Blog-aversary Giveaway Winner & a Tablescape on the Porch

 

Of the 547 viewers of my blog-aversary post, only 13 left comments. The winner is #2 Maureen.

This program will generate a random number between two numbers of your choice.

Enter a lower limit:
Enter an upper limit:
Random Number:

Maureen is the winner of the book by Carolyne Roehm, A Passion for Blue & White.

 

Congrats, Maureen, and thanks to everyone who left a comment. I wish I could give each of you a gift. I truly appreciate all the nice things you all have said about my little blog.

This week's tablescape is a cookout on the back porch.  Have you ever brought paintings from inside your home and used them on the porch? I did this week since I had one in aqua tones in the master bath.  I also like huge mirrors used outdoors on porches, patios or even garden fences.  Here we would have a problem with birds crashing into a mirror outdoors though since we feed so many birds. I really do like the way mirrors reflect the garden and open up more space.  I've seen them used on tiny patios to great effect.

 

This is an acrylic on gallery wrap canvas that I painted in rectangles and then stenciled fleur de-lis designs in metallic gold paint over the top of it. It certainly doesn't hurt it to take it outside for a day.

 

This is a very informal meal. I just wanted to show you the set up and not the food.

 

I found some new outdoor serving items on clearance at Target this week. Look on the end caps at your local Target to see if they have any left. They are truly a bargain. I've itemized the information below.

 

The color of the tablecloth is a beautiful aqua. Unfortunately, the camera has faded the photo out to make it look like it is almost white.

 

I loved this tray because it had aqua on the outside and melon colors on the inside in the abstract floral. The tray, two bowls, and fuchsia tumblers were all on clearance. I love a great sale!

 

The aqua tablecloth is a scalloped edge embroidered quilt in the Martha Stewart line for Macy's.  I swiped it off the guest bed for this occasion and then put a piece of fish net on top of it. Everything in my house is fair game for my tablescapes.

 

The aqua napkins were a Martha Stewart Home sale item last summer at Macy's and the sea glass napkin rings are from Pottery Barn in 2007. Acrylic handled flatware is from Pier 1 Imports and the blue acrylic dinner plates with a wave edge are from the seasonal isle at Kroger grocery stores.

 

If you had not thought of using a painting outside, maybe I have sparked an idea for you.

 

I had second thoughts about the melamine scallop top turquoise Ikat design bowl, but when I got it home and mixed it in, I loved it.  I did not buy the matching tray.

 

Target items:

1. Tray with open handles: $7.49
2. Large bowl with floral design holding peaches: $3.74
3. Turquoise bowl with scallop top: $7.48
4. Fuchsia tumbler: $0.74 each. It also comes in aqua and purple. What a fabulous price!

 

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you, that I am going to try something new with Tablescape Thursdays.  Since I can't do 52 tablescapes a year, I am going to occasionally do virtual tablescapes. I want to show you some china you may not have ever seen. I can't afford to purchase all the beautiful china out there, so a virtual "borrowing" of it could be fun.  I tried doing my first one and it was harder than I thought.  More about that later.  

I am participating in Tablescape Thursday this week on the blog Between Naps on the Porch.

To see all the entries, after 9:00PM Eastern on Wednesday, go here:

http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

All the best to you,

Summer for Swede

Photo Credits: Swede