Shades of Purple and White

To celebrate the coming of Spring and warmer weather, Homer Laughlin’s Georgian Eggshell Violets china inspired my setting this week. 

This set of dishes is very special to me…my Grandmother bought them in the early 1950’s and they have always been my favorite of all the sets of dishes she owned.  When I was a child, Grandmother baked Teacakes each week.  On those days, we would have a “tea party” that afternoon.  She would tell me to carefully get two dessert plates, cups and saucers from the cupboard and these dishes were always the ones I wanted to use.  Using them brings back so many wonderful childhood memories!

There is lots of layering going on in this setting and a white Battenburg lace tablecloth sets the stage. 

Purple placemats topped with white Battenburg lace napkins were layered on top of the tablecloth.

Next, I added purple chargers.

Because the Homer Laughlin dinner plates are smaller than most plates made today and would have seemed lost sitting on the large chargers, I decided to use white dinner plates trimmed in gold between the chargers and …getting to the good stuff now…the Homer Laughlin dinner plates with their gorgeous sprays of violets.  This pattern has a gold rim around the edges.

White oval salad plates make up the next layer in my setting.  I found these several years ago at Old Time Pottery.

Resting atop the salad plates are violet dessert plates.

“Wexford” sherbets by Anchor Hocking complete the layered place settings.

Gold napkin rings hold together white Battenburg lace napkins wrapped in purple organza napkins.  The flatware is a gold Gibson pattern that I’ve had for several years. 

To echo the gold trimming on the Homer Laughlin plates, I used swirled wine glasses trimmed in gold.

Individual small glasses also decorated with gold were placed at each setting to hold salad dressing.

Small white ramekins used for butter sit on each bread and butter plate.

I found this gorgeous hand blown vase in an antique shop last year and paid less than $10 for it!  The colors range from lavender to a deep purple and I love the crystal feet!

I used snowball clusters and bridal wreath blooms in the vase.

I love the sweet little delicate blossoms of Bridal Wreath!

Purple candles in crystal holders completed the table setting.

I’m joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.  Don’t you want to join in too?

Thanks so much for visiting with me today!  I hope to see you again soon.

DG

 

Wonderful Finds and a Bit of Easter Decor

I wanted to share with you today a couple of wonderful finds my husband brought home in the last few days and the tiny bit of Easter decorating I’ve done so far. 

My husband has been helping his uncle tear down an old barn and last week he found this vintage 3 gallon crock behind a pile of junk in the barn.  It was made by Marshall Pottery in Texas and is in almost perfect condition.  Marshall Pottery was founded in 1895 and is still in business today.   

For right now, I decided to sit it in the kitchen next to my Grandmother’s butter churn.   

Next to the crock and churn sits a small table holding my Easter tree and a little bunny candy dish.

 

I love peacocks and couldn’t wait to use this vintage graphic when I found it over at The Graphics Fairy!  I used Mod Podge to adhere the graphic to the bucket and then added a bit of glass glitter for some sparkle. 

The second treasure my husband brought home this week was this beautiful International Silver tray.  His uncle had found it in the same barn and just threw it on the trash pile.  My sweet husband knew I would love it, so he grabbed it from the trash and brought it to me. 

It does have a few scratches on it, most noticeable in the center and it was very tarnished when he brought it home.  A little Simichrome polished it up in no time at all.  The best part?  It’s monogrammed with a “K”  How cool is that since my name is Kim!!

After polishing it, I decided to use it in an Easter vignette in the corner of my kitchen.  I added in an Easter wreath that I found a couple of weeks ago at a local thrift store.

I added in some sugared eggs and one of my silver teapots.

Another bunny candy dish completed the vignette.  Looking at these photos, I’m not super thrilled with how this vignette looks…too much silver on one side and too much color on the other.  Tomorrow, I’ll probably move some of them around to better balance the colors. 

I’m late as usual, but I’m joining Marty for Table Top Tuesday.  Thanks so much for joining me and don’t forget to check out all the beautiful vignettes over at Marty’s!

 

Good Luck and Fortune on St. Patrick’s Day

Today I’m joining Kathleen for her St. Patrick's Day Blog Crawl, Marty for Table Top Tuesday and Susan for Tablescape Thursday.

A decorated wooden tray sits on my Hoosier cabinet.

On the island in my kitchen is a silver tray holding cloche covered leprechauns.

I made this wreath from the rim of an old cotton basket that belonged to my Grandfather. 

The dining table is all set for our St. Patrick’s Day dinner.

The salad and bread plates are “Clover”.

Anchor Hocking Forest green depression glassware is  perfect for the holiday.

The chairs are decorated with green tulle and sparkling bows.

Another view of the table…

An Irish blessing sits on the counter in my kitchen.

Thanks for visiting me today!

May you have warm words on a cold evening, a full moon on a dark night,

and the road downhill all the way to your door

DG

Spring Cloche Party

Marty at A Stroll Thru Life is hosting a Spring Cloche Party.  I’m joining in and hope to see you there!

Sweet little fairies have come to visit and to help usher in spring. 

 

This one sits on the buffet in my dining area.

This little fairy and her friends sit on a table in my living room.

The island in my kitchen is decorated for St. Patrick’s Day with happy little leprechauns under glass.

Thanks for visiting!  Hope to see you again soon.

DG

 

 

 

 

Mardi Gras…Laissez les bons temps rouler

Let the good times roll!  Mardi Gras…one of my favorite times of the year!  Many cities around the South now hold Mardi Gras celebrations.

One of the oldest, if not in fact the oldest, Mardi Gras celebrations is held in Mobile, Alabama.  Each year, there is a debate as to which is the older celebration – New Orleans or Mobile.  I am so not going there!!!

In 1702, the settlement that would later be known as Mobile was the capital of French Louisiana.  The first celebration held there was in 1703 by French explorers.  The first masked parading society, Cowbellian de Rakin Society, was formed in 1830 and has evolved into the Mardi Gras revelry we enjoy today. 

In honor of Fat Tuesday, I’m sharing a Mardi Gras table setting from a couple of years ago.  Traditional Mardi Gras colors are purple for Justice, gold for Power, and green for Faith.

Iridescent placemats and a runner, all made in traditional Mardi Gras colors, were layered over a gold damask tablecloth.

Gold chargers formed the base for each place setting.  Forest green glass dinner plates were topped with white , trimmed with gold, salad plates.  Depression glass sherbets were placed on each salad plate.

The gold flatware and napkin rings surrounding the purple organza napkins echo the gold glimmering from the chargers.

Green butter dishes were placed on white oval bread plates.

Gold baroque candleholders held purple tapers.

No  Mardi Gras celebration would be complete without beads!  Here they are draped from a vintage carnival glass compote holding a Mardi Gras mask.

Each chair was treated to green tulle bows decorating the backs.

Thanks for sharing Mardi Gras with me!  Hope to see you again soon.

I’ll be joining Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday and Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.

DG