An Easter Retrospective, 2014

First things first...We are truly blessed to have the means to set a pretty table and invite our friends to join us for good food and fellowship. I am mindful that many are not so fortunate. My daughter has a passion for the work of the Food Bank. As a singer-songwriter, she has written and recorded a song that is the anthem for the world wide Crop Hunger Walk project. Her song, "Raise Your Voice" is featured in their video. I've included a link in the side margin of my blog. I hope that it will encourage you to support projects in your community that contribute to the effort to overcome hunger.

                   ****************************************************************************

I've been down with an irritating upper respiratory infection and aggravated asthma all week  As a result, Sweet Mister has decided that we'll entertain family with Easter lunch at the country club.  Because I won't be designing an Easter tablescape this week, I'm sharing our Easter table from last year...Beatrice Emaline's first Easter celebration.  I hope that you'll enjoy it whether you're seeing it for the first time or revisiting it again.  Have a blessed Easter celebrating our Risen Christ!

  

It is so special to have a grandchild living close enough that I can share my holiday tables, our family traditions, with her.  When my son and daughter were children, I loved decorating the house for each holiday to make it a wonderland for them.  Beatrice Emaline is 6 months old now, and I know that she won't remember this year's holiday. Therefore, I'm looking at this Easter as a dress rehearsal for celebrations to come.  I've had a ball designing my table, and I'm looking forward to many more special occasions with my family gathered around my table.  Welcome to a Bunny Easter Parade!

 I was thinking of Beatrice Emaline and my darling grandsons, Haden & Jack, so I decided that my table would highlight pinks and blues.

Let's take a look at the cast of players...

 Playing the role of the crowd in the background is the Maryland China Company Minuet Charger Plate.  Tip:  MCC primarily markets white china blanks for china painters.  This one, manufactured in the Czech Republic, reminds me of some of the beautiful Herend patterns, but at a fraction of the cost.  Check them out!  They also have some good sales on a regular basis.

 Pink for Miss Honey Bee...The Copeland Spode Irene Dinner Plate was a fortunate eBay find.  I found a set of 12 of these lovelies.

 Blue for my precious Haden & Jack...The Royal Staffordshire, Louis XVI, was also a great deal for a set of 12 on eBay.  They will be removed for our luncheon and reappear for dessert.

An unbeatable rim shot...Eat your heart out LeBron James.

Sun kissed and ready to celebrate Easter lunch with our family...

With all the different patterns on our Easter table, I decided that a white napkin was the best choice.  I was thinking of you, Rett, and the time that we found the Waterford Ballet Dot Napkin at Tuesday Morning.

I picked my mother-in-love's Reed & Barton Francis I flatware because...it was close at hand.  Besides it's hard to go wrong with good ole' Francis.

Each guest will have a pair of the individual salt & peppers by MacKenzie-Childs.  I've been slowly collecting them for a number of years.  They're kind of a splurge, but I really enjoy them!

The Pink Pier One Goblet has been hiding out in a kitchen cabinet for quite a while.  I bought them years ago for $1.00 each on deep clearance.  Today it is paired with the Waterford Simply Blue Goblet.  I bought the Waterford stems some years ago on eBay, while they were still very reasonable.  Their price has increased substantially in the last year or so.

These make me smile every time I walk past the dining room table...and they put the exclamation mark on my pink and blue color story.  Have you noticed the navy blue and white eggs?  I painted them some years ago.  I used a faux, foam-filled egg that I found at Michael's.  They've become a dependable design element...especially when I don't have time to go buy flowers...

...Speaking of flowers...The flowers in the centerpiece are all left-overs!  The white mop head Hydrangeas were used for my St. Patrick's Day table.  They were also used in combination with the smaller green Hydrangeas for a wedding shower for forty that my dear KC hosted in our home this past weekend.  I'm hopeful that they'll make it until Sunday, but I'll replace them if necessary.

 I've long had a fondness for Fitz & Floyd.  These bunnies are from their Old World Collection.  I found them one at a time at the tail end of different estate sales for far less than they cost on line.  I love Mr. Bunny pushing flowers in his wooden cart, and the two lovely lady bunnies are tending my painted Easter eggs.  I think that they've been laying them out along the table for an old fashioned egg hunt.

Our feast will be after church.  We'll share a predictable Honey Glazed Ham, baked potatoes, deviled eggs, green salad, fresh asparagus, hot rolls, and an assortment of desserts.  Everyone will contribute something to the meal, and we'll enjoy focusing our time on blessed fellowship and lots of laughter.  I can hardly wait to celebrate this most special of days...the day when my sweet Jesus Master overcame death and prepared a way for me to have access to eternal life and a relationship with my Almighty God.  Now that's worth celebrating!  We are truly blessed.  I pray that you will have a peace-filled holiday surrounded by family and friends.  Happy Easter!

This week I'll be joining:

Tablescape Thursday with Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch

Seasonal Sundays with The Tablescaper

The Bunny Parade, 2013

First things first...We are truly blessed to have the means to set a pretty table and invite our friends to join us for good food and fellowship. I am mindful that many are not so fortunate. My daughter has a passion for the work of the Food Bank. As a singer-songwriter, she has written and recorded a song that is the anthem for the world wide Crop Hunger Walk project. Her song, "Raise Your Voice" is featured in their video. I've included a link in the side margin of my blog. I hope that it will encourage you to support projects in your community that contribute to the effort to overcome hunger.

                   ****************************************************************************

It is so special to have a grandchild living close enough that I can share my holiday tables, our family traditions, with her.  When my son and daughter were children, I loved decorating the house for each holiday to make it a wonderland for them.  Beatrice Emaline is 6 months old now, and I know that she won't remember this year's holiday. Therefore, I'm looking at this Easter as a dress rehearsal for celebrations to come.  I've had a ball designing my table, and I'm looking forward to many more special occasions with my family gathered around my table.  Welcome to a Bunny Easter Parade!

 I was thinking of Beatrice Emaline and my darling grandsons, Haden & Jack, so I decided that my table would highlight pinks and blues.

Let's take a look at the cast of players...

 Playing the role of the crowd in the background is the Maryland China Company Minuet Charger Plate.  Tip:  MCC primarily markets white china blanks for china painters.  This one, manufactured in the Czech Republic, reminds me of some of the beautiful Herend patterns, but at a fraction of the cost.  Check them out!  They also have some good sales on a regular basis.

 Pink for Miss Honey Bee...The Copeland Spode Irene Dinner Plate was a fortunate eBay find.  I found a set of 12 of these lovelies.

 Blue for my precious Haden & Jack...The Royal Staffordshire, Louis XVI, was also a great deal for a set of 12 on eBay.  They will be removed for our luncheon and reappear for dessert.

An unbeatable rim shot...Eat your heart out LeBron James.

Sun kissed and ready to celebrate Easter lunch with our family...

With all the different patterns on our Easter table, I decided that a white napkin was the best choice.  I was thinking of you, Rett, and the time that we found the Waterford Ballet Dot Napkin at Tuesday Morning.

I picked my mother-in-love's Reed & Barton Francis I flatware because...it was close at hand.  Besides it's hard to go wrong with good ole' Francis.

Each guest will have a pair of the individual salt & peppers by MacKenzie-Childs.  I've been slowly collecting them for a number of years.  They're kind of a splurge, but I really enjoy them!

The Pink Pier One Goblet has been hiding out in a kitchen cabinet for quite a while.  I bought them years ago for $1.00 each on deep clearance.  Today it is paired with the Waterford Simply Blue Goblet.  I bought the Waterford stems some years ago on eBay, while they were still very reasonable.  Their price has increased substantially in the last year or so.

These make me smile every time I walk past the dining room table...and they put the exclamation mark on my pink and blue color story.  Have you noticed the navy blue and white eggs?  I painted them some years ago.  I used a faux, foam-filled egg that I found at Michael's.  They've become a dependable design element...especially when I don't have time to go buy flowers...

...Speaking of flowers...The flowers in the centerpiece are all left-overs!  The white mop head Hydrangeas were used for my St. Patrick's Day table.  They were also used in combination with the smaller green Hydrangeas for a wedding shower for forty that my dear KC hosted in our home this past weekend.  I'm hopeful that they'll make it until Sunday, but I'll replace them if necessary.

 I've long had a fondness for Fitz & Floyd.  These bunnies are from their Old World Collection.  I found them one at a time at the tail end of different estate sales for far less than they cost on line.  I love Mr. Bunny pushing flowers in his wooden cart, and the two lovely lady bunnies are tending my painted Easter eggs.  I think that they've been laying them out along the table for an old fashioned egg hunt.

Our feast will be after church.  We'll share a predictable Honey Glazed Ham, baked potatoes, deviled eggs, green salad, fresh asparagus, hot rolls, and an assortment of desserts.  Everyone will contribute something to the meal, and we'll enjoy focusing our time on blessed fellowship and lots of laughter.  I can hardly wait to celebrate this most special of days...the day when my sweet Jesus Master overcame death and prepared a way for me to have access to eternal life and a relationship with my Almighty God.  Now that's worth celebrating!  We are truly blessed.  I pray that you will have a peace-filled holiday surrounded by family and friends.  Happy Easter!

Come join me at Marty's Tabletop Tuesday...always a great place to visit!

I'm joining Jamiann @ The Blackberry Vine for Tuesday To Do & Listmakers.  So many inspirational ideas here...you won't want to miss it!

Wednesday is the 54th edition of Cuisine Kathleen's meme, "Let's Dish".  I'm excited to be a charter member.  Pop over (pun intended for the Chef Supreme Kathleen) and join the fun!

Lots of great ideas to be gathered when you visit Yvonne at Stone Gable for Tutorials, Tips, & Tidbits.  Don't waste another moment...hurry on over!

I'm joining The Style Sisters for CENTERPIECE WEDNESDAYS.  Don't miss it!  

                                                                

Thank you, yet again, to Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for hosting her magical meme,  "Tablescape Thursday."   Hop on over and check out the myriad of marvelous tablescape designs, after 10:00 AM on Thursdays.  You'll be glad that you made the trip...it's a wonderful adventure.

March, a month of so many transitions...I find myself still enjoying a Winter eve's fire in the fireplace while looking with sweet anticipation toward Spring.  How about you?  With thankfulness for her dedication and efforts, I'm joining the multi-talented Tablescaper for her fabulous meme  SEASONAL SUNDAYS.  Hope to see you there! 
  

You can check out KC's music at www.kcclifford.com, on iTunes, and on YouTube.  I hope that you'll take a few minutes and give her a listen.  You'll also enjoy reading back through her blog on this site.  The girl can really write!  Her latest CD is called "The Tag Hollow Sessions""  It is available on iTunes or through her website.  I hope that you'll give her music a chance.  I know that I have zero objectivity where she is concerned, but I think that you'll fall in love with her music and her!           

Al Fresco Blue

First things first...We are truly blessed to have the means to set a pretty table and invite our friends to join us for good food and fellowship. I am mindful that many are not so fortunate. My daughter has a passion for the work of the Food Bank. As a singer-songwriter, she has written and recorded a song that is the anthem for the world wide Crop Hunger Walk project. Her song, "Raise Your Voice" is featured in their video. I've included a link in the side margin of my blog. I hope that it will encourage you to support projects in your community that contribute to the effort to overcome hunger.

I know that we are all so glad that it is officially Spring!  I, for one, can hardly wait to entertain on the back porch.  Although the shade grass still sports its perennial green, the Bermuda grass still looks like straw, and it will be another month or so until the rose bushes are in bloom.  Nonetheless, sunny and in the 70's means it's time to go outside for lunch!  On this day, I invited a small group of friends for a simple meal of soup and salad.

The blue and white stripe tablecloth was the result of a 'going out of business' sale at one of our local Hancock's.  The fabric is a Sunbrella type material that I picked up for less than $5.00 per yard.  I've always wished that I had bought enough to make multiples of this cloth.  Stripes always provide such an effective design punch.

My guests were offered iced tea or water, served in the Godinger, "Sutton Place" goblets.  Godinger, also marketed as Cash Crystal of Ireland, is a heavy weight crystal at an extremely reasonable price.  I found mine via eBay. The flatware is our everyday stainless steel, Towle, "Antique Bead."  I tied simple cotton Pier One napkins with a variety of narrow blue ribbons to add an additional graphic element to striped tablecloth. Tip:  I occasionally stroll through Michael's and search through their sale bins of ribbon on the bolt.  It's pretty amazing what you can pick up for $1.00.  I keep my ribbon stash in pretty fabric covered hat boxes, and I enjoy using it often for my tablescapes.  When I cut lengths of ribbons to use as napkin rings, I later store them in small ziplock bags in my napkin drawers.  That way, they are easily accessible when I want to use them again.

Simple yellow Daisy Mums from Sam's, my personal florist, are cut short and plopped into beakers that match my dinnerware.  The beakers are an eBay find.  I kept the flowers low because...

...I wanted to highlight the blue and white eggs that I painted.  You've previously seen the eggs in use HERE.  I've packed them into a trio of cloches that fit on white iron pedestals of different heights. I had seen some of the beautiful Hungarian painted eggs.  I researched them with the idea of buying some, but when I saw the prices, I said to myself, "I can do that!" My precious daughter claims that I say that all the time.  Do you find yourself often making the same statement?     Tip:  The eggs are faux.  I found them at Michael's.  If you want to look for some, they come in a mesh bag, and they look like brown eggs.  They actually have a foam stuff on the inside.  I bought my eggs last year, but I've also seen them at Michaels and Hobby Lobby this year.  I painted each egg with a layer of Gesso to give them a smooth finish.  I used a Navy Blue acrylic as my base coat, and the designs are all created with white paint.  After the eggs were completed, I used a high gloss varnish to finish them off with a nice shine.  With Easter just around the corner, they are perfect for this season.  That said, I use them throughout the year.

For a charger, I used Pottery Barn's "Outdoor Collection," enamelware.  I picked them up on clearance two years ago.  Topping the charger is our Furnival, "Blue Quail" dinnerplate and cream soup.  I've had this charming English transferware for many years, and I still adore it.  We use it as one of our everyday patterns.  The Quail pattern also comes in a wonderful brown.  Furnival is no longer in business, but Mason's Ironstone, Ltd. bought the molds and continues to produce the pattern.  The Furnival's pieces can still be found on eBay and through Replacements.

Okay, everybody sing along..."It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood; a beautiful day for a neighbor...won't you be mine, won't you be mine, won't you be my neighbor?"  Give me a minute...I'm going to put on my cardigan sweater and change my shoes.  Then we'll sit down and get to know each other better!

Thank you, yet again, to Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for hosting her magical meme, "Tablescape Thursday.  I'll be linking my post to "Tablescape Thursday."  Click HERE to hop on over and check out the myriad of marvelous tablescape designs, after 9:00 pm on Wednesdays.  You'll be glad that you made the trip...it's a wonderful adventure.

You can check out KC's music at www.kcclifford.com, on iTunes, and on YouTube.  I hope that you'll take a few minutes and give her a listen.  You'll also enjoy reading back through her blog on this site.  The girl can really write!  Her latest CD is called "Orchid."  It is available on iTunes or through her website.  I hope that you'll give her music a chance.  I know that I have zero objectivity where she is concerned, but I think that you'll fall in love with her music and her! 

Stop By For a Bowl Of Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Do you ever long for the opportunity to return to a simpler, low-stress time, when life moved at a slower pace?  When I need to decompress from the madness of life in this new millennium, I like to invite some close friends to join me at the table for a modest bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup, hot bread, and dessert.  It's amazing how time seems to be suspended for a few hours as we share fellowship and a simple meal.  I highly recommend it; a shared meal with friends is good for the soul! 

My huband and I learned long ago that we both live well with blue and white.  As a child, my dolls under the Christmas tree were always dressed in blue, and my sister's dolls were always dressed in pink. My Mama and Daddy understood my affinity for blue long before I did.   The plates are Burleigh Blue Willow, an English Transferware that is still available on the secondary market.  They are one of my sets of 'everyday dishes,' and we've had them for many years.  We use them regularly.  This set was a gift, over a period of several birthdays and Christmas holidays, from my mother-in-love.  She would ask me what I wanted her to start for me 'next,' and it was usually a set of wonderful dishes. She couldn't have given me a better gift!

For a simple, 'come on over for lunch,' get together, I try to keep my centerpiece somewhat simplified.  I often use a large tureen in the center of the table in lieu of a floral centerpiece.  Crystal decanters placed in several spots on the table are perfect for wine, water, or tea.  Guests are comfortable pouring refills for themselves.  Placemats also add to the relaxed ambience.  These are Royal Fieldcrest, and I bought them for pennies in an eBay auction.  Yay, eBay!

The multi-colored wine goblets are AJKA 'Arabella.' I bought twelve many years ago at Tuesday Morning Mall, and I wish that I had bought more.  They are very versatile.  The crystal goblets are Cash Crystal, 'Sutton Place.'  I bought them for a song on eBay.  They are quite large, and they work well for water, tea, or a great huge glass of wine.  The candlesticks are my old friends, the Val St. Lambert.

 A couple of bundles of yellow tulips plopped in the blue & white export fish bowls add a pop of contrasting color, while fulfilling my goal to 'keep it simple!'  You can never go wrong with tulips.  Did you know that you can poke a small hole (think toothpick) through the stem, just below the blossom, and the tulip will remain upright, instead of drooping?  I was a very happy camper when I learned that trick.  

I saw a picture of Hungarian painted eggs in a book.  I immediately decided, "I can do that!"  I went to Michael's and bought several sacks of artificial eggs.  The shells look and feel authentic, but they have a kind of foam interior.  I mounted them on a skewer, stuck them in foam to hold them still and started painting. I used acrylic paints, and I finished them with a coat of satin finish varnish.  I've used them a number of times. I think that they'll last for years!  I liked them with the Lalique Roosters that once belonged to Nana, my husband's grandmother. The white napkins were purchased on clearance at Pier One.  I tied them with assorted patterns of blue and white ribbons and placed them just above the Reed & Barton Grande Renaissance silver.  The reticulated compotes were an inexpensive purchase from Hobby Lobby.

The soup's ready.  I've about decided to switch to a clear crystal wine glass.  Hmm.  What do you think?  This one is part of my wedding crystal, Lalique, Treves.  Come, take a seat, please.  I'd love for you to sit right next to me, and we can get to know each other better...and plan a beautiful table together.  Such fun!