Polly Want a Party!

August 23, 2017August 24, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 13 Comments

Every summer I feel the need to do one real doozy of a tablescape, and earlier this summer THIS was IT. My inspiration: the pool parties and other hot cha cha patio gatherings my parents hosted WAY back in the day (1960s), and it just kind of took off from there.
(P.S. – In response to requests to please do so, I have turned the Comments section back on. PLEASE do not feel obligated in any way to comment. I’m totally OK with “glance-and-go” or “peek-and-pin” without remarks. The Comments section is merely there for your convenience.)

C’mon up the back steps and join the Beach Blanket Bingo fun! (Those 55+ will totally understand that reference!)

When we got new energy-efficient windows, I couldn’t bear to part with all of the original ones that came with the house. I use them in decorative ways in various places inside and out like here at the top of the deck steps.

The barrage of bright-colored paper lanterns hung with hot pink ribbon starts here at the top of the stairs.

This old wrought iron bakers rack on the deck comes in handy for food and beverage service from time to time. Here I have stacked up bamboo trays, plates and flatware bundles for those who prefer to eat away from the main table. Just pick up your tray cafeteria style, go through the buffet line, then pick your seat! Notice the throwback paper honeycomb pineapples! (To see this baker’s rack completely decked out for food service, check out “Patisserie de Paris“.

The “lounge” area of the deck includes the coffee table where an abundance of fresh tropical fruit serves as a centerpiece. I spread out a trio of monstera leaf placemats over the glass for visual interest.

A mini bar is set up on a round side table. Today’s specialties: your choice of mind-blowing margaritas or fresh and frothy piña coladas! (Seriously, y’all…drink a couple of my margaritas and you’ll find yourself in a hotel room with a tramp stamp, eyebrow piercing and French braided hair, staring at a license signed by “Not-the-Real-Elvis” that makes it official between you and some gnarly barely-of-age surfer dude named Bodhi!)

I used weathered crates (reminds me of driftwood) as side tables in a couple of areas. Yep…there sits one of those life-altering margaritas! The bamboo tray is loaded up and can easily balance on your lap. To see another way I’ve used these bamboo trays purchased at Old Time Pottery, see “Orange You Glad You Came to Dinner?” And speaking of dinner, I guess I should show you the actual table!

A sweeping 108-in. fuchsia tablecloth from LinenTablecloth.com sets the scene for this table for 5.

I like to layer up! In this instance, TWO placemats: natural round “Water Hyacinth” from Pier 1 topped with a fun and floppy off-center monstera leaf from Z Gallerie. (I also used the monstera leaf placemats for “Caribbean Queen“.) The brightly colored ruffled chargers in hot pink, lime, and turquoise are from Crate & Barrel, and can also be seen on posts like “Popsicle Party“, “Pleasant Under Glass“, and “Tropicana“.

Faux bamboo flatware is a staple around here! I use it a LOT!!!

Paper napkins striped with bright colors are tucked into these fun parrot napkin rings from Z Gallerie.

Mixing stemware is a definite YES!!! Just find something that ties them together like shape, color, or style. (The aqua blue stemware is from Pier 1, and the clear hurricane glasses from Old Time Pottery.)

Just like on the bar (filled with lemons and limes), these jaunty floral Hawaiian shorts are a fun addition! Here the shorts are filled with sago palms for an easy-to-assemble tropical centerpiece.

Yes, my paper lantern addiction continues!! (Don’t they look extra pretty in that 2nd pic with the lights glowing?) This time they have a bright pink grass skirt backdrop. I dropped in a few more swingin’ parrots, too.

Off to the side is a bowl of leis for guests to get in the spirit of the evening. Flip flops for everyone!!!

Cheers, everyone, from my buddy, Barbara (who is probably still laid out trying to make the room stop spinning from this drink!!!).

Other tropical-inspired posts on this blog include:
“Flashy Flamingos – Navy, White & Pink Tablescape“
“Summer Breeze“
“Hot Tropical“
“Hot Fun In the Summertime“
“Flamingos In Paradise“
“Old Navy Seafood Cruise“
“Oranges & Blossoms“
“Caribbean Queen“
“Tropicana“

Other posts using paper lanterns include:
“Fairy Princess Party for Little Girls“
“Chinese Takeout“
“Cupcake Colors“
“Butterfly Kaleidoscope“
“Blue & White 30th Birthday“
“Easter Brunch“
“Under A Paper Moon“

I’m joining Susan and the gang for “Tablescape Thursday” this week. If you want to see some really cool tablescapes by a variety of talented artists, head on over!

Brilliant Italian (a re-post from July 2010)

July 26, 2017April 26, 2018 / Alycia Nichols / 5 Comments

Summer has become one of my favorite seasons. Sure, it’s hot and often sticky here in the Midwest. That’s to be expected. But there are just so many opportunities for outdoor entertaining that just can’t be taken for granted! My husband and I hosted a little dinner party that involved wine tasting (one of my favorite activities!) to forget about the heat for awhile. Neighbors came over to feast on tasty homemade Italian dishes while sampling red wines from the Adam Puchta Winery in Hermann, Mo.

First things first….gather up all the necessary items and create a menu board. The chalkboard is from Kirkland’s, and it really works out well for casual events!

I let the wine breathe a bit before the guests wandered out onto the deck.

Juicy black grapes to munch on before dinner sit alongside the night’s chalkboard menu.

The pasta dish gets a chance to “rest” for about 15 minutes after pulling it from the oven.

This little table was set up near the dining table so that guests could nibble on homemade bruschetta and antipasto while sipping a glass of wine before dinner.

The 6-ft. oblong table is set for six.

This occasion provided a wonderful opportunity for me to pull out colorful Italian-inspired dishes in brilliant, cheerful reds, blues and yellows. “Yellow Talavera” dishes by Maxcera (TJ Maxx) set atop sunny yellow placemats from Bed Bath & Beyond were the foundation of the color scheme. Bright cobalt blue water glasses (Pier One) juxtaposed clear wine stems. A mix of red roses and playful yellow Gerbera daisies in cobalt blue vessels completed the look. Corks of wine parties past displayed each place card. (Square appetizer plates and red dipping oil bowls from Crate & Barrel.)

You simply can’t go wrong with brilliant colors when serving Italian food!
Mangia, y’all!

Mother’s Day Brunch

July 26, 2017July 8, 2021 / Alycia Nichols / 10 Comments

This colorful brunch tablescape in Springtime shades of blue, white, and cheery lemon yellow punctuated with bright pink paid homage to my Mother. The bouquet – my son and his girlfriend’s way of honoring me on Mother’s Day – was perfectly coordinated to the setting, especially the fresh fruit compote! (Please pardon the horrible fold lines in the table linen! This is one of my very early blog posts before I realized just how awful lines look in photos!!!)

These placemats from Bed, Bath & Beyond caught my eye because of the playful lemons adjacent to the traditional & decidedly staid damask. The lemon yellow cotton napkins are also from BB&B. The cornflower blue juice glasses and compotes are from Old Time Pottery, and the cobalt blue chargers from Pier 1. The plates are basic white Corelle.

Fresh, fragrant lemons in blue & white transferware bowls with a few lemon leaves tossed in for color elongate the tablescape’s centerpiece. Not one to be wasteful, freshly squeezed lemonade is on the next day’s menu. (Oh, for heaven’s sake…those folds in the linen are killin’ me!!! :-()

I embellished the lush mix of lilies, roses, Fuji mums, orchids, hyacinth, button mums, monkshood and carnations with a few butterflies.

Coffee cups in the colors of the day are from Old Time Pottery.

Pre-sliced bagels are presented in a long napkin-lined basket. Find the recipes for the homemade vegetable or honey cream cheese spreads HERE or by clicking the “Recipes” tab above.

Nothing like a little fruit juice to get the day started! Here, clear glass decanters hold a choice of pink grapefruit, orange or apple.

I just love to take something basic and make it special! Plain white ceramic pitchers from Home Goods are gussied up with the addition of custom silver tags that mark the frothy, cold chocolate and strawberry milk.

The hostess awaits her guests’ arrival!

Other posts suitable for a Mother’s Day celebration on this site:
“Peonies & Pearls“
“Showered in Pink“
“Pink Plaid & Posies“
“Days of Wine & Roses“
“Blushing Bridal Shower“
“Pleasant Under Glass“

Another tablescape using lemons on this site:
“Lemonade From Bill“

A few fun accessories that will help make your Spring table feel fresh, inviting, and alive!

Budding branches (you can get these from your yard or nearby wooded areas)
Fresh curly willow (adds a lot of character and dimension to arrangements or can be used alone)
Grapevine
Flowers in seasonal colors (e.g., daffodils, tulips, hyacinth)
Potted green plants
Topiaries
Moss
Freshly grown grass in pots or flats
Nests
Birdhouses and cages
Glass bell jars and wire cloches
Chicken wire
Baskets (plain, moss covered, embellished with twigs or pussy willow branches, etc.)
Pots and vases with a vintage look
Parasols
Fresh or faux veggies (e.g., lettuce, cabbages, carrots)
Easter eggs
Smooth river rock
Floral wreaths
Softly colored solid and patterned fabrics: plaid, paisley, floral
Ribbon and twine
Candlesticks, chargers, and other tabletop items made of wood, grapevine, straw, iron and other natural elements
Flatware with handles made of wood or bamboo
Figurines of woodland animals (e.g., rabbits, squirrels, birds)
Figurines of Spring- or Easter-related animals (e.g., chicks, hens, roosters, sheep, butterflies)
White or pastel spray paint for lightning and brightening everything from branches & twigs to….you name it!

Summer Breeze

July 21, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 4 Comments

SUMMER BREEZE

Folks, I’m revamping my blog a bit and getting rid of “pages” from my early days of blogging that featured multiple posts. I don’t want to lose the posts altogether, though, so I’m re-posting them. Makes no sense, huh? Believe me, if there was an easier way…!!! So, if you’ve never seen this one before it’s all new to you. If you have seen it, I apologize for the rerun but hope you can enjoy it all over again! There will be additional reruns coming into your box every couple of days until I’ve emptied these pages from the early days. Who knows…maybe what’s old can be new again with ideas. Let’s hope! Meanwhile, all new posts are on the way, too!!!

I have put off doing a tropical tablescape all summer long, but this last dinner party before Labor Day seemed like the right day to do it. I’m glad I did. Summer is good to the last drop! (The aftermath of this dinner party was a near tragedy. Click HERE to see what happens when you don’t take care with candles!)

The matchstick placemats drape lengthwise rather than horizontally for a bit of added interest.

I loved these “Exotic Floral” dishes the moment I saw them at Pier 1! It wasn’t so much the pattern as the color combination with that dash of bright red-orange. The red-orange finger bowl was filled with a bit of lemon water for each guest to cleanse their fingers between bites of sticky Tequila-Lime Chicken. The green embossed stemware is also from Pier 1, and I’m sure you’ll see a lot of it in future posts!

I picked these napkins up from BB&B for next to nothing on the clearance table! They have many of the same design elements as the dishes, so they were just perfect! The seashell napkin rings (surprisingly similar to some custom-created ones I saw in Preston Bailey’s “Inspirations“) are Pier 1.

I really enjoyed creating the centerpiece items for this summer tablescape! The larger ones are simple raised “fishbowls.” Although I bought these as shown wholesale some years ago, they could be easily reproduced by gluing a fishbowl atop a large glass votive cup or short-stemmed/stemless martini glass. Large pillar candles are surrounded by colorful, interesting seashells and finished off with a snippet of alstroemeria which looked very similar to the red-orange flower on the dishes. To complete the centerpiece, I twisted a piece of feathery sword fern and topped it with a shell. (For other fun tables using seashells, visit “Tropicana“, “Ocean Blue – Starfish & Seashells“, “All-American Seafood Boil“, and “Flamingos In Paradise“.)

The smaller centerpiece arrangements are these really cool reversible bowls with a little indentation for a votive candle. (This bowl could be flipped the other direction and have a tiny flower in the indentation with perhaps a floating candle in the larger part.) I tucked sword fern and alstroemeria underneath. By keeping all of the centerpiece items the same shape, it created a unifying effect.

When we sat down to dinner, the sun was just beginning to set. By the time we finished, we were able to enjoy the warm glow of the candles. (I can’t stress this enough…be careful when using candles, especially when it’s breezy out or THIS – or something far worse – could happen to you!)

On the dessert/drink table, I piled Pier 1 dessert plates high on a beautiful bamboo tray alongside the homemade 3-layer chocolate fudge cake. The faux bamboo flatware is from JC Penney. The acrylic palm tree pitcher is from BB&B.

Raising a glass with our honored guests.

Other tropics-inspired tablescapes on this site:
Hot Fun In the Summertime
Caribbean Queen

Popsicle Party!

July 9, 2017August 16, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 10 Comments

We’re just about midway through the summer swelter, and every day calls for something cooling and refreshing to beat the heat. Here’s an idea for a popsicle party where after dinner it’s all about popsicles for the over-21 set! (There are numerous recipes on Pinterest for “adult” popsicles that will put a little pep in your step!)

When the temperatures are soaring but you still want to get outside to entertain, make it something special with treats that will visually AND literally cool your guests.

Bright colors abound across this table for four. The tablescape begins with a pure white tablecloth to show off the brilliant hues on top.

Each place setting starts with a fabulous natural round “Water Hyacinth” placemat from Pier 1. These are so incredibly versatile! I’ve used them in various tablescapes including “Barton’s Easter Brunch“. Next up are woven round placemats in a glorious “Peacock Blue” from Bed Bath & Beyond also seen on “Summer Fruits & Penny-farthings” and “Give Peace A Chance” on this site. White melamine dinner plates from Target are topped with dazzling orange-rimmed pink melamines from Burlington that I first introduced in the post “Oranges & Blossoms” back in September of 2010 and then reintroduced in “Hot Tropical“!

Cheerful Gerbera daisies in juicy orange gourd-shaped ceramic vases decorate each place setting.

When I break out the melamine plates, it’s time to scrounge up color coordinated flatware from TJ Maxx like this in snowy white that really stands out against the deeper color of the top placemat.

I found this terrific plastic stemware at Old Time Pottery a few years back. I wish I could use it more often. It’s the safest way to go for summer outdoor entertaining! I used the same style in a creamy yellow back in 2014 for a post called “Cupcake Colors“.

The inspiration for this tablescape came not only from the heat and my affinity for adult popsicles, but from these super cute Dollar Tree dish towels! I like to use them as napkins for their super powers of absorbency as well as the colorful themes! I’ve used dish towels as napkins for several warm weather posts including “Grill It Up!“, “Most Egg-cellent Fall Breakfast“, “Italian Honeysuckle“, “Picnic Ants“, and “Black & White Barnyard Breakfast“.

Well, don’t say you didn’t see THIS coming!!! Popsicle-shaped menus created on my desktop computer!!!

The centerpiece is a simple one: curvy plastic bowls in vibrant turquoise and pink placed together so both colors show. Fill with fragrant summer fruits like the oranges, mangoes, lemons, peaches and limes shown here, and voila!

I get a LOT of mileage out of the hooks I installed beneath the overhang on the deck! On this day a few vividly colored metal lanterns from Hobby Lobby swing in the gentle breeze and add ambience when the shadows fall. (I first used these lanterns as a part of the centerpiece for “Hot Fun In the Summertime” back in 2014.)

I hope you’re finding a way to stay cool this summer! Thanks so much for stopping by!

Other warm weather posts using lots of dramatically juicy colors on this site:
Carousel Colors
Tulips In the IHOP Hour
Caribbean Queen
Hot Tropical
Flamingos in Paradise
Casablanca Cool
Hot Fun In the Summertime
Brilliant Italian
Tropicana
Daisy Crazy
Cupcake Colors
Summer Fruits & Penny-Farthings
Give Peace A Chance

Casablanca Cool

June 14, 2017July 25, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 5 Comments

Good grief! It is actually cooler in Casablanca than in the Kansas City area right now!!! Not officially summer yet here, and the temperatures are hovering in the 90°-93° range for several days straight! Since I won’t be boarding a plane to that cooler destination in Morocco, I created a dining environment that can take me there in spirit.
(When you reach the bottom of this post, see who I DID travel to see!!!)

Our deck hosts a 6-ft. table covered in an easy care 90″x132″ gold crinkle taffeta tablecloth from YourChairCovers.com. A deep red beaded organza runner adds visual interest and helps to break up the expanse of gold color. I didn’t include chairs for this demonstration, but something natural like bamboo or wicker would look great!

Cooling turquoise blue Bormioli Rocco Inca glass chargers anchor each place setting. (These beautiful chargers were also used in Ocean Blue -Starfish & Seashells.) Amber dinner plates from Pier 1 add another layer of color. The final piece is a glass faux mercury-lined sorbet from World Market, a different color at each setting. See how the blue sky reflected in the glass resembles a swimming pool or ocean? Cooling and soothing!

Glassware from Pier 1 includes a deep purple stem for wine (purchased 12 years ago!), a water glass with a different jewel tone at the bottom at each place setting, and a lovely shot glass, both from Home Goods. Each has a beautiful gold pattern – noted in this last picture – that ties the trio together.

Silky polyester napkins are cinched at the waist with red gemstone-flecked gold napkin rings.

I created a lush high/low centerpiece made up of multiple glass and metal elements.

I love these muted gold Casablanca Lanterns from Z Gallerie! I bought them in two sizes a few years back. I’m not sure if they still have them, but I’ve seen similar ones in other stores.

These sleek hot pink glass vases are from Hobby Lobby. I embellished them with amber glass tassels and filled them with palm fronds.

I have been waiting for years to use these multicolored cylindrical candle holders!!! I bought them on closeout in the large and small sizes at Gordman’s 7 or 8 years ago with a tablescape like this in mind.

These fun fabric votive holders are scattered on the table to add a little extra color, texture, and light.

To add to the ambience, I hung multicolored miniature chandeliers among the existing bistro lights on the deck overhang. In the center is a gathered bundle of colored ribbon first used in a Christmas setting some years ago to decorate a bar cart. The ribbon adds movement and texture as it sways in the summer breeze.

A small table off to the side, covered in a Pier 1 fringed and beaded throw, serves as a mini bar. (To see this throw used in an autumn setting, visit Morocco for Two on this site.)

A melange of colorful shot glasses line up on a gold melamine tray. (To see another appearance by these cute little shot glasses, visit Cinco de Mayo 2013 on this site.) For a little drama, height and fragrance, I added a martini glass filled to the rim with whole star anise. Additional shot glasses strewn with baby bracelets (first used as napkin rings in Diwali My Way) add a little more flair.

Here, a smaller version of the gold Casablanca Lantern from Z Gallerie lights guests’ way around the bar.

Colorful, fragrant lemons and oranges piled high in a gold glass vase with a pattern very much like that of the dining table linen.

A red silk throw lie beneath colorful pillows piled on a bench.

This tablescape in my head for a LONG time!!! I’m glad to have finally been able to bring it to you! Thanks so much for stopping in!

While attending my husband’s med school reunion, I FINALLY got to visit with blog buddy DIANNE of Dianne’s Creative Table!!! One of the most FUN, TALENTED, CREATIVE, INTERESTING, HOSPITABLE, and BEAUTIFUL souls in this world! We hit up an estate sale, then shopped, lunched, and shopped some more in historic downtown Franklin, TN, before visiting her gorgeous home.
Thank you so much for your incredible Southern hospitality, Dianne!!!

For more tablescapes with lots of bright, energetic color on this site:
Cupcake Colors
Summer Fruits & Penny-farthings
Hot Fun in the Summertime!
Butterfly Kaleidoscope
Diwali My Way
Livin’ la Vida Loca
Flamingos In Paradise
Give Peace A Chance Retro Tablescape
Peacock Pizzazz
Tropicana
Daisy Crazy
Hot Tropical
Summer Breeze
Caribbean Queen

Cupcake Colors

August 11, 2014July 28, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 65 Comments

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.

Summer Fruits & Penny-farthings

July 28, 2014July 8, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 45 Comments

INSPIRATION: Fun summertime melamine dishes found at Tuesday Morning.

I am all about the bright colors and melamine this summer! What a great selection there is out there, and the prices are so reasonable! For any casual summertime tablescape, melamine is a fun and inexpensive way to go, and if you go bright that just kicks it up a notch!
(Click on any photo, then click again to enhance/enlarge it.)

This table begins with a brilliant “Caribbean” blue 108″ round poly tablecloth from LinenTablecloth.com.

There are so many juicy, bright colors in the plates & bowls (grounded with bits of black & white), and I wanted to pick up on as many of them as possible. A trio of round woven placemats in orange, aqua blue and yellow from Bed, Bath & Beyond anchor the place setting. The square melamine dishes have lots of fun stripes topped with images of watermelon, oranges, limes & lemons. That motif is repeated in the napkins gathered with a wooden watermelon slice napkin ring (both purchased eons ago at BB&B).

Orange acrylic flatware from Burlington is casually placed inside the salad bowl.

Aqua blue plastic tumblers from Old Time Pottery are easy care and the perfect match for the dishes. The lemon slice finger bowl blends with the theme.

The centerpiece is simple and fun, made up of a bowl of citrus fruits, playful watermelon wedge salt & pepper shakers and an iron tricycle found in the floral department at our local grocer’s. According to Wikipedia, the penny-farthing – also known as a high wheeler and a spinoff of the French “boneshaker” in the 1800s – was the first machine to be dubbed a “bicycle” and was a symbol of the late Victorian era.

I created a lounge area in one corner of the deck which is nice for enjoying pre-dinner cocktails or dessert. The side table is dressed in a 90″ round LinenTablecloth “Caribbean” blue tablecloth to complement the covering on the dining table. A distressed neon green finial piece from the clearance aisle at Hobby Lobby is joined by another iron penny-farthing and potted geraniums.

Our Martha Stewart Living coffee table was purchased in pristine condition from our local Goodwill thrift store. A can of spray paint morphed it from black to white in just a couple of hours time. The rest of the deck furniture was spruced up, too, and then treated to seat cushions from Lowe’s and brightly colored toss pillows from Pier 1. A lime green metal tray from Target holds frosted glasses with a lemon & lime slice motif. The orange and lemon slice dessert plates were purchased at Hobby Lobby years ago. (See these plates used in another tablescape HERE.)

Along with lots of potted plants, a couple of cheery red metal lanterns from Pier 1 add a little extra punch to the surrounding decor and are great for lighting the way after the sun sets.

The old rusted wrought iron baker’s rack gets in on the act with a tricycle and more penny-farthings. I love the 3-D wood slab with the penny-farthing and names of fun summertime vacation destinations. I picked it up along with the planter tricycles at the grocery store floral department. Notice how nature yielded a shot of a kamikaze bumblebee zooming in toward the gazing ball! (Students, notice the 2nd green finial piece used here and recall our conversation about representing “like elements” throughout the space. The same goes for the use of the penny-farthings & tricycles in each key area of the entertainment space.)

There are lots more summertime tablescapes on this site. Here are links to a few of them:
Oopsy Daisy!
Ants in My Pants Picnic
Daisy Crazy
Picnic Ants
Lemonade From Bill
Hot Fun in the Summertime
Tropicana
Summer Orange Tablescape
All-American Seafood Boil
4th of July, Coastal Style
Flamingos in Paradise
Grill It Up!
Caribbean Queen
Life Is Just a Chair of Bowlies
Ocean Blue Tablescape
Hot Tropical
Old Navy Seafood Cruise
Casablanca Cool
and don’t forget the Summer page with TEN posts on it!

I’ll be partying again this week with Christine at Rustic & Refined for “Table It!” and Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday. Swing on by both of these fun blog parties for lots of summertime entertaining ideas!

Hot Fun In the Summertime!

July 7, 2014July 7, 2014 / Alycia Nichols / 49 Comments

INSPIRATION: Paper parasols in sizzling hot tropical colors and a new way for me to hang them outdoors!

The 4th of July has come and gone, but there are many more parties to come in the hot summer months. Hot days match up with abundant hot tropical colors like hot pink, outrageous orange, and yummy yellow. So pull out all the stops…but don’t break the bank! Shop end-of-season clearance sales like I do to stock up for next summer!
(Click on any photo, then click again to enlarge/enhance it.)

I am just head over heels with these stretch tablecloths from LinenTablecloth.com. They don’t pay me to say that…I just love these tablecloths! Who wants to mess around with a lot of unnecessary ironing in the hot summer? Not me! That’s why these have become my tablecloth of choice. Just stretch them on, and all the wrinkles go bye-bye. (Oh, how I wish it worked that way with my face and neck!!! 😉 ) They come in 7 different colors and 2 sizes. For me, these are a summer (and anytime!) must-have! (Students and freshman tablescapers: I used white to ground the setting and to play up all the color on the table. Students, you’ll remember we talked about wanting to avoid color saturation.)

Two 6-ft. folding tables are kissed together horizontally create a “square.” Depending on what all you have on the table, this arrangement can comfortably seat up to 10 guests.

I used the trio of hot pink, orange and yellow placemats from Bed, Bath & Beyond to give each place setting a distinctive look. Each guest can pick his or her favorite! Orange-rimmed hot pink melamine plates from Burlington sit atop plain white Corelle dishes at each place setting. A bright yellow napkin folded into a simple triangle is a constant around the table, as are the brilliant orange acrylic flatware and hot pink acrylic tumblers, also from Burlington. (Students, you can successfully mix one or two elements, but be sure to have plenty of “constants” that visually tie the tablescape together.) The fun mesh food covers to keep the pests away are from Z Gallerie. I bought them several years ago but have just this summer had occasion to use them.

This centerpiece relies solely upon color and candlelight. The “runner” is an overlapping repeat of the colorful placemats used at each place setting. Metal lanterns in the theme colors are from Hobby Lobby. (Students, notice the odd number – 5 – used, and recall our discussion about “the Rule of 3” and how odd numbers are easy on the eye.) The rest of the table is sporadically dotted with votives, again using all three colors.

Over the years I have collected a number of paper parasols. These from Hobby Lobby are just plain fun to add color and motion to the space. Notice they are not completely extended as they might otherwise be for other uses. Also notice how they extend the color from the dining table to the perimeter of the dining environment. (I recently spent 2 hours carefully measuring and drilling holes to insert a number of small rubber-coated cup hooks in the overhangs on our back deck. They can stay up year round for displaying whatever I wish out there on a whim! The hooks are the same color as the house, so they just “disappear”!)

I always like the buffet table to complement the dining table in some way. Here, a 90″ x 132″ white tablecloth drops full-length (to stash catering stuff underneath!) and is topped with an 85-in. square fuchsia and a 70-in. square yellow, both from LinenTablecloth.com. (Sorry, folks…the yellow has been recently discontinued. They do, however, have a great new color called “cantaloupe” that would be fabulous in this setting!)

To add to the tropical feel of the space, I created a “palm tree” on the buffet table using a white lacquered bamboo vase purchased at Z Gallerie a few years back. (I weighted it down with pea gravel to keep it from tipping over.) Palm fronds from Michael’s are artfully arranged to create the “tree.” The centerpiece is placed off-center.

When I put a tablescape together, I look through my computerized catalog (read about it HERE) and just type in keywords to find things in various categories in the color(s) I need. Without that catalog, I might have forgotten about this fun orange metal ice bucket. The yellow metal shabby chic bowl adds a little visual texture with its wavy lines. A white melamine chip ‘n dip tray takes on new life to display various tropical fruits on ice.

The beverage center is set up on one end of the buffet table. This display is proof positive that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to create a fun look. The orange and pink plastic tubs from Old Time Pottery were about $3 each. Just fill with ice and insert beverages! The plastic pitchers were about $3 each, too, and are a great way to serve large quantities of your signature cocktail. Put drink garnishments like cherries and lemon slices on a cute melamine tray like this one from my friend, Monica, who recently gifted me with a bunch of these babies. 🙂 Finally, cocktail parasols in a colorful martini glass could make even your daily Metamucil go down easy! (Yes, I speak from experience!) The cocktail parasols mimic those used in the decor as well as dress up the drinks.

So there you have it…a tropical, fun-in-the-sun, casual, easy, budget-friendly dining environment in hot colors that will keep your guests in the partying mood long after the lightning bugs have said goodnight! This tablescape would be perfect for a summertime birthday, rehearsal dinner, bridal shower, bon voyage party, beach party, or just any occasion that calls for f-u-n!

Other tablescapes on this site using paper parasols:
Oopsy Daisy!
Daisy Crazy
Flamingos in Paradise
Tropicana
Under a Paper Moon

Other tablescapes on this site with a tropical theme:
Hot Tropical
Caribbean Queen
Ocean Blue Tablescape
Raining Orchids

Two of my favorite blog parties for you to check out this week: Christine’s “Table It!” over at Rustic & Refined, and Susan’s “Tablescape Thursday” at Between Naps on the Porch.

Celebrate Mardi Gras!

February 27, 2014July 26, 2021 / Alycia Nichols / 48 Comments

INSPIRATION: Colorful miniature masks found on clearance after Christmas at Pier 1

If you’re looking for some last-minute Mardi Gras inspiration, you’ve landed at the right spot!
(Click on any photo, then click again to enlarge/enhance it.)

I’m all for fun where Mardi Gras is concerned, but we tend to go a little more upscale in the decor for certain friends & family…and you know who you are! 😉 This gold crinkle taffeta tablecloth from YourChairCovers.com serves as a beautiful foundation. The crinkles remind me of ruching on some bridal gowns. Very elegant AND no iron! Gotta love it! If you want to go for a posh Harlequin look, I suggest the eggplant (purple) pintuck from LinenTablecloth.com. You can’t go wrong either way!

The royal purple Bormioli Rocco “Inca” glass charger anchors the place setting and is topped with an American Atelier “Florentine Scroll” dinner and salad plate. I chose this pattern because of the frenzied flourish of scroll work around the rim and in the center…for what is Mardi Gras if not frenzied and full of flourish? 🙂

There will be food. LOTS of it!!! I always overdo. I can’t help myself. At least there are great leftovers which = time off from the kitchen for at least a day. I created these menus on my desktop. The fun multi-colored background layer are actually postcard invitations I’ve had for years just waiting for the right moment to make their debut. Notice how here, too, there is frenzied scrolling. I added various colored faux gemstones for a more 3-D look and…let’s be honest…because the blingier the better!!!

These things really excite me! I have literally had them for 20 years and NEVER used them. NEVER!!! I don’t know why. I have about 20 of them, purchased at a wholesale place in a “grab bag.” I suppose they’re actually feathered tassels of some sort, but I never let “intended use”get in my way. 😉 They’re quite full, very luxurious to the touch. They really add a lot of texture, color and sheer drama to the place setting!

I use this Pier 1 gold-rimmed purple and green stemware just about every year for Mardi Gras. It’s perfect for the occasion and never gets old to me. It also comes in handy at Christmastime or when I want to go for an exotic look. I bought the intricately-designed glassware in several colors at TJ Maxx a couple of years ago (used HERE in a celebration of Diwali) after deciding the World Market price was just way too crazy for me. It has a wonderful vintage look, and notice…scroll work!

These miniature mask ornaments were the inspiration for this Mardi Gras table for 6. I found them while sifting through the 75% off area at Pier 1 this past January. While purple, green & gold are the traditional Mardi Gras colors, I’ve added a few more just to kick it up a notch!

These purple glass cabaret lamps are yet another Pier 1 clearance purchase from about 15 years ago that I have never used until now. I got them in purple, red and clear. What was I waiting for??!??!!! Placed at each individual place setting, they add kind of a nightclub feel to the table.

The centerpiece consists of two very dramatic aubergine “Moran” glass vases from Z Gallerie. The 31″ vases are filled with the beads that make Mardi Gras the decadent good time it’s known for and then topped off with glittered palm leaves.

Feathers are a big part of the Mardi Gras celebration from the clothing, to the often elaborate/whacky headdress, to the decor. So I spread them around the room from the table to the buffet top! Here they fan out at the base of this aloof ceramic Jester mask rescued from the clearance section at Home Goods a couple of years ago. I added a handful of beads for color, texture and fun. In retrospect, I probably should have blinged him out a bit more. Well…there’s always next year, God willing!

These fanciful Mardi Gras fairies were included in the same grab bag as the feathered tassels from years ago. I forgot they even existed. They somehow slipped past my trusty computerized catalog system and were still neatly tucked into the original packaging!!!

No, Ramon didn’t pick up some bag lady and bring her home. This is me after a long day of cooking and cleaning, and I apparently have no shame! Isn’t that head a mess? At least I’m wearing Mardi Gras purple! I did a trial run of the food for Fat Tuesday next week. I ended up adding crab and shrimp to this pot, but next week’s guest list includes someone who claims she’s allergic to shellfish…and you know who you are! 😉

I hope you’re all ready for Fat Tuesday with menu and drinks and games already decided! It’s going to be a blast…and then Lent. What are you giving up this year?

Other Mardi Gras tables or tables suitable for Mardi Gras on this site:
Mardi Gras Madness
Mardi Gras Lite
Mardi Gras Mojo
The Peacock Effect

I’m joining Susan over at Between Naps on the Porch again this week for “Tablescape Thursday”, and I hope you’ll come with! You’re bound to find loads of ideas from lots of other talented tablescapers (especially those Southern gals…and you know who you are!) for a great Mardi Gras celebration.