Setting a table just for a photo shoot? Am I crazy? No, I’m a blogger.
What’s a blog? That’s what the girl at the flower shop said when I told her why I was buying flowers. And when I said I was setting an Easter table 3 weeks before Easter because I had sunshine that day she looked at me like I had grown another head. Cause why in the world would you set a table all fancy shmancy so early simply because it happens to be sunny? Sigh. Yeah, that would be because I’m trying to be a good photographer too, and a good photographer uses natural light. At least the good photographers I know 😀
Flowers bought, I headed home to prep and fluff and decorate to my heart’s content. While I had sunshine.
My girls thought I was a little nuts too. Cause I kept saying ‘No, we are not eating in here.’
Everyone gets the AS chalk paint out to paint their chargers when setting a nice tablescape don’t they?
My stack of gold chargers from Dollar General’s after Christmas clearance were getting annoyed that they were still stuffed on a shelf and ignored. Seriously. They were purchased for a little bit of nothing so they really expected to be put on display much sooner.
The gold had to go though, it just wasn’t the look I was after. So out came the paint and in less than 10 minutes I turned six of those chargers Duck Egg Blue. And I think the chargers are happier in a lovely blue anyway. The paint dries so fast I was setting the table as soon as I had the linens ironed.
When you don’t have cloth napkins the color you want, improvise. I had some white flour sack tea towels. I tore them in 4ths, folded them the size I wanted, tucked the raw edge in and pressed them good. This was just a tablescape photo shoot after all. If I were serving a meal I would have taken the time to sew some simple hems and then folded and pressed.
Flower arranging is fun. I recommend buying flowers that you like and creating your own centerpiece. There is a ton of inspiration out there for creating unique centerpieces.
If you have never set a table just for a photo shoot and you are contemplating it let me assure you it is so much fun! It takes a LOT of time but it’s so worth it! It’s fun to work with it till you really like what you have done. Since you don’t also have to fix food and clean the house like you would if you were actually having someone over for dinner you can relax and just have fun with it. (you toss all the excess stuff in the dining room into another room where it won’t show in the photos, dust mop your floor, and call it good 😀 )
Making some fun food the next day to photograph on the nicely set table would be fun too. Didn’t happen this time though. I did have good intentions of trying to do that but it didn’t happen. The sunshine didn’t last either so it was ok.
My girls begged to eat in the dining room, my husband asked whose idea it was to eat in the dining room in a tone of voice that said he thought it a crazy idea. I told all of them not to touch – it was for a photo shoot only.
I really must reset the table and make a really yummy meal for Easter. I think after looking at my table for the 4 days it sat there, my girls probably deserve to eat at a fancy shmancy table don’t you?
Have you ever set a table just to take pictures of it? What do you do to celebrate Easter?
Sew a Fine Seam
Linking up!
Jennifer Rizzo
Savvy Southern Style
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I love your fresh Spring table setting! I like how you painted the chargers blue and then filled a crown with moss and a birds nest. So creative! I like the galvanized tray with rope handles used as part of your centerpiece too. I actually have one on order and after seeing how you used yours, makes me excited to get it! I have never set a table just for a photoshoot, but I know plenty of people that have. I should try it sometime.
Thanks Kelly! Can’t wait to see some pics of how you use your tray!
So pretty! I’m going to spend the weekend giving everything a freshen-up C:
Have fun fluffing Jane!
Aww, thank you for going to all the trouble for us!! It’s beautiful and inspring! Yes, I get it and have done it! I put our Thanksgiving table together early and kept a sheet over all of it for a week!
Thanks Pam! Putting a sheet over it is a great idea!
looks beautiful…love all the little details! yes, if you are a blogger or decorator at heart you understand this behavior!! we are all a little nutty aren’t we??? 😉
Yep, a little nutty! But we have fun so it’s an ok kind of nutty right?!!!
Jill, I just love your house. I really do. I think the word “inspirational” is a little over used in the blog world but honestly? Your photos INSPIRE me to get moving and DO some of the things I have in my head around here. You live in such a lovely space – I want to make this place more lovely, too!
Breida
Awww, thanks Breida! Glad you can’t see all my piles right now!! HEEHEE!
Your table setting is beautiful. Your details are wonderful. You seem to be very thoughtful in what you do and I love that. I love thinking through what I am doing and why I am doing it.
And yes, I think you should treat your little ladies to a fine dining experience in there since it does look so very pretty. 🙂
Thank you Amy! I’ve got several things I want to do for Easter. Hoping I find time to fit it all in – the girls will love it. And they can help me so I can do it all 🙂
Beautiful! Poor girls just wanted to eat at the pretty table! 🙂 I’m glad you had sun, even if it was for just a little bit.
🙂 They get a little tired of Mom doing fun stuff for ‘the blog’ and they can’t touch!! But sometimes they pull the fun stuff out and set a table just for a plain supper so it’s all good!
Beautiful! ! I love your home and the sunshine!
Thanks Nic!
My two favorite things… the crystal goblets and the cadbury eggs 🙂 I have the same goblets that T bought me many years ago before we were married (still like them!) and I have a love/hate relationship with cadbury eggs..they are one of my “must-have” treats in the spring!
Looks beautiful!
I think of you about every time I get those goblets out! I think you have a couple of the wine flutes too? I so wish I had gone ahead and bought us a couple. I thought about it – wanted to use them for our wedding – but decided to save the money and use something I already had. Now I wish I had them!
Oh- I am with you- I think we are all a bit nuts when it comes to setting the table for a blog picture- lol Who would ever think we would be doing something like that BB-(before blogging) Your table looks gorgeous and I love that little lamb dish…so cute- xo Diana
Oh I know Diana, I know! I keep thinking of things I could do just for the blog – and it’s really so much fun! Whatever did I do BB??!!
Jill,
I adore your fancy Easter tablescape, dear one!
I agree, set the table for your girls and your husband…surprise them…it will make the most precious Easter memories!!!
Easter is all about SunRise service, celebrating that He Is Risen, indeed!!!
Be blessed…visiting from Amy’s All Things Home!
Fondly,
Pat
Thank you Pat! I think I am going to really try to do a fun table for Easter this year. And I have some recipes I made one year when I had my husbands family all here for Easter that were so yummy and fun. Now to get everything done I want done before Easter too! Gonna be a BUSY week 🙂
Have I ever set a table just to take pictures of it? Yes, yes I have. Do I feel a little bit ridiculous doing it. Yes, yes I do. 🙂 🙂
Your table looks so gorgeous! Well worth the trouble and the ignorant girl at the flower shop. What’s a blog? Come on!
Thank you Lisa! It makes me laugh every time someone doesn’t know what a blog is! 🙂
Beautiful! I love setting a pretty table. I’ve never done it just for a photo shoot. My backgrounds don’t look as good as yours do in photos. The flowers are awesome! And I am in love with the photo of the flowers in the foreground and your chalkboard art in the background. I want a print.
I recently heard of the idea of leaving your dining room table set with dishes all the time. If I had a dining room where that was possible, I think I’d do it. How fun it would be to look at and fix for each season.
I loved having the table set beautifully and with it set it couldn’t get loaded down with other stuff! Alas, we do need it for lots of other stuff so I can’t leave it set but if I had a dining room that was JUST a dining room I think I would leave it more often! I used to think a dining room that was not used for anything else was wasted space but I’ve changed my mind. it could be my staging/photography room for when I needed beauty shots!
Looks great! Did you do the design on your chalkboard freehand? It looks amazing. I’d love to see a bigger pic of it so I can try to duplicate (ok attempt to duplicate it!) it on my chalkboard.
Hi Adrienne,
I did the chalkboard freehand except the circle for the world I used a large bowl and traced it. And I had a photo of one to look at as I did it too. It’s not original to me! You can see my post about my chalkboard art here – http://www.sewafineseam.com/2012/12/chalk-board-art-for-christmas/ and I have linked to the original in that post.
Jill. This is why I love visiting you. I feel like I’m home, seriously haha. I SO relate to this post. In fact, I’m getting my stuff together for a early photo shoot too, and I’ve been feeling like quite the oddball. And then I come here and I’m laughing as I’m reading. I totally get it. All of it, and I agree, it’s so fun, especially when you don’t have to clean and cook 🙂
Your tablescape is beautiful, and those chargers came out so well. I was thinking of painting mine too.
Leslie (Gwen Moss)
🙂 My kids are already getting used to it – anytime I have my camera out they know it’s for the blog! Anytime they want me to take pics of something they don’t say take a pic they say – Mom put this on your blog!
That’s so funny Jill. Yes, I’ve set a table for the blog three times now, but didn’t ever post the first two. You’ve inspired me to go ahead and do it this time. I really love the painted chargers. Is there anything that doesn’t look good in Duck Egg blue? I also love that little crown with the nest, and fresh flowers always make a table. It looks so pretty and effortless, and welcoming. What a nice table to sit down to. 🙂 Thanks for the inspiration and enjoy the rest of your week!
Debbie
Jill, what a beautiful tablescape! And I had to laugh while reading your post… the things us bloggers do! Setting the table for a photo shoot IS pretty fun! 😉
We are a funny bunch, we bloggers – LOL! It’s fun though – so much fun!
The answer is yes. I just did this last week, but still waiting for my sunny day to take photos. But before I do, I need to dash out and buy new flowers.
Your tablescape is divine. And why have I never thought of painting chargers with chalk paint? Totally rocking my world with that idea.
On sunny days I scurry to get the photos taken I need to it seems! Can’t wait till we have more sunshine than cloudy days again. I had read about people spray painting their chargers but since it was cold and i didn’t want to go outside I though why not use chalk paint!?! It dries fast and you can use it indoors!
Such a beautiful tablescape! Simply lovely 😉
Jamie @ somuchbetterwithage.com
Thank you Jamie! I had fun fixing up my table 🙂
Your Spring table is beautiful! Love the chalkboard too. Thanks for linking to the Open House party.
xx,
Sherry
Thanks Sherry, and thanks so much for hosting a party!
Love love love your tablescape! Its so nice to see spring inspirations….especially after a large dump of snow! (Grrr!) And I think my favorite is your runners! Are they Diy? If so can I beg a tutorial?
Thanks Misty! We are getting snow today – I want sunshine and warm weather!!!! The runners I used on my table were cut from a really long roll of fabric I’ve had for awhile. It’s already like that – I simply cut the lengths I wanted. I got the fabric from BHLDN over a year ago when they clearanced it.
I love this post!! It was so fun to read and I can only imagine what the girl at the flower shop was thinking! 😉 I LOOOOOOVE your tablescape! It looks absolutely beautiful! Gorgeous, Jill! You nailed it! Even with that extra head of yours! 😉
Thanks Britni! The flower shop might get used to me this summer – I have some ideas I will be needing some flowers for! I’ll have to give them a business card so they can look me up and find out what a blog is 😉
Love your table. I do the same thing, but now my son explains to his Dad-you have to set the table a week early if you have a blog. Enough said!
Haha! That’s funny! My kids are pretty used to the blog thing now too. Anything they want me to take a picture of they always ask if I will put it on the blog!
Oh! Wonderful job on the tablescape! I have been known to do the same thing – decorate early for photos…or even do a practice set up for an upcoming bridal shower or other event. Absolutely love the way you put the nest inside the crown! I’m SO doing that!!! Very inspiring! Thanks, Catherine (new follower)
Thanks Catherine! Pam from Simple Details said she set her Thanksgiving table early and then covered it with a sheet to keep it clean – isn’t that a great idea! so the plates and cups don’t get dusty!
Jill,
Thank you for sharing your beautiful tablescape…love those thrifty chargers.
Blessings,
Linda
Thanks Linda!
Your table is so pretty! I love that you painted the chargers, I have to remember that one! And your centerpiece is so interesting and sweet.
Have a wonderful Easter!
XO,
Jane
Thank you Jane, and yes, you can use chalk paint on practically everything!
Oooh, I love table settings like this, Jill! So simple and yet special and unique. Here’s what I’m stealing from your idea: the little mismatched bowls of candy eggs and the galvanized tray with flowers, nest, and goodies. 🙂 Thanks!!
Thank you Jami! Glad you liked it – steal away – love the inspiration we can get and give through blogging!
Vising today from Common Ground and I am smitten! What beautiful taste in decorating you have. Just lovely, inspiring and a true joy to visit!
Happy Easter-
Jemma
Thank you Jemma! I had so much fun setting up this table!
Your table is absolutly stunning! Featuring later today.
XO
Kristin
Thanks so much for featuring me Kristin, it was so fun to see my table featured on your blog! Blessings to you and your family!
Hi Jill,
Everything is so lovely! I love the idea of painting the chargers. Thanks so much for linking up at Transformed Tuesday. Have a wonderful week.
Hugs,
Peggy~PJH Designs
Thanks Peggy!