Today, I’ve set a summer table with beautiful Portmeirion Botanic Garden dishes. Each piece is hand painted — in exquisite detail — with blossoms and butterflies, and an iconic border of green laurel leaves. Some are also decorated with the occasional garden insect, and my personal favorite — a bee!
A true British classic, Botanic Garden was designed by celebrated ceramicist and designer Susan Williams-Ellis. In 1960, she took over the business from her father, Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, an architect and creator of Portmeirion Village in North Wales.
While looking through rare books, Williams-Ellis discovered a volume of beautiful, meticulously drawn floral illustrations. In 1972, Portmeirion‘s launch of Botanic Garden tableware included 28 different flowers. It was an immediate success, and is still an active pattern.
This year, the company is celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the collection with a special edition, 18 piece dinnerware set. Inspired by classic English picnic hampers, the 2022 Botanic Garden exclusive comes in a willow basket lined with removable fabric. Bee still my heart!
Alas, the Botanic Garden dishes currently in full bloom on the kitchen table are only on a short flowering season. My neighbor, L, generously and enthusiastically agreed to lend the tableware so that I could style a new setting for June’s Summer Tablescape Blog Hop. For those coming from Mary’s nautical table on Home is Where the Boat Is, welcome aboard!
After over four and a half years of blogging, I’ve shared a wide selection of seasonal tables, napkin folds, decorations, wreaths, crafts, and activities that welcome spring and celebrate Easter.
Here in Pittsburgh, spring seldom really arrives before mid to late April. Even then, we’ve been known to have the occasional snowfall! There’s nothing worse than having to bundle up in a winter coat to go to church on Palm Sunday or Easter. And, since the holiday can occur between March 22 and April 25, there can be years we’ve barely finished enjoying Easy, Hearty Irish Stew for St. Patrick’s Day, before its time to regroup for Easter.
But this year, they are predicting warm weather for Easter, and the forsythia, bulbs, and flowering trees will be in blooming.
Today, I’ve assembled a roundup of 12 ways to celebrate Easter and change of seasons — all in one place! Simply click on a photo or title to see each post or DIY tutorial in their entirety.
March has arrived and I’ve already set the kitchen table with a “new” Irish shamrock cloth in anticipation of St. Patrick’s Day.
I’m actually the 12th Keeper of the Cloth to incorporate and style the Irish linen into a holiday table top.
My blogger friend, Linda of Life and Linda, bestowed me with the honor for 2022. See her Keeper of the Shamrock Clothpost for the origin and complete history of the tradition that began in 2010. There’s also a listing and pictures of all the previous posts as the shamrock cloth passed from one blogger to the next.
Six of those ladies are among a wonderful group of stylists who I regularly join in seasonal and holiday tablescape blog hops. Although I’ve never met any in person, they are all part of a supportive and talented community of acquaintances with shared interests. Sadly, we lost two fellow bloggers and bright lights recently; dear Paula of Virginia Sweet Pea, and Michelle of The Unpainted Hinge.
Lovely Linda sent me the Irish shamrock cloth — and it’s traveling leprechaun companion — all the way across the country from California to Pittsburgh. I’ve waited months for my opportunity to style the St. Patrick’s Day table, and hope you enjoy the results.
Today, I’m illustrating how to make a bee shape napkin fold in six quick and easy steps.
In anticipation of World Bee Day, I recently hosted the Bee-utiful Table Setting blog hop.
Included in the eight casual to elegant tablescapes was my, French Inspired, Royal Bee Theme Table & Napkin Fold. As explained in earlier posts, the ancient fleur-de-lis symbol is believed to represent a bee.
I first incorporated the bee shape napkin fold into the Back to School Table. Why? Bee-cause students are “busy as a bee” lol!
Although the lovely napkin fold can bee used to impress guests and enhance tables year-round, it’s particularly suited for spring or summer entertaining. Let me show you how easy it is to do. Grab any square napkin and ring to follow along.
Bonjour, mon ami and welcome to the Bee-utiful Bee Table Settings Blog Hop! Today, eight of us are getting together to share casual to elegant tablescapes and centerpieces.
I was motivated to host the hop in honor of World Bee Day, next Thursday, May 20th.
Hoping you’ll find inspiration for both spring and summer seasonal tables and gatherings. Perhaps even for a “Meant to Bee” or “What Will It Bee” bridal or baby shower?
Here at Debbee’s Buzz, the bee theme table was influenced by French ancestry and the pronunciation of my first name. Set on a black and white backdrop, the striking tablescape includes lots of metallic gold accents. Bees are featured on plates, glassware, flatware and napkin rings, along with a theme centerpiece vignette. There’s even a royal French bee shape napkin fold!
Welcome to a pot of gold worth of St. Patrick’s Day table setting and centerpiece inspiration — all in one place!
It’s the first time I’ve ever hosted a blog hop, and I’m so lucky to have 13 talented table stylists share their holiday settings here. Follow the rainbow to each, with links at the end of this post.
Come March, my everyday Ireland Pursuit pattern dishes are showcased in a St. Patrick’s Day tablescape, along with a trio of place settings on the adjacent island. Also wearing a wee bit of green are the overhead chandelier, and several vignettes on the kitchen counter and open shelves.
To do something a little different this year, I layered my husband’s great grandmother’s vintage Havilland and woodcut chargers into the dish stack. And, I topped it off with a new clover napkin fold.
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Hi! I'm Debbee, a maker of all manner of things, who likes to incorporate themes into craft projects, holiday and seasonal decor, table settings, and parties. My friends call me, the Queen of Theme lol!
Home is the suburbs of Pittsburgh, but I also enjoy exploring the world with my husband. We raised two wonderful sons and are now early retirees.
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