Mexico On My Mind

Ever since Cinco de Mayo became commercially popular in the United States, I have wanted to celebrate it. I'm not quite sure why. I'm not Mexican. But I do love to visit Mexico. I also like Mexican food and drinks. Any excuse to have a pretty party, right?

During a trip to Playa del Carmen, I bought a beautiful hand embroidered blanket. It was love at first sight and I HAD to have it. Well, lots of dollars and several years later, the blanket was still folded in the closet. Until now.

Bienvenido! Tonight we're having an intimate Cinco de Mayo celebration on the lower patio. What do you think of the tablecloth? Yep. That's the blanket. Do you love it like I do? And to answer your questions about why it's been in a closet, it's a little too colorful for my usual decorating style. But I love it nonetheless.

We're only set for three tonight (because I didn't feel like dragging out a bigger table...sorry) but I have settings for four. I found these gorgeous talavera style salad plates on clearance at Marshall's recently. The yellow dinner plates were Goodwill finds. They are originally from Crate and Barrel. Margarita glasses (can't leave out those), beaded flatware, white napkins and red napkin rings round out the place settings. Because the table is small, I just used small colorful votives instead of a centerpiece.

Here's a closer look at the plates. I hope I can find some more!

If I had a bigger table, this would be the centerpiece. The lanterns were part of the centerpieces on our wedding reception tables almost nine years ago.

This patio is normally decorated with a cabin/camp feel. I replaced the fishing creel on the ladder with a sombrero and some tissue paper sunflowers. Don't look too closely at the sunflowers. I made them in about five minutes. The sombrero was a Dollar Tree find. Our six-year-old son has asked me repeatedly when he can have the "umbrello." Am I the only one who thinks that's cute?

*Carol at Serendipity asked how I made the sunflowers. I should clarify that the flowers in the tin bucket are real. The flowers on the ladder are tissue. I made them by following this tutorial. I used four sheets of yellow and three sheets of black (cut shorter) for the center. I tied them off in the center with floral wire. Hope this helps!*

A proper fiesta goes into the night (so I say). This is my attempt to create a dreamy, nighttime feel. We had a Halloween party last year and strung these lights under the porch. I love how they look at night and they illuminate the patio perfectly. I dream of a backyard party with these and paper lanterns strung over the tables. Sigh. Maybe one day....

Thank you for stopping by! Seal says hi! Please visit all of the other great tablescapes at Between Naps on the Porch's Tablescape Thursday. Come again!

Al Fresco on a Budget

Before I get into my tablescape for Susan's super fantastic Tablescape Thursday, I want all of you to know that I REALLY want to do more than just tablescapes. Don't get me wrong, I love tablescaping, but my main goal for this blog is to showcase my decorating projects around our house (why I named the blog House Affairs). The problem is that our house is for sale (if any of you want to move to Marietta, GA, I'll make you a deal!) and I'm not changing anything right now. I hope (pray, fingers crossed, the whole nine yards) that we will move this summer, at which time I can get into decorating/remodeling a new home. But in the meantime, I'm having a lot of fun with my tablescapes. It helps keep my mind off of our house situation and the best part is we get to take it all with us when we move!

Since we are planning a move this summer, I am on a strict budget. When I told dear hubs that I was shopping for a new tablescape, he groaned. "I promise," I said. "I will keep it under $20." That's pretty reasonable, right? I did better than $20 but I'll wait to tell you the total.

Please join me on the deck for lunch.

The moment I saw these gorgeous tangerine roses, I knew I had to plan a table around them. Must Have Roses. Must Do Orange and Turquoise Table. I was on a mission. Keep in mind, I only had $20 to work with. The roses were spray roses, so they had multiple blooms per stem. I picked up a bunch of them that had just been marked down to $3.99 at Kroger. Score!

I knew I wanted to do a table on the deck, so I had to work around the umbrella. I found circular floral foam at Dollar Tree. I cut it in half and soaked it in water (although I'm not so sure this foam is really meant for fresh flowers). Then I cut the blooms down leaving about an inch of stem and poked them in the foam until it was covered on top and around the sides. I put a paper plate under the foam so it wouldn't soak the "tablecloth." I think this ring would also be beautiful around a glass hurricane. Or it could go under a cake stand to make a unique "riser" for a cake.

Um...yeah...the tablecloth. Also known as a white sheet. I found it in a box in the garage. We used to have it hanging as a partition in our (previously) unfinished basement. I cut a slit up one side so it would fit around the umbrella. Then I took some orange fabric I found at Goodwill for $3 and made strips to hide the split. I didn't have time to hem the strips so I just ironed under the unfinished edges (now you know all of my secrets).

On my hunt for turquoise colored things, I remembered these cute acrylic plates and bowls at Dollar Tree. Guess what?!? They were marked down to 50 cents a piece! I got four place settings for $4! Score again! Then I went on a hunt for cheap turquoise napkins. Well, I didn't find napkins exactly, but I did get these fat quarters at Walmart for $1 each. I'll hem them up later so I can really use them as napkins, but for now they are actually pieces of fabric in glasses. Oh, well. See the magic of photography? If I hadn't told you, you'd never know. But I am under full disclosure today. And of course I have to note Seal the Weimaraner's appearance. Once again, she got tired of following me.

So let's go over what I spent today. I'm not counting the glasses, flatware and white sheet since I already had them. $4 for napkins, $3 for orange fabric, $3.99 for flowers, $5 for floral foam, plates and bowls. $15.99 + tax! Dear hubs can breathe easy. For now! :)

Thanks for stopping by! Please visit all of the other great tablescapes at Between Naps On the Porch's Tablescape Thursday! I'm a little late to join the party, but I'm also linking up to Woo Hoo! Wednesday at Always Nesting. Thanks for inviting me, Marla!

Coming Up Daisies

Hi, everyone! I'm back! We had a very enjoyable Easter and Spring Break. Hope you all did, too! During our vacation to North Carolina, I had every intention of doing some tablescapes at my parents' houses, but you know how that goes...too much to do, too many people to visit, and too little time. My mother and stepmother both have some pretty impressive tableware, so hopefully I can try again sometime.

If you live in the South (especially GA) you know you can't escape the pollen! As allergic as I am to pollen, I am still glad it's here because with it comes flowers! So this week's tablescape is dedicated to flowers. Specifically to gerbera daisies, my favorite spring annual.

I found these cute gerbera daisy plates at Big Shanty Antique Market in Kennesaw, GA recently. While they are not old, they caught my eye because of the daisies.

I really wanted grass place mats or runners, but since those were NOWHERE to be found (I didn't try online because I didn't have time) I went with coordinating straw mats. I was lucky enough to find them for each plate color at Bed, Bath and Beyond. Blue.

Orange.

Pink.

And yellow. I found the cute flower napkin rings at Hobby Lobby. They came in a set of four and instead of a yellow flower, it is green. But it's close enough. I've had the aluminum tumblers for years and thought they added some color. I didn't have an orange one, so I substituted silver. Again, it works. I layered the salad plates with plain white dinner plates I got a few years ago from World Market.

For the centerpiece, I used a candelier (also found at Big Shanty Antique Market), mini frosted glass flowerpot tea lights, and gerbera daisy plants. I bought three plants in all that I'll plant in the yard tomorrow. Hopefully they won't die. I can decorate all day long, but unfortunately I wasn't blessed with a green thumb!

A flower close-up for good measure.

Notice anything different? I traded the tumblers for the glass goblets. I got them this morning at Dollar Tree. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure they are new arrivals. For a dollar a piece, they don't look too shabby! Which do you like better? The aluminum tumblers or the glasses?

Also, I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce you to our furry child, Seal. See her sacked out on the floor in the background? She finally got tired of following me around. She's a ten-year-old Weimaraner. If you've ever had one or known one, then you know they rarely just go lie down! Or maybe ours is just neurotic...kinda like us!

Thanks for joining me today! Please visit Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for more great tablescapes!

For the Birds

I have always loved birds. Maybe it's because I grew up on Cardinal Loop. In our previous homes, I had feeders. I would now, if not for our plans to move. (Our neighbors are avid bird enthusiasts, so they take very good care of the birds.) I would have a bird as a pet if I knew our dog wouldn't eat it. Eww. Anyway, when I saw the Brown Bird Toile dinnerware from Andrea by Sadek, I fell in love.

Please join me in the kitchen for a casual dinner.

I only bought the bird toile salad plates, because already had the cream dinnerware to compliment them. The cream dinnerware is our everyday dinnerware from Bombay (RIP). The rattan chargers came from Walmart for $3 each. Hopefully the stain isn't toxic! I used simple flatware by Gibson with a beaded edge pattern and plain Riedel stemware. The cream napkins are a Goodwill find. Six for about $3! Washed, ironed, and good to go!

I love the detail! Each plate has a slightly different scene.

For the centerpiece, I shopped the house to find bird/natural pieces. I used my new glass cloche with a nest and my bronze bird. You can read about my cloche project here. I borrowed the faux fern from another room to put on the barley twist pedestal. I normally don't like fake flowers and plants, but I can't keep an indoor fern alive to save my life. My talents are few and gardening isn't one of them. I'll just stick to tablescaping for now!

Thank you for coming by! Please visit Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday to view more beautiful tables.

Easter's On Its Way

We are hosting my husband's family for Easter lunch this year and I wanted to set an extra-special table. Since tablescaping seems to be a newfound hobby, I can't let them down.

Welcome to Easter lunch.

I fell in love with the Bordallo Pinheiro dishes the first time I saw them. After my awesome thrifty find of the cabbage soup tureen and bowls (read about that here), I broke down and bought the green dinner plates and bowl at Ross. Couldn't stop there. Nooo-oh. I had to have the pink salad plates, too. As luck would have it, I found a great deal on them on eBay. They just arrived today (yes, I washed them before I put them out, thankyouverymuch).

In addition to the new plates and bowls, I purchased the placemats to accent the pink at JC Penny. I used our wedding crystal (Miller Rogaska, Soho Platinum) and flatware (Lenox Federal Platinum). We won't be having wine for lunch, but the table looked naked with just one glass.

I feel like now's the time to let you know that I DEEPLY regret not registering for real silver. I also kinda wish I didn't pick out crystal with a metallic rim, but I don't want to complain too much! At least we have it, right? For that I'm very thankful!

This is a better look at the pink plates.

I found these cute egg picks at Michaels. I alternated pink and green and stuck them in napkin pockets. Have you noticed the tablecloth? My grandmother crocheted it for us when we got married. She made it to fit our table perfectly. Guess we can never get a new table!

I had to include my bunny with his basket full of Easter joys! I placed him on some paper leaves and put some reproduction vintage eggs in his basket.

A view of Bunny's eggs.

I scattered my bunny tealights around the table.

My mom gave me this little crystal bunny. I put him at big bunny's feet.

Now that I have the table set, I need to plan my menu. Anything that requires the least amount of cooking sounds good to me!

Thank you for stopping by! If you're not coming from Susan's, please visit her at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday!

Rainy Day Sunshine

We are having a yuck, blah day here in Georgia. So I thought I would bring some sunshine inside and onto the table. Please join me for a springtime brunch...

I used a yellow, blue and white color scheme for the table today. I love this combination. It's so cheery.

The only thing I purchased new for this tablescape were the daffodils. Unfortunately (or fortunately...keep reading), I do not have them growing in my yard like many of my neighbors. There is a beautiful old farmhouse down the street with a field of daffodils out front, but I just couldn't bring myself to knock on the door. "Excuse me, sir, but do you mind if I cut your field of daffodils?" I'm outgoing and everything, but that crosses the line, even for me. So off to Kroger I went.

After I set the table, my eyes started watering and my throat got tight. Oh, no. I'm allergic to the daffodils! Same thing happens with lilies. So, I took a Zyrtec (good stuff) and now I'm fine. Who knew tablescaping is a health hazard?

For the place setting, I used plain white dinner plates and cobalt blue salad plates from World Market. The cup and saucer are from my Oneida Basketweave set. I found the blue butterfly napkin rings almost 10 years ago at Walmart. The cobalt champagne glasses (for mimosas, of course!) were a gift and the little juice glasses came from Home Goods many moons ago. The flatware is the same as last week, stainless from Hampton Silversmiths. I really need to work on my flatware collection. 

Aren't the antennae cute? I suppose if you wanted to be super crafty (as many of you are) you could make these out of some wire and beads. I just noticed that the basket weave pattern on the napkin compliments the cup and saucer. Some of the best things are by pure accident!

In addition to the daffodils in a white pitcher, I used my bird lanterns for the centerpiece. The lanterns usually reside on my mantel. You can read more about them here. So sorry I forgot to light the candles. In addition to being hazardous to your health, this tablescaping business has a pretty steep learning curve!

The "tablecloth" is actually a remnant of some Sunbrella fabric we used eons ago for outdoor cushions. It has been rolled up in plastic in our basement for a long, long time and I have often thought of ways I could use it. Well, here ya go...a tablecloth. By the magic of photography, you can't see the extra four feet of fabric hanging over the table. If I ever use this for a real meal, then I would sew it properly, of course. What sort of hostess would I be with raw edges?

Come on over! I'll save a mimosa for you!

Thank you for stopping by. And many thanks to Susan for hosting Tablescape Thursday! 

Getting My Feet Wet

Well, here goes nothing. My first post EVER on my first blog EVER! I chose to do a St. Patrick's Day tablescape and link to Susan's Tablescape Thursday as my first post because she's part of the reason I'm here. I have recently discovered decorating Blogworld and I admire what all of you do. Susan's blog is one of my favorites because 1. I LOVE tablescapes and 2. she lives in my town. So without further adieu, my tablescape...

Join me in the kitchen for a St. Patrick's Day lunch. (Please bear with my lack of photography skills. I'm still learning!)

I don't own any white chargers (yet) and didn't want to use a tablecloth, so I decided to use round green and white braided placemats from Kohl's. The white plates are Oneida Basketweave. I love this pattern because it goes with everything. The flatware is stamped Hampton Silversmiths but I have no idea of the pattern. I've had it a few years. I recently purchased the green depression glass sherbet cups at a local antique mall. I picked up the cut glass goblets this week from Dollar Tree! I thought they resembled Irish crystal and if one of the boys breaks one, I'll only be out a buck! I found the napkins from World Market on clearance. At first, I had a hard time deciding on the napkin rings. Then I remembered the cute ornaments hanging on my little St. Pat's tree and borrowed them. Two of them are reproduction vintage Irish cards and the other two say "Kiss Me I'm Irish" in green glittered letters and have dangly decorations.

Am I doing okay so far?

On to the centerpiece. Ok, y'all. I searched HIGH and low for a shamrock plant. And clover. Obviously, I didn't succeed. So we have tulips. Which are beautiful, don't get me wrong, but they just don't scream St. Patrick's Day. So please pretend I have a lovely shamrock plant in the middle, okay? (I added the shamrock beads to help you visualize.)

My name is Erin. So naturally I love things that say "Erin Go Bragh." For those of you who don't know, it means "Ireland Forever." And, no, I'm not Irish. Well, not completely. I have some Irish blood in me way back, but mostly I'm pure-bred USA mutt.

A close-up of my sweet little Tom Clark gnome, Erin. Can you make out "Erin Go Bragh" across the front of the tray she's holding?

A closer look at one of the ornaments...err, I mean, napkin rings. I spy my name again!

The other ornament-turned-napkin ring.

The complete package. So how'd I do? Should I keep blogging or hang up my hat now?

I would love your comments! If you've visiting from Susan's BNOTP Tablescape Thursday, Thank You! If you're one of my friends or family members who's reading because I begged you to, it means more to me than you'll ever know! And please make sure to visit Susan! Come again!