Summer Doily Decorations

Add a few paper doilies to your outdoor summer picnic decor. Wrap up silverware, make a banner and decorate your table. It's an inexpensive and virtually effortless way to add some country flair.


Summer is finally here in full force and that means it's time for barbecues and picnics. Spending time outside, dining among the flowers and if I'm very lucky, maybe the stars, is one of my all time favorite seasonal highlights.

While we do entertain quite a lot around here, this weekend was a quiet one. My husband was away, my kids were occupied with their own plans, so that left me dining alone.

Something I rather enjoy, to be honest.
As the mom, I seem to naturally find myself in the role of chief cook and bottle washer. While my family is very helpful, it's hard to not to dote on everyone. So every now and then, dinner on my own is a welcome respite.


Now, today, Terri from Decorate And More With Tip is hosting our monthly Ten on The Tenth hop and our theme is summer BBQs and picnics. If you know me at all, you know that nothing around here is done solely for the sake of the blog.

I don't have time to decorate for holidays I don't celebrate or set tables I'm not going to eat at...nothing is done solely for editorial content. But who can say no to eating alfresco??

So, instead of grabbing takeout or heading to a restaurant for my meal, I made myself a pretty picnic for one on my covered porch.


I set the coffee table with my favorite mason jar mug, plates I rarely break out- for fear of breaking them - a battery operated candle and decorated with paper doilies.

Yup. Paper doilies.

I picked them up not too long ago at Michael's for $1.37 per package. At the time, I thought they would make a great banner, and I wasn't wrong.

Between the girls' musical endeavors and the never-ending rain, I haven't had a chance to decorate the porch this season. The furniture was finally put out last week, but as part of my tiny redecorating, I thought the addition of a simple banner out there would be fitting.


I wasn't wrong. The light lace look added a bit of whimsy to the space and as it blew gently in the breeze, it reminded me of clean linens hanging on the line...but since my decor it paper, I won't actually have to launder these. Bonus!


I also took the time to wrap my silverware in doily and tie it up with twine. I actually am hosting a small dinner party next week and I wanted to try the idea out. It worked like a charm and looked very summertime in the country.




With no one to dote on, I spent my time eating slowly, listening to the birds and then the crickets as day turned into night. My feet were up on the couch, magazine in hand and the dirty dishes sat there for a good long time.

I had nowhere to go, nothing to do and it was glorious.


As an added bonus, since my porch is screened in, I was the only one enjoying the feast.

Not a bug in sight.

Not that's my kind of picnic!


Hey! Before you go, why not hop on over to visit the rest of my Ten On The Tenth friends? They are sharing their own BBQ and picnic ideas today and they're all under ten bucks. You never know what you might find.