“Drawing Disney” Tablescape – “Disney Love” for All Seasons

Wanted: A Tablescape for All Seasons

During the COVID quarantine, I decided I wanted to do a happy tablescape, that had no definite start or end date, (i.e. not Holiday related). In our “city house” we most often eat in the kitchen as a family, but only use the dining room for guests and extended family. At the beginning of the quarantine, we did not anticipate a lot of guests, so changing the table in the dining room for each season or holiday seemed unnecessary. As COVID precautions continued, we realized that when we did have guests, outside became “the place to be” from a safety and enjoyment perspective, so much of our eventual entertaining ended up at the lake. At the lake, the “closed in” feeling evaporated and life could go on in a very welcome way.

“Drawing Disney”

However, I still wanted the city house to be cheery, so I went with a Mickey and Minnie Disney Drawing Tablescape. My Disney Sketch Book dishes inspired the table, as did my brand new “chalkboard” placemats purchased with a “Back to School” table in mind. With COVID, no one was going back to school for awhile – so “Drawing Disney” seemed like the way to go.

“I Wish I Could be at Disney World”

Another reason for the Disney Table was that COVID – and the very fact that travel was not encouraged – made me want to travel even more, just like a toddler who has been told “no” automatically wants to do the forbidden thing even more. Being on “lock down” made me want to head straight to Disney World, or as our son said when he was a toddler- “Go Disney – Ride Train!!”

However, I have a minor medical condition that made me decide 2020 might not be the right time for me to travel, therefore, I chose instead to turn my dining room into a miniature Disney World.

Sketch Book – Disney Dishes by Zrike

Disney Sketch Book dishes were very popular at Homegoods for the past few years, and I had purchased quite a few because I love the way they celebrate both Disney and the animators who make the characters come alive. I have always been fascinated by the animation process as it is so awesome and also so “out of my league”. These dishes, , mugs, glasses, and serving pieces became the foundation for my tablescape.

Disney Flatware

Disney flatware caught my eye a few years ago and I added some to my Disney tablescape collection. This flatware pattern seems to alternate with other Disney flatware as the flatware for sale at the shopdisney.com website. Over the years it has been made in both gold and silver. I was pleased to realize it is now an option on their website again. I had to buy my set on eBay which definitely took some hunting. I like that this flatware pattern really goes with any Disney Tablescape rather than being specific to just one theme or movie.

Mickey Mouse Gloved Hands

While checking out shopdisney.com, I found these adorable Mickey Glove corn cob holders and was excited that they were on sale. They are made of plastic and I thought it would be great to have a pair holding each plate. The downside of using them is that they are quite sharp on the corn cob holder side, but since my “child oriented tablescape” is most often filled with adults, I figured they were safe to use.

I added the small Disney characters at each plate to serve as “artist’s model’s” for anyone wishing to do their own Disney Drawing on the chalkboard placemats. “Learn to Draw Disney Books” on the tea cart were also included to encourage creativity. My plan is for drawing to begin when the dishes are cleared, but it is also possible to have the drawing before the meal, in which case I would just leave the dishes in the kitchen until the last minute so they do not get in the way of artists at work.

Additions to the Room

We left this table up for many months, as planned. Eventually, I found myself adding some things to the room, including some more character friends.

Taking the table to “Infinity and Beyond” ???

As I kept adding things over the months, I eventually added some Mickey and Minnie Patriotic Door Greeters to the table for the 4th of July, because it seems I just have to have some “holiday” in the house. It got me thinking about how the black and white plates could really be used for any holiday by just adding little variations to the table decor. I am going to attempt to do that this year and I hope you will come along on the journey. (I will still be doing other tables with other dishes but my goal for this room is to find a way to use just one set of dishes for each tablescape for every major holiday.) Perhaps you, like me, are having a storage problem with dishes, I hope this provides us a way to celebrate the holidays with a tablescape that adapts as the holidays change or that it becomes a way to make a “kid’s table” special no matter which holiday we are privileged to have our wonderful younger guests.

The Wonderful World of Disney

Another one of the things I was excited to add is pictured above, “Luminere”, the candelabra character from” Beauty and the Beast” has always been a favorite of mine. Finding this candelabra made me step outside the original Disney characters for this table and moved me toward making the table about the whole “Wonderful World of Disney”. I just couldn’t resist Luminere – and his candles even light up!!

The tall canister just behind Mickey and Minnie’s wagon, turned out to be a great place to store the chalkboard markers for post dinner use on the chalkboards. I think the traditional Mickey ears lid on the canister coordinates really well with the vintage Mickey Mouse ears napkin rings. I remember Mickey Ears from our first Disney vacation in the mid 1960’s. We drove from Ohio, and although a lot of our vacation money went into getting there, and getting in the park (as well as food and campgrounds along the wary) the Mickey Ears hat was one of the few material things we bought in the park. Even at that time the “Mickey Ears” had a “history”- having been made originally for the Mouseketeer Club on TV. You may enjoy this article about the history and future of the ears from CNBC- “Disney fans celebrate the reopening of Disneyland with custom Mickey ears and masks”.

Link Parties and Blog Hops 

I often participate in Tablescape Thursday at betweennapsontheporch.net, Please click on the link to see this website of one of my favorite bloggers – I especially love her “Tablescape Thursday posts” which are all about tablescapes and her tablescape post is followed by photos and links for many other wonderful tablescapers.  Her “Metamorphosis Monday” posts, which are all about “Befores and Afters” – is another favorite of mine. 

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 started following Katherinescorner.com. I frequently join her TFT blog party. The TFT – Thursday Favorite Things blog hop contains links on many topics with lots of great ideas. To get there click on the preceding link and go to her website and they check out her most recent Thursday – TFT post. At the bottom of the post, you will find many of her followers’ ideas. 

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 some weeks on Thursdays.

I have also started following SouthernSunflowers.com and recently joined their “Home Matters Link Party”. It begins each week on Thursdays. I hope you can check it out.

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 . 

I have also started following EclecticRedBarn.com and am loving the “Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop” and I am sharing on it on Wednesdays. 

In addition I really enjoy Lifeasaleowife.com and share on the “Crafty Creators Link Party” on Thursdays. 

This year, for my first time, I have joined the “Home Imagined Link Party” at Masterpiecesofmylife.com. I love this website, and the hostesses and other contributors have some great ideas! To get to the home page, use the above link and then scroll down to “Home Imagined Link Party” and click on it to get to the Link Party page. A new link party is posted every other week. 

I hope you will enjoy visiting these wonderful bloggers on the above websites as much as I do!

I also wanted to share that my “Drawing Disney” tablescape was shar

Mickey Memories

Do you remember your first trip to Disneyland or Disney World? Are you planning a trip in the future? I have wonderful memories of that first trip, and many trips to follow. In some ways Disneyland and Disney World have framed different times of my life – the Disneyland trip when I was a child, the the excitement of getting to go to the recently opened Disney World as a preteen and teen, a college trip with some of my closest Taylor University friends. After that, Disney World was the first big “post honeymoon” trip for my husband and I, whereas Disneyland was the first Disney trip with our son, and then many Disney trips followed that, with the most recent being our trip with our son on the way to Freshmen Orientation at Pepperdine University in California. It was fun to circle back to his first Disney park just before he launched into the college world.

Other Posts I Hope You Will Like

Update: This was the first Disney Post I made on this website and it is the first in the Disney Series where I try to see how different I can make Disney Tablescapes for various holidays and occasions, while using the same Disney flatware and Disney Dishes, and often the same napkin rings, glasses, cups, and serving pieces as well. Below are links to the other Disney tablescapes I have done in this Series. Stay tuned – there are many more in this series yet to come..

Details and Origins

Disney Sketch Book Dinnerware, water glasses and Serving Pieces – Zrike Brands by R squared – Homegoods (sold at various times over the last 4 years) – also available on eBay.  These also come in the Bamboo version, which may be better for very young children.  I think any black and white Disney pattern is a good start for an “All Season” Disney table. 

Daisy Duck Plush – ShopDisney.com

Donald Duck Plush – ShopDisney.com

Pluto Plush – ShopDisney.com

Goofy Plush – ShopDisney.com

Disney flatware – ShopDisney.com

Mickey Mouse Ears Napkin Rings – vintage item available at times on eBay or Etsy 

Mickey and Minnie figural head mugs (on teacart) – Homegoods – available many times of the last 3 years

“Learn to Draw Disney Mickey & Friends” Book –

“Learn to Draw: Celebrated Character Collection”Book – Amazon

Lumiere Candelabra – Amazon

Disney mini figures – Walmart, Target, eBay or Amazon are all possible sources 

Mickey and Minnie Salt & Pepper shakers – Homegoods – available multiple times over the last 4 years 

Goofy and Snow White Cookie Jars – Homegoods 

Mickey and Minnie Plush with Raincoats – Homegoods – or any Mickey and Minnie Mouse plush (with doll stand if they need to stand) or Door Greeters could work. (no stand needed for Door Greeters) 

Little Radio Flyer Wagon # 5 – eBay – search “Radio flyer 5”

Chalkboard Placemats – Amazon

Mickey Mouse Gloved Hands Corn on the Cob holders – no longer available at shopdisney.com but there are quite a few on sale on eBay. 

Red Tablecloth and Napkins – Kate Spade Larabee Dot (Cranberry or red)– available at Dillard’s and other retailers originally – available now occasionally on eBay.  Any red tablecloth and napkins would give a similar look.  

Mickey Mouse Symbol Serving Bowl – Homegoods 

Comments

Can you trace your life by looking at vacations as well? I would love love it if you would tell me about your vacation adventures and favorite things in the comment section below. I hope seeing this tablescape will bring back as many good memories for you as as it did for me.