Set Your Table With Flair--Mindfully Mediterranean Mise en Table

Hello, friends!


I hope that everyone is enjoying the summer, and staying cool wherever you are.


This Summer, with the temperatures here in southern California soaring well past the 100s, it definitely makes me think of the Mediterranean countryside.  If you have read any of my posts, you know that I am an avid lover of music; thus, as par for the course, today as I plan a special dinner, I am listening to and reflecting upon one of my favorite composers, Isaac Albéniz.  He was a pianist whose works were originally composed for piano.  Several of the pieces were later transcribed for guitar, and have become classical guitar standards.  The Suite Española is one of my favorite works in classical music.  Comprised of several pieces,  the works reflected the area for which they were composed.  You may listen to one of my favorite pieces of the Suite Española entitled Sevilla as interpreted by famous guitarist John Williams here:

Albéniz was inspired by the cities of Andalusia, and the pieces were meant to reflect the region.

The area where we reside is very warm and it resembles not only Mediterranean countries, but Tuscany as well.  There are even an abundance of wineries nearby; the terrain is so similar which is perfect for cultivating grapes (this is also why I have vines on my property).  Today, I am taking my cue from Maestro Albéniz by bringing a bit of the beautiful Mediterranean countryside to my table, and also adding a dash of Tuscan charm, just right for entertaining during the late summer.  I also will be participating in a fabulous blog hop hosted by one of my favorite bloggy pals, Katherine from Katherine's Corner.  We would love to have you visit all of the wonderful posts in this fun summer tablescape hop!  I hope you enjoy! 


The table began with a simple white cloth, embellished with a rustic burlap runner.



A runner of grape vines and bougainvillea fresh from my garden adds a bit of Summer romance to the setting.

Isn't this bounty beautiful?

Placemats of rattan emulate the provincial elements of the countryside.

 I kept things simple with white china, shown here:

 and clear glass.  Shown here.

 


Each place setting was outfitted with a mini pedestal to designate seating.

I wanted a casual atmosphere, so extra flatware for dessert was displayed in this rustic wrought iron silverware caddy.

I planned a special menu for this dinner party, and the elements were also meant to reflect the beauty of the region.  The menu is situated at the head of the table in wrought iron.

A close look at the evening's menu:

Premier:  Salade de Bougainvilliers et les feuilles de vigne avec les fraises


I wanted to keep it whimsical, so the salad was served in a fun silver wheelbarrow with an accompanying pitchfork and shovel style fork and spoon.

So cute.

If you would like to view the recipe for this salad, you may do so on my blog Parsimonious Pabulum here.

Plat Prinicpal:  Gaspacho Blanc


The gazpacho was served in a simple silver bowl placed inside a wrought iron trivet.

If you would like to view the recipe for my white gazpacho, you may visit the post here on my blog Parsimonious Pabulum.

Après:  1.  Gâteau au Citron avec infusion des raisins blancs  2.  Glace au Vanille à la Lavande


1.  I plated the Naked Lemon Cake with White Grape Infusion on this antique-styled cake plate.

If you would like to see the recipe for this very delicious (and simple, a boxed cake was used as a base...shhhh) you may view the post here on Parsimonious Pabulum.

2.  The Lavender Ice cream was served in the aforementioned simple dessert glasses. 
You may view the recipe at Parsimonious Pabulum here.

Vin:  Moscato d'Asti

Completed table.

The evening definitely was a success, and I hope you have enjoyed this post.  These ideas are perfect for a mid-summer's siorée!  Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Please be sure to visit all of the other lovely bloggers in this wonderful hop!

***Update***


I was so preoccupied with my sick poochie, I forgot to list where all my pretties came from!! 


Apologies! 


From my collection:


White Dinnerware, Ralph Lauren Whipstitch Collection, Horchow/Neiman Marcus
Rattan Chargers, Target
Silver Flatware, Wallace Silversmiths Antique Baroque Collection, Horchow/Neiman Marcus
Beige Crocheted-edge tea towels, Boutross Linens, Horchow/Neiman Marcus
Wrought iron silverware caddy and trivet, SteinMart
Silver Bowl, Ralph Lauren Wentworth Collection
Silver-plated Wheelbarrow, Pitchfork, and Shovel Set, Godinger, Horchow/Neiman Marcus
Wrought Iron Book stand used for menu, Tai Pan Trading
Antique-style cake stand, Tai Pan Trading
Dessert glasses, generic, Homegoods
Wine glasses, generic
Mini cupcake stands used for place settings, American Atelier Bianca Collection, TJMaxx




If you enjoy this post, please visit the archives!  You may also visit my full profile to view my other blogs. Connect with me on my Facebook Page, Parsimonious Décor Darling.   You might like to visit my other blog hubs,  

The Marvelous Maison, a lifestyle blog hub and 

Frugal Fab Fashionista, my fashion blog hub. 

Follow me on Pinterest!!  Please be sure to kindly follow the board guidelines, as it takes time and effort to find fabulous pins across the Internet and Pinterest!  Thank you!  

Thank you for stopping by! ❤

Set Your Table With Flair--Taking Tea for Afternoon Tea Week

Hello, sweet friends!  Won't you join me in the garden?  A sweet little corner to enjoy the femininity of teatime...just in time to celebrate Afternoon Tea Week, which will commence in the UK this year on August 14th. 


 A bountiful basket of nature's beauty (wink wink)

is the perfect compliment to ultra-feminine pretties.

A topper of pretty pinks and sweet subtle greens begins the setting.

Simple plates of celadon,

pretty china on which roses dance merrily,

followed by delicate saucers

and demitasse cups of intricate detail.  I love the scalloped pattern, and soft gild; so darling!!

Closer look.

The matching chocolate pot plays gracefully

with a delightful hand-painted creamer and sugar with nesting plate and

pretty pink hemstitched serviettes.

 
To add a bit more elegance, each tea serviette is outfitted with pretty petals fresh from my garden.

Such a pretty selection.  There's nothing more charming than that!!

I started each napkin with a stem of Senecio Silver Dust,

followed by a pretty Petunia Surfinia Purple Vein,

a Guara Lindheimeri Gaudi Red (Whirling Butterflies),

and finally, a pink Mexican Petunia (Pink Ruellia Brittoniana)

all tied together with a bit of raffia.

The flowers really compliment and showcase the details of the china!

A rustic antique silver champagne bucket makes for a wonderful smaller centerpiece better suited for guests.

Oh, it's the simple things...

such as dainty pastry forks and teaspoons...

that make my heart sing!

Completed tablescape.

Place setting.

A perfect way to enjoy a wonderful Summer's day, especially during Afternoon Tea Week!

Enjoy the beautiful weather! 

Until next time...



From my collection:

Floral topper, local vintage
Hemstitched tea serviettes, local vintage
Demitasse cups, saucers, and chocolate pot, hand painted Malmaison Rosenthal Bavaria, Alice pattern, local antique shoppe
Hand-painted creamer, sugar, and nesting plate, Lois White's CreARTive Treasures, you may visit the website here, but I found mine via a local antique.
Saucers, Princess House Hammersley for Spode 
Champagne bucket, Pilgrim Silver, P705, antique.
Celadon plates, thrifted


If you are a tea enthusiast like I am, please join me and other lovely bloggers at Bernideen's Tea Time Cottage and Garden for a blog hop in honor of Afternoon Tea Week.  The Celebration will begin on August 16, and we would love to see you there!

If you enjoy this post, please visit the archives!  You may also visit my full profile to view my other blogs. Connect with me on my Facebook Page, Parsimonious Décor Darling.   You might like to visit my other blog hubs,  

The Marvelous Maison, a lifestyle blog hub and 

Frugal Fab Fashionista, my fashion blog hub. 

Follow me on Pinterest!!  Please be sure to kindly follow the board guidelines, as it takes time and effort to find fabulous pins across the Internet and Pinterest!  Thank you!  

Thank you for stopping by! ❤

Set Your Table With Flair--A Spring Tea For National Tartan Day

Hello, dear friends!  Thank you so much for stopping by to visit me!

Are you a fan of tartan?  I can clearly remember when my love affair with tartan began; as a girl, going to school smartly dressed in penny loafers, knee socks, a cabled sweater, and of course, a wonderful skirt or shorts of Black Watch Tartan (Think:  Alicia Silverstone or Stacey Dash in Clueless, but loooong before the film was released).

In just a few days is National Tartan Day.  National Tartan Day occurs every April 6th, and it is a celebration for people of Scottish heritage.  Did you know that plaids and tartans are not the same, and that all tartans are plaids, but not all plaids are tartans?  According to Encyclopedia Americana 1957 ed., a plaid is a pattern in textile fabrics consisting of bars, or stripes of color crossing each other at right angles, and a tartan is the typical Scottish plaid; a thin worsted cloth having alternate bands of different colors, forming a checkered pattern, which has been highly specialized by Scottish weavers for the dress of Scottish Highlanders, each clan having its own pattern. 

The word plaid originated from the Gaelic word for "blanket."  Therefore, plaid may have originally referred to a long cloth, double the size of its wearer (patterned or not), and was worn by people of the Scottish Highlands.  The word tartan originated from the French word tartarin meaning "tartar cloth".  It has also been suggested that "tartan" may be derived from modern Scottish Gaelic tarsainn, meaning "across."  Tartans are usually specific to a clan.  So many Scottish wore tartan plaids, that in Northern America, the terms became confused and intertwined. 

There are a multitude of websites on which people can research the tartan of their specific clan, but I find that The Scottish Register of Tartans is the most complete and concise.  You can even create a new tartan if so desired with an interactive online weaver via House of Tartan, Tartan Designer, or Tartanmaker.

Black Watch Tartan has been a favorite of mine as long as I can remember,

with McQueen (registered as MacQueen on The Scottish Register of Tartans) as a close second,

especially during Christmas.  I usually prefer rich tartans such as these during the holiday season, but for National Tartan Day, I thought it might be fun to take tea with a pretty Spring theme, and of course, tartan!  I hope you enjoy the post!



I began the table with a pretty topper of Springy pastel;

a simple centerpiece of coordinating colors

in a depression glass bowl lined with pink petals

lends to an atmosphere of playful springtime whimsy.

A flowered teapot along with a creamer and sugar, all in white...

dainty gold-rimmed teacups and saucers sit pleasantly on plates, also of fresh white.

 

At each setting, a delicate gold spoon, sachet of tea, and napkins held by pretty peony petals.

If you would like to view the tutorial for my pastel Victorian tea sachets, you may do so on my blog The Crafting Table here.

Completed Tablescape.

We enjoyed some delicious little bites.

Although not traditional teatime fare, they were a hit.

 

To view the recipe for my spicy grilled ham and cheese, you may visit the post on my blog Parsimonious Pabulum here.

 

To view the recipe for my spicy roast beef brioche, please visit the same post on my blog Parsimonious Pabulum here.

This week was spring break for us, and it was so enjoyable.  My eldest and I just started watching the full series of Soap.  Do you remember it?  I vaguely remember it, but I knew I liked the series, so when I saw it, I nabbed it.  It is pretty zany, and very un-PC!  You would never get away with some of those off-color jokes nowadays.  How times have changed!

I hope you all are enjoying the beautiful springtime!

From my collection:

Topper:  Tommy Hilfiger, HomeGoods
Pink teacups and saucers, Grace's Teaware, HomeGoods
Gold flatware, Wallace Silversmiths Grand Duchess Collection, Horchow/Neiman Marcus
White plates, Ralph Lauren Club Collection 

Teapot, Godinger
Sugar, creamer, and white napkins, generic
Pastel Victorian Tea Sachets, yours truly
Peony napkin rings, Bed, Bath, and Beyond
White cake plate, Ralph Lauren Pavilion Collection

UPDATE
 

04/08/2016~~ 

I have noticed a few comments and/or questions about the bench featured in this post.  The bench is my handmade highback bench, which also was the impetus for starting this blog.  You may visit the full tutorial for the bench in my archives or by clicking here.  Thank you so much!

 

If you enjoy this post, please visit the archives!  You may also visit my full profile to view my other blogs. Connect with me on my Facebook Page, Parsimonious Décor Darling.   You might like to visit my other blog hubs,  

The Marvelous Maison, a lifestyle blog hub and 

Frugal Fab Fashionista, my fashion blog hub. 

Follow me on Pinterest!!  Please be sure to kindly follow the board guidelines, as it takes time and effort to find fabulous pins across the Internet and Pinterest!  Thank you!  

Thank you for stopping by! ❤