Vignette Design Meets Heart and Home and an Ikea Inspired Tablesape

Hey everyone, meet Heidi! She is my new BFF!

One of the biggest surprises for me about blogging has been "meeting" such wonderful people from all over the world. My Mr. A calls them my "invisible friends." Well, last week, I met Heidi from Heart and Home and she went from "invisible friend" to real live friend! How cute is she!

Heidi's blog Heart and Home is just beautiful. I have been following her for quite a while, intrigued that she lives on the redwood coast of Northern California. When we found out we lived somewhat close to each other, we started emailing back and forth. Eventually, we agreed to meet for lunch.We decided to meet at Ikea, since it was halfway between our homes. Above is Heidi taking a picture of me, taking a picture of her!

Seriously, we had such a great time. It was like I have known her for years!

We shopped Ikea and talked the entire time about blogging and how it has enriched our lives. We found that we share the same passion for interior design, gardening, family and home.We had so much in common. We even dressed alike! Same jeans, boots, tee shirts, boyfriend blazer and jewelry! Similar hair too!

For lunch, we each had a delicious Greek salad and Diet Coke at the Ikea cafeteria and continued talking even more! We wanted to come up with a plan to blog about our meeting and what we purchased at Ikea.

So, while shopping in the dish section, we decided to purchase something that would inspire each of us to create our own Ikea inspired tablescape for "Tablescape Thursday."

I found these two cotton stripe rugs for $5 each. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with them, but was thinking "table runner."

Then I found a package of four stenciled cork placemats.

I ended up layering them on the rugs which I placed across the table.

Now....what plates to use that would tie in with them both.

So in the spirit of our Ikea (bargain) tablescape challenge, I searched for very inexpensive dishes at my usual haunts. My first choice are these plates which I found at Ross. $16.99 for a 20 piece set! I like how the black toile and red rose pattern tie the Ikea placemats and rug together.

I already had the numbered napkins (Pottery Barn) and galvanized pots. I was lucky to have the fresh ivy plants after a shopping trip to the wholesale nursery for a client.

Wholesale is good! I bought this darling ivy birdcage and used it as the centerpiece.

A bird's eye view of my "Ikea Inspired Tablescape!"

Just for fun, here is my second choice. I also found these plates at Ross. Aren't those salad plates cute? Don't worry, I will use them. I'm staging a house to sell and will end up using these plates in a garden room by the pool.

Now, go over to Heidi's at Heart and Home and see her "Ikea Inspired Tablescape."

It is absolutely darling! Don't forget to leave a comment and tell her Delores sent you!

We are both linking up to Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.

I'm also linking up to Heidi at Heart and Home for her weekly Wednesday Gratitude because I am very grateful to meet her and call her friend.

On Friday, I'm linking up to Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday.