Harley Davidson Tablescape

I will be away on vacation for this week's Tablescape Thursday event hosted by the terrific and ever-inspiring, Susan at Between Naps on the Porch. Mr. Delight and I are going on a two week motorcycle vacation to Sturgis, South Dakota. In keeping with the theme of our vacation, I am posting a tablescape I did last fall. I'm hoping I can link up to BNOTP at the proper time during our trip but wanted to post it here early in case it doesn't work out.


Last October, Mr. Delight challenged me to do a table setting and dinner (for 5 couples including us) incorporating something we all enjoy doing which is riding our Harley Davidson motorcycles. It was so FUN to do because Mr. Delight got involved and while I came up with the place settings/dishes, he did the centerpiece and accessories on the table. You will see, it was a challenge to make them look like you wanted to eat there! Since the Harley Davidson colours are black, orange and white, I thought it was a good time of year to do it as it was just before Halloween and we were soon going to be putting our bikes away for the winter.

Mr. Delight came up with the idea for two cylinders (do you know your bike parts? lol!) as a centerpiece which were put around a glass vase with a HD print-out inside and a HD bandana tied around. The pipes (heat shields) became a "runner" down the length of the table. Used the skulls for a "bad biker" look as well as the Halloween time of year.

I was thrilled to find these burnt orange coloured plates at a local store (were pricey but I NEEDED them!) which matched the HD colours perfectly. I added a cardboard drink coaster on top of each salad plate and a black charger to complete the look. Two mirrors (one seen) off bike were displayed on the opposite side of the cylinders.

I had two square black plates (could only get 8 of the orange) so used them along with the square white salad plates. I made a HD print-out for on top of the plates (only had 8 coasters too!) which was removed before the salad was served. For the soup course, I used my pumpkin bowls as they went with the orange part of it and the time of year, but forgot to take a pic of them.

Each guest received a take home gift which was a box of chocolates. I bought some small boxes of choc wrapped in orange paper for Halloween so added the HD print-out to go with the theme. The place setting cards were made with print-outs as well and put in photo frames.

A chrome air filter cover makes a shiny candle holder! A HD patch off an old leather jacket makes a statement.

A shock absorber, HD drink glasses used as candle holders and a tail light add to the look.

Hard to read but I prepared a six course meal on top of all the table decorating!

Hope you enjoyed a very DIFFERENT themed tablescape!! It was such a fun party, we are thinking of making it an annual event! But for now, we are heading out on our motorcycle adventure. It is the first time for us to go so far (2,000 km) on the bike (I'm a content passenger) but it has been Mr. Delight's dream to go to Sturgis and this is finally the year it has all worked out. Will check in when I get back! "Born to be Wild....."

DD

Christmas in July

I have had a very busy week with work and trying to get ready for a 2 week vacation coming up so am resorting to posting my Christmas in July tablescape from the meme "Playing Dishes" had last week. Be sure to stop by Between Naps on the Porch to see many more tablescapes.


Felecia over at Playing Dishes is hosting a Christmas In July Meme. There will be a lot of "ho ho ho" going on over there so be sure to check it out. Being a Christmas lover, I just had to join in the fun!



This is what I came up with.....

I had a great day in the sunshine decorating for CHRISTMAS! I really wanted my tablescape to look like Christmas in JULY so I set it up outside. I'm sure my neighbours think I've gone crazy! Mr. Delight is at work and I'm wondering what he will say when he gets home!

My daughter gave me these wonderful black/red poinsettia plates last Christmas but I never had a chance to try them out then so it was great to have the time to plan a tablescape I'll be able to use this Christmas.

I did dig into a couple of my Christmas bins to get out some things to decorate with. Reminder - must clean up basement!

I even decorated the four corners of the cabana. Here I put out a couple of gold trees.

These are candle holders I just got from Partylite. I made them a bit Christmas-y by adding the Santa pinecone wreath above and some decorations at the bottom.

This lantern is also always in the cabana so I dressed it up too

I keep these Christmas trees out all year in the living room. I add little birds to them and make them seem more like just evergreens which we have a lot of in our neck of the woods. I even hung a stocking.....do you think Santa is on his way?

Mustn't forget the candelier!

Christmas by candlelight....my fav!

Hope you enjoyed my Christmas in July...seemed very strange to decorate before there is snow on the ground! And it's way too hot to turn on the oven to cook a turkey...do you think roast weinies go with my tablescape?

Deck Table in Fushia & Green Apple

I can't believe a week has flown by and it is time for another Tablescape Thursday! Yeah! It is such fun to check out all the fabulous variations of table settings at Between Naps on the Porch hosted by the ever-impressive, tablescape diva, Susan.

This week, I set a simple luncheon tablescape on the small deck just off our kitchen.

It is a cozy spot just right for two. A large bamboo shade provides privacy and shade from the hot afternoon sun.

I went with a lively summer colour scheme of green apple and fushia on a white background. The centerpiece is a footed glass bowl filled with faux green apples and a silk pink rose.

My Gibson dishes in Grandiflora pattern were the inspiration for the colour scheme. The bowls are very shallow and just right for salad. This dish set was a recent purchase from our local "The Bargain Shop" store and were $22 for 4 placesettings (16 pieces). The green-handled flatware was a gift from my son for Mother's Day last year. The little butterflies are plastic and are "tablecloth weights" but I took the clips off them and used them for decorations.

I found these lime-green felt butterfly placemats at a "Stokes" kitchen store out of town recently. I only bought two as they were a bit pricey but now wish I had gotten more! I layered them on fushia colour round woven placemats.


For a "backdrop", I arranged some faux greenery, a green candle lantern and pink votive cup on some wooden box cases covered with doilies.

Do you like the white lace tablecloth? I'll let you in on a little secret...it is plastic! Even in real life, though you have to actually touch it to tell. My mom had one which I admired and then she gave me one as well. I love it as it looks pretty and you can wipe it clean!

I've added some square pillows for the chairs to allow for a more leisurely lunch. Care to join me? I think I will prepare my Toasted Pecan Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad to start, Mushroom Frittata to follow with individual Chocolate Raspberry Lava Cakes for dessert. Of course, the margarita glasses will be filled with your choice of Lime or Strawberry Margarita - they both "go" with this tablescape!


Happy Tablescape Thursday to All!

My First Tablescape Thursday

I am very excited to finally be able to participate in Tablescape Thursday hosted by Susan at Between Naps on the Porch! I have been enjoying her blog and all the eye candy there every Thursday for quite some time now. Having a love of tablescaping myself, I really wanted to join in the fun and debated about creating a blog. I couldn't stand being on the sidelines any longer and went for it. I am still getting the hang of blogging and hopefully I will be able to figure out "Mr. Linky" to post this.



Recently, I was asked to help decorate for a bridal shower in a beach theme and when I brought the items home again, I decided to use some of them in a Beach Tablescape.

I borrowed this large shell from my mom who found it in a Thrift Store recently. I placed it in a large shallow glass bowl with some sand, faux grass and shells.


On the other side of the large shell, I placed a pillar candle in a hurricane shade and wrapped the bottom with netting that was actually a "bag" that was on the starfish I bought.

I used a bamboo runner I had down the center of the table. It coordinated perfectly as the blue string running through it was the same colour as the tablecloth.

On each side of the centerpiece, I placed a black lantern which are usually outside on our deck.

I put two of my glass cylinder vases with inserts beside the black lantern and filled the inserts with blue beads and a floating candle. In the bottom part, I layered sand and shells. A trio of starfish/urchin candle holders by Partylite flanked the vases on one side.

Each place setting consisted of a bamboo placemat, silver charger, coral-coloured dinner plate, blue flower-shaped salad plate and a clear shell-shaped appetizer plate. A placecard attached to shell, individual salt & peppers, candle holder, stemware and scattered shells adorn each place setting.

A closer look at the blue salad plate.

Originally, I had folded the napkins in a "fan" manner to simulate a shell look and tucked the fork inside. I wasn't happy with it though and went back to putting the napkins under the shell plates.

These two shells (next pic too) that I got at HomeSense were put on tables in the corners flanking my china cabinet.

Now the table is set, I just have to convince my husband to cook us up some crab and prawns,which he always makes to perfection, call up some friends and a dinner party will ensue!

Thanks for looking! Now that I have a blog, I hope I will be able to find the time to participate in many more Tablescape Thursdays!