Friday Crush

If you've read this blog and/or know me, you know that Thanksgiving is my own personal table-setting Olympics. It's the one holiday that I really gear up for in the table and entertaining department. Examples can be seen here and here.

You also probably know that I'm loyally devoted to Caspari and all things paper and entertaining that they produce. LIKE THIS NEW TURKEY PLATE.

Let's be clear that I already purchased my set...for next year. Because I had already purchased Caspari plates for this year. But this beauty was just too good to pass up.

We are closing in on potentially finalizing our move. Fingers crossed. Real Estate = Emotional Rollercoaster. Hope you have a fun fall weekend. See you next week!

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Couture Tabletop from Julia B.

Hold on to your hats. Have you seen the Quattro Mani tabletop collection from luxury monogrammer and home item purveyor Julia B.? It's out-of-this-world amazing and if I'm introducing it to you, I will feel extremely happy.

I can say it's like nothing I've ever seen before. It is a complete delight and a symbol of all my tabletop goals.

The color combos in the Firenze collection above are delightful. Little mustard yellow and light blue never hurt with lavender and coral.

And the autumnal vibes of Venezia above are begging to grace Thanksgiving tables.

There are two more patterns in the full collection - everything will shock you. And there is also glassware, flatware, and serving utensils. Go and enjoy.

Let's be clear this is DREAM tabletop. The lavender monogrammed salad plates are high on my wish list but way out of my budget. When you are this beautiful and special, your price tag is no joke and I'm OK with that.

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Catalog Pick: Jacqueline Dinner Plate

Thus far, I have opted for all white when it comes to our casual dinner plates. But I have recently fallen in love with these Jacqueline dinner plates from Ballard Designs:

The scalloped edge, dots, and design are just gorgeous. Perfect for summer AND holiday time. 

And I can't stop thinking about creating a patriotic table by layering it with these plates from Juliska (that I actually own...hmmm...):

Beautiful stuff, right? Those Ballard plates are immediately at the top of my wish list.

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Friday Crush

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Trying to keep it positive with warmer temperatures approaching. And this is the best way I know how - with a ridiculously gorgeous spring table setting from one of my favorite Insta accounts for spectacular monograms, @shopsaddlestitches. High on my wish list? Imari china. And this salad plate with all of my favorite colors may need to be my next pattern...I'm pretty sure it's Royal Crown Derby but anyone know the pattern name? I know I have china super sleuths out there...UPDATE: It's Kyoto Garden from Royal Crown Derby.

I have been down with a (self-diagnosed) sinus infection this week. It has been the pits. Mouth-breathing is not for me. Hoping I finally kick it in time for the weekend...see you next week!

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Friday Crush

These adorable cocktail napkins from Biscuit Home caught my eye this week. Wedding season is fast approaching and this would be a sweet gift coupled with some barware for your favorite couple. Can we agree that scallops make everything better?

Hope you have some fun plans for the weekend...mine will include not wearing boots. So sad. Happy weekend...see you next week!

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Cabbage Ware Tablesetting

Unfortunately for me, Spring has sprung with 70 degree temps in February. Hot weather is fast approaching. But ever the optimist, I will look on the bright side that fresh, bright table settings are on the horizon.

Like this one from Katie Armour's IG. That cabbage ware is richly hued and vibrantly textural. And I love the dimension of the scalloped edges. Especially paired with that block print to create my perfect color combination of green and orchidy-lavender...a dream.

This is perfect for Easter, yes? I have pined for cabbage plates for many years but have held back because storage. But if you want to start a collection this Spring check out eBay and Etsy...two good sources.

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Caspari Christmas Ballet

Humor me.

I know Christmas is LONG gone but I never showed you my Christmas table. And I loved it so much that it made me sad to put it away without showing you. So here it is.

You know Caspari is my fave and they debuted this Christmas Ballet collection this year...and I had to have it:

The Nutcracker Ballet depicted in a napkin full of hot pink, red, blue and green. Be still my heart.

I paired it with my wedding china, Derby Panel Green by Royal Crown Derby:

I also used my wedding crystal for wine and light pink glass tumblers from IKEA for water.

Paper napkins served as a table runner as well as coasters. 

Hot pink poinsettias took center stage inside small glass vases (Tip: Did you know you should "sear" the stems of cut poinsettias with a lighter/flame in arrangements? My cut stems are still going strong weeks later). 

Various crystal candlesticks with Caspari taper candles in shades of red, hot pink, and light pink provided ambience.

Everything perched atop a red tablecloth (also Caspari, obvi) that is wonderful for fancy dinners because it feels more like fabric than paper.

And then, we had the Christmas mice:

I made a little trip to IKEA where I picked up a dozen mice for 99 cents each, followed by a trip to the craft store for some pink tulle for the ballerinas and some felt for the gentlemice.

After a relatively short crafting session where I just eyeballed everything and went to town with a hot glue gun, I had a small army of Christmas mice to adorn the table. The perfect finishing touch to each setting and the kids loved them.

And that's a wrap on Christmas. Thanks for playing.

Have a great weekend...see you next week!

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Friday Crush

Plates on a chair.

I'm starting up a new project with one of my favorite clients and she has this delicious array of multicolored salad/dessert plates handed down from her mother. They are sitting on turquoise leather atop a black/white checkerboard floor. All good things to start with.

Let me tell you...I am pretty pumped it's Christmas. Though with children born during the holiday season, this time of year is HECTIC. But I'll take it all. Great problems to have. Hope you have a wonderful weekend...see you next week!

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Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving, friends.

May it be sumptuous and full of love and friendship...and less football than mine will be.

xoxoxo,

Daniela

Friday Crush

Well, here I am, the weekend before Thanksgiving and my table has not been planned. When it comes to entertaining, I either have it really together in advance...or it's a hot mess hours before. I can never seem to get it in between.

Regardless, I always love having guests in my home so I'm pretty pumped that Thanksgiving is quickly approaching and we are set to have a full house. One thing I do know - Caspari will be on my table. It always is. And the napkins above which are PERFECT for this holiday remind me of my Thanksgiving table from last year:

All the feathers.

If you are hosting, I hope your planning comes together this weekend! See you next week!

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Friday Crush

Wonderfully clever idea for your Thanksgiving table from Southern Living - golden pears as bud vases. The sugars in the pears keep the flowers going...and their golden hue coupled with bright flowers are a perfect, simple way to decorate your table beautifully. I might be doing this...TBD.

When you read this, I'll be in Charleston having an epic girls weekend with my besties...toasting this year when we all turned 35 and generally celebrating our incredible friendship. Have a great weekend...see you next week!

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Friday Crush

Photo by Danae Horst

Boo! Have you seen this photo floating around the Internet? I hope I'm introducing you to it...because it's so clever. The florals are on point and what drew me in was the excellent use of black...then I followed the photo to the blog post over at The Jungalow by Justina Blakeney and discovered that this whole chic table is made up of thrifted finds. With a little imagination and some killer florals, it all left me really impressed. Read the post...and embrace how gorgeous large doses of black can be on a table.

Happy Halloween! Will aim to post a pic of the Shuffler kids post-holiday. Have a great weekend and a fun holiday on Monday. See you next week!

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Peachy Plum Table

Photo by James Wojcik for Town and Country Magazine

FALL! REJOICE!

Nothing gets me going for the new season like the promise of sumptuous table arranging! 

And this example is HIGH on my radar. Because peach. Mixed with plum (always a favorite), emerald green, and orange. It's so very good.

I'm also writing a note to self about hunting down a good vintage silver basket - the height and interest one can offer is lovely.

Now go take inventory of your boots. 

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Friday Crush

Photo by Nicole LaMotte for One Kings Lane

I need more monograms in my life. Love this collection from Kim Bachmann's wonderful home featured on One Kings Lane. Check it out here - definitely worth your time this Friday. 

Well, that was a busy week. How was yours? Do you feel like summer is just FLYING by like I do? Granted, I'm not one to hold on to this season so this is not necessarily a bad thing...mostly just the sensation that time is slipping by, which leaves one questioning all sorts of things. Hope your weekend is carefree, unworried about anything but family and friends. See you next week!

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Herend Forains d'Orient

Let me be clear that I have fallen in love with many a china pattern in my lifetime. Many.

But this week, I found my soulmate.

Herend's Forains d'Orient:

The Chinoiserie motif is obviously on point....but the gold borders, scalloped edge (!), polka-dot background and saturated hues are what make this pattern above and beyond anything I've seen.

Like so many things I love, these items are luxe. So instead of setting my table with various sets, I'll need to pump the brakes and narrow in on one statement piece that I can own.

[insert heart-eyes emoji]

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Oasis by Harrison Howard for Caspari

Two of my most absolute favorites have teamed up once again - Harrison Howard and Caspari - for a fantastic new line of paperware, perfect for ushering in beach season.

Take a look at Oasis:

image via Caspari's Instagram

Harrison's art is breathtaking and I love that Caspari knows just what to do with it. The combination is always spectacular.

I basically hoard Caspari products - it's the easiest way to dazzle guests...just break out some beautiful napkins - so I'm sure this collection will be joining my stash.

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Happy Easter

One of my ALL-TIME favorite tables, designed by Jane Scott Hodges for Southern Living

If you celebrate, I am wishing you and yours a joyous Easter. 

May it be filled with friends, family and reflection. 

And may you find a seat at church and may your toddlers behave. <--that is my wish for myself

Have a beautiful weekend! See you next week!

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Spring Styling with Bloomingdale's

I had a styling gig last weekend for Bloomingdale's @ Tysons Corner in Virginia that I wanted to share with y'all, especially since spring entertaining is among us and you might need some ideas.

I am here for you. So is Bloomingdale's.

I spent a whole morning styling up a table with the finery you see above that I picked up from every corner of the home department. Juliska, Kate Spade, Michael Aram, Waterford...it was my version of heaven.

That dope pillow above is what set it all off. I saw it propped on a display and I can't leave anything that is orchid + periwinkle alone.

From there fresh blues, my classic toile, glimmers of gold all came together for a classic yet cool, mixed-up table.

Here are some pictures of the real-life situation. First, let me tell you that styling with a prop room like this is very, very fun (I should have used way more flair available to me):

And now the table:

And a post-styling selfie for posterity (kids, your mom once did cool things, SEE):

I hunted down several of the items I used online, but I couldn't find them all (some of these links are substitutions).

Go shopping:

Placemats
Napkins
Dinner Plates
Salad Plates
Water Glass
Wine Glass
Flatware
Vase
Pillow

(For some reason, my links to the coasters, candlesticks and pitcher are not working but they are all by Michael Aram so search accordingly)

A big, bright thank you to Kelly, Bill and the team at Bloomingdale's Tysons Corner. It was an awesome way to spend the afternoon!

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