One of my favorite things to do is to open my home to guests and serve them a delicious meal at a thoughtfully decorated table. It’s an expression of my love and the creativity comes straight from my heart. Because I know everyone doesn’t share my confidence, I can’t wait to show you how to…
Create an Elegant Easter Tablescape on a Small Budget.
You really can be frugal and fabulous!
Everything I share is easy to do… I’m not one for time-consuming and complicated projects.
If you peruse Pinterest you’ll see some stunning tables with gorgeous centerpieces that take up every bit of the table outside of the individual place settings. And that’s great if you’re serving your dinner as a buffet. However, a family-style dinner is probably more common, especially for smaller gatherings. So with that in mind, I created a simple centerpiece, that doesn’t take over the entire table so there’s room for food on the table, and a simple place setting as well.
Who would guess that I’m using dollar store dinner plates on top of chargers from the Hob Lob, dollar store goblets, silverware from Walmart, and thrifted cordial glasses for egg cups?
The one bit of fancy and pricey is my pretty lace-trimmed napkins from Pier 1 which were a gift some time ago and they cost as much as the rest of the place-setting put together. But, believe me, you definitely can find some equally as pretty at a lesser price… or go with pretty paper napkins if you wish.
Earlier this season, I shared how to make the perfect mossy eggs. They are so elegant and charming that I just had to create more for my table. I’ve fallen head-over-heels for moss this year… from bunnies to eggs… I’ve been finding many special spots to use that rich mossy green.
I knew I wanted to put the mossy Easter eggs in little egg cups, but I didn’t want to spend several dollars or more individually for egg cups. One day when I was doing a little thrifting, I spied some clear glass cordial cups. They certainly were the right shape and the right price at eighty cents each. But, when I brought them home, I wasn’t exactly crazy about the look of clear glass. So I did what any DIYer worth her gold would do… I gave them a shot of spray paint. And they were beautifully transformed!
There is a little caveat. If you choose to spray paint something that you will be using on your table, keep in mind that you can only do this with something you won’t be eating on or from. Spray paint is not food safe. AND… make sure that you do this way in advance of your dinner. Nothing would be worse than to sit down to a lovely table and smell paint fumes. Yuck!
Since their makeover, I’m totally smitten with my charming little egg cups.
To complement the centerpiece, I used some pretty ribbon to tie on a few sprigs of pussy willows that I had earlier picked along the roadside. Such a simple and easy touch that is a WOW. If you want to make your own mossy eggs, stop here for a full tutorial. It doesn’t require a lot of craftiness either.
What is it that makes an ordinary table setting extraordinary?
DETAILS!
The egg cups look so sweet sitting on top of the napkin which I placed on the plate. Everything from the tablecloth to the egg cups, except for the main centerpiece and mossy eggs is a tone of white or off-white. So setting the egg cup on the napkin, which is stacked on top of the plate, which is placed on the charger creates layers and textures to make your tablescape more visually interesting. We are visual people so when you want to be frugal and fabulous… consider the little details as I have done here.
An elegant table isn’t just for looks…
It’s for the comfort and joy of our guests, too.
Placing the napkin on the plate may be a little outside of common etiquette. I’m okay with that. Some rules are meant to be broken. However, proper placement of water goblets, wine glasses, and silverware should always be followed with few exceptions. Being clever and cute for the sake of looks but dismissing the comfort of your guest is something to always consider. In this table setting, your guest can easily place the egg cup next to the water goblet and pick up the napkin. Often we’ll see elaborate table settings that would make many guests feel like they are sitting down to dinner in a gift shop rather than in our homes. No matter what, we must always keep in mind the comfort of our guests. They are the ones we do all our fussing for, not ourselves, even though it is very rewarding to create a visually beautiful tablescape. True hospitality is never about “us” but always about “them.”
On Friday nights one of my dearest friends and I get together for fun. These outings often include a quick trip to Hobby Lobby. One evening we were browsing the Easter section when I saw some adorable large eggs. I didn’t even need to use my coupon because they were forty percent off! Honestly, I didn’t quite know how I was going to use the egg initially, but finally, I settled on making a pussy willow “birdcage” for my large blue speckled egg. Although I have suggested that this was the year for moss, in actuality, I think pussy willows have been used as much if not more in my spring decor.
On that same thrifting trip where I scored the cordial glasses turned into Easter egg cups, I also found a lovely silver low bowl with a lid. You may remember seeing it before when I shared my accidental silver cleaning life hack. My plan from the beginning was to use the silver low bowl for the large egg and then I got the idea to add a pussy willow cage over the egg.
I was certain that constructing the birdcage was going to be a challenge and so I waited to work on this project until Tim came home a little early one day. In the end, I really didn’t need his help, although an extra hand did make it a little bit easier when it came to tying the jute around the pussy willows at the top.
Here’s a quick tutorial to create your own pussy willow or stick bird cage.
Supplies:
- Pruners
- Gathered pussy willows or twigs. (Mine were about 24″ tall before trimming them.)
- Cardboard to make a ring to fit inside your bowl or container.
- Measuring tape/Ruler
- Marker
- Cutter
- Awl
- Hot Glue Gun/Glue
- Jute
Instructions:
- Measure the inside of your bowl or container and find a round object that dimension. Lay the round object on your cardboard and cut out.
- Measure in about 1.5″ and make a second circle (or eyeball it) and cut the inner circle out of your disk. This will give you the ring you need for the bottom of your birdcage.
- Decide how close you want your twigs, which will form the sides of your bird cage, and measure to space them out evenly… making a big dot wherever you want to place each twig.
- Using your awl, carefully poke a hole in the cardboard so you can insert your twigs.
- Insert the base of the pussy willow twigs into the holes. You may adjust how far they go depending on the depth of your bowl. But, at least a half an inch should be sufficient for the minimum placement.
- To keep your twigs in place, you may choose to hot glue the twigs in place. This is more necessary if your twigs are not pushed far into the cardboard ring.
- Set the twigs in the ring on their ‘feet’ and adjust each branch so it points the direction you want.
- Cut a foot of jute.
- Draw your twigs together near the top and tie them up with the jute. There is plenty of extra jute, so use that to wrap around the twigs to create a nice finished look and hot glue the end in place.
- You are now ready to use your bird cage for decorating.
Next, I will walk you through the steps I took to complete my centerpiece.
- In order to position my egg to be seen and allow room for the moss, I took a small seasonings bowl and hot glued the little bowl to the center of the silver bowl. And then I removed the ribbon from my large egg and applied hot glue to the base and attached the egg to the glass bowl in the center of the silver bowl.
- Then I set the birdcage in the bowl and hot glued it in a few spots to secure it to the silver bowl.
- All I had left to do was fill the bowl with moss and add the candy jelly beans and bird eggs candy to the moss.
- Pretty simple and easy to do.
Let’s put a table together!
I hope that you were inspired by my tablescape. Look around your home and see what you can put together with what you already have at hand. Simple can be more elegant. Remember that layering helps create visual interest and texture for your table that will make your table more appealing to your guests. BUT… always keep in mind the comfort of your guests. You are creating a lovely tablescape to make your guests feel loved, valued, and welcome. In order to keep the costs down, make a DIY centerpiece like this mossy birdcage centerpiece I created, pick up extra glassware and dinnerware inexpensively. If you’d like more ideas, check out the ideas I have listed at the end of this post for inspiration.
If there is one thing that I could encourage you to do, it is to pray about your dinner.
From planning your table, selecting and shopping for your menu, to blessing your guests…. ask God to direct your creative thoughts as well as your heart and hospitality. I have no doubt He will meet you and help you to make your dinner extraordinary in more ways than you can imagine.
Let me know what has helped or inspired you today.
May you and yours have a truly blessed and joyous Easter celebration.
Thanks so much for popping by today!
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Looking for more Easter Ideas?
Check these out…
My Favorite Easter Centerpiece ~ It’s Easy & Inexpensive, too!
Farmhouse Style Mason Jar Floral Arrangement
Turn a Plain Pot of Tulips into a Beautiful Easter Basket Garden
Sharing with my friends over at Between Naps on the Porch
Thank you so much for sharing this lovely tablescape. The details truly make it a delight to the eye–the tablecloth and napkins, the pussy willow detail on the egg cups and awesome DIY projects! But what I love most is your advice to pray about your dinner! And to keep your guests in mind while planning and setting up. I don’t want to confound the guests I serve most (my grown kids) with too much on the table. :). Knowing when to stop is an art, too. Have a joyous Easter!
Thank you for noticing ALL those little details, Susan, and for your kind thoughtful comments. 🙂
I hope you had a wonderful dinner while loving on your family this Easter. XO
Diane,
Your table was simple yet elegant, just my style too, and loved the colors, subtle and beautiful…….
I always ask the Lord for ideas too……..and he always gives them to me. I think you and I are kindred spirits I think having a lovely table and nice dinner with fun conversation with family and friends around the table is just such a wonderful thing and a blessing to all involved, but don’t have to tell you that, as it sounds as if you already know……….lol
Thanks for sharing your lovely ideas.
Hope you had a lovely Easter!
Blessings, Nellie
You are so sweet Nellie!! Thank you for your kind words and the suggestion that we just might be kindred spirits. I LOVE that!!
Hope your Easter was wonderful. {hugs}
Diane your tablescape is one of my features from last month’s Celebrating Spring Link Party. It is amazing what you accomplish with such a small budget. Congratulations!
Awww… thanks Mary. 🙂 I love the challenge to see what I can create… you never know until you try. 😉
Your pussy willow birdcage centerpiece is extraordinary. I love everything about it. I did a robin’s egg blue Easter table this year too which I posted about but I wish I had added pussy willow to my arrangement.
Next year, Lisa. 🙂 Next year!! I love that we always get do-overs and that we are continually inspired by each other in the blogging community. Thank you so much for your kind words. Hope you’re having a lovely close to the week! XO
Beautiful table! I especially like your centerpiece. The pussy willow “birdcage” is so unique. Thanks for the tutorial.
Awww… thanks, Carol!! What a blessing your words are to me today! Hope your day and week is extraordinary!
Very cute and perfect size Diane! I love having company over. I decorate the center of my table quite heavily for every day, but when we are entertaining it all comes off and I keep it simple. Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann
You always share such incredibly beautiful and creative decor, Jann. In our current small space, I have needed to have more “space” everywhere around me so that I can breathe and now I feel it, even more, when I come to the table. It’s interesting how life changes impact us in so many ways. Hope your day is beautiful and perfectly springy in every way!
Very pretty! Thanks for sharing at Home Sweet Home!
Thank you Sherry! Hope you have a blessed weekend!
Very pretty Diane and thanks for the tutorial. I place napkins on my plates regularly and if there’s a tablescaper’s book of rules I’m sure I’ve broken them all. Have a peaceful and Happy Easter!