Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Summer Gold + Give Away Winner!

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.
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Entertaining Women's first blog post was July 7, 2010.  It's hard to conceive that I've been blogging my tablescapes for two years.  I never dreamed that I would be "published" in any format. It was always my Aunt Ida's dream for me, and I think that she would be happy.  I'm having even more fun with my blog today than when my daughter-in-love, Jamiann at THE BLACKBERRY VINE, graciously helped me figure out how to even start a blog.  I look forward to my third year.  I adore the many new blog buddies that I've come to care about, and I am humbled by your support and unending encouragement.  Thank you seems so inadequate.  I introduced my blogiversary give-away several weeks ago... HERE.  I used the random generator to select a name, and  I am pleased to announce that the winner of the 12 Mottahedeh "Sacred Butterfly" Dinner Plates is SARAH @ HYACINTHS FOR THE SOUL  Sarah, please email me your address, and I'll carefully pack the dinner plates and send them your way. I think that you'll enjoy them for many years.  Congratulations!




The Mottahedeh "Lion" Tureen, another of my eBay finds for a great price, has been residing on the dining table for the past few weeks...




...with a pair of white reticulated and lidded lanterns. The floral arrangements left over from the Fourth of July table still look nice, so I removed the red roses and added them to the dining table vignette.  By this point, my brain was on a roll, and I visualized a tablescape design in my mind.  I call it "Summer Gold."

I recently came across this inexpensive pair of long green crinkled fabric runners at a local shop.  Tip:  These runners are twice as wide as shown here.  I simply folded them in two to create runners approximately the height of a place mat.  It would be so easy to buy 54" or 60" wide home dec fabric, split it down the middle and hem it with your machine or pull out the Stitch Witchery and steam iron.  I also plan to criss-cross them on a round table for a party of four.  So versatile and fun!  I think that I'll go shopping for more fabric.

    Once I chose to go with the tureen and it's gold accents and the green runners, my color story was set...white, gold, and green...perfectly cool and inviting for a hot summer day!

The Acrylic Woven Gold Charger Plates were a $.99 for 12 eBay find.  They're light, so shipping was minimal...a great deal.  The gold sets the mood for the table.  I used a plain white dinner plate with a gold rim beneath our Nana's wonderful vintage crystal  accent plate with the green border.  At first, I placed the crystal plate directly on my workhorse dinner plate, the Wedgwood "Countryware" dinner plate, but the embossed rim of cabbage leaves "fought" with the crisp design work in the accent plate.  I added an additional layer by inserting the Limoges 10" white dinner plate with its simple gold rim.  Tip:  Why did I leave the Countryware plate in the stack?  The gold charger is quite large, and I left the "Countryware" in place simply to improve the proportion of white to gold.  Proportion can make or break a design.  If something looks "dinky" to you when you're creating your tablescape, your eye is telling you that you have a proportion problem.  Think about a room that you've fitted with furniture that ends up being too large...or too small.  We've all done it at some point.  I've been guilty of buying the huge, extremely comfortable sectional...only to get it home and realize that it's way too large for my room.  I don't care how many years it sits there, it never looks right when it's out of proportion.

The crystal accent plate dictated the composition of the stack.  Its crisp stylized motif demands companions that don't distract.  Tip:  The Limoges Gold Rim White dinner plate was picked up for a pittance at a local antique store.  I bought a stack of them.  Some of them are the Limoges, and some of them are virtually the same plate by Johnson Brothers.  When shopping for vintage plates, don't be afraid to mix different brands.  Any minor differences will not be noticed by your guests.  Remember, in the final analysis, each person will be examining only one plate...the one that's directly in front of them.

The gold-tone bamboo flatware continued the tone for my design, and the Williams-Sonoma hemstitched linen napkin in a slim tri-fold added a nice crisp pop to the table.

The Waterford "Simply Lime" goblet 'played well with others today.  Can you see the horizontal 'slash' cuts at the base of the bowl?  I liked the way that they co-ordinated with the palm fronds in Nana's Lalique tumbler.  I also chose the Lalique because the frosted cut-work added another impression of white to the table.  I like the shape of the goblet mixed with the Val St. Lambert crystal candlesticks strolling down the center of the table.

  Our son and his family are coming tomorrow to spend the night before driving their older son to Kamp Kanakuk in Branson, Missouri.  Our younger grandson is going to spend a few days with us while they make the trip.  We are so excited, and we've been making plans to do some fun things while he's here.

I can hardly wait to have our family gathered around the table for supper.  It will be a kid friendly meal; Sweet Mister is going to grill chicken and hamburgers on his new grill.  I'm headed  to the grocery store to stock up on fixins' that we'll need while our dear ones are here.  Do you have family coming soon?  I hope that you do!

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 10:00 AM on Thursdays.  You'll be glad that you made the trip...it's a wonderful adventure.

When I think of June, I think of lazy summer days and time to share a meal with friends.  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!



Wednesday evening is the fifteenth edition of Cuisine Kathleen's meme, "LET'S DISH".  So excited to be a charter member.  Pop over (pun intended for the Chef Supreme Kathleen) and join the fun!


It's always a treat to learn something new when I go exploring in blog land.  Tonight I'm excited to join Yvonne @ Stone Gable for her new meme, TUTORIALS, TIPS, & TIDBITS.  Bring your notebook...there's so much to learn!


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!  KC has just released her 5th studio CD project, "The Tag Hollow Sessions".  The sold out CD release concert was this past weekend.  "The Tag Hollow Sessions" 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!  







  






  
Entertaining Women
Entertaining Women

Hello, I'm Cherry Kay I was 40 before I realized that I am an artist. I love to paint, work in clay, rubber stamping, design tablescapes, entertain, and share ideas. I'm an interior designer wanna-be...no credentials, but lots of experience.

23 comments:

  1. Congratulations to Sarah! And congratulations to you, Cherry Kay, for having family arriving soon. I'm certain they will enjoy your beautiful table and Sweet Mister's grilled feast. Have a wonderful time with your grandson for a few days!

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  2. Your table is gorgeous...love the colors and your tips!

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  3. What a beautifully elegant table your Summer Gold is, Cherry Kay! I hope Sweet Mister is enjoying his new grill and have fun with your grandson.

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  4. Congratulations Sarah!! How nice that you have won...I know you will enjoy those dishes! Cherry...what a generous giveaway and what a gorgeous table you have set to feast our eyes on...love the tureen and the dishes you have set..those gold chargers are beautiful!
    Miss Bloomers

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  5. Congats to Sarah for winning your generous and lovely giveaway set. Lucky, lucky! Your tablescape is so elegant and very beautiful, Cherry kay. I love that lion tureen and the plates are very pretty too. Thanks for sharing another creativity of yours...Christine

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  6. Congratulations Sarah! Lucky Gal, I know she will love those great dishes. Loved all your tips too. Wow, I'd love to just be a fly on your wall to absorb your amazing talent.
    Your table is just stunning. Great tip to put a less demanding plate beneath the beautiful glass ones. The green Waterford is a nice way to bring the green up a bit.. I always love your centerpieces. Such pretty pieces and always so artfully arranged. Great table.. xo marlis - oh enjoy the kids!

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  7. ooh, forgot to say, we have the same chargers!! xo marlis

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  8. Cherry Kay --
    Sarah is so deserving of the giveaway! She has been treating us to her beautiful ideas for a long time. My two youngest grandsons arrive tonight from Ohio. They'll be here for lots of love and fun this week. You can BET that I won't be setting my table this week with anything like your incredible glassware. I'd be hard pressed to choose between those Waterford cut stems and those breath taking Lalique glasses. Oh, to have the choice!!!
    Linda @ A Toile Tale

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  9. Congrats to Sarah!
    Beautiful table as always, Cherry Kay. I ♥ the lime stemware. The tureen is lovely.

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  10. What a gorgeous table! So very elegant. Love your crystal, and the tureen. The chargers look great.

    Congratulations to Sarah.

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  11. Lucky Sarah! Congrats to her! Boo hoo for the rest of us!

    Your tureen is gorgeous! What a beautiful formal table! I just love the stems, beautiful!

    I had family last week. My son, dil and 5 children, my sis and bil and nephew and his wife and 2 boys from TN. She is a doc at St Jude's , we don't get to see them that often.
    This weekend will be relatively quiet, just a party Sat night.
    Enjoy your family , and I know they will enjoy dining at that delightful table!
    Thanks for linking to Let's Dish!

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  12. Your Summer Gold table is appropriately named since you are the gold standard for tablescaping! What a dream dish pantry you have! Congratulations to sweet Sarah and one of my favorite bloggers :)

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  13. As always, such stunning table my dearest Cherry Kay! Wow, you have exquisite taste, which I love. Congrats lovely friend for your two years, I thought you were a very long time blogger, you are so experienced!! I totally adore the idea of the two runners as place mats, really clever, something I will copy. Love the tureen is gorgeous and the dishes are beautiful, as all the other elements, as is the lovely centerpiece vignette, in white! Congrats to Sarah, so happy she won such generous give away! Hugs,
    FABBY

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  14. How wonderful for Sarah! This was a fantastic giveaway, Cherry Kay!

    Your gold,, white, and green table is glorious. Soft and rich, light and summery, at the same time. Have a lovely time with your family!

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  15. Cherry Kay, I'm stunned! What an amazing gift. You can be assured that these gorgeous dishes will be well loved here at HFTS. I look forward to setting many tables with these beauties. Thank you, thank you for sharing your find of this exquisite set. I'll look to your tables for inspiration.
    And speaking of inspiration ~ your "summer gold" table setting is beyond gorgeous. You have the most amazing way with putting together a stunning table. Love the idea of the two long runners. I don't have a long dining table, but if I did I'd be copying this idea this weekend. (Hmmmmmm ~ perhaps I need to figure out a way to get a long table with a set of 12 plates coming my way. LOL)
    Love your new tureen. It makes a beautiful statement! Thanks again for the honor of being the lucky recipient of your anniversary gift. Congratulations again on this milestone. Entertaining Women is a special place to visit. ~ Sarah

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  16. Congrats Sarah! Gorgeous is the word for the day for your table. Your deserve a A++++.

    Cathy Cupboard Calamity<;)

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  17. Just simply lovely! Congratulations Sarah!

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  18. Oh your table is so gorgeous!! It really does look elegant.

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  19. Your table is so gorgeous. Don't know where to start but the tureen is the star. What a treasure you have. The runners and the chargers are great finds. Thanks your all your good tips.
    Have a wonderful time with your grandson. Those memories will be precious.
    Congrats to Sarah, she will love the china.
    Hugs and blessings, Ginger

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  20. Yay for Sarah!! What a lovely prize.

    Your table is just gorgeous. Thanks for sharing the tip about the runners. I never thought to run them under the plates like that. The fabric possibilities are endless!

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  21. Beeutiful! Love your ideas and tips. The summer gold is elegant and light. Jennifer

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  22. Hi, Cherry Kay! I took last week off, so I'm tracing backwards to read the posts I missed. I am SO glad I got to see this one! I LOVE this table! This is just my style, lady!!! Every bit of it!!! I love the tips you included, too, especially about proportion. I think that's a hard one sometimes. I'm that way with furniture and parallel parking spaces! :-) I love the gold-tone bamboo flatware! It's perfect for so many occasions, and this is one of them! Also loved your tip about mixing patterns & makers, especially when they're so close. If someone's looking so closely at the plates to notice a difference, they need to get a life! (Watch....I'd be the one to notice! :-)) I'll have to pop back over to Sarah's blog and congratulate her on her big win! That was quite a giveaway, and I know she's thrilled!!!

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  23. Oh how I wish I had children coming to sit at the table! I miss them so much.
    What a lovely table this is. The Countryware is just right here 0 love it!

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Thank you for spending your time to leave a comment. I read each and every one of your generous thoughts. They encourage me in so many ways.

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