A Tablescape in Remembrance - Memorial Day 2013

Welcome to a tribute to the fallen.

Memorial Day is to remember those who have fallen while in the service of our country.

However, when tragedy strikes close to home, the lines blur.

At first I was not going to do a table, it seemed so trivial in light of the devastation wrought in Northern Texas and Oklahoma.

 

But then I recanted.

Last week tornadoes ripped through Granbury and then Cleburne in the Dallas area.

Lives were lost.

I prayed for them.

 

Last Sunday, a tornado ripped through Shawnee, OK.

I remembered all the wonderful people I met when I taught at Sue's Sewing Shoppe.

I prayed for them.

 

Then came Monday.

And Moore, Oklahoma was struck with an EF-5 tornado.

Winds of between 200-210 miles an hour.

At least a mile wide.

Almost the same path that the 1999 tornado took.

And I prayed for them.

 

One by one friends and family checked in.

First my dear friends in Edmond.

Then a post from our beloved Cherry Kay.

Our Bernina dealer.

My friend Debbie.

I praised God.

 

While praising God and weeping for those whose loved ones were lost,

I remembered that God is with us always, in good and bad. He rejoices with us when we are full of joy. He cries for us when we hurt.

 

1 Peter 5:6-10

⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. ⁷ Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

⁸ Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. ⁹ Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

¹⁰ And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

 

So I carry on. With a deep hurt in my heart for all those in Texas and Oklahoma.

And I ask for prayers, our tornado season is just starting.

 

I remember those fallen for my freedoms.

I praise them for their bravery and conviction.

We owe them a debt we cannot repay.

 

So I set this table for us to enjoy this weekend.

Amidst our bbq and gatherings,

I promise to remember.

And to be thankful.

 

Thank you Cherry Kay for this gorgeous tablecloth. I couldn't wait to use it.

I hope this is a fitting debut.

Cast:

Tablecloth - Cherry Kay from Entertaining Women

Dinner Plate - Queens Calico

Salad/soup Bowl - Villeroy and Boch Burgenland

Bread Plate - Arzberg Blaue Blueten

Flatware - Cambridge

Red Water Goblet - Stein Mart

Blue Wine Goblet - Libbey, Dollar Tree

Red Napkins - unknown

Napkin Rings - Dollar Tree door hangers

Centerpiece - Grape Milk Glass

 

I'm linking to Cuisine Kathleen's Let's Dish on Wednesday evening.

On Thursday, you can find me at Susan's Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch.

I hope you will drop in.

And here's to hopping the brick is re-laid on the patio by Sunday! ;-)

 

Mother's Day in Blue and White tablescape

One of Mom's set of dishes came home a few weeks ago. It was bittersweet.

Getting them where Mom wanted them took some doing.

Dad finally relinquished.

 

To celebrate, the sun came out to play and dance a jig across the table.

I paired the Hutschenreuter salad plates with some new Coalport Athlone blue dinner and bread plates.

 

I had Replacements looking for a pattern name for the Hutschenreuter pattern. To no avail. First time I've stumped them. So now, I keep looking for more information. I do have a setting for 12, but one salad plate is cracked and I would love to find the matching bread plates.

I embroidered the napkins Sunday morning. For those who have an embroidery machine, do check out Sonia Showalter designs. They stitch out beautifully. I've never had a misstep in any one design!

 

I know Mom was smiling down on the table.

I do think I'll be using this china quite a bit.

I am collecting "accessories".

 

I used one of the 3 tureens for a centerpiece bowl. Mr. CJ went to the wholesale florist on Saturday morning to pick up Peonies and Iris. Thank you Denny!

 

I love how they came together.

Blue flowers are a bit hard to find!

 

I pulled out the Libbey Rock Sharpe wines and paired them with some blue waters.

 

 I started collecting the Waterford/Ajka Clarendon wine hocks to go with this set.

They are just photoshopped into this photo.

Since seeing is believing, it's a great way to convince Mr. CJ that yet one more set of crystal is absolutely necessary. He he.

 

With so much gold on the table, the silver candelabras, didn't work. They screamed out "I am wrong. I am wrong." So I chose crystal candleholders, one set has a gold band.

 

 

These cute horns are individual flower holders for each place setting.

They are Rosenthal. Also stumped Replacements with these.

Mom only had 5 left. So I added the sweet Lenox swan.

If anyone sees any of these, would you let me know?

Please and thank you!!

 

 

That is mom's tablecloth from her dowry, too. It's a really beautiful damask and has 12 matching napkins. I used different napkins because I really wanted a blue monogram on the plates.

Mom's tablecloth and napkins are all embroidered, by hand no less, with her initials.

Every stich was exactingly place by my grandmother's loving hands.

 

Paired with gold flatware, the plates are perfectly accessorized.

 

 

Not my most stellar effort, but it was time for a Black Forest Cherry Cake.

I promise to share that recipe soon.

 

Cast:

German Damask tablecloth

Napkins - My Place to Yours

Dinner and bread plates - Coalport Athlone

Salad plates - Hutschenreuter Unknown

Gold flatware - International Silver

Crystal knife rests - Mr. CJ's grandmother

Flower vases - Rosenthal

Crystal wine - Libbey Rock Sharpe

Blue water - unknown

 

A Mother's Love

There are times when only a mother's love
Can understand our tears,
Can soothe our disappoints
And calm all of our fears.

There are times when only a mother's love
Can share the joy we feel
When something we've dreamed about
Quite suddenly is real.

There are times when only a mother's faith
Can help us on life's way
And inspire in us the confidence
We need from day to day.

For a mother's heart and a mother's faith
And a mother's steadfast love
Were fashioned by the angels
And sent from God above.

--Author Unknown

 

I miss you Mom.

 

I'll be sharing this tablescape at both Cuisine Kathleen's Let's Dish on Wednesday evening

and also at Susan's Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch.

I hope to see you there!

 

 

Oh the Places I've Been... Cancun, Mexico

I am going sightseeing at The Tablescaper's on Thursday evening, won't you join me?

We went to Cancun, Mexico several years ago. And I cannot wait to go back.

Tip: Have your cell phone switched to International before you go. You can do that for a 30 day period.. It's a great way to "keep in touch"!

It was our first trip and we picked "familiar" as a place to stay. The Marriott Casa Magna. I would stay there again. The service was impeccable, the room wonderful. It helped to make our stay as fabulous as it was.

We ate well!

Lorenzillo's. Omg this was fabulous. There is a sister restaurant in Cabo also. We had wonderful service, amazing food and ambiance.

Not only was the food wonderful, but the seating on the water was perfect.

One of the walls on the walkway out was lined with plates. It really was a very cool effect.

On one of our walks, We came across this structure.

What is it?

A diving school. They can enter the water from the interior. Pretty cool.

Here is the view out of our room. January is a wonderful time to come. Warm, but not steamy. Not overrun with tourists so that the beaches are not packed and neither are the sights and restaurants.

We spent quite a bit of downtime. Right here on the Beach. See the empty chairs.. yep, that is how I like it.

La Isla cantina right  on the beach. The. best. margaritas. EVER!! No doubt.

Recipe: 1 shot Grand Marnier; 2 shots Tequila, 1 shot Triple Sec. Put ice in a glass, add the shots and pass the mix over the glass. I think their goal is to let as little as possible of the mix enter the alcohol. Be ware. That is all I'm sayin!

Walking out from the hotel to the beach.. Boy that water looks alive, doesn't it?

I can also recommend La Destileria as a fabulous p'ace to eat. It really was a dining experience. The big copper vat in the background is their own Tequila still.

They had traveling Mariachis who visited most of the tables if you wanted. Not pushy at all.

Mr. CJ got a little bit of sun. Only himself to blame. Sunscreen is meant to be lathered on with care, not left in the tube!

So much fun.. It's all in the sombero. yep, that's my story and I'm sticking with it.

A sweet love song. I'm all over that.

What to see:

Source

Chichen Itza - old Mayan ruin.

Tulum, Cozumel are towns close by and worth the trip.

Deep sea fishing and snorkeling are also fabulous in this area.

Isla Mujeres is 8 miles from the shores of  Cancun. OMG. Go go go...

And on a good day, you can see Cuba, distance between the two shores is 90 miles.

Do you want to visit Cuba?

Cinco de Mayo Sunday Dinner Tablescape

Welcome to our Sunday night dinner. Viva Cinco de Mayo. These days, my 97 year old father joins us each Sunday for dinner. Mostly dinner in or sometimes dinner out.

I was determined to have Mexican food for dinner.

 

 

I was determined to have Mexican food for dinner.

 

I don't know about you, but I like my Mexican food spicy.

 

So how do you feed spicy Mexican food to a 97 year old man who thinks black pepper is spicy?

 

This is where careful planning comes in.

 

Did I mention that he has dentures and they don't fit well?

 

So no spicy food, nothing that would require a lot of chewing.

 

Menu:

Abuelo's papas con chile

Mexican pork roast

green beans

Mexican chopped salad with Honey Lime dressing

Flan

 

It worked. Great jalapeno flavor, no heat. Winner for everyone.

 

Mexican Chopped Salad with Honey Lime Dressing.

From Epicurious. Recipe HERE.

Son's plate, minus the feta cheese and the avocados.

I highly recommend that salad dressing. Can you say I would drink it straight? LOVE this dressing.

Loved the salad.

Romaine lettuce, radishes, tomatoes, corn, jicama, black beans, feta cheese and avocados.

Heaven!

 

Cast:

Guatemalen Linens (placemats & napkins - The Shop - Santa Fe, NM

Flatware - Wallace Silversmiths

Talavera dinner plates - Guadalupano Imports, Santa Fe, NM

Napkin rings - Pottery Barn

Mercury Glass candlesticks  - Jackalope, Santa Fe, NM

Etched Wine Goblets - Cielo, Santa Fe, NM

Blue goblets - Dollar Tree

Yellow-orange salad plates - BIA

 

Thanks so much for coming by. Dinner was a success and enjoyed by all.

I'm sharing this table with Cuisine Kathleen for Let's Dish on Wednesday evening

and with Susan for Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch.

I hope to see you there!

If you want to check out some previous Mexican inspired tables,

click HERE, HERE,or HERE.