Arita Imari Fan, 3.19.14

"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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I'm pretty sure that my admiration for Asian design is in my blood.  My daddy, an architect, and my Aunt Ida, who lived in Tokyo for some years after World War II, both collected some lovely Japanese things. I've continued the love affair with many things oriental...especially dishes!  Tonight, I wanted to share Arita, Imari Fan with you.

 Spring is beginning to shine, just outside the back door.

 Come on in...I've set a casual table for four today...

 No tablecloth this time...I decided that the Persian carpet provided just the right "undercloth".

 Imari Fan is quite an exuberant pattern.  I don't think that it would take much effort to go straight over the "design cliff" with it.  I chose to emphasize the green in this delightful plate.

 A simple centerpiece....I elevated the Imari Fan bowl and chop plate on one of my antique oriental stands.  I pick up assorted sizes of these stands at estate sales.

A really important element in today's design, the MacKenzie-Childs soft green enamelware charger plate was a fortunate and reasonable eBay find.  I chose it to calm down the Imari Fan.

 The Arita Imari Fan is quite the attention getter...no shrinking violet here.

 Fire King Jadeite was originally restaurant ware.  You wouldn't know that today.  It's quite pricey on eBay and other on-line sites, but I've been able to score some great deals at several estate sales.  This is called the Lotus plate...

...and this is the Lotus bowl.  I thought that they were the perfect partners for the Imari Fan.  The scalloped edges pick up the scallop motif in several of the panels on the plate.

 Lately I've been interested in introducing some orange into my tablescapes.  I've started acquiring an assortment of orange wine goblets on eBay.  They don't show up often or in quantities, so I've decided to mix and match orange goblets by assorted makers.  Most of todays group are made by AJKA.  I've paired it with the Vietri Amber goblet.  The Vietri is still in production and comes in some great colors.  Reasonably priced, you'll probably find it in a nice shop near you.

 Finishing the place setting, the "antique" hemstitch napkin is caught by the Waverly beaded napkin ring, my often used gift from Cuisine Kathleen.  The dark bamboo flatware was found at Big Lots, and the D&Co. Limoges salt cellars belonged to Nana.

 Sunshine bright...this design looks like the Spring days that all of us are eagerly awaiting...

 I think that we'll leave the patio door wide open as we dine and visit long into the afternoon.  Have a seat; I'm so happy that you're here!

This week I'm joining:

Tablescape Thursday with Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch
Seasonal Sundays with The Tablescaper

  

Jadeite and Sunflowers

"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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We've had  a blessed abundance of rain this summer out here on the prairie.  Everything is green and lush.  The colors are bright and blooms are prolific all over town.  Our summer bounty was the inspiration for my table this week.

Lots of color....we could be sitting in the middle of the garden.

The colorful Zina Vasi tablecloth, an eBay find, set the color story for today's design.

 A footed Jadeite bowl held large sunflowers...

...and each place setting was punctuated with a small Jadeite footed tumbler holding a small sunflower.

 I thought that I would use either the Walmart rattan charger....

 or the Bormioli red glass charger...

 I ultimately decided to use them both.  The rattan charger on the bottom effectively made the red charger look much brighter on the dark tablecloth.

 Lunch will be served on the Fire King Jadeite Alice dinner plate.  Tip:  This plate is a good example of my philosophy of "take your time."  I've watched 12 of these sell on eBay for $500.00.  No way!  I bought mine at an estate sale for $3.00 each x 13 plates = $39.00.  I felt pretty darned cocky.

 The Jadeite Lotus plate will hold our dessert...

 ...and the Jadeite Lotus bowl will be used to serve gazpacho for a first course.

 Spicing up the table...the Vietri red optic goblet complimented the Fenton Empress amber goblet.

The Waverly beaded napkin ring, from Cuisine Kathleen, held a hemstitched napkin.  They paired nicely with the L'Argent Sophia Gold flatware.

 I liked the shapes, the textures and the colors against the florals in the tablecloth.

Vibrant...energetic...enthusiastic and fun are descriptions that come to mind.

I predict delightful fellowship and lots of laughter.  If you're passing my way, just ring the bell.  We'll add an additional place setting and pull up another chair!

This week I'll be joining the following parties:

Inspire Me Tuesday with Marty @ A Stroll Through Life
Let's Dish @ Cuisine Kathleen
Tablescape Thursday with Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch
Seasonal Sundays @ The Tablescaper

Summertime, and the Living is Easy

"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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Several weeks ago, I was delighted to host a small group of women who met to initiate plans for our 50th high school reunion...there...I said it.  It truly doesn't seem possible that we'll celebrate that milestone in just another year.  We'd had a spat of rainy/cloudy days, so I wanted to bring a touch of summer color to my table for five.  You already know that we gathered in the living room at the games table.

Today's design all started...

 ... with the tablecloth...

 ...a charming ...chinoiserie style...

 ...incredibly inexpensive...

...eBay find!  My mind started spinning with ideas the moment that I unwrapped it!  I immediately knew that the Sophia L'Argent, found through Horchow and Tuesday Morning, would make the playbill  for my table design.

I found myself intrigued by lots of colored glass and crystal...

 The Vietri Amber Optic goblet...the pink pearlized Pier I goblet...

and the aqua green recycled glass decanters from Tuesday Morning played well with all the assorted colors in the tablecloth.

 The amber capiz charger plate provided a lovely golden glow...

 ...beneath the MacKenzie-Childs spring green enamelware charger plate.

 The Spode Blue Room Collection Byron Groups Floral plate...  eBay Tip:  Often I'll collect plates one at a time.  Many times I'll be the only bidder.  I picked these lovelies up for a low of $3.00 and a high of $9.00 each.  You can collect some really nice patterns for $10.00 per purchase if you're patient and willing to wait and watch for the good deals.  Just be cautious if you decide to buy a hand painted pattern.  If some little lady painted it for her daughter or granddaughter, you probably aren't going to find any more to match it.  Do your homework!

 ... the perfect, fluffy blue to bring out the colors...

...in the tail feathers of the various birds on the cloth.  The cornflower blue hemstitched napkin with the Pier I multi-colored beaded napkin ring added another pop of blue.

This is a pretty busy design, but I'm happy with the balance...yep...happy.

My centerpiece was the Jadeite pedestal bowl filled with my old friends, grocery store hydrangeas.  The bowl was flanked by a pair of jadeite footed tumblers hosting green hydrangeas and apricot alstroemeria.

 Ready to roll...

 Everyone is bringing a salad or dessert...

Looks like a great recipe for a productive planning session...and so it begins!

I'll be joining the following parties:

Let's Dish @ Cuisine Kathleen

Tutorials, Tips, & Tidbits with Yvonne @ Stone Gable

Between Naps on the Porch with Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch

Seasonal Sundays @ The Tablescaper
Show & Tell Friday

Come join the fun!

Jadeite Birthday Lunch

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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It didn't start out this way....

When my dear friend Cindy is the guest of honor at one of my tables, I often make a point to highlight the color green...her favorite.  For Cindy's birthday, I decided that I wanted to use the Fireking Jadeite "Alice" as my focal point.  I found 13 of these on the last day of an estate sale for $3.00 each.  At the time I wasn't familiar with Jadeite, and little did I know that I was getting an amazing deal.  I set the table early in the week, and I was waiting until closer to the party to build my floral centerpieces.  But then...

...the amazing Miss Alycia from TABLESCAPES AT TABLE TWENTY-ONE posted about a wonderful deal at Gordman's for some hot colored glass charger plates.  I was waiting for Sweet Mister to meet me at a Mexican food restaurant when I received the email, and as soon as dinner was over, I hot footed it to the store.  I bought chargers in this hot pink and in turquoise...and my plans were suddenly in flux.  I couldn't wait to use them!

I replaced the Wedgwood "Queens Plain" with the high white Wedgwood "Countryware".

The Fire King Jadeite "Alice" remained in the line up.  The glassware initially came into fashion because it was durable and cheap to produce. McKee was the first to manufacture jadeite, but the Jeannette Glass Company is credited for coining the name. However, Anchor Hocking Glass Corporation became its largest producer. In 1942, Anchor Hocking debuted the popular Fire-King line in a variety of colors, but jadeite (or “Jade-ite” as the company calls it) remained in high demand for 30 years.

The stain- and heat-resistant tableware was served in frugal diners across America. Additionally, restaurant owners could save money by serving coffee in thick-rimmed “cheater mugs” that appeared to hold more than they actually did. The simple design of the Anchor Hocking Restaurant Ware was one of the most popular lines produced from 1950 to 1956. Today, Restaurant Ware is also the most collected, in part because of its sheer abundance.

Collectible jadeite pieces come in many forms and, as usual, the hardest to find items fetch the highest prices. Whereas mugs generally sell for around $20, a Fire-King grease jar can run $100. A set of four nesting bowls in mint condition may sell for $200.

A keen eye can tell the difference between vintage jadeite and department store knock-offs. You can identify the maker (and worth) of most pieces by examining the markings on the underside: “McK” in a small circle indicates McKee, and a “J” inside a triangle indicates Jeannette Glass Co.

The antique Luneville "Old Strasbourg" leaf plate would later be used for homemade strawberry cupcakes served with Brandy Ice.  The Old Strasbourg plates feature a variety of floral sprays.  I liked the way that they worked with the frosted white tumblers...

My dear friend Marsha delivered the 5 white tumblers over the weekend. I had fun using them in my design because they were actually Marsha's birthday gift for Cindy.  Marsha found them in an antique store; each one features a different floral design.  Marsha also made Gazpacho for our luncheon.  It was delicious, and we served it in the Coalport "Old Coalport" bowl.  It's really a cereal bowl, but it worked just fine for our soup.

Rounding out each place setting...the pink and white striped napkins were found at an estate sale, 12 for $1.00.  They are caught in the Coalport "Countryware" napkin rings.  Next to the L'Argent "Sophia Gold" flatware, I placed the MacKenzie-Childs individual salt and peppers.  The Green glass decanters were a Tuesday Morning find.

The Jadeite pedestal bowl ultimately ended up on the gift table.  I bought the flowers at Sam's and Homeland Grocery.  I really liked the pink gift box that I found at Gordman's...the same day that I bought the glass chargers.  I fitted it for Cindy's gift...

...and then I carefully removed it...

  ...and used it as my centerpiece!  I bought this wonderful Italian tureen on eBay.  I surrounded it with a trio of floral centerpieces that I designed using small green plaid metal buckets, found on the after Easter clearance aisle at Hobby Lobby.  When she opened her "empty" gift box, Cindy had to figure out what went in it.

My finishing touch, the hot pink Italian crystal goblets, a Marshall's find, highlighted the floral bouquets in the pale mint green tablecloth...another of my eBay gets.

It was a wonderful day to share food, fun, and fellowship with my dearest friends.  I linked to a fabulous recipe for CHESAPEAKE CRAB QUICHE from Blue Bay Crab Co.  Thank you to ROBIN FLIES SOUTH who posted the link.  The quiche was a huge hit served with a mixed berry salad and poppy seed dressing, accompanied by garlic bread.  I'd love to have you as a guest at my table someday, too!

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!

Tonight is the twelfth 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!

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!