The Spider & the Fly

October 2, 2021December 8, 2021 / Alycia Nichols / 31 Comments

“‘Will you walk into my parlour?’ said the spider🕷 to the fly🪰.” The sinister 1829 poem by Mary Howitt tells the cautionary tale of the sly spider coaxing the apprehensive fly into its web🕸. Creepy/Clever and well played, Mr. Spider. Hmmmm…the parallels of the 1829 spider web and the manipulative, seductive 2021 worldwide web are not lost on me.

I am joining other tablescapers from across the miles to bring you spooky fun with a “Halloween Tablescape Blog Hop” hosted by Rita at Panoply blog. Links to their BOO-tiful sites are listed at the end of this post, and I encourage you to stop in to visit each one of these talented ladies.

I chose this pintuck taffeta table linen for its resemblance to a spider web.

A🩸blood red🩸 Royal Norfolk dinner plate sits atop a mirrored charger that helps break up the moodiness of the setting. A black salad plate and spooky skull appetizer plate complete the stack.💀 Notice there are just daggers/knives to devour the beastly feast.🗡

Spine-chilling metal spiders lord over each place setting.

The flies have been coaxed into the spider’s web!🕷🕸🪰

I found these gravestones at Dollar Tree some years ago.

The end settings have the skulls of the host and hostess of this ghoulish event trapped for eternity beneath oversized cloches/bell jars. The hungry spider below the skull hunts its prey, the flies, that have overtaken the skull. (OK…I’m freaking *myself* out here now!😱)

Overreaching branches canopy the centerpiece below. I used faux branches, but this spooky look could just as easily be achieved with real ones.

If there’s a graveyard, you KNOW there has to be a raven somewhere nearby! This one, perched amongst the pumpkins and slithering serpents, shows no fear.

Ick! A serpent invading the hollow eye socket of a soul long gone is a weird juxtaposition to the beautiful onyx “Elegance” Mikasa stemware.

The morose table setting is capped off with the flicker of candlelight towering high above.

A haunted pumpkin patch sits on the vitrine just beyond the graveyard.

If you’re looking for more ghastly, ghostly, ghoulish tablescapes, check out these from my archives:

Ready, set, HOP!!! Check out *THESE* haunting entries!!!

Pandora’s Box – Black, White and BOO
The Little Yellow Corner Store – Let’s Meet Ferdinand Frankenstein
Panopoly – hOWLoween Tablescape
Home Is Where the Boat Is – Happy Haunting Tablescape
Hyacinths for the Soul – Whooo’s Ready for Halloween?
Debbee’s Buzz – Batty Black, White and Purple Halloween Table
The Sweet Sensations – Ghoulish Glam for Halloween
Everyday Living – No Tricks, Only Treats
Corner of Plaid and Paisley – Halloween Tablescape – Got That Feeling Someone is Wathcing You?
Life and Linda – Happy Hallow-Queens Party
Zucchini Sisters – Halloween Tablescape Featuring Creepy Plastic Spiders
Bluesky at Home – Halloween Tablescape Ideas for the Patio
The Bookish Dilettante – Halloween Tablescape Blog Hop
My Hubbard Home – Festive Halloween Party Decor Ideas
Dinner at Eight – A Haunted Table for Halloween
Red Cottage Chronicles – Black Magic Halloween Tablescape
The Painted Apron – Set the Scene, It’s Almost Time for Halloween
Me and My Captain – Halloween Tablescape
Tablescapes at Table Twenty-One (that’s me!) – Spider & the Fly

“Let It Snow!”

July 29, 2017December 4, 2021 / Alycia Nichols / 6 Comments

Christmas Eve 2009 brought a thick blanket of snow to the Kansas City area. What better way to celebrate it than to bring a few snowflakes inside to the dining room tablescape?

Because I wanted to keep a little bit of a “woodland” look, I kept the table bare of linens to expose its grainy wood.

A shiny silver charger anchors platinum rimmed white Noritake “Spectrum” dinner plates, followed by a shimmering acrylic snowflake, and finally a white snowflake-laden salad plate from Pier 1. Mikasa‘s Jamestown Platinum stemware and heirloom silver flatware complete the setting. The centerpiece is made up of a large silver cake plateau topped with “snow-dusted” faux evergreens and lots of pillar candles.

Sometimes one napkin is simply not enough! Layering napkins – here a sheer silver organza from Pier 1 over crisp white cotton – gives a richer look. The rhinestone flecked napkin rings continue the snowflake trend.

I love these mirrored candlesticks from Pier 1 (2009 collection) used to elongate the centerpiece! Silver jingle bells rest on a mound of faux snow in modern crystal mini vases, and a 3-D glittery star work to complete the centerpiece.

The buffet decor mimics that of the dining table with snowy faux greenery, pine cones, more jingle bells, and lots of sparkle. The glass Parisian decanter is filled with “snow” and greenery, and a length of brown satin ribbon literally “ties” the dining room in with decor in the foyer.

A few other Christmas tablescapes on this site include:
“Celebrate the Season“
“Christmas in the Woods“
“Kaleidoscope Christmas”
“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“
“Pink & Purple Chocolate Christmas“
“Sugar High Payback“
“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“
“Frosty the Snowman“
“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“
“Tuscan Holiday“

A Dorothy By Any Other Name: Purple and Cream 80th Birthday

April 2, 2017April 18, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 4 Comments

There have been many remarkable Dorothys to walk this earth. Among them the brainy Dorothy Johnson-Vaughn (NASA mathematician recently depicted in the movie “Hidden Figures”), the brazen Dorothy Height (women’s and civil rights activist), the brilliant Dorothy Hamill (ice skater), the beguiling Dorothy Dandridge (actress), the bubbly Dorothy who captured our hearts along the Yellow Brick Road, the beleaguered Dorothy Tucker-Roberts (my poor hairstylist of 20+ years for whom one must feel sympathy having to put up with me!), and finally the blissful, beautiful and beloved Mrs. Dorothy J. Knight, the honoree for this lovely celebration. When my high school friend, Audrey, asked me to craft a head table with the colors and flowers her Mother adored to celebrate her 80 birthday, I was most humbled.

Mrs. Knight’s birthday celebration was held in the auditorium at the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage in Kansas City, Missouri.

I created a dramatic centerpiece using a silver faux manzanita tree branch adorned with various hanging crystals and cream spray roses. I placed it on a round mirror to reflect back the sparkle, shine and movement of the crystals. A cluster of four standard size julep cups filled with cream roses, spider mums, baby’s breath, and miniature chrysanthemums. Satellite miniature juleps each held a single rose surrounded by baby’s breath and a few mini chrysanthemums.

Each place setting at the table included a mirrored charger, creamy dishes, lovely heirloom flatware, and a cream colored napkin emerging from a silver pew cone, also known as a cherub cone. (Other posts on this blog incorporating silver pew cones as napkin holders include “Purple & Pastel” and “Pretty in Pink”.) I placed a personal set of salt & pepper shakers at the top of each place setting.

The creamy ivory rosette table runner contrasts with the royal purple full-length tablecloth and complements the chair caps that are placed over ivory stretch chair covers and all tied up with a lavender satin sash.

Family members worked hard to plan and create the remaining atmosphere. They put a lot of love into it! To play on Shakespeare’s words in Romeo & Juliet, a Dorothy by any other name would not be as sweet as Mrs. Dorothy J. Knight.

For more birthday celebrations on this blog:
“88 Years & 88 Keys”
“Celebrating 85 Years of Fabulous”
“The Party She Deserves”
“Purple and Pastel”
“Blue & White 30th Birthday”
“Purple + Green = Happy Birthday!”
“Happy Birthday, Barf!”
and see FIVE additional birthday celebrations on the “Birthdays” tab!

Diamonds Are A Material Girl’s Best Friend

January 28, 2014January 7, 2015 / Alycia Nichols / 60 Comments

A portion of this post was featured along with an interview on trends in entertaining at home in the January 2015 issue of “Kansas City At Home” magazine!

INSPIRATION: My “no boys allowed!” dressing room

The decor in our house is pretty unisex…except for my dressing room! This is the one place that has a definite feminine touch with all the girly-girl trappings one might expect: chandelier, lavish antique dressing table, fainting couch near a window (yes, ladies…we all have our drama queen moments!), a tricked out nail station, bulging jewelry closet, stereo system, television (hoping for a flat screen to replace the outdated one in there now…anybody want to help me “accidentally” drop & break it? 😉 ), flowers, vintage hat boxes, innumerable handbags, and SHOES. Lots and lots and lots of shoes!!! And did I mention HATS? My cup runneth over with chapeaus of all make and occasion. It’s the place to feel all Marilyn Monroe and vogue to my heart’s content!
(Click on any photo and then again to enhance/enlarge it for fine details!)

I started this Marilyn-Monroe-in-“The-Seven-Year-Itch”-meets-Madonna’s-“Blonde-Ambition-World-Tour” tablescape with a sleek, sexy black full-length tablecloth from LinenTablecloth.com. It’s like the little black dress of the room! Consider the fine jewelry store. The salesperson lays out your selections on a black velvet fabric. Why? To enhance the shine of the jewels! Everything on your table, therefore, is highlighted to the nth power when set atop a black linen.

What does every Material Girl have plenty of everywhere? Why, mirrors, of course! So I started this place setting with a 13″ round mirrored charger topped with sleek black plates. TIP: This charger is a slick little way to discreetly check your lipstick or make sure there’s no spinach stuck in your teeth during dinner! 😉

Imagination is key when setting a fun fantasy tablescape for any occasion. (This one would work well for a birthday, wedding shower, bridesmaids luncheon or girls night out dinner.) For this über-feminine, straight-from-the-dressing room tablescape, an ivory LinenTablecloth.com “clutch bag” napkin fold is set atop each plate with an oversized “diamond” clasp. The flatware is International Silver’s “Royal Danish” pattern. The stemware is Cristal d’Arques.

I found these fun Marilyn Monroe note cards at Michaels Craft Store and thought they’d make really fun place cards. Just imprint the name of your guest along the bottom of the card perpendicular to Marilyn’s! The acrylic “diamond” place card holders are from Hobby Lobby.

A true Material Girl is bound to flaunt lots of bling, so I used the same rhinestone ribbon runners used HERE to trail the length of both sides of the table. Matching votive holders are used all over the setting. TIP: You can buy the votive holders already blinged out, or simply make them yourself with remnant pieces of bling ribbon.

I took a few hat boxes from my dressing room to create the centerpiece. If using fresh flowers, line the hat box with plastic in case of accidental spills. Place the roses in small vases and arrange them to fill & slightly over-spill from the box. Here I put roses in the center box but kept the lids on the two flanking boxes. To dress them up a little more, I added ruby red magnetic bling often used for enhancing chandeliers and other light fixtures. TIP: You can buy the bling in the lamp department at Hobby Lobby. These particular hat boxes had metal corner guards, so they were easy to apply. TIP: If you want to do something like this but don’t have metal on your hat box, experiment with taping magnets in strategic places inside the box for the bling to adhere from the outside.

I always like to create a little coordinating vignette on the buffet behind our dining table if it isn’t being used for food display.

Rarely do I have a round cake with a large base (thanks to my step-daughter and nieces who are dragging their feet about getting married!), so my collection of silver cake plateaus is often called into service for other decorating. Here, I used a silver beaded-edge “hoop skirt” stand to add a little shine and raise more hat boxes in the center of the display.

When I was a little girl, I enjoyed looking at the elegant displays in jewelry stores. The hand displays were particularly intriguing to me. Here I used a pair of display hands to hold petite red rose bouquets, flash oversized “diamond rings” from a store called Stuff in the historic Brookside neighborhood in Kansas City, Mo., and to string long, dramatic strands of bling garland through the fingers across the length of the buffet.

On each end of the buffet is a tall, sleek, 36-24-36 hourglass figure black glass vase from Tuesday Morning. The vases are topped with red rose balls and swagged with more of the bling garland.

The chairs on each end of the table got a little special treatment: fun French-inspired pillows from my dressing room depicting those fabulous black gloves like every socialite of the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s used to wear. I added a pair of my own rhinestone-studded evening gloves for good measure.

Tea carts aren’t just for tea!!!

In a scene from “The Seven Year Itch”, Marilyn Monroe’s character is introduced to the martini:

Richard Sherman: There’s gin and vermouth. That’s a martini.

Marilyn Monroe’s character: Oh, that sounds cool! I think I’ll have a glass of that. A big tall one!
Quote Source: IMDB.com

I’m with Marilyn…I’ll have a big tall one, too! The vintage tea cart is set up with all the makings of a fabulous martini including vermouth, vodka, olives and plenty of shakers to quickly whip them up.

The china cabinet in the dining room often gets a little something-something to top it off, too.

One of the black velvet jewelry busts from my dressing room was brought in to this display weighted down with strand after strand of bling. Another hat box is filled with red roses and carnations and adorned with a pretty bling brooch from my Mom’s collection. A couple of other red rose balls complete the florals. This terrific black stiletto heel figurine was destined for my neighbor’s thrift store pile. She and her daughter thankfully thought of me before shipping it off, and it makes a nice addition! To give it a little extra kick, I tied a length of red ribbon ballerina-style down the heel. Sexy little number, huh? 😉

I wanted to kick 2014 off with a bang-up post since 2013 was such a royal bust. Since I felt like kickin’, I figured doing it with attitude in black stilettos was the way to go! 😉

Other posts on this site with lots of bling:
“Should Have Put a Ring On It”
“Princess Pink Birthday Dinner”
“Fairy Tale Wedding Shower – The Princess & the Frog”
“Bling Wedding”
“Mandarin Bling”
“Platinum & Pink Valentine”
“French Poodle”
“Rhapsody in Blue”

Other posts on this site with red roses or floral balls:
“Breast Cancer Awareness Luncheon”
“Days of Wine and Roses”
“Love’s Arrow”
“Kentucky Derby Buffet”
“Derby Day Dining”
“Run for the Roses”
“Lauren in the Library”
“Float Like a Butterfly”
“Diwali My Way”
“Show Me State Dinner”
“Roses in October”
“One Shoe Can Change Your Life”

I am delighted to join these blog parties this week:
Susan’s “Tablescape Thursday”

You can also catch me over at BeBetsy.com!

Contemporary Christmas Tablescape – Fire & Ice

November 26, 2012July 27, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 67 Comments

It’s the holiday season! Already!!! And now it’s time to get serious about planning a variety of tablescapes for parties you will host throughout the season. Let’s kick it off with one whose elements of warm, glowing fire and crisp, cold ice are perfect all winter through (sans the tree, perfect for New Year’s Eve or any January tablescape)…for not a lot of money!

This quick 90-second video shows how this scrumptious winter table for eight looks with the lights down low to take full advantage of the ambient light. (We got ahead of ourselves and completely forgot to take still photos of the room with the warmth of the candlelight all aglow!) NOTE: There is Christmas music playing in the video background, so mute your system if you’re at work or the kids/hubby are napping! 🙂
(Click on any photo to enlarge/enhance. Photos and video by Sheri L. Grant)

This room was transformed to a warm but wintry haven for my “Tablescaping a Winter Wonderland” class taught through MCC-Longview. While this table is a “square” made from two 6-ft. oblong tables kissed together horizontally, the same effect could be easily achieved on a 72-in. round table using a round mirror. This table can seat up to 12 depending on whether or not a charger is used and how much stemware and flatware is at each place setting. Rather than traditional snowy white linens which would work just as well (as would pewter or silver with a few tweaks), I opted for creamy ivory from LinenTablecloth.com.

Each place setting is anchored with a 13″ mirrored charger from Hobby Lobby. (Buy these when they’re 50% off!) Bone white 10 Strawberry Street dinner plates are from Tuesday Morning, and the J.A. Henckels very contemporary “Bellaserra” flatware can be found at Macy’s. An ivory napkin with a sleek silver napkin ring rounds out the place setting.

Clear glass stemware is from Old Time Pottery. It goes on sale for 99¢ per stem fairly often, and I keep it around by the case for entertaining large groups. The style is so versatile and works for both casual and formal tables.

This is no doubt my favorite part of the entire room! An old frameless mirror from the bathroom wall in our former home is just the perfect size for the table centerpiece. Without a frame, the mirror lays flat like a slick sheet of ice. I use these clear glass cylinders a lot, and having a number of them in various sizes in your decorating arsenal is a good thing. They can be so easily transformed into whatever you need for them to be! Here they are filled with “icy” branches anchored with lots of acrylic “ice.” (Faux snow would be another viable option that would render the same frosty effect.) The shorter cylinders are filled with silver ornaments and more “ice.” The silver pieces and crystal faux ice are both highly reflective in the mirror below. (To see another tablescape using the frameless mirror, click HERE.)

To break up the expanse of glass across the mirror, I anchored the four corners with these silver urns. If silver urns aren’t in your budget, try spray painting clay pots. The evergreens bring in another wintertime element, are a splash of nature, and are the only real “color” on the table. Buy evergreens that can be planted in your yard at a later date to get more bang for your buck.

Now this is where the drama is taken to a whole other level: the votive candles!!! Line them up like a fiery fortress around the perimeter of the mirror. This is a relatively inexpensive way to add ambiance, glow and sass to your tablescape. Notice the shape of the votive holders is the same as the taller glass cylinders for a uniform look. Don’t skimp here. The more the merrier!

I always like to dress the fireplace mantel with decor that reflects what’s going on on my table. Here it is decorated with more glass cylinders, some of which are filled with icy garland and others with the same “ice” used on the table. A smattering of clear acrylic Moravian stars – some stacked on top of each other just for fun! – bring shape and more shine to the vignette. (I had no idea these were called Moravian stars until my sweet blog buddy, Jewel of Carolina Jewel’s Table told me!) Notice how the silver urns with evergreens are repeated here. Votive candles finish the look and add warmth.

Both the fireplace mantel and this tree underwent several changes over the three weeks of my winter tablescaping series! This is the first night’s look for the tree, and it’s a little more sparse due to the contemporary nature of the tablescape. The silver and crystal ornaments work well with the table and mantel decor. Rather than spending money I don’t have on a silver tree skirt, I used this round crushed silk tablecloth folded in half and carefully arranged around the bottom. (This is the same tree that started out as a Charlie Brown Christmas look-alike last year. See it HERE for its sad little “before” and glorious red & gold “after.” Ironically, I am wearing the exact same outfit in the 2011 photos. Santa, Mama needs a new wardrobe!!! :-))

So this is the first of many Christmas tablescapes created as a teaching tool for my students. Stay tuned for more in the coming weeks!

For more Christmas tablescapes on this site:
“Winter Cardinal”
“Really Red Christmas“
“Pink & Purple Chocolate Christmas“
“Winter Dinner“
“Cranberry Christmas“
“Cranberry Christmas Squared“
“Sugar High Payback”
“After the Hunt – Gentlemen’s Winter Retreat“
“Get Me To the Church On Time!“
“Christmas Progressive Dinner“
“White Hot“
“Winter Brunch“

For more tablescapes on this site using glass cylinders:
“And the Winner Is…“
“Welcome Back, Joel“
“Flamingos In Paradise“
“Oopsy Daisy“
“Raining Orchids“
“Winter Dinner“
“Get Me to the Church On Time“
“Mardi Gras Mojo“
“Apple Green Luncheon“
“Pretty In Pink“
“Love & Orchids“
“Autumn Orchids“
“March of the Penguins“

Other tablescapes on this site using a mirror centerpiece include:
“Roses In October“
“Happy Birthday, Barf!“
“Hooray For Vodka!“
“Breakfast at Tiffany’s”
“Shake, Rattle & Roll ‘Em!”
“Princess Pink Birthday Dinner“

I’m so excited to join my fellow tablescapers on a couple of the really fun blog parties again this week including Cuisine Kathleen’s “Let’s Dish!” (anytime after 6:00 p.m. CST on Wednesday) and Susan’s “Tablescape Thursday” (anytime after 9:00 a.m. CST on Thursday).

Winter Dinner Tablescape

November 20, 2012May 11, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 60 Comments

I had a good time this morning doing a live segment on holiday tablescaping at our local CBS station, KCTV-5, on the “Better Kansas City” show. Host Kelly Jones made me feel very comfortable and welcome. It was weird to be on the “other side” of a show like that. I hosted a half-hour news program called “District Directions” way back in the 1980s. (Yes, young people…television had been invented back then!) Don’t know if it’s because I’ve ~~aged~~ mellowed or what, but it seemed less frenetic than back when I was doing the interviewing with someone else in the hot seat some 25 years and 40 lbs. ago!

Behind the anchor desk of “District Directions”, November 1987.
That was then…

…and this is now, 25 years later.
On the set of “Better Kansas City” with my friend, Barbara, and host Kelly Jones.

I wanted so much to hate the tall, svelte, gorgeous, gracious host of the show because she is tall, svelte, gorgeous and gracious, but I just couldn’t. She was aces! 😉 My friend, Barbara, is skinny, too, and she did a fantabulous job of helping me to set up. Because she is skinny, though, I have officially decided I don’t like her, either! 😉

So…the table. My segment was first up, so Barbara and I kicked into high gear with just about 45 minutes to get everything ready. I had set up at home first to make sure I had all the necessary elements. Our dining table is 6 ft. x 42″, but the table on set was only 30″ wide. I made some adjustments for width by putting 3 place settings on each side. Then, per the director, I moved some of the centerpiece items around to create an unencumbered sight line for the camera.

A quick change out of my very ladylike Keds and chambray work shirt into high heels and jacket, then ready, and…we’re live!

Click the image above to see the live segment. (For those of you hearing my voice for the first time…I’m sorry! I kinda laugh like a hyena in heat! ;-))

Here’s the winter tablescape as it was set up at home…

Having a 42″ vs. 30″ wide table makes a huge difference! I like the way both turned out, though. It’s really a very simple tablescape to create that doesn’t burn through your bank account. Lots of candlelight adds warmth to the wintry look while the glass cylinders, mirrored chargers, and silver Christmas ornaments add that icy shine. The pine cones bring a rustic element to the tablescape. Changing out the ornaments for gilded mini pumpkins would turn this into a slick contemporary Thanksgiving look, while deep-sixing the pine cones for miniature disco balls (mirror balls) would transform it into a terrific New Year’s Eve tablescape.

So that’s my day in the bright lights! Many, many thanks to host Kelly Jones, producer Erin Cansler, and all the terrific folks at KCTV-5 and “Better Kansas City” (including that very handsome camera operator!). A special thanks to Ty Edwards of All Things In Place who recommended me for the show and to Barbara Alsup for getting up at the butt crack of dawn to help me set up.

For more Winter tablescape ideas, please visit the Winter page!

For more tablescapes on this site using clear glass cylinders:
“And the Winner Is…“
“Welcome Back, Joel“
“Flamingos in Paradise“
“Mardi Gras Mojo“
“Apple Green Luncheon“
“Oopsy Daisy“
“Raining Orchids“
“Pretty In Pink“
“Autumn Orchids“
“Love & Orchids“
“Contemporary Christmas – Fire & Ice“
“Get Me to the Church On Time“
“March of the Penguins“

I am linking up with Cuisine Kathleen this week for “Let’s Dish!” and Susan for “Tablescape Thursday” so please join us!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Fairy Tale Wedding Shower – Princess & the Frog

July 30, 2012December 13, 2012 / Alycia Nichols / 81 Comments

Full disclosure: My granddaughter has zero interest in anything “girly” in nature, so I am left to cater to other people’s fantasies. Oh, well…c’est la vie.

I recently found three pink painted metal dress forms on the clearance shelf at Michael’s marked down 80% from $17.99 to a much more palatable $3.59 each. I had no idea what I was going to do with them, but before I could say “plies and pirouettes”, I found myself making miniature tutus. Me! The grandmother of a child who, after seeing pictures of herself decked out in a feathered number for dance class that made her look like Big Bird, spent a considerable amount of time bulking up and went dressed as The Hulk for Halloween!!!

After several grueling days of cutting and tying tulle and hot gluing my fingers together more than once, I had miraculously created 3 very girly tutus. After adding a healthy dose of rosettes and bling, I decided this could easily pass for a ballet tablescape, brides, bridesmaids, or princess tablescape. Fabulous! So if you’re looking to throw a “Princess & the Frog” or “Frog Prince” or “Black Swan” kind of bridal shower or birthday party, this over-the-top tablescape might be right up your alley! (Seriously, though, if you’re going to throw your best friend a “Black Swan” bridal shower, maybe you should reevaluate your relationship! :-))
(Click on any image to enlarge/enhance.)

I promise the candles aren’t crooked. They just oddly photographed that way!

The tulle used for the tutus is ivory, so I used an ivory full-length linen and napkins. TIP: for real weddings and tablescapes: If the bride is wearing an ivory gown, best to go with ivory linens in the reception space so as to not make the bride’s attire appear dingy. Years of professional wedding plan taught me that little gem!

I’m not a super fan of shiny runners at all, but they just seemed to work here. The blinding pink runners and creamy ivory linens are all from LinenTablecloth.com.

I used 13″ round mirrors purchased a couple of years ago at Hobby Lobby as chargers and “10 Strawberry Street” ivory stoneware from TJ Maxx. Ivory dishes are a nice little addition to your collection as they come in handy when using ivory linens.

You can buy cute lily pads like this from places like Michael’s or Hobby Lobby. Since “diamonds” are a major part of this overall theme (after all, they are a girl’s best friend whether she’s a bride, a princess or a ballerina!), I sprinkled on a handful. I guess they could also pass for water droplets if you want to go that route! The tiny ceramic frogs are from 2011 stock at Hobby Lobby. A demure pink spray rose brings color and yet another layer of texture to the setting.

The flatware is none other than my beloved “Royal Danish” sterling. The napkins are bundled up with a pretty “diamond” napkin ring. I bought these wholesale, but I have seen similar ones at places like Tuesday Morning and Z Gallerie. (Aaahhhh…Z Gallerie! The happiest place on earth!)

The diamond cut in the Cristal d’Arques “Longchamps” stemware is a perfect fit!

The centerpiece is a compilation of pink princesses, silver Revere candlesticks with ivory candles (you need to carry the ivory all the way through!), scads of “diamonds”, and pretty pink roses.

Someday I may do a tutorial of my own on how to create a no-sew tutu, but in the meantime you can click HERE for Julie Figueroa’s very easy step-by-step instruction. It’s basically just tying strips of tulle onto a length of ribbon. Too easy…even for clueless, craft-challenged me! I hot glued silk rosettes to the waistline and sporadically across the skirt itself. Little rhinestones were a pain (literally AND figuratively!) to put on, but the results were worth the half tube of silvadene cream. 🙂 To lend a little height and put these princesses on a pedestal (again, both literally AND figuratively!), I added 6″ silver cake plateaus/stands. (So sorry….I bought the cake stands wholesale several years ago and have no idea where to direct you to buy some this size.) A generous smattering of more “diamonds” runs the length of the centerpiece.

Medium-sized pink roses are nestled into a sea of more of the acrylic “diamonds” that fill a Cristal d’Arques “Longchamps” mini vase.

The final component of the centerpiece is a parade of 11″ silver Revere candlesticks. I used my trusty (ivory) 15″ Paradise metal case candles to avoid any messy drips and reduce the threat of fire that always exists…especially when using something so flammable as tulle! Metal case candles found at stores like Hobby Lobby are usually white, but you can ask your florist to get other colors and sizes for you.

The exalted Frog Prince eyes the bevy of beautiful princesses from his perch on the buffet behind the table. A 12″ silver cake stand in the same pattern as those used to elevate the princesses gives him a little height. A larger lily pad is topped with a lacy ivory ring bearer’s pillow from the Beverly Clark collection. A trail of much heftier diamonds runs the length of the buffet along with clusters of soft pink roses. Notice that the silver candlesticks on the buffet are quite similar in shape (by design) to those used on the dining table to lend continuity. Ivory pillar candles are used to double back ambient light in the mirror.

Maybe someday my granddaughter will decide she wants to be a fairy princess instead of a weird, angry, steroid-enhanced green dude. A grandmother can only hope!

See more pretty pink posts on this site:
“Days of Wine & Roses“
“Peonies & Pearls“
“Chocolate Traditional“
“Princess Pink Birthday Dinner“
“Pink Plaid & Posies“
“Showered in Pink“
“Springtime in Paris Mother’s Day Buffet“
“Mother’s Day Luncheon“
“Tea Roses“
“Coming Up Roses“
“Au Revoir“
“Blushing Bridal Shower“
“Peony Power!“
“Pleasant Under Glass“

Come on over and join the party at Cuisine Kathleen’s “Let’s Dish!” anytime after 7:00 p.m. CDT on Wednesday! I’m also joining for the first time “Tutorials, Tips & Tidbits” over at Yvonne’s “Stone Gable” blog. Then be sure to join Susan and a whole bunch of my cool blogger buddies for “Tablescape Thursday” anytime after 9:00 a.m. CDT on Thursday. You’ll be glad you did!