...family, friends, home and other tidbits of a blessed life

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Dreaming... a beach tablescape



 
Welcome to landlocked Lubbock, where it's just a wee bit difficult to conjure up anything with a beach theme!

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At first I thought of something a la Margaritaville. But then... I didn't think I could pull that off.

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And then I thought of a picnic on a tropical beach. Well, you could just imagine the face my dear, sweet husband would make if I had a truckload of white sand brought in. Let's just say, I'd be changing residences. Probably into something with a straight jacket.....

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So we are gong to keep him happy and let him have this view...

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While the rest of us luxuriate with a beautiful sunset on the beach in Hawaii. How's that for dreaming?

 I wanted to create a fun, happy feeling, so I brought in lots of color and many textural elements.


 Can you believe I found these fun, colored, eternal ice cubes at the Dollar tree? And the exotic drink containers with straws, and leis too!!


 Wrapping a darker green cloth napkin in this fun, colorful parott napkins and then holding them together with a napkin ring made up of bits and pieces of shells certainly carries the theme right to the lap!


 Fun dinnerware certainly played well into the theme. Mikasa's leaf dinner plate on the fun woven charger/placemats grounds the dishes. Then I topped that with a colorful salad plate from Pier One. Doesn't the hibiscus remind you of Hawaii? Topped those with a white clam shell dish for the appetizer.



Because the table is quite full, I placed the rattan flatware on the top. 


Used an existing hurricane and filled it with shells and a white candle. See my beach hat? Of course I'll need to have that in Hawaii... right? And our leis.. well everyone needs one. I still remember the smell of the plumeria from my trip there. Heaven!!


Love the ferns on this hurricane, it just blends so well with the tropical theme going on.
Pinning these grass skirts around a table covered with burlap certainly makes it all seem a bit more beachy!

 I've had fun trying to give us a bit of a beachy feel in our own backyard. I guess you would call this a staycation?

 I just love the conch shells with their pink insides. They just make me smile.

 The candlelight is working it's magic. What do you think?



Cast:
Placemats - World Market
Dinner Plates - Daylight by Mikasa
Salad Plates - Fun Floral from Pier One
Shell appetizer plates - unknown
Short water glasses - Riedel
Exotic drink glasses - Dollar Tree
Flatware - Cambridge; Horchow's
Napkins - green: World Market; Parrot: World Market
Napkin Rings - Pier One
White shell votives - CTS
Large hurricane - Tuesday Morning
Hat; leis, ice cubes, beach ball, grass skirts - Dollar Tree


I am joining up with Cuisine Kathleen for her party - Let's Dish on Wednesday evenings.. and then promptly on to Susan's at Between Naps on the Porch. Hope to see you there, I promise there will be some lively tables this week!

40 comments:

allisamazing said...

Love your table! I can just see myself sitting on a beach sipping a pina colda :)

Unknown said...

Looks beautiful and beachy to me. LOVE it all - I am especially loving those dishes -- having withdrawls since I've been on a self imposed *no-new-dishes* restriction :)

Blessings!
Gail

Tricia said...

Adorable, Marlis! I'm impressed with how beach-y you've made Lubbock look! The grass skirt is really the piece de resistance, but I love the layered plates, too.

Yvonne @ StoneGable said...

Marlis, You did create a fun beachy feel! I love all your attention to island detail. What a great idea for a tableskirt!!! I'm tucking so many of those ideas away. Okay, I'm ready for a fruity island drink with an umbrella and the limbo line!

The Tablescaper said...

Marlis:

You did an outstanding job of beating the heat! Something cold and icy please!

- The Tablescaper

Kuby said...

Oh the sea is so cooling and wonderful! I am blessed to live by the sea. Your tablescape is refreshing and beautiful. I love the grass skirt on your table and those wonderful wicker chairs.

Alycia Nichols said...

That is one heck of a staycation, lady!!! I could definitely go for that! LOVE the way you added the grass skirt! That's a sexy little addition that really gives the table added oomph! With just a bit of a breeze it would bring the table completely to life! I like the way you paired the Mikasa "Daylight" with the Pier 1 "Fiji" plates! Very good match up! You and I have both of those sets in common, but I'm sure I never would have thought to put them together. Good call! FUN Dollar Tree stuff to round out the look!

xinex said...

I love your Hawaiian beach tablescape, Marlis. So colorful and love all the florals on it...Christine

Mary said...

I love your Staycation Dining~ I'm dreaming of dining on a beach in Maui too! What fun layers with your Mikasa and Pier 1 plates, napkins, down to the grass skirted table! I love popping in Dollar Tree to see what's in store. Gorgeous conch shells by candlelight!

Scribbler said...

This is the cutest thing! One could almost completely forget that this is Lubbock. Now we need a photo of you in Hawaii. After I saw this post this a.m. I thought maybe I should dig up one of me. It was so long ago, no one would recognize me. Maybe I need to go back... to that little grass shack...

Sorry -- I got carried away. Great table!

RhondaBuss said...

Makes me think of being in Galveston. Hope you're not burning up in the summer heat.

Entertaining Women said...

This table reminds me of the luau birthday parties that we used to put together in high school...so many happy, fun memories. With the grass skirt, maybe you should call it a swaycation...yuk, yuk, yuk. Thanks for inviting us for a peak. Cherry Kay

Linda @ A La Carte said...

This is such a cute table! It does remind me of a luau! Fun!!

kitty@ Kitty's Kozy Kitchen said...

That is just gorgeous, yet fun, too! The grass skirt just really sets the stage for a fun party atmosphere. I love how you used some DT things. Your stack of dishes is incredible. The hurricane is beautiful. Who says we can't have a beach theme in Texas??!!

Anonymous said...

Marlis,
I think this is the perfect beach tablescape. Love those beverge containers with the straw.

Bonnie said...

I think it is just darling. So festive and colorful. I would love to be there.

A Cottage in the Clouds said...

I can hear the slack-key guitars and ukeleles and feel the tropical breeze as we dine on the lanai of your ocean-view room! Very cute table. Love the hula skirt. Well done!

Yellow Rose Arbor said...

Well, you did a great job bringing the beach (and Hawaii!) to Texas! Love the grass skirt around the burlap! The dishes are so pretty! Nice details!

Katherine

Jocelyn said...

Wow Marlis, what a beautiful and beachy scene. Great job to beat the heat.

Jocelyn @
http://justalittlesouthernhospitality.blogspot.com/

Linda (More Fun Less Laundry) said...

Hi Marlis, I have never been to Hawaii, but this is just the way I imagine it to be--bright colors and cool drinks. Those Mikasa dishes always catch my eye. All those details like the grass skirt and the hat and the napkin rings are perfect touches. Can you do the hula? It's supposed to be great exercise! We are just beginning a heat/humidity wave and I do not like this type of weather, so I don't think I would do well in Texas. :( My daughter just came back from a wedding in Austin where she found out what real heat is like! Have a nice day and stay cool in your tropical paradise! Linda

suzyq said...

What a great table!! I have never seen ice cubes like that before - I'm sure I get around with my eyes closed most of the time!!
Suzyq

Linda @ Life and Linda said...

Truly beachy and tropical. I love the dollar store...The grass skirt is adorable. Great finds to create this lovely table.

Jewel Sauls said...

So cute! Love it in both daylight and candlelight!!! The grass skirt really gave it the Hawaii fell along with the hibiscus!

Debbie said...

That adorable grass skirt was the first thing that I noticed on the table. That's such a great idea, and I'll remember it. I thought the whole table was just perfect and looked like a tropical getaway.

Which made me want to get all tropical and get away.

ellen b. said...

Oh what fun. I love your tropical table. The colors are great and using that grass skirt made a great effect! Happy Summer to you!

Tammy @ A Walk in the Countryside said...

I love your tablescape! It looks so fun and inviting! Thanks for sharing! ~Tammy

Robin said...

This definetely one of my favorites this week. I love the Hawaiianness (I just made that word up) of it. The grass skirt is an idea I've been wanting to try. Dollar Tree has a ton of tropical stuff. I would love to sip a mai tai at that table!

Robin
Robin Flies South

Diane said...

Marlis, you have created Hawaii in your backyard! Those grass skirts on the table are adorable. I love the hibiscus plates (I tried to grow those once and I should have just stuck to plates - lol!). I love the evening shot - very romatic! Great job!

Marigene said...

What a fun table...you can't get an island feeling without a grass skirt!

FABBY'S LIVING said...

Fabulous, fabulous Marlis!! You outdid yourself with this amazing BEACH TABLE my friend! Loving the dishes you used here, each one from your great layers! The table skirt really did it and put a very special touch and very unique..WOW!
Hugs,
FABBY

Elaine said...

You have created a beach table with a capital B! Takes me right back to the Hawaiian islands. The grass skirt is adorable!

Nellie's Cozy Place said...

Hi Marlis,
Love your Hawaaian luau look. Very cute and colorful. Absolutely love those floral plates so pretty.
Loved all your dreaming ideas too,
very cute and creative.
Hope you are doing well hon, and thanks for coming by and for your sweet comments.
Blessings, Nellie

Kathleen said...

Aloha! I love the table skirt, what fun! This is such a cheerful table, those tropical drinks sound great on a hot day!
A little Jimmy Buffet music and we will all be up dancing!
Thanks for linking to Let's Dish!

Jacqueline~Cabin and Cottage said...

We do what we must so far from the beach! But this is so fun! That clever skirt impressed me immediately. Your table is completely captivating. I'm so glad you took those night shots. Enchanting! And what a wonderful comment you left for me. I appeciate it so much. Stay cool!

Diann said...

What a fun and lovely tablescape all in one! You did a great job taking us to Hawaii!

Savannah Granny said...

Marlis, I love your staycation. I was expecting the hula girls any moment.
Love you dinnerware and I absolutely love the napkin rings.
The grass skirts were a neat idea. Thanks for bringing the tropics to us.
Hugs, Ginger

Susan Hawthorne said...

What a great idea for the tablecloth.I am sure you can hear the ocean while sitting at that table!!! Imagination is great!

Ivy and Elephants said...

I love it! You really know how to rock a staycation! It is fun and relaxed, just what a vacation should be. Like the way you think outside the box!
We'd like to have you link to the party and share.
Hugs,
Patti

Judy Biggerstaff said...

You did an excellent job on your beach theme Marlis, looks beachy to me and the grass skirt is perfect. Lots of detail going on here, thanks.

Pinky at Designs by Pinky said...

Yes, this IS magical! I love it all. But then I love anything beachy or tropical!!! I DREAM of being at the beach:) XO, Pinky

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