it looks. That’s a very sexy shade of red roses! Tres magnifique!
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ya did good!
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I love it when someone makes a suggestion for a theme table. It always gets my creative juices flowing! I love the candlestick lamps. I’m going to “brazenly pilfer” that idea one of these days!
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Your table has all the beauty and style of my favorite pair of heels but none of the pain! I am especially loving those sexy black stems and candlesticks, ooh la la.
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Your settings always give an AH! & OH! feelings, Lady? ALthough, simple but the elegancy behind rules.
Love the white black motives. Hmmm… this is also on my list *wink…
Hope everybody outthere is in the best of everything and enjoying the autumn.
Hugs from D´Box,
/chie
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Love it! Every Thursday I eagerly anticipate what you’re going to do for us! You never disappoint! I draw so much inspiration from your tablescapes… Keep on keepin’ on!
Laura in Gainesville VA
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Elegant it is!! Your table is so expressive and delightful. Clever theme for a party for girls to enjoy. The centerpiece boxes are so elegant. How nice to enjoy those in your closet. Also the shoe name card holders are like icing on the cake. The large elegant candlesticks are beautiful and your sleek and sexy goblets, plates and flatware are lovely on the tablecloths you selected. I love to read anything you write whether it is your description of your post or comments you leave on others posts. You have to be a fun person because you have a gift with words.
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Very fabulous, I just love it, exquisite and elegant my friend! Smart table for girls to enjoy, you come up with incredible ideas for gorgeous tables, now I have a new inspiration. Today is my birthday too so I’d love you to come over for tea…or coffee if you prefer. Thanks you for sharing this magnificent tablescape and have a super weekend. FABBY
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I am getting around a little late…
I love this post! I did my little bathroom in Buffalo in shoe wallpaper.This is too cute! Most times I do shop ’til I drop! What is it with shoes??? I love your centerpiece too!
Blessings My Friend,
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I really, really like this table! Great details, great colors! I want one of those (Cinderella) signs!
Katherine
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Love your table! Love the colors .Thanks for sharing,Joann
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Another great table by Alycia! Beautiful and fun at the same time. Love it! laurie
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Thank you, Laurie! Have a great weekend!
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Shopping til I drop is not my thing which may explain why I am sometimes so out of things! I do like the idea of using that as a table theme, however, and you, as usual, have done a splendid job. Your photos also show it off very well.
I’m looking here to see if I see a way to get your replies, and I’m not seeing one.
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Hi Thanks for stopping bye with your kind words
and I love that little sign and I want another pair of Lousi Vuitton shoes LOL
your table is so cute and I know who Doris Day and the other stars from Back in the Day are.
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This is just about the cutest tablescape that I have ever seen, Alycia. I am that kind of a “Shop till you drop” gal so I need this! So creatively done. My favorite element are the shoe placecard holders. Tooooo cute!!….Christine
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I love the colors and what a great idea. You are so creative. Thanks for stopping by – don’t eat too much Halloween candy. I wish I would listen to my own advice!
-Shelley
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You are truly an inspiration. I love to Tablescape. I truly enjoy your blogging humor. It’s amazing how a decorated table can truly bring joy to a person’s heart!
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