Mimosa and Black Diamonds

My Mimosa tree has been in full bloom for the past few weeks and I’ve been wanting to do a tablescape using the blossoms.  Unfortunately, I almost waited too late.  Many of the blooms were gone…at least the ones low enough that I could reach them! 

Last week, I found some new salad plates and bread and butter plates at the thrift store.  The plates feature delicate pink roses with silvery gray leaves.  I love how the silvery gray design echos the scalloped shape of the plates.  This was just the push I needed to go ahead and do a tablesetting!

I wanted a change from all the pastel and summery colors that I’ve done lately, so I decided to pair the pink with black.  I started off with a black tablecloth and pink chargers.

Black dinner plates topped with my new salad plates were added next.  The salad plates are “Floral Fantasy” by Fine China of Japan.

I slipped black tassels over the pink damask napkins.  “Wexford” sherbets by Anchor Hocking will be used for dessert.

Silver liners hold the “Floral Fantasy” bread and butter plates. 

Black stemmed glasses with pink ribbons tied on  them were placed on each plate to hold butter.

For quite a while, I had wanted a set of black goblets.  When I found these a couple of years ago, I fell in love with them.  They’re called “Black Diamond” and are one of my favorite sets of glassware.  I love how the crystal diamond cut glass sparkles in the light!

Along with the Black Diamond goblets, I also used small crystal wine glasses decorated with pink tulips at the base of the bowl.

I love using this “Royal Baroque” flatware with black settings.  I just think it works well with black.

On each end of the table are 3 candleholders with pink taper candles.

A crystal vase in the center of the table holds an arrangement of Mimosa blooms.

  

The blossoms are so delicate and the most gorgeous shade of pink.  Mimosa blooms and leaves sort of close up at night…then the next day, they open back up.  I think that’s so cool!

Dinner is ready and it’s time to light the candles.

Silver sparkles in the candlelight…

A couple more shots of the whole table…

Thanks so much for coming by to see me today!  I’m joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.

DG

 

 

 

Orange Cake

I’m joining Miz Helen for another Full Plate Thursday.  Today, I’m sharing an Orange Cake recipe that I found in a vintage cookbook. 

The cake is filled with the flavors of oranges, dates and nuts.  The crowning touch is a delicate orange  sauce that is poured over the cake while it is still hot from the oven.  So yummy and delicious!   

 

1 c butter

2 c sugar

4 eggs

1 t baking soda

1 1/3 c buttermilk

4 c flour

2 T grated orange rind

1 c chopped pecans

1 c chopped dates

Cream the butter and sugar; beat in the eggs, one at a time.  Combine the baking soda and buttermilk.  Add the buttermilk alternately with the flour.  Add the orange rind, pecans and dates and mix well.   Bake in a greased tube pan at 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.

Sauce:

1 1/2 c sugar

1 c orange juice

2 T orange rind

Combine ingredients and beat until the sugar dissolves.  Pour over the hot cake.  Let the  cake remain in the pan until cold.

I’m so glad you visited today and hope you’ll come back soon!

DG 

 

Fairies in My Kitchen

I was tired of the vignette on the island in my kitchen and decided to play around with a new one.  I started out with a wooden tray, one of my favorites to use in vignettes, and covered it with pink and white napkins.

I hadn’t used my cloche stand in a while, so I pulled it out and added a sweet little fairy and some faux ivy.

I added my favorite cookie jar that belonged to my great-aunt.  I really need to make some cookies to fill it with!

Pink candles in crystal holders were added.

My sister gave this beautiful pink and white bowl to me for Christmas one year.  I decided to fill it with pink silk roses.  Oops, looking at the photo, I need to trim them a bit!

Another fairy surrounded by ivy and silk flowers was added.

I was in one of my favorite thrift stores the other day and just had to share photos of the latest goodie I found there…this wonderful vintage tole painted scale!  It’s really banged up, but I love the sagey green color of it and the handpainted flowers (although they could be just a bit more pink!)

I wish I knew where I could find one of the pointer thingies (what is it called anyway?) that shows the weight.  Wonder if a clock hand would work?

I can’t wait to use this in a vignette!  I’m thinking it would be perfect on my Hoosier cabinet.

 I’m joining Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday.  Thanks so much for visiting with me today!

DG

 

Wedded Bliss

My Grandparents, Bessie and Ambrose, were married on 11 March 1926.  They traveled to the county Courthouse and were married by a Justice of the Peace.  My Grandmother’s sister Viola and her husband, also named Ambrose, traveled with my Grandparents to witness their wedding.  How I wish I had a photo of them taken on their wedding day!  Unfortunately, this photo is the oldest known picture of the two of them together.  It was made circa 1934.

Their children hosted a surprise celebration for them on 11 March 1990, the day of their 64th wedding anniversary.  My Grandparents had been married for 64 years.  It was not quite a traditional anniversary year for a party, but due to their ages and health problems, their children didn’t want to wait another year.

After the party, my Grandmother carefully packed away the topper for the cake in her cedar chest.  My aunt, who lived with my Grandparents all her life, gave the topper to me after the death of my Grandmother.

The cake topper has a place of honor on the buffet in my dining area.  It sits on a silverplated mirrored cake base and is covered with a glass vase used as a cloche.  Both were recent thrift store finds.

Placed next to it is a framed photo of my Grandparents at the celebration.

My husband and I married twice…the first time when we were very young.  Too young to really know what we were doing.  The second wedding was 8 years later, after we had both finally grown up.  We’ve been together now for almost 22 years and hope to have many more…in fact, I look forward to being with him as long as my Grandparents were married.

I’m joining in with Stephanie at Angelic Accents for her 2nd Annual Wedding Blog Party - Here Comes the Bride.  Since there are some hints of pink in this post, I’m also linking up with Beverly for another Pink Saturday.  Thanks so much for visiting me today!

DG