Its Cabana Time!

With the warmer weather, I'm anxious to start enjoying meals out in our little cabana again. Today, I'm sharing some of the tablescapes I've created there in the past. 
I hope you will tell me which one is your favourite.

Below is a grape-themed luncheon for four. This was before we got our new table/chair set but I did like the coziness of the round table we had back then.

I am not a big fan of melamine/plastic plates or acrylic glasses and no longer buy them as I prefer "the real thing" even for dining outside. However, I did have this set and liked the grape design on the plates and glasses.

The centerpiece is made up of a tall rectangular vase with a purple pillar candle inside. I surrounded it with faux greenery and grapes.

Below is our new patio furniture with a rectangular table and six chairs (only 4 shown). 

  This tablescape is a mixture of melamine and "real" plates in a brown/yellow and green colour combo.

We have neighbours (good ones!) close by on one side but....

...fortunately, no one has ever bought the property behind us in the 25 years we have lived here and we still have a lovely wooded area for our backyard view.

Below was a "Summer Whites" tablescape I created last summer thanks to inspiration from Cuisine Kathleen and her blog party last June.

I used my square white dishes with just a touch of colour in the hydrangea centerpiece.

Below, you will see "Christmas in July", a fun meme that Felecia at Playing with Dishes hosted last summer.

To really stress the "July" part of it, I created my tablescape outside in our cabana.  I hauled out some of my Christmas dishes and decorations.

Can you see my "candelier" all lit up?  I put some faux poinsettias around it for the occasion.

Here is a Summer Birthday BBQ we hosted for my sister-in-law last summer.


Plates and placemats in bright bold colours added to the festive mood.

 Thanks for stopping by to look at my various tablescapes created in our little cabana.  Which one was your favourite?  Of course, I'm linking up to Tablescape Thursday hosted by Susan at Between Naps on the Porch.

 

A Cozy Meal by the Fire

Its Susan's 91st time at hosting Tablescape Thursday on her blog, Between Naps on the Porch and I'm anxious to join in!

 Last week, Mr. Delight decided to make one of his fabulous lobster and steak dinners and we invited my parents over for a fireside meal.

It is so nice when he does the cooking and I can focus on the tablescape!  I used the new floral bowls our daughter gave me for Mother's Day. 

We started with salad which looked lovely in them but unfortunately, I forgot to take a pic!

Here is a view of how I layered the 

bowl/plates/charger

Seafood tools ready on a shell-shaped plate for the shells and the butter-warmers await the lemon butter.  

I always put gold vinyl placemats (cut in half) next to the plates in case the butter drips.

I used my vase/candle trio with a froggie on the side as a centerpiece.  Yellow roses were placed in separate vases as well.

 

 

 Dinner is served!  Sorry for blurry picture..in a hurry to eat!

 Just playing here.... We had pineapple upside down cake for dessert but again, forgot the pic!

Thanks for stopping by.  Click here to see more wonderful tablescapes!

New Pitcher & Plate

Its time for the 13th Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life. Thanks Marty, for hosting this weekly meme!

It is so much fun looking at all the little vignettes we create on various surfaces in our homes.

Here is what I currently have on my dining room table.

The bouquet is made up of the "best" of some not-so-fresh blooms from Mother's Day.

I recently purchased the pitcher and matching plate at a Safeway grocery store for half price, $4 for the pitcher and $1.50 for the plate.

My daughter gave me 4 of these terrific floral shaped bowls for Mother's Day. (Pier 1) 

I just love them!

My son gave me this wonderful book Southern Lady "Gracious Spaces" by Phyllis Hoffman.

 It has lots of terrific tablescapes and ideas for creating vignettes. So many pictures to savour!

 

I couldn't decide whether these white coloured birds look best or....

 These cream coloured ones....

 Which pair do you prefer?

Be sure to head on over to A Stroll Thru Life now for some wonderful vignette inspiration.

My Birthday Luncheon

Time for Tablescape Thursday!  Yay!!! I've missed a few weeks but am so looking forward to participating again!



 My birthday is in April and for the last couple of years, I've done things a bit differently.  Instead of friends & family taking me out for lunch, I like to invite them to my place.  I have lots of fun setting the table (of course!) and preparing a luncheon for them.  Thus, it is a "gift" to me when they say they'll accept my invitation.

This year, I went with a yellow, pink & green colour scheme.  (The tablecloth was a birthday gift from my daughter)

I used my Gibson "Grandiflora" dishes and my gold-en flatware tucked together in a green napkin.

I didn't have quite enough settings though so used my Royal Albert Dimity Rose china with pink napkins for the places at the ends of the table.

The wrapped gift (in coordinating colours!) at each setting served as a placecard...they were boxes of tealights.

Each guest received a different scent.

I created a spring-themed centerpiece using a mama duck and her two babies.  I placed them in a large shallow bowl with sand, pebbles and blue glass beads to represent a little pond. 

I put some fresh and faux greenery around the bottom of the bowl.

The view from the otherside of the table.

 I placed a vase of Gerbera daisies (look too pink in pic but were actually same colour as placemats) and yellow tulips on a felt butterfly placemat on each side of the centerpiece. 

 A vase with coloured beads and a floating candle fill the space in between.

Guests relaxed with a refreshing vanilla vodka punch while we waited for everyone to arrive.

I borrowed these lemon/lime glasses from my Mom.

You know how you always have the little teacups/saucers that go with dish sets but they seldom get used?

I saw this idea in a magazine and went with it.

  Our first course, was Cream of Potato Dill Soup.

Next course was Asian Sesame Salad.

 I wish I could photograph food better (or rather, I wish I could cook better-looking food!) I made Mushroom Frittata with stir-fried veggies on the side as our entree.  It tasted better than it looks!

For dessert, Raspberry Trifle. 

I did put candles on this and my Mom carried it in so the others could sing "Happy Birthday" to me!

Trifle never looks good once served but I wanted to show you that I used my purple compote dishes.

 It was a fun luncheon and even though I was the one serving, my guests made me feel special and I had a wonderful birthday!

Thanks for bearing with me through all my pics and notations!

Be sure to check out Between Naps on the Porch for the terrific Tablescape Thursday entries!