Easter Table Setting-Use What You Have and Add

I wrote an earlier post “Celebrate Life Now” that kind of (I feel) got buried in all our launch posts and think that it could be applied to setting your table for an Easter dinner. On a personal note, it’s probably my favorite post that I’ve written because it’s how I feel about entertaining and life in general.

Mix ‘n Match

In my picture below  I’ve shown how you can mix pieces you might already have, inexpensive items to buy, and how to just mix and match. It’s not an elegant table necessarily, but again, it’s just an example of mixing and matching and it’s easy, cute and (I believe) anyone could sit at this table and enjoy themselves and feel comfortable.

Here’s an example of mixing china pieces if you don’t have enough of one pattern for how many people you’re seating at the table. And it doesn’t even have to be your grandma’s china, you can do the same thing with whatever dinner plates you have or even paper plates!

The Strategy

I used the china I already had and just mixed it up a bit so I gave the whole table a feel of  being informal before I did anything else.

However, my wine glasses all match and I already had them along with the silverware (and my silverware is mixed too-for a table of eight, I used two different patterns).

I like white napkins but don’t always spot treat them after dinners and have a bunch that I haven’t been able to get the stains out of so I have lots of white napkins that are different. But as long as they’re all the same color no one will notice, and if someone does, then it looks like I did it on purpose to keep with the “unmatched look”.

I love napkin rings almost as much as I love shoes! Let me just say, if I had a table big enough to seat 50, I wouldn’t have to buy any napkin rings. Just saying. But I just used some ribbon on this table because the color looked like Spring and I had a big roll that I bought on clearance (of course!)

When we have more than 4 guests over, I like to have “name cards” so people know where to sit. I decided to use some plastic eggs I got at the dollar store, and wrote the guests names on it and voila! Cute name cards.

The chargers (I like our glass table so I  usually don’t put a tablecloth on it and the chargers protect the plates from scratching the glass and adds a pop of color). I bought them for 10 cents at Wal-Mart after Christmas. They were 49 cents on clearance and then went down to 10 cents-I bought 50 ….seriously!

I bought that fabulous bowl (in the center) at Goodwill for $3.00 and decided to use it for my flowers because the flowers I’m using in the picture were all different lengths (from a flower test I did earlier) AND I like a low setting flower arrangement.

Tammy’s Tip ‘O the Day!

You never want to have anything (especially a centerpiece) on your table that’s so tall, guests can’t see each other.

I put tea lights in little juice glasses that belonged to my great-grandma. I only have six of them so I couldn’t use them for beverages since the table is set for eight but I wanted them on the table. So I just filled them with water, pulled the metal bottom off the tea lights and now I have floating candles.

And finally, I like having more than one set of salt and pepper shakers on the table so guests aren’t having to keep passing them around. I found these salt and pepper shakers at a garage sale-got a total of 8 for $1.00 so I just spread them around.

This is just an example…you can add more expensive items, less expensive items, use paper products, mix and match….have fun, set the mood, and make your guests feel comfortable. Use what you have, add what you need and celebrate life!