Tales of the Traveling Tote, Episode #31, 6.1.22

The Tales of the Traveling Totes is a quarterly link party that chronicles the travels and activities of ten women who live all across the United States. Our purpose is to learn how much of the world can 10 average women, carrying the same MacKenzie-Childs Courtly Check Tote, see. You can read tales about our adventures on March 1st, June 1st, September 1, and December 1st. I am thrilled to participate with this amazing group of women. At the end of my post, you'll find links to join the other toters and read what they've been doing this quarter.

The first quarter of 2022, has found  Miss Carrie Ann Hall and me right here at home, yet again, for the entire quarter. I figure if I can't travel, I can certainly take the opportunity to invite as many of my friends as possible to gather around my tables and share good food, great fun, and cherished fellowship. I've saved a chair for you at each of my luncheons. I've continued to entertain many friends over the past quarter. Tonight I want to share a selection of tablescapes that celebrate friends and family. Come on in; the party is about to get started...

It was such fun to welcome Spring once again! An early April birthday luncheon found me reaching for the blue and white gingham cloth that I made many years ago. Elements for the table included: Mottahedeh Blue Lace charger, Coalport Leighton Sprays dinner plate, Reed and Barton Grande Renaissance Silver, Waterford Simply Pink goblet, and Murano pink wine. The centerpiece included Baccarat Butterflies, clear glass urns for flowers, and the Herend Queen Victoria urn.  

A pre-Easter luncheon for the Garden Friends brought wonderful fellowship and lots of laughter.  The place setting included Shrike cobalt charger, Royal Crown Derby Regency dinner plate, Royal Worcester Regency accent plate, and the Reed & Barton Grande Renaissance silverware. The centerpiece gave me a good opportunity to pull out the hand painted cobalt Easter eggs that I painted long ago. I added some more hand painted chinoiserie eggs found on Etsy. I placed them in the Hartley Greens Leeds creamware egg cups. Finishing the centerpiece were a pair of Coalport antique cobalt urns and the Booths Real Old Willow.  

A white matelasse cloth acted as the base for the dining room Easter tablescape. I pulled the Royal  Doulton Old Chelsea dinner plate and placed it on the Cornflower Blue Mottahedeh Lace Charger plate. The Grande Renaissance silver got a good workout this Spring. The Waterford Pink Goblet and the Baccarat Provence finished the place setting.  The centerpiece was composed with a selection of the Fitz & Floyd Old World Bunnies. I adore that wheelbarrow! 

I couldn't resist setting a second table on the back porch. I had a blast mixing and matching  the MacKenzie-Childs Butterfly charger, Royal Check dinner plate and the Flower Market accent plate. Also used the L'Argent Sophia blue flatware and two LaStelle goblets in two shades of pink and lavender. The painted eggs made a second appearance in the centerpiece, and I adored the opportunity to work  with MacKenzie-Childs Royal Check bunnies. The Royal Check casserole worked perfectly as a tureen, along with the Royal Check topiaries. Blue, gold lined, rose bowls were found in a local floral shop. I gave the grandbabes the choice of which table would be used for our Easter luncheon. I felt quite confident that they would choose the back porch. And of course, they chose the dining room table. 

The last week of May, the Garden Friends gathered for their last Bible study lesson and  luncheon until next Autumn. Don't worry, we'll gather several times for lunches throughout Summer. The Mottahedeh Blue Lace Charger, the Coalport Leighton Sprays dinner plates, Grande Renaissance, the Cobalt Louis XV goblet and the pink Murano are back for a second curtain call. The centerpiece features an old tureen from Japan that is so much fun. It looks like it could have been an inspiration for the MacKenzie-Childs creators. It's new to my collection of tureens, and I think it's going to see a lot of action on MacKenzie-Childs tablescapes to come. Also included in the centerpiece: Fenton Pink Hurricanes, white porcelain love birds jardinieres, and Beatriz Ball of New Orleans pink swirled glass candlesticks. The candlesticks come in three sizes and are sold by the pair. They are actually pretty reasonable. They are also available in blue and are currently in production.

There are several "new kids in town," china town, that is. I had so much fun setting a table on the porch using MacKenzie-Childs' new goodies. My antique club was coming for the Spring Luncheon.  Everyone brought a piece of their wedding china and shared the story of how they came to have it. There were some priceless stories! The place setting: Mottahedeh Blue Lace charger plate, Mackenzie-Childs Sterling enamelware dinner plate, Royal Check "Garden Gates" Canapé plates, Bamboo flatware, Vietri Smoke goblet, and Dollar Tree blue goblet by Libby. The blue rose bowls were back again for the centerpiece along with a quartet of the Mottahedeh Canton bell bottom candlesticks, the MacKenzie-Childs Royal Check topiaries, and the Sterling "Everything Bowl," filled with fresh flowers surrounded by White peaches cloaked in their gorgeous red skins. I actually set a second table for the Antique Club...  

The second table pretty much needs no introduction. You've encountered most of the pieces on this table. The flowers were still fresh from my last luncheon, and I decided to go with the flow.  I think the only new addition to the design is the Mottahedeh Tobacco Leaf dinner plate. This is one of my very favorite patterns in all of china town. It continually makes me very happy. 

And so my third quarter travels ( to china town and back, over and over and over again) comes to an end. We are planning a trip to Colorado this summer, and I look forward to sharing the sights with you. My trusty camera and I are going to have a great time! We had to cancel an earlier trip to Florida because our hosts came down with that blasted Covid. Thank you for coming by for a visit. Please, leave me a comment. It's so wonderful to meet each of you! Please, plan to join "The Tales of the Traveling Totes next time. Remember to visit the other hostesses to see what they've been doing this quarter. You'll find links to their websites below. Also be sure to visit our hostess and leave a comment to be entered for our giveaway for this quarter...a marvelous set of MacKenzie-Childs Parchment coasters!

Emily with Miss Courtney Childs@ The French Hutch

 Debbie with Miss Aurora @ Mountain Breaths 

*** Patti with Miss Kenzie @ Pandora's Box

Jenna with Miss Coquille @The Painted Apron

Linda P with Miss Lola @ Life and Linda

Rita with Miss Luna C @ Panoply

Sarah with Miss Merri Mac @ Hyacinths for the Soul

Jackie and Miss Madi K @ Purple Chocolat Home

Cherry Kay and Miss Carrie Ann Hall  @EntertainingWomen

A Garden Friends Fix, July, 2018

Things have been hopping in the month of July.  Dinner with friends over the 4th, meant no tablescape at our house. With the exception of a few weekend trips, we've held pretty close to home. I've been blessed to welcome guests to gather around our table on several occasions. Today I'm eager to share a luncheon that I hosted for my Garden Friends Bible study group. 

 

With some of us away for a fair chunk of the summer, I set a table for seven. After I finished taking my pictures, we had a late addition, so the luncheon was actually for eight. Ahhh, about the pictures. I've been doggedly trying to wrap my head around shooting in manual with my trusty Nikon. I fear that the quality of the photos to follow will reveal that for me, it's going to be a very steep learning curve. I hope that you will bear with me. Right now my results seem to yield aces and spaces. Okay, that's my disclaimer, now on to the luncheon.  I find that since we redecorated the kitchen, I enjoy entertaining in the space more and more. Today we gathered for lunch in the breakfast room. Come on in and join us... 

For my dear Garden Friends, I wanted to sculpt a softly feminine, creatively colorful tablescape. 

It's hard to go wrong when your art work is framed by the Mottahedeh Cornflower Blue Lace charger. 

The Mottahedeh Tobacco Leaf is easily one of my favorite patterns in China Town. The colors are truly magnificent. 

The Williams Sonoma banded linen napkin was the perfect amendment with its aqua accent border. 

Making an appearance after the luncheon began, the Tiffin Minton luncheon plate was used for dessert. The coupe soup and underplate held an avocado cucumber soup as a first course.

The taller Pier One wine was purchased many years ago, and I've used it often over the years. The larger goblet was a recent purchase at Hobby Lobby on the clearance aisle. I found a full dozen, and they are a perfect color match. I think I will now use them even more.

This canvas was complete, and my guests loved the place setting. 

Two different pair of petite bouquets from Whole Foods Market were snipped and placed...

...in a quartet of green vases found at a local florist some years ago.

The vases surrounded a Mottahedeh tureen. The celadon background and the pink trim worked well with the colors in the Tobacco Leaf plates.

It was a blazing hot summer day out here on the plains. It was one of those days when no one wanted to eat anything heavy or hot. Following the chilled avocado cucumber soup, we dined on chicken salad, egg salad, and a fruit salad featuring a variety of summer berries and fresh peaches.

Dessert consisted of birthday cake and brandy ice.

When we finally stood to leave the table, everyone realized that they would need to rush right home. It was almost time for them to have supper on the table. 

Sweet Mister called with plans to take me out for supper, a wonderful ending to a fabulous day. Remember, if you're coming my way, give me a call, and I'd 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

The Scoop with Anita @ Cedar Hill FarmHouse