INSPIRATION: BBQ Towel/Napkin, just $1 each from Dollar Tree
Memorial Day weekend, in addition to its primary purpose of paying tribute to our loved ones who have passed on, marks the unofficial start of Summer. Grilling and a picnic atmosphere are both a huge part of this time of year. We’re getting our Summer picnic table for 6 kicked off with a 90″ x 132″ economy white tablecloth from LinenTablecloth.com topped with a fun red & white checkered 60″ x 126″. These linens wash up really well, so no worries…slather on the bbq sauce!
Each place setting begins with a basic black dinner plate from the Dollar Tree topped with a smoky red crock (I can just taste the baked beans now!) from T.J. Maxx/Home Goods. The white flatware is also from T.J. Maxx.
Mason jars – typical at many family gatherings I attended as a kid – have become a staple in farm chic entertaining in the past few years. Here the old-fashioned drinking vessels are accented with a fun black & white striped straw from Michael’s.
What summertime picnic is complete with juicy, ripe strawberries? Try serving them up in something fun like this luscious red miniature colander from Old Time Pottery.
A duo of inexpensive clear glass water carafes from Big Lots is set up on each end of the table. A slice of lemon is added to each to add a little color and flavor as well as to make the carafes an integral part of the centerpiece.
“Ness’ Snow Cloud” African violets are presented in shiny red pails from Hobby Lobby and placed atop a Pottery Barn galvanized aluminum tray for a simple centerpiece.
The side table is set up with additional beverages iced down in a galvanized aluminum tub from Home Goods. A galvanized tin tray from Home Goods holds various sauces including two hometown favorites. The fun ant-covered plates are from Pier 1. Veggies for kabobs are served up on a cherry red Chantal serving dish.
My Dad – a farm boy-cum-business/civic leader – passed away last year, and while cleaning out the garage my Mom found his old Coleman lantern, thought to have been purchased in the late 1960s – early 1970s. As you can see, it saw some use in its heyday. It’s now a treasure for me as a reminder that “You can take Daddy out of country, but you can’t take the country out of Daddy.”
The grill master (or grill mistress, as it were!) has everything he/she needs including a porky little friend who ditched his chalkboard to hold the matches. The red plastic serving baskets are great for serving up ribs when lined with parchment paper!
Let’s get those coals going!!!!!!
Other posts on this site suitable for Memorial Day weekend get-togethers:
All-American Seafood Boil
Stars & Stripes
Ants In My Pants Picnic
Black, White & Red All Over
Blue & White Family Picnic
Other posts on this site using towels as napkins include:
“Popsicle Party”
“Black & White Barnyard Breakfast“
“Most Egg-cellent Fall Breakfast“
“Grill It Up!“
“Italian Honeysuckle”
“Picnic Ants“
I’ll be joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for “Tablescape Thursday” again this week and linking up with BeBetsy.com, a terrific lifestyle site with loads of fabulous ideas from knowledgeable and talented contributors. You can also find lots of great ideas at a fun new blog party, “Table It!” over at Christine’s Rustic & Refined.
Here’s wishing you all a safe holiday weekend!
Tablescapes at Table /Twenty-One 
Even your cook-outs are cute and put together! You really are the queen of tables!!!
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I love this table ! My husband is a BBQ competitor so we are always cooking out. This is great for a summer get together. You are the best !
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What a fun table and perfect for Memorial day. The red checked tablecloth is spot on! The dollar store is filled with many bargains, so one doesn’t always have to pay up the ying yang! LOL. Hope life is treating you well. Let the barbecues begin…..
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Now we’re talking!!! This is my kind – and ONLY kind – of grilling, barbecue, outdoor activity ahahah
Not even bugs would bother me.
I’m on your way, carried with a armload of pansies… tell Ramon to fire up that Grill as I won’t be there to gardening… not really 😉
Happy MD weekend :love:
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Love those napkins!
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Now I have to give you a big hug and huge thank you! Not only are your followers coming over to say hi to me; now your re-enforcing the only argument hubby and I have ever had concerning outdoor cooking. Which is Women are better at it!
We know what rubs and sauce to use, and how to look damn good doing it! That is also one styling table. Love those little crocks…I might have to go snag a couple and read the back to see if I could reheat beans right on the grill with those.
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Hi Alycia – I can smell the burgers cooking up on the grill! How wonderful you found your Father’s cherished lantern. I’m a sucker for a red and white checked table cloth. It’s summer time! Hugs, Holly
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Grilling season, my favorite time of year!!! I love the pictures in this post everything is so vibrant and nicely styled. Beautiful job, Alycia!!!
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What time would you like me to arrive? This looks so beyond anything I could pull off, that I think I will just enjoy yours. Everything is perfect, and I love that Coleman lantern. And the quip — you can take Daddy our of the country, etc. — funny!
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So much fun. Oh my, I forgot it’s Memorial Weekend ahead. Thanks for the great visual reminder! Red and White checks are so much fun…
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I’d say “cool”, but this is hot! Such a cheerful & fun ‘scape! Bring on the B.B.Q.!! Perfect for any summer outdoor gathering. You’ve not missed a single detail. Checkered tablecloth, apron, KC BBQ sauce, drink cooler, flavored water, adorable ant plates. I especially love the pork holding the matches, and using your Dad’s lantern. You truly are the hostess with the mostess! 🙂 Mrs. OCD, do you spit shine your grill, or is it new? 😉 LoL
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Love this! So many wonderful details to take in and hopefully, recreate when the weather gets better! You’ve displayed everything in such a pleasing manner, who wouldn’t want to sit down to a BBQ like that! Love the table décor- you sure ran with the inspiration napkins! Great job!
DD
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Gosh, Alycia, this is so awesome! You’ve got me all ready for Memorial Day! Every single detail is fabulous…from the tablecloth to your Dad’s lantern. I remember those from my childhood. My aunt and uncle were campers; and they had tons of them. And how adorable is your piggy holding the matches? This is such a fun setting for summer cookouts! What time does the barbeque start?
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You are ready for some serious grillin and chillin girl! You didn’t miss a trick from the sassy napkins to the rockin spices and sauces, I can smell BBQ already! Your neighbors are bound to be standing in line waiting for a place at that cute red and white table! Love the galvanized trays with the buckets, oh and I have that very same stone pig!! Must be one of James and Geoffrey’s relatives 🙂
Jenna
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Girl! you just did the thang! All from a Dollar Tree Grilling Glove…smh.. you amaze me. Now it’s time for me to bite on this idea.. ( I wish I had a small portion of your creativity) but in the meantime, I’m just enjoying everything you put out. Now… where’s my BBQ invite .. chuckles..
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Ok, so when is dinner? 😉
Fabulously set, as ALWAYS! This is sublimely styled!!
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Alycia,
Like you. . .
Memorial Day weekend is usually the “kick~off”
of grillin’ On Crooked Creektt, too!!!
Adorable tablescape!!!
Love the foodie areas set up around the table on your deck!
Thanks for sharing!!!
Fondly,
Pat
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I want to come to your BBQ picnic, Alycia! You’ve thought of everything to get the party started. I’m loving the Dollar Tree towel/napkins and those darling crocks for the beans. The side table looks great and Mr. Pig even has a job. I have a similar chalkboard piggy and I’d better get him to work around here. Thanks for your fun inspiration to get the Memorial weekend off to a fun start. xo
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I must be a casual girl, because this is one of my favorites of your tables so far. The black and red is so sharp, and the striped straws are so fun! Those grill napkins/towels are perfect for your table. The red check tablecloth is wonderful, especially with the white cloth peeking out along the hemline. The mini colander is adorable, too! Looks like everything is ready for summer grillin’ at your house. The watermelon is the icing here! 🙂
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Oh, Alycia, I have just FOUND you and what you are all about and I am in love! I love tablescapes and your creative flair you add! I am your newest follower, loving this Memorial Day cookout inspiration. I also read up on your sister’s wedding china – Christine’s link party challenge on the wedding china was a hoot to read. Looking forward to diving into more inspiration, past and present.
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You can make a BBQ table look like it belongs at the Ritz!…me?…there would be paper plates, etc…Cannot believe the “napkins” are Dollar tree…they are wonderful…Would love to sit at that table and have some great BBQ with you!!!…
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What a fun, colorful table! I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a decked out table for a BBQ. Think I’ll stop by a $ Tree and see if they have those cute towels. Now I’m off to pin, pin, pin!
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This is a GREAT set up: the table, the accessories, everything! Love the # Tree “napkins”, perfect since BBQ can be very messy:) We are going to 3 parties next weekend so we will fell like your Piggy by Tuesday:):):) Have a GREAT weekend and celebaration!
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A family get-together is sure to be a success when the setting is this fabulous. The big barbecue napkins caught my eye as did the chunky handled bowls.Love the cheery plastic baskets, reusable, and easy to clean up when lined. You aren’t the queen of table setting, you are the empress!
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So cute Alycia! Sometimes I need a towel instead of a napkin to keep me clean at a good barbecue! The mason jars are perfect for this setting along with the cute straws and I like the outdoor BBQ center with the fixin’s- everything handy to do the job! Minus the cute tablecloth we used to have family gatherings with cookouts like this- good times! I’ll bring the potato salad!
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This is such a cute tablescape, I may have to go out and buy a grill! Ours went to “grill heaven” several years ago and I never replaced it. The little towels/napkins from the Dollar Tree are perfect for sticky, barbecue sauce covered fingers. Love the red, black and white color scheme, too.
Happy Memorial Day!
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Gosh, Alycia, this table set-up is wonderful!! I love the colors and attention to detail throughout your whole entertaining space. I’ve seen those “chalkboard pigs”, but you’ve come up with a whole new use for them! I love your red crocks and your dish cloths for napkins: the whole area is so welcoming and no one could enter that space without feeling there was going to be a wonderful day ahead of them! Rosie @ The Magic Hutch
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Chef Alycia, the details of this post (I can’t say tablescape because it’s much more than that!!) are amazing–from the pig chef holding the matches to the apron hanging on the post, ready for the chef to make his/her entry into the fiery world of grilling, it’s all there. How fun!! Only you can s-t-r-e-t-c-h a mere tablescape into the whole shebang! I absolutely love your energy! Happy grilling! ~Zuni
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How cute!! I am on my way!! Thinking that will be some good BBQ if it taste anything like the table looks!!! Love anything galvanized so those pieces are favorites of mine. But I especially like how the watermelon matches the Coleman lantern so well!! Who would of thought-oh wait-you did!!! Kudos!! great post!
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Alyicia love this look, from the tablecloth, the crocks and those napkins. LOVE the fabric and the flatware is so pretty. TJ Max and HG rock don’t they. I am going through withdrawals. Haven’t been to HG in about 8 months, YIKES!!!
Cynthia
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You have made a cookout anything but ordinary! Every aspect of this shouts I’m classy and fun. I was thinking mac & cheese in the crocks but baked beans will suffice. This table also reminds me that I’m hitting up the wrong $$$ stores. One more thing, what time do the festivities begin!!!
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Wow, just WOW.
You always make any occasion a spectacle and I applaude that, great job sweet lady.
Ramon
Rowhouseblog.com
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Beautiful as always, and now I am craving some ‘cue! And you’ve got a great grill–we’ve got the exact same Weber in red. I haven’t barbecued yet this year, although we’ve had some gorgeous weather–been busy out in the garden, though 🙂 Hopefully soon I can get a post up–I’m starting a new little job, and have just been really busy, plus memorizing a pile of Shakespeare for this summer and fall’s shows. Your tablescapes are always the best, Alycia, and it always makes me happy when I see your posts in my inbox, to see what you’ve come up with next!
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I don’t think I can recall you ever doing one this casual and picnic-y. (I’m not sure how you spell that word so I added the hyphen. Is it even a word??)
You had me from the themed napkin and kept me right to the end with my favorite thing of all, which was the chef with the matches.That is just too cute! I love the part about the Coleman lantern too and love it as the centerpiece for the serving table.
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You have done it, again! You are so ready for the big day and you certainly made me want to join your party!! However, we might have to discuss Kansas barbeque vs. Georgia barbeque – hahaha!! Love those cute towel/napkins and the way that your tablecloth’s slip is showing. Have fun entertaining on Monday!!
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This is my kind of table…..simple, cheerful, doable. However, I’m not deceived because I know how much attention you pay to detail which is why your tables are always such winners. Hope the weather is nice this weekend so that you can enjoy being outside on the deck.
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This table is so inventive…perfect with the BBQ theme. Love the red and white…wonderful!
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Alycia, Every detail is perfection. It’s so wonderful that you have your Dad’s lantern. Things like that just mean so much. Love that checkered table cloth. Have a wonderful holiday! Dianne
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What a stunning table, Alycia!
Love the bright colors with matching strawberries, so lovely.
You gave me the perfect inspiration for my next BBQU.
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Allycia, those towel napkins are sooo cute! I’m going to have to get to a $ Tree to see if they still have some. I love the red and black color scheme, and I want some of those little red crocks too. How great that you have your Dad’s Coleman lantern and it makes the perfect accent piece for your buffet table. Love the way you corralled the condiments in the metal tray. laurie
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