Confectionery Christmas

November 11, 2014January 31, 2018 / Alycia Nichols / 63 Comments

I was pleased to participate as both a designer and one of 4 workshop presenters this past weekend at “Garlands & Gatherings”, a benefit event for Hope Haven of Cass County, MO. Hope Haven provides shelter, advocacy and support services to women and children in our area who have fallen victim to domestic violence or sexual assault. The Saturday morning brunch brought out a nice group of women looking to support the cause, have a little fun, and learn a few tips on holiday decorating (Karen Mills, Interiors by Design and me), personal style (Jennifer Niehouse, It’s So U!), and cooking trends (Jean Ostby, Williams-Sonoma). Over the next 3 weeks, I’ll be posting the tablescapes I designed for the event with the hope that you will enjoy them as much as the benefit attendees did!

To kick it off, this first table is something fun for kids. The pastel/candy/polka-dot theme would be great for a Christmastime birthday party or just to make the kids feel extra-special at their assigned Christmas Day dinner table!

Please pardon the photo quality. The lighting wasn’t the best, and I was under a tremendous time crunch.
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Although it generally would not be practical to employ a full-length linen for a children’s table, I used one here to cover the ugly legs of the folding table and to hide scads of storage boxes! The 90″ x 132″ white tablecloth on this table for 8 is from LinenTablecloth.com. (Alternatives to a linen: [1] go bare, [2] use an inexpensive sheet, [3] wrap the ugly legs in festive ribbon, [4] add Christmas elf stockings to the legs stuffed with gift tissue to make them stay up & cover the leg all the way to the top, and then “gift wrap” the table surface.)

I chose to go with paper and plastic goods for this kid-friendly tablescape. Each place setting begins with a colorful polka-dot “placemat” which is actually a piece of felt from Hobby Lobby. Very inexpensive at just 50¢ apiece. Next are Dollar Store plates in pastel blue and purple topped with a ring pop to add a little color, fun, and a bigger sugar high for the kids. 😉

I used various colored flatware to add to the colorful nature of tablescape. A trio of soft paper napkins are tucked beneath each dinner plate.

The inspiration for this tablescape was the pair of “marshmallow and candy” Christmas trees I found at Hobby Lobby. I set them atop a clear glass pedestal for added height and then created a “tree skirt” using scads of curling ribbon. (What a pain in the patootie!)

Keeping with the confectionery theme, I added clear glass apothecary jars down the center of the table filled with all kinds of colorful candies. The swirl pops amidst the Pixie Stix look very much like the inedible “marshmallow” swirl pops from Hobby Lobby in the very center of the table that add even more height to the overall look. (NOTE: If you don’t want to risk your nice glass apothecaries, try using various sizes of clear Mason jars or jars that previously held jelly, mayo, pickles, etc.)

I also found these wonderful pastel nutcrackers at Hobby Lobby to place at each end of the centerpiece and stand sentry over the candy!

I created this fun look by covering ordinary banquet chairs with a white stretchy cover and a bubble gum pink satin sash from LinenTablecloth.com. I then used a length of yellow satin ribbon to affix a melange of candy ornaments to the center. The polka-dot ribbon (Hobby Lobby) was the final touch to tie the chairs in with the dots on the marshmallow trees and the placemats. (Chair covers for a kid’s party? With these easy stretch covers, clean up is a breeze! Just toss ’em in the laundry!!!)

As a final touch, I added a couple of gift bags adorned with candy cane ornaments. The paper gift tissue is a mix of pink and polka dots.

Big shout out to Ebony Jackson of EAJ Events In Lee’s Summit for coming to lend a helping hand in the 6+ hour setup!

Last, just for laughs, here’s a picture of me – no makeup, pancake flat hair, and my “out in public” back brace bulging beneath my sweater – as setup began. Goodness knows that back brace needed to be on, because when it was my turn to present…..well, just watch this 90-second video!

AND MY BACK & SHOULDER PAID A HEFTY PRICE FOR THE CRAZY SHENANIGANS THAT LITTLE BURST OF ENERGY BROUGHT ON!!! 😦
I’m back on my walker now to get around and having sleepless nights from the pain. But it sure was fun while it lasted! 🙂

More kid-friendly Christmas-themed tablescapes on this site:
Pink & Purple Chocolate Christmas
Sugar High
Frosty the Snowman
Kaleidoscope Christmas

A few other Christmas tablescapes on this site include:
“Celebrate the Season”
“Christmas in the Woods”
“Merry & Bright – Multi-Color Christmas”
“Christmas Through the Red Door”
“Life Is A Cabaret – New Year’s Eve”
“Waking Up to Christmas – Bedroom Decor”
“Black, White & Red All Over Christmas”
“Christmas 2012 – Red, Black & Silver”
“Checkered Christmas”
“Contemporary Christmas”
“Gentlemen’s Winter Retreat”
“Woodland Men’s Tablescape”
“Cranberry Christmas”
“Cranberry Christmas Squared”
“Get Me To the Church On Time”
“Christmas Progressive Dinner”
“White Hot”
“Winter Brunch”
“Really Red Christmas”
“Roman Holiday”
“Cardinal Christmas”
“March of the Penguins”
“Winter Cardinal”
“Ideas for Throwing a Winter Dessert Party”
“Christmas Fiesta”
“Over the River and Through the Woods”
“Black Friday Luncheon”
“Noel Progressive Dinner”
“Old-Fashioned Red & Green Christmas”
“Timberland Christmas”
“Christmas Coffee”
“Warm Metal Christmas”
“Let It Snow”
“Tuscan Holiday“

Parties I’m linking up with this week:
Between Naps on the Porch – Tablescape Thursday
Rustic & Refined – Table It!
Style Sisters – Centerpiece Wednesday
How Sweet the Sound – Pink Saturday

Bald Is Beautiful – Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October 14, 2014May 2, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 45 Comments

Tablescapes at Table Twenty-One, www.tabletwentyone.wordpress.com, Bald Is Beautiful: Holly Bertone Pink Fortitude collage

INSPIRATION: The many faces of my brave, beautiful, creative, very determined, cancer’s-butt-kickin’ friend, Holly Bertone, author of The Coconut Head’s Guide to Survival blog and CEO and President of Pink Fortitude, LLC.

Holly Bertone of The Coconut Head’s Guide to Survival blog was kind enough to consent to being a part of this post on the condition (that I happily accepted!) that I share her message with you: “I was young and healthy. If it can happen to me, it can happen to you. Please take care of your health. Early detection saves lives.”

So this post is dedicated to Holly and every woman or man out there who has stared breast cancer in its ugly face and “beat it like it stole something.” The fight is a tough one. I salute those who won the battle and honor the memory of those who, in spite of fighting the good fight, were taken from us too soon.
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The table is dressed in a pure white full-length tablecloth from LinenTablecloth.com. The stretch white chair cover and pink satin sash are also from LTC. I wanted so much to tie the ribbon in the shape of the Breast Cancer Awareness symbol, but just couldn’t figure it out! Maybe by next year this time…! 🙂

Each place setting starts with a silverplate charger and platinum-rimmed Noritake “Spectrum” dinner and salad plate. A soft pink, simply folded napkin from Bed, Bath & Beyond sits atop the plates. I created the menus on our home computer and gave them more of a 3-D look by adding an actual ribbon dotted with a pink gemstone. (The menu items were our actual dinner that night. You can find my recipe for the chicken pot pie on this site under Recipes. The cake is a wonderful recipe from Kitty’s Kozy Kitchen, and it is decadently delicious!!!)

I wanted this table to literally reflect everything beautiful, so I used Cristal d’Arques Longchamps stemware with lots of reflective facets that caught the light of the votives in the centerpiece. The handle of the dinner knife and the mirror shine of the charger both have the same reflective quality.

After-dinner coffee is extra sweet with a rose-kissed sugar cube from Rebekah Foster, Cake Artist.

Who says bald can’t be absolutely beautiful? I admittedly spent a great deal of time working on this unique Breast Cancer Awareness centerpiece. I wanted to shout to the world that bald can indeed be beautiful, simple, sweet, sexy, exotic, erotic, and everything in between.
To create this very special centerpiece, I used ballerina pink and soft glitter spray paint to tint an inexpensive Styrofoam wig form. I applied flirty black eyelashes (did better than I do on my own eyes!) and then went to work with gemstone and pearl head pins. Just when I thought I was finished, I decided to add the nose ring to give her a youthful, contemporary flair to punctuate Holly’s message: Just because you’re young and healthy doesn’t mean it can’t happen to you. I spread sparkling clear and pink crystals (Beau-coup.com) at the base to represent reflective beauty and added votives to symbolize hope and light radiated by fighters like Holly.

Other tablescapes suitable for Breast Cancer Awareness Month on this site:
Breast Cancer Awareness Luncheon
Pretty in Pink, Wicked in Spurs
All A’Bloom
Pleasant Under Glass
Roses in October
Princess Pink Birthday Dinner
Blushing Bridal Shower
Pink Plaid & Posies
Luncheon in Pink
Pretty in Pink
Springtime in Paris
Peony Power
Coming Up Roses
Tea Roses

I am happily joining these ladies’ blog parties this week:
Christine at Rustic & Refined for “Table It!”
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for “Tablescape Thursday”
Bev at How Sweet the Sound for “Pink Saturday”

Hometown Pride: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Denver Broncos Football Tablescape

September 7, 2014April 26, 2018 / Alycia Nichols / 46 Comments

INSPIRATION: My camera-shy long distance buddy and fellow Chiefs football enthusiast, Miss Mona, half-jokingly suggested that the chair covers used in my post “Blurred Lines With Shades of Pink” looked much like a referee uniform.

Yes, I realize we just got our butts handed to us in our home opener, but it makes no difference. I’m still a Kansas City Chiefs fan through and through. (#Chiefs/Arrowhead/Kansas City Pride!) Always have been, always will be. Next Sunday we will face our arch-rivals, the Denver Broncos. Despite what recent history has shown, I am a believer that we will emerge victorious. I am so much a believer that I have created a football tablescape with that triumph in mind!
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The back deck is all ready for a Chiefs at-home tailgate party!

Each place setting has a black dinner plate topped with a salad plate in red with a black and white rim.

I found these Kansas City Chiefs reusable tumblers at our local grocery store. Dishwasher safe and a perfect for all kinds of get-togethers, I picked up a bunch of them at just $1.49 each. The deep yellow-gold napkin from LinenTablecloth.com is folded in a traditional design and mimics the flag used by referees to call a foul. The design on the stainless steel flatware reminds me of the laces on a football.

The centerpiece started with an oversized “ticket” sign I found on the clearance aisle at Hobby Lobby. It is flanked by long rows of potted grass, some bearing miniature Kansas City Chiefs pendants. A miniature football (Dollar Tree) adds to the look.

As my buddy Mona suggested, the chairs dressed in black and white striped chair covers from LinenTablecloth.com look very much like the referees’ uniforms! (If you’ve not seen it, you may want to check out “Blurred Lines With Shades of Pink” to see how these chair covers take on a completely different vibe when used in a more formal setting.) The table is layered in black and red linens from LinenTablecloth.com.

I created a comfortable sitting area on the other side of the deck for guests to enjoy the game on a television set up in the concealed corner.

The side table in the living room area of the deck is set up with a 90″ round white tablecloth from LinenTablecloth.com. It is topped with an autographed picture of wide receiver Eddie Kennison who notoriously “retired” from the game after only a few months with the Denver Broncos only to resurface and bring his powerhouse moves to the Kansas City Chiefs for five years. Tee hee hee! 🙂 I won this picture at a charity auction, and it is a prized possession. Uh oh….is that a 10-yard penalty for taunting? 😉

I couldn’t believe my incredible good fortune to find this cushy Chiefs body pillow at Wal-Mart for less than $20!!! It’s so comfy, and it gives me something to hit when we’re losing! 😉

The coffee table is set up with game favorites beer and popcorn. I found the resin football sign in the clearance section at Hobby Lobby at 90% off because it’s missing something that used to be on top of it. I like it “as is”, so it’s all good!

My flowers and herbs love the addition of our Kansas City Chiefs garden banner!

Red and gold Chiefs pendants dangle over a mock buffet table topped with gridiron placemats from Old Time Pottery.

Bronco meat, anyone? 😉 I’m just having a little fun here, so don’t go calling the PETA people on me! I’ve used the whole horse that goes with this head for several posts including “Carousel Colors”, “Kentucky Derby Buffet”, “Run For the Roses”, “American Royal Tablescape”, and “Celebrating Longview Farm“. I’ve also used it to prank my husband with the old Godfather-horse’s head-in-the-director’s-bed thing. So the horse is obviously very versatile! 🙂 I came up with the menu based on our (now broken…curse you, Seattle!) record-breaking 137.57 decibel Twelfth Man ruckus. Just tell me how you like your Bronco meat served up, and…

…I’m on it! 🙂 🙂 🙂

I know I’ve been M.I.A. for a while, but it’s with good reason. I’m preparing for a couple of upcoming fundraisers for which I’m doing a LOT of decor AND a tablescaping workshop in November. The prep work is exhausting both mentally and physically, and 90% of my day is consumed with it. I promise, however, to post as often as possible in the coming weeks. I have several fun posts already photographed and ready to rock. It’s just a matter of actually posting them!!!

If you’re looking for more sports-themed tablescapes, I have the following for your enjoyment:
“The 19th Hole – Golf & Forever Love”
“Boys of Summer”
“Football Tablescape – Kansas City Chiefs In the Red Zone“

Happy Fall, y’all, and I hope you’ll join me over at Christine’s Rustic & Refined for Table It! tonight and at Susan’s place for Tablescape Thursday later this week!

ALS Ice Bucket Challenge!

August 19, 2014August 19, 2014 / Alycia Nichols / 36 Comments

No, I’m not asking YOU to take the challenge...so relax!!! 🙂 I was recently called out by my friend Natalie Firman on the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, and I accepted against my better judgment. In the end, I got iced TWICE! I hope you enjoy the little 3-minute video my husband and I put together for the challenge. With all the really ugly stuff going on in the world right now, it was nice to take a mental break from it all and just be a little silly. And please notice that – true to form – I used tablescaping etiquette by getting doused with ice from an heirloom silver ice bucket!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂

Enjoy the rest of your week, everyone, and please join me next week for Cuisine Kathleen‘s “Farewell to Summer” tablescape challenge!

Luscious Layers of Lavender

August 17, 2014August 17, 2014 / Alycia Nichols / 44 Comments

INSPIRATION: A beautifully-crafted and much-cherished quilt in shades of purple received from wedding clients way back at the start of my wedding design career.

INSPIRATION: A beautifully crafted and much cherished quilt in shades of purple received from clients way back at the start of my wedding design career.

Thank you for stopping by! This is a short and sweet post this week. (I know many of you are cheering and doing the happy dance! ) I’m getting ready for CHIEFS football tonight and a very busy week ahead!
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This casual table for 4 began with a LinenTablecloth.com 108″ round white tablecloth on a 48″ table for full-length coverage. The table was then topped with the pretty quilt in varying shades of purple on a white background. This tablescape would be perfect for an evening in with the girls to celebrate a birthday or any relaxed occasion.

The place setting begins with a grape-colored Bormioli Rocco glass charger. The dinner and salad plates are simple white Corelle. The crowning touch is a petal pink “Bread and Butter – Lola” bowl with softly curved and generously beaded edges found at Home Goods.

This Oneida flatware – my everyday service chosen way back in the 70s when I married my 1st husband – has floral detailing that mimics that of the tiny florets in some patches of the quilt. The napkin, like the bowl, is a soft petal pink and coordinates with the pink patches in the quilt.

The stemware is 2 different designs and in 2 slightly different hues, but they work well together. The taller stem is from Stein Mart and the shorter wine glass is a recent purchase from Home Goods. I was bummed they only had 6. I could have easily used 12-20 of these! (“Art of Tablescaping” students: Remember what we discussed about considering using pieces that complement rather than match.)

I like to occasionally do something a little dramatic in the center of the table. (Seriously? Who do I think I’m kidding??!?! For me, a day without drama on the table is like a day without sunshine! 🙂 ) In this case, it’s a large, curvy white glass vase filled with flowering branches. Note that the floret shape complements the flowers in the quilt and on the flatware. (Note: This part of the centerpiece is great for showcasing the table as guests arrive, but can be easily transferred to a side table once the meal is about to start.)

A trio of smaller white ceramic vases can be left on the table during the meal should you opt to remove the larger piece. This continues the look without compromising it and allows guests to freely converse across and around the table.

I found these beautiful purple glass disc votive holders at Hobby Lobby. At 50% off, they were just $1 each. Quite a bargain with a lot of impact when strategically scattered at the base of the centerpiece.

Why frogs you ask? Because I saw one out in the yard, had these white ceramic ones in my stash, and figured, “Why not?”. That’s the long and the short of it! Nothing too deep! 🙂 (“Art of Tablescaping” students: you may recall our discussion about bringing something unexpected to the table for whimsy.)

That’s all folks! I hope you have a wonderful week ahead, and I so appreciate your visit!

Other tablescapes on this site featuring quilt toppers or runners:
“Summer Luncheon for Two”
“Midsummer Shabby Chic Apple Tablescape”
“My Sister’s Wedding China”
“Kaleidoscope Christmas”
“Casual Fall Harvest Tablescape”
“Love’s Arrow”

Other tablescapes on this site with purple:
“Purple & Pastel”
“Pink & Purple Chocolate Christmas”
“Purple for Spring”
“Easter Floral”
“Purple+Green=Happy Birthday!”
“Planning in Purple”

This week I’ll be joining Christine at Rustic & Refined for “Table It!” (goes live on Sunday evening) and Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for “Tablescape Thursday” (goes live on Thursday morning).

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.
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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!
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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!
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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.

Summer Luncheon for Two

July 1, 2014July 1, 2014 / Alycia Nichols / 44 Comments

INSPIRATION: Another quilt created by my friend & neighbor, Barbara. This table was easily assembled because everything on it pulls either color or pattern from this quilt!

The weather here in the Kansas City area continues to be a virtual sauna accompanied by strong, hot winds and occasional storms. To get out on the deck and create anything is next to impossible. As we go into this 4th of July weekend, though, I have a “dine-and-dash” luncheon (or breakfast…or brunch!) table for two that started with a little game of “I Spy” at my neighbors’ house. Barbara should know better by now than to let me in that front door! She lets me in, “I Spy” something cool (like this beautiful quilt!), I want it, and I’m outta there with it! 🙂
(Click on any photo, and then click again to enhance/enlarge it.)

In windy weather like this, a quilt is just what’s needed if dining outdoors. It’s just heavy enough to stand up to those sudden gusts. This beautiful yellow and blue floral quilt is used as a topper over a buttery yellow cotton full-length tablecloth.

Clean white dishes prominently stand out against the meandering jumble of gingham checks, vines, and jumbo roses in the quilted topper. A bright yellow napkin is presented in the “Lotus” fold with a yellow rosebud with Dusty Miller leaves nestled in its center. I don’t often use this vintage silverware, but its mix of wildflowers and roses is a near perfect match to the design of the quilt.

Bright blue glassware was almost a must. Notice the design on the coffee cup…how it mimics the pattern of the wildflowers and vines in the quilt. (For my tablescaping students and for those of you new to tablescaping, look for subtleties like this to bring subliminal cohesiveness to the tabletop.)

Much like last week’s centerpiece, this one is placed off-center. This is a great option if (1) the elements of your centerpiece threaten to interfere with a clear visual line between those seated at the table, (2) your table is small or narrow, and/or (3) just for something a little different. Here, two olive green ceramic pitchers (chosen for how the color complements the green in the quilt) are filled with yellow and ivory roses along with tufts of Dusty Miller. An olive green distressed candlestick is topped with a white ceramic bird. (Students and newcomers to tablescaping, white birds are used here to tie in to the white dishes and break up the expanse of definitive color in the centerpiece.)

In this photo you get a better “bird’s eye view” of the meandering vines noted above. See how they capture the same flow as the pattern on the coffee cup and on the decorative bird? It’s a very subtle thing, but something that appeals to the subconscious when determining why elements work together. The bird salt & pepper shakers complement the decorative bird on the candlestick and play into that famous Rule of Three. (Students, I KNOW you remember the Rule of Three!!!!)

I played with a couple of looks before proclaiming these wicker chairs the perfect foil to the country chic quilt. (Keep in mind the tone or theme or feel of the look you want to achieve, and then choose your accessories accordingly.)

I know you all have much to do to prepare for the upcoming 4th of July weekend, so stick a fork in me…I’m done! 🙂 I’ll be back after the holiday weekend with something I think you’ll really like…at least I HOPE you will! Thanks for stopping by, and let’s be safe out there!

Other tables with off-center centerpieces on this site:
Lemonade From Bill
Midsummer Shabby Chic Apple Tablescape
Planning in Purple

Other posts on this site using a quilted topper or runner(s):
Midsummer Shabby Chic Apple Tablescape
Tall & Toile, Y’all!
My Sister’s Wedding China
Casual Fall Harvest Dinner
Kaleidoscope Christmas
Love’s Arrow
Rhapsody in Blue

Other posts on this site with quilt or napkin creations by Barbara:
Casual Fall Harvest Dinner
Black Friday Luncheon
Kaleidoscope Christmas
Platinum New Year’s Eve Wedding

I’m partying this week with Christine over at Rustic Refined for her 8th installment of “Table It!” (started Monday) and with Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for “Tablescape Thursday” (begins after 9:00 a.m., CDT on Thursday).

My Organized Mess – “Where Do You Keep It All?”

May 31, 2014June 1, 2014 / Alycia Nichols / 42 Comments

As a professional wedding designer, paying attention to detail and keeping all ducks in a row was critical.

As a professional wedding designer back in the day, paying attention to detail and keeping all ducks in a row was critical.

Same thing goes in my current assignation as a tablescape blogger.

By all accounts, I am a well-ordered, fairly Type A neat freak who would just as soon cut off my right arm as to have a pillow sitting askew. (Even more interesting because I’m married to the messiest man on the face of God’s green earth.) The 180° of that is that I have stuff…a LOT of decorating stuff. Perhaps more decorating stuff than any one person should have in a lifetime. But I like my stuff, and I plan to keep it. Every dish, every vase, every what-whozit in the place.
And this, dear readers, is where I keep it all…
(Click on any photo, then click again to enhance/enlarge it.)

First, let me tell you I couldn’t stay organized without my handy, dandy Flip Album catalog system. You can download the free version or get the upgraded version like mine for a one-time fee. (Worth it!) It is the ultimate in organization! I photograph and catalog every single thing that comes in the house including quantity and dimensions. It really helps this old brain with planning and keeping track! Building your own catalog to fit your specific needs with a Table of Contents, Index, thumbnail overview, and individual chapters is easy. I currently have 3127 pages in 41 chapters, which is up by about 1000 pages since my post “Hoarding: Buried In Dishes & Decor” back in January of 2012. But having things catalogued is one thing….putting all this crap somewhere is something altogether insanely different! (Yes, when you have to find storage for it, it flips from “treasures” to “crap” in a heartbeat! 🙂 ) Our home is relatively small, about 3100 sq. ft. on 3 finished floors. When it comes to the volume we’re talkin’ ’bout here, that 3100 sq. ft. may as well be 310!!! But here’s where it is:

Upon entering our home, there is storage right there in the foyer in the form of a 12-drawer upright apothecary cabinet. It hides scads of napkin rings tucked into Ziploc bags to keep them from tangling up.

This may be how you’re accustomed to seeing our dining room, but lurking behind all the pretties in every available nook and cranny…

Tablescapes at Table Twenty-One, www.tabletwentyone.wordpress.com, “My Organized Mess – ‘Where Do You Keep It All?’” - dining room buffet

Buffet behind dining table – 8 drawers of placemats, flatware and serving utensils

Tablescapes at Table Twenty-One, www.tabletwentyone.wordpress.com, “My Organized Mess – ‘Where Do You Keep It All?’” - Dining Room china hutch

China hutch – piles of white china with gold accents, gold-accented stemware, vintage Dresden.

Tablescapes at Table Twenty-One, www.tabletwentyone.wordpress.com, “My Organized Mess – ‘Where Do You Keep It All?’” - drawers at bottom of dining room china hutch

Drawers in china hutch – filled with placecard paraphernalia.

Meanwhile, across the hall in the library where I like to sit and read (OK, you got me…where I like to sit and look at pictures!)…

This Louis XIV reproduction vitrine is filled with silver, crystal, and six velvet-lined boxes of flatware. I store all silver in plastic bags, plastic wrap or plastic crates to keep tarnish at bay.

The secretary on the other side of the room also holds silver and crystal pieces among the books.

Moving on to the living room…

The living room cupboards store dozens of chargers in various colors and styles.

The bar is laden with lots of stemware above with pitchers and other serving vessels beneath.

The kitchen is home to both everyday dishware and lots of special occasion/tablescaping stuff…

The miniature “pantry” in the kitchen (upper left) is filled with china and accessories. The adjacent glass-front cabinet holds a part of my melamine collection and a few tureens. Cabinets across the room are filled like the one on the upper right with various plates, bowl, mugs and casual dining drinkware.

This little black cabinet beneath the breakfast bar is a new acquisition. It holds more melamine and a few tabletop accessories. I’m still trying to figure out what to store in the 2 drawers.

Ramon has forbidden me from taking you into the garage, so we’ll just mosey on downstairs to the lower level. (I just keep scads of wreaths out there along with a collection of outdoor cushions and pillows.)

The bar area on the lower level looks kind of like this on any given day, but there’s plenty of storage behind all those cabinets and knobs!

Each of the 8 cabinets and 8 drawers is filled with casual dishware, stemware, flatware, and/or serviceware.

Each of the 9 cabinets and 12 drawers is filled with casual dishware, stemware, flatware, and/or serviceware. That bottom right cabinet and 2 others are being outfitted with a 2nd shelf.

This box of melamine trays -a gift from a friend who is moving across the country- is waiting to be assigned a space.

These boxes of melamine trays -a gift from a friend who is moving across the country- are waiting to be assigned a space. (There are 32 of them!!!!! Yes, she has just as much of a hoarding problem as I do! 🙂 )

This is one of 2 small closets on this level that hold lots of crates, mostly autumn and Halloween stuff.

This is one of 2 small closets downstairs that hold lots of crates, mostly autumn and Halloween stuff.

This room as so much crap in it from crates to candles that I couldn't get a good panoramic shot.

This room – the originally designated storage space in the house – has so much crap in it from crates to candles that I couldn’t get a good panoramic shot.

Here’s more of the stuff in this room. Storing spools of ribbon on pegboards is really convenient. Surprisingly, I know just where to go to get everything!

Enough of this basement level! Let’s go all the way up to the bedroom level.

At the top of the bedroom level steps sits another apothecary cabinet filled with more napkin rings and place card holders.

This is a 4-bedroom house, but only 2 of us live here and we share a bedroom. So…one bedroom is used for storage of faux flowers in crates and oversized vases that have nowhere else to go.

In another of the bedrooms is an area I devote to "staging." This is what the room looked like on this particular day as I prepare for 3 tablescapes on hold waiting for weather conditions to improve.

In another of the bedrooms is an area I devote to “staging.” This is what the room looks like on this particular day as I prepare for 3 tablescapes on hold waiting for weather conditions to improve. (By the time Mother Nature decides to cooperate, I’ll most likely forget about doing these and move on to something else!)

Our guest bedroom is rarely actually used by guests, so there are a few storage opportunities here that can be easily altered when company actually does come a'callin'. The drawers of the antique dresser are filled with chair covers and sashes. The closet is crammed with a portion of my 300+ linens. My old hope chest is also a good place for storing linens. And then some things are stored right out in plain sight!

Our guest bedroom is rarely actually used by my granddaughter, so there are a few storage opportunities here that can be easily altered when company actually does come a’callin’. The drawers of the antique dresser are filled with chair covers and sashes. The closet is crammed with a portion of my 300+ table linens, stored by color and labeled. My old hope chest is also a good place for storing linens. And then some things are stored right out in plain sight!

I've stored dishes in this guest room for several years now. It just works!

I’ve stored dishes in this guest room cabinet for several years now. It just works!

And then there are those items that are not in plain sight but kept within easy reach! Under-bed storage in the guest bedroom has about 150 linens.

And then there are those items not in plain sight but kept within easy reach! Underbed storage in the guest bedroom has about 150 linens.

Oh, did I forget to mention all the linens hung behind doors?

In my office closet are 5 shoe hangers filled with hundreds of napkins. More napkins are stored in plastic drawers on the floor.

There’s NO WAY I could photograph my office in its current state!!! I have a lot of projects going on, and it’s a huge mess. There are, however, several bookcases and a table in there with floral vessels (all filled with faux flowers), cake plateaus, assorted figurines, and oversized LED candles. In my office closet, however, are 5 shoe hangers filled with hundreds of napkins. More napkins are stored in plastic drawers on the floor.

Hanging on a towel rack on the door are numerous table runner. The more casual runners are stored in the basement.

Moving on….and we’re walking, we’re walking…

There's even storage in the hallway bath cabinets! Look above the cabinets and notice all the stone vases artfully arranged...storage in plain sight!

There’s even storage in the seldom used hallway bath cabinets! Look above the cabinets and notice all the stone vases artfully arranged…storage in plain sight!

We have a pretty good-sized walk-in closet in our bedroom, so I take advantage of the shelving above and beneath the clothes. Yes…I hoard clothes, too! 🙂

The area between our bedroom and my dressing room has lots of cabinet space for dishes and stemware!

Beyond a door that appears to be a closet in my dressing room is an attic space built on in 2009. It's not heated or cooled, so I have to really pick & choose my times to access items from this space!

Beyond a door that appears to be a closet in my dressing room is an attic space built on in 2009. It was supposed to double as a safe room, but there’s nothing safe going on in here, that’s for sure!!! 🙂 It’s not heated or cooled, so I have to really pick & choose my times to access items from this space!

I’m certain I’ve left something out, but you get the idea, right? It’s a mess, but it’s an organized mess!

I’m joining a bunch of other dish-lovin’ bloggers from across the globe for The Tablescaper’s “Where Do You Keep It All?” blog party. C’mon along with me to see what they have up their sleeves!