Summer Dining, Alfresco... Welcome to the 51st Tablescape Thursday! Tablescaping in Blue and White

A Something in a Summer's Day
By Emily Dickinson


A something in a summer’s Day





As slow her flambeaux burn away





Which solemnizes me.




A something in a summer’s noon —





A depth — an Azure — a perfume —




Transcending ecstasy.





And still within a summer’s night





A something so transporting bright




I clap my hands to see —





Then veil my too inspecting face





Lets such a subtle — shimmering grace





Flutter too far for me —





The wizard fingers never rest —





The purple brook within the breast





Still chafes it narrow bed —





Still rears the East her amber Flag —





Guides still the sun along the Crag





His Caravan of Red —





So looking on — the night — the morn




Conclude the wonder gay —





And I meet, coming thro’ the dews




Another summer’s Day!



China: Gibson, Claremont, Big Lots
Chargers: Horchow...2 summers ago
Glassware: Pier 1
Flatware: Napolean Bee, Horchow
Placemats Napkins and Napkin rings: Old Time Pottery
Pitcher: Michaels
Birdie Jam Jar: HomeGoods
Birdie Salt & Pepper: Target
Pillar Candle Holders: Colonial Candle (click HERE)
Flowers: From my garden...Yellow blooms are Patrinia scabiosifolia 'Nagoya', Daisies are Leucanthemum 'Becky' (also known as Ryan's Daisy and named after Ryan Gainey)

Looking forward to seeing your beautiful tablescapes!



If you are participating in Tablescape Thursday, please be sure to add your permalink below, and not your general blog address. If you aren't sure how to obtain your permalink or have any questions about using Mr. Linky for this post, just click HERE for detailed instructions.

Please copy and paste the Tablescape Thursday logo button to your computer. Then you can upload it to your side bar and use it in your tablescape post so your visitors will know you are participating.

Please link back to the host blog, Between Naps on the Porch. This is important because it helps those who are visiting your blog, find the other wonderful tablescapes posted for this Tablescape Thursday.

Please do not add your link below, until your tablescape post is actually published to your blog.

The following blogs have lovely tablescapes awaiting your visit:

Tablescaping in Blue and White

I don't know what it is about a crisp, white, linen tablecloth and napkins...but I love 'em, especially with a blue and white tablescape.


Magnolias and wisteria...romantic and ooooh, so Southern! :-)

A couple of years ago, I begin to collect salt cellars to use in my table settings. It just seems like such a simple, yet wonderful way to spoil your dinner guest. It eliminates having to pass around a salt shaker and your guest will be able to salt their food to their individual taste.

Zipper cut, crystal salt cellars paired with salt spoons in the same pattern as the sterling...

And just to spoil my guest (and family) a little bit more, I'm using a special salt that melts easily when sprinkled over food.

This particular brand is highly rated and reasonably priced. Click on this article to see the names and ratings for many gourmet salts.

This french salt, Fleur de Sel, is another great salt to use. I had trouble locating it locally, but it's readily available online.

I liked pairing the crystal goblets with the crystal salt cellars in this tablescape.

Cloches are so versatile...so many fun ways to use them in tablescapes and vignettes!

This cloche came from a antique shoppe near my home. It's really nice and large so it worked well as a centerpiece in this tablescape.

I bought these cute, ceramic blue and white balls a couple of years ago to use as a decorative accent in my upstairs family room. I recently found out, they are actually called carpet balls and were often used in parlor games back in Victorian Days.

Every tablescape needs a little candlelight! Colonial Candle is my favorite source for beautiful candles and candle accessories.

Years ago I purchased a coffee type drink that came in these cobalt blue bottles. I thought the bottles were too pretty to throw away. So, I just kept saving them...having no idea how I might use them one day. I love how they look mixed in with this blue and white table setting.



I love using a sugar scuttle instead of a regular sugar bowl. You can find them for very reasonable prices on eBay. When you have a large party, they are great to put out where you have your coffee available for your guest.
Some times I fill the scuttle with sugar cubes and use little silver tongs instead of the scoop...

Blue and White...it will always be one of my very favorite combinations! :-)

Information about items used in the tablescape above: China is Churchill, Blue Willow, Crystal is Waterford, pattern Araglin, Sterling is Towle, King Richard. Chargers came from Neiman Marcus, online about a year ago...Horchow had them, too. I've had the napkin rings for years but apparently they still make them because I saw them in a Macy's about two weeks ago. Found the crystal salt cellars on eBay.

Don't forget to stop by A Stroll Thru Life to see all the wonderful uses for your cloche and Happy to Design on Sunday for some great posts you may have missed the first time around. Thanks, Marty, for our first ever cloche party! And, Chari, thank-you for hosting our favorite Sunday event each week!

Have a wonderful weekend...see you here on Sunday eve for Metamorphosis Monday!

Tablescaping with Blue Willow: Welcome to the 28th Tablescape Thursday! Tablescaping with Blue Willow

Recently I was asked where I get my inspiration for the tablescapes I put together. I've gotten this question before and truthfully, I'm not sure I have a good answer...the reason being because my inspiration comes from a different source almost every time. If you have participated in Tablescape Thursday a few times, you probably know what I'm talking about.

Sometimes it may be the china itself...perhaps it calls out for a particular theme...the way my beachy china does with its shell and starfish design. Other times, I might be inspired by something I stumble across in my home or while out shopping, that's just begging to be used in a pretty table setting.

I was shopping at good ole Wally World right after Valentine's Day and they had all their potted tulips on sale for $3 each. I don't normally buy fresh flowers because I can't bear to see them dying after spending, what's usually a fair amount of money for them. But these were only $3...even I'll go for that! Though, I was tempted to buy them in every color, I managed to restrain myself and only bought one pot. Once home, I spied a blue and white pot in my garage...perfect for sunny, yellow tulips.


As luck would have it, the tulips fit right down inside the pot...container and all. :-) They became my inspiration for this weeks tablescape...can you guess which china I chose?


Yep, you got it...easy choice...had to be the Blue Willow. :-)


This tablescape is uncomplicated and classic...with its pallet of Blue & White...


Crisp, white, linen napkins fit beautifully with the clean, fresh look of this table setting...


Bet you recognize these little birdie salt/pepper shakers...I think every Blogger in Blogland has a set of these! (LOL) I've seen them on Shelia's table (Note Songs)...ummm...let's see...who else has these? I first spied a set at Judith's, (Sweet Designs) and she was so nice to share where she found them...shhhh don't tell anyone...it was Target. You just never know where you'll find little treasures for your table. This is the first time I've gotten around to using them in a tablescape for TT. I bought these last summer, but the last time I was in Target, they still had some...so it's not too late to snag a pair. :-)


Maybe we should have a "post your Target, white, bird, salt & pepper shakers day," all across Blogland...wouldn't that just be a hoot? We could throw Mr. Linky up and visit all the sites to see all the creative ways they were being used? :-) Ok, I'm off on a tangent...where were we? Oh, yes, we were in the midst of a tablescape. (Hee, hee.)


Friday is Foodie Friday, over at (Designs by Gollum) so how about some actual food for our tablescape! We've had quite the cold spell this week, even got some snow in...of all places, GEORGIA! So, I decided it was time for some homemade soup.

I love a hardy Vegetable Beef Soup and whenever I make it, I go a little crazy...you'd think I was cooking for a family of 10! :-) I pull out the big dutch oven and throw everything in...fresh celery, carrots, onion, potatoes...some stewed tomatoes, peas, corn, little butter beans...and of course good hardy chunks of stew beef from Publix. My soups tend to be heavy on the ingredients and light on the "soup." I love a "stick to your ribs," kind of soup...would that make it more of a stew? :-)


You are having seconds, right? :-)


Ummm...a hardy soup for this cool March evening...

Hope you enjoyed this classic Blue and White table setting!


Please stop by all the links posted above on this Tablescape Thursday...I promise you will come away delighted and inspired!






If you are participating in Tablescape Thursday, please be sure to add your permalink below, and not your general blog address. If you aren't sure how to obtain your permalink or have any questions about using Mr. Linky for this post, just click on the pink TT logo in my sidebar for detailed instructions.

Please copy and paste the Tablescape Thursday logo button to your computer. Then you can upload it to your side bar and use it in your tablescape post so your visitors will know you are participating.

Please link back to the host blog, Between Naps on the Porch. This is important because it helps those who are visiting your blog, find the other wonderful tablescapes posted on this Tablescape Thursday.

Please do not add your link below, until your tablescape post is actually published to your blog.

The following blogs have beautiful tablescapes awaiting your visit: