Sunday is for Seafood Tablescape

Welcome to Sunday dinner. Yep, we are having seafood. A bit of salmon, grilled with a touch of Tangelo - yummy.

I pulled out my plates with the seashell edges, fish flatware, the trusty ferns that haven't croaked are still thriving, some candles and put this together while the grill masters were watching the salmon with an eagle eye!

I like using a charger just because it gives a nice finish to the plates. When using a tablecloth, they are almost a necessity to preserving its pristine condition. Usually when I use chargers, I can reuse a tablecloth with at most a minimal spot cleaning.

I should have taken a picture with the candles lit. But by that time, I was deep into dessert and assemblying the crepes filled with marscapone/Tuaca cream and strawberries, overwhich was drizzled a few dashes of Nutella. Trust me on this one.. YUM!!

I had picked up the seashells at CTS on one of my trips to Dallas. I'm not quite as lucky as the Tablescaper and the rest of the CTS queens, I miss those fabulous bargains they come across. But I do love these!

I have had these dishes for a decade at least. Love the shell edges.

This is my one big score! I was in Savers a long while back. And there hanging on the peg hooks were 3 packages of these bamboo looking rings. All clamped together. $1.99 for them all. I have 21 of those rings. The package said Curtain Ring. I said Napkin Ring! They sure look great with the Tommy Bahama napkins, don't they?

Both the hurricane and the wine glasses have a luscious blue tint and a delightful wrapped stem. Found at our local grocery store - sorry no markings.

The pale green salads were a great accent that picked up the green in the napkins and lived well with the ferns that were on the table. The fish flatware was a gift from my mother decades ago, from WMF.

I do love how the rattan and bamboo pieces blend together so favorably. If an element is repeated more than once, it gives purpose to using it.

Cast:

Chargers - World Market

Dinner Plates - TJ Maxx - San Marco, Made In Italy

Salad Plates - TJ Maxx

Napkings - Tommy Bahama via Stein Mart

Napkin Rings - Curtain rings from Savers

Flatware - WMF

Glasses and Hurricane - United Market Street

Seashell Votives - Christmas Tree Shop, Dallas

Ferns - alive by the grace of God

I'm joining Cuisine Kathleen for Let's Dish Wednesday evening and Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.

Wishing it was Summer tablescape with Citrus Salsa recipe

I'm recycling! I know I've been absent a bit lately, lots going on right now. And in the midst of all of the personal drama (gotta love your kids regardless!), we had a bit of an issue with the plumbing outside and our backyard was dug up in spots. Hope you enjoy looking at this post from the summer of 2010!

It's hot. Appetites wane. It's hot. Nobody wants to cook! But a great find at the Dollar Tree makes the heat seem not as bad. I walked in last week and saw fabric place mats. Lime green with white polka dots. They were destined to go home with me that day! I mean lime green with white polka dots, who could forgo such a find?? Really now. I had a set of white plates. Then the fun began. Welcome and join me for a cool dinner on the patio.


Dinner plates: Wedgwood Windsor pattern. These dishes have become a staple. The just play well in all different 'sandboxes'. The salad plates came from TJMaxx and are labeled Summer 2010. Oh did I mention the place mats were just a dollar each?

These colorful plates came in yellow, lime green, turquoise and orange. Still looking for additional turquoise plates.


Picked up a bouquet of flowers at the grocery store. They came with the glitter already on them. The dyed colors matched so well with the dishes and table!


Turquoise napkins tied with a lime gingham ribbon. Napkins - Stein Mart. Stitches - Bernina. Thread - Isacord. Napkins are a perfect way to show off those sewing machine stitches. Pick threads in your favorite colors, use an Organ embroidery needle and make sure to wind a bobbin in the same thread! This will ensure that your napkins look equally good on both the front and back sides.

Do you recognize the stitches? Stitches from a Bernina 730 - lime green: #427 as is; orange: #411 SW 5.9, SL 1.71; yellow: #711 SW 5.1, SL 3.01.



The green 'vase' is actually a larger votive candle holder purchased at Big Lots. I loved the green color and the resemblance to mercury glass.


Our margarita stemware was purchased last year at World Market. Instead of having a dark blue ring, this set has the lighter turquoise rim and base.


Once again the fish dinnerware from WMF. Sadly, it's no longer available. The whimsy lends itself well to the festive table.


A citrus salsa served on a bed of lettuce. Grilled Trout with jalapeno mayonnaise. Parselied potatoes. Healthy, yummy and is a great meal for a still very warm evening.



Indulge in a margarita of choice. Over ice or served blended with ice. Perfectly cool. The lime of the drink plays nicely off the lime in the place mats!


And if you gather all the stuff above.... then you too can make the citrus salsa and jalapeno mayonnaise.


Citrus Salsa from the Ultimate Grill Book.

1 large grapefruit, white membrane removed, cut into bite-size pieces
2 large oranges, white membrane removed, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped*
2 T lime juice
2 T orange juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 t sugar
Salt to taste.

Mix all ingredients. Can be made ahead and used the next day.
*Mr. Picky-eater doesn't like tomatoes. So I courteously omit these and serve them sliced on the side. ;~)

*Update: This is Regan's momma. We do miss her coming around. She was such a dainty little thing.
Miss Priss lies in the "outer rim", close enough to be a part of the group, but far enough away that no one could possibly touch her! She is just waiting patiently for a taste of trout and I can't say I blame her. She's also asking you to run on over to Susan's Tablescape Thursday! It's a fun place to be inspired to use the things you have... just click the graphic below.

A Soft Sea tablescape

A soft Sea washed around the House

A Sea of Summer Air

 And rose and fell the magic Planks

That sailed without a care --

For Captain was the Butterfly

 For Helmsman was the Bee

And an entire universe

 For the delighted crew. 

~~~A soft Sea washed around the House by Emily Dickinson

 It's so warm!! No, it's really downright HOT!!! Outside tables are really wishful thinking

on my part. So the rule for the summer has been KISS - Keep It Simple Silly.

 One tablecloth, 4 chargers, 4 napkins (aren't these by Tommy Bahama cute?), 4 napkin rings

4 dinner plates, 4 salad plates, 4 goblets, 4 seafood forks, 4 placesettings of flatware

4 tea light holders, 1 large hurricane, and a hand full of seashells.

Equals onne quick impromptu dinner set in a jiffy!

Cast:

Tablecloth and napkins - Stein Mart albeit different vintages

Chargers - Pier One or World Market

Napkin Rings - Pier One

Dinner Plates - TJ Maxx; many years ago

Starfish plates - TJ Maxx

Silver seafood forks - WMF

Stainless seafood flatware - WMF

Hurricane and goblets - United Market Street Grocery Store years ago

Shell tea-light holders - CTS Dallas

Shells - Michael's years ago

Thank you. I'm honored you spent some of your precious time with me today, I do hope you'll come back again soon, I just love company! I also had Random.org draw a winner from last week's Garden Party posting!

So who is #10 and what did they win? Well a set of six of the cute place card holders from the post!

Carolina Jewel.. if you will contact me by email with a mailing address, I will ship them off to you this week!

I'll be linking up to Tablescape Thursdays at Between Naps on the Porch 

and

Seasonal Sundays at the Tablescaper's.

See ya there!