Pretty Table on a Budget

Setting a pretty table doesn’t have to cost a pretty penny.  We had a blast setting a pretty table on a budget — and you can, too!

My mother’s eyesight at 93 makes it difficult for her to read price tags in stores.  We went to Dollar Tree recently and she was putting items in her cart.  Ever the helpful child, I inquired “Would you like me to tell you how much each item is, mother?”  “Mary Beth,” she responded in a semi-annoyed tone of voice, “This is Dollar Tree.  Everything’s a dollar.”  Woo hoo!  That was news to me, but it sure was happy news!

I purchased four nifty lime green plates for a buck apiece.  Then I spotted the lime green placements.  Four more dollars and they would be mine.  And lime green glass goblets.  How cool is that?  For a dozen dollars, plus tax, I had all the basic ingredients for a beautiful tablescape!

Once home (after washing and drying the plates and glasses and removing the pesky tags), I got out the silverware, some pretty napkins I already had, and I added some lovely dessert dishes and a tray that I had gotten at an art fair.  A few ranunculus from the garden plopped into a vase to match the plates completed the look.  Variety for a pittance!

I did another variation without the dessert dishes, tray, or flowers by pairing the plates with some cloth napkins I had.  If I had needed to, I could have even gotten flatware at Dollar Tree.  Since I had plenty at home, I skipped the flatware … and bought additional dishes and glasses.  (Get that look of feigned surprise off your face!  You know me too well to be shocked.)  The second set of dishes and glasses features cobalt blue.  You’ll see them soon, I promise!  They make yet another pretty table on a budget, and I can mix and match them with these pieces also.