Inspired by Blue Tablescape and giveaway

Inspired by all the blue from last week's post - HERE - I decided to jump, head first, into the blue pool!

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This was my inspiration. Hmm, don't have white chairs. Hmm.. blue flowers? Oh my. But I love the ethereal quality of this table.

I brought out my white chair covers. They started out as heirloom tea towels onto which I embroidered monograms using cotton thread. White. Tone on tone.

It certainly helped to disguise the brown chairs sufficiently to give the feeling. I hope. I got all the towels at MarthaPullen.com. They were embroidered with 60wt. cotton thread on a Bernina artista.
Originally created for Designs in Embroidery Magazine, the instructions can be downloaded HERE, or HERE.

And then came the first dilemma. Blue flatware or silver. I chose the silver. It's lighter in feel, sort of like the inspiration photo.

And then I pulled out my grandmother's dishes. They are Form 1382 Blaublüten, Arzberg (Blue Flowers). More info about Arzberg china HERE. This pattern came out in 1931.

See those napkins? Only purchase for this table.. well, other than the flowers. I tried some blue ones, too dark, white ones, very light.. So I headed out into consumer mecca and stopped at SteinMart. And there were 12 blue and white napkins in the perfect shade. I didn't have to second guess, I knew it. And when I got them home, they were.

See how all the blue colors are the same? It was meant to be. The large goblet is from the Dollah Tree. I've had these since forever, it seems and haven't used them. I had to wash them and remove the tags!

I even had those flower bricks... the square containers with the flowers. I have a giveaway going on another post.. click HERE to be whisked away to leave a comment. Leave one comment if you want to be in the drawing and another if you are a follower. Last day to enter is March 5th!

I pulled out a fabulous white tablecloth that I use quite frequently. Just be sure to toss it in the washer with some Oxy-Clean after dinner, to keep it nice and white. For lack of blue chargers, and I looked, I used the silver trays I've collected to serve as charger plates. Keeps the table light and bright.

Between the two flower bricks, I placed a silver spooner that belonged to Mr. CJ's grandmother. I tried other things, but nothing really worked. I think I'll collect some blue and white porcelain balls to place in a silver bowl. Any thoughts?

So what do you think? did I come close? I am still pining for my mother's blue and white dishes. Blue Onion I know that. And there is another set of my grandmother's, also blue.. They should come home to rest!

Cast:

Tablecloth - Portugal

Chargers - Silver trays from estate sales

White plates - Wedgwood Windsor

Luncheon Plates - Arzberg, Form 1382 Blaublüten

Flatware - Old Company Plate Signature

Napkins - Stein Mart

Napkin Rings - Silver

Water goblet - Dollar Tree

Wine hock - can't remember

Flower Bricks - Williamsburg Marketplace/estate sale

Be sure to sign up for the giveaway HERE.

I'll be partying at Cuisine Kathleen's Let's Dish

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

See ya there!!!

Snow, Regan and a Flower Brick Giveaway

 

 Good morning world! Well actually, the morning wasn't this pretty. The blizzard conditions had the backyard swirling with blowing snow, it was dark, overcast and so very cold. But in the afternoon, the sun glimpsed through enough to snag a pretty shot!

Do you know what a flower brick is? I had seen them, but then I found them at an estate sale. What a great get. Three Christmas ones and two of these blue and white ones. 

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This is what a Flower Brick looks like. It's a two part container, bottom and lid. The holes in the lid are to insert flowers so that you can easily create a pretty cool flower arrangement. 

 Like this one.

When I lift the lid, you can see the stems poking through and into the water bath.. so easy to change water or snip the stems to make the arrangement last longer.

Leave a comment to win two of these charming Flower Bricks! I will place the order with Williamsburg Marketplace and have them shipped directly to your home.

Enter before March 5th. I will announce the winner the next day. 

For a second chance, be a follower. Leave a comment that you are.

 Good luck to all!
Sorry, but shipping only to continental USA.
Linking to Susan's at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday!!

A little blue and white inspiration - tablescapes

Blue and white inspiration

From: The Style Sisters

Lately, I’ve been horribly smitten with blue and white tables. I am thinking the influence is coming from blogs, pinterest, magazines.. etc.

And I do not have but one set of blue dishes. No solids to go with them, nope, nada. So before I go off into the wild blue yonder…

From: Covetabledesigns.com

I did a bit of looking, in my files.  And I’m going to share some of my finds with you today!

From: The Decorista

I love the table.. and the ginger jar vases. The dishes are not even blue.. but you don’t notice that until you take a really close look. Maybe I should just find some blue things? Notice the sweet silver salt and peppers? I even see spot a cute salt cellar above the forks. The draping tulips just make me happy.

From: Stone Gable

Yvonne always stacks her dishes so well. Oh wait, I do have those blue and white calico plates, right above the larger white plate with the gorgeous edges. Notice too that each blue plate or accessory has a different pattern. So interesting and fabulous to look at.

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From:  Betty’s Cozy Corner

A very crisp white tablecloth with small motifs is a wonderful backdrop to the china.. Note the blue berries on the napkin ring.  The dinner plate is clear which lets the salad plate just float above the table.. intriguing.

From: Lovely Scribbles

I love all the white. And just the touches of blue on this table. Especially the blue flowers in the white vases.

From: Betty’s Cozy Corner

Dark blue tablecloth, white flatware. I do have blue flatware. Once again tulips.

From: Fabby’s  Living

Some inspiration for next winter.. dusted pinecones in a blue wash bowl. I love this. I do love this a lot!

From: Entertaining Women

Of course Cherry Kay has blue and white. And stunning blue and white it is. I have that flatware, so there is a start.  The toile linen provides a perfect backdrop for the dishes.

From: Between Naps on the Porch

This was a very early tablescape from the Susan. Actually, the second tablescape one!!  The placemats are just fabulous. Love those chunky candles in what appear to be flow blue candlesticks.
 

From: Rattlebridge Farm

What is not to love? The gorgeous blue and white plate, the twig flatware, the napkin and just look at the rim on the white plate. I think this would be heavenly on a Tattersall tablecloth.

From: Tablescapes at Table 21 Just one of the few with which Alycia has bedazzled us. Gotta love those rice bowls. And once again, ginger jars.

I’ve done blue and yellow

Another blue, white and yellow

And yet another blue white yellow!

Next week, I think I’ll try my hand at just blue and white. I certainly have enough inspiration. I know I can visit so many of you and pull from your inspiring tables, too. It shall be a complete surprise to you and to me, to see what I can pull together. Maybe, just maybe I can persuade my dad he doesn’t need Mom’s china??? LOL

Linking to the hostesses who let us come out and play at their parties:

Cuisine Kathleen for Let’s Dish on Wednesday evenings.

And Susan at Between Naps at the Porch for our party on Thursday!

I hope you will make your way over there!

A Valetine's times two tablescape

 

What's in a name? Oh I know Shakespeare has the answer, but that's not where I'm going!

The ever so delightful and ueber-talented Cherry Kay from Entertaining Women blog is my partner at the table setting party tonight!  

 We chose to use our Schumann Dresden dishes. I've used them before HERE and HERE. And I just realized I used the same tablecloth from one of the tables. But with a twist. I paired them with a gold charger today and used gold flatware. 

We actually used this table last Sunday evening. So I didn't use a lot of any hearts. Shame on me. 

In their stead, I used some vase napkin rings to reign in the napkins, freshly embroidered. In each vase, I inserted a single alstroemeria blossom.

I love how the sweet blossoms present their precious heads far above the plates.

Now don't laugh.. but I have a confession to make. I'm sure this has never happened to anyone else. Ever. I probably took the first 20-30 pictures of the table.... sans glasses!! Yep, as I was fixing dinner, I noticed my omission. And sprung into action and pulled out some glasses. I'm sure the guests would have just had a good laugh and dinner would still have been a success! I wonder if I would have laughed at myself.

I placed a hot pink tablecloth under the lace to set the tone for the table. 

By this time the late afternoon sun was streaming in the window and there was no

 way to avoid the sun dance!

I used the silver candelabras on the table. I think it's perfectly acceptable to mix metals. 

What do you think?

Because all good things are in 3's... the silver plateau found it's way under the bouquet of flowers. Which, truth be told might be a tad bit high, but everyone could still be seen over them, and conversation flowed as freely as ever.

I think the lace, embroidery and crystal help give the table a very romantic look, even without hearts. What do you think?

I love how crystal seems to come to life when the sun or lighting hits it just so.

Finding flowers for the centerpiece proved a bit of challenge. Here's a tip.. take a picture of the dishes, carry it with you and then hold it up to the flowers in the store. It's amazing what pops out at you when you do that. 

No roses, but every color in the bouquet is in the dishes.

Because Cherry Kay often uses soup tureens as centerpieces; in her honor, I used the matching one to the dishes to sit in as a container for the flowers this evening. 

The silver butter dish and the Lenox swans add a bit more jewelry to the table.

After the near disaster of the missing glasses, I didn't take any pictures with the candles lit that evening. Too busy with guests and getting our dinner of pecan crusted trout, garlic roasted red potatoes, steamed broccoli with hollandaise sauce on the table. Our first course was a fresh mixed lettuce salad with vinaigrette. And to follow all this up, I served a mixed berry dessert over which I spooned a tequila cream sauce. Yummy!

I hope you will find your way over to Cherry Kay's to see her table, which I might say is absolutely fabulous. She, too, chose pink as a backdrop.. but oooh with just her special touches, it looks so stunning.  You do know that it was her gentle nudge that pushed me ever so gently into forward motion and got me collecting these beautiful dishes. So it was fitting we teamed up to bring you a duo of tables for Valentine's. 

Wishing all of you a Valentine's day full of happiness and joy. It's not the big things that matter, but all the little things that happen along the way that really make a difference. So single, in a relationship or married for eons; do something fun, enjoy the day and buy yourself flowers if need be.

Cast:

Chargers - Hobby Lobby

Dishes - Antiques, Schumann Dresden (ebay)

Flatware - International

Water goblets - Mikasa Parklane

Wine glasses - Libbey Rock Sharpe

Silver candelabra, silver plateau - antique 

Lenox swan salt cellars - Lenox "To the Bride"

 Embroidery design - Sonia Showalter designs

 Joining the party over at Cuisine Kathleen's - Let's Dish - on Wednesday evening

And then I'll be partying over at Susan's Beneath Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday!