April Showers Bring May Flowers!! But Do They Also Bring Ducks with Umbrellas????

Welcome to an “after Easter” April Tablescape!

Planning an “April but Not Easter” Tablescape

As a teacher it was always interesting to try to find Bulletin Boards, Art Projects and Decorations for the month of April after Easter was over. In Ohio, April often includes a snow storm, and sometimes even a “Snow Day” where school is canceled (usually due to the roads being snow covered or iced over). But April more often includes lots of rain, the bulbs coming up in garden, and exceedingly welcome sunny days. As a teacher, my “go to” April decorations included umbrellas and flowers.

Ducks and Bunnies with Umbrellas

So I was very excited last year when Homegoods and Marshalls brought in the FAO Schwarz figurines of bunnies and ducks with umbrellas. These seemed like the perfect start for an April Tablescape. Homegoods brought these figurines back this year, so I added a few to my collection. If you are looking for these, they usually are sold in the 2 months leading up to Easter. In 2022, my first year of collecting the figurines, I also purchased a few on eBay, but in 2023 I was luckily able to add to that collection by being in Homegoods on the right day and time to purchase the figurines at Homegoods prices before they sold out. The figurine collection features many Non-Easter bunnies and ducks (i.e. without Easter Eggs”) as well as some that are definitely Easter related. I used just the non-Easter ones for this table.

“April Showers Bring May Flowers” Tablescape

When I saw these figurines, I immediately wanted to do an “April Showers bring May Flowers” Tablescape. I set about finding things in the house that could be used. I found the flowered cork placemats from Homegoods, a white napkin with yellow lace, a ceramic boots flower vase that had originally housed a candle (from Homegoods), some silk flowers, Daisy Goblets, and other items. I loved the ceramic boot vase, and because they looked so appropriate in a rainy day tablescape, I added a few new ones from Michaels. I filled all the boots with silk flowers in Spring varieties. Surprisingly, I had to search for a large “April Showers Brings May Flowers” sign (which I had thought would be readily available – and wasn’t) but finally found one on eBay. Then I found a few “spring but not Easter” signs for the window sills – at Hobby Lobby.

Featured Plates and the “Plate Stack”

I loved the table but realized it needed a Spring salad plate to pull it all together so I headed to eBay and purchased the discontinued Pottery Barn Hilltop Garden Salad Plates. I added these plates to the top of the plate stack, which already included: the placemat, a square yellow Tommy Bahama Melamine plate, and a Bordallo Pinheiro green “Geranium” dinner plate. The new salad plates have both brown and white bunnies, and also swans and chicks, as well as flowers from the same color palate as that of the flower placemats.

Napkin Rings

The Napkin rings on this table are marked “Pia (Philippines) and my mother-in-law gifted me my first set of this kind of napkin ring in 1989. I still use the 6 pink dogwood ones she purchased that perfectly match our wedding china. At that time I didn’t realize that Pia made many varieties of flower napkin rings, as well as many birds (swan, hummingbird, seagull) and some mammals (such as bunnies, pigs, cats, horses in a fox hunt, etc.) and I have had fun hunting them down on eBay. I love the detail on each napkin ring, which is beautifully different than many napkin rings that are currently produced.

Limoges Swans

Meanwhile Outside the Window

As I was putting together this tablescape-which celebrates Nature, I was surprised to notice the Nature “happenings” right outside the window. One of our local waterfowl was catching a fish and struggling to keep his dinner. I thought you would enjoy see his efforts. By the way, if you or a bird watcher friend happens to know the name of the bird in the video, it would be great if you would message it to me. We are trying to learn the names of the water fowl and other animals in our neighborhood, but this is one we haven’t learned yet. Did you think he lost his dinner in the end, or kept ahold of it, I wasn’t sure from the video if he ultimately succeeded. After watching his struggle, I appreciate Kroger and HEB grocery pickup even more. Its much easier for us to get our food, than it is for them.

In This Post

To see what’s “Coming Soon”, and “Posts I Hope You Will Enjoy” please continue scrolling. Below these, you will find the “Table Details and Origins” section (where to buy tablescape items, etc.)and a “Link Parties” section. Then, at the very bottom of the post is a place to make comments. I would love to hear your comments about summer tables, traveling to Florida, Flamingos, Tablescaping or anything else you would like to share. Thanks so much for “stopping by”!!

Coming Soon

A Cinco de Mayo tablescape is coming soon – likely on Thursday April 20th or 27th. Please check back on Thursdays to my latest tablescape post.

Posts I Hope You Will Enjoy

Please check out the spring and summer tablescape posts and the sunset post below, if you haven’t yet had a chance to do so.

Hummingbird Tablescape for Fall and Spring

Whimsical Water Animals Tablescape Celebrates Summer at the Seashore

Sunset on the Lake – April 2, 2023

Table Details and Origins

for “April Showers Bring May Flowers!! But Do They Also Bring Ducks with Umbrellas????”

Ceramic Boot Vases – Homegoods and Michaels

Artificial Flowers – Hobby Lobby, Michaels 

Pottery Barn Hilltop Garden Salad Plates – originally from Pottery Barn but they are now discontinued.  I purchased mine from eBay. 

Flower Cork Board Placemats – Homegoods 2020

Bordallo Pinheiro Green Geranium Dinner Plate – https://us.bordallopinheiro.com/sardinheira-dinner-plate-275-green-prd-pt

Tommy Bahama Square Yellow Melamine Dinner Plate or Charger – Homegoods – often available 

Daisy Goblets – Marshalls – 2022

Onieda Marquette flatware – Amazon – current

Pia Flower Napkin Rings – Anthurium, Rose, Wild Rose, Tiger Lilly – from the 1980’s and 1990’s– I purchased mine from eBay and Etsy recently.

Cake Pedestal – Homegoods  around 2019 

Fao Schwarz Duck and Bunny Figurines with Umbrellas– Homegoods – 2022 and 2023

White Napkins with Yellow Lace – Homegoods

Limoges Swans – Antique Store in Huntsville, TX 

Wooden Tulips – Hobby Lobby 2021-2023 

“Happy Spring” signs – Bed, Bath, Beyond 2021-2022″

“April Showers Bring May Flowers” Sign – eBay

Link Parties

I often participate in Tablescape Thursday, Please click on the link to see the website of one of my favorite bloggers, which is followed by photos and links for many other wonderful tablescapes. 

I also often participate in Thursday Favorite things aka TFT blog hop from KatherinesCorner.com. Please click on the link to see the website of another of my favorite bloggers. Her blog is followed by the TFT blog hop which includes links to tablescapes, decorations, recipes, floral arrangements and many more wonderful ideas.

I have also started following SouthernSunflowers.com and recently joined their “Home Matters Blog Party”. To check it our, please click on the preceding link.

I also often participate in Marty’s “Inspire me Tuesday” link party at “A Stroll Thru life” I hope you can check out her website and her Tuesday link party which is followed by photos and links for many other ideas from her followers.

Recently I discovered the Imparting Grace blog, and I am really enjoying it. To get to this website click the preceding link and look for the “Grace At Home Blog party” which begins each week on Thursdays.

Very Recently I started following KarinsKottage.com, and I am loving her blog as well, and can’t wait to see her Italian Castle remodel! I often participate in her Linky Party on Wednesdays .