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Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Ferns in the Garden - 100th post!!!!!!!

Welcome to my 100th post!!!!

I could never have known, almost a year ago, how much I would love this wonderful use of the internet.  As a celebration of your interest and friendship, there is a giveaway at the end of the post.

First, though, I invite you back into my garden for a dinner among the ferns.


 
This round tablecloth was the inspiration.  Homegoods!!!!  Again!!!!  It came with eight napkins.  I'm not sure who could use eight napkins with a 90" tablecloth, but better too many than not enough.  I'll be set to replace those lipstick-ruined, grease-stained, or just plain lost-in-the-laundry napkins that we all have.

 
As soon as I saw this fern design on the border, I had a great idea. 

I decided I wanted to set the table along this fern bank that we have in the woods.  Then, the thought of dragging the table, chairs, dishes, flowers, ice, and so on into the woods made me come to my senses.

I did take a few shots of some of the elements among the ferns.


So, I left the ferns to the wildlife and set off to the garden.

I brought out this unfinished table that I keep in the potting shed.  If you want to see the shed, take a peek here.


Also, on the border was this design of ferns with white flowers.  Ding, ding, ding!  The flowers were now planned out of the ones that were growing right there in the garden.

And here's the result.


Just two place settings tonight.

Here's how I brought lots of different shades of green together. 

Starting with a wicker charger, I added these simple dinner plates.  You might not believe this, but these plates came from Goodwill.  I was so sure as I picked them up, that they were old French plates, but when I turned them over, they said "microwave and dishwasher safe"!  Hummmm.  Guess they're not old!  They also have "mse" in tiny letters on them.  What do you think?  Martha Stewart Enterprise????

Then I layered the apple green salad plates from Target and the white lion's head soup tureens, also from Target, I think.

Years ago, I bought these little plates at the floral wholesaler.  I use them for tapas, appetizers, or as I have here.


These green glasses for water are made by Imperial Glass, and the little wicker covered ones are for wine.

The flatware is from World Market.  I got it a couple of months ago, and they still carry it.  It is available by the piece.

This green urn is a good size for this small table.

I added these two small baskets for interest and texture.  One is wicker and one is carved ivory.  I bought them from a sweet little antique store on Cape Cod.


There's one more thing on the table.

Our anniversary is coming up in a few days.  I'm giving Mr. Pressed Pants some golf lessons and he has to schedule them, so I'm giving them to him tonight.  Don't tell.  I love pretty papers almost as much as dishes, so I love to wrap pretty gifts and make cards.


These French burlap pillows make these generic chairs more interesting and more comfortable.

This wooden tray holds a brown glass bottle I like to use for water, a couple of bark covered votives, and some bark gathered in the woods for a project I'm working on.

And what have we here?

An ice cold bottle of white wine in this faux bois cachpot.

I put the pasta salad in this lidded tureen from Portmerion.

The ferns on the lid are perfect for this table. 
It was a nice night, and we sat for a long time until we were either going to have to use bug spray or go in.  It was getting dark, the dishes needed to be loaded, and Design Star was soon on.  In we went!


And NOW....may we have a drum roll, please?
I'd love to invite you to enter to win this beautiful book by Joe Nye.

Wouldn't you know that I would find something with toile?


Joe is a Los Angeles interior decorator and party planner.  This beautiful book is rich in photographs and inspiration.  He covers exquisite invitations, lush flowers, and gorgeous table settings. He also offers shopping resources and host/hostess etiquette.

To enter, please become a follower, or tell me if you already are.  If you are not a blogger, be sure that I can reach you by email.  Anyone in the continental US is welcome to enter.  Then leave me a comment and let me know what you like best about this blog.  I promise to have an independent party fairly choose the winner. 

I'll be linking up with Tablescape Thursday with Susan's Between Naps on the Porch at:


20 comments:

  1. A wonderful post, truly worthy of your 100th! I love the photos set in the ferns, and your table is gorgeous -- so many pretty details! I am a follower and would be thrilled to win the Flair book. The thing I like best about your blog is that you give lots of details about your table elements. I like the words as well as the great photos!

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  2. Your posts are beautiful and I love how they capture our family. You always make the table settings look warm and inviting. You and dad always made our table a place of warmth, sharing, laughter and love... even if it was set with paper plates and paper napkins. Which on the rare occasion it was set with paper it always matched and had a theme :)

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  3. Of course I have been a follower for a while now.. wouldn't miss your talents each week!!

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  4. Yes, I've been a follower for quite some time and the thing I like best about your blog is that I always feel like I could come to your home and feel like I've known you all my life. I love your tablescapes and the environments you choose for them.

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  5. Oh my, I thought that I had been following you for a long time...I always look for your posts. But, count me as your newest follower and long time fan. I love the sophisticated mix of greens that you've used. Your tablescape is glorious! The dinner plates are quite special...no matter who made them. Thank you for sharing your beautiful design and for the opportunity to win Flair, by Joe Nye. I'm a major fan of Carolyne Roehm, and I would love to devour some new inspiration from Joe Nye. Cherry Kay

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  6. Hey, Linda! You were O' so wise not to drag that table off into the woods!!! I have one of those tables, and those things are HEAVY!!! We would have had to send a search party out for you!!! (ANY excuse for a party! Get it? Search party? Get it?) Anyhooooooooooo....beautiful! As you might imagine, since we were separated at birth, I already have Joe Nye's book. Whoever wins it, though, will be SO happy!! Isn't it just the cat's pajamas? Love him!!! Love YOU! Have a great weekend...and stay out of those woods! :-)

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  7. Love your setting and the linens. You just can't beat HG's. I'm looking for a table like the one you had in the shed, can you share where you got it? Thanks for sharing your beautiful tablescape.

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  8. I adore your blog and love best the beautiful pictures you post. Thanks for the great giveaway!

    Mary L

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  9. I do follow.. but first that absolutely gorgeous table. An absolutely lovely tablecloth and inspiration. You paired it with the perfect pieces. Each one tying into it in some fashion. I've looked at this table over and over.. it's just lovely. I thought i followed before this because I always come here, bad me.. I'd love some inspiration! thanks for hosting this lovely giveaway.

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  10. The tablescape is amazing. I love everything but particularly all the varying shades of green. I can't believe how a table can actually look lush. The flatware is wonderful. I hope they have an online store.

    Paula, your newest follower
    ivyandelephants.blogspot.com

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  11. I love your fern theme...how clever. I became a follower. Peggy from PA

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  12. Beautiful tablecloth. Love all the greens you have used. Every time I use that flatware I thank you!

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  13. That tablecloth is to die for! Love the flower arrangement that you did. And those green dishes are just perfect. I hope you did this last weekend when it was a little cooler and not during this current heat wave! Please count me in your giveaway. I thought I was already a follower but I wasn't. Am now, though.

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  14. Love your pretty greens and whites -- looks like a cool forest setting (just what we need to beat this awful heat!) Love that green flatware too.

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  15. I've been following for awhile -- and one of my favorite things about your blog is the name you've given your husband -- Mr. Pressed Pants... for some reason it always makes me smile. I also love the way you can make a table for 2 on a round table appear "full." That's not always as easy as you make it look! This week's tablescape certainly accomplishes that beautifully! Congratulations on you 100th post -- and thank you for the chance to enter your generous giveaway!

    Stop by if you get a chance. I'm celebrating my first year of blogging with a Vintage Linen & Dish Auction ... going on now!

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  16. Beautiful tablecloth. I will have to look for that one. Lovely giveaway. Thanks.
    ~ ~Ahrisha~ ~

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  17. Congratulations on your 100th post. I'm a new follower. Love how you put your tablescapes together, and how you explain everything. I'll be following closely now. Thank you for the opportunity to win this wonderful books. I love books!

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  18. Hi Linda~ Congrats on your 100th post! I love your beautiful fern tablecloth! What wonderful plates from GW, I've never had any success finding treasures there. I love your cool green & white table~ it lowers my inner thermostat! I'm a follower, what a wonderful book to give away~ it's on my Amazon wish list! Of all your posts, the couple I enjoyed the most was your potting studio/shed that you shared, and my favorite post of yours was your Orange & White Bridge Luncheon!

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  19. *** Oooooh la la & HAPPY 100th!!!

    * I fell in LOVVVVVE with the tablecloth & all the greens, but when you said it was 90" rOund (!), I almost junped thru the screen!!! Both our formal DR and kitchen dining room require 90" ROUND cloths... they're SOOOOO hard (and $$$)to even FIND (and I'd LOVE to find them at my fave "HOME GOODS", too!). I had some 132" rounds made so they drape nicely to the floor for more formal occassions, and I can use huge squares (or rounds) on top of THOSE floor-length, and it looks "too fab"!!

    Soooo, IMHO, YOU HIT THE JACKPOT, m' friend!!!---BIG TIME!

    I'm already a follower & would love to be entered into your contest of celebration!!!

    Warmest thanks n' blesssing for a FAB 2013!

    Linda in AZ*
    bellesmom1234@comcast.net

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