The Best-Dressed Table At The County Fair

Welcome to the 315th Tablescape Thursday!

It’s that time of year. The days are getting shorter, the leaves are beginning to change color and there’s a cool crispness to the evening air. That can only mean one thing; the smell of cotton candy and funnel cakes will soon fill the air.

Fair

 Source

The Country Fair is in town!

Each year Dawnette bravely takes up a most unique challenge–she enters a tablescape in her local county fair competition. Dawnette said, “I entered into the Best-Dressed Table at our Kern County Fair again this year and wanted to share my table setting with you.  The themes this year were Informal – Rustic Cabin and Formal – Your Favorite Holiday.”

County Fair

 

Dawn decided to enter a table in the “Rustic Cabin” theme. She began her tablescape with a beautiful patchwork quilt handmade many years ago by her friend Rudene who has sensed passed away.

Quilt Tablecloth for a Casual Table Setting

 

A dead oak tree in Dawnette’s yard supplied the oak chargers for her rustic table setting.

Oak Tree Slab Chargers for a Rustic Cabin Lodge Themed Table Setting

 

Atop the oak chargers Dawnette placed pewter dishes belonging to her brother, Terry.

Pewter Dishes For A Rustic Cabin Style Tablescape

 

The antler flatware is on loan from Dawnette’s friend, Marilyn and she found it at Bass Pro Shops.

Western, Lodge, Cabin Themed Table Setting Tablescape 06

 

Dawn’s hubby made flint-knapped knives by hand for each place setting. Aren’t these amazing?! I tell ya, if the world ever looks like it’s coming to an end, I’m heading to Dawnette’s house because her hubby’s got skills! I’d last like 5 minutes without a Kroger or Target up the street! 😉

Dawnette said, “My hubby made all of the knives on the table as well as the arrowheads.  The handles on these knives are all antlers but he has also made them with bone, oak and choate.  The blades are all from obsidian.”

Flint Knapped Knife in a Western, Lodge, Cabin Style Table Setting_wm

 

Dawnette used beautiful red bubble goblets she found in Tuesday Morning a few years back. The clear goblets came from a local thrift store.

Western Lodge Cabin Table Setting

 

Antler placecard holders made from Christmas ornaments found in Bass Pro Shops marked each guest’s place at the table.

Antler Placecard Holders

 

Dawnette’s centerpiece was a wildflower styled floral arrangement, perfect for her rustic cabin themed table setting.

Western, Lodge, Cabin Themed Table Setting Tablescape 12

 

I love the addition of the shed antlers around the centerpiece. There’s also an antler wine holder on the table not visible in the pictures. Do you see the little arrowhead resting on the top of each charger? Dawn’s hubby made those, too.

Western, Lodge, Cabin Themed Table Setting Tablescape

 

The menu was artfully displayed in an antler frame found in Hobby Lobby.

Antler Framed Menu For A Western Cabin Table

 

So, how did Dawnette’s tablescape do in the “Best-Dressed Table” competition?

Western, Lodge, Cabin Themed Table Setting Tablescape

 

1st Place! Yipee! I am not one bit surprised! This was definitely a 1st place table if ever there was one!

Western Themed Table Setting Wins 1st Place At The Fair

 

The judges must have been blown away by all the creativity and hand-made beauty of this wonderful table setting!

Dawnette said, “Putting this table together was so much fun.  Seeing your beautiful tables inspires me to enter table settings at our local fair.  This is the third year I’ve entered and the third year I’ve placed first for my table.  Thanks for inspiring me and keep up the beautiful work.”

Thanks so much to Dawnette for sharing her wonderful “Rustic Cabin” tablescape…such a great table setting to inspire us as we enter the fall and winter seasons!

Check out the “Engagement Party” table Dawnette created for the County Fair competition in 2012 here: Engagement Party-Best Dressed Table At The County Fair

Western, Lodge, Cabin Themed Table Setting Tablescape

 

Looking forward to all the beautiful tablescapes posted for this week’s Tablescape Thursday!

Tablescape Thursday

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Comments

  1. Wow her table is loaded with character! The quilt really set the stage and those wood chargers too. I’m stunned about her husband making those flatware handles! Wow!! The pewter looks awesome on the wood and the centerpiece is very pretty. I’m glad she won- she deserved it!!

  2. Definitely a blue ribbon table. That quilt is gorgeous, and what wonderful table decor with the quilt. Thank you, Dawn and Susan, for sharing this beauty. laurie

  3. Who knew they did tablescapes at the county fair? I wonder if ours did – doubt it!
    What fabulous knives her husband makes. They add such character and so do the chargers. I am just charmed by the menu in the antler frame. How fun and so glad she took a blue ribbon at the fair!

  4. What a wonderful table setting! This is so unique and beautifully rendered. Danette may have found her gift as a tablescape designer. Beautiful table. Thanks for sharing.

  5. What a fantastic table setting in keeping with the “Rustic” table theme. I am very impressed with how she thought outside of the box and used slices of tree trunk for her chargers! Using the quilt as a table covering was genius. Congrats to Dawnette! Vikki in VA.

  6. crumpety cottage says

    That is once crazily creative table scape! I love the pewter plates and the ‘tree trunk’ chargers, lol. Well done, Dawnette!

    I didn’t even know table scaping was a category for county fairs! I’d like to see Dawn’s other winning table scapes. She’s obviously earning a reputation as being ‘the one to beat.’

  7. Dawnette had a vision and went with it! It is very creative! It’s wonderful that her husband is so talented. Very pretty flowers!

  8. What a fun and unique idea for a tabletop! love the blue ribbon! I have actually been to Kern County Calif! So nice of you to feature this fun table~Thanks for the party and have a nice Fall weekend!

  9. My ‘bestest ‘ favorite items used are the place card holders and the elegant and colorful Contrast of the rustic with the floral centerpiece Wow what a “pop” ~of course the first layer of the colorful quilt for starters got it going from the beginning!

  10. How fun to have a tablescape contest at the county fair! She definitely deserved the blue ribbon…such a unique idea!
    Thanks for the link-up. Hope you’re enjoying your day!
    Julie

  11. What a great country fair, I’d love to go to one. I did once as it was a coincidence when we were upstate, NY in the Summer time; they’re so much fun and so much to see and buy!
    I love the tablescape design, she deserved to win! The patch work table topper is fabulous, swoonnnn….
    Thanks for hosting sweet lady and have a wonderful weekend ahead.
    FABBY

  12. If one of our Maine country fairs had this event I’d be entering for sure!

  13. What a unique table. Her hubby did a wonderful job with the knives and so nice that he wanted to participate. Lots of things to feast the eye and she deserved that first place.
    I checked out her engagement table, it was so colourful.
    Thanks for sharing.
    Meg

  14. The table is fabulous! Love the chargers and flatware (ok, I’m a bit biased because I have both of those!) She put a lot of thought into this table and she totally deserved to win.

    We are having friends for dinner tonight and I just finished my first Autumn tablescape but don’t have time to take pics, etc and join in but I had to comment on this since it hit close to home :).

    I never knew fairs have these sort of contests! Cool!

    xxx

  15. Hi Susan, This is the cutest, rustic fall tablescape!! I love all the antler accessories! This makes me want to go to the fair. 🙂 Hal and I used to go every year to our local Dixie Classic Fair in the fall, and it was great fun. Dawnette is very talented; thank you for sharing with us and for hosting Tablescape Thursday!

    Denise

    Thanks

  16. You had me at Funnel Cakes ~ but then I scrolled down to see that fabulous table. I have a handmade patchwork table cloth that is just like Dawnette’s. It was made by my late mother-in-law who spent hours making it for me and two more for my sister-in-laws. A treasure for each of us. I love Dawnette’s theme. Masculine with a woman’s touch. Love the antler flatware. I have a new found desire to visit a Bass Pro Shop now 😉 It is easy to see why she won her ribbon. The tablescape is perfectly charming. Thanks for sharing it with us and as always, thanks for the party!

    Big Texas Hugs,
    Susan and Bentley

  17. Jeanie Neikirk says

    Oh my goodness……….I loved both tablescapes. A lot of creativity and a husband who is crafty as well! As I was reading and looking at the pictures I knew she just had to win the Blue ribbon prize! Congratulations!

  18. Uh, yeah…Dawn’s husband’s got MAD skills! Wow!!! You just don’t see craftsmanship like that every day. Our football stadium is called Arrowhead, and I’d line up to get some of those personally-crafted arrowheads from him!

    With her husband’s craftsmanship and her own creativity and eye for detail, Dawn knocked this one out of the ballpark! (Sorry…I’m watching Derek Jeter’s final game on TV and am subject to lots of baseball terminology! 🙂 ) Congrats to them on the big win! It was well-deserved!

  19. The handmade pieces are spectacular…especially the knives. I need to make a run to Bass Pro…who knew! Thanks for sharing the tablescape with us and for hosting us each week. Cherry Kay

  20. Funnel cakes, fairs, and tablescapes are a few of my favorite things. The rustic table is a perfect theme for hunting season coming up in a couple of weeks. I think I will look into the Bass Pro shops too. Thank you for hosting, as always this is the best party on the block.

  21. So inventive, original and rustic, I loved every piece.
    Her hubbys handiwork was the icing on the cake, just awesome.
    A well deserved WIN!

  22. A well deserved blue ribbon! The table would look great in my camp too ;o) The quilt, wood chargers and the pewter work well together. Gotta show my hubby those flatware handles since he is a shop teacher. Life has gotten in the way, and I haven’t found the time to do any tables lately but this has inspired me to do one for Fall. Thanks for hosting Susan.

  23. bobbi duncan says

    I just can’t get over the flatware, and the skill it took to create the pieces…amazing! I love that she used the cut down tree for chargers…so appropriate with the flatware. Blogs are so inspiring…things you would never dream of are available for all to enjoy and learn how to do. Isn’t it wonderful? It adds enjoyment to every day, just to see what others are creating…it’s like going to a forever decor shop and getting to ogle everything lovely. Even if you can’t afford it , you can still enjoy looking.

  24. So wonderful and unique…really coveting those pewter pieces. It’s easy to see why this beautiful table earned the blue ribbon!

  25. IncrEDIBLE tablescape! franki

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