My Approach to Table Decor

by Vicki

My approach to table decoration is to “shop” my stash for inspiration! After I was asked to set a table for the Killearn UMC Mother/Daughter Banquet, I quickly came up with a theme and color scheme for my table. Since the banquet fell on the same day my granddaughter was due, the theme was "baby girl" with lots of pink, gray, and birds as this is the color scheme of her nursery.

Next I looked for an inspiration piece. For me this was going to be the table covering. I had a piece of fabric in mind, but as luck would have it, a couple of weeks before the banquet I found the most perfect inspiration fabric--pink, shiny, with all the right colors at a yard sale for $2.00! I was in business. All the decor would coordinate with this fabric.

First I gathered all the pink or baby girl stuff I had in the house. This was easy as I’ve been collecting in anticipation of hosting a baby girl shower. When at yard sales, I’d look for pink decor including silk flowers which I had been adding to my collection.

For the centerpiece I sorted all the flowers that would work with the inspiration fabric which included pink, but not purplish pink flowers, white ones, and a few yellow ones to coordinate with the gold in the fabric. 

For the base, I first used a Southern Living at Home Floral container which I spray painted pink. Although I like the look, the shape was not right. 

For plan B I used a shiny, almost mercury glass looking bowl, which was the right shape and height.

I won’t attempt to teach flower arranging here, but arranging a round design is fairly easy. There are lots of tutorials online which is how I learned.

Here’s what went into the centerpiece:

• 5 pink roses (Hobby Lobby)
  
• 6 yellow flowers (thrifted)
  
• 4 white, dyed pink rose buds* (thrifted)
  
• 6 pink flowers (thrifted)
  
• many open white, dyed pink roses* (thrifted)
  

*I dyed these with highly diluted craft paint. I swirled them in the paint water, shook them lightly and laid them, stems elevated, to dry. Drying with the stems elevated encouraged the water to move towards the edges giving them a hint more paint.

To add more interest, I made floral picks with the tips of some old floral fill and satin finished pink Christmas balls and randomly placed them throughout the centerpiece.

The final piece was to tuck a strand of fairy lights into the arrangement leaving the end to trail down the side into the bottom pedestal. The battery compartment was hidden inside the arrangement.

Battery compartment hidden inside the arrangement.

The arrangement is set on a glass base which was once part of a lamp. The two sign holder bases were also part of the same lamp.

One of the two "It's a Girl" sign holders. Lamp part, spray painted wood dowel, wired edge ribbon & a few flowers. The dowel was hot glued inside the lamp part & a cardboard circle finished the bottom.

Some of the sparkly things added to the table decor.

Small LED light placed inside Lenox crystal ornament.

Additional items used on the table included: 

• small square beveled mirrors (thrifted) 
  
• bird salt/pepper shakers & an upturned glass midcentury ashtray to stand them on (thrifted) 
  
• pair of mercury glass birds (Kohl's)
  
• Lenox crystal baby ornament that opened in which I put a small LED light (thrifted) 
  
• clear glass ornament with pink/white trim (thrifted)
  
• ribbon for the sign stands which was also used at the place setting (thrifted--4 brand new rolls of Martha Stewart wired ribbon for a buck!)
  
• it’s a girl mini sign (Tuesday Morning) 
  
• clear glass plates, flatware, Lenox crystal stemware, forks, and napkins (shopped my house).

Finished table

Vicki & Steph at the banquet. Happy Mother's Day to me!