Cranberry Christmas

"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. During this beautiful season when we celebrate harvest and Thanksgiving, I hope that it will encourage you to support projects in your community that contribute to the effort to overcome hunger.
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This Saturday, we were thrilled to entertain Sweet Mister's brother and sister-in-love, who came from out of state, his sister, and our precious daughter and son-in-love.  My inspiration for the tablescape was the Copeland Spode, "Tower Pink", which was my mother-in-love's everyday dinnerware for many years.  I thought that the dishes would evoke sweet memories for them as they gathered around our table for an early Christmas celebration.

I was eager to use the Williams-Sonoma Toile Tablecloth, a recent eBay purchase.  I like the monochromatic blend with the Tower Pink.

To give the Tower dinner plate a bit of definition, I disregarded the rules that say don't use place mats on tablecloths, and I layered the plate over our sweet Nana's antique Italian Lace place mats.  Another family memory for Sweet Mister and his siblings...I used my mother-in-love's Reed & Barton, "Francis I."

Antique napkins that match the place mats were nestled in berry and holly napkin rings...actually, they are mini-candle rings.

 The goblets...Waterford, "Simply Pink", AJKA, "Arabella", and Kings Crown, "Ruby Flash Thumbprint".  The Kings Crown also belonged to my mother-in-love, and her children grew up using these on a daily basis.  Like so many vintage/antique goblets, they are quite small when compared to newer designs.  I used them for water goblets this day.

At the last moment, I decided to add the Kings Crown, "Ruby Flash Thumbprint" accent plate...just because it was pleasing to my eye.  They were removed before the first course was served, and they returned to the table for dessert.

For my centerpiece, the pair of AJKA, "Arabella" presentation bowls, filled with candles and glass raspberries, made an encore appearance from the Carolyne Roehm Candy Stripe Christmas tablescape.

Anchoring the centerpiece is the antique Copeland Spode, "Camilla" tureen, picked up via eBay for a pittance.  It plays very well with the Tower Pink.

Acting as bookends for the centerpiece were a pair of Paden City, Cranberry Compotes, flanked by my sweet Lalique, "Love Birds".  I always like to have at least a pair of design elements.  One of the compotes came from our Nana.  The matching one was found through eBay.  I use them quite often.

The greenery in the centerpiece is simply a Michael's garland laid down the table in a serpentine fashion and amended with coordinating greenery picks.

The buffet still hosts the shimmering green mesh trees placed in silver champagne buckets (yep... Nana).  They've been joined by the candles from last week's "Candy Stripe" tablescape centerpiece.  Recycling, right?

Some candlelight shots...

 

 

The candlelight shots were taken the night prior to our family luncheon...hadn't decided to add the cranberry accent plates, yet.

We had such a wonderful time at our family gathering, as we all wait with anticipation the most important birthday party of the year.  I pray that you, too, will be blessed with family and friends this Christmas Season.  I've already started planning for our version of Jesus's birthday party.  I'll be excited to see your amazing designs the next time that we all join together again for Tablescape Thursday.

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."   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!