Tuesday, June 13, 2023

Up, Up and Away With Summer Dining

Hey there! Summer is just one week away and today I'm sharing a summer tablescape with you that I've set in our dining room: Up, Up and Away with Summer Dining! It's just part of a summer tablescape blog hop I'm hosting for readers. See further in my post for direct links for lots more inspiration on tap, with a great list of stylists also sharing their summer tablescapes today.

The inspiration for my tablescape today came from spotting a colorful set of  Williams Sonoma salad plates late last year on eBay. I loved the colors, bought the set, and made plans for my summer tablescaping. They are called Montgolfiere, after the Montgolfier brothers (Joseph-Michel and Jacques Etienne), French aviation pioneers. The brothers invented the Montgolfier-style hot air balloon, and launched a successful ascent with Jacques-Etienne on board in 1783.
Shortly after purchasing, the US intelligence detected Chinese surveillance balloons flying over various military sights in February 2023, collecting....oh right, weather information. I thought, great, this would shoot holes in my balloon tablescape as a badly timed idea, but never fear, we shot down one of the two confirmed balloon drones. Not that anyone would forget that bit of history, and I'm getting off course here.....

I had the idea of having paper hot air balloons as part of my tablescape, but that was easier said than done. Amazon provided an inexpensive source, but they were intended to be suspended. I wanted them to stand on the table, so I improvised.
I hot-glued skewer sticks to the dangling strings between the balloon and its basket (made of tissue paper). I then used two of the wicker drink holders as baskets for the bases, which gave them both stability and the weight needed to stand on their own. For the centerpiece, I used a recent perennial plant purchased - none other than a balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorus). I will plant the balloon flowers this week. I mixed in a few balloon-like hydrangea blooms too, as well as a few of my daisies which are just beginning to bloom in my landscape. I liked the golden color coordination of the sunflower placemat, the rim on the salad plates, and the centers of the daisies.
Flatware is new, a casual bamboo, and the "glassware" is a gradient set of blues and greens, in a carefree acrylic. I first used this acrylic set five years ago, which can be viewed in a seaside tablescape, here.
The pattern play of the stripes, dots and checks came from items readily available in my dish and linen inventory, all of which have been used in prior tablescapes.

I liked the idea of playing with lighting the balloons also, so I placed battery votives in the baskets, which provided more weight too. This was prior to setting my floral centerpiece. Wouldn't it be fun to have this in an alfresco dining setting? My recent work in readying the landscape with power washing and planting was not conducive for this primetime photoshoot!
Consistent with my style, I've provided a source list of most all the items I've used today in my tablescape (no affiliations). 

Source List for Up, Up and Away With Summer Dining
Tablecloth (Kate Spade), DInner Plates - HomeGoods
Chargers, Wine Cooler (as Planter), Salt & Pepper (All Royal Check), Napkins (Blue Santorini) - MacKenzie-Childs
Bamboo Flatware, Wicker Cup Holders, Paper Balloons - Amazon
Salad Plates (Wms Sonoma, Montgolfiere) - eBay
Sunflower placemats - Hobby Lobby
Acrylic Glasses - Pottery barn
Now, enjoy yourself with this complete list of stylists who've curated their individually styled summer tablescapes as part of this blog hop. The links will take you directly to their blog post.
Home is Where the Boat Is - Hydrangeas and Butterflies
Life and Linda - A Boho Alfresco Tablescape
Corner of Plaid and Paisley - Summer Plaid and Polka Dot Picnic
Living With Thanksgiving - Summer Blessings
The Painted Apron - Boats, Floats and Fish!
Pandora's Box - Summer Blues
From My Carolina Home - Welcome Summer Tablescapes
The Bookish Dilettante - Summer Tablescape:  Old Glory
Red Cottage Chronicles - Lemon Tablescape for Summer
Hyacinths for the Soul - Long May She Wave
Dinner at Eight - A Summer of Colors
I appreciate your visit today, and hope you'll leave a comment, letting me know you were here. I enjoy interacting with my readers, but please note if your comment publishes as anonymous, I have no way of knowing who you are, so please leave your name. 




35 comments:

  1. Good Morning Rita, I love your plates and inspiration for your summer table! The plates have such happy colors and designs and I love how you layered them on your cheery sunflower mats and with the MKC Royal check and polka dot tablecloth. I’m chuckling over “shoot holes in my balloon tablescape as a badly timed idea”. 😉 Brilliant idea to use wicker drink holders as baskets for your balloons on your table!! So clever to incorporate a balloon flower in your centerpiece too. Thank you so much for all your organization efforts and work on these hops. I so appreciate you! As always, it’s a treat to join you at the table. Happy Tuesday. ♥

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  2. Good morning, Rita, I love this theme for summer! The WS salad plates are so much fun and paired with your MKC Royal check make your table a delightful scene. You were quite clever to figure out how to make your balloon stay put and not fly away. The Kate Spade dot tablecloth, plate stack, napkins, and new bamboo flatware combine for a perfect welcome to summer. I remember my first hot air balloon ride was over Napa at sunrise with breakfast following in a vineyard. It remains a beautiful memory. Thank you for organizing the hops, I appreciate all you do to make them successful! Happy Tuesday ♥️

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  3. So cute, your idea to anchor the balloons was genius! The little wicker baskets mimic the gondola baskets, well done! Pretty plates, and your flowers are the perfect complement.

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  4. Rita, your tablescape is darling and very creative! You have the best ideas. You have curated your MKC pieces, linens, cutlery, new Williams Sonoma plates, flowers, and theme beautifully. I love the pattern play of dots, stripes, and checks. So effective with the perfect touches of whimsy, color, and elements of design. How neat to have a Up, Up, and Away theme perfect for the artistic and collectible plates. I've always wanted to ride in a hot air balloon. You were very clever using what you had with the wicker glasses and making the mechanics work with your balloons.
    Thank you for your organization making the hops run smoothly. I recognize the time and effort it takes. You are appreciated.

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  5. Love the sunflower place mat and the blue and white checked chargers by MacKenzie-Childs. This is truly a wonderful summer tablescape! Now, where's the lemonade??? Fonda

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  6. How creative you were in figuring out the hot air balloon, Rita, with that little wicker basket! I love the light in them as well. Your plates sure were a great eBay purchase. How perfect is your centerpiece too! I’ve always wanted bamboo handled flatware and yours looks so summery on your table. So fun!

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  7. What's not to like with stripes, checks and dots? All my fav patterns. The balloons are adorable and coordinate so well with the plates. What an adorable theme for summer!

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  8. How much fun Rita! I love your hot air balloon theme and the plates are just adorable! The way you styled your hot air balloons is so cute and creative! Your color scheme with yellow and blue is like a yellow sun in a blue sky~ great weather for flying! The MKC Royal Check is perfect with the hot air balloon plates. I love the polka dot tablecloth and the fluffy white hydrangeas that mimic the hot air balloons. Thanks so much for another wonderful tablescape hop, you are much appreciated!
    Jenna

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  9. Rita, such a fun table. it reminds me of my end of summer table with little hot air balloons, almost the same title, except mine was end of summer. The little wicker baskets are so cute. i also love adding lights to the hot air balloons. Love the MKC Royal Check. The sunflower mats are darling. Great job finding those hot air balloon plates. The The Kate Spade dot tablecloth, napkins and fun bamboo flatware is lovely. Thank you so much for organizing us all. Happy summer.

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  10. Rita, you've swept me up with your darling hot air balloon theme. Of course I adore your French theme, all the yellow and blue, and the Royal Check mixed in. Well done! Clever girl with the hot air balloons. Where there's a will, there's a way! I may need to find one of the Kate Spade polka dot linens. How fun it that!
    As always, you've shared a table full of whimsy and inspiration. Thank you! Thank you for organizing this hop and including me. Up, up, and away into summer 2023!

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  11. Brilliant how you created your hot air balloons! Those dishes are great and I love all the color they provide. Love the MacKenzie childs pieces too!

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  12. You are so darned clever, Rita. I love your skewer/basket-drink holder idea and the votives are inspired. (I was thinking little flowers anchored by floral rocks -- the votive works much better and less fussy. Very cute tablecloth with the dishes, too. How cheery and festive!

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  13. Weather information indeed lol. What a great find those plates were and I liked reading the history of the hot air balloons and the Montgolfier brothers. This is a very unique theme and you have carried it out beautifully with the polka dots, stripes, and your collection of MKC treasures. The sunflower placemats are so cute and summery and the flowers are lovely. It was so clever and creative how you made the balloons work for you. A very pleasing table all around that anyone would be delighted to have a seat at. Thank you for organizing another fabulous blog hop and wishing you a very happy summer!

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  14. Rita, how delightfully fun! Your table takes me away to a couple of balloon festivals I've been to where dozens of balloons take off together and float across the landscape. The plate designs are so pretty and whimsical and they're set off beautifully by the placemats and napkins. That's a neat trick stabilizing the paper balloons! I wonder what birds think when they encounter the balloons. I'm also amazed by those intrepid explorers more than 200 years ago!

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    Replies
    1. Sandra @ Dinner at EightJune 15, 2023 at 12:14 AM

      Thanks again for organizing this fun blog hop!

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  15. Rita, what a fun, whimsical -- "uplifting" summer table! Love your creativity and appreciate the tips on stabilizing and displaying the paper balloons. They make for a major "wow" factor on the table and go so perfectly with the darling plates. Love the linen and other tableware choices as well, making for a wonderfully styled table. Oh la la!

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  16. Thank-you so much for hosting, Rita! I love the pretty balloon plates; what a lucky eBay find. They are lovely! The colors are spectacular, and so, so apropos for summer. The bright yellow placemats are the perfect foil to the MacKenzie-Childs Royal Check accents on your table. I also love the dottie tablecloth! (I love polka dots.) You're also very clever in making the balloons with the woven cup holders. Très chic!

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  17. Rita, what a darling table theme and so creative! I love the cute plates and fun hot air balloons! Thanks again for hosting us!

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  18. Rita you clever girl! Using the woven glass holders as your balloon baskets. When we lived in New Mexico, we would go to the Balloon Fiesta every year and when you lit your baskets, it reminded me of the balloon glow that is always held at night in Albuquerque. So enchanting. The rest of your table is so pretty. Love the balloon salad plates. What a find. Very colorful. You are also so smart to transplant to your garden which is already a beautiful site....sorta like killing two birdś with one stone. Thank you for hosting and organizing all of us. Have a wonderful summer.
    On a basketball note...it surprised me that Huggy would put himself in that position. But we went through something with sanctions last year when Bill/staff was accused of buying tennis shoes for a player and giving some money to an aunt of same player or some such thing. I don't know that we ever really know the truth about anything do we?

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  19. I love your hot air balloon theme . And, yours are so much cuter than any surveillance ballon! What a genius idea to create the hot air balloons the way you did! The plates were a great find, and I could think of so many occasions to use them! The bright summery colours are perfect! Thank you for hosting us once again!

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  20. Oh my gosh this is so cute. Those plates really make the table scape. The balloons are genius. Yay for Summer. Have a great week. Hugs. Kris

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  21. Rita, I love these plates and your theme! You were very clever and creative to come up with the balloon centerpieces!

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  22. Rita, I thought your balloon plates were darling - love the bright colors and the whimsical drawings. But your balloon basket creations are adorable. You worked so hard to get them just right. Thank you again for hosting a fun and always inspirational blog hop.

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  23. Hi Rita, You are so creative. I love how you designed your paper hot air balloon as your centerpiece. It works beautifully. Your balloon salad plates are such a great find. It is so unique and to pair them with the stripes, checks and polka dots really add to the playfulness of the tablescape. It reminds me of an art project on Pinterest with someone making beautiful hot air balloon out of used light bulbs. Stunning.

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  24. Love it, Rita!! I am so loving all the patterns and the colorful balloon plates together! Of course the polka dot table cloth and the stripes and checks are all fabulous in my book!! I like the way you set them off with the bright yellow chargers. The plates are wonderful, and remind me of the big ballon fest we have here in conjunction with the Pro Football Hall of Fame- one of my favorite activities to attend! Kudos for suspending the balloons! Are they gathering intelligence?!? Thanks so much for hosting us!❤️Have a wonderful summer ☀️🩴

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  25. Rita, This is the cutest tablescape! The hot air balloons you altered are genius! I just love them. The tablecloth and pretty plate stack are so festive. I always enjoy seeing hot air balloons in the sky floating along as they are so magical. As a matter of fact, I saw a beautiful baby blue one with flowers, butterflies, and bees this past week in a nearby small town that's hosting a gathering of hot air balloons soon. It was so pretty in the afternoon sky. Thanks for all the inspiration! I'm a couple days behind due to prior obligations. Clara❤️

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  26. Are you kidding me?! Your balloon basket idea is genius! I love how people (you) go all out making a theme from a (magnificent) plate which turns into a fantastic tablescape. I must be lazy. Around here people usually get flowers and maybe their own salt and paper shaker.
    Laughed out loud from the bad timing statement on the China balloons. LOLOLOL!

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  27. Oh Rita, I love your Hot Air Balloon table so much!!!! How clever to make that centerpiece - it truly is the pièce de résistance of your table. And the Blue & White McKenzie Childs accents (at least it looks like their pattern) adds such a beautiful touch. Blue & White is my favorite combo so I'm always excited to see peeks of it here and there! Thank you so much for allowing me to be part of the party! Happy Summer! ❤️ Jennifer @ Celebrating Everyday Life ❤️

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  28. Rita, your creativity BLOWS me AWAY! This is incredibly charming.

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  29. Oh Rita-Your table settings are always so fabulous and inspiring! I love the hot air balloon theme for the summer. Again, another delightful visit!

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  30. Rita, what an inspirational table setting! I am so impressed with the improvised hot air balloons- what a cute and smart idea! Your Kaye Spade tablecloth is the perfect beginning of this fun summer table layered with your plates and summertime flatware. I love this setting! Happy summer! Xo Lidy

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  31. Just had a chance to visit the recent Blog Hop. As always it was wonderful...lots of variety and inspiration. What a great idea to use hot air balloons on the table. Loved how you modified them to work for your table setting. Great choice of breezy, summer colors. Have a great week. Lynne

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