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Thursday, April 15, 2010

Jonesing For The Beach

Maybe because the beach means carefree days and lazy evenings.
Maybe because the beach means the tang of salt air, which both energizes and relaxes.
Maybe because the beach means leaving real life behind . . . .


Whatever the reason -- and it is probably all of the above -- I have been jonesing for the beach lately. Real life is a bit stressful just now, so I am hearkening back to last summer, and a Tablescape that conjures up a carefree beach scene for me.

Please forgive the repeat table setting; if you've seen it, skip it and move on!

I had good intentions of using the dishes I bought on Sunday
in a tablescape this week, but I just plain ran out of time.


Thanks to Susan of Between Naps On The Porch for Tablescape Thursday.


And thanks also to Leigh of Tales from Bloggeritaville for her Thrifty Thursday.


Both of these blog parties have grown to be so popular, and I am always late to them!

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Now it's dishes, with a beachy mood.
Clean, simple, with watery colors.

Using Dollar Tree plates and bowls, an old sand-colored cotton tablecloth,
some vintage restaurant ware, and a few bits and bobs, I did a thrifty water-sand-shell-and-stone table:


The blue and aqua plates and bowls are from Dollar Tree.
I love their matte finish; they almost look handmade. For a buck apiece.

The smaller plates are old Syracuse restaurant china, and were my Mom's.
She loved restaurant dishes, bought scads at yard sales.


My friend Betsy gave me these little shell patterned dishes; they are white with touches
of aqua. They can hold a wee dinner roll and a pat of butter!

She also gave me this creamer and sugar,
bought along with the little dishes in Bethany Beach, Delaware:

Love the soft colors and sea creatures.


The big hurricane is full of beach stones, and a big ivory candle...

and the little blue votive holders, from Dollar Tree,
are glitzy, fun, and a tad tacky -- one is at every place setting:

They are flocked and silvered, and my daughter Anne classifies them as "cheesetastic."

Mr. Fish is guarding the table, trying to look fierce:


My friend Mardi and I found him more than 30 years ago
at a street fair in Greenport, on Long Island, and bought him for my parents.

Be careful what you buy for your parents -- it may end up in your house someday!

The flatware is old hotel silverplate. A thrifty find at the big Visiting Nurses Association Sale.

The big wineglasses -- also Dollar Tree!


The napkins are old damask luncheon napkins, in a soft green.

(I know I also have them in soft blue, but they seem to have gone AWOL.)


Soon we'll be stealing weekends at the family beach house, 'way out on eastern Long Island.

View from the dock.

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Thanks for visiting! I will try and get to as many of your blogs as possible, and I almost always leave a comment -- but my computer time is limited lately, so please understand if I don't around as much as I like. -- Cass

P.S. Did you notice my corny play on words in the title? Jonesing for the Beach? Jones Beach! Well, if you are from New York, you understand . . . .

22 comments:

  1. I got the Jones thing immediately! Love the table and SO jealous you have a beach house. Ray grew up in a beach community and misses it
    xoxo Pattie

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  2. Very pretty table setting, but most of all I LOVE your "old house". I didn't get the thing about the beach at first - :) I'm from Texas, after all. But would love to visit the beaches on the east coast! Blessings from Texas...

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  3. I guess it's true -- great minds run along the same track. I used the same phrase today to describe my own longing to be at the beach!

    Pretty table!

    And yes, I missed you.

    Scribbler
    http://scribbler-unfocused.typepad.com/

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  4. Ha--we used to go to Jones Beach when we were in college--climbed in the car of the one girl who had one and off we'd go to sit on the parkway in the traffic leaving New York City.

    Your tablescape is simple and beautiful. I love the blues (aqua) and it is so serene and peaceful looking.

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  5. Such lovely, beachy colors! I love the dishes, and the napkins look so graceful and elegant in the stemmed glasses. Thank you for your comments on my post!

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  6. I know these dishes well from the Dollar Tree...I've come so close to picking them up. The do have a nice finish to them and are a dreamy shade. All the blue looks so pretty on top of the tan table cloth. Like sand!

    Hope you get some free time soon, Cass.

    xoxo
    Jane

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  7. Love the table Cass! Very thrifty and beachy too! You have a beach house too??? You so lucky ducky you!
    Hugs, Cindy

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  8. Yes, that table would make one yearn for the beach!

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  9. Now you've got ME jonesing for the beach. Love those mercury glass votives.

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  10. I love the colors. And I want to go to the beach right now. Very pretty ...

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  11. Love your repeat post - such a pretty table setting. My blog posts have been sorta "short & sweet" lately, because of other things going on also. I showed my daughter & 2 of my grands Dion's picture, and you should have heard all the "Awwwws" !!! :-D
    Have a great weekend!
    Glenda

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  12. I understand. I was over on your side today..WS?PB..nothing..
    You really haven't been around visiting much..I hope everything is ok..

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  13. I remember this post - it was a lovely re-visit.
    I hope life settles down for you - just keep on breathing!

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  14. Such a light and airy table setting and in my favorite colors too!

    Di
    The Blue Ridge Gal

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  15. Ye, I agree with light and airy. I love this shades of aqua and sand. Very nice. Makes me feeling on the beach.
    Greetings, Johanna

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  16. Am drolling with all your pretty beachy collections.

    So calm & so neat.

    Happy w/end.

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  17. Pretty table setting. Love the soft look of that blue.

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  18. I wish I had a dollar tree near me. I love those plates and those candle holders and so cute!

    I really enjoyed this tablescape. Thanks for posting it again as I never got to see it the first time around.

    Hugs,
    Joanne

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  19. I love your table setting. It is just wonderful. Love the soft blue grean colors. I am a new follower to your blog. I hope you have a chance to come say hi. Cheers, Lia

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  20. I love the votives with the flocked fish -- and the other fish standing guard. Those are the kinds of things that make a table so much fun. The color palette is so cool and refreshing. Thanks for a peak at the beach (don't have one where I live, so appreciate the beaches of others)!

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  21. LOVE your beachy tablescape! I am trying to get into the game myself, but find myself too pressed for time to be very creative these days.

    Anyway, I *almost* picked up some of those dishes at my local Dollar Tree, then for some reason never did. Now I wish I had!

    Your table is beautiful :)

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