My Very First Tablescape Thursday

Newbie here at this blogging stuff. I know I’m posting this one day early but I wanted to get it up & edited correctly before I add my link to Susan's Tablescape Thursday site at Between Naps on the Porch.

I had such fun creating this table setting so I could participate. Thank you, Susan for a chance to share my “pretties” with others. I used my very best china & Waterford crystal for you & I am excited to share the pictures. This is the first time I've ever participated in such a blogging group like this. I hope you enjoy my ideas.

My table set for six. I can fit eight if I don't use placemats & do a tablecloth instead but it is a little tight. This is better with the smaller number.

The Waterford bowl you see in this picture, I hand carried on the plane home from Ireland. I only purchased a few special items on that trip & this is one I treasure!

I intend to serve gazpacho salad in it at the dinner party I’m having this weekend. After going to go to all the trouble of setting up such a table, you know I just had to invite some friends to dinner!

The "chandelier shot" of my centerpiece:

I started with a simple green ivy wreath & filled in with lots of silk autumn leaves. The little pumpkins & grapes are beaded & really sparkle in the light. I had to remove the birdcage that I originally had in my dining room centerpiece (you can see it here ) & switch to this pumpkin instead, so people could see each other across the table. I found the pumpkin in a neat shop (sorry I don’t remember the name) in McKinney, TX on a visit to DH’s son & family. Lots of great antique shopping in McKinney!

This view shows my lead crystal water pitcher which was a Christmas gift from hubby’s son & wife. They now live in Chicago so it was purchased there.

The little Waterford butter dish next to it is another item I carefully brought home from our Ireland trip. I would LOVE to return to Ireland someday!

My great-grandmother followed her true love to America from County Cork. Here is a photo of a bridge in Cork. Just look at all that beautiful GREEN! She worked as an upstairs maid in New York until they married. My mother was pure Irish. In fact, her maiden name was Peggy O'Neil....no kidding! I cried when we landed on Irish soil & I cried when we took off to go home, too. If I ever win the lottery one of the first things I will do is buy a home in Ballybunion! The views on their golf course rival Pebble Beach. We won’t mention my score there. :/ I was too busy looking at the ocean instead of the ball.

Back to the table: From this angle, you can see my Ralph Lauren candlesticks that I found at T.J. Maxx years ago. I can’t remember what I paid for them (not much, I’m sure) but they are HEAVY!

Note the little bobèche on each candle to catch any melting wax. It is pronounced “bō-ˈbesh”….I had to look it up, because I wasn’t sure. I have a small collection of these tiny inexpensive treasures & use them all the time. You can a find great selection of them here. Not affiliated at all….I just like to give them as hostess gifts sometimes.

The little individual salt & pepper shakers are useful since both hubby & I have high blood pressure & I try not to use much salt in my cooking. My guests can just season to their hearts content….or DIS-content, as the case may be.

A close-up shot to show you the napkins which match the lace placemats you’ll see in a minute. I’ve had the napkin rings a long time & they have developed a nice patina that makes them look antique. Trust me, they’re not THAT old! LOL

I ADORE anything lacey with cut-outs or embroidery!! Must be my Irish heritage. Years ago, ”lace curtain Irish” was a derogatory term used to describe Irish immigrants who would put up lace curtains in the windows of their shanty houses for appearances sake. They had notions of being more respectable. The term is far from being a compliment but I embrace the description.

Doing the place setting “strip tease” as Mid-Atlantic Martha calls it, starting with these HUGE cocktail stemware. I'd be flat out cold on the floor if I drank a Cosmopolitan this size!

They are ENORMOUS! I intend to put cocktail sauce in the bottom & then hang 3 garlic-marinated, grilled shrimp off the sides. (recipe from Williams-Sonoma’s Grilling cookbook, the older version) I’ll post a picture after I make it.

The next layer is a Lenox salad plate from their Jacquard pattern. I like to mix & match my patterns & I have several different salad plates & soup bowls that I use, depending on the occasion…..the Eternal Christmas ones with gold holly or the Presentation Ivory ones with ribbons & bows for a birthday celebration.

Next is the Eternal pattern of Lenox which is my mainstay & the pattern for all my other pieces….coffee cups, bread plates, etc. I can see that my pink shirt was reflected in the bottom band of gold in this photo. I don’t know how to fix that….too new to photo editing yet.

I can’t wait to share my chargers with you!! These BIG clear glass plates were purchased from a Waccama store in FL (for about $5 each!) before they went out of business. I spray painted them on the BACK with gold paint years ago. This was before I ever knew about glass paint or sealing stuff. I, of course, hand wash them very carefully & store them with foam sheets in between so the paint doesn’t get scratched off. I really should look into sealing them somehow. Any suggestions?

Another view….the top of the plate is smooth glass & all the relief/texture is on the bottom of the plate. I just love them & get lots of compliments & questions about them. I don’t let anyone wash them but me. I’m really particular about handling my breakables & I prefer that guests “just let me do it myself!” Anybody remember that Anacin© commercial?
“Mother, PLEASE…I’d rather do it myself!” Oh golly, I’m really dating myself now.

I’m pretty sure I found these cutwork placemats at T.J. Maxx but it was so long ago, I really can’t remember (you’ll hear me say that a lot)…..senior moments more & more. *sigh*

They have gold stitching all around each section. Very delicate & very pretty & need the utmost of care when hand washing. I use BIZ which is the heirloom world’s favorite product. For some really good instructions on how to wash & preserve delicate laces & such, please read my sewing friend Bunny’s post on the subject.

Coffee, tea & dessert will be served from the sideboard.

I wanted to show you a close up of my Lotus bowl, (Lenox) which was a house warming gift from our friends, Cece & Tom. Both are deceased now & I always lift up a prayer for them every time I use it. I do that with many of my things that were gifts. It helps me keep the giver close in my heart.

This weekend I’m planning to fill it with a chilled & spiked fruit compote to be spooned over angel food cake. I have to work on the rest of the menu now that I’ve got dessert all figured out. Hey, I’ve got MY priorities straight!

One last photo of the table in candlelight. My camera only has 2.0 megapixals so it doesn’t do a very good job & I’m trying to improve the shots using Microsoft Picture It Premium but I really don’t know what I’m doing yet.

Any suggestions on what kind of camera I should hint to Santa about???

I tucked in some tiny battery operated tea lights between the leaves of the arrangement. Silk botanicals & open flame do NOT play well together. This is much safer & I’ll be more relaxed with just the 2 tall tapers burning.

The lit pumpkin on the sideboard, left is a new purchase from T.J.Maxx this week. Only $12 & I love that it lights up! It brings some much needed color to that corner.

Here’s what it looks like during the day. Pretty, huh? That’s a Fitz & Floyd plate, which will hold some chocolates for after dinner & next to it is another beaded pumpkin in a candle ring.

Gosh, this whole process takes a long time, both to set up, photograph & then to describe! Now I have to start cooking for the dinner! Yikes!

I hope I didn’t forget anything. If so, please feel free to ask me about it? I love to share information & ideas & I cherish any comments. Funny how I never realized how much a comment meant to someone until I recently started blogging myself. Now I try to say something nice anytime I visit one of you. Thank you so much for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed your sojourn & remember the Golden Rule…. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”.