A Slice of Summer

Watermelons make such a fun summer-themed table!

This place setting consists of a watermelon placemat, a Fiesta flamingo dinner plate, a Fiesta scarlet luncheon plate, a Fiesta juniper salad plate, and a watermelon slice appetizer plate I got at an area gift shop.  The coffee cup is from Cracker Barrel and flatware is from Oneida.

This place setting uses a lemongrass luncheon plate in place of the scarlet used in the previous picture.  The placemat was rectangular-shaped when I purchased it.  There was a yellow border around the watermelon.  As the placemats are vinyl, I was able to cut the yellow border off and was left with a watermelon slice shaped placemat.

Large watermelon platter

These pieces have the Cracker Barrel logo on them.  I got them at a rummage sale.

More Cracker Barrel pieces

Close up of checkered table square.  It anchors the centerpiece and marries the reds and pinks on the table together.

This tray came from a party supply store.

 I put ivy in the large watermelon pitcher.

Back of centerpiece

Napkins were placed inside the coffee cups.  When I checked my (paper) napkin stash, I discovered three different kinds of watermelon napkins.  I really love watermelons!

Fresh raw green beans and veggie dip

Of course, we had watermelon!

Watermelon on watermelon platter

Note fabric watermelon coaster under glass in background

Broccoli and Cauliflower in scarlet bowl

Fresh buns(!) on scarlet platter

Green bean casserole made from fresh beans from our garden

Watermelon salt and pepper shakers

Berry Nice!

This vintage strawberry table square inspired the setting for our Sunday dinner.

Fiesta dishes in scarlet and shamrock echo the colors of the berries.

Red and green glass plates and bowls of unknown origin were layered over the Fiesta dinner plates.

A scarlet Fiesta luncheon plate holds a white milk glass compote containing fresh strawberries.

Much to my guests' chagrin, they weren't allowed to eat the strawberries in the centerpiece (maybe tomorrow).  They got nectarines instead.

The centerpiece is flanked by two rose bowls containing blooms from the rose shrub in my backyard.

The Lilies Have Bloomed!

When I looked outside this morning, I saw that the lilies were in full bloom.  It was time for a new tablescape!

I put the lilies in my new Fiesta sunflower vase.

My daughter wanted to trying coating the strawberries I was planning to serve for dinner.  She did a great job!

 YUM!

This colorful tablecloth presents opportunities to use many of my colorful Fiesta dishes.  The place setting below utilizes shamrock, flamingo and lemongrass.

 This place setting has a sunflower dinner plate, a shamrock luncheon plate and a flamingo berry bowl.

I placed a shamrock berry bowl in a white milk glass compote to use as a butter dish.

I put a lemongrass dinner plate on a white milk glass cake plate to use as a serving piece.

This place setting uses Fiesta in shamrock, tangerine, and lemongrass as well as a white milk glass dessert plate.

The glasses/goblets are also Fiesta.  Each glass has colored rings near the base.

This white Fiesta heart bowl corrals the salt and pepper shakers...or should I say pepper and pepper shakers?  Oops!  One of the diners noticed that he had just peppered and peppered his potato shortly after we started eating!

 Love these lilies!

Fun on the Fourth

When dear MIL and FIL joined our family for dinner on the evening of the 4th of July this year, the occasion called for a patriotic display.

My Fiesta dishes (in scarlet, cobalt, lapis, and periwinkle) were once again called into service.

I love this little red disk pitcher.  It served as a flag holder in this setting.

Each place setting was topped with U.S.-themed wooden ornament (purchased shortly after 9-11-2001).

A flag-themed place mat anchored the centerpiece which consisted of various patriotic pieces.

As I am the lucky owner of 12 flag napkins, I was able to adorn the six chairs with a little Independence Day color.

Not wanting to be left out, the adjoining living room also took on a patriotic theme.  I discovered that these barn stars could double as candle holders.

Let Freedom Ring!

Many of these items decorated my middle son's bedroom which had a red, white and blue color scheme.  The bedroom has since been redecorated.  I love giving things a new purpose.

Here's a shot of the table and adjoining living room.  Don't know if you can tell, but the TV is showing that all-American past time of baseball - MN Twins vs. New York Yankees.

Denim and Lapis

I've done several tables in the past couple of weeks with Fiesta's new release - lapis.  On facebook someone mentioned that the new color looked like denim...and an idea was born!

The first step was going through some old jeans to find those we could live without.  I then cut the back pockets from those jeans.

The pockets make a perfect flatware/napkin holder.  I thought this was an original idea...until I googled "denim tablescapes" and found several photos of this very thing.  I guess I must have seen it somewhere!

Since bandanas look great with denim, I bought bandanas at the dollar store to use as napkins.  They had two-packs of bandanas (one red and one blue in a pack) for $1.

I used one of the blue bandanas to anchor the centerpiece.  A two-tier scarlet tidbit tray kit was purchased from ebay last year.  The tray adds some height to the centerpiece.

I surrounded the tidbit tray with tea lights in red glass holders and adorned both tiers with flowers from the rose shrub in my backyard.  I also placed a glass bluebird of happiness on each tier of the tray.  We received these as wedding gifts.

Lapis and scarlet Fiesta dishes were used on the table along with some periwinkle accessories.

It would be easy to make this a patriotic themed table with the addition of some white pieces and/or some small flags.

Shrub roses were also placed on each denim pocket to add a little color.

Centerpiece

Scarlet mini disk pitcher in lapis berry bowl

Singin' the Blues

Inspired by a Vera tablecloth in the Camellia pattern, I decided to combine the
Fiesta colors of lapis, peacock and periwinkle.

I added blue Martha Stewart quilted placemats and Anchor Hocking Old Colony milk glass dessert plates to place settings.

Close up of tablecloth pattern

The centerpiece consists of a black wrought iron candle holder that was meant to be an advent wreath, a blue beaded garland and blue and white tapers .  I purchased the candle holder after Christmas at a local gift shop at 90% off.

The centerpiece is flanked by two blue birds of happiness which we received as wedding gifts.

My mom collected a set of these blue goblets at area rummage sales.