Silver for an End of Summer Table Setting

Welcome to the 313th Tablescape Thursday!

Such a beautiful day to be out on the porch! I headed out to the garden to cut the last of the purple phlox. It’s almost completely finished blooming for another year but I managed to find just enough for our centerpiece. It smells heavenly, I wish I could share the fragrance with you.

Girl's Birthday Party Table Setting Tablescape

 

A couple of years ago I came across a table setting showing angel wings on the backs of chairs. I can’t remember now on which site I saw them, it may have been Country Living.

I looked for it again online tonight and I’m pretty sure the picture below is it. Unfortunately, it’s one of those pictures that’s been featured on so many blogs and pinned so many times, none of the pins take you back to the original source anymore. Anyone remember where this photo was originally published?

Anyway, I loved the angel wings and I remember the article named the online toy store (U.S. Toy) where they had been purchased. They were very inexpensive so I ordered some with plans to create a Valentine’s Day table setting one day.

Angel Wings on Chairs

 

It’s always too cold to set a table on the porch in February and that’s where I really wanted to use them, on the chairs here on the porch.

Today I decided to try them in a feminine setting, one I envisioned would work for a little girl’s birthday party, or even a big girl’s birthday celebration. As I put the table together, I realized this table would also work well for a bridal shower or for a Mother’s Day celebration..

Birthday Party Table Setting With Angel Wings For Chairs

 

I planned to hang the angel wings on the backs of the chairs but as I was putting the table together, I realized they wouldn’t be visible in most of the photos if they were hanging on the back. So for our table setting today, I placed them on the front so we could see them.

For an actual party, you could hang them on the back OR you could place them on the front as I did and then spin them around just before you sit down to dinner. Of course, your guest may want to don them and become angels for the evening. 🙂

Girl's Birthday Party Table Setting Tablescape

 

Since this table setting has a decidedly feminine feel, I wanted to use flowers for the centerpiece. As I headed out to the garden, I wasn’t optimistic I’d find anything blooming this late in the season. My tall “Common Purple Phlox” from a nursery here in Georgia called Goodness Grows, had a few blooms left so I snipped all I could find brought it inside for the table.

Summer Birthday Party Table Setting Tablescape

 

The bees love this stuff! I had to wait for a few to leave before I could cut it for the table. You can see many of the blooms have fallen off already but the foliage is so pretty, I think it still makes a beautiful arrangement.

Purple Phlox Table Centerpiece

 

Sure do wish we all had scratch ‘n sniff monitors. It’s just impossible to describe how wonderful this phlox smells! If you don’t have phlox in your garden, consider adding some. It makes a beautiful display when in bloom and it’s a fairly long-blooming perennial. Phlox David is another tall phlox that looks beautiful growing in a garden.

Purple Phlox in Bridal Basket

 

I’m using a lot of silver tones again this week, guess I’m on a silver kick right now. So, I placed my purple phlox down inside a sweet silverplate bridal basket found at A Classy Flea many years ago.

Fragrant Purple Phlox Centerpiece in Silverplate Bridal Basket

 

I think the last time I used this basket was in July 2010 in the tablescape shown below. In that table setting it held a huge magnolia blossom. (Table setting can be seen here: Celebrating 100 Table Settings)

Bridal Shower Table Setting

 

Today the basket is filled with pretty phlox.

Common Purple Phlox

 

I sprinkled mercury glass hearts around the base of the basket. The phlox helped me decorate the table by shedding a few of its blossoms.

Mercury Glass Hearts

 

I used silverplate goblets for our table setting to continue the silver theme. I’ve had these for around 35 years now. They needed a bit of polishing before they were ready for our table.

Birthday Party Table Setting Tablescape

 

Silver twig flatware from West Elm worked well with the other silver elements in the table.

Silver Twig Flatware Table Setting

 

Chargers are Kim Parker, Emma’s Garland, found in Marshalls 3-4 years ago. I’ve used them many times over the last few years, too many tables to link to here, but you’ll find them all under the Spring/Summer Tablescape category here at BNOTP. (Spring-Summer Table Settings)

Kim Parker Emma's Garland Floral Chargers in Birthday Party Table Setting

 

Beaded dragonfly napkin rings are from Pier 1 a few years ago.

Dragonfly Napkin Rings

 

Plaid salad plates with a present/gift design are perfect for a bridal shower or birthday party. They would even work for a Mother’s Day celebration. You may be seeing them again around Christmas. I’ve never created a pink and green Christmas tablescape…could be fun! 🙂

Kim Parker Spode Emma's Garland Chargers & Plaid Present Salad Plates 1

 

The plaid salad plates are marked “PAI” on the back. Not sure if that’s the company that made them or the pattern…probably the company.

Kim Parker Spode Emma's Garland Chargers & Plaid Present Salad Plates

 

Each plate features a different package or gift.

Kim Parker Spode Emma's Garland Chargers & Plaid Present Salad Plates

 

I love mixing patterns, whether it’s furnishings in a room or elements in a tablescape. Love how the plaid salad plates look with the Kim Parker floral chargers.

Kim Parker Spode Emma's Garland Chargers & Plaid Present Salad Plates

 

Still holding onto summer here! How can I not when the phlox is still blooming! I noticed today, my sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ is blooming like crazy right now, too.

Girl's Birthday Party Table Setting Tablescape

 

Do you have any late summer flowers blooming in your garden now?

Girl's Birthday Party 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. Dotti Overstreet says

    Hi Susan, imagine my surprise when I opened your blog post this morning, and saw the very same silver basket centered on your table that I have. You have made me want to get it out and use it! The table setting is lovely. And now I want to plant phlox in my yard next spring! Thanks for your inspiration.
    Best, Dotti

  2. Beautiful Susan! I love that big silver basket of phlox and the petals sprinkled on the table! I think a pink and green Christmas table would be fun too 🙂

  3. Good morning, Susan! What a lovely table, perfect for your occasion in mind. I’m off somewhere in Japan with my table, though my tablescape is not set on the floor (we wouldn’t be able to get up, I’m afraid).

    I love it when you mix your patterns. A pink & green Christmas? Sure, I can see Lily Pulitzer in the style of those plates – go for it!

    Yes, my garden sedums are also blooming now, along with asters, and my hibiscus & hostas are still blooming (not for long).
    Rita

  4. Such a lovely tablescape to celebrate the ending of summer blooms. The angel wings are such a sweet addition and I love that purple phlox as a centerpiece. I would’ve never thought of using phlox on the table. =)

  5. Hi Susan,
    you always make wonderful tablescapes. I love the combination of the pink flowers and silver. Great idea to spread this little mercury glass hearts. They are really versatile to use. Thank you for sharing and for hosting this wonderful event.
    Best greetings, Johanna

  6. Beverly Cook says

    Good Morning! I’m new and I am thrilled I’ve found you! Tablescapes are my passion. Could you please tell me from where you got your white reticulated chargers in the 2010 magnolia centerpiece party tablescape above? I have looked everywhere. Greatly appreciated. You do such lovely work. Thanks.

    • Thanks, Beverly! Glad you found us! Those chargers came from Horchow back in February 2008, before I ever started blogging. I keep hoping they’ll bring them back again one day because I know a lot of folks would buy them if they did.

  7. This is so pretty Susan! I love phlox. I love the silver basket vase, and the goblets…Just wow! The plates are pretty and colorful!

    You outdid yourself AGAIN!

  8. What a wonderful start of my Autumn comeback, Susan.

    I do missed you so much when I was having our summer escapades.

    Have a nice day and wish I can be there and chat with you.

    Hugs…

  9. Susan, how pretty this is. All of that sparkling silver makes it look so elegant, and the angel wings are so whimsical and pretty. Such cute little gift plates too. laurie

  10. It’s adorable Susan, I love the mix of present plates and the floral chargers! The phylox blooms on the tablecloth really blends it all together, and your perfectly polished silver is angelic! The wings add another layer of feminine fun~

  11. Hi Susan, What a beautiful and dainty table! I love it! It would be perfect for a bridal shower or breakfast. The color of the phlox looks like the color of the year, radiant orchid, and is very popular with young women now! I would definitely be one of your guests wearing the angel wings. As a matter of fact I may need to find some to go with my magic wand which I use when I clean the house! 🙂 Linda

    • Oh my gosh, don’t tell me I’m accidentally in style! That never happens! lol May I borrow that wand, Linda…and could you please share where I can buy one! 🙂

  12. Hi Susan
    I love your angel wings tablescape! We are still enjoying lots of phlox blooming in the garden now too as well as the hydrangeas and coneflowers.
    I, too am hanging onto summer as long as I can.
    Thank you for hosting,
    Carolyn

    • Carolyn, every year I say I’m going to plant hydrangeas and I never get around to it. I just have to do it this year! I bet your’s are beautiful!

  13. Susan…your tablescape is heavenly. I love it and the dragon fly napkin rings are the perfect finish. The purple phlox seem to be hanging on well this year. They may be common, but I never tire of them. In past gardens, I have grown Phlox David and it is the most sumptuous phlox ever. No wonder it was the plant of the year, several years ago.

    If you have time….I was wondering how you light your tablescapes for your photo shoots. They are always so bright and pretty. Screen porches are notoriously shady and so I wondered how you always manage to get such great pictures out there.

    Best wishes for an extraordinary end to your week.

    • Thanks, Diane! Yeah, I have the same issue on my porch, super shady and it’s gotten even more so over the years as the trees have grown in the back yard. The two things that really help are 2 softbox lights that I take out onto the porch and adjusting the ISO on my camera. I really dislike using a tripod when I’m taking pics of a table because I’m taking them at all different angles. The softboxes that you can see in this post from when I blogged about them https://betweennapsontheporch.net/photography-equipment-what-i-use-and-love/ help, but I can’t point them straight at the table, that would be too harsh. So that’s where adjusting the ISO on the camera helps a lot. I had the ISO turned up pretty high for the photos in today’s post. In early spring (before the leaves fill out) and in the fall (when some of the leaves have fallen) I don’t need the lights and can keep the ISO turned down much lower. If you don’t have any extra lights, about the only thing you can do is use a tripod, turn up the ISO on your camera and open up the aperture to let as much light in as possible. I usually keep my aperture around 8 so every thing is in focus unless I’m specifically trying to get a blurry background or some pretty bokeh in the background. If you don’t need everything in focus, you can drop the aperture to a lower number and that will help bring in more light, as well. Hope that helps a bit. I know it’s frustrating!

  14. Oh, Susan, what a lovely table with unexpected accents: the silver mercury hearts, the darling little pink and green gift plates, the angel wings on the chairs……..Guests would be absolutely delighted with everything. It’s perfect for a special occasion (LOVE your silver basket!). You’ve done it again! We can always expect inspiration from you! Rosie @ The Magic Hutch

  15. So very beautiful. The phlox is wonderful. I love the little blossoms on the table.

  16. Susan, your tablescape is beautiful. Hate to see the ends of the gardens, though it is still quite warm and not very autumn-like here yet.

    Thank you for hosting!

  17. Oh, how I do love that porch! Of course the phlox are perfect..ahhhhhhhhh~
    but if I must ‘vote” I have to choose the table with the magnolia and the pink border dishes w crystal. As always you nudge me to get up and get going with something new and fresh. Actually I now really am lusting for some white wicker for my deck …:(

    • Thanks, Jonell! Pier 1 usually has “outdoor” wicker sets in the spring. That’s where I bought my table/chairs and seating area on the porch. Ummm, they may have it all on sale by now.

  18. I don’t know how you do it? You must just play with your beautiful table sand dishes all day long? LOL
    I love using my tall sterling silver candle sticks ,when i do set a table

    • I wish I had the time to do that. 🙂 Once in a blue moon, I start working on a table over the weekend but normally I don’t get started until Wednesday’s post is up so it’s often mid day before I get out there. Now that the day’s are getting shorter, I need to start on them sooner! Oh, Janice I love sterling silver candle sticks…bet they are beautiful!

  19. Beautiful table! I love silver too, so elegant. Only my Hibiscus are still blooming in this heat, but I am really looking forward to Fall! This morning I noticed a bunch of smaller pinecones on the ground in the woods behind my house and started thinking of all the places I could use them in Fall decorating, so after work I am going pine cone gathering.

    • Charlotte, mine are still blooming…don’t you love them! Are your’s in pots outside? The hummingbirds have been visiting mine lately, even though I have nectar in feeder for them. Guess my “fake” nectar doesn’t beat the real stuff. lol

  20. This table is stunning! I love the silver, the flatware is gorgeous!!!! We don’t have any phlox here yet but I will make sure to put it on the list for next years plantings!!! I am having fun planting flowering perrenials!!! I love the gift plates, so sweet! Pink and green for Christmas sounds like fun!!!

  21. Susan, this is one of my favorites! The wings look great and I love the mercury glass hearts too. I tend to favor the feminine settings, I think. Love all the bits of silver and the pretty layered napkins.

  22. Lourdes Carvalho says

    Querida, que mesa maravilhosa e encantadora.
    Adorei. Linda. Parabéns.
    Beijo

  23. This is such a pretty table! I love those plates and chargers. I think all the girls should be wearing Lilly Pulitzer dresses. Thanks again Susan for another wonderful Tablescape Thursday.

    Big Texas Hugs,
    Susan and Bentley

  24. Hi lovely lady.
    Your tablescape is beautiful as always.
    God Bless from Texas.
    ~Diane

  25. Susan, such a pretty table. Do you keep your silver pieces in anti-tarnish bags, or just keep polishing as needed?

  26. Hi, Susan! I assure you…I have NO late summer flowers! Most of the month of August and first week in September was just brutal around here!!! Everything faded out, drooped, withered, wore down to a nub. I was so hurt. No amount of water could save those poor things! All my herbs flourished, though, so I guess I’ll not completely poo-poo the hot weather.

    I love how the chargers and dishes paired up for this tablescape! They each are cool on their own, but together…smashing! The dragonfly joins the party with no problems…he’s right at home!

    Today is the first day that really feels like fall here in the Kansas City area. It’s 11:30 in the morning, and it’s still in the 50s. I’m OK with that. We need a little break and to be able to fling open the windows for some fresh air.

    Have a great weekend, and thanks again for hosting!

  27. pam ~ crumpety cottage says

    I love this tablescape! It is so elegant. Love the silver, the beautiful phlox, the flowery dinner plates and the petals mixed with mercury hearts. It feels simple and uncluttered, but so elegant. It amazes me how you keep coming up with new and fresh tablescape designs!

  28. Love this table setting! The wings are perfect!

  29. Heavenly!! franki

  30. Susan, I love your silver basket and the lightness of the table. Now come Susan, don’t tell me you cannot bring out “smell screen”!! 🙂 The Phlox is lovely, I still have roses and some sweet peas to pick from my garden also hydrangeas.
    I am so sad to see summer go, guess I have to put my fall wreath on the front door, but my wrought iron baskets, are still overflowing with summer finery.

    • lol I wish! They haven’t quite figured out how to transport scent down cable wires yet, what’s wrong with them! Me, too…I will miss it. You’ll find me inside hunkered down all winter! lol I think we can hold out at least another week or so. 🙂

  31. Love, love, love this table setting!! So pretty and feminine, just right without too much fru fru!! The wings are adorable, the mix of patterns is perfect , love your use of silver and those phlox……….my mom always had them in her flower border and I remember the smell, so delish!!! Very pleasing table……thanks…

  32. Your table is stunning Susan! I love the plaid plates and the bees…simply gorgeous! The wings on the chairs are awesome, so very unique, only you can do such exquisite thing. The phlox are so sweet and cute, just perfect for this, yes, very feminine setting.
    Have a wonderful weekend coming up and thanks a ton for hosting sweet lady.
    FABBY

  33. I love the angel wings ! They would be perfect used with some of my angel collection_ maybe a tea party , oh you have my head spinning now! I must find some of them! The flowers are gorgeous! Love the way some blooms fell on the table, I thought you placed them there!

  34. Juanita in OH says

    We can never have too many angels around us, I consider you one of mine of all the goodness you bring to me each day. Everything is so beautiful, I would LOVE to have a meal on your porch. TFS and the inspiration.

  35. Just beautiful! I love phlox and it made a perfect centerpiece for this definitely feminine table!

  36. bobbi duncan says

    Angel wings are so cute and the setting so pretty. I don’t have any phlox at this new house but I’ll be planting some–love it! Your silver basket is lovely–you always find unique ways to display things, which I think makes setting the table even more enjoyable. Hope you have a great week-end. I’ll be putting together new cabinets for the basement–trying to get that baby better organized. Ug! Longwood Gardens is having the last of their fireworks displays this Saturday ( they run from mid-May to mid-Sept.) so I’ll take a break for that for sure. If we don’t want to see the colorful fountains and hear the symphony they combine with the fireworks (must pay more for that) we can just watch in-your-face explosions from our yard as they put them off just across the way from our home. It’s really spectacular and a great way to entertain our guests that visit. L.G. never puts off the same show twice so it’s always exciting waiting to see what’s next. We feel very fortunate and thankful to have them as part of our summer enjoyment and memories

  37. Phlox and silver….what a lovely combination. You have so many things with which to create a table, and it is fun each week to see what you create for the porch.

  38. Beautiful, Susan. You know I would love this one, and it is perfect to share with us at Pink Saturday today.♥

  39. Susan,
    I adore the femininity of this exquisite tablescape, dear friend!!!
    Those angel wings are precious!!!
    The silver is elegantly displayed and accentuated with the phlox.
    I Love, LOVE, L O V E that you are thinking of Christmas Tablescapes
    this time of year. Just yesterday, I told “Mr. Ed” the exact “date” I would
    begin decorating for Christmas 2014!!! Not a good move on my part,
    he was driving at the time.
    Thank you for hosting Tablescape Thursday each week!
    Even when I’m unable to participate,
    I enjoy visiting and come away filled with inspiration!!!
    Fondly,
    Pat

    • Thanks so much, Pat! Hee, hee..it must have been a pretty early date, huh? I love the holiday decorations, too so I’m right there with you! 🙂

  40. This tablescape is amazing! I just love all the small details that bring the theme together.

  41. Beautiful table, I would love this one.

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