I LOVE Tablescapes. Those lovely, blank fields of expanse, waiting to be layered with themes and colors that say, "Come. Sit down and be with me. Eat something yummy and share your latest story". It can be a small kitchen setting or an elaborate dining event.
I learned that my personal Murphy's Law was that: "Any table surface free of decoration is fair game for a pile of "something"." So in defense of the ongoing PILE WARS I wage every day of my life........ long ago I found that a decorated table is not as likely to have "stuff" on it. People that come to our home say, "Who is coming to dinner?" Every place is set, there is usually a centerpiece. It is inviting and lovely. (Don't LOOK at the counters!!!!). Nobody is usually the answer to "who is coming to dinner?" but there are no piles and it is ready and lovely if someone does stop by.
The mainstay of my decorating in the living room/dining room is "Emma". "Emma" is my 3' statue who is dressed for every theme and occasion with the accroutments of the season around her. I found her in Lorena on a antiquing journey with Sheri one year many years ago.
Don't get on me because it is almost Easter and I'm showing you pictures of my Thanksgiving Table.
I'm TRYING to catch up here!!!
Here she is with white pumpkins, dried boxwood, florals and bits of antique lace in shades of cream and tea tucked in and about. I put away her Thanksgiving Pilgrim Cap and so used my favorite antique velvet hat for this year. I think the black "pops" the neutrals but I miss her pilgrim cap. The tablecloth is burlap.
This is the kitchen table dressed for Halloween this year. The figurines are Bethany Lowe, the buttons are black jet glass, the Scrabble spells out "NO FEAR" which we should have in the fun holiday Halloween was as I remember it and want to keep it. I want to put a tall glass cloche over all of these elements but I don't have one tall enough yet.
Here is the kitchen table again for Summer. I love, love, love the little handkerchief doll. She is only from the 60's but I love her anyway. My wonderful friend Sheri in Calif. sent me the most fun paper napkins with a village scene on them. I tucked them into her dress slits for her skirt. My glasses are Wexford from the sixties too. I love the Early American Pressed Glass in most forms but for everyday, these have a great weight to them and are easy to hold. The dinner plates are vintage creamware and the topper plates are great graphics with butterflies, flowers and stylized birds.
This is my countertop to the right of our stove. I have creamware to hold the wooden utensils and EVOO,
my dishcloths and then there are two cookbooks . The little grinder is a nut grinder from the 40's that I took from my husband John's overextensive kitchen ware collection. Did you know that most people who love antiques actually collect from their parents era??
That is so frightening to me. Already my kids love everything from the 70's!!! UGH!!!!
You know I love granite. But white tile just makes everything look bigger and cleaner. So there is the white tile.
This is a set of Harkerware. Pretty little cream dishes, bowls and plates with a fine gold rim. Don't you just love the yummyness of cream??? I love how some of it is almost white, others in shades as varied as life itself.
Finally for today, was my Valentine Cloche. Big German Glass glittered "B". Small black frame with 3 red buttons and the word "mine" on teastained paper. A small glass bottle with a scroll in sand with the number "4" on it. and a red leather glove with a silver hand earring punched through it. The hand is holding a glass flat magnifying marble that reads "EVER". They are all nestled in glass beads to secure them. Pearls are draped over the glove and the cloche is over a red and white transferware vegetable dish. Fun don't you think???
More decorating later,
LOvE, Rowena
