Let There Be White!Hello my friends! Today I'm joining in with the
"Let There Be White" Party...hosted by Kathleen over at Cuisine Kathleen.
*I was so excited when I found out about this fabulous "White" party...don't know what it is exactly...but lately I've been so infatuated with all things white...white decor...white dishes! Maybe it's because white brings such a fresh, cool, crisp feel to the table...and that is so welcoming during a long, hot summer!
*Please go pay Kathleen a visit over at her blog...Cuisine Kathleen...you won't want to miss the beautiful white table that she has prepared for us today!!! While you're there you can check out all of the other participants beautiful "show" of white!!! Thank you, Kathleen...for hosting this "Let There Be White" Party...what a grand idea!!!
*~~AND~~
*
It's a Beach Party!!! *
I also am joining in with
Gina over at The Shabby Chic Cottage for her August 26th Beach Party! How exciting...and ladies, I have the feeling that this may be the last beach party of the season! At least for me...Summer is quickly coming to a close in Colorful Colorado...Autumn is well on its way!!!
*
Thank you, Gina...for hosting this fun filled party!!! Okay ladies...get out your flip-flops and sunscreen...let's all head on over want to head to Gina's place for a little fun-n-the sun!!! We can just spend the entire day "party hopping"...hehe! Don't forget to visit all of the "Beach Party" participants!!! Ohhh...this is going to be fun!!!
Coastal Whites
*Today for the "Let There Be White" party and the "Beach Party"...I wanted to share a tablescape that I did in June using my new seashell dishes called "Water" by JC Penneys!
So this is a repost...hope you don't mind!
*
My Seaside ~~Water~~ Tablescape
*
Several weeks ago I purchased a new set of dishes and I've been so excited to do a tablescape and share them with you!!!
*
Also...
*
Today is my wedding anniversary!
(Just a note: This post was from June 4th, 2009)
*
I am so blessed!!! I married the man of my dreams, Russell, four years ago to this date! I am so happy...in fact, at times it still feels like a dream...every once in awhile I have to pinch myself to make sure that it is real!!!
*
Russell is my best friend...I just can't imagine living life and not having him to share it with! He is my confidant...I trust him with my heart! He is my lover...eeekss...guess I better not get too graphic here since this is a PG blog! Hehe! Seriously though...I truly believe that I am a woman blessed among women...Russell is my knight in shining armour!!! He is such a dear sweet soul...sensitive, intelligent, hard working and a great provider, loyal, sexy...well, the list goes on...but I have nothing but the upmost respect for my husband and I know it sounds a bit cliche but Russell completes me!!!
In celebration of my husband and our love I have set a romantic, seaside table...this tablescape is called ~~Water~~!!!
~~~Water~~~
*
The Tablescape scene is set...*
I have set the table in our French Country dining room.
*
With the lights dimmed and candle light aglow...
so softly the notes of a love song are heard.
The hands of time have seemed to slow...
and whispers of love resound through word!
Setting the Scene...AmbianceThe definition of ambiance is: the mood, character, quality, tone, atmosphere, etc., particularly of an environment.Just like setting the scene for an act of a play...ambiance sets the scene for your table!!! The lighting...the music...even the type of dishes, table centerpiece, and linens contribute to the ambiance of your dining experience!!!Ambiance can take a great tablescape and lift it into the realm of FABULOUS!
The lighting...the soft romantic glow of candlelight!
The centerpiece...seashells and sea glass in soft shades of blue & green...a little moss and rattan...and what speaks ~~Water~~better than a few starfish scattered about!
*
*
The Place Setting...As I mentioned earlier, I purchased these dishes several weeks ago. I have seen some gorgeous "coastal" tablescapes in blogland and I really wanted a set of "coastal or shell" dishes. This set is called...yep, you guessed it, ~~Water~~ from JC Penneys. When I first saw them, I thought Ooooh...I want those but they were to expensive for my pocketbook...soooo....I waited (as any good little bargain shopper would do...hehe!)Ohhh yea....they went on sale...they were really marked down...and on top of that, I had a 20% off discount coupon! Yeeeehawwww!!!This set was originally $162.00 for a 4 piece place setting for four.I paid only...are you ready?...can I have a drumroll please...I paid only $59.60 for the set!!! (Oh yea...oh yea...I'm still doin' the Happy Dance over this one! Hehe!)
**
*
~~Water~~Home Collection by JC Penneys*Dinner plate (a nice sized 11" plate, ivory, with embossed shells and starfish)*Salad/dessert plate (8 7/8 in., ivory, embossed with shells and starfish)*Soup bowl (7 x 3 in. tall, shell shaped, ivory)*Canape plate ( 7x5 in., shell shaped, ivory) *Water/Iced Tea goblets from Dollar Tree...$1 ea.
**
* ***
The Shell Soup Bowl...These shell soup bowls are really nice sized! A healthy serving of soup or a salad can be served in these pretty shell bowls!!! They are large enough that they could be used for a vegetable serving dish as well.*
** *
* The Salad/Dessert Plate...I just love the embossed design on the salad/dessert plates...shells, starfish, lobster & crabs swim around the border!
**
* A close-up so you can see the pretty pattern! *
**
The Dinner Plate...*
Ohhh...I do love these pretty seashell plates...the shells are nearly 3-dimensional! These plates measure 11 in. They are actually large enough that they can double as a charger plate.
*
*
The Canape Plate...
*
*
The Table Dressing...
Just as ambiance is important to setting the scene of the tablescape...so is the dressing of the table!
The table linens and placemats act as the foundation for your tablescape!
The Table Cloth & Napkins...
I found this beautiful striped tablecloth with matching napkins, called "Kendall", at Pottery Barn. The fabric has a nice substantial feel to it and is 100% cotton. The napkins are a generous 20x20 ins.
I love the washed out look of the off-white, brown, blue, and green stripes!!! It's exactlly what I had envisioned for this ~~Water~~tablescape...a fabric with a distresssed look, if you will!
The Napkin Rings...
I found stretchy shell bracelets at Walmart made by Panama Jack...I attached a seashell and used these for the napkin rings. One of the things that I enjoy most about doing a tablescape is coming up with creative ideas for the table...I just love the seashell bracelets for the napkin rings. $3.97 for a package of 3 bracelets!
The Placemats...
I found these pretty rattan placemats at the Dollar Tree. They're perfect...made of rattan and in soft sea colors of green and blue. I decided to layer the placemats...placing a green rattan mat over the top of a blue rattan mat. Only $1 each!
*
*
The Centerpiece...
Ohhh...I do love making the centerpieces for a tablescape!!!
My New Wire Rattan Finial...
I purchased this large wire rattan finial from JC Penneys at the same time that I got my dishes. I just love the dark French Roast color and it makes quite a statement at 20 ins. tall! It was also on sale for $17.99...I think I will get alot of use from this beauty!!!
I put moss in the bottom of the finial so that I could place a candle in the center. I added different kinds of seashells around the edges of the candle! Then I placed the finial atop a rattan mat. I used fresh fern fronds around the base of the finial...scattered blue and green sea glass...and added a few starfish!
**
*
Candles and Candle Holders...
Hand crafted Seashell candles...
Ahhh...do you remember these seashell pillar candles? I made these last week! For the tutorial you can click HERE...it will take you to that post!
I had so much fun crafting these. JC Penneys had similar pillar candles that went with my seashell dishes but ohhh myyy...they were $49.99 for just 3 little candles...eeekkkss!!! I wasn't about to pay that much for candles so I made my own...two 6" seashell pillar candles for just $4.85!!!
I had these chunky white glass candle holders...added twine around the base for a "coastal" feel! It's all in the little details...isn't it? Hehe!!! I really like how my homemade seashell candles look with the "coastal" candle holders!!!
Votive Candles...
I found these glass votive candle holders at the Dollar Tree...$1 ea.! They just had a nautical feel to them...hehe! I added crushed seashells to the bottom of the votives...placed a white candle atop and added a few small shells around the candles!
Each place setting has its own votive candle holder!
*
*
My "artsy" photo...
*
*
Another "artsy" photo...hehe!
*
*
*
*
~~Water~~
...by day!
**
*
~~Water~~
...by night!
*
~~~~~~~
*
Well my friends...I hope that you enjoyed my ~~Water~~tablescape as much as I did creating it!!!
I'm looking forward to a romantic evening with my honey...celebrating four fabulous years of marriage with the man of my dreams!!!
Happy Tablescaping and Let There Be White!!!
*
Love ya'll,
Chari
*
*
Don't forget...you have today and tomorrow left to sign up for my "Celebration Giveaway"! For more information just click HERE.
*
*
*
PS...Just wanted to let you know about a couple of great blog giveaways going on right now...
* Kim at Charmed I'm Sure is having a clock giveaway sponsored by CSN who carries everything from clocks to mattresses. Stop by before 11:59 pm Mountain Time on August 28th and enter to win.
*
Dawn over at Life at Eventually Cottage has two great giveaway gifts...go and check them out!!!