Robin Flies South...

A blog about decorating and tablescaping with an emphasis on creativity and smart shopping over cash!

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Gasparilla Get Together!

Dress in your Pirate finest and join me for the Annual Gasparilla Festival!  Before my daughter went to college in Tampa I had never heard of Gasparilla but it's a pretty big deal here.  For those of you not familiar with this celebration, here is a description (Wikipedia):

The Gasparilla Pirate Festival is an annual celebration held in the city of Tampa, Florida. Held each year in late January and hosted by Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla and the City of Tampa, it celebrates the apocryphal legend of José Gaspar (Gasparilla), supposedly a Spanish pirate captain who operated in Southwest Florida. The theme is an "invasion" by Gasparilla and his men, which begins when the "Krewe" (made up of residents of the city) arrives on a 165' long pirate ship, the Jose Gaspar, in Tampa Bay and land near downtown Tampa. The mayor of Tampa then lends the key of the city to the pirate captain and a parade ensues down Bayshore Boulevard, one of Tampa's major streets. The krewes throw beads, coins and other items while shooting blank pistols from floats during the parade. The average attendance for the event is over 400,000 people.

Because it is such an "adult" event, the city of Tampa hosts a children's parade the weekend before so that the youngsters get in on the act too.  After all, who doesn't secretly want to live the life of a Pirate, even for a day?  Of course it would be easy to do a "children's" table with a Pirate theme but in the spirit of Gasparilla I went with a more "adult' table for this weeks Tablescape Thursday, hosted by Susan at Between Naps on the Porch.


I started with my black tablecloth (again!) and layered it with a fishnet (Dollar Tree). 


This is an advertisement for Gasparilla telling you to "Party Like a Pirate."


My place setting consists of a red charger (Dollar Tree), a black dinner plate (Walmart) and a skull plate (Ross).  You may remember these skull plates from my Halloween Table.  I knew when I bought them they would work for this too.


My napkins are really bandannas from Oriental Trading.  You get 12 bandannas in 3 different patterns. 


I think my red flatware looks perfect with it's "pearl" handles!


I googled "pirate centerpiece" (really I did, I do stuff that like that all the time to get ideas) and pretty much all I came up with was tacky cardboard Pirate ships!  I decided to go with a treasure box and I had to look no further than above my kitchen cabinets to find it (no treasure map needed!).  This box was given to me by my sister-in-law who always gives me things I love.  We shop together so she knows my taste. 


I raided my jewelry box and my Christmas stuff for the beads.  


I ordered these "coins" when I got the pirate napkins.


I used my Dollar Store wine glasses and water goblets.  To add some candlelight I stacked these red candles on top of ivory candlesticks.  


Next I took six salt cellars filled with water and floated  black tea lights in them.  


I tried hard to keep this table from looking too childish but I still wanted some fun elements.  




Add a little candlelight!



Who's ready to Party like a Pirate?  

Be sure to stop by my sister's blog at Creating Wonderful Spaces!

























13 comments:

Unknown said...

Arrrgggh Me likes your table Matey! XO Cindy

Kathleen said...

Aaar n't you clever! Love those plates, 2 uses!
I did a pirate table in Sept for gsons bday. I have a lot of piratw hats! I would have mailed you some! They came from...yes you guessed it Jersey girl, CTS! :)
I dont go that often, it is almost an hour away. Nope, no ins, just there at the right time! If I lived closer, I'd go once a week! Some of my former students work up at the front desk, fun to see them!
Did you see the sailboats I got there this summer? They were 90 off too. Used them for a dinner dance and a covered dish this summer, and tomorrow for a beach themed bday party as centerpieces. Best 90 cents I ever spent! :)You wouldnt believe how many people called me to ask where I got them . They will be used again in May for gson's First Communion Party.

Kathleen said...

That would be pirate hats!
You did a great job on this table, very creative!

Mrs. Flescher said...

Wow what a great "Adult Pirate" table. You did a great job, and I love the red flatwear! Can I ask where you got them? I have Blog Launch Giveaway going on at my place; feel free to stop by and enter! Today is the last day! Good job and Happy Tablescaping!
http://fabulously-homemade.com/

Sewconsult said...

Great ideas. Hope your dinner is fun or someone might walk the plank!
Beckie in Brentwood, TN

Entertaining Women said...

Can't say that 8've ever partied like a pirate, but you've certainly made it look like a ton of fun! Thanks for inviting us to the table. Cherry Kay

xinex said...

What a perfect theme table for Gasparilla! I am familiar with it since I used to live in the Tampa Bay area before moving to MS. Your table is so festive and no detail was left out....Christine

Elaine said...

Even though we went in WAY different directions this week, we both used red, white, and black! I especially love the treasure chest centerpiece! Yo Ho!

Marsha said...

Ohhh! I love your pirate table. It's just perfect! We love pirates at our house. We've all dressed up like one in the last few years for Halloween.
I hope you guys have a great time--party on pirates!

Marigene said...

What a fun table, Robin! Love the plates and that treasure chest is so cool...

A Perfect Setting said...

Hi Robin, this is just so cute and very creative!! Great use of those skeleton plates (I have them too!) and I love love the centerpiece! You really thought of every detail! Great job!!

Sue said...

This is just perfect. I love the treasure chest! My dad lives in Sarasota, so I'm familiar with this festival, although I've never been. What a fun table...nicely done!

Tess said...

Wow...I've never heard of this but what a fun tradition. Your table is adorable...did you put Captain Jack Sparrow on your guest list?