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! ;-)

 

The dish on Schumann Dresden

And old love - Schumann Dresden. Did you know that there are several lines in the Dresden line? The older version does not have the scalloped rim, rather it's straight. And then there is one with a reticulated edge, one with swags and one with wreaths.  They all mix well. They all make me smile. Below is a history of the Schumann Porzellan Fabrik, taken from HERE.

The history of Carl Schumann Porcelain begins in the town of Arzberg which is located in Bavaria, Germany. In the early 19th century, kaolin was discovered in a region slightly to the north of Arzberg. At that time, this region of northern Bavaria was one of only a few areas in which large quantities of kaolin could be found. Thus began the industrialization of the area as porcelain factories started popping up in the region.


Heinrich Schumann founded the second porcelain factory in the town of Arzberg in 1876. By 1879, however, that factory had to close because its buildings were in the way of the railway that was being built. This railway served to connect Arzberg to other areas of Germany.

Heinrich's son, Christoph, established a new Schumann porcelain factory in 1881, It was located in the town center beside the market square. Schumann porcelain was also located beside the railroad tracks that forced the closure of his father's factory a few years earlier..That factory was later inherited by his son and it became Carl Schumann Porcelain.


The new Schumann porcelain factory began manufacturing its own porcelain blanks. In 1932, Christoph's son, Carl, took over the running of the porcelain factory. At a later date, of which no record seems to exists, the Carl Schumann porcelain factory was transferred into a limited company. The Carl Schumann porcelain factory acquired the Porcelain Factory Colditz, located in Colditz, Germany. It ceased to do business as a porcelain factory in 1996. 

The Carl Schumann Porcelain factory specialized in producing coffee and tea sets, gift items, and decorative porcelain, as well as dinnerware porcelain. The items manufactured by the Schumann porcelain factory tended to exhibit vibrantly colorful decorations with distinct Dresden influences.

Some of the best known examples of Schumann porcelain are the lines that seemed to replicate both the high quality of the more well known Dresden porcelain as well as the Rocco revival style of decoration of Dresden. *This cup is the Forget me not pattern.

The Rocco revival style of art emerged in the 18th century as artists put aside their desires for equally balanced decorations and, instead, focused on more fluid and colorful patterns of decoration. The artisans employed by Carl Schumann porcelain focused on creating lines of dinnerware with lots of brightly colored fruit, flowers and nuts These decorations were offset by the milky white, almost translucence of the high quality porcelain that the factory used.


Some of the more popular lines of Carl Schumann porcelain include “Chateau” and “Empress.” These are also some the more highly desired pieces among collectors of Carl Schumann porcelain.

I wasn't going to buy any more dishes. I said it but I didn't write it down. So.. and of course there was the One King's Lane episode in January. Lenox Holiday Tartan. Now, on to this pattern. I've been coveting  loving it for a long time. A very long time. So fast forward to April. You can see by now that I forgot to ask God to strengthen my willpower, or lack thereof! Along comes my dear, beautiful, gracious, enabling friend Cherry Kay from the gorgeous Entertaining Women blog. The little tidbit of me wanting this lovely set of dishes didn't escape her meticulous attention to detail. My inbox was being peppered by deals I couldn't possibly pass up on ebay. What's a poor addicted soul to do? Are you feeling my pain?? In a very short time (since April 14 to be exact) I've collected 4 dinner plates, 8 salad plates and 12 bread and butters. aaah life is good. Thank you dear Cherry Kay, you've enabled me to make a dream come true.

I can hardly wait to set a table with this luscious set of dishes. Of course, I'll have to find some wonderful glassware to bring out the best of this ornate china. Back to the thrill of the hunt!!
I've used some different Schumann patterns HERE, HERE, HERE, and a favorite HERE. See Cherry Kay's beautiful table HERE.

I'm waiting on some Mint Julep cups to arrive and linking up to Cuisine Kathleen's Let's Dish! Come on over and let's party a bit. OOh, another party - Susan's Tablescape Thursday.. see you there!