Casual outdoor spring tablescapes needn’t cost an arm and a leg to make an impression! If your money is funny or you’re in a pinch for time, here are a few ideas to still put on a good show! With Mother’s Day just a blink away, you can still create a cheerful and pretty table to let Mom know she’s always in your heart!
Gerbera daisy paper products from Costco infuse lots of bright, energetic color into this tablescape. The colors are magnified when laid against a pure white table linen.
Real Gerbera daisies are cheap and plentiful in spring and summer at your local flower market or nursery. Just insert the tip into a floral pick filled with water, and insert the pick into the grass. Rye grass can be grown indoors in 2-3 weeks time using whatever containers you have on hand. (Really strapped for cash? Try using tin cans like those that green beans and Spaghettios come in. Wash them thoroughly, strip off the label, and plant the grass seeds. Cut a strip of colorful paper to fit the can and secure with double-sided tape or a fun sticker. Voila! Fabulous floral containers for next-to-nothing! See instructions for growing rye grass by clicking HERE and scrolling to Tip #15.) If time in growing your own grass is an issue, buy an inexpensive slab of sod and chop it up to fit your containers. Be sure to water!!!!!
If the wind is kicking up, use a weighted salad plate to keep the paper dinner plate intact. The clear glass used here allows the pattern beneath to still be seen. The dinner plates, cups and napkins are all from Costco. The bright pink Bed Bath & Beyond placemats (about $2 each) could be replaced by patterned paper from a stationery store (about $.59 each) or pieces of wrapping paper or wallpaper (averaging around $.25 each) cut into rounds, squares or rectangles.
The fun white-handled flatware is from Burlington. It, of course, could be replaced with less expensive plastic cutlery, or you could use stainless you already have.
The napkin ring is a strip of patterned paper with the guests’ name imprinted by hand or on the computer and then secured with a piece of tape in back.
These colorful paper parasols were a steal (about $2 each) at Hobby Lobby’s end-of-season sale last year. They add a whole new dimension to the overall look and are a fun and fashionable way for guests to ward of the midday sun.
Total cost of paper goods, placemats, flowers, grass, and parasols as shown for this table for 12: about $48. With homemade placemats, the overall total drops to about $35. Fabric tablecloths used here to make the table a little extra special. My preferred linen provider is LinenTablecloth.com for inexpensive, easy-to-launder linens in an array of colors, patterns and sizes.
Great places to buy fun & festive paper dining products appropriate for just about any occasion include:
Tuesday Morning
Target
Dollar Tree
Walmart
Home Goods
Big Lots
Old Time Pottery
Hobby Lobby
Michael’s
While this would make a fun and fast Mother’s Day dinner or brunch tablescape, it would also work great for a birthday, wedding shower, or any fun Spring or Summer get-together.
Other tablescapes on this post using parasols:
“Oopsy Daisy!”
“Tropicana”
“Sunflower Simple”
“Hot Fun In the Summertime”
“Flamingos In Paradise”
More Spring tablescapes:
“Rolling Fields of Green”
“The Bluebird Special”
“Moss & Manzanitas”
“Easter Floral”
“Easter Bloom“
“Peony Power!”
“Springtime in Paris”
“Mothers Day Luncheon in Pink”
“Carousel Colors”
“Daffodillyicious”
“Spring Has Sprung”
“Easter Brunch”
“Barton’s Easter Brunch”
“Apple Green Luncheon”
“Pinky Peter Cottontail”
“Welcome Back, Joel”
“Mikasa Daylight Giveaway“
“Taste of Wine Buffet“
Tablescapes at Table /Twenty-One 
My favorite thing about the paper goods table is the brilliant way that you have used and proportioned the colors. Paper or not…this is a brilliant design. Thanks for inviting us for a peak. Cherry Kay
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This is a festive table full of color and charm. They make so many beautiful paper goods these days, I’m often tempted to buy them. Anyone would feel special sitting at this table. Thanks for sharing it.
Sorry you are having such unpleasant and unseasonal weather. Hope it warms up for you. ~ Sarah
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I love it, such pretty and bright colors. I am glad you posted it again because I missed it the first time. How on earth did I miss it the first time anyway? The paper umbrellas are fun, so festive!…Christine
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Weather! We had a windstorm pop out of nowhere today and if I would have had your table in my backyard it would have blown to the next county! I love hot pink and orange and yellow together, reminds me of the 60s! Cute parasols too, you always have the best ideas! Thanks again for sharing, storing it all up for when I have my next party!
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Oh so cute!
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It’s amazing how pretty the paper goods are these days. These are great colors and your parasols really make a fun accent! $2.00 no way! I like that glass plate idea! You’re a smart cookie!
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Oooh… Orange and Pink! One of my favorite color combinations! I love Gerber daisies, too. I was just telling my daughter that they could be an inexpensive way to add a huge amount of color and impact to her centerpieces. She’s at that point where she’s really stressing about the details, so I told her to grab a cup of coffee (or a glass of wine) and come by and check out your blog. :~)
I’m so sorry about your wonky weather. It sounds more like something we’d experience up here in the Northeast. Mother Nature must be confused and is sending us the weather that you’re supposed to get. (not that I trust it to last, mind you) Hope you and Ramon had a festive Cinco de Mayo weekend in spite of the weather! XOXO, M
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Love this Alycia- easy clean up and bright and cheery. It makes so much sense for an outdoor affair. I will use your clever tips in our gardens this summer. Love this blog!!! Sandi
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Our weather has been so crazy too. I wish the sun would come out so I could take some decent pictures.
I love all the fun colors you chose for your table. Paper products make for much easier cleanup, so it helps when you can find cute ones. Thanks for sharing your resource list.
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I reallllllyyyy love this post! Know why? Lots of reasons….One – it reminds me that there are some awesome paper products out there, which also means no dishes to wash. I don’t wash dishes on Mothers day! and 2 all those gorgeous colors! I just picked up some lime green chargers (plastic) from The Dollar Store a couple weeks back…I went back for more a week later….gone! Someone else had the same idea, cuz they only grabbed MY GREEN ONES!
I hope the weather improves for you. It has been pretty nice during the day ..but 45 at night. It’s totally nuts!
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I would love to be at that table. So cheerful and happy. So glad you reposted this. Your creations are always eye popping. Hoping the weather gets better. My dilemma this past weekend.. the flowers looks horrid! So I went to plan B. I need to go get some fabulous fauxs. That’s all I’m saying. I love gerbera daisies.. none to be had here. Must have been the freeze that got them this past week. Even the nurseries were scrambling for plants! It’s all going to get better. I know it. xo marlis
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I am so sorry about your weather Alycia, but I am not sorry that you had to do a repost of such a great table! I have been devouring your every word! The grass tips and ideas are brilliant, and love the gerber daisy idea. You have elevated paper plates forever! What a great idea to use a real placemat and flatware {the paper is great too}, just like your tips on mixing faux flowers with real ones, it helps distract from the paper products. The parasols are wonderful, I wish I had some! Love the colors, it’s all so much fun!
Jenna
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Ain’t it the truth ! This weather has been a real pain ! I’m ready to plant my garden but I’m afraid ! The table is pretty and timeless. Thanks for brightening a cloudy drizzly day. 🙂
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I know what you mean about the weather! We’ve had rain, and cold, after a spoiling warm-up. What happened to Spring? I guess April showers have stuck! Anyway, I am salivating over the pinks and oranges in this tablescape. It is so fun and fresh and well, spring-like. Thanks for pulling this out of your “archival hat” so we can enjoy it during our days of dreariness. So fun!!
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It’s all in the details, and you, my friend, are the queen of details!! So the table is lovely, with lots of details, lovely colors, and lots of nice textures, but the real visual wow is in the parasols. These are the kinds of color punches that the rest of us don’t think about, and what separates your tablescapes from the rest. I’m so glad I stopped by!! Hugs to you and kudos on another great table, Alycia. Zuni
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I not even dared dreaming of an outdoor Lunch for Mother’s Day. We celebrated it yesterday – first Sunday of May 🙂
Because here is the same thing: one day you’re putting the +50 the other wearing boots and finding out where the L have you lost your umbrella ahahahah 😉
I went for a pink, with Orchideas, Tablescape that was too gorgeous to use 😉
Nest Sunday is your turn to celebrate, right? Have Fun and a Table filled with Fun and Love.
Yours,
Teresa
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Beautiful, A.! Love the colors and the parasols. We used to decorate with those at my church for “Chinese auctions”. xo
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Still a beauty!
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This is another beauty!! Love Gerber Daisies and the color combination. Sorry the weather is not behaving….UGH!! Hope it gets better really fast.
Cynthia
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Weather has been crazy lately in so many places. Since we left Houston Thursday, two nights have been in the 40’s. that’s unheard of. I love the brights on your table and the way you have treated the gerberas which just happen to be one of my favorite flowers. I saw placemats today in the most wonderful bright stripes that you should have for these colors.
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Lovely as always I’m behind I know you have some more postings I haven’t seen
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It’s always a crap shoot around here to be able to plan things for the outdoors except….the last few days have been amazing. I love this color scheme for a Mother’s day table. It’s just pops!
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Loved it the first time and Love it again! Paper plates come in such cool designs and using the clear plate is great idea to keep them from flying away. Well done! Dianne
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This table is so bright and sunny!! Makes me smile.
Great ideas.
-Carol
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What a happy, fun table! I love that you used paper products, Alycia, because 1. They’re so pretty and 2. Clean-ups a breeze (and who doesn’t love that??). The tips for the cute lower containers are great, too. I love the grass with the gerbera daisies… so cheerful. Thanks for your inspiration.
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I am so happy that you posted this again…What a perfect setting for a Mother’s Day garden party…and I love how you used the clear glass salad plates to weigh down the pretty paper plates…Simply beautiful Alycia…and hope you have a wonderful Mother’s Day with your loved ones!
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So pretty! Thanks for the inspiration to use paper goods. I tend to shy away from them but it’s not always practical to use real dishes, especially when there are more than 10 guests and that’s all the place settings I own! Hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day!
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This is beautiful and I love, love, love the parasols. Your weather sounds like ours, crazy. Guess Mother Nature is not paying attention to the calendar. Hope you and your Mom had a fun Mother’s Day
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