Ever have one of those days? Mine was yesterday. I accidentally erased half the photos for this post off my camera before transferring them to my computer. So…..I’m just going to put on my big girl panties, dry my mascara-stained face, and hope you guys don’t fire me for posting it anyway!
INSPIRATION: Cupcake placemats from Pier 1 purchased several seasons ago.
It is rare that I create tablescapes suitable for children, but every once in a while I go there. This tablescape would be great for a birthday or any kid-friendly celebration.
(Click on any photo, then click again to enhance/enlarge it.)
This children’s table for 6 starts with a 90″ x 132″ hot pink/fuchsia 100% polyester tablecloth from YourChairCovers.com. Because it’s polyester, any stains generally lift right out with a little presoak treatment. The easy-care white stretch chair covers are from LinenTablecloth.com.
Each place setting begins with two placemats. The first is a fun fringed and polka-dotted rectangular placemat from Pier 1 that drapes off the side of the table. The top placemat is the cupcake-shaped placemat made of heavy-duty felt, also purchased at Pier 1 and featuring a cherry on top. The lime green plates are from the Dollar Tree.
Something fun for kids young and old is the unique napkin fold. I rolled 20″ x 20″ hot pink/fuchsia napkins from LinenTablecloth.com into tight mounds that, when placed in a colorful paper cupcake cup, resemble frosted cupcakes! (Click HERE and scroll to Tip #33 for a step-by-step tutorial on how to create these napkins that are often referred to as the “rosebud fold.”) This can also be done with a sturdy paper napkin, but the results usually aren’t quite as pretty.
The hot pink-handled flatware is from T.J. Maxx, and the yellow-orange plastic stemware (lets the youngsters feel grown up!) is from Old Time Pottery. To add a little more flair and fun, I used one orange and one hot pink straw.
The centerpiece is fun and colorful for kids, but very inexpensive to create. I used clear ginger jars (you know the kind you get when somebody sends your FTD flowers or that you can find in overabundance at thrift stores everywhere!) and just dumped in loads of curling ribbon in different colors. I allowed some of the ribbon to overflow from the ginger jar and onto the table. To add a little more height and a touch of whimsy, I added an oversized orange Gerbera daisy from Pier 1‘s summer clearance a couple of years ago. Very simple, and very budget-friendly at about $10 total for the entire centerpiece!
The dessert buffet is covered with a 108″ round hot pink/fuchsia poly tablecloth from LinenTablecloth.com. I used two more of the polka-dotted placemats to carry part of the dining table decor to the buffet. (Note to my “Art of Tablescaping” students…this is another example of subtly but effectively carrying the theme throughout the room/space.)
I found these cute ceramic cupcake holders at a local wholesale place. I think they’re meant to be floral vessels, but I thought they’d be great for holding various toppings for sundaes and cupcakes.
A raging sugar high is the key to a successful kids’ party! The same type of clear ginger jar vases as used on the guest table are used here on the cupcake/candy bar to display Pixie Stix, Dum-Dums lollipops, Good ‘n’ Plenty licorice, and colorful gumballs. Just add a ladle for scooping!
Cupcakes are displayed on stacked glass cake stands from Hobby Lobby. (Sometimes it’s fun to just have the plain cupcakes and let the kids decorate them with whatever toppings they want…if you’re up to the inevitable mess!) I even found some candies that are actually called Cupcake Bites for this party!!! And notice the corner of a stack of cupcake napkins at the upper left. That’s one of those detail photos that was erased from my camera. Aaaaarrrggghhhhh!!!!
OK, sorry again folks, but this is where it gets really bad. Since I lost those photos, I did what I could to crop and enhance some details for you. Not my best work, but hopefully you’ll get the gist. I found the oversized metal cupcake with the words “Sweet Treat” in the clearance aisle at Hobby Lobby last year. Perfect! Drinks are dispensed from inexpensive plastic pitchers with color-coordinated lids. (Lemonade from the yellow, limeade from the green, and fruit punch from the pink.) You can just barely make it out that those are giant marshmallow lollipops displayed in yet another clear glass ginger jar in the lower right corner.
Last, but certainly not least, is the display of multi-colored paper lanterns in varying sizes. I used color-coordinated curling ribbon to hang the lanterns at varied heights for visual interest. Most of the lanterns here are from the new collection at LinenTablecloth.com. They come in 9 different colors, 3 sizes, and are super affordable! (Just be sure to hang ’em high enough that the boys can’t make piñatas out of them!)
So there you have it…a kids’ party that is in overdrive on color, texture and high-fructose desserts, but easy on the pocketbook!
Other kid-friendly posts on this site:
Pink & Purple Chocolate Christmas
Sugar High Payback
Checkered Christmas
Kaleidoscope Christmas
Frosty the Snowman
Other posts on this site featuring the “rosebud” napkin fold:
Mother’s Day Luncheon in Pink
Springtime in Paris Mother’s Day Buffet
Au Revoir!
Other posts on this site featuring paper lanterns:
Under a Paper Moon
Butterfly Kaleidoscope
Blue & White 30th Birthday
Easter Brunch
I’ll once again be joining Christine at Rustic & Refined for the 14th installment of “Table It!“, Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for “Tablescape Thursday”, and Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for “Pink Saturday”. I hope you’ll join me for more tablescaping ideas from talented bloggers the world over.
Tablescapes at Table /Twenty-One 
GORGEOUS!!!!!
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Oh, my goodness – what fun! I love the vibrant colors. I can think of one special young lady who would love a party like this. I’m going to have to keep this one in mind for her next birthday.
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Oh Alycia, this is super cute! I have a 7 yr old niece adopted from Guatemala, and she LOVES these hot colors (and looks great wearing them!). I can see a little girl giddy with excitement (and sugar high) having a party set with all of these accessories and the candy bar. I love what you did with those FTD ginger jars, with both the candies and the curled ribbons (note to self: don’t purge ALL of them, save a few). Always attentive to the details, and your photos are fine, no need to apologize!
Rita
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Birthdays are a big event in everyone’s life, whether we are 7 or 77 (even if as adults we may pretend it doesn’t really matter). I remember the cake on my 7th birthday party because it was from the bakery and had clowns made from icing running around the edge alternating with lollipops. I remember the dress my pretty young Aunt Annette was wearing and how excited I was. Any child would remember a setting like yours forever. I thought the cupcake napkins were real! The hooks you put above the windows are really going to be useful to you, as I can see from the colorful display of lanterns. Just one of the other things I loved was the great idea for the ribbon centerpiece. Brilliant. I know how much it hurts to accidentally delete photographs but these are great. I particularly like the one of the pink sugar. Excellent.
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The vision in my mind of your stash of decorating goodies NEVER ceases to amaze me. Sugar my Aunt Fanny….the eye candy has sent me over the top! Lucky the child who is invited to this impeccably designed table. Thanks for inviting us for a peek. Cherry Kay
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You mean you erased the OTHER 200 pictures tsk tsk tsk and this from the Queen of Everything and Something else too 😉
I’m childish enough to enjoy this party. I love the giddy and happy feeling I get when going through the pictures 🙂
Cupcakes are Happy Food – and being childish I don’t want to know the calories and the bla bla bla shouldn’t 😉 – and bring all the Sprinkles as they are Magic. So this is Magic Happy done by Alycia.
Love it,
Teresa
PS – we’re redoing our outdoor slash barbecue (need to concede for the guys in the home) and the paper lanterns will be a must for my first party there. Love it!!!
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Alycia, I have been meaning to ask you for a while about the stretch tablecloths you have featured. Isn’t it hard to sit at the table with the stretch fabric right at a person’s knees? I love the look but wondered just how comfortable it is. Gayle Kesinger
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Hi Alycia – Forget about the lost pictures and the kids… I am so there! This is the most perfectly fun and cheery table that I needed to see today. And am I the only one that was fooled with the cupcake napkins? I thought they were real cupcakes. I love all of the funness of this tablescape. Is funness a real word? Don’t care… I’m eating a cupcake… nom nom nom… Hugs, Holly.
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Wow! Your table looks amazing! I bet the guest of honour was thrilled!
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A beautiful tablescape, Alycia! I love bright colors like this, and I am totally smitten with the paper lanterns. It reminds me of Blanche Dubois always wanting a paper shade on her lights:)
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I love how cheerful, colorful and bright this tablescape it. In my opinion, both adults and youngsters alike will enjoy it.
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Once again – you amaze and delight me! What a fabulous table for kids of any age. I am sooooo in love with that cupcake napkin. Talk about “attention to detail”…my sister and I have been on the phone for over 30 minutes talking about this table. Pat’s favorite feature is the ginger jar centerpiece – what a great way to add color and interest at a very inexpensive price. My favorite? I’m a flatware “freak” so the hot pink flatware grabbed me immediately. Thanks for another wonderful table and as always, thanks for all you kind words and inspiration.
Katie
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I want to know who’s going to eat all of that candy? ? This a kid’s dream come true, plus a few adults I know. I never knew the vases were called ginger jars, thanks for that fyi. What a grest vessel for mini cake truffles. Your entire set up is colorful, fun and the kids will have fun admiring all the details while they’re bouncing off the walls from all that sugar!
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Too Too Cute!! Love everything! The colors just makes you happy! As your student fan, I will have to simulate this setting for my granddaughter’s birthday next year. Or, heck, I’ll give her a “just because” party just so I can do this. I wonder if I could use a child size t-shirt for the cupcake instead of a napkin. I’ll have to tinker with that. Love the Gerbera daisies, I ordered some from Savoncrafts, Pier I no longer carried that type, I just love their size and vibrant colors. And I also ordered some round table cloths from LinenTablecloth.com. I couldn’t believe the prices. I can’t purchase a yard of fabric for those prices. Thanks for the info. Well, this really stirred the child in me and has my sweet tooth craving. Thaaanks Alycia.
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Kid friendly? I’m thinking I’d like to attend that party! Who says cupcakes are just for little kids? 🙂 Don’t be so hard on your self, so you had a wee bit of ‘techical difficulty’. We forgive you. This post was sweet, fun, and colorful! And now I need a cupcake! LoL
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Doesn’t look like you lost anything Alycia! Fabulouly festive. I think any adult would also love a dessert party like this!!!! Love those lanterns in hot colors! Wow, wow, wow! You’ve done it again! Love the simple, make ahead centerpiece with the ribbon…clever and not wasting fresh flowers on children. I am forwarding to 2 friends who have a cupcake business!!!!! demidesserts.com
Sent from my iPad
>
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OMGoodNess!! Whe I saw the multi-colored curly ribbon I got all giggly inside. This is soooo TuttiFruitti!!! I want it all- the gumballs, the cupcakes, in fact I want to be a kid again to have the fun.. Thank you for a funday-monday..
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I’m in love with these happy colors and tablescape and the whole idea of it. What fun. The lanterns are great!
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Now that it was yummy tablescape, Alycia! When I first saw the “cupcake”, I thought it was the real thing and then I read that it was a napkin!!! Oh my gosh, how cute is that??? I must remember that and now I know where to find the tutorial. Big and little kids would be in candy heaven at your sweet table.
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Oops…it was supposed to say, “is one yummy”!!
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Oh, Alycia! You have outdone yourself with this tablescape! My granddaughters would go crazy for something like this! Thank you for the inspiration. Also, somehow I missed your “Table Tips” post and couldn’t believe how many FANTASTIC hints you have provided!! Many, Many thanks!! You really should consider a creating a book——-or did I miss that, too? Rosie @ The Magic Hutch
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This is too cute! Love the bright mix of hot colors! When I saw the large polka dot table linens I thought of the game Twister! LOL… I think it’s beause we went through more basement stuff and my daughter took the Twister game! I like the paper lanterns- what a fun backdrop of color! I wish I could freely eat sweets like I did as a kid! I’m a big cupcake fan- heck just about any kind of bakery good I love!! 🙂
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Super-duper cute! It’s been a long time since I did a kid’s party — but I like the colors here so much I would be happy with it for myself!
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How fun, Alycia! My favorite parties were children’s parties when I was in the event planning biz! Love seeing all of the bright, cheery colors and whimsical accents together. They just make me happy! These would be great for a “Girls’ Night In” party, as well!
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How cute is this? Love the bright colors and all the details. Fun! Dianne
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I really thought the napkin was a cupcake. Why did I not guess that you would do something clever like that? Beautiful theme and interpretation and I love reusing those glass containers and filling them with candy. I may have to steal the centerpiece idea as well. It could be really interesting with fall colors…
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Too stinkin’ cute!!!!!…you can set a table for the Queen of England and a child who would screech when they saw that adorable and over the top cute table..love those cupcake containers…and cannot believe you found those “cupcake bites”….heck, I would love this table for MY birthday!…and you hit it out of the park with those cupcake napkins!!!…
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So stinkin’ cute!! That hot pink is so fun, and the combo of colors you have there just scream “cupcake party”. I adore your rose napkin folds tucked into the cupcake papers. They really look like cupcakes, and I thought they were real until you told us about your trick. Love that. The ceramic cupcake holders make the perfect servers for sprinkles and such. You have quite a collection of cupcake items, and I thoroughly enjoyed your set-up. I have to say the dessert table had me drooling with all those sweet treats. Love the metal sign, too. I don’t feel your post is at all deficient due to the lost pictures. What do we know, since we never saw what you had before the oops? You still had plenty of great things to share with those beautiful, colorful pictures. I love the paper lanterns you added. I have a set in my attic that have never been used. Thanks for inspiring me to dig those things out and use them somehow for our next gathering. Thanks for the fun, happy party post, Alycia. You rocked it again!!
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If you hadn’t mentioned it I doubt anyone would ever know that you had missing pictures! What an adorable setting and perfect for a “raging sugar high!” The cupcake mats are quite an inspiration, there is something about cupcakes that just makes you happy! The cupcake napkins are simply brilliant, and I will be remembering that~I also LOVE the multi colored lanterns, it’s all over the top Alycia, and I know you were very frustrated over the lost photos! Last night I dreamed that I dropped my lap top in the pool!! I sat up in bed and opened my eyes and said, oh, NO you did not! Phew, then I went back to sleep 🙂
Jenna
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FUN bright colors – love them! Great tablescape and love lanterns too.
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Hello dear Lady A,
Thank you a million, you did not missed my special day. Thank you once again for coming and peeping me although I am miles away.
OMG! How I wish we live just around the corner, so you can help me with a sort of shower party. This is absolutely perfect to my baby granddaughter. She is coming in the end of Aug. Dóh! can’t wait.
TY so much for the treat, Lady A and it is so much appreciated.
Hugs from Stockholm,
/CC
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I love it!!!! And I love cupcakes!!!! I think I’ve have me a big girl cupcake party next year. PS Please remind me.
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Very fun and whimsical table. The colors are quite striking and who doesn’t love cupcakes? This would be so perfect for s many venues. Love the colored paper lanterns. Candy galore too….Lots of goodies and a lovely place to entertain.
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WOW! You have really outdone yourself this time! How do you top this? Oh I know with a cherry on top! It is so adorable. I really love all of the colorful hanging lanterns. Such a great idea!
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First of all, I cannot believe you lost so many photos and still came up with such a wonderful post. If you never mentioned it, I assure you no one would have know. Second, I love the way you construct a post – so informative and straightforward, with how-to’s and all. And finally, I just love the visuals here. I know this is supposed to be for kids, but I’m a real pink and green girl, so it’s really working for me! Of course the napkin fold is my favorite detail – utterly brilliant. But by no means it that the only interest. From the placemats to the lanterns to the flatware to the candy bits and bobs, the whole thing is si nicely tied together and both fun and pretty… 🙂
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Alycia, It looks to me like there are no missing details or photos! I just clicked over to check out the lanterns, so affordable and festive hanging along the eave as a backdrop for your table! I love the simple and colorful touch of the curling ribbon as a vase filler and centerpiece! And who wouldn’t want to build their own cupcake?!.. .delicious fun for ALL ages…love the Cupcake Bites you found 🙂
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Such a great table…I want to be a kid again and play with the napkins and gorge myself on candy!
And no one would ever fire you…we have all done it! Plus it’s not your fault….if computers, cameras and the world were run by women…that wouldn’t have happened! Your camera would have known what was expected….and just did it. LOL
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This is adorable! I love that centerpiece idea. I am going to share this with my nieces who have 3 little girls between the two of them. Love all the colored lanterns too! You always manage to wow me!!
Big Texas Hugs,
Susan and Bentley
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Loved this!!!
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I would not have known there were missing pictures. I’ve erased an entire set of pictures before and know the feeling!!
As usual..I love every bit of your table. That is a nifty fold and hope to learn how to do it. I saw some cute cupcake holders at HG the other day and didn’t get them. Of course, by the time I bet back they will be gone!:-(
This is such a fun table/tables and I love the colors!
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Love your colourful out door table setting.You have set with bright summer colours.Lovely colourful lanterns and gives a look of a out door party.The cup cakes and the ea tables no words.Thank you for your stop and the algebra part i used to think too who found all these..lol….Love and hugs sujatha…:):)
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well…..first of all I had to pin that “cupcake” folded napkin. That’s just about the cleverest thing I have ever seen. And what little girl wouldn’t love a party like this….for that matter…what big girl wouldn’t love it??!!!! How do you do it? all these fabulous ideas~ Have a sweet weekend Alycia xoxo
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Gratuliere zu dieser perfekten Tischdeko !!!!
Schönes Wochenende,
Luis
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O MY!! How bright, Cheerful and absolutely delightful!! Who would not enjoy a party with these wonderful surroundings!! I am a color person so this is right up my alley!! And i do love those paper lanterns!!
Thanks so much for stopping by and for taking the time to leave such a sweet comment!! I did have to really get up the courage to glue that mailbox to that pretty top on the plant stand but it all worked out and I am happy with the finished result. My Hubby did ask me though to lay off the mailboxes….
LOL!!
Have a great weekend!!
Hugs,
Deb
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Nice to meet you Alycia, Thank you for your visit and sweet comment. Disney movies do have a way of defining different times in our lives.
Your table for kids is soooo much fun. You haven’t missed a trick. I love the centerpieces and the easy project of making them. Any kid or adult would be smiling to sit at this table. I thought the cupcake was real. lol. I can learn a lot from you. Big smile here.
Happy Pink Sat. Oh, Your photos are perfect. One would never know you lost some of them.
Happy tablescaping,
Jeanne
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Still not typing much due to rotator surgery, just wanted you to know I think it’s great. Love the hot pink cloth and the way the lanterns carry out the color scheme. Score!
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Wow! You even outdid yourself for the kiddies! This is all just adorable, I’m in love with these pretty and bright colors. The rose napkin fold is just perfect fit in the cupcake cups! I also like those little ceramic cupcake cups. You have a great cupcake collection! Everything is done to perfection! Now I’m wanting a cupcake! 😉
Katherine
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Oh Alycia, as usual, your great sense of humor has me laughing out loud by the first sentence. (Wiping your mascara-stained face, lol) I am sorry you deleted your pictures though; I would be mad as fire if that were me.
This party setup is FANTASTIC!! Wow!! I just love these wonderful colors for summer! As always, everything is beautifully coordinated on your tables. Just so you know, I might have to steal your centerpiece idea. Love it! 😀 The ribbon curls and the Gerbera Daisy are so pretty in the clear jar. Now you really fooled me, ’cause when I first saw your napkins, I thought they really were cupcakes — great job!! I’m still not very good at napkin folds; I definitely need some practice at that.
Last, but not least Alycia, those paper lanterns are beautiful and so festive! You’ve given us all some great ideas for summer party ideas — for kids of ALL ages. 🙂
Have a wonderful weekend, my friend.
Hugs,
Denise
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Now this is a FUN and beautiful table!!! I would love it for MY birthday which is coming up! Would you like to come do this at my house, LOL!!! Thanks for your visit. The chair on my post was my sons and when he moved to Fl. he couldn’t take it so gave it to me. I am a lucky Mama!!!! Hope you are haing a great weekend!!!
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Oh, what fun!! I think kids of all age would love this. I know I do. LOVE the colors and the paper lanterns…and the boys and pinatas comment. LOL
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Brilliant!! Both in design and color. I love the lanterns and the fuchsia pink tablecloth is perfect. The lime green plates from the Dollar Tree are the perfect contrast to the hot pink. The polka-doted placemats topped with the cupcake placemats pull everything together in a riot of brilliant colors. I love it! This makes me wish I had a little one at home to throw a party for (well maybe not, to many sleepless nights with the little ones).
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Hi!! I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to visit you! I was so thrilled when you left your comment telling me you live so near by!! How great is that!!! You mentioned Petals and Potpourri…do you visit them often? I love their store, especially their florals. We missed their Christmas in July open house, but plan on attending their upcoming fall event in Sept.
LOVE your tablescaping talents!! I agree with previous comments…the one you featured on this post would please “kids” of all ages! I have to ask, are you an event planner? You are so talented that you should be.
Glad to see you at Pink Sat. I’ve gotten pretty lazy with my blog that I usually only post once a week anymore and that’s on Pink Sat. I haven’t missed a PS since I started in June of 2008. 🙂
Let’s keep in touch!! HPS!! Dana
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Alycia, I know you are in the middle of several big projects but wanted you to see this picture. I work for Mrs. Campbell where this event took place last night. She is 97 years old. This was her second event in two weeks. The figures in the middle of the plates were covered soup bowls from Horchows , heavens knows how long ago. The base held the soup and the figurines covered the soup. Hand painted and all different. Just thought you might enjoy seeing it. I was blown away but then I am at all the creativity on your blog and some of the others I now follow. Love Tablescape Thursdays. Gayle
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