Aren't these vintage melamine plates from Michelle Smith Designs Flea Market the sweetest? 

If we had a cute little summer cottage by the lake (I swear we will someday and any pretty lake will due) I would want the cupboards to be filled with sweet dishes just like these.

I professed my love of picnics a few weeks back and as summer is in full swing I am even more in the mood for picnics.  They are (in my opinion) the most perfect way to soak up summer and enjoy a little quality time with the one you love.  So I have been collecting various links to picnic supplies to help escalate the pretty factor...

I do love a glass of when when lounging on a picnic blanket so I was intrigued when I came across the govino glasses.  A wine glass that is shatterproof, recyclable, reusable, and looks good?  Wonderful. 

And then there is the Table in a Bag which is the unofficial requirement for cool-factor when picnicking at Ravinia.  It clearly elevates the whole affair of dining in a park...

Once one has introduced a level of sophistication to their picnic by a table, can paper plates really keep up?  There are Melamine dishes nearly every where and they are going to be sale now that the retail world is going to start stocking back to school supplies... perfect timing for those of us that are still enjoying the season we are currently in!  These blue grid melamine dishes from Target are on my want list and perfect for packing into a picnic basket.

So now that you have the basics, why not add in a little fun packaging to display your thoughtfully packed menu?  Because even the most basic of fare will be elevated by pretty packaging. Garnish has the supplies you need and ideas in their blog.

All this thinking about picnics has me dying to get outside for a little wine, cheese, and fruit- ahhhhhh!

{SoulMama}

I am loving the idea from Real Simple to use a colorful dish towel to create a bistro style place setting.  What a pretty and easy {not to mention free!} way to dress up the table.  This would be such a nice touch for a weekend brunch at home.

My dining table has been in desperate need of something to break up the bareness. So I decided to give table runners a shot. These from Target were too cute to pass up... I think they will go nice with the espresso finish of our table.

This brown leaves runner seems season appropriate...

This blue table runner is too cute to pass up, especially since it is on clearance, but I will probably wait till spring to use it:

Enjoy your Saturday!