Monday, January 19, 2009

Tablescape Tuesday - Grandma's Dishes & more...


Thanks Susan for hosting another Tablescape Tuesday! Once you all have viewed my tablescape, please leave a comment before you access Susan's link below to visit more great tablescapes! Enjoy the tour! Bon Appetite!

Welcome to Tablescape Tuesday today! Before I take you to my second story Veranda for lunch, I wanted to share with you the pics and stories behind each of the items on our tablescape today. This is a lovely exclusively designed teapot for a company I used to work for. (no longer in business) It actually came with an infuser that you'll see on the table, I missed putting it in for the pic. I love many things about this teapot, especially the raised flowers, the colors, and the phrase on the tea infuser, it says: Friends are the Flowers of Life.

I am blessed to have quite a few British friends, and one of them shared with me her British made Tea Cozy so I could trace off the pattern to create my own. This is my finished product below made out of vintage fabric that I purchased at Goodwill numerous years ago for just 29cents. I adore using it and the color goes very nicely with the dishes I'm using for our lunch today. Don't forget to double click on any pic to enlarge to see the little details.
This is the small soup cup that coordinates very nicely with the set of dishes I'm using. I received four of these as a gift from my daughter many years ago. I love the color yellow, it always makes me feel like it brings smiles in to a room.
Pareek,by Johnson Bros is the company that made this lovely little soup cup. Also...the little flower motif really is very close to the motif you'll see on the set of dishware.

The pic below is the underneath of a little collectible that I found in "Goodwill" again, one of my favorite thrift shops! I purchased it for only $2.99; yes, you heard me correctly. This is only the bottom of it! 8-) Aynsley, I was told from one of my British friends, is a very good company that manufactures quality dishes.
And now, we have the top of it! March is my birthday, so I thought it would add a little touch of daffodils just where I needed them on my table...you'll see in just a bit!
Next we're going to see the company who was the manufacturer of the dishware I'm showcasing today.
And here is the lovely motif of the dishes close up. The entire set of dishes were just given to my Beloved and I in the fall of '08. They belonged to Beloved's Grandma, we were so honored we were blessed with them.
I thought I'd do something nifty and minty for the place cards. Since this is an outdoor lunch, I wanted to keep it more dressed down...so, I took some peppermint wrapped spoons (to use for tea or coffee with dessert) and just typed out all your names, cut the paper with pretty paper cutting scissors used for scrap booking and wrapped around the neck of the spoon. I've secured them two ways so you can determine which one you like best. The stapling was the easiest, but I like the finished product of the taped one best.
This is a vignette of the healthy dessert for after lunch. I'm going to be putting the tea cozy on the teapot after the boiling water is poured into the teapot. Recipe for making the best loose tea: Start with fresh cold water and bring to a rolling boil, (make sure the whistle blows nice and hard) swirl a small amount of hot boiling water around in your teapot prior to your putting all of the boiling water in. Once you're done swirling the hot water out of the teapot, add your tea infuser and pour the teapot as full as you can. Finally, you're going to put the tea cozy over the teapot and allow to steep for 4 minutes, depending on the strength you like your tea. When you prepare to serve your first cup of tea, pour it into a cup and then pour it back into the teapot. The purpose for this is because the tea has most likely layed in the spout of the teapot and didn't gain the strength that the tea in the teapot had. By pouring back into the teapot and pouring again, the guest will enjoy the same quality cup of tea at full strength flavor, just like everyone else.
Ahhhh...photos put aside, here we are...on the Veranda! I forgot to take pictures of the glasses and napkins...but, aren't they pretty? The glasses were another gift that belonged to Beloved's Grandma Frances. They are clear with a nice large gold rim around the top. They're very universal, the napkins are a gift from my friend Kathleen from a birthday past, very springy and perfect for this luncheon, don't you agree?
Here's a view from the top using the soup cup on the dinnerware. Oh, what soup are we having? Chilled Cherry Soup, you are going to love it!
Now that we've finished our soup, yummy yummy...on to the next course. But, look at how pretty the dishes look before lunch is served. What's for lunch? Shrimp Salad filled Croissants with julienne strips of fresh vegetables. I know, I can't wait either...
It's dessert time~ The lovely little dessert dishes are from Southern Living and are imports from Poland. I found these four in "GW", yep! No kidding! 59cents each, and I purchased all they had (4). I just saw these in an antique/consignment shop still in the box for $16 for the set of (4). I'm still mulling around whether I should go back and get them. Anyhoo, dessert does not have to be "loaded" with calories! Today I thought we'd keep it simple and have dried apricots, natural almonds, and sugar free Hershey's dark chocolate. Now, won't this be great with our pot of tea? Oh, the whistle is blowing, gotta run and get it!
Don't forget to go to Susan's blog http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/ to enjoy all the other many tablescapes. Susan, thanks so much for hosting this every Tuesday, how fun!

34 comments:

CIELO said...

Good evening, CC.... I love all your pretty plates and table setting.... so romantic!

ps: I was finally able to post about the blog award you so kindly bestowed upon me... thanks again.

cielo

Hopechest Bride said...

So beautiful. You make me want to break out my vintage china and set a pretty table. I love the dishes you and your hubby were so fortunate to receive.
Blessings
Lisa

Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer said...

beautiful dishes! and a romantic table...

Anonymous said...

Beautiful! Umm can I have a piece of chocolate? :)

Love the simplicity of your dessert!

Kathleen Ellis said...

Very lovely, Catherine...I recognize many elements! The table looks so pretty and sunny! If your guests click on the pics they will enlarge and you can see the glasses and napkins quite nicely!
Come on over for breakfast on the deck...my summer table-escape!
xo

Jewel Sauls said...

I really love your tea cups and those beautiful dishes!!! Tea on your veranda looks very inviting! I also enjoyed your shabby chic metamorphosis of the table! Thank you for stopping by my blog! :D Jewel

Lady Katherine said...

I love the teapot, I love the yellow setting out doors! I love the dishes! I would love to go to Goodwill! lol Maybe Thursday! I think there is one 45 min. away.

Lady Katherine said...

Oh, love the peppermint spoons! I going to try and make peppermint bark, wonder if I could do the spoon!

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

Just beautiful. I love the gorgeous plates and the tea set is wonderful. Marty

Unknown said...

VERY pretty setting, love the yellow. mishelle

Gone said...

Oh, I so love the dishes...they're gorgeous!!!

Unknown said...

Great back history on your treasures..I love the floral theme you have working here..LOL

Enjoyed your post today very much!

Confessions of a Plate Addict said...

Oh...CC, I love all of your goodies! You scored some real finds there at the GW...the one in Roswell, maybe? Is that a good one? I love your idea for place cards! Your table setting is just lovely! Have a great day...Debbie

Tardevil said...

Your dishes are beautiful!

Blondie's Journal said...

What a beautiful and informative post. Your china and teacups are beautiful as was the table setting on the porch! The menu also went well with the decor. Love the teapot! :-)
Am new to your blog but will visit again soon!

xoxo
Jane

Anonymous said...

100% UNDENIABLY LOVELY! Those yellow cups, as well as the table setting with them, just stole my heart! And reading about all yours pretties was a charming experience, so I THANK YOU!!! Best, Linda

Ceekay-THINKIN of HOME said...

Wonderful..the tea pot is great!

Alisa Lucas-Brown said...

CC,
What lovely vintage pieces of china and tableware you have! Everything is just lovely. The sunny yellow table linens are so cheery! Love what you've done.

Diana LaMarre said...

Love the vintage dessert plates. I have seen them before and now I regret now picking them up.

Wendy said...

The table is so pretty. I would love to be able to sit outside and dine. What a wonderful place you have.

Wendy

santamaker said...

Fun, sunny veranda luncheon looks so pretty! Love the colors and plates, pass the chocolate...

Cami @ Creating Myself said...

Love your grandmother's china...it's beautiful! And the spoon/placecards are brilliant!

BTW Michel Richard has a wonderfully complex cherry soup recipe...google it if you are interested.

Anonymous said...

Morning, Catherine! Oh, what a lovely table and I dearly love these dishes! You've done so well in telling us all about them. I love the sweet designs too and how special they belonged to a family member.
Be a sweetie,

Shelia :)

Kathleen said...

I love your setting with vintage dishes, and the cream soup cup...WOW!

Thannks for sharing your pretty table!

A Hint of Home said...

I love the china with the gold trim. Everything looks so pretty.

Terrie's Lil' Piece of Serenity said...

I am so glad to meet you. I love your blog. Your tablescape is beautiful. I love the yellow. You have so many beautiful things. I love them all. I am so happy you have treasures from your grandmother. Please.. stop by again.
Hugs, Terrie

Judy said...

Hey CC: Thank you for your sweet comment on my blog. If you will e-mail me at jdy277@aol.com I'll help you with your link problem (I hope).

Later!
Judy

Linda Q said...

So pretty and love all your details about the items. Just looks and feels like Summer and so cheery!
Linda

Nanette said...

The soup cups are so pretty and chiled cherry soup sounds good!
Valerie

Anonymous said...

Adorable....so glad you found them and gave them a loving home.

Anonymous said...

Hello Catherine! What a perfect setting for the veranda! Love it. I love to find bargains at thrift stores too. So much fun especially when you can find an Aynsley piece.
:0) Your grandmother's dishes are wonderful. Hey, my birthday is in March, too. You asked about the color of my walls and I'm embarrassed to say I can't remember. I know that we picked out the color at Home Depot and the paint is Behr paint...

Miss Janice said...

Oh, this is so pretty...I love soup cups and the spoon place cards are too cute. Great job!

Maryrose said...

Wonderful table and isn't yellow so happy. Everything is perfection.

Susan (Between Naps On The Porch.net) said...

Catherine...I just love dining on the veranda! And your table is lovely. The placecards are adorable...very clever! Those soup bowls are soooo pretty...love the yellow color, too! What a lovely gift! The little piece from Goodwill with the gorgeous top...what is it? Is it a little jam pot? What a great find! Thanks for a great TT! Susan