Fiesta!

Using colorful Fiesta dinnerware is a no-brainer when celebrating Cinco de Mayo.  

The tablecloth is a licensed Fiesta design.

My Blessings Blocks from Blessings, Unlimited, announce the celebration.

Peacock dinner plate, shamrock luncheon plate, and marigold berry bowl accented by a maraca from Oriental Trading Company

Peacock dinner plates, paprika luncheon plate and shamrock berry bowl

Marigold vase with silk daisies, scarlet and lemongrass mini pitchers and shamrock and lemongrass salt and pepper shakers

Child-sized sombreros from Oriental Trading Company

Sunflower covered buttered dish and tequila bottle and colorful shot glasses from Mexico

Chili pepper swizzle sticks (in Fiesta goblet) from Oriental Trading Company

Stamped Border

I used stamps and acrylic paints to create a border in the lower level family room in my home. 

The border was created for under $10.

 The shadow effect was achieved by simply stamping a gold leaf on the wall and then a burgundy leaf on top but slightly off-center from the gold leaf.

I considered painting over the border when the room was repainted a couple of years ago, but the painters talked me out of it.

Playroom

 This isn't a table, but I wanted to share it anyway.  Our house is what I call a modified split level style.  There are three steps up from the foyer to the livingroom which left us with a room with a six foot ceiling under the foyer. This area was perfect for a kids' playroom. 

   

  The decor features a border of our three youngest kids' handprints. Missy had just turned three (red handprint), J.T. was almost five (blue handprint), and Sam was six (yellow handprint). 

One of the walls is splattered painted in red, yellow, and blue.  I was able to do the splattering during the point in construction of the house before any flooring or trim had been installed making this task much simpler.

The opposite wall is painted with chalkboard paint.  I used alphabet stamps to make a border on this wall. 

Numbers were stamped on an adjacent wall.

Handprints were placed at chair rail height on the remaining two walls.

This playroom has been wonderful place for the kids to play, but, alas, they've grown up, as children do.  One is a sophomore in college, the middle child is a senior and the (sniff) baby is a junior in high school.  It will be converted to a storage room...but the handprints will remain.

Rhapsody in Blue...and Green

After we received 8 inches of snow - on April 11th! - I decided I really needed to create a spring-themed tablescape.

I used Fiesta dinnerware in  periwinkle blue, seamist green, turquoise, peacock blue, shamrock and  lemongrass.

White silk daisies lend a warm-weather vibe to the table.

The checkered pattern on the pots in the table's centerpiece echoes the tablecloth's checks.

Turquoise and white flowered napkin rings were a recent purchase from ebay.

Love the jeweled butterfly!

After using Fiestaware in darker colors for most of the winter months, it's fun to get the pastels out again.

These cookies are really getting to me....I'll be right back!

A beaded garland fills the little pots.  I often plant grass seed in these pots in the spring, but haven't  done that yet this year.

The dinner plate in the place setting bowl is shamrock, the luncheon plate is lemongrass, the salad plate is periwinkle blue, and the berry bowl is turquoise.

Here Comes Peter Cottontail

The Easter bunny was the guest of honor on this spring time table.   This bunny figurine is one of my favorite Easter decorations.  I purchased it at Gordman's.  The bunny sits in a wreath of flowers on a Waverly tablecloth.

  

 Plastic eggs served as place cards resting in egg cups from Crate and Barrel.

Places were set with flamingo, peacock and sunflower Fiesta along white milk glass dessert plates.

Colored glass bunny tea light holders keep the Easter bunny company.

Eggs to DYE For

Put eggs in an oven preheated to 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes.  (Muffin tin keeps eggs from rolling around.)

Pretty Fiesta cups make the job more fun!

Add a teaspoon of vinegar to each cup.  Then add hot water until cup is 2/3 to 3/4 full.

Use food coloring to dye your eggs

Back of food coloring package has directions for creating different colors

Mixing red and blue to make purple

Mix with a spoon

Turn eggs periodically during the dying process

Don't worry - I rinsed out the sink and it didn't stain.

The finished product

Eggs in cute egg cups from Crate and Barrel

Bridal Shower

This is the tablescape for an intimate bridal shower I hosted.

Lacking any dishes in purple, the wedding color, I used paper plates atop a black tablecloth layered with a lace tablecloth.

The crystal pieces are Longchamp by Cristal d'Arques and the flatware is Kenwood by Oneida.

I searched for candy that would complement the table and discovered Nestle's Treasures mini candy bars which had purple wrappers.  You can see a crystal bowl full of candy bars near the upper left hand corner of the photo above.

Here's my little helper by the gift table!