festive weekend table

We set a festive red, white and blue

table over the weekend.

We had no guests over this weekend,

and sometimes it’s just fun setting a

pretty table for the family.

I keep these little anchors and tassels

all ready to go on pre-wrapped burlap.

All I have to do is slip the whole thing over

a napkin, and we’re all set. 

Strawberries and blueberries are the perfect

summer fruits to add a little pizzazz to the table,

and so yummy too!

I love all the rustic textures on the table,

and this burlap runner fits right in.

I was going to put up the patriotic paper lanterns,

but I kind of like them scattered along the sideboard.

They look pretty all day with the sunlight streaming in,

and lighting them up.

I made a huge pitcher of lemonade and

we enjoyed it all weekend.

It was perfect for this HOT weekend.

And so economical, made with 

fresh mint and lemons from the garden.  

I just refilled this dispenser a few times over the weekend,

and everyone could serve themselves.

And just for fun, we made

lemonade flavored ice cubes with fresh

lemon and mint added.

They looked pretty in the glasses too!

I hope you had a nice weekend too!

It was nice to sort of unwind and chill,

since school just got out last week.

Things are ramping up for the summer,

so a little recharge was more than necessary!

ciao! fabiana

And it all came together like this:

Anchor Charms: Oriental Trading

Tiny Patriotic Tassels: Oriental Trading

White Napkins: vintage
Blue Glasses;  vintage
Clear Glasses:  La Rochère

Patriotic Burlap Runner: Oriental Trading

Plates: Home Goods

Place Mats: Ikea

Flatware: World Market
Beverage Dispenser:  Oriental Trading
Wooden Stand for Beverage Dispenser:  Home Goods
Patriotic Paper Lanterns: Oriental Trading
White Star Bowl:  Target

Thank you to Oriental Trading for sending me these products to review. 

The opinions expressed in this post are truly my own.

happy labor day weekend

 

Is Labor Day the official end of summer? Don’t know about you, but we’re having cool gloomy weather this weekend. That’s why it’s important to brighten up the front and back yards with a few patriotic flower vignettes.

Whatever the weather, Labor Day kind of marks the end of the patriotic summer season of décor that starts with Memorial Day in May. After this weekend it’ll be all about the almighty PUMPKIN!!

So, celebrate the end of the season! Let's bring out the best of the red, white and blue and set something up for yourself and your family to enjoy all weekend long.

 

Stripes are always so festive and can fit in with any sort of style, so today I’m sharing my favorite tips for setting a fun table at home to honor Labor Day.

 

Try to stick with white and red flowers. True blue flowers are harder to find, so we tend to go with ones in the dark violet blue color range. The combination of all three colors works great for a patriotic theme.

 

 All of these flowers pictured are from Armstrong Garden. We have two really close locations that I shop at all the time, one in Costa Mesa and another on Coast Highway in Newport Beach.

This lovely linen Amalfi Stripe tablecloth is from Solino Home, and I love the subtle color picked up here with the flags and the rest of the vintage pottery and tableware.

I found this great red metal basket, lined with coco fiber at Armstrong’s too. Don’t you love the added pop of color?

The red Capri striped tablecloth is also from Solino Home and works great indoors or out, any time of the year.

 

Wishing you a lovely weekend!

 

ciao fabiana

 

For lots of fun extras, follow me on instagram!

 

 

Please note that this post may contain affiliate links.

 

weekend round up

How is it possible that it’s the weekend again? Here we are almost halfway through the year, so I thought it was about time that I share a weekend round up feature. It’s been a while, so here goes with a few of my favorite things.

 

Let’s start with this pretty bunch of flowers that I collected from the garden. I was working on a fall project for Cottages and Bungalows and needed some kind of autumn floral statement.

This big handful of blooms from the garden may not be wildflowers, but they sure give off that vibe. This is just a bunch of sage, pink grasses, nandina and yellow aquilegia and are so perfect for this big ironstone pitcher that I love so much.

 

After photographing my fall project, I moved the flowers out of the way and set them on these books in front of the window. The sunlight coming in from the garden was so pretty, I had to capture this moment.

Sometimes, it's those unexpected things that are so pretty. I was putting off going to the store to buy sunflowers, and then just went out and gathered what I thought would be a sentimental autumn look.

And speaking of this fall photo shoot, I wanted to share with you how I simply styled this little wooden shadow box. I used it to add some texture to the background of my pictures.

I found it recently at my neighbor’s estate sale. She said she stripped the finish off and never finished the project, but I love it just the way it is. 

A few of my favorite little vintage stoneware crocks fill out the cubbies. I'm not sure if I have room for this piece as a permanent display, but I think it'll be fun to style it seasonally. This little gem is one of my most favorite finds ever!

 

Summer essentials for sure! These two Vagabond House items are my most recent additions to my coastal collection from them.

 

First up is the Sailboat Decanter made with beautiful and heavy Italian glass and topped with the cutest pewter sailing sloop finial.

 

This decanter style actually comes in three different shapes and sizes, and I’m kind of obsessed with collecting all three to display on our bar cart.

 

The cocktail glasses you see here are a pair of Nautilus Double Old-Fashioned Glasses. Check out the base of these beauties. That’s a solid pewter base with nautilus shell motifs circling around the whole glass.

 

I think these would make beautiful votive candle holders as well! I’ll share more on the decanter and the glassware soon.

 

This red, white and blue table I set recently features a tablecloth and napkins by Solino Home. This Navy-Blue Capri Stripe Tablecloth is so versatile, I styled it three different ways, using three different Solino Home linen napkins.

 

I’ll be sharing all three of these looks very soon, but today I wanted to highlight these adorable napkin rings.

 

I just got a set of 12 of these Rattan Napkin Rings on Amazon, after searching high and love for something that was chic and that have wonderful texture.

 

Some of the ones on the market look so cheap, but these are exactly what I was looking for. I love how they look with my favorite Serena & Lily raffia placemats and my Serena & Lily light fixture.

Lastly, I want to share a couple of pages from Country Living UK magazine that I recently spotted. This red, white and blue little baking scene has all the hallmarks of my style and the things I love. 

The gingham, the china and the little stoneware crock are some of the things I love most. This was styled by Alaina Binks.

Also from Country Living UK, this home and bike epitomizes the perfect summer day. I hope to take a leisurely ride on my bike this weekend. It’s been too long!

 

Happy weekend to you all!

 

ciao! fabiana

 

 

For lots of fun extras, follow me on instagram!

 

 

 

You can check out some of my favorites here at “Tablescaping Essentials”*. 

 

 

 

 

 

Please note that this post may contain affiliate links.

happy weekend!

What are your plans for this weekend?  

We're expected to have gorgeous 

So Cal weather this weekend, 

so a walk on the beach or

in the Back Bay is a must.  

We're also headed to Uptown Whittier 

for a Farmer's Market and lunch on Sunday.  

Wishing you all a happy weekend!   

  ciao! fabiana

photo:
Some like it Hot
Tony Curtis & Marilyn Monroe

weekend thoughts

5 Great Ways to Relax this Weekend

1. Try a New Recipe

 

When was the last time you cooked something new? The weekend is the perfect time to try one of those new recipes you’ve been saving. For me cooking is a very relaxing activity. How about you?

Or, if you’re not in the mood to cook, order take-out from a restaurant you haven’t eaten at yet. And if you’re really adventurous, go for something exotic like Moroccan, Persian or Thai!

 

2. Start a New TV Series or a New Movie

Do you get hooked into a series on netflix and end up binging the whole season or two? Amazon Prime has a great series that is at the top of my list, “The Last Tycoon”. It’s based on an unfinished book by F. Scott Fitzgerald and takes place in 1930’s Hollywood. I even think my husband would like this one! Have you watched this yet?  

 

3. Read a Book

 

What a novel concept… hahaha, sorry for the silly pun. But really, we spend so much time on our phones and computers, that it’s easy to forget how relaxing and therapeutic reading a book can be. Biographies and nonfiction are my favorite reads. Do you have any favorite books to recommend?

 

4. Take a Walk

 

Being outdoors is a beautiful thing, so make the most of the end of summer by getting out and walking for a good half hour or more. Walking around a favorite neighborhood can be fun too. I love to get an up-close look at some of my favorite homes.

 

5.  Spend time with Friends and Family

 

Weekdays can be so busy, so make time to reconnect with family members and good friends on the weekend. My bestie and I don’t see each other that often because she lives three hours away, but when we do, we start of right where we left off and giggle until our tummies hurt!  

ciao! fabiana

photo credit:

House Beautiful

ten stylish table settings for labor day

Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer, and that’s only 4 short days away! To end this summer off with a bang, we have an “excessive heat watch” in the weather forecast for this weekend near the beaches here in Orange County, so I'm not sure if we'll be able to spend much time outdoors, besides maybe taking a dip in the pool. 

Either way, for me, Labor Day marks the end of the patriotic summer season of décor that starts with Memorial Day in May. After this weekend it’ll be all about the almighty PUMPKIN!! 

So, the celebrate the end of the season, let's bring out the best of the red, white and blue and set something up for yourself and your family to enjoy all weekend long. 

Here are 10 of my favorite patriotic-inspired tablescapes to get you started for the weekend, and always remember to add a few things you really love to the table. That way, you’re sure to smile when you sit down to enjoy your setting!      

As a bonus this week,

I also want to remind you that you'll receive a

 10% discount on all orders of BLUE TALAVERA plates and accessories until Saturday.

Just use the promo code 10CLAUDIABLU  

(offer valid until September 5, 2020 in USA only)

To make shopping extra easy, 

all of Bico Ceramic’s pieces are available on Amazon. 

Blue Talavera

ciao! fabiana

For lots of fun extras, follow me on instagram! 

If you'd like new posts delivered to you directly, subscribe here.