Beach Table

Well, we had a much needed, relaxing time at the beach last week.  And...it was so sad to have to leave the island and return to the real world, but it is always nice to pull into your driveway, see your house and know you are home.

I set a beach table to celebrate our time at the beach and all the fun we have there.  Maybe we'll go back before the end of the year, at least that's what we always say when we're leaving.

Instead of flowers for the centerpiece, I used these over-sized, fun fish.

I filled small shell bowls with seashells and put a little note in each one for every plate.  It was fun picking up the shells and looking at them and their beautiful colors and textures.
 

I love watching the pelicans fly over the water and dive down to get a fish.  These small pelicans for our table are salt and pepper shakers.

On the menu for the night was homemade Hushpuppies, Blackened Salmon steaks and "Special Rice."  We call it special because we use whatever we have in the kitchen in the rice which makes it "special" each time. 

I'm looking forward to a new week full of challenges and surprises.  Hope to see you Wednesday.

I'm sharing with these Beautiful Blogs:

Pink & Rust

Tonight for dinner with the family we are having cube steak, roasted sweet potatoes and home grown green beans.   I set the table with pink and a few old rusty things.  I found this really cute vase at a thrift store and the flowers on it reminded me of the rose campion growing in my gardens.  So that was my starting point for tonight.

 

I used long ruffled, pink checked napkins with my ivory and pink flower plates. 

As you can tell by my tablescapes, I love to use books on the table.  This lifts vases a little higher and sometimes we talk about what is in the books.   It makes for some interesting conversation.

The evening started out bright and sunny and the conversation going great...when bang, flash, and.....

Oh well, we waited a few minutes enjoying another glass of wine while we waited for the rain to stop.  This is a really nice bottle of wine.  Great flavors. And isn't the label neat and colorful?

Have a great beginning to your week.  I'm at the beach this week, Jekyll Island, with my beautiful family,  and I'll be sharing this island with you on Wednesday, until then...

God bless you.

I'm Sharing with these Wonderful Blogs:

Independence Day

It's time to celebrate again, and I love occasions to have a party.   Fireworks, BBQ, family and picnics all add to a lot of excitement for our family.  We love to have a special meal and then to go downtown and see the beautiful display of fireworks.   We take our blankets and sit on an old railroad track.

So let me share with you our 4th of July table.  We'll have BBQ, coleslaw, baked beans and Diet Coke with a little sip of bubbly.  Doesn't it sound yummy?

We will be heading to the beach soon after the 4th so I chose both a red, white and blue theme, as well as a nautical one.  I think they go great together.

The small plates have a lighthouse and beach chairs.  I'm getting ready....

Sparklers in the champagne glasses then bubbly...

Love the seahorses covered in sand.  Can't wait to tickle my toes in the sand.

Have a blessed and beautiful Monday and I hope to see you Wednesday.

I'm Linking to these Inspiring Blogs:
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Chic on a Shoestring Decorating 

Making Unique Flatware

It's so hard sometimes to find just the right style of flatware to use for a particular table setting.  Especially if you need a certain color.

While looking at some of my favorite blogs, I saw at The Painted Apron that Jenna had made her own "fancy flatware" for her seaside table.  Not only was her flatware divine, but her table was beautiful.  I decided I wanted to give this a try for myself.  

I used some old mix-matched flatware I had that was flat enough to glue on.

I decided to use small pebbles since a table setting I have in mind contains these colors.  I purchased a small bag of pebbles from the Dollar Tree and E6000 glue from Hobby Lobby and I was set to go.

I glued the pebbles onto the handles of the flatware and gave them 24 hours to dry.  This glue really holds them secure.  I should have purchased clear glue instead of white, but you can't see it when I was finished with them.

Jenna used a soft, 24 gauge wire on her flatware, but I decided to use raffia to keep with the natural theme.  I didn't glue the raffia...I just wrapped it around each stone and then crossed over each one.  I used 4 stones on the knives, 3 on the forks and 2 on the spoons.

The raffia tied very secure and these are easy to use.  Can't wait to show you the tablescape I made these for.

 Have a fantastic, wonderful weekend and I hope to see you Monday for my 4th of July party.

I'm Sharing with these Beautiful Blogs:
Chic on a Shoestring Decorating 
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Between Naps on the Porch 
Dwellings - The Heart of Your Home 
The Dedicated House 
Boogieboard Cottage 
Uncommon Designs 
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The Gunny Sack 
My Uncommon Slice of Surburbia 
Elizabeth & Co. 
A Diamond in the Stuff 
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The Shabby Creek Cottage 
Brambleberry Cottage 
From My Front Porch to Yours 

Sunny & Yellow

Bright & light...that's what the color yellow says to me.  Sunshine and buttercups, baby chicks and summer squash.  I love the color yellow and that's why my table this Friday night was all about yellow.

Many years ago I made this tablecloth and napkin set using a lemon cut in half, dried the halves and brushed with yellow and green fabric paint to simulate lemons and limes.  I went all the way around the edge of the cloth and napkins.  It has held up beautifully. 

I also love using deep blue with yellow.  I found this canister for my centerpiece at Miracle Hill.  It was a bargain since it didn't have a lid and it gave me the starting point for my table.

On the menu was a  lemon-butter pasta with broccoli and blackened Salmon filets, so yellow was the right color for this evening.

I love, love, love blue and yellow together and since my flower vase was blue I used a hand painted bowl and teapot on the table as well.

The cute ice tea glasses came from the Dollar Tree. I think the lemon slices have such depth.  Love me a good find at the Dollar Tree.

The light in my dining room casts neat shadows on the entire ceiling.  Love gazing up.....

I hope you will have a bright and sunny week and am glad we have another one to  share.

I'm Sharing with these Beautiful Blogs:
Dwellings 
Boogieboard Cottage 
The Dedicated House 
Coastal Charm 
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A Stroll Thru Life 
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Elizabeth & Co. 
The Gunny Sack 
Savvy Southern Style 
The Style Sisters 
Rain on a Tin Roof 
Worthing Court 
DIY by Design 
Between Naps on the Porch 
The Shabby Creek Cottage 
Lamberts Lately 
No Minimalist Here 
From My Front Porch to Yours 
Chic on a Shoestring Decorating 
Common Ground 
Craftberry Bush 
French Country Cottage 
Romantic Home 
A Peek Into My Paradise 
Funky Junk Interiors 
Too Much Time on my Hands 
The Tablescaper 
Sunny Simple Life 
Nifty Thrifty Things