Independence Day Table

It's time to plan a Fourth of July cookout!

Actually the planning started last August when I bought these Ralph Lauren Hampton's Flag salad plates.  The ceramic votives on clearance at Sur La Table were the perfect match.  I wish I'd bought a couple more.

The napkins on the dinner table and the plaid ones pretending to be a tablecloth on the bistro table are both part of the Oh My Stars Americana Collection by DII, from Amazon.com.

The Stars & Stripes tapestry-weave runner was a freebie!   One time when Hubby was out of town, the hotel where he was staying had a raffle for a gift basket where you just had to drop your business card in the pot to enter.  Hubby won.  It was a really big, sturdy oval basket with a handle, stuffed with goodies. Besides the runner, there was a Stars & Stripes barbeque apron and mitt,  barbeque utensils, a gift box of various barbeque sauces and marinades, an electric ice cream maker,  red insulated drink mugs, and a rattan picnic basket with table service for four.  There may have been more stuff, but that's all I remember.  Lol, he had to bring it home on the plane.  This was years ago.  Nowadays Homeland Security would have had a fit, and he'd also have to pay a carry-on fee.

I think that's it for the "new" stuff.   The plates are Mikasa Italian Countryside, the red and blue chargers are Fiestaware. Stemware is Mikasa French Countryside and Dollar Tree.

Flatware is Reed & Barton Crescendo II, the mercury glass hurricanes are Andrea By Sadek and the red vase is from Michaels.

Time for fireworks.

I'll be joining Cuisine Kathleen  for Let's Dish, and
Between Naps on the Porch  for Tablescape Thursday

At the Beach

This week I'm taking Kathleen's challenge to set a table with "At the beach" as the theme.

I was happy for the chance to use the Sonoma Life & Style Seaside dinnerware and glassware I got on clearance last summer at Kohl's.

They had a variety of square and round dinnerware pieces to choose from, as well as the sculpted shell pieces.

The aqua glass vase filler, shells and resin starfish came from Big Lots.  I glued some of the shells onto wooden craft napkin rings.   One of these days I'll find some affordable aqua flatware, but today we'll use the San Remo by Hampton Signature.   The napkins are DII and the chargers are by Jay Imports, both from Amazon.

I had these candle holders in my cart at Amazon for months, but they were a little pricey for as seldom as I'd use them.   Then one day they notified me that "an item in your cart has been reduced."  They were about two-thirds off, so I snatched them up.  They're Baroque, but when I look at them I see seashells and waves and kelp swaying underwater.   I just checked, and they've gone back up in price. 

The glasses are full of underwater bubbles.  I like how the aqua shells and starfish are formed separately and pressed into the molten glass.

I borrowed the "treasure chest" basket from the sun room.  I have no idea where it came from, but I'd guess it probably held flowers from the florist.  I usually keep a potted plant in it.

The "blue hour" reflected in the pool...

Dinnertime!  I hope you enjoyed your day at the beach.

I'll be joining Cuisine Kathleen for Let's Dish, and Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.