TABLESCAPE THURSDAY: VINTAGE BLUE

Hi everyone! I am participating in my second Tablescape Thursday. It is only my second because it is a lot of work!! Ironing linens, checking for spots on the glasses, making sure the dog hasn't left smudges on the window...all those things that you don't realize are there until the picture is on your blog! But I think I did a good job until after I had the table set, everything perfect, took all my pictures, and then realized I hadn't put out the wine glasses! Well, everything is corrected now and I would like everyone to pay a visit to Susan at Between Naps On The Porch, who is our hostess today. See one of her gorgeous tablescapes and then visit everyone who is participating.

I think my color scheme went well this time. I wasn't sure how white on white would look but I think the texture and pattern of the damask tablecloth was the right choice. The tablecloth is from Target and the napkins are from Steinmart. This was my first visit to a Steinmart and I was quite impressed. If you haven't been there lately, they have all their outdoor summer dishes, glasses, paper napkins and all things pretty for entertaining on your patio on display now. Run!! :-D

Accents on my table are few (it is small, only seats four). I withheld using a vase of flowers and instead put dried rose heads in these little porcelain cups that I bought at my grocery store and have no idea what they are for. They look like small egg cups. I used them at my Christmas party to hold toothpicks for appetizers. The petals will stay put on the rose head if you give it a little hairspray. I also have two white taper candles in glass holders and a small tea light lamp from Pottery Barn. This adds a lot of sparkle at night, but I took my pictures in the afternoon.

The silver plated flatware is from all my excursions to antique stores and what have you over the years. I used it in my last tablescape. None of it matches. Nor do the wine glasses which are replicas of old European wine glasses. Each glass is so different, even the color tone when the light hits.

This is a nice view of the detail if you want to click larger...

Okay, time for Blondie to get long winded. You had to know that was coming!! What about the china? Where did it come from? Well... a few months ago The Husband and I were out and about on a Saturday afternoon when we approached an antique store that I had been to a few times without him. Very nice things, French furniture, paintings, dishes... Rooms were set up like dining rooms, bedrooms, etc., and completely furnished in antiques. So I told The Husband that I had heard that they were going out of business in the spring and maybe we should stop and see if there were any bargains. So we did. Well, knock me over with a feather, there was an auction going on! Unfortunately it was the second day of the auction and almost everything was cleared out. It was a little sad. The owners were retiring after thirty~five years in business. And to see all those empty tables and spaces. I was riffling through some boxes of holiday decorations they had used in the store when The Husband came up to me and showed me a little tag with a number. He said he was going to bid on something. Neither of us had ever been to an auction so I really wanted to see how the Counselor was going to seize this opportunity to make a deal! We went to a room with many items and just as many people. I didn't even know what he was bidding on when everyone started shouting out "ten dollars... fifteen dollars..." The next thing I knew we had won this set of china, 95 pieces, for $40.00!!!

I found a website with instructions on all sorts of napkin folding. This was about the only one I could master! If anyone is interested in the website, let me know. The Swan is a killer!

This is on the back of the pieces. I am not familiar with it at all. We have place settings for sixteen (that would be my idea of a nightmarish dinner party) and all sorts of platters and bowls.

I like to look at things in black and white sometimes. Different things stand out.

So this is my tablescape for today. I hope you like our china as much as we do. One final thing: Susan from A Southern Daydreamer gave me her award which is posted on my sidebar for leaving her fifty comments. Thank you Susan, who wouldn't have something nice to say about your posts? If you have never been to see Susan, and there are not many who haven't (!!!), rush over. She is sweet and kind and interesting and you can really feel her energy. Oh, and another thing, I received the Kreative Blogger award from Lou Cinda at Tattered Hydrangeas. She is my new friend. Visit her, she is just so funny! When you receive this award you are supposed to list seven things that you love. If you refer to my sidebar once again, you will see that I have a list a mile long! Suffice to say, I have fulfilled my obligation in that regard. Now I am passing this award on to seven more people, either because I know them well and want to know more, or because I don't know them well and want to know more. These bloggers have the choice to take this award or not. They are as follows:

Dana at A Cat In My Lap...she's an old friend and terribly interesting.

Tracy at A Comfy Little Place Of My Own...new friend, new homeowner, new inspiration.

Barb at Bella Vista... just started to visit her blog and love it.

Cindy at Applestone Cottage...a Midwesterner like me, my soul sister.

Martha at Lines From Linderhof... a gentle soul with wonderful recipes.

Melissa from Melissa's Heart And Home...has my vote for best interior designer in Blogland.

Rechelle from Walnuthaven Cottage...sweet, funny and her Spring cleaning wore me out.

If you don't know these gals, you should. They all put a smile on my face! :-D

xoxo

Jane