Mary Poppins inspired table setting~another Great Gathering. ACAP’s theme luncheon and wine fundraising event was a huge success. Last week I showed you my Rooftops of London table and today my 17 Cherry Tree Lane table. For those of you who aren’t Mary Poppins nerds, that’s the address of the Banks family home.
Cherries, of course, were the original inspiration. When I found polka dot plates (I adore polka dots) the rest kind of fell into place. I say that, but designing a creative and unique table does take some thought. I often get asked if I start planning in January for an end of April event, but I really don’t start until early April. Where would I store everything 4 months in advance? Besides, ideas develop slowly and organically. What I mean is, one idea leads to another or a better idea. The creative process that continually evolves is the most fun. Forget meditation, inspiration comes from shopping and researching what others have done before (never copy, where’s the fun in that?) and mostly thinking outside the proverbial box.
Enough about that. Here’s what the table looked liked:
I repeated the chalk board theme throughout both tables so the little kites are cut out of black poster board. Of course each had a tail with ribbon bows.
I made the napkins with a decorative stitch hem, from cherry fabric. Since the chargers are a bright turquoise, I glued crystal turquoise trim to clear napkin rings. The pair of cherries are, well the cherry on top! Instead of the vintage French knife rests I used on the other table, I found polka dot clothes pins. See what I mean when you allow the ideas and inspiration come to you? The final result is something totally unique.
The centerpiece was a combination end of the movie when they went to the park to go fly a kite and the country scene when Mary, Burt and the children jumped into the chalk drawing. I made Mary’s lovely white hat, gave a pair of shoes pink toes and heels and opened a parasol. We added cherry blossoms to a decorative tree and hung paper kites. I bought a few feet of green grass from a home improvement store and the plastic garden fence looks like the real deal.
Thank you to my lovely family and friends who helped set-up, serve and clean-up. Elaine Ellinger, Jon Davis, Pam Boelk, Melissa Davis and Maggie Davis. I love you all!
Leave a Reply