Tablescape Thursday: A Shabby Chic Easter

This is how much God loved the world: He gave His Son, His one and only Son.  And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in Him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. 
John 3:16 (The Message)

With Easter quickly approaching, I decided to share a few pics of last year's "Shabby Chic Easter" tables. 

I'll start with the table in my formal dining. 



I used a cream color tablecloth to set a neutral background, but there seemed like there needed to be a little more "oomph" to it.  So I layered a sheet of green tulle (left over from the baby shower I had hosted) over the top, scrunched up here & there.  I like the extra sheen & color it added.


The fairly simple centerpiece consisted of a couple of shabby chic bird cages (one containing a nest & the other eggs) & some fresh flowers scattererd around the table.  (I didn't have small glass vases, so I actually used ice cream dishes!)






A scrolled iron charger grounds each place setting. 
Cream, pale yellow, & light green dishes are mixed together, & a bird's nest rests in the bowl.





I used my clear, acrylic flatware (that you've seen so many times!).


And because my little 4 year old nephew was coming, this place setting got some special "kiddie-size" flatware, too.  (It's actually a little appetizer fork & spoon).

A small cream colored bird cage, holding a tealight candle, also adorns each place setting.



The silver-rimmed goblet holds a sage green napkin & place card, tied with raffia, along with a faux egg.
{Click here for a little tutorial on the place cards.}

For my second table, in my breakfast nook, I used my bird's nest chargers, followed by the same green,  yellow, & cream dishes, again rotating the order of the colors at each place setting.  (I have to admit, looking back now, this table desperately needed a tablecloth!).
  A sage green napkin is adorned with a bird cage napkin ring (each one is a little different), while the acrylic flatware rests casually in the bowl.





A glass goblet with white polkadots contains a few faux eggs & the place card.

Because there was no room for a centerpiece, only a set of bunny salt & pepper shakers sits in the middle.....


 .....but a shabby chic pitcher serves as a side piece, holding a bouquet of fresh flowers.

Table #1:
scrolled iron chargers - Gracious Goods/Horchow
yellow & green dishes - Isabella Collection/JC Penney
cream dishes - Chris Madden/JC Penney
acrylic flatware - Walmart
silver rimmed goblets - Dillards
bird cage tealight holders & bird cages - Michael's


Table #2:
bird nest chargers & bird cage napkin rings- Pottery Barn
dishes & flatware  - same as table #1
polka dot goblets - Target
pitcher - Garden Ridge
salt & pepper shakers - Hobby Lobby

Thanks for stopping by.  I'm linking with Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday, French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday, How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday, A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday, All Things Heart & Home for All Things Inspired, & The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays.  Be sure to check them out & be inspired!

Stop back by next Thursday, when I reveal this year's Easter "vintage-inspired" tablescape! 

Tablescape Thursday: Winter's End

"As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease."  Genesis 8:22 (NIV)

February is winding down, which means winter is coming to an end.  Okay, so I know that winter isn't technically over until the 3rd week of March, but it my mind, once March hits, it's spring!  And boy do I have spring fever this year!  This has been one crazy winter....a week or so ago we had about a foot of snow, and then the last couple days we hit 80*.  That's Oklahoma for ya!  And this little taste of spring has left me wanting more! 

So this past weekend as I was packing up the last of my winter decorations (okay, I'll admit it, I still had a couple Christmasy things out!  Eek!), I decided that before I get out all my spring decor, I'd throw together one more wintery tablescape to signify the end of winter & the beginning of spring.   And when I say "throw together," I think this was the fastest I've ever put a tablescape together!  Usually I play around with it for a long time, sometimes hours, but this time, I just started throwing things on the table, & liked the way it looked right away!





 

(You'll have to forgive my wrinkled tablecloth!  Remember, I threw this together.  No time for ironing!)

I started by grabbing a couple of lanterns from our front porch.  I actually have 3 sizes, but decided I only needed the smaller 2 for my tablescape.  I LOVE these lanterns.  When I got them last fall, I attached some greenery with burlap ribbon, added a candle, and set them on our front porch, surrounded by pumpkins & gourds.  When Thanksgiving was over, I simply added some red berries to the greenery & surrounded the candles with faux cranberries, and they were ready for winter!  Now that winter is coming to an end, I'll be replacing the lanterns with a fountain that my hubby is putting together.  Since I was bringing them in anyway, I figured I might as well display them on my table for a few days.

Then I surrounded the lanterns with some "snowy" bird nests & greenery.  Even though they're snowy, the nests remind me that spring is just around the corner.

And, of course, I had to use my bird nest chargers....again to symbolize the changing of the seasons.

I chose to use my snowflake salad plates atop cream color dinner plates.  The edges of the dinner plates kind of remind me of snowflakes, too. 

The light green napkins tie in the color of the greenery & help to give the plates some definition. 

A little sprig of berries adds a pop of color to the neutral palette.

And because this time of year around here, you never know whether you'll need an iced tea or some hot cocoa, there's a goblet & a mug to quench either thirst.  A coordinating napkin, in a light tan color, is tucked inside the mug for a little extra pizzazz.

And my very favorite thing about this tablescape is that I didn't have to buy a thing........it was already stuff I had around the house.  (Hmm, maybe that's why it came together so fast!)

I hope you've enjoyed this "Winter's End" tablescape as much as I enjoyed putting it together. 

Tablecloth - Ross

Lanterns - The Market in OKC (Pottery Barn has the exact same ones, but I have to admit, they're about 2x as much as I paid!)

Greenery/Burlap Ribbon - The Market in OKC

Berry Picks - Hobby Lobby

Snowy Birds Nests - Affair of the Heart in OKC

Bird Nests Chargers - Pottery Barn

Green Napkins/Tan Napkins - Burlington

Cream Dinner Plates - Chris Madden Home Collection/JC Penney

Snowflake Salad Plates - GG (Gracious Goods) Collection/Horchow

Silverware - GG Collection/Horchow

Goblets - GG Collection/Ebay (Horchow also has them)

Mugs - GG Collection/Horchow

I'm joining with Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.  Check them out to see all the beautiful tablescapes.