Ready for Tech Football!

 

Covid-19 has affected so much this year. 

We have been partaking in social distancing since early March. 

I'm officially tired of it and ready for a bit of normalcy.

Texas Tech is supposed to play this weekend. We shall see.

 

 

My sweet husband brought home this delightful arrangement so I wanted to showcase it in a table setting. Not that we are having dinner guests. :(

 

 

  

 And there was a challenge to post your football tables on a Facebook group to which I belong.

 

 

As I was sitting at the dining table working this morning (I try to change venues so that it doesn't feel so much like being sent to my room), I thought of what i could do quickly. So in about 15 minutes...

I pulled out these black and white place mats that I purchased at Detours (shopping at La Fonda) in Santa Fe, my red Juliska Berry & Thread dinner plates and our Pipestone salad plates (another Santa Fe purchase from the Chile Shop) and red cutlery.

So in love with the red roses!

These silver candlesticks came home with me from my favorite antique store in Lubbock, A Beautiful Mess. 

Sadly, I think the Berry and Thread are no longer available. They are the perfect shade of red. And i don't remember the maker of this cutlery. It too is the perfect shade of red.

I flanked the flowers and candlesticks with two Texas Tech signed footballs. And other than the red and black, that is the only ode to football on the table. 

The black napkins were also a Santa Fe purchase from the Chile Shop.. They wash like a dream. Napkin rings came from World Market a long time ago. 

I paired a Mikasa French Countryside water goblet with an Ajka Arabella wine glass for a touch of glamour.

For a total of 15 minutes, this came together very quickly. It can be done!

Hope you enjoyed your visit!

Orchids on Gray

A while back I was asked to do some table settings using my favorite french jacquard tablecloths.  I purchased this gray one because I thought it'd go with my Lenox Snow Lily. But alas, no. Snow Lily is more taupish gray and this is a true gray. Sophie of Bleu d'Olive is my tablecloth purveyor (someone mentioned that is is my tablecloth crack dealer :-) ). She is French, lives in Arizona, and is in the process of getting a website up and going. When it's live, I'll share her info! You can also find her table linens at Detours inside La Fonda on the Plaza in Santa Fe, NM. I believe she has a spot in Scottsdale, Arizona as well. Sophie's website is up! https://bleudolive.com

I pulled out my Rosenthal dinner plates and topped them with a Rosenthal orchid bowl. The orchid pattern is a new one in my collection (huge eye roll). My father in law had the largest orchid greenhouse west of Dallas. He even sent cattleyas to Hawaii. He and Raymond Burr could talk orchids forever! I had purchased the Community White Orchid cutlery pattern a long time ago and was looking for dishes when these Rosenthal pieces came into view.

This tablecloth is called ABCDaire or Alphabet. Between the motifs on the drop, alphabet letters are dispersed around the table. I had the pink napkins that were purchased on Amazon.

I chose to use the Mikasa Iced Teas and Libby Rock Sharpe 2009-4 waters for wine glasses. Many of the older pattern wine glasses are quite small so I'll use waters for the wine instead.

Coalport floral placecard holders let everyone know their place. I've also seen these in multi-colors. Thee are incredibly delicate. It always surprises me to find such treasures still intact.

Remember that the goal was to highlight the tablecloth, so I left the center a bit more bare than I usually do. This way the center motif shows well. This table was set during the beginning of Covid times and I had thought I'd try to venture out and pick up some flowers. My youngest child noticed what I was doing and came back with the perfect pink roses. Not bad for a boy! I added vinca tendrils for a bit of dimension. A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do or any port in a storm.

Unimposing vintage pressed glass candle holders. When I set this table for guests, I'll bring in some more crystal candle holders or votives and another small bouquet of roses on each end.

One of my next missions is to find some gold napkin rings that are not too heavy for delicate plates. Any suggestions? These silver ones are rimmed in gold so they worked well on this table. The cutlery is Antique Baroque by Wallace. Would you use chargers the next time?

I'm always smitten by the detail of borders. And cutlery. And linens. Let's just face it, I'm smitten with all things table.

Thank you for stopping by. It's been a pleasure to share this table with you and I hope it brought you joy in this time of Covid. How are you handling it?

Pretty Little French Fishes

A table in the time of Covid. In March where nothing was in bloom and I wasn't going out.

I had purchased this French jacquard tablecloth from my friend Sophie Christian. She lives in Arizona and is my tablecloth purveyor. I have many of these French textiles. They are coated, but you can't feel it and they resist stains. Water and wine both bead up on the surface!

Edited: Sophie's website is up and running! Bleu d'Olive

I found the French Limoges fish plates at a local antique mall, A Beautiful Mess. If you are ever in Lubbock, do drop in! You won't regret it.

These have some beautiful specimens on them!

The gilding around the rims is just icing on the cake.

I finally found the much wanted pearl handled fish cutlery.

Could  you have resisted this engraving?

I could not. Period.

I paired everything with my Lenox Colonnade dinner plate on a Jay-Imports charger.

Added the Mikasa Parklane Iced Tea along side a Tiffin wine glass.

In anticipation of being able to put together a table such as this, I had eaten, soaked in clorox, boiled for 30 minutes and then dried some oyster shells. I then edged them in liquid gold leaf. Insert a sterling salt spoon and the perfect salt cellar is born.

In the center, there are Pottery Barn brass and glass hurricanes, Baldwin brass candlesticks, and a Mikasa crystal votive holder repurposed as a vase.

I hope you enjoyed your visit. I wish you'd stay for a bite. It's been quiet around here during these Covid times. I am looking forward to the day when there are jewels around the table and laughter reigns again.

Cherish your friends, they are the jewels of life.

Christmas Dinner with Friends 2017

'Twas a Plaid Christmas that year.

2017

 I chose to tone down the red with some white, antique cutwork placemats. That way the Nikko plaid dinner plate could actually be seen on the table. I topped the dinner plate with a Royal Stafford Joyeux Noel salad plate. Crochet edge napkins were gathered into red velvet bows from Pier One. Community plate Signature forks and Vagabond House shed antler knives.

I chose Mikasa Parklane water goblets and Spanish silver wine glasses. The bold tablecloth needed bold pieces.

The red velvet napkin rings are "stiff" so they retain their shape throughout many uses!

I had made these place card holders in anticipation for this theme a year before. Inexpensive Walmart individual salt shakers, one per person. Discard the tops. Add some faux snow to the shaker. Insert a $Tree wire tree ornament  into the opening of the shaker. Attach with clear glue (keeping the glue out of the snow. Once dry, wrap a ribbon or bias cut plaid fabric around the screw portion of the shaker. The $tree Christmas Tree ornament has a star on top, so i used mini clothes pin to attach the place card to the star. Pretty simple, really. 

I love the lace on the plaid!

I have the sweetest friend who has a wholesale florist shop. He helps me pick out the best combination of flowers. 

 Sterling salt and peppers and candlesticks complete the look.

Monogrammed tea towels tied onto the chairs with red velvet ribbons.

Keeping the red velvet thing going.

Why does photo stitching always make the front look bowed? The buffet decked out with Mackenzie Childs runner.

 A vintage lunch box holds a snowy scene and is watched over by a reindeer with a tartan bow. 

 His mate is on the other side. Instead of candles inside the lanterns, I filled them with trees and fairy lights. 

I love a tree filled with white lights and memories. Do you do a stylized tree? Or one with all the ornaments that make you nostalgic?

 We serve cocktails and apps in the living room. When the theme involves red, the pillows, the dishes, the napkins all play right along.

 The large driftwood nativity is made by a Native American artist and was purchased by my husband in Santa Fe, NM. Happy Birthday to me!!

 'Twas a Christmas to remember!