The Five O'Clock Tea Club Tablecloth, 4.9.18

 In the 20's, 30's, 40's, and 50's our Nana belonged to The Five O'Clock Tea Club with many of her friends, all of them wives of highly successful leaders in our city.  After decades of wonderful times with the other club ladies, the 60's had rolled around, and Nana was probably one of the last living members.  As a result, I'm guessing that she was the club member left in charge of the Five O'Clock Tea Club tablecloth.  Last week I was blessed to  share a selection of my collection of china, silver, and antique linens with The Oklahoma Art League for their April Guest Day Meeting.  One of those items was the Five O'Clock Tea Club's tablecloth.  Once again, it found its way to the center of a lovely ladies' tea. I'll primarily let you get a look at our tea table and the centerpiece for the group of about 80 ladies.  Come on in and join us...
  

For the third time in less than 30 days, tulips are the flowers of choice.  By now you're familiar with the Accent Decor tulipiere.  The flowers were arranged at my house three days prior to the meeting.  They were in full bloom this day.  I chose the colors for a painterly effect.  I kept thinking of a painter's palette covered with dabs of color.  

 The Herend Queen Victoria tureen was a unanimous choice by the hospitality committee.  It's also making a third appearance this month; it's hard to get tired of this lovely dame.  Teapots here include Wedgwood, Coalport, Royal Albert, Bernardaud Limoges, and a darling pink stoneware teapot.

When I go to estate sales, I frequently add to my collection of oriental wooden stands.  Today some of them combined to charming effect as we elevated each of the elements in our centerpiece. 

Nana's pair of silver pedestal shells were just right for the lemon curd, which accompanied cranberry-orange scones.  You can't have a tea without scones, right?!

It seems rare that anyone takes coffee or tea after a meal anymore, so it was really fun to pull out an assortment of teacups for the ladies to sup their tea.  We served a French Caramel Crème Brûlée tea by Teaoli. Find it if you can.  So delicious!  This is another of Nana's cutwork linen cloths.  Teacups included Lenox Beltane, Castleton Laurel, Royal Copenhagen God Fan. and Coalport Countryware. Replacements were waiting in the kitchen.  Tea was served from a pair of Silver Urns at either end of the table.

 Here's a pretty good look at the tea club's tablecloth.  It's about 100 years old now.  It's over 200" long, and I had to create a pair of folds to reduce the length for today's table.

 Teapots included Russian china, Meissen Blue Onion, Bernadaud Limoges Artois, and a Mad Hatter teapot that KC brought me from one of her trips to Australia.  The empty spots on both sides of the table would soon be filled with silver trays laden with a fresh assortment of tiny tea sandwiches, cucumber sandwiches were mandatory, of course!

 Lace cookies with milk chocolate filling, Macarones, and the Cranberry Orange Scones waited to be uncovered.  The tea party was enjoyed after the group's business meeting and program.

 I pulled several patterns of luncheon plates for the ladies as they selected their goodies.  Here, the Schumann Empress Dresden Flowers reticulated plate.

 Coalport Sèvres Group luncheon plates.

It was indeed a job for our committee to pull, pack, transport, unload, layout each item for our tea, clear, wash and dry, and then repeat the process to return everything home, but it was so worth the time and effort.  The happy faces of our guests, the enthusiastic conversations that permeated the fellowship hall, the pronounced lack of leftovers...all of these were more than enough to make me willing to do it again the next time the occasion presents itself.  The next time you have the opportunity to share your lovely things with one of your organizations, go for it!  You'll be tired, of course, but there will be no denying the contented smile on your face.

This week I'm joining:

Tablescape Thursday with Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch

Inspire Me Tuesday with Marty @ A Stroll Through Life

Life and Linda @ Dishing It and Digging It Blog Party

Mother's Day

Mother's Day 2016, made me very happy.  I had been unable to sustain enough energy to entertain larger groups for what seemed like way too long.  This day I felt like my life might be returning to something that looked like normal.  I was so excited to gather our family around our table to celebrate such a sweet holiday...Mother's Day.  I set a table for ten in the dining room.  Come on in...

 Mother's Day...an opportunity to invite the men in the family to sit down at a completely feminine table.


I knew that I wanted to use the Williams-Sonoma matelasse tablecloth.  I like the texture, and it doesn't hurt that I rarely need to iron it!  I found it on eBay, and I use it often.  It's really not long enough for my new dining table, and I don't care!  That's how much I love it.  Some day I'll find one that's the 144" the table needs.


Mother's Day and Spring...a perfect match...new life and new beginnings...delicate blooms...pinks and greens...oh the possibilities!


Come a little closer and have a better look...


Always a regal base for any place setting...the Mottahedeh Blue Lace charger plate is flanked by Horchow's hot pink flatware.  Howchow called this a red.  I disagreed but kept it anyway.  I use it fairly often, and I'm still looking for a red flatware pattern.


I adore the Royal Doulton Lowestoft Bouquet dinner plate.  Did you happen to notice the wavy scalloped pink line just at the top edge of the verge?  That simple little detail adds so much interest to this very English design.  The whole design just makes me smile...so old fashioned, yet timeless.


  I alternated the Waterford Simply Lime and Pink goblets along side our Nana's antique French crystal goblets.  I wish that I knew more about her crystal.  It's so special.  Nana also provided the Limoges open salts.  It's always a treat to use her lovely things.  Seemed appropriate for her to be represented at our Mother's Day table.

                         
I probably was slightly carried away with the candlelight for our luncheon.  I just loved the way it made the crystal dance.  I've had the Val St. Lambert candlesticks for decades, and they remain one of my favorite decorative elements when creating a centerpiece...minimum effort for maximum effect.


As happens frequently, my centerpiece is really a no brainer...the crystal candlesticks...votives from Dollar Tree...


...Lenox china urns... and Hydrangeas from my garden...let me say that again...Hydrangeas from my garden.  I am not a talented gardener, and I have fought for years to finally have a number of precious Hydrangea plants that are actually flourishing  in our yucky red clay earth.  You would have thought that I had won the Westminster Flower Show.


Oh...and the Herend Rothschild Bird tureen, found during a great sale at a local jewelry/gift store.


A combination of pieces lovingly collected over time often make the best centerpieces, and we only have to shop our closets.

Delicate lady-like touches...


...to celebrate the important women in my life...the moms in our family.

I pray that each and every mother knows that she is truly appreciated and loved as we celebrate this year's Mother's Day.  I miss my mama every day, and I can't even measure what I would give to be able to share this day with her and honor her one more time.  HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

This week I'm joining:

Tablescape Thursday with Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch

The Scoop #274 with Stone Gable

Centerpiece Wednesday with The Style Sisters

Guyanne's Birthday Luncheon, January, 2016

 January is a month full of birthdays for beloved family and friends.  This week I was pleased to host a birthday luncheon for my friend, Guyanne, whom I have known and loved since we were in the first grade.  We're seated once again at the games table in the living room  Thanks to my old stand-by, the flip-top-tabletop, I have prepared a table for six.  Please, join me...


Guyanne is a gorgeous blond with sparkling bright blue eyes and peaches and cream complexion.  I wanted to created a tablescape that spoke to her gentle personality and beauty.


A combination of soft yellows, blues, lavender pinks, and creamy white-on-white, all fit my desires perfectly.  Let's take a look at the playbill for this production...


The Mottahedeh Cornflower Blue Lace charger takes my breath away each time I get to use it.  Pictures don't do it justice.  It has an amazing jewel like appearance.  The creamy yellow matelassé tablecloth was an eBay acquisition.  It's reversible to a lovely blue field with yellow motifs.     

 It's been quite a while since I've used the Copeland Spode Jewel dinner plate.  The lace rim and the scalloped verge have such an incredibly wonderful texture.  I can't remember the maker for the carved flatware.  I do remember that it is antique and was made in Boston.  Because I only have the knife and fork, I amended the place setting with the L'Argent Sophia Gold.

 An ingenue in my chinatown population, the Royal Ducal unnamed luncheon plate was the inspiration for my design.  I love the delicate blue edged scallops, and the intricate embossed rim offered an interesting contrast to the Jewel's lace.  I recently picked up a set of 12 of the luncheon plates on ebay for $29.95.  I think I received way more than my money's worth!

Go to work, my detail enthusiasts.

 To add even more to the color story and the softness, I used the Waterford Simply Blue goblet and the Italian Stelle Pink Scroll goblet.  I bought the Stelle goblets at Home Goods.  Come to think of it, I haven't been there in quite a while.  I need to make a visit!

 I love to use the Glass Act handblown mini salt and peppers whenever possible.  The tiny silver trays were found at On A Whim, an amazing store that also offers the complete line of
MacKenzie-Childs.


How would I complete a tablescape without at least a small contribution from our dear Nana?  I don't know.  The white napkin with light blue embroidered touches was used many years ago in her amazing and gorgeous dining room.  I'm blessed to have her things for my tables.


And my place setting is complete.


Today's centerpiece continued my soft and fluffy concept.  Soft and fluffy...a concept...right?  Sure!


The Copeland Spode Jewel tureen...


...was surrounded by a quartet of hydrangeas in a mixture of colors...


...seated in the small Lenox creamy white urns.  The tiny blue and white Asian compotes, maybe rice bowls, were found at an estate sales for minimal cost.  I've used them as candleholders several times.


For Guyanne's birthday celebration we dined on King Ranch Chicken, a green salad with vinagrette dressing, hot yeast rolls, and once more, Italian Cream Cake from La Baguette.

 We laughed until we cried, and we shared cherished good times and fellowship late into the afternoon.

 If  passing my way, please, touch base!  I'd adore setting a table just for you.

This week I'm joining:

Tablescape Thursday with Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch

Coalport Leighton Sprays & a Birthday Party

I love birthday parties, and my favorite birthday celebrations are the ones that I get to host for my precious Garden Friends Bible Study.  This day we were celebrating Barb's birthday. 

 Barb loves blues, and pinks, and greens...lots of color, color, color!  We're seated in the dining room, and I've set a table for ten guests.  Come on in...

Not a lot of stacking going on today.  There are just some plates that it kills me to cover, and this is one of them.  I knew that Barb would adore the Coalport Leighton Sprays dinner plate.  I was also certain that she would love the extra pop of color provided by the Bormioli hot pink glass charger plate.

 My wedding sterling flatware, Reed & Barton Grande Renaissance, was close at hand, so on the table it went.  The Williams Sonoma white hemstitched linen napkin was quietly caught in the Coalport Countrywide napkin ring.   Continuing the color theme, the Stelle pink scroll goblet, a great get at Home Goods, partnered nicely with the  Waterford Simply Blue goblet.   I collected the Waterford Simply goblets over a span of probably five or six years on eBay.  I use them often.

A special birthday deserves a special centerpiece.  I have been pretty much gaga over the Mottahedeh Musee Des Arts Decoratifs tureen since I found it on eBay.  eBay Tip:  By the way there is currently one of these available on eBay, if you should want one.  The one that is listed right now is priced for about half of the usual list price.Still not dirt cheap, but comparatively it's a good deal.

The tureen was flanked by our Val St. Lambert crystal candlesticks and the Lenox urns filled with flowers from Whole Foods Market.   Easy peasy!  

 The Williams Sonoma soft blue linen hemstitched tablecloth provided a gentle, feminine  underpinning for my design.  Soft, feminine, colorful, and relaxing....elements for a  delightful afternoon of celebration and fellowship.

 Be still my heart...I so love to set a pretty table to honor my precious friends and family.  I pray that each of my guests always feels like the guest of honor.

Chicken pasta salad, fresh berries, hot bread, and a chocolate mousse birthday cake was served for lunch.

It was a delightful day.  We visited long into the afternoon.  Let me know if you're coming my way.  I would love to set a table for you.

This week I'm joining:

Tablescape Thursday with Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch

Inspire Me Tuesday with Marty @ A Stroll Through Life

Thoughts of Home with White Spray Paint