Buttercup, Buttercup Tablescape

Buttercups remind me of my grandmother. I lost her when our eldest son was 18 months old. She never got to see him and I really regret that.  We were on our way to Germany when she passed away. I miss her so much some days.  - Okay, I do know those are not buttercups in that photo. I can't dare bring them into the house, our little inspector likes to chew on plants and buttercups(part of the Ranunculus family) are poisonous. I didn't know that as a child, did you?

But these buttercup plates by Copeland Spode are harmless and bring me much pleasure.

I love the scalloped edges of these salad plates. I love the Fleur de Lis like inner border. I love the basketweave/wicker portion, too. And I. am. totally. smitten. with the buttercups. Did you ever place a buttercup under your chin? Did your skin reflect the yellow color? Then you like butter. I'm sure my chin glowed brilliant yellow!!! I've read where some people can have a reaction to this seemingly innocuous darling, little blossom if it touches their skin.

I paired with with a gingham place mat and a solid yellow napkin. Click HERE to link to a fun post on pairing dishes with napkins that I wrote about on Monday. It's a tutorial on a fun iPhone/Pad app.

The darker brown faux bamboo flatware was a perfect choice to pick up the browns in the plates. I also used a gingham napkin with the two solid yellow place mats that were on each end of the table. I had to mix, only have 4 of the gingham place mats and you know perfectly well that it's okay to mix, right?

The still thriving ferns came to the table yet once more. Adding some sweet yellow fauxs in the pots almost gave the feel of sitting in a wonderful, grassy field filled with some buttercups while whiling the hours away.

A little bit of history from somewhere on the web: Copeland Spode appears on some pieces of nineteenth-century English porcelain. Josiah Spode established a pottery at Stoke-on-Trent, England, in 1770. In 1833, the firm was purchased by William Copeland and Thomas Garrett and the mark was changed to Copeland Spode. In 1847, Copeland became the sole owner and the mark changed again. W.T. Copeland & Sons continued until a 1976 merger when it became Royal Worcester Spode. The company was bought by the Portmeirion Group in 2009. Pieces are listed under the name that appears in the mark. Spode still appears in the mark for pieces formerly made by Copeland Spode, pieces that include earthenware and bone china. I think this mark is from 1891-1900+. Spode designed this pattern in 1885. There is more history on this pattern found by clicking HERE.

Three stemmed hurricanes filled with ice cream salt and some candles are placed amongst the ferns.

 

I also brought out my sweet birds. Yellow and white. Easy conversation pieces.

 

My Little Buttercup

(Randy Newman)

My little buttercup has the sweetest smile
Dear little buttercup, won't you stay awhile
Come with me where moonbeams paint the sky
And you and I might linger in the sweet by and by, oh...

Dear little buttercup, with your eyes so blue
Oh little buttercup, you' re a dream come true
You and I will settle down in a cottage built for two
Oh, dear little buttercup, I love you...

Everybody !

My little buttercup, has the sweetest smile
Dear little buttercup won't you stay awhile
You and I will settle down in a cottage built for two, oh

Dear little buttercup
Sweet little buttercup,
My little buttercup
I love you

I am so glad you dropped in today and got to play with my buttercups for a bit. Maybe they took you back in time to fields of flowers, sitting on your grandma's lap, and relaxing in the midst of summer.

Cast:

Placemats and yellow napkins - Villeroy and Boch

Gingham napkins - Pier One

Chargers and napkin rings - Pier One or World Market

White dinner plates - Wedgwood Windsor

Salad plates - Copeland Spode

Glasses - Mikasa French Countryside

Stemmed Hurricanes - TJMaxx

Linking to Cuisine Kathleen's Let's Dish on Wednesday evening

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

Do come by and see the pretty settings the ladies and gents have prepared for you.