Hi Monablair, welcome to the forum. There are lots of inspiring pics on here, some of tables forum members have posted of their own tables and some that are from other websites or out of mags and books.

It would help to know the shape of your table. If it is a long rectangular one, you might want to check out posts by Kathleen and Labmomma. They have done some really nice decorations down the center of the table.

We love to see pics of tablesettings and dishes on here, so hope you will share some with us.

I am sure some of the others will join in here with more ideas and suggestions.

Luvs

Small pots of shamrocks, stem glasses with a floating shamrock candle or carnation? Luvs, is right, if we see your table it would help. I have a green glass compote I will put oasis in and use fresh flowers with some green. But I think you said you want small things running the length?? If you can put some of the dishes etc you will use on the table and take a pic, that would help.
OH Judith, where are you???

monablair, I did a google on the name of your pewter dishes, of course many many designs came up! LOL I just want to clairfy something...will you be eating off the pewter itself, or will you be using the pewter as a charger and using china on top of that? Either way, I am seeing the look will be elegant considering the pewter. Since you need a low centerpiece type of design, how about many pillar type of candles in green (sitting on the small mirror candle holders/disks (at Walmart inexpensive) going the length of your table, intersperced with small clear glass vases (some nice simple ones from Walmart), filled with white and green carnations, with white and green thin satin ribbon tied at the necks of the vase. Simple, but elegant. You could even have one of those pretty drawstring bags (in green) at each place setting that you can purchase from Michaels Arts and Crafts, fill with the gold foiled candy money and such, and perhaps a special "coin" inside as a "lucky winner" of some sort of prize, just to keep things fun?

Monablair, Welcome to the forum. I agree with Kathleen and Judith. Labmomma has a post on here with a spring berry garland going down her table. Something like that wouldn't take much room and would look very nice with some short stemware with floating green flowers and green pillar candles and maybe a ceramic leprechaun or two.

Thank you all for pitching in.

The pewter dishes are being used to eat from..dinner plate, salad, soup, crescent plates. I have the tavern water pitchers, butter pats, serving trays,etc.

The pattern is Country French. The look is a rather refined rustic look, if you can imagine it.
I'm looking for a centerpiece treatment that would not be delicate, but heavy... with a kind of Pub look.

The table is rectangle with high back chairs and I'll post a picture although the runner is long gone and been replaced with something nicer.

I have a photo of another table set for 4 using these
dishes.

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Okay, I'm down to 8 people so I have more table space for a centerpiece arrangement. Forget the pub look; I'm looking for elegant and elaborate.

I can go with a solid colored tablecloth and use the pewter dishes. I'm willing to buy colored accent plates. I have several tablecloths...white (boring?), black, soft moss green, mustard gold, spring floral pattern. Which color tablecloth and what color accent plates??

Or I can use white china banded in gold with gold chargers and gold plated flatware and any of the above cloths.

I only have 6 days, ladies, I need help!!

I sent you a GW email, hopefully you will get it, and I will try to post inspiration pic for you tomorrow.

It's not here yet, but I'll keep checking.
Thanks, Judith.

Mona, Since you want to set your table for St Paddy's Day, why don't you start with the moss green tablecloth. Does your cloth match the green napkins in the above photo? Then decide if you want to use your white china or pewter dishware. Set your table with your cloth and a couple of placesettings and post a pic for us to see. You can even set up your placesettings in a couple of different ways to see which you like best.

RE emails.....Luvs, I sent you one a few days by clicking on your email addy in my page. You had asked about drying hydrangea. And I got it back about 4 days later!!!

I'm not getting Emails at the Forum address. Please try
mfm_42@yahoo.com.

mona, I just sent you an email to your yahoo address, hope you get this one. :)

Kathleen, I had just clicked on reply on your original email. Got it back in a day or two saying undeliverable--then I reread your message and resent it to the other email address you had given me. Not sure why the gardenweb email addy didn't work for the reply! Seems like if you can send from there, you should be able to receive them too.

For any of you who might want/need to send me an email, my spamblocker is set high, but I will get a message saying you have requested to be added and I will get your message--so don't let the spamblocker deter you. I had ordered a protein drink for DH online and got bombarded with ads from every possible advertizer--so DH set the spamblocker on high so I wouldn't have to get all of those anymore. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Luvs

mona, here are the insp photos that I was talking about. From Caroloyn Roehms book.

In your email that I sent to you I described (in a little more detail) using (for example) the green glass chargers from Walmart and a few other things.
In these pictures you can see that she is using silver as her prefered metal, whereas you are useing pewter (which is very beautiful too!), so I am basically just suggesting a substitution of "metals" your pewter for her silver. Instead of the red glass, you would use the green glass dishes and chargers at Walmart (IMHO still giving an elegant feel to a St. Pat's table). You would use green candles in your candlesticks, and use a low lying flower arrangement in the center of your table. Use green crystal/glasses if you can find them with your pewter goblet. Or you can use your clear crystal glasses if that is what you prefer. You can use a white table cloth or not, but I think the green charger would show up best against the white tablecloth.

This look I am describing is a subtle "look" for St. Pat's as far as the normal St. Pats look, but you could always add in more typical St. Pats decor if you wanted.

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Please be forewarned that I will have to remove these pics a week or so after St. Pats, my Photobucket is 99% FULL, so the only way I can add more photos is to remove some. So with that said if anyone likes these pictures please same them to your computer since they won't be here long. (Thanks)

Judith, I love those pics and can see how that would work with Mona's pewter. Very pretty!

Me too, me too!

Thank you, Judith. Pictures are worth a thousand words.
Now I have to start applying the images I've seen to my personal table.

I'll be happy if my final look is only half as lovely as the tables you talented ladies have shown here.
I will begin trying out combos and will post my final look.

Thank you all, especially Judith, for the encouraging suggestions you've given me.

Ya'll have set the bar mighty high.

Beautiful pics as always, Judith. I have them saved for future reference.

Mona, good luck on your tablesetting, I am sure it will look really nice. Can't wait to see your pics.

Luvs

I'm glad everyone enjoyed the pictures, that author does some very pretty tables.

Mona, I hope they are useful for you too, you already have a perfect start with beautiful dishes, the rest will be the icing on the cake. I'm looking forward to seeing your table when you finish.