Beachy Dresser Top

Dining and kitchen tables aren't the only things that need "tablescaping".  Coffee tables, sofa tables, end tables, fireplace mantels and pretty much every horizontal surface you can think of needs some attention too.  Today I am sharing  a bit of my newly decorated "beachy" guest room.  The room is not very big, just enough room for 2 twin beds and something in between them.  I got this dresser from my late Aunt Ann and apparently it's pretty old.  I just appreciate that it is solid wood, has a nice warm finish and looks a bit loved (used!).  I am still looking for headboards for the beds and depending what I find, I may give this little dresser a makeover but for now, this is it!

Let's take a closer look.

Maybe a little closer (in case you're viewing this on a smartphone!)

Instead of a traditional dresser scarf I used a fishnet from Dollar Tree. 

The lamp is from Old Time Pottery and has some nice detail on it.

Most of my accessories were found at Beall's Outlet here in Florida.

This fish dish would be a nice place for guests to place their change or maybe jewelry.

Nothing says beach like.....well, a candle that says "beach"!

I live 20 miles from the beach but it's a popular decorating style no matter where you live.  It's a great way to display shells you may have picked up on vacation too. 

The seashell book (it's actually a box) is from Ross and the frame is from Beall's Outlet.  It was easy to find a beach picture to display in it.  Doesn't everyone have dozens of family pictures taken at a beach somewhere?

I hope you enjoyed my little taste of beach life on a February day!

I am joining the party at Tabletop Tuesday hosted by A Stroll Thru Life. 

Breakfast in Bed Beach Style

Friday was another beautiful day here in Florida so I decided to make it a beach day.  I have to pass by one of the better Goodwill stores on the way and decided to stop in.  In the room towards the back I came across this bed tray and knew I could give it just the look I was after.

I paid $7.99 which seems a bit high but I really like the wicker top.  One quick trip to Home Depot for a can of  spray paint, a little sanding  and then a few coats of spray paint and it was just like I imagined it! 

I found 4 of these blue glasses on the same GW trip ($1.99 each).

You can enjoy this tray from the comfort of  one of the twin beds in my almost completed "Beach" inspired guest room. 

More on this room in a future post.  I think a coat of white paint can transform almost anything.  Why don't you give it a try?

I am joining Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphasis Monday.

I am also joining the Spray Paint Party at Thrifty Decor Chick.

Mardi Gras Make Believe

It's Fat Tuesday and the eyes of the country are on New Orleans and Mardi Gras.  I've never been there but today I am getting in the spirit with my tablescape!  What a fun color combination of green, purple and gold! 

I had a tough time getting my purples to photograph purple instead of brown.  I finally had to resort to using my flash and then fixing them with Picnik.  I always run my pictures through Picnik anyway and at least the colors look more true.  Who wants to see muddy brown for a Mardi Gras table? 

My placemat is from Ross and I love the cut out border.

When I picked up these green chargers on clearance at Walmart (.49!) I intended to paint them but then realized I could use them today.  I'm still not sure what color to paint them.

On top of the charger I added my gold dinner plate and a square dish (on sale at Old Time Pottery).  I'm a little obsessed with square dishes lately! 

For the centerpiece I took a purple glass vase (Ross), filled it with gold beads to hide the stems and added every "feather" I had in my house!  The peacock feathers are new from Z Gallerie (you will see them again with some dishes I couldn't resist).

The napkins and napkin rings are both Goodwill finds.

I wish I had gold flatware but had to settle for my Cambridge pearl handled set (Ross).

My glass choice was pretty obvious!

Ok, I know they aren't from THE Pat O'Brien's!  Last spring we were in Orlando for the weekend with good friends and they wanted us to eat at Pat O'Brien's at Universal City Walk.  We had a great time and I had my first gumbo and drank my first Hurricane.  You are allowed to take the glass home as a souvenir (no, really, you are!) and we managed to bring home 6 glasses!

I picked up a few things at Dollar Tree (beads, masks and coins).

Most of the time I try to avoid the reflections on my glass topped table but I thought this looked pretty interesting! 

Growing up in NJ, Fat Tuesday meant going to the Pancake Supper at Church, not exactly the same thing as going to a wild parade in New Orleans.  Never the less, it's fun to vicariously enjoy the celebrations of other parts of the country!  Have a great night, whatever your plans may be. 

Be sure to visit my sister's blog as she says farewell to winter at Creating Wonderful Spaces!

I will be joining the party at Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch. and Tabletop Tuesday at a Stroll thru Life. 

Birthday Breakfast At Tiffany's

Even though my daughter is grown and on her own, I still like to do something special for her birthday and this year is no different.  I can't say why, but my daughter's generation has embraced Audrey Hepburn and her movies.  A few Christmas's ago my daughter requested Miss Hepburn's biography as a gift so it came as no surprise when she said she would like a "Breakfast at Tiffany's" style for her 24th birthday.  It's a very common theme for birthdays, engagements  and even weddings.  Southern Lady magazine had a recent feature with a BAT (Breakfast at Tiffany's) theme including a menu with the dishes named after characters in the movie.  If you google BAT, you will find dozens of tables using that signature blue color.  Here are some examples I came across recently (once again, I apologize for not giving credit but I originally was just using them for ideas but then decided to share them with you too!):

Love the little boxes!

An obvious choice for a centerpiece!

Isn't this clever to make the whole table into that little blue box?

I liked all of these but I wanted to try something I hadn't seen before for my BAT.  I set a table for 6 in my Dining Room for a birthday brunch.  Imagine "Moon River" playing to get you in the mood.  Did you know that Audrey Hepburn herself sang that in the movie?

I found these chargers at Target on-line after Christmas.  Believe it or not, they came in a set of 12 for $8!  They are similar to the chargers I used HERE in silver.

I used my square white dinner plates (Old Time Pottery), a black and white floral plate, also from Target, and a black bowl.  I would have liked some pretty glass fruit dishes but I don't have a set of six (yet!).  It would have been a nice touch to have something on the table that came from Tiffany's but unfortunately I haven't been that lucky!

I layered black and white napkins with a "Diamond Ring" napkin ring (Ross).  Do you remember in the film when Holly says you shouldn't wear diamonds until you're forty?

My husband gave me these flowers for Valentine's Day and since I already had my centerpiece planned out I divided them into 2 vases to place on either side.  I added the "pearl" branches to match my theme.  The movie is so full of great jewelry and fashion. 

My centerpiece started with a "little black dress" jewelry holder that I plan on giving to my daughter after the party.  The sunglasses stay with me (they're prescription!).

I hung some Christmas ornaments and faux jewels from the hooks.  It stands on a glass cake stand with some ornate candle holders around the bottom.

I used 3 glass coasters in between the candleholders that depict ads from the movie.  They were from Ross and very inexpensive.   There are lots of things you can buy that have to do with the movie. You could easily decorate a whole room with what's available.

A pair of big, black sunglasses tops it off. 

After Christmas I picked up a few sets of these aqua felt hearts and decided to hang them from the chandelier to give the room more of a party atmosphere.  With my daughter's birthday falling in the same week as Valentine's Day it only seemed right to add some hearts!

My china cabinet had to get in on the color scheme too so I changed it out to black and white.

In the movie, Holly's breakfast food, eaten in front of Tiffany's window, consists of a danish and coffee.  I am going in a slightly different direction!  Audrey Hepburn wouldn't have stayed as thin if she ate this meal every morning. 

The menu will consist of a baked french toast casserole, cut up fruit, breakfast sausage and mimosas.  I have tried several french toast casseroles before but this one is the winner.  Click HERE for the full recipe.  Make sure to warm your maple syrup before serving!  In birthday's past I have made cakes that look like Minnie Mouse, a basketball, conversation hearts, a competition swimming pool and a sunflower.  I toyed with the idea of a cake that looks like the Tiffany's box but I think I will stick with cupcakes this year since I found some cute aqua wrappers. 

A daughter is the happy memories of the past, the joyful moments of the present, and the hope and promise of the future.

-- Author Unknown

Happy Birthday Allison! 

I am joining the party at Tablescape Thursday over at Between Naps on the Porch.  Be sure to visit my sister's blog at Creating Wonderful Spaces!