Romancing Mardi Gras - A table for two

Hello friends and followers!  Do any of you entertain the tradition of Mardi Gras?  I will admit as a southerner from South Carolina we really don't adhere to this tradition much.  About the most you will find of Mardi Gras celebrations here is based more on the religious tradition of Fat Tuesday centered around the observance of Ashe Wednesday.  Even then, it is limited more depending on what church you attend as to whether they give any observation to this at all.

I did not grow up observing Mardi Gras, but I do love anything that is seeped in tradition and that which is especially creative and colorful.  One cannot deny that Mardi Gras is definitely colorful in more ways then one.  So with that in mind, it is what I have set out to embrace with my Mardi Gras tablescape this year.  A colorful setting with a colorful tale!



Tradition holds that Mardi Gras is a time of reveling in ones last evening of indulgence before moving into the season of lent and repentance.  While I find all the partying and extreme food over indulgence quite exciting I also can't deny that I also find Mardi Gras to be a bit romantic as well.



I guess it has to do with the all the mystery that surrounds Mardi Gras with all the masques and costumes.  For some reason, the whole idea of Mardi Gras reminds me quite a bit of those historical romantic novels where masquerade balls and opulence ruled with intrigue among the royalty.



OK, don't laugh y'all, perhaps I do spend too much time in my novels, but you know I'm right don't you?  Sooooo.....it is in this scenario I have created my table for two for Mardi Gras.



Image a house full of guests waltzing in a huge ballroom full of many masked guests where hushed whispers of dinner being served is announced.  A giddy young couple rushes to their seats to find that the table is set but exclusively just for the two of them.  Or imagine an older couple who have seen many years of Mardi Gras celebrations among the masses who cannot wait to escape to find a bit of solitude before retiring for the evening.  Or better yet....imagine a middle aged couple though despite hosting the largest celebration of the ton, sneak off privately to find their own bit of paradise in the mystery that is them.



They adjourn to the dining room where they find the table set in beautiful rich colors of Green, Gold, and Purple representing the royalty that is of their descent and the tradition of Mardi Gras.



A metallic gold medallion style place mat from Bed Bath and Beyond is accompanied by Lenox Butlers Pantry and topped off with a beautiful purple, black and cream toile salad dish from Portebello by Inspire.



Each setting also appropriately shines with Louisiana flatware from Oneida.  Additionally, there are two glasses of stemware for indulging in both water and wine.



The local embroiderer was even commissioned to adorn the table linens with the family symbol of Mardi Gras Royalty.



Only a minimal amount of serving pieces are on hand for condiments as there will be footman readily available for serving dishes.



Tonight is a grand occasion with all the pageantry expected of such an affair.  The table dressing finery is a rich sparkly green runner combined with a beautiful purple satin wrap to drape the one of the centerpieces.  Both are adorned with the familys prized jewels representing justice, faith and power.





There is even a peacock to represent her beauty and integrity in addition to a crown of gold representing his family line of nobility.  No details were spared in this celebration for two where the masks are left behind, because tonight is all about the two of them indulging in each others company.





Oh yes, these two are all set for a romantic dinner for two to indulge not only in each other but in all that they are together.  May they always continue to prosper!



Yeah, I spend way too much time in the books, dreaming of other times and other worlds. I have always enjoyed a good story.  I hope you did too.  I still think reading is as wonderful a pastime as many of our more modern day entertainments and indulgences.  Don't you agree?

Happy Mardi Gras friends, from The Decorative Dreamer!

 

 

Halloween Tablescape 2016

Hallo Everyone!  It's that time of year when strange things begin to lurk around!   It's a little bit spooky, but a little bit fun here at The Decorative Dreamers house.  Once again I find myself under the spell of a very adorable and decorative tablescape.

How about you?  Do you enjoy decorating for Halloween?  I used to do a lot more then I do now.  With my sons being older and out of the house and no trick or treaters anymore, I find myself still wanting to join in on the fun.  So instead of focusing on outside decor I focused on creating an indoor treat for us instead.

This years tablescape began with my napkins.  I've had these checked fringe napkins for quite awhile now and since I have a boatload of them I figured I could spare a few.  I decided they would be the perfect background to showcase my carved pumpkin initial applique.  Isn't this just the cutest thing? After these turned out so well I wanted to keep stitching.  I love doing appliques and I especially love when I can make items for my own decor to showcase my work.

Next came the new addition of my table runner.  I found the orange and black buffalo check runner on sale at Ross.  I was thrilled to see that not only was it marked down but that is was a blank canvas that I could customize myself.

I started with adding this Witch hat initial font to each end of the runner.  This was a freebie font from one my sources.  I love how it looks though I do wish the hat was up a little higher.  Our last name begins with a "K" and this looks like an "R" to me.  Oh well!  It is what it is, right, and it was free so I'm good!  Happy, happy!

I then decided to center this Boo applique in the middle of the runner.  I love this one! Looks adorable next to my witch boot salt and peppers doesn't it?

 

After adding designs to the ends and the center of my runner I then decided to add two more Jack o lantern appliques in between at an angle.  I also flipped these two designs so this runner would be a great look from all angles of the table.   It was a little more challenging centering and angling both of them equally the same but I got it.  Whoohoo!

After I finished the tablerunner it was time to set the table.  I chose to keep my setting a little more simple to keep the focus on my beautiful runner and napkins.  I decided to use only orange chargers and black plates with the napkins.  The chargers I picked up a few years ago, can't remember where, but the black plates are new this year from the dollar tree.  I was pretty happy to see them because I've wanted some black plates for awhile now.

My hand blown purple goblets were just the right color for this setting and kept with the color theme.  One thing I was very focused on when I made the table runner was keeping all the appliques coordinating with each other.  I can't tell you how many times I looked at other pieces of fabric I had and thought, Oh this would be so cute with that.  Especially on  the candy jack o lantern or the hair bow on the other jack.  I resisted the urge to mix it all up with multiple fabric choices though, and chose to use only four colors; orange, black, purple and green.  I stayed true to keeping it coordinated and now I'm so glad I did!

The little ghosties were a fun and whimsical choice for my candle holders, though I did manage to add a few votives for a nice glow.  The orangish colored votives were a summer clearance from the $1.00 bins at Michaels.  I love those bargains bins, don't you?

After I finished my tablescape I couldn't help but notice how my shelves on the side table that were decorated for Fall just didn't quite match.  So even though I wasn't planning on doing any last minute Halloween decorating I just couldn't stop myself.

I'm so glad I pulled out my Halloween box.  It's always so enjoyable when you see some of your decor you have forgotten you had.  I knew I wanted to use my witch, aka Miss Abigail, I bought one year while working at SteinMart.  She was a must. I had totally forgotten all about the wreath I made too. I was so excited to see it and even more pleased that it was a smaller size.  I made this wreath smaller one year to sit inside of a simple larger fall wreath of berries so you could easily pull it out when Halloween was over.  That was a great idea, even if the berry wreath didn't last.  LOL!

 Doesn't Miss Abigail look so cute next to the broom parking sign, bad blood and poison wine mixes?  The witches sign and more ceramic ghosts I've also had for awhile now .  I just love how this side table turned out. So fun!  I had a straw broom propped up here, but had to move it because it was freaking the dog out.  LOL!  Ooops!

Funny, I just noticed I have a rooster sitting here that didn't get moved.  It must have blended in and i didn't see it until the picture.  Oh Lord, I must be loosing my touch!

Well, that's it y'all!  I hope you enjoyed your visit and I hope you have a whimsically wonderful and fun holiday celebration.

Happy Halloween!

Hugs and Waves,

Mary

 

You bring the Seafood...

....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:

 The Decorative Dreamers Embroidery 

and/or

 The Decorative Dreamer.

 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!