Tulips In the iHop Hour

May 9, 2012April 18, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 54 Comments

My parents have for as long as I can remember preferred to eat Sunday dinner in what I affectionately call “the iHop Hour.” You know…those early bird special hours between 3 and 6 p.m. when seniors aged 55+ can get a discounted meal at the International House of Pancakes. (I’m not knockin’ it! That’s exactly where I plan to have lunch…yes, 3:00 will still be lunch for me!…on my 55th next year!) Although my husband and I still like to wait until after the sun goes down, we always try to honor the tick tock of my parents’ gastronomic time clock and get “dinner” served by 3:30 at the latest.

This year’s Mothers Day celebration will be no different. Our table will, therefore, be devoid of candles reserved for twilight dining and take on instead a light, sunshiny, Skip-to-My-Lou air with energetic orange as the star color.
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Tulips In the IHop Hour

Fearful of Mother Nature’s unpredictable outbursts of wind and showers, I have decided to serve a nice sit-down meal in the dining room. Surprisingly, no full-length linen this time around! (I’m just as shocked at myself as you are!!! :-)) This would be an excellent table for a casual ladies’ luncheon or birthday celebration.

Inspiration…as slow as it was to take hold…came from these Prima Design tulip-splashed salad plates I found at TJ Maxx. I love the happy color and the simplicity of the design. That simplicity, I thought, is what mandated the absence of linens and effusive decor. The plain white ceramic charger is from Old Time Pottery. The vivid orange dinner plate is one of the best finds of the year from the Dollar Tree. (Did you know that Dollar Tree and Deal$ are owned by the same company and therefore carry many of the same items??? It was news to me until a couple of days ago!)

I created the menus using cardstock from Michaels. (I wait it out until it goes on sale for 25¢ a sheet and then go nuts!!!) I included a bit of yellow to mirror some of the flowers used in the centerpieces and add depth to the menu piece. The little flower brads are from Hobby Lobby. (Again, catch them on sale for a song!) I am not a “crafty” person by any stretch, so I am so grateful for my handy, dandy Fiskars paper cutter!

White bird salt & pepper shakers from Pier 1 fit right in!

It’s too early to buy the real flowers, so I’m using faux blooms here. I plan bouquets by creating them in advance with faux flowers. It makes the trip to the flower market go so much faster and easier! One book that really inspires me to keep my arrangements fun and creative is Paula Pryke’s “Table Flowers”. (Click HERE for my brief review of her book.) I never try to imitate a creation bloom-for-bloom, but innovative and unabandoned style is what gives me a kick in the britches. (Used here: Holland tulips, daylilies, calla lilies, poppies, and mums.)

I like for the items on the buffet behind the table to coordinate whenever possible. This time around I used a massive orange wooden platter from Z Gallerie as a backdrop. The pure white pitchers, purchased a couple of years ago at Home Goods, are spruced up with silver beverage tags affixed with mandarin orange ribbon. A jumble of orange, yellow & green beads add color and texture.

I took a cue from my sweet blogger buddy, Vernice at We Three Dogs & Me, and wove orange ribbon through the slats of the Ralph Lauren “Pavillion” footed stand that will hold the key lime pie. (I’ve never made key lime pie before. Check back to make sure we’re all still alive, please! :-)) Vernice did the same using bright pink ribbon for her Mother’s Day 2012 post in which she told the most touching story about her own Mom and her very interesting childhood. HIGHLY recommended reading…have tissues handy!

Mom & me, 1958

So that…finally!!!…is our Mother’s Day 2012 table. Simple, sweet, sunny, and fun! I hope my Mom likes it. I was warned NOT to go pink & green for her, so I just stepped WAY outside the color box!
Happy Mother’s Day, Mom, and the same to my dear readers…even if you’re not dining in the IHop hour! 😉

Other Spring/Summer tablescapes using orange on this site:
“Mandarin Bling“
“Orange You Glad You Came to Dinner?”
“Oranges & Blossoms“

I will be joining Cuisine Kathleen again this week for her “Let’s Dish!” Mother’s Day Tablescape Challenge. Be sure to check it out for lots of great ideas from other tablescapers around the world! I’m also joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for “Tablescape Thursday“, and I hope you’ll drop by!

Ants in My Pants Picnic

April 18, 2012April 9, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 46 Comments

I wanted to participate in Cuisine Kathleen’s “Good Earth” edition of “Let’s Dish!” this week, so I’m bringing back a post from way back in the day when I first started blogging. For those of you who have already seen it on this site’s “Summer” page, maybe a second visit will get you in the mood for summer. For those of you seeing it for the first time, I hope you enjoy it!

As much as we wish Mother Nature would take their pesky butts back, ants are a huge part of nature! As we celebrate Earth Week, though, I’ll cut ’em some slack. (Unless I see one in my house, and then he’ll be fertilizing the good earth!!!) A picnic under the trees is the perfect way to enjoy all that nature has to offer of the “Good Earth.”
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In August, it’s still sweltering hot outside, but the retailers already have store aisles crammed with holiday decor from Halloween to Christmas. I am so not ready for that! I still want to play outside with my neighbors!

A red & white checkered cloth lends a traditional look to this outdoor setting. I snatched up this piece of easy care poly-cotton fabric from a remnant table. My niece, sister, and Mom are all a whiz with a needle, but I can’t sew a stitch. So…I just tidy up the edges with a pair of my hubby’s surgical scissors and call it a day! Hey, after all…it’s a picnic! Rustic!

What’s a picnic without lots of ice-cold, juicy, sun-ripened fruit for dessert? Delicious!

The place settings stack up on this summer tablescape with black acrylic chargers from Hobby Lobby, white Corelle dinner plates and black salad plates from Wal-Mart, and the cutest little ant-covered top plates from Pier 1. Each person’s bottle of Coca-Cola is iced down in a red lacquered metal pail from Hobby Lobby. Napkins are from Bed Bath & Beyond, and the flatware is the Pfaltzgraff “Legacy” pattern from JC Penney.

As the sun sets, pillar candles set inside oversized black lanterns provide a flicker of light to carry conversation into the evening hours.

I bought these fun giant ants at Hobby Lobby a couple of seasons ago. When I see really cool stuff like that, I just have to buy it…even if I don’t use it for a season or two! This purchase really paid off in the end because it adds a bit of the surreal, which is always fun! Happy Dog Days, everyone!

I’m linking up with Cuisine Kathleen for “Let’s Dish!”. Stop on by anytime after 6:00 p.m. CDT to see what other tablescapers have created to celebrate the Good Earth!

Pink Plaid & Posies

April 1, 2012June 18, 2018 / Alycia Nichols / 57 Comments

I’ve created a bonus tablescape this week so that I can participate in The Tartan Parade co-hosted by blogger buddies Babs (Upstairs Downstairs), Sarah (Hyacinths for the Soul), Delores (Vignette Design), and Alison (The Polohouse). Stop on over to see the other fabulous and fun tartan plaid tablescapes! I’m also linking up with the fun weekly party, Pink Saturday. If you like pink like I do, you’ll love this party!

I wore a plaid uniform nearly every single day in grade school and high school, so a tiny masochistic vestige of tartan plaid clothing remains in my closet. I don’t, however, own much of anything that is plaid in the way of decorating. When I found these pink plaid salad plates, though, I knew I was in like Flynn! (Or “Flint”, depending on which camp you belong to!) I could do a Spring tablescape in pastel pink plaid for the Tartan Parade! I decided to dress the table accordingly using various shades and widths of pink ribbon in a woven plaid design.

I liked the way the ribbon treatment came out over the white full-length table linen, so I just kept running with it! (My husband – the infamous “Tablescape Whisperer” – wanted me to do the entire table in this ribbon plaid treatment. He must be trippin’! ;-))

A white ceramic charger (Old Time Pottery) is topped with a plain white Corelle dinner plate. The pretty pink plaid salad plate is topped with a neat little bowl from Pier 1 that cradles the napkin.

A white cotton hemstitch napkin is gathered up with a bright pink glass napkin ring from Bed Bath & Beyond.

International Silver’s “Danish Princess” flatware rests comfortably atop the ribbon treatment. You can see more clearly here the use of two shades of pink ribbon.

Everyday clear glass stemware from Old Time Pottery is perfect for a pared down Spring luncheon without a lot of frills.

Using two shades of Gerbera daisies lends depth to the bouquets plopped into a parade of curvy white ceramic vases from Michael’s.

What’s a Springtime luncheon without a little take home gift for your guests? Again, two shades of ribbon to make it look just a little more interesting.

So there you have it! A Spring (or Summer!) luncheon (that would also work well for Mother’s Day, a birthday, baby shower, bridal shower, or to celebrate a friend who has battled breast cancer) in pink plaid with posies! I don’t think you’ll ever see this plaid in a Scottish kilt, but I think it works for lunch!

Other light & airy tables in pink on this site:
“Peonies & Pearls“
“Princess Pink Birthday“
“Showered in Pink“
“Breast Cancer Awareness Month”
“Blushing Bridal Shower”
“Just Us Girls”
“Chocolate Traditional”
“Days of Wine & Roses”
“Daisy Crazy“

I’m also hooking up with “The Tablescaper” for Seasonal Sundays this week! Check it out to see a variety of tablescapes and ideas for Spring and Easter!

Carousel Colors

March 27, 2012September 25, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 66 Comments

Easter is so close now. It just kind of snuck up on me!

This light & airy table, set up on our deck, would be perfect for an outdoor Easter breakfast or brunch. The happy melange of colors would work well for just about any casual Spring or Summer tablescape! It’s especially perfect to celebrate Liz’s (A Dish Here, A Glass There) March 24th birthday!!!
(Click on any photo to enlarge!)

A full-length white table linen is covered with two straw mat runners that extend across rather than a single one trailing the length of the dining table. The straw adds a textural element to the table while the pink cotton edging lends a tease of color.

I found these “Lyda” dolomite dishes with the wonderfully whimsical pattern at Pier 1 a couple of years ago. (I like to refer to them as my Alice in Wonderland dishes!) It truly was a battle of wills as I waited until they hit the clearance section at 75% off. I was so glad to be able to get enough for 8 place settings. When dishes have a range of colors like these, that’s my cue to mix and match accessories with abandon! (Note that the egg cups, vases, straw mats, and even the flowers pick up on the different colors.) The white ceramic chargers are from Old Time Pottery.

Pfaltzgraff “Legacy” stainless flatware is simple in shape and style so as to not compete with the wildly meandering pattern on the dishes.

These colorful egg cups came in a range of colors at Crate & Barrel. I bought them in citrus green, as pictured here, as well as bubble gum pink, luscious lavender and lemon yellow.

I am almost certain I bought this milky green stemware at Pier 1 about 15 years ago. (I had them in blue, too, and could just kick myself for selling them!) It’s fun and just a teensy bit decadent to sip your morning orange juice from a martini glass! (Although not as much fun as sipping your morning martini from an orange juice glass! 🙂 )

Three dollar clearance sale urns from K-Mart, spray-painted a brilliant sunshine yellow, are topped with mounded arborvitae and finished off with a dark wrought iron obelisk for height. (For an even more whimsical look, or for a May Day celebration, consider tying lengths of flowing ribbon to the top of the obelisks to gently flutter in the breeze.)

A colorful assortment of roses and hydrangea are assembled in various sizes of ceramic vases borrowed from our guest bedroom decor.

The beverage table is dressed in a poufy pink full-length cotton linen. The straw mat runner is trimmed in a seasonal green. Next to the table is my beloved wooden carousel horse, most often used around here for Kentucky Derby table settings. (Click HERE and scroll down to “Run For the Roses” to see the horse used for Derby Day. You can also click HERE to see him used on a Kentucky Derby buffet table!) The carousel colors on the dishes naturally made me think of him!

Pier 1’s “Lyda” teapot is great for serving any warm beverage. In hindsight, I should have bought more than one!

A repeat of the dining table florals is found playing peek-a-boo from a fanciful hatbox. Greenery vines lend more presence to the table.

I hope you’re just about ready for Easter! I still have eggs to dye and a coconut cake recipe to refine. From our house to yours, may you be blessed with a peaceful Easter weekend!

Other Easter tables on this site:
“Easter Brunch“
“Barton’s Easter Brunch“
“Pinky Peter Cottontail“

Please join me again this week for Tablescape Thursday! I guarantee my blogger buddies will have lots of great tablescapes to share with you!

Linked to BeBetsy.com!

Mum’s the Word/Zen Garden

March 19, 2012April 9, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 41 Comments

I’m taking a break from the buffet tables I have shared the last couple of weeks to bring you something a little different. I have a goofy rule about not buying anything unless I can think of at least 5 ways to use it in under 30 seconds. Sometimes that’s a real challenge. Other times, however, the ideas just flow.

I recently conducted an exercise in my “Art of Tablescaping” class that engaged the students in looking at a centerpiece item and brainstorming about all the different ways it could be used. The genesis of these two tablescapes is that exercise, along with napkins & matching placemats I bought year-before-last at Burlington. The white flowers remind me of Fuji mums, and the gentle nature of the design makes me think of a quiet Japanese garden. I figured I could bring out a little or a lot of that Asian feel depending on the additional elements used, but that both looks would work well for a Spring tablescape.

I remember sitting in the aisle with the napkin on my head (the inspiration seems to come quicker for me that way!) with possibilities shooting out from every which way. (And yes, I often sit there for long periods of time making purchase decisions that have more to do with “How much trouble will I be in for spending this money?” as opposed to “How many ways can I use it?” Don’t judge me! ;-))

What you’ll see here are side-by-side comparisons of how switching just a couple of elements can change the whole look and feel of a tablescape. See if you can spot the subtle differences. “Mum’s the Word” on the left would be great for any “business casual” get-together, and “Zen Garden” on the right would work well when serving something fun like sushi or takeout Chinese food.
(Click to enlarge any photo.)

Besides the robin’s egg blue placemats and napkins, both place settings utilize Z Gallerie’s “Delfina” china with its glossy white center, chocolate brown rim, and sophisticated silver edging.

Making the napkin look a little different is as easy as changing the napkin ring. The napkin on the left has a silver-rimmed faux mother of pearl ring (I bought them at Old Time Pottery, but Z Gallerie has them, too), while the ring on the right is a natural rattan (Pier 1).

The setting on the left uses clear glass everyday glassware from Old Time Pottery. The setting on the left replaces the all-American stemware with a simple white sake cup from World Market.

The flatware on the left with faux mother of pearl handles is distinctively different from the stainless bamboo on the right which evokes a more deliberate Asian feel. (Both from Target.)

The elements of the unusual centerpiece remain the same for both tablescapes. A stripped natural manzanita branch from TJ Maxx (yeah, that’s right, TJ Maxx…who’d have thought?!??!) mimics both the color and curves of the branch on the placemat. Soothing white Fuji mums in clear glass Hobby Lobby cylinders stand alongside silver Revere candlesticks with chocolate brown candles. (Note: Fuji mums will last for a couple of weeks if you cut the stem on the diagonal, change the water every couple of days, and maintain a comfortable room temperature.)

The overall look of the buffet is altered by the simple addition of extra elements that steer away from the more austere look of simple candles and florals as pictured on the left.

The simple white World Market sake set and teapot (T.J. Maxx) definitely lend Asian influence.

The melodic sounds from soothing Japanese chimes can be used to gently alert your guests that a feast awaits.

Subtle differences can make a world of difference!

Other posts on this site with an Asian feel:
“Mandarin Bling“
“Copper Zen“
“Year of the Rabbit“
“Peaceful Peonies“
“Mikasa Daylight” (Design #2)

I am joining Susan and many other talented tablescapers from out there in the world for Tablescape Thursday again this week. Also hooking up with The Style Sisters for Centerpiece Wednesday. Hope to see you there!

Taste of Wine Buffet

March 13, 2012April 9, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 45 Comments

Even before ABC’s “Cougar Town” became so popular, I knew that enjoying a glass of good wine was a popular American pasttime. We may not all look like Courtney Cox (seriously…this woman is 47 years old with upper arms and stomach muscles that tight?!?!!), but we can sure put on a wine tasting party to rival any neighborly fete her character, Jules, could.

Spring is the perfect time to try new wines that will accompany your warm weather meals and desserts. A wine tasting party needn’t run you to the poor house, either. Ask your guests to bring along a bottle of their favorite, put some good cheese, breads, fruits, olives and desserts out for them to sample, and you’ve got yourself a smashing springtime soirée.
(Click on any photo to enlarge!)

This is buffetscape #2 created for my first “Art of Tablescaping – Buffet Styling” class back on March 6. I started with a full-length white linen topped with a deep yellow bird & branch covered topper placed on the diagonal. (See the topper used on a dining table for a sit-down meal HERE.)

The 2-tier wrought iron and wood stand is great for displaying whole fruits for guests’ enjoyment. An assortment of cheeses and olives are presented on a wine barrel Lazy Susan from Pottery Barn. Olives are scooped into Pier 1 white poppy serving bowls, and varietal breads are piled into a long linen-lined basket.

I like to add fun little items to buffet tables like this wine placard.

A 2-tiered wrought iron stand from Traditions in downtown Lee’s Summit, Mo., balances out the tall fruit display on the opposite end of the buffet table. Displaying the plates here puts them up high where guests can easily access them. The bird on top peeks out through branches of apple blossoms casually arranged in a white ceramic cylinder.

That takes care of the food, so let’s move on to the real star of the evening: the wine! It’s set up on the bar just beyond the food station.

A wine tasting should always include lots of glasses. (Aw, quit your whining…no pun intended. That’s why dishwashers were invented!) Not only does it look really cool to display lots and lots of stemware, but it provides an opportunity for guests to use a different glass to enjoy the full flavor of each wine. Here, the wines are displayed in the recommended order for tasting starting with the light Pinot grigio, moving on to the heavier, more full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon, and finishing with sweet dessert wines. Appropriately sized and shaped glasses are used for each.

I was so lucky to get these fun wine butlers from Bombay Company just before they closed their storefronts. They are a terrific way to showcase the wines up for tasting. Even though Bombay Company is no longer around, try places like Kirkland’s or specialty wine shops for something similar.

Be sure to include a few bite-sized desserts when offering champagne or sherry for tasting. You can’t go wrong with strawberries and chocolates!

Thirsty yet?

Other wine tasting posts on this site:
“September Wine”
“Brilliant Italian”

Please be sure to join me again this week for Tablescape Thursday starting at 9:00am (CDT)! Ooohhh…and don’t forget that many of my fellow bloggers from around the world are showing off their most festive Irish tablescapes at Cuisine Kathleen’s 4th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Blog Crawl starting March 13! You won’t want to miss either of these great blog parties!

Easter Brunch

March 7, 2012July 28, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 68 Comments

I taught my first class last night!!! It was nerve-wracking and exhilarating all at once! I’m pretty good at doing some things, but teaching those things to others doesn’t come easy for me. I tend to get a little tongue-tied and talk with my hands…a lot!!! Anyhooooo…nobody cried, died, or wound up on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted List, so it must have gone okay! 😉 The ladies in this class are super sharp and eager to share as well as learn…the perfect combination!
(Click on any photo to enlarge.)

This first series of classes focuses on buffet tables specifically geared toward springtime events. The college granted permission for me to hold the classes in our home (which makes it so much easier and so much more comfortable for everyone!), and I constructed several tables throughout the main floor and lower level. I’ll share one in this post and the others in the coming weeks. This first one is a casual Easter buffet brunch that could be easily augmented depending on the number of guests you have to serve. If you’re lucky enough to have great weather around Easter time, consider setting something like this up outdoors!

I chose a floor-length ivory tablecloth topped with a gorgeous pastel-on-champagne silk topper that I made myself. Easter egg-colored floral vines wind their way up and down the fabric, lending a whimsical feel to what might otherwise be perceived as a bit staid. Paper lanterns in fuchsia, aqua and lime green – hung with homemade wire hooks on a length of fishing line – dance frivolously overhead, lending height, color and movement to the vignette.

Green cabbage leaf plates by Bordallo Pinheiro are tilted on end in a casual wire & chipwood basket for a fun presentation.

Hot pink flatware from TJ Maxx is displayed in a lime green floral container. Lime green cotton napkins from Bed Bath & Beyond are neatly stacked.

The morning sunlight casts shadows across rows of polka-dotted Easter eggs displayed in pastel egg cups from Crate & Barrel.

Serve scrambled egg dishes, oatmeal, or whatever you like from this soft yellow Pottery Barn soup tureen.

Dessert is served up on a vine-covered ceramic cake plateau from Hobby Lobby.

A variety of breakfast breads are presented in a linen napkin-lined wicker basket.

Another wicker basket lined with ceramic tiles serves up glasses of champagne. The pots of bright green grass on the table give us hope that our lawns will soon change from the crispy, drab brown they have been for so many months.

Getting your 5 daily servings of fresh fruits & veggies as recommended by the FDA is easy when they are displayed in pretty shabby chic wrought iron baskets like these. A vase of pouty pink hyacinth peeks out from behind.

Nattily dressed and at your service, Barton the Bunny lords over this brightly colored Easter brunch tablescape. (Click HERE to see a sit-down Easter brunch tablescape with Barton the Bunny front & center!)

More polka-dotted eggs fill Barton’s bowl while a trio of pink African violets surround his big bunny feet. Green cabbage bowls from Tuesday Morning are ready to serve up sauces or garnishes.

Yes, I know: it’s a class not a coffee klatch. But I still wanted to serve my students a little something-something to nosh on. A tiny buffet of real food including a homemade 7-layer dip, snack chips, lemon zest cupcakes, and icy cold beverages is set up on the breakfast bar.

So that’s Table #1 from Session #1 of “The Art of Tablescaping – Buffet Styling”. There were 3 other buffets set up around the house that you’ll see soon. Meanwhile, leave a comment below to weigh in on this one! 🙂

More Easter tables on this site:
“Barton’s Easter Brunch“
“Pinky Peter Cottontail“

Don’t forget to join me as I visit other tablescapers from around this great planet of ours on Tablescape Thursday! And this week, I’m also hooking up with the Style Sisters for Centerpiece Wednesday!
And a special note to my wonderful students:
Welcome aboard the Crazy Train, y’all!!! 😉

Winter Brunch

December 26, 2011July 28, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 44 Comments

Christmas Day dinner at my son and his girlfriend’s house was so much fun!

Perhaps a little too much fun! (I’m getting too old for all this frivolity!) 🙂

On the day after Christmas, my husband and I shared a leisurely winter brunch with our overnight guests. This was a great way to kick off the day before making rounds to connect with other visiting relatives.

A casual mid-morning brunch in the breakfast nook was easy to put together. This would work really well for a New Year’s Day brunch, too, with Bloody Marys or some other such “hair of the dog.”

I have had these Eddie Bauer Home pine cone dishes for about 7 years but have only used them a couple of times. What is wrong with me??!?!?! They are perfect for any time during the winter season. I really like the deep green rimmed with gold.

A white cotton napkin simply folded and drawn through the handle of the coffee mug works well for this unassuming brunch table.

Gold-rimmed crystal flutes serve up a cranberry & champagne breakfast cocktail.

Man, oh man…this goldtone flatware has really gotten a workout this Christmas season! Natural pine cone place card holders were my first and only choice!

I considered a small floral for the centerpiece, but this faux snow-dusted pine cone, berry and greenery arrangement borrowed from the living room worked out just fine.

Just as we finished brunch, the sun was overtaken by rain clouds that opened up for a brief period to cleanse the air. I think it was to wash all that reindeer smell out of the air from Christmas Eve! (Although all we got was coal. And not just a lump of coal….a whole truckload! What does that tell you?) 😉

Hope you had a very Merry Christmas filled with joy and happiness. Here’s wishing you a safe and happy New Year!!!

Don’t forget about Susan’s Tablescape Thursday this week. I’m sure you’ll find lots of beautiful Christmas-themed photos that will make you smile!

Copper Zen

November 15, 2011July 12, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 63 Comments

I’m still on the mend from this horrible upper respiratory thing that has plagued me the last two weeks, but I’m not going to let a little thing like not breathing keep me from posting!!! 🙂

I had this post on hold from a table I did some time ago. This one is not a Thanksgiving-oriented set-up, but it will be a good one to keep in mind for those days in January and February when you want to create a peaceful winter tablescape for entertaining after the hectic holiday season.

I started with a sleek black full-length table linen.

I bought these fabulous dark green Home Essentials & Beyond “Montclair Collection” dinner plates at Marshalls awhile back. I so love the intricate raised design! My hesitation in using these lovely plates sooner has been in what to pair with them. The black linen inspired me to use a black charger, but I knew it would disappear. The addition of the cool square copper-colored chargers made all the difference!!! I wish I could tell you where to get the copper chargers, but I bought them wholesale and don’t know where they are sold retail. The black chargers are from Wal-Mart. I set the double chargers in an offset position to show off all three layers.

For this dinner we were eating Chinese takeout, so a pair of chopsticks were the only eating utensils necessary. I nestled them in the crevice of sleek black napkins pinched with copper-colored napkin rings (also purchased wholesale) and draped across the plate.

So I finally got hip to Dollar Tree. It’s about time, huh? My Mom called and said there was some beautiful dark green stemware there that I just MUST see, so off I went! Lo and behold, there was stemware that would work perfectly with the plates! Hooray!!! I scooped up a dozen each goblets and champagne flutes, and the cashier gave me the ugliest look I’ve ever seen when I got to the counter. She was NOT happy about having to wrap all of those, even though I brought along my own bubble wrap and box!

I bought these uber-cool dark green Vidrios San Miguel vases (made of recycled glass!) at TJ Maxx awhile back. LOVE THEM!!! They’re huge and they really make a statement on the table! To go with the sleek, zen feeling of the room I just plopped in a few branches of fresh curly willow for a cool and easy centerpiece.

I used a double row of votives between the two vases of curly willow to lend continuity to the look of the centerpiece and add ambient light.

I repeated the oblong votive treatment on the buffet behind the dining table for a sleek, easy look with lots of character!

Other Asian-inspired tablescapes on this site:
“Peaceful Peonies”
“Mandarin Bling”
“Year of the Rabbit”
“Mikasa ‘Daylight’ Giveaway“

Other tablescapes using curly willow on this site:
“Welcome Back, Joel”
“Autumn Blues”
“Blushing Bridal“

I’m joining Susan and a bunch of really talented tablescapers from around the globe again this week for Tablescape Thursday. Please join us!

Serape High Style

November 8, 2011May 4, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 53 Comments

I’ve been sick as a dog with cold/flu/upper respiratory infection – again! – for the past week. I’m not sure how this happened since I try so hard to avoid it. I may as well send the grocery cart through the car wash for the thorough wiping down I give it before touching it. Same with doors, gasoline pumps…anything I think could be infected. I apparently need to buy myself a bubble to live in November through April! Or maybe this is payback for my post about my sister, Barf, last week. Who knows?

Anyhooooo….my good buddy and neighbor, Barbara, and I pooled our resources a few weeks ago for a fun south-of-the-border girls’ night in. Barbara whipped up wonderful Mexican food – our favorite – so I created a table with a little upscale autumn flair. This would make a great tablescape for Cinco de Mayo, too!

Our Mission-style wood dining table is partially covered with a blanket Ramon & I picked up on a day trip to Tijuana about 20 years ago when we were first “courting.” Those were the good ol’ days when I would risk breaking every bone in my body under the weight of all the bottles of tequila, brandy, crema de cacao, and potent vanilla extract I lugged back across the border. (I was skinny then, and actually had visible bones! ;-))

I picked these dishes up at Tuesday Morning several years ago. They are among my favorite patterns, but because they are so theme specific I rarely get to use them. They remind me of a colorful serape. The bowls were perfect for generous helpings of Barbara’s flavorful tortilla soup. (Click here or on “Recipes” tab above for the recipe!)

I used store-bought corn husks as place cards.

Bright yellow napkins from Bed, Bath & Beyond are cinched with fun wooden bead rings from Pier 1.

This “San Remo” flatware worked out much better than I thought it would! It really lent to the “upscale” Mexican feel.

Cobalt blue beverage glasses from Pier 1 paired with margarita glasses from Old Time Pottery.

The centerpiece is a profusion of “Peacock White” flowering kale with fronds that remind me of a cactus, “Medusa” ornamental pepper plants, and succulents nestled in a hammered aluminum ice bucket. The nearly all-vegetable centerpiece is extended with various peppers, squashes and pumpkins. The mercury glass-lined raised tealights in gemstone colors are a World Market find.

I was so happy to find matching accessory pieces for the dishes including trays, serving bowls and pitchers. I gave this pitcher of margaritas a more rustic look with the addition of twine wrapped around the neck. The traditional molcajete is another Tijuana treasure that sees a lot of action around here.

To dress up the buffet, I used one more bit of Tijuana memorabilia – a Mayan calendar – which is backed up by a huge orange platter to add depth, height, and vivid color.