Wednesday, August 15, 2012

A Little French Picnic


What's summer without a picnic?  Or a tailgate?  I took a departure from the customary Scottish plaid throw and used a French quilt for this tailgate.

I love the embroidery and the rustic hand stitching on this quilt.

More embroidery.

Look at the inventive fabric combinations.

I bought this quilt when we were at a street market in Provence.  It usually sits on the bottom of the bed in one of our guest rooms.

These melamine plates are the perfect match.  This is the salad plate......

and here's the dinner plate.  Aren't they fun?

I was helping my mom clean out a storage room last week and she gave me this vintage picnic basket that we found.  These heavy-textured striped napkins are more like lapkins.  They are huge and perfect for your lap for a picnic.

These  regular-sized linen napkins are packed to be used as a traditional napkin.

Instead of a napkin ring, I used these old spring close clothes pins a la The French Laundry.

What's a picnic without a glass of wine?

Yum!

And for today, I chose the glasses with the Eiffel Tower on them.  Can you see it?  They are pretty heavy and I don't worry about breaking them.

I like to use hydrangea leaves to line a cheese plate.  Ina Garten does too!

I stuck the flatware into a salt-glazed pitcher.

It's got light colored wood handles and picks up the colors of the plates and quilt. 

You don't need to see the inside of the basket.  What's interesting about a red insulated cooler?

As you can see, we had one of our frequent afternoon rains.  

The woods are wet, but the picnic goes on. 

We can pretend we are in France.


Joining:

Tabletop Tuesday

Wow Us Wednesday

Open House Thursday

Tablescape Thursday

Inspiration Friday

Feathered Nest Friday

Fridays Unfold

Seasonal Sundays

Let's Dish






19 comments:

  1. that's a fancy tailgate party...what a fun thing to do!

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  2. Such a great ensemble of picnic items. Looks like fun.
    Karen

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  3. Very nice! Where did you find the plates?

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  4. Linda~ What tailgating fun! I adore your French quilt and votre pique-nique! Your melamine plates are perfect and your clothes pins a la napkin rings are the perfect touch~ Bon Appétit!

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  5. Gosh, you've thought of everything for the perfect tailgating party! The linens, the vintage basket and the melamine plates are perfect! Bon appetit to you!

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  6. Looks like a fun way to spend an afternoon - beautiful setting!

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  7. A perfect way to tailgate with a french accent! The linens are beautiful and the french spring clothespins are wonderful for holding the napkin. Cute plates and goblets to create a truly french theme.

    Thanks, pam

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  8. Linda, I love everything about this! Great idea to use hydrangea leaves. Stop by and enter my linen cleaner giveaway.

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  9. What a pretty picnic! The quilt is so interesting and makes a perfect foundation for your cute dishes and glasses! Rainy day picnics are the best!

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  10. Linda ~ I'm going to remember the tailgate idea. Great way to feature your picnic. You know I'm enjoying this one with all it's Frenchy details. Your linens are fabulous. Makes me wish I'd brought back more linens when we were in the south of France.

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  11. Oh, I'd like to come along on this picnic. Everything looks lovely! Love the quilt. I'm a new follower, Mary Alice

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  12. I love picnics! Your quilt is just beautiful! It looks so wonderful with all of your treasures.

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  13. Wonderful basket! This certainly reminds me of an afternoon in the bois de bologne or even somewhere in Provence.. Great picnic.. xo marlis

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  14. I love the Melamine plates, and the embellished clothes pins for napkin rings--perfect! What a wonderful picnic!

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  15. Hi Linda, Your picnic is much more elegant than the ones my family does--paper napkins and deli sandwiches--but I love every piece you have included. The napkin rings/clothespins are such a good idea for holding things down when the wind blows. I think you have captured a french feel very well! Tres bon! Linda

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  16. Tailgating in France....the French are oiling up the guillotine and planning the revolution as we speak! :-) This is beautiful, Linda, and that embroidered throw is just gorgeous! Really, really pretty! I love those plates to pieces!!! I am SO glad melamine has stepped up in the last couple of years. It's so convenient!!! I LOVE those clothespins!!! I want lots of them! I know a little shop here in the Kansas City area that may carry them. Otherwise, I'm going on the Internet hunt!!! Neat picnic basket! Have a wonderful weekend!

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  17. Charming! I love those plates too!!

    Hugs,
    Susan and Bentley

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  18. How pretty! Love the quilt and those plates are wonderful!
    Ina lives in the next town, my neighbor is on her show often. I catch her show once in awhile.
    Thanks for linking your sweet picnic to Let's Dish!

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  19. So pretty!! I look forward to seeing you at MDC. I would like to invite ou to enter my 50 dollar giftcard giveaway to the store HomeGoods. The card can also be used at TJ Maxx and Marshalls.

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