Beach Scene Summer Tablescape

Spending time by the sea is one of the most defining parts of summer - even if the closest you come to the coast is a relaxing nearby lake. Create your own beachside scene with this breezy summer tablescape.

What You'll Need:

• Sandblasted Manzanita Branch (or a whitewashed regular Manzanita branch)
• Bag of seashells
• Bag of sand
• Large conch or circular shell
• Fresh white flowers and a few small vases that hold a couple of blooms each.
• Tealight candles for nighttime tablescapes

Instructions:

1. If the table you want to decorate is outdoors, go ahead and spread the sand directly on the middle of the table. Spread it in a shape that follows the shape of the table; for example, create a long oval for rectangular tables and a wide circle for circular tables. If your tablescape is for an indoor table, spread the sand in a long, shallow white serving dish to keep it from inadvertently spilling onto the floor.

2. Lay the Manzanita branch down in the middle of the sandy spot to mimic the look of an architectural piece of driftwood that has washed ashore.

3. Scatter the seashells along the sand, saving about half of them.

4. Rinse out the large conch or circular spiral shaped shell and fill it with water
(make sure the opening is facing upright and will stay upright before doing this). Then, place the shell near the middle of your tablescape and fill it with fresh white flowers coming out of the shell.

5. Rinse off the other half of the shells and place a few in the bottom of each low vase. Fill the rest of the vases with water and place a few white blooms in each. Scatter them around and in between the branches of the Manzanita branch to finish your tablescape.

6. To make this tablescape glow at night, scatter 10 - 15 tealight candles around the sand and vases for soft, beautiful illumination on a warm summer night.