Tablescape with Velvet & Lace!
Dear Readers,Thank you for the kind, generous comments and e-mails I've received from so many of you during my hiatus from blogging. It was nice to have a break, but even nicer to be back this week...
View ArticleUnvalentine's Table with Roses & Hydrangeas!
It was time to set the table, and I thought, "It's not Valentine's Day yet. This isn't a table for two, and I'm not using anything red or lacy."Then I remembered "unbirthdays" and a wonderful Lewis...
View ArticleRumpled Chic! For Valentine's??
Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! This week, I’m sharing a romantic table for eight. Yes, I know it’s traditional to set a table à deux for this particular holiday. I’m speaking here in terms of romance...
View ArticleLenox and Magnolias!
What makes a dinner party memorable? The menu of course; that goes without saying. A carefully crafted guest list can provide sparkling dialogue. Do you want the sweet, soothing sounds of...
View ArticleSimply Vintage Table Setting!
I set a simple table for you today, using mostly vintage items. My goal was to keep the overall look clean, functional, and uncluttered. No fine china, no candelabra, no place mats/tablecloth, no...
View ArticleCarnivale!
One commonly accepted derivation of the word "carnival" (or carnivale) is the Latin "carne vale" or "farewell to meat." Carnival was the final hurrah as winter headed towards spring, and the long...
View ArticleListen my children ...
Listen my children and you shall hearOf the midnight ride of Paul Revere ...What does "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow have to do with setting a festive table? In...
View ArticleMikasa for Me!
It's all your fault, Susan of Between Naps on the Porch! Well, I could also blame Anita of Far Above Rubies and, more recently, Alycia of Tablescapes at Table Twenty-One. All three lovely and talented...
View ArticleThe Unparalleled Versatility of Whiteness!
I wasn't in the market for (yet) another set of dishes when I stopped by my favorite local thrift store on Saturday morning. I saw the box in the picture below. I quickly moved the dozen or so items...
View ArticleThrift Meets Limoges, with Bunnies!
It seems to me that appealing table settings often include vintage treasures, thrifty finds, garden flowers, new acquisitions, and ... something else -- elements that are unexpected, even whimsical....
View ArticleJoyous Garden!
Inspiration for table settings can come from a variety of sources. I didn't decide which dishes to use today until after I'd taken a stroll through the garden with secateurs in hand. I returned with a...
View ArticleMikasa Daylight - Freshness of Spring!
Afternoon temperatures have soared into the 90s in Tennessee this week. How have I coped with the heat? Air conditioning helps, of course, but so does setting a table with Mikasa's fresh, energetic...
View ArticleInformal Formality?
So, what does "informal formality" mean, and how does it relate to setting the table for a dinner party? While I can't claim to be an expert on the topic, I can certainly share my personal approach.For...
View ArticleRoyal Doulton & Tiaras!
I first posted this table in November, 2009. It was Thanksgiving, and I'd decided to host a (virtual) appreciation dinner ... along with a "coronation." In honor of this being the 150th week of...
View ArticleGlads Make Me Happy Table!
Today's table began with a vintage champagne glass, one that might also have been used as a tall sherbet dish. The pattern is Laurel Wreath, manufactured by Duncan & Miller sometime between 1943...
View ArticleEstate Sale at Casa De La Pradera!
If you've visited Affordable Accoutrements before, you're aware that I enjoy setting tables that incorporate (mostly vintage) items I've purchased at local estate sales. There was a particularly...
View ArticleA Tropical Table and a Tribute
When the table seats eight, and it's dinner for seven, how does one avoid creating a visual void? One solution might be to let the centerpiece become an "end piece." That's what I've done today. Well,...
View ArticleThe Real Tables of Affordable Accoutrements!
Often readers will ask if the tables they see on Affordable Accoutrements are used for "real world" entertaining. Sometimes the answer is yes. On those occasions, the table settings are often scaled...
View ArticleIf Dinnerware Could Dance!
The dishes were a gift from a neighbor who was downsizing and moving to Florida. They've been wrapped in newsprint and packed away in a tote for months. I've struggled to decide how I could use them in...
View ArticleIn Respectful Memoriam
I was hesitant to set a table and label it a tribute to the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. There have been countless beautiful and moving observances, memorials, and commemerations over the past...
View ArticleCelebrating Centerpieces 2: The Journey Continues!
In Celebrating Centerpieces (HERE) I took a look back at the first 50 tables I set for Affordable Accoutrements. Perhaps it's time for an update.I think a centerpiece provides the heart and soul of an...
View ArticleMikasa Again!
I recently learned that Mikasa, a division of Lifetime Brands, Inc., is bringing back "The Great Dinner Party." As many of you know, it's a website where people who love to entertain and set beautiful...
View Article'Tis the night before Christmas Eve!
'Tis the night before Christmas Eve! And it's been a long time since I've done a new post. I thought of putting the blog to bed and saying it's been a good run, but I think I'd miss blogging. I know...
View ArticleHoliday Table for Eight! Minus Four?
Hi Everyone,Thank you for your visits and, to so many of my favorite blogging friends, for the thoughtful comments you left for me last week.As promised, here's a look at the table I set for a holiday...
View ArticleA Valentine's Table: Roses, Romance & Peacocks!
When it's time to set a table for a Valentine's Day dinner party, certain obvious symbols come to mind: hearts, flowers, candy, cards ...Since this is a table for eight, rather than an intimate setting...
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