Powder Blue Memories on Mother’s Day

May 6, 2022June 8, 2022 / Alycia Nichols / 22 Comments

My Mom often recounted the story of how she and Daddy met back in the early 1950s. He was at work and saw her cruising past in her sleek powder blue convertible. It was love at first sight…for the car AND the lady driving it. Both of my parents are gone now, but I often think of that story. When I saw these fabulous powder blue ceramic vases at Cameron’s in downtown Lee’s Summit, MO, I knew my Mother’s Day table in Mom’s memory would have to include them along with her exquisite Royal Danish flatware. I miss you so much, Mom, and I think of you every. single. day.

Powder Blue Memories on Mother’s Day – A Tribute to Senator Mom, Yvonne S. Wilson

Each Martha Stewart for Wedgwood “Conservatory” place setting is anchored by a plain white charger.

Dinner rolls are neatly tucked into the rear side of napkins arranged in the cream soup bowls from Nell Hill’s.

Mom’s Royal Danish flatware has always been a favorite of mine, and I cherish it.

Godinger “Chelsea” iced beverage and Cristal D’Arques-Durand “Capella” wine stem.

I’m enjoying experimentation with faux flowers these days. The blue thistle here is from **Petals & Potpourri**
in Blue Springs, MO. The tulips are from Home Goods, and the greenery and Queen Anne’s lace from Kirkland’s.

I kept the flowers fairly soft in color to complement the color of the vases. This could easily become an Easter tablescape with a bit of tweaking.

The white glass vases with pink and yellow (faux from Nell Hill’s) ranunculus blooms tucked in are from Hobby Lobby. They complement many elements on the table.

Dessert and coffee service on the vitrine with Mom’s favorite lemon meringue pie. She couldn’t bake ’em, but she sure loved to eat ’em!

One of my favorite birthday parties celebrating my Mom’s 85th…

Mom and me…and yes, we both just happened to show up in blue!

There are a few Mother’s Day celebrations featured on my blog including:

There are also a few other posts that would be perfectly suitable for a Mother’s Day celebration:

I wish each and every one of you Moms out there a fabulous Mother’s Day. If your Mom is gone from this world like mine is, I wish you peace.

Welcome to the Carrot Patch

April 11, 2022April 11, 2022 / Alycia Nichols / 14 Comments

It’s official. We are now in the midst of Easter Week 2022. I’m trying to remember when my prayers have been as fervent and anguished as they’ve been these past several weeks. So much horror, sadness, and suffering happening on a global🇺🇦 as well as a personal level.😔 (My favorite brother-in-law, Kenny, passed away, and his services had to be canceled due to an aggressive COVID🦠😷😷🤒 outbreak.) My heart is so heavy.💔

I’ve got to escape, place my thoughts elsewhere for a while. I’m posting this joyous Easter tablescape as a respite from this world’s wretchedness with continued prayers for peace.

Garden vegetables are the star of this show! I’m fortunate to be within 30 miles of Nell Hills in Kansas City, MO. I found these crazy gorgeous, scarily realistic carrot tops (this season) and lettuce heads (2020) there. They will both see a lot of action over the years to come!

The napkins are actually towels from that bargain area in the front of every Target store. They have really upped their game there in recent years! The towels came in sets of 2 patterns: This one with bunnies on a green background…

…and this one with the inspiration for this post’s title on a white background.

White ceramic flower pots filled with green leaf lettuce 🥬 and carrots.🥕🥕🥕 While these are props, you could use the real deal and then have one whale of a salad the following day!🥗

To-mā-to/ To-máh-to. It’s all good in the garden!🍅🍅🍅

The vegetable theme carries over to the vitrine.

Who says floral greenery can’t be produce?🥬

Coffee spoons nestled together in a ceramic basket.

If you’d like to check out more Spring and Easter tablescapes on this blog, here’s a LONG list from which to choose. I wish you a HAPPY EASTER filled with joy and peace.

Easter Breakfast Room

April 8, 2022June 8, 2022 / Alycia Nichols / 16 Comments

Easter Sunday is just about a week away now. Whether you’re hosting a big family affair or just taking it easy, you still have to eat a good breakfast. Why not set the table the night before and start the day with something slightly luxurious without too much fuss?

It will be just the two of us for Easter Sunday breakfast at the kitchen table, but we both have hearty appetites! So yes…we’ll be eating ALL the foods!😋

I always try to add a little something extra special like these rose-topped sugar cubes for our coffee.

“Carnegie” by Christopher Stuart iced beverage glass with a pineapple motif sits alongside Cristal d’Arques “Ashville Gold” champagne flutes for mimosas.

Hey! Don’t judge! It’s been a LONG Lenten season. Our sweet tooth has some catching up to do!

These sweet wood bunnies have been sold at Hobby Lobby for several years now. This one looks so at peace…right in line with Easter Sunday.

We can be a couple of Messy Marvins, so I often employ full-sized decorative towels as napkins. These are from those bins we all know and love at the front of every Target store!

You may recognize this arrangement from my recent post, **Bunny Pink Easter** **Luncheon**. It found its way here to the breakfast bar for the season.

A few Easter touches added to the ever-present coffee bar.

I love my collection of Grace Teaware “Pin Dots” pink dishes.

Still looking for just the right tablescape for your Easter celebration? Check out these past Easter/Spring posts for ideas!

Next week, just in time for the Easter Bunny himself/herself, I’ll have a fun tablescape that kids and adults will enjoy!

Bunny Pink Easter Luncheon

April 6, 2022April 6, 2022 / Alycia Nichols / 15 Comments

Less than two short weeks and counting until Easter Sunday! I have a few ideas that I hope will serve to inspire as you prepare your table this year. First up, a lovely luncheon or brunch table sure to delight your guests.

I’m so thrilled to finally use these Kate Spade “Rutherford – Pink” dishes!!! They are a favorite in my collection! For a fabulous tribute to a Breast Cancer survivor or a sweet bridal or baby shower, just swap out the bunny, ears, and eggs!

Each guest treated to a pair of bunny ears from Dollar Tree. Great for selfies later!

Flatware from my Mom’s house that I thought would be fun with this setting.

The blush of just barely pink glassware from Home Goods doesn’t compete with the dishes.

The pink and white checked table runner is a fortuitous Hobby Lobby find from last year.

Who’s this handsome fellow? Why, it’s BARTON, of course! My year-round bunny who lives all over the house! Barton stands in a Home Goods basket surrounded by a lush menagerie of muted faux greenery, berries, and tulips. I added a trio of metal garden spheres from The Painted Sofa in Kansas City, MO, and a fabulous oversized bow tie from Nell Hills.

I’ve had all kinds of ideas for Spring and Easter tablescapes over the years. Some wild, some weird, some peacefully wonderful. If you’d like to check them out, here’s a sampling!

Stay tuned for a couple of new Spring/Easter tablescapes I hope you’ll enjoy!

Wildflower Easter

April 1, 2021 / Alycia Nichols / 16 Comments

Here is the 3rd of 3 tablescapes I’m considering for Easter Sunday…and just in the nick of time! I’ll have to decide by Friday so that I can get the ball rolling! If YOU have a favorite of the last 3 posts, please drop me a comment to let me know which most tickles your fancy! I’ll combine your votes with those from my Instagram account for the final decision!

The inspiration for this tablescape came from my Mikasa Stone Craft dishes in mixed and matched hues of mauve, pistachio, cornflower, and green. SO MANY tablescaping opportunities with a mix!

The Mikasa plates and mugs are paired up with 222 Fifth Bunny Land bowls (Home Goods) that also have varied color checkerboard rims to mix and match.

Bright lavender napkins from LinenTablecloth.com sprout from each coffee mug, and the egg cups are filled with pastel M&Ms that mimic the melange of colors in the dishes and centerpiece.

The mix/match of dish colors at each place setting is unified with uniform white ceramic and rattan chargers, bamboo stainless flatware, napkins, egg cups, and glass cloches from Nell Hills in Kansas City, MO.

The “grass” centerpiece, purchased for a mere $10 at an estate sale some years ago, has been punched up with a variety of Spring “wildflowers” in colors that complement the dishes. You’ll notice the same daisies on the plates are in the centerpiece to tie it all together.

On the vitrine behind the dining table are colorful cupcakes (in cupcake cups and on a ceramic cake pedestal from Home Goods/TJ Maxx) with another small arrangement of daisies. (All flowers used in this post are faux for demonstration purposes. I’ll use the real deal for my Sunday tablescape!)

So…take a peek back at the other 2 entries – “Lettuce Talk About Easter” and “Artichoke Easter” – then let me know which is your favorite. I’ll post the winner!

Looking for more Easter tablescape inspiration? Look no further! See if one of these floats your boat!:

Artichoke Easter

March 31, 2021 / Alycia Nichols / 14 Comments

If you’ve still not decided what to do for your Easter Sunday table, I hope this will serve as inspiration and a jump start! I’m still test driving Easter tablescapes, and no, still no dining chairs…or area rugs…or artwork.😢

The inspiration for this tablescape? “Tivoli Garden” dishes by Mikasa! Wildflowers casually dancing around the dish rims make this pattern an easy one to fall for. I also slid a green cabbage plate from Bordallo Pinheiro and a lacy white plate from Pier 1 into the stack. Faux bamboo flatware, pastel napkins gathered with butterfly napkin rings, and aubergine Z Gallerie stemware complete the place setting.

This table for five has an offset centerpiece that allows the table to look more balanced and provides center space for placing serving dishes. The “centerpiece” itself is more utilitarian, too, serving as a functioning dessert prep area. M&Ms on ice cream…yeah, baby!!! (Serving dishes from Home Goods)

Ranunculus in a small white vase provides color and texture on the vitrine. The cake stand is from Home Goods.

I’ve got one more of three Easter tablescapes to consider before making my final decision on Friday. (First one was Lettuce Talk About Easter.) I’ll post the final one tomorrow! Meanwhile, I hope you’re a lot farther ahead in your planning than I am…and that you have chairs!

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Remember…you can also follow me on Instagram!
For more Easter tablescape inspiration on this blog, check out:

Lettuce Talk About Easter!

March 28, 2021 / Alycia Nichols / 20 Comments

I don’t know where 2021 is on its way to so fast, but it sure is putting the pedal to the metal! I can’t believe it’s almost April!!! If you’re still looking for Easter tablescape ideas, I hope this post will help get your creativity wheels in motion. I’m still awaiting delivery of our new dining room chairs and artwork, so please just continue to overlook the absence! BTW, I’m also on Instagram now, so please find and follow me! (tablescapes_at_table_21 or Alycia Rodriguez Nichols, or just click on the Instagram block to your right on this page!)

Pink and green with shots of yellow prevail on this bunny-laden tablescape.

Bordallo Pinheiro green cabbage plates and bowls (tuesday Morning) take center stage atop plain white ceramic chargers (Old Time Pottery). White ceramic bunnies hold a head of seasonal lettuce and a few blooms, while the place settings on each end get a cupcake! Soft pink napkins (Bed Bath & Beyond) anchor each place setting.

Gold flatware complements the gold lining of the bunnies’ ears. Green stems are from Pier 1 and both styles of the pink glassware are from Home Goods/TJ Maxx.

The beautiful thing about these bunnies is that you can fill them up with everything from flowers to falafel! Here, faux heads of Romaine lettuce are styled with pink carnations and ranunculus.

I think these laid out bunnies are the only Easter think I bought this season. They’re from Home Goods, and I’m sorry they only had 2. I would have like to have 4 more for dinner parties to serve salads or appetizers, or even dessert! How fancy would THAT be?!!

I bought this long, low wooden piece from Nell Hills several years ago but have never used it. While doing some spring cleaning, I rescued it from the bowels of my flower decorating space. It’s filled with faux (although you could certainly go with the real stuff and cook with it all the next week!) cabbages and artichokes along with soft pink carnations and ranunculus to complement the place setting arrangements.

On the vitrine awaits dessert in fun cupcake holders from Home Goods to be served on more Bordallo Pinheiro plates.

I’m really trying to do better about blogging, but I have so much trouble sitting for very long. I promise to do better, and will have a couple of additional Easter posts in the coming days. Have a fabulous, safe, and blessed Holy Week!

More Easter tablescapes on this blog that you might enjoy include:

Informally Formal: Marrying modern and classic in your table setting

April 18, 2017May 12, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 10 Comments

My 4-minute segment on yesterday’s “Better Kansas City” show on KCTV-5 was all about “informally formal” entertaining at home!

As mentioned in the video clip, our Easter dinner tablescape was, I think, a good example of informally formal design. We simultaneously celebrated my son’s 39th birthday, and I wanted both my son and the rest of the family to feel special – because they are! But this was a day I wanted to be able to relax a little, too, so instead of formal china and crystal, I pulled out some terrific Pier 1 plates to fill the bill. This tablescape, minus the obvious nods to Easter, would be perfect for any Springtime event including birthdays, Mother’s Day, ladies luncheons, bridal or baby showers, or even engagement parties.

I’ve not used these beautiful Pier 1 plates since 4 years ago when I posted a piece called “The Bluebird Special“. While certainly far from what might be construed as traditionally formal, they have a simultaneously staid/laid back look. The woven square chargers and faux bamboo flatware lend texture and an organic feel to the place setting. The yellow undertones of the flatware complement the bird on the plate as well as the floral centerpieces. The lavender napkin is fashioned in a traditional pyramid fold, and the green goblets are from Dollar Tree.

I enjoy creating specialized menus on my computer for at-home events. This colorful one in shades of yellow, purple and white with a bright pink clip leans to the side of informality. The colors complement the florals.

I might have gone a little wild with all the florals this year, but they were all so pretty! Our generous across-the-street neighbors allowed me to snip from their lavishly blooming lilac bush to complete the springtime floral designs of pink & yellow tulips, Mardi gras Solidago, and alstroemeria in white vases. The florals extended down the length of a fresh moss runner dotted with moss bird nests from Home Finishings. (HINT: If the smell of moss wrinkles your nose, open it up and air it out for a couple of days before use.) For additional height, texture, a burst of color, and the pure drama of it all, I filled a white glass vase with forsythia branches and placed it at the very end of the table. Note that the full-length white tablecloth from LinenTablecloth.com is knotted at the end for safety as well as a cool contemporary look.

The alternating pink and lavender satin chair sashes almost didn’t make the cut. My husband thought the plain white stretch chair covers were sufficient. I, however, begged to differ. When he saw the chairs with the sashes, high fives and mea culpas were in order. (We agreed they made the chairs resemble Easter eggs!) Depending on the type of event you are hosting, chair sashes may or may not be appropriate. It’s up to you!

When planning your next Springtime event, keep in mind who your guests are, what feeling you’d like the space to evoke and, as always, just what level of formality is within your comfort zone! As alluded to in the video clip, formality may be circling the bowl, but it ain’t dead yet! 😉

For more photos of tablescapes seen in the video clip:
“Blurred Lines With Shades of Pink”
“Celebrating 85 Years of Fabulous”
“My Sister’s Wedding China”

A few other Spring tablescapes on this blog you may enjoy include:
“Springtime In Paris”
“Patisserie de Paris”
“Easter Brunch”
“Pinky Peter Cottontail”
“Barton’s Easter Brunch”
“All A’Bloom For Spring”
“Spring Has Sprung”
“Welcome Back, Joel”
“Peony Power”
“Tulips in the IHOP Hour”
“Float Like A Butterfly”
“Purple & Pastel”

Spring & Easter Around the House

April 10, 2017November 15, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 10 Comments

Just sharing a few pics of Spring and Easter decor on the main floor of our home. I didn’t do a lot this year as I saved most of my energy to create the dining room tablescape. There’s just enough to let us know Winter is over and Spring is here for to stay awhile.

In the foyer by the front door is a wood stand upon which this weathered green hurricane lantern currently resides. I dressed the lantern with a variety of greenery, flowers, and bendable twig. Standing in the thicket is a scholarly-looking bunny once used in a tablescape 3 years ago called Easter in Pink & Grey.

Just around the corner in the dining room window is an ivory wrought iron 2-tiered stand with a bird permanently perched on top. (I used it for a Springtime buffet tablescape, “Taste of Wine Buffet“, when teaching a class back in 2012. I moved a vigorously-growing pothos from another room onto the top tier. The bottom tier has a Pottery Barn weathered wood chunky candlestick with a bluebird from Home Finishings that honors my brother’s memory resting in a nest. I put him somewhere each Spring to commemorate his passing in 1999. (His trucking handle was Bluebird. See that tablescape from 2013, “The Bluebird Special“.)

Our foyer is narrow, so a small table there holds just a few things including a lamp and a clock. For the season I added a faux boxwood wreath on a stand (Home Finishings), a cute wooden bunny from Hobby Lobby, and a collection of weathered books and birch logs (Home Finishings) under a glass cloche.

Just a little touch in the library on a side table: another glass cloche with a wooden bunny tending a Spanish moss nest with a singular speckled egg.

The family room is slowly transitioning from Winter to Spring with white accessories and a few touches of greenery including these light and airy wreaths from Home Finishings. This is a great way to lighten, brighten, and freshen up existing accessories. (Ginger jar from Burlington, pierced jardiniere from Hobby Lobby, artichoke from Z Gallerie.)

The desk area in our kitchen went largely unused for the first 10 years or so after moving in. I have an office, so I never used this as a desk. I have since artfully arranged dishes in the glass front cupboards overhead and added decorative dishes to the shelf and desktop. For the Easter season, white bunnies get black & white gingham check neckties. (The black and white transferware is from TJ Maxx some years back and was featured in my posts “Black, White & Red All Over” in 2010 and “Wondrous Wheat!” in 2011). The black & white buffalo check dishes were purchased this past Christmas season at Home Goods, and I LOVE them!!! The small decorative wreath is from Michael’s this season.)

Our breakfast nook has a lot going on! I always enjoy decorating the 3-tiered galvanized stand that I bought a couple of years ago at Sam’s Club for just $19.99. (I have seen them again this year at that price, but only in colors.) At any rate, I enjoyed bring Spring to the breakfast nook by adding a few bunnies, those popular white bird salt & pepper shakers from Pier 1 perched atop a homemade nest, some faux greenery and veggies, a small wood bird nest, and a bowl of speckled eggs with feathers.

The side table in the breakfast nook holds a collection of white pitchers on the bottom shelf. For Easter I brought out a white bunny rabbit I found on clearance at TJ Maxx. A black & white gingham check bow tie and a basket filled with moss and eggs makes him look a bit fancier. Another bit of greenery from Home Finishings is tucked in behind him to add texture and separate the sea of white on the table. The whitewashed galvanized pitcher (used also as part of the centerpiece for my piece, “Spring Green” back in April of 2014) overflows with purple hyacinth. The faux cabbage in the clay pot is from Michael’s, and the oversized white tray in the backdrop (as are most of the pitchers on the lower shelf) is from Home Goods.

The big stone bunny finds his way all around the house throughout the year. He’s sort of a mascot! For the Easter season I have him on the breakfast bar holding a glass cloche over a nest of twigs and moss with a butterfly. He, too, has a snappy black & white checked bow tie as well as a cascading strand of wispy greenery from Home Finishings. My friends Liz (from over at Sit With Me In My Garden), Johanne (from French Gardener Dishes), and Athena (from Minerva’s Garden) will be relieved to see I’ve not (yet!) killed the orchid a sweet young friend and mentee, MacKenzie, at Pinpoint Event Planning gave me a few months ago.

I no longer have a comment section, but if you have questions about where to buy featured items or how I put something together, please email me at table21tablescapes@gmail.com.

I hope you enjoyed the Easter Home tour! If you’ve not yet seen it, please pop over to see the Easter tablescape in the dining room. Meanwhile, I wish you and your family a very blessed Easter week.

Spring Into Easter

April 7, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 12 Comments

For the first time in two years my health is such that I could actually create an Easter tablescape to share with family and friends. This is a “souped up” version of what it will be using lots of greenery, wreaths and other accessories I bought at one of my favorite home accessories boutiques, Home Finishings, in Lee’s Summit, MO, where we live. (My buddy, Mary Beth, owns Home Finishings, and if you want to get lots of fabulous ideas for free, Like the Home Finishings Facebook page.) I was inspired this year by the remarkable vignettes Mary Beth created in her most recent Spring home tour (you can see those photos on her Facebook page or soon to come on the Home Finishings website) where each room was dressed to the nines!

There is no scarcity of design elements on this table, that’s for sure! I appreciate the abundance that allows a little something for everyone. Remember, though, this is an “enhanced” or fantasy version of what is actually workable for guests to dine. You can edit, edit, edit at will!

Place settings such as these are obviously a part of the “fantasy” of the table; but if you want to impress your guests upon their arrival, leave it as is and then remove the wreaths with nests just before guests sit down to the first course. The lacy white doily-like metal chargers are from Michael’s and can be used throughout most of the year. (I’ve seen this same charger in a pastel pink at Michael’s this season!) They are topped with a small grapevine wreath filled with Spanish moss, enhanced with sprigs of forsythia, and crowned with a tiny moss nest from Home Finishings. I added the eggs and a couple of feathers for further effect.

Bird Song by Park Designs dish towel design

“Bird Song” by Park Designs fabric swatch

A plain white cotton napkin complements the white charger. The flatware is from Target. Notice the bit of fabric at the edge of the centerpiece beyond the place setting? That’s a “Bird Song” cotton dish towel by Park Designs that I received as a bonus with purchase after the last Home Finishings in-store event. The birds and twigs on it complement those on the table and around the room. So…there’s an idea for what to do with those pretty towels that don’t soak up much water in the kitchen: make ’em a part of your table design!

I chose melon green glassware with a raised pattern from Pier One to work with all the greenery on the table. White egg cups from World Market hold speckled eggs.

At each place setting is a tiny yellow ceramic chick.

The lush centerpiece is largely centered on a wicker basket for easy removal. The birdcage is filled with candles and a small gazing ball. It is wrapped in a generous length of bendable “twig” that cascades from the top and disappears into the greenery. The stone bunny holds a basket of flowers adorned with butterflies. The entire arrangement is surrounded with greenery bunches – most purchased at Home Finishings – that spill out over the basket onto the table.

A length of moss runner anchors the entire centerpiece. On each end I placed an evergreen topiary flanked by gazing balls that add something reflective to the vignette. The addition of the topiaries was part of the inspiration gleaned from Mary Beth’s luxurious creation in her own dining room.

I carried the yellow of the forsythia and baby chicks from the table over to the buffet.

The tea/bar cart in the dining room corner is dressed up a bit for Spring and Easter with adorable wood bunnies from Hobby Lobby. For a bit more Springtime effect I added wreaths with speckled eggs in nests to the tiered server.

Additional Easter tablescapes or
tablescapes adaptable to Easter on this blog:

Easter In Pink & Grey
Easter Floral – Purple, Pink & White
Easter Bloom
Barton’s Easter Brunch
Building a Better Brunch Buffet
All A’Bloom in Pink for Spring
The Bluebird Special
The Party She Deserves
Spring Green
Purple for Spring
Going Green for Spring
Spring Has Sprung

Note: With this new design, I no longer have a Comments section. If you have questions, please feel free to drop me an email. The address is on the sidebar.

Happy Spring, and best wishes for a safe and blessed Easter!