Sunday, January 30, 2011

Escape to Poland

     Finally, I've figured out how to scape with my new dishes, pottery from Poland.   I spotted my first piece of Polish Pottery at -- where else -- Home Goods.  I bought two of those covered soup bowls, leaving two behind.  Of course, upon arriving home I knew I'd made a mistake by not purchasing all four, and it wasn't until two weeks later that I was able to make another trip to Home Goods.  Lucky me they still had two left.  So there my search of the Polish Pottery began.

On a shopping extravaganza a couple of weeks ago, I spotted this table runner at Pier 1.  Perfect paired up with my Polish Pottery.


Did I mention I love the color blue and birds?




I gathered blue items and birds from around the house, closets.



The decorated buffet add the extra "bling".



I have seen other pieces at HG, TJ and Marshalls, and am at the moment having buyer's remores, should have bought them but was evidentally practicing restraint that day. MISTAKE!


















These bowls with lids work well with side dishes, oats, reheating in the microwave (keeps from splattering), soups and pasta.



This is a recent purchase of a painting of . . . . . what else . . . . a Tablescape.  I hung it in the dining room.
Yeah, I need therapy.




The blues and white of this table is so refreshing and happy.  Now, if I could find someone around here that would cook . . . . .

Linda




Sunday, January 23, 2011

Tea with Grandma Ellen Thompson

     Lately, I've been thinking about my sweet grandma, who is deceased.  Even though she was partially blind to fully blind for much of her life, she never complained.  I had never heard her say an unkind word, ever.  She was at peace.  She was genuine.  She was grateful and thankful.  I have never before or since met a person like her. 
     This week's tablescape consists of the few items I have from her.  She enjoyed decorating and oil painting.  She painted most of her funiture either white or pink and often times with gold trim.  She had an old pot belly stove - painted pink and gold. 

     I set up this scape in a bedroom I just recently redecorated, since my daughter moved out.  It's now a guest bedroom.


She loved oriental items.  She painted this Geisha.  It survived my house fire.  It's quite dirty, but survived.
It hung abover her secretary, painted, of course, gold.


This lantern used to hang in her enclosed front porch, where she had her paints and easle set up.  Looks as if she broke glass and glued it to the existing glass.  I reglued some of the pieces that had fallen off.
I couldn't repair the back side.  The metal is fragile. It's very pretty with the candle glowing inside.
     This cut glass dish is very old, from her mother.



Old creamer dish.



The demi-cup and saucer is old, as is the cut glass dish, which came from her mother.  The pink plate under the demi cup and saucer had cups with them, which I don't have.  The two other tea cups were my mother's, one given to her as a gift from me from England.  The dish with the stem is also from her.  I don't know how old it is.



She had a full wall of her bird paintings.  Several family members received one.




I love this painting - because it has a story, one I vividly remember.  As a very young girl, Grandma showed me this flower painting she'd done.  I remember looking at it telling her she is  better at painting birds.  I still remember saying that, after all these years.  When I was in my 30's, she gave me this painting, recalling our convesation many years earlier about my critiquing her artwork, and her saying I was such a young critic, and she agreed with me.  It does have a special meaning.




I'm grateful the painting and dishes survived my house fire.



Everything on this table except the two teacups belong to my Grandma.



She frequently added either ball trim or tassle trim to her things.  I remember she had added tassle trim to the edges of her pantry shelves.  So cute.


Lovely cup and saucer I purchased for my mother on a trip to England.  It's back to me now since she's also deceased.



Cup and saucer gift from my sister-in-law.





I know this post was long, but I have such fond memories of my Grandma.  The absolute sweetest person in the world.  She was a classy lady. And she LOVED PINK.

Linda

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Horses & Hats & All That

As a preface for this week's tablescape, I'd like to showcase my weekend at the Cabin in Missouri. My "horsey" friends were invited to spend the weekend. My friend, Amy, has been on a quest for quite awhile to find her own Cabin In The Woods, so we spent Saturday checking out several homes for sale. Following are pictures I took of the cabin she fell in love with, as did the rest of us:

                                                         THIS IS THE BACK VIEW OF THE CABIN


FRONT VIEW



 
SIDE VIEW - TRYING DESPARATELY TO CATCH A GLIMPSE OF THE INSIDE




YEAH - WE LOVE IT


 


 
I WISH EVERYONE COULD HAVE AS GOOD A TIME AS WE DO.
I LOVE MY WEEKEND GETAWAYS. 


Sunday morning I got up early and set the table. Of all my scapes, this one is my favorite.  I'll be posting it Thursday.

     I based this tablescape on the plates with horse scenes, given to me as a gift by Amy.  There are four different scenes.



This napkins and napkins rings were given to me by my friend, Melissa.





I spotted the lovely hat and spurs hanging on the hat/spur hook, now the juices are flowing!




Each place setting got its own hat.  This is my favorite summer hat.  It keeps the sun out of my face and helps a little keeping the gnats away.  Missouri Gnats, the WORST.





My daughter's black cowgirl hat.  Gotten kind of floppy.





My winter riding hat, complete with ear flaps, which tuck in when not in use.





I spotted the beer glasses in the cabinet.  Perfect for a water glass.  The white plates are from the ever-popular Gibson set found at Big Lots several years ago.





The lantern in the middle has been used for several years on my horse camping trips.  I could always count on my simple lantern to work.  All I needed was a candle and match.  So simple.




My other set of spurs.  Maybe not the most sterile tablescape, since we do use them.  As I've said before, my world is not a perfect world, by any means.










TO TOP IT OFF, WE ACTUALLY HAD A WONDERFUL MEAL ON THIS TABLE.  ROASTED PORK LOIN WITH CHERRY/AMARETTO/PEPPER SAUCE, TOSSED SALAD AND ROASTED SWEET AND WHITE POTATO WITH ONIONS.  AND, OF COURSE, WINE.

A TOAST TO MY FRIENDS!





HOW INCREDIBLY FORTUNATE WE ARE.

LINDA




Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Cockadoodledooo

      While rummaging through TJ Maxx Saturday I came upon a treasure trove of tableclothes.  Now hold onto your seats, a large tablecloth for $7, April Cornell.  I couldn't believe it.  Now mind you, the colors in this tablecloth are not the color of my dish collection, but it was so beautiful I thought I'd give it a try.  This is one of the most vibrant tableclothes yet.  Stunning.  So this tablescape started with the cloth.  This was the best I could do.


                                        APRIL CORNELL TABLECLOTH

 Trying not to be discouraged with my blue (not green) plates, I start to build.   Ah-ha good thing I have green napkins.  Maybe I'll trick the eye.


YES!  I found small plates with the coordinating colors. 
Wood chargers, blue plate, white plate, rooster plate.  Looking good.  Now what about the centerpiece?  Rummage through the closet  . . . . .


Need more items for centerpiece.  Gathered two antique oil lanterns.  Placed very old glass condiment dishes on table, given to me by my grandmother who received them from her mother.


Found some candles.  Stuck some white flowers into the napkin rings.



This is what I ended up with.  I like it, but don't love it yet.  Feel like there is something missing . . . . . I'll be keeping my eyes open in the stores for that special something.



Any suggestions are welcome. 

Linda