Flannel and floral table linens, warm candles and fresh blooms create a cozy but bright table setting to transition from winter to spring. Plus pretty silk scarves and getting through that winter exercise slump.
Welcome March
It is March and that has everyone talking of spring.
We did make it above freezing this week, so the ice and snow have started to melt.
Planting us firmly in… mud season.
Then on Thursday the snow and cold rain were back.
So I am not embracing spring yet. But I am dreaming of it.
And adding just a few spring touches around the home and to my wardrobe.
I had friends for dinner on Sunday. I shared the menu here on the blog on Thursday, A Cozy Dinner with Friends | Soup, Salad, Focaccia, & Cake.
The food was mostly cozy winter, with just a few bright notes holding the promise of spring.
My table setting too was a combination of both winter and spring — flannel and floral table linens, warm candles and bright blooms.
Today I am joining my friend Ann from Dabbling and Decorating to share all the details of our dreaming-of-spring table settings.
And while I will be wearing warm sweaters for a while, I recently purchased a vintage floral silk scarf on Etsy. I think it will add a lovely touch of spring to my cozy outfits. An easy way to brighten up my winter wardrobe.
And lastly, how I am dealing with the exercise slump I always feel this time of year. The struggle is real!
Let’s get right to it!
Dreaming-of-Spring Table Settings
I always like to set a nice table when I have dinner guests, but usually just with things I have on hand.
While I have loved our cold and snowy winter this year, it has been a bit more isolating than normal on our quiet peninsula.
So when I was planning for my gathering with friends last Sunday, I decided we all needed a little something extra special.
Here are the details of the table I set!
Table linens
I started with a cheery Liberty of London floral print tablecloth.
I just learned recently that in 2022 and 23, J Crew had a line of Liberty of London fabric table and bed linens. How did I miss that?? I love both J Crew and Liberty of London!
You can still pick up pieces from this collaboration on resale sites such as Poshmark, Etsy, and eBay. Some of them are new with tags, and some are used. My tablecloth came from Poshmark and arrived in the original matching fabric packaging. How cute!
One of the things I love about this tablecloth is that its blue/green colorway goes with my winter decor. So I went through my stash of napkins I have sewed and pulled out a few patterns that work in a more-mix-than-match way.
With so much pattern and color, I went with simple rattan placemats I have had for years. They ground the place settings and tie in with the natural wood furniture pieces in the room.
Table decor
For the table decor, I knew I wanted something different than my everyday hurricanes and stack of wooden bowls.
But also nothing too elaborate.
I had a vision, but it required a few stops:
Goodwill for a mixed selection of small glass vases.
Danica Design Candles for my favorite hand-dipped colored taper candles. I also picked up some simple glass candle holders that would look great with the glass vases.
Seasons Downeast Designs for flowers — a casual mix of blue, white, and green blooms.
When I got home I got right to work pulling it all together! Just a few stems in each of the vases, for an airy look. Then I grouped them with the candles in a casual unstyled way in the center of the table.
As I worked on the arrangement, I decided it needed some kind of base to make it a cohesive whole. So I added a small plaid flannel table runner I sewed last year. I love the juxaposition of floral and flannel! It perfectly reflects the theme of my dinner — cozy winter, with the promise of spring!
With the candles lit in the low evening light, the table had a warm magical glow. And during the day, when the sun is shining, the bright colors and greenery have a joyous feel.
I think we all need more magic and joy in our lives — especially this time of year.
Tableware
The tableware was all everyday favorites.
Blue and white Casafina Nantucket low-sided bowls for the salad and focaccia.
White Sophie Conran for Portmeirion bowls for the soup.
Vintage silverplate flatware.
And antique pressed glass goblets.
Easy!
Ann’s table setting
My friend Ann from Dabbling and Decorating and I were definitely on the same wavelength this week!
She has homes in both Maine and Vermont, so she knows the time of year we are entering as mud season too.
And she understands what it is to dream of spring, when many are already enjoying it.
So, in a similar spirit as me, Ann is sharing a spring table on her blog today.
A cheery green checked tablecloth, bright spring blooms, simple white taper candles, and the cutest bunny dishes!
Head over to her post for all the details! Be sure to tell her I say hi!
SHOP MY TABLE:
Silk Scarves
As I have said, it will still be sweater weather in Maine for a while.
But I am starting to think about my spring wardrobe. And definitely wanting to add a bright note to still-cozy outfits.
I have recently noticed some fashionable creators on social media donning classic silk scarves — knotted at the neck, wrapped around their shoulders, or tied onto the handle of a bag.
Has the silk scarf made a trendy comeback?!
Of course there are many who would argue that silk scarves, with their soft drape and beautiful patterns, are timeless accessories that can add a touch of sophistication to casual wear or complement more formal outfits.
Some of the scarves from luxury brands such as Hermès, Gucci, and Chanel are even considered collectors items. These come with a hefty price tag, though.
But, don’t let cost discourage you. There are plenty of more affordable, but still lovely, scarves to be found. Especially if you shop vintage! Look for a pattern that speaks to you in colors that you wear.
I chose a vintage Pierre Cardin silk scarf with the classic rolled edges from Etsy. The bold floral print, with its gray, bright pink, and navy blue, will give a fresh look to winter items in my closet. Springy! And so happy!
I have linked a few scarves below (including the one I bought, for a cheaper price!), just to get you going!
SHOP SCARVES:
The Late-Winter Exercise Slump
I love to exercise! It is a huge part of who I am and makes me feel strong, healthy, empowered, and in control.
I wrote about how I stay active in my post My Exercise Routine | Feeling Great and Staying Motivated.
But to be honest, every year I experience an exercise slump in the winter, which reaches it’s peak late February into March.
I feel sluggish on my Peloton bike, my legs heavy and slow. And no matter how hard I work, I can’t come close to matching the output levels I achieve at other times of the year.
The first year this happened, I thought it was the inevitable result of getting older. But then that summer my metrics went back up again.
Now, my 7th year here in Maine, it is something I have just come to expect this time of year. Maybe it is the reduced daylight hours. Or nature just telling my body to slow down and rest. Possibly a lack of vitamin D, though I started taking a supplement this year.
And while I have grown accustomed to this winter “slump”, as a fairly competitive person (particularly with myself…), it always leaves me feeling discouraged. Less enthusiastic about my daily workout. It is just not as fun when I feel lousy on the bike.
So what do I do about it?
First and foremost, I just get back on the bike. Literally. Still pretty much every day. I believe firmly that you are never going to achieve your goals if you don’t take action. So, in this case, ride the bike.
That said, I do try to allow myself grace. To take an easier or shorter ride. To temper my expectations. I try to keep in mind that the important thing is to just keep moving.
I also increase my strength training in the winter, focusing more on making gains there, instead of on the bike. This gives me a sense of accomplishment.
And lastly I remind myself that this is just a phase, part of the cycle. (No pun intended.) The days are getting longer and warmer, the snow and ice is melting. After mud season, it will be spring, and then I will start to feel stronger again.
Do any of you lose your exercise mojo in the winter?
This Week Into Next
I was busy with the blog this week, since I published two posts.
Maybe I am just slow, but blog posts take me a long time to style, write, photograph, and edit. I know all of you are busy with your things too. So it means the world to me that you take or make the time to read my posts and sometimes to say hello. Thank you, truly, for supporting my little blog.
I am headed out with friends tomorrow to visit a fun antiques mall. i have a few tweaks in mind for art on the walls in the living room. We will see if I find anything that would fit the bill. Stay tuned!
Unfortunately the delivery of furniture for the dining area that was supposed to happen today has been postponed until next week. Disappointing! So I will not be sharing that next week. Hopefully the week after!
Warning: this is the time of year when I start to complain about the weather. And talk about mud. Incessantly.
But I offer the two photos above as evidence that I am not exaggerating.
My daughter Zoë sent the photo on the left this morning. That is what this time of year looks like in the D.C. area, where I used to live.
By contrast, the photo on the right was taken the other day in my driveway. That is what things look like around here this time of year, ha!
And with that, I leave you for the week.
I hope you are seeing crocuses and not mud where you live!
