....and I'll bring the rest. Cause restins about all I can dooo....on my stay vay-cay-shuuunnnn!
Sounds like the beginning of sad ole country song doesn't it? Haha, I thought so too. No worries, dreamer friends, this post and the beautiful summer tablescape I have set to join some of my friends over at Tablescape Thursday promises to be anything but sad.
True to my pen name, I am dreaming, dreaming, dreaming of the beach though. This is the first year we have not booked a vacation in I don't know how long! We decided not to make any plans because we've got one son doing an out of state internship for the summer (in very pricey downtown Atlanta) and another who has made a very hard earned recent job change. This summers scenario made for a very difficult family vacation plan to come together. Additionally, with me not working and being at home again it seemed like a good year to cut out that one big expense. You see we are beach people, those local SC people who as close as we are, still have to go to the beach prime season despite that it's the hottest, busiest and most expensive time of the year. But not this year, and while I am missing those beautiful waves it's actually also feeling like a bit of relief. So don't be sad for me because I do have a beautiful boat on the lake just a stones throw away, a pool in my backyard, and time at home to enjoy it this year. Who knows maybe we will catch a weekend down there at some point. Life is still pretty darn good here you know, in fact it's really pretty awesome! I am so thankful!
I have been enjoying my beachy decorations quite a bit more this year since I've been missing the ocean. It's so fun to have a beachy attitude. I also really enjoyed putting together this beachy tablescape in "The Mermaid Lounge", and I hope you'll enjoy it too. So enough of the chit chatting and woes me, let's get beachin gals!
Welcome to Mermaid Lounge! It's ever evolving and has just received a few more shifts of furniture this week. The table got moved over to make room for the bakers rack which meant the chandy had to move too. It's always in progress out here!
There was one single element on this table that inspired the setting. I will get back to that in a bit if you don't figure it out first but I'll give you a hint. It has a lot to do with the location. Heehe!
One of my most favorite things about tablescaping is when you start off with a bit of inspiration that just leads from one element to the next. That's how this one came together for me. It was so exciting to have everything I needed right in my cabinets to pull it all together.
I knew right away somehow I was going to use my iridescent oyster plates. I just had no idea it was all going to pull together so well until it was all done.
I started off with two layers of placemats to add a bit more texture and color. I then added the white shell embossed dinner plates bought from a thrift store a few years back.
Then I decided to add my blue and green swirl melamine luncheon plates. I can't recall right off the bat where I purchased these but will add it later if I remember.
Finally, it was time to top it off with the beautiful iridescent oyster plates purchased several years ago from either TJ Maxx or Marshalls. They were sold as a set of four. I have seen these in many different colors over the years but still love the clear ones I got because it reminds me so much of shells and beach glass.
I started thinking the plate looked like it need a little something and since I had no seafood, I then remembered I have these beautiful silver pickling forks maybe? IDK! Anyway, I thought they would be so cute as an oyster fork. They have our initial on the back because they are part of many pieces of silver from both sides of our family that were engraved and handed down to us. It's a southern thing, yes, and it's true, I did come into monogramming very naturally.
For my flatware, I knew my bubbly looking, hammered stainless was going to perfect.
I am especially thrilled to finally be able to pull out these glasses I've had for years. The bubble glass tea with multi colors on the bottom came from Stein Mart. Kinda looks like a coral reef doesn't it? Well, maybe if your a dreamer like me you'll see it. Haha!
My stems are also blown glass with embossed shells in a teal blue. So refreshing!
The little vintage mermaid fits in perfectly don't you think? I love her sweet little self with her adorable little headband. I thought the rope styled napkin ring pulled it all together even more for me, don't you? Yes, you think so too, don't you?
And because you all are so smart I bet you already guessed that this adorable little Mermaid was my inspiration. I know you did! If you follow either of my FB pages or my Instagram page you already knew because I shared this adorable set of napkins with everyone as soon as I made them. That's right, I stitched this out myself on my machine. I am still stitching away and enjoying it so much. I've added lots of lighter weight and smaller designs to my collections for linens. I am doing embroidery for others now as well. Because I am enjoying my embroidery so much is part of the reason why I have been so absent on the blog here lately. It's all good though. If you'd like to follow along on either of my Facebook pages, just click on the links here at:
and/or
Please make sure you LIKE the page when you get there so you will get my updates. If your interested in anything yous see on those pages, send me a message if I can help you. You can also find me on Instagram and Pinterest too as The Decorative Dreamer.
I stalled for just a small bit on the centerpiece because my space was so limited on this smaller sized table. Then I remembered I had this very tall stem glass my son gave me when he worked at Home Goods one summer while in school. After I had the stem in place, I remembered several other pieces and then it came together so fast.
I even had everything I needed on hand to fill the stem. Well, okay it's not quite filled but its just enough. I layered a bag of white sand, then a few shells, sea glass and more shells. The shells were a bag from Stein Mart a few years back and the sand and sea glass were from the dollar tree.
My old ceramic beachy S&P shakers from when we had our camper are still so adorable.
The willow basket candle holders were from Wisteria several years back and were the perfect heights for the sides of the tall stem. I pulled out the clear glass that is usually inside of them and added my mercury glass jars for extra shine in between the wood.
And here it is, and that is how it all came together!
Thanks so much for stopping by today and if your feeling kinda beachy and you'd like to bring some seafood...well, come on over!
I hope you all are having a wonderful summer! If you happen to have a moment I'd love to hear from you too!
Hugs and Waves!
