I finally have gone over to "the dark side...." thanks to Candy at the Little Round Table blog. She has an incredible blog featuring mainly Fiestaware and gorgeous vintage tablecloths. Warning:  No one can stay away from Fiestaware for long if you view her tablescapes. It's like having a communicable disease - no one is safe - so, beware. You will probably catch it. I have always said that I do not like Fiestaware - nothing about it excited me. I did not like the rims, the colors, the style in general - nothing. Then I found that blog. Disaster. I told Pat's daughter about the blog. She "caught" the disease immediately and started buying Fiesta after viewing it. She has set some fantastic place settings/tablescapes using the pieces. Being a very kind and generous person, she brought over several extra pieces in various colors and sizes for Pat and me to use when she was here to visit this month. Double disaster. [She's a doctor - she should know about communicable diseases and how easily they can spread.]

Well, here is the first of probably many tables using Fiesta. These dandy little dishes are so versatile. You can mix and match. You can dress them up. And colors galore.  If you are inclined to collect like we are, you can find vintage pieces that are so unique without spending an arm and a leg. Another warning:  You can spend an arm and a leg if you go in for some of the very vintage colors and pieces. I just saw on eBay that someone had a $175 Buy it Now price on  a "four piece lilac Fiesta" place setting.

Overview of the table - a simple nautical setting.



Pat used a pasta bowl to hold the seashell collection.



The Sea Captain was purchased in Japan 40 years ago while our brother was stationed there.

Very simple, sleek flatware looks best.

Pat used a Dollar Store glass and small stein for the beer.

One of our favorite patterns - Otagiri Shell - used for the bread and butter plate.

The napkin ring was purchased at Michael's in the dollar bin.

Just to prove to myself that dishes I did not like can look so good.......

Oh, I forgot to mention. we have eight four-piece place settings of turquoise Fiesta on its way. And we have another order of turquoise salt/peppers shakers, bread and butter plates, service place, and water pitcher due this week. Triple disaster.......(not to mention the candle sticks that arrived yesterday from eBay.....Good grief.) This is all because I had to check out Candy's blog. You have all been forewarned. (And we never even mentioned how fabulous the vintage tablecloths are. You are in for a real treat. Expect to spend hours on this blog.)

Placemats and tablerunner - Ross

Fiesta dishware - borrowed (for now)

Flatware - Costco several years ago

Glasses - Dollar Store

White shell plate - Otagiri Shell purchased at a local second hand store

White lanterns - Target this year

Glass balls - Pier 1

White and blue votives, napkins - Tuesday Morning

Napkin rings, candles, votives - Michael's

"Better late than never" they say....Here's the Father's Day/Birthday breakfast post that Pat prepared for her husband (she was on time - I was late for the posting.) Her daughter, Jennifer, and son-in-law, Alan, were over for the weekend to help celebrate. We were all invited to a huge Barbeque on Saturday (family, friends, and neighbors), but Sunday was reserved for just the four of them.

Pat wanted an old fashion 50's feel to the meal. She started with some fantastic plates from Tuesday Morning featuring Kellogg's cereals that she found on sale and built from there. She added color coordinated Hazel Atlas Moderntone custard cups for fruit. Everything was there including the morning paper. Nothing fancy - cereal, eggs, bacon, toast - typical 1950's menu. As she said, the only thing missing was an apron and pearl necklace (Allright, June Cleaver, we got it.....)

Simple, old fashion flatware is perfect for this setting.

No fancy cloth napkin for this place setting - just paper.

1940's-1950's Hazel-Atlas Glass Company Moderntone custard cups match perfect.

Each plate is a different design.

The white coupe plate is part of Pat's Centura by Corning dishes she received for wedding presents over 40 years ago.

The yellow charger is depressionware called Bordette from MacBeth Evans Glass Company.

Another view of the table.

Glassware - Dollar Store

Flatware - Ross

White dishes/cups/butter dish - Centura by Corning (wedding presents over 40 years ago)

Yellow Chargers - Art and Old Things, Fortuna, CA

Moderntone Custard Cups - eBay

Cereal plates - Tuesday Morning

Pat and I have been "playing" with our dishes again.....and this made it very hard to choose which table to feature this week. So - I threw the choices in a hat and picked "Them! Revisited" - our version of the famous si-fi film of the 1950's about ants on the loose. The table really came together when Pat found the material for the napkins last year. We couldn't use all the ants we had - some were just too big for the table. But I think that you will get the idea.........

Here's a closeup of the napkin fold.

The hamburger is actually the salt and pepper shaker.

Tiny pitchers filled with daisies match the centerpiece.

Ralph came to the party dressed for the event.

These great plates were purchased at Pier 1 last year.

The square salad plate is from World Market.

Red and black placemats were used for added color.

Each place setting uses both a water glass and pilsner.

We had to end with this little guy.......because he is so cute.

Placemats - purchased at Bed, Bath and Beyond

Ant Plates and Hamburger Salt/Pepper Shakers - from Pier I

Glassware - Dollar Store

White Dinner Plate and Sauce Dish - Target

Square Black Salad Plate - World Market

Napkins - Handmade by Pat (material from JoAnn's)

Metal Pitchers - Michael's

Ants - Boutique in Ferndale, CA

Finally! We wanted to use this fantastic set of dishes for a long time and now we have. The pattern is called "Bath" by Grindley of England. The company made this pattern from 1914 to 1925. Part of the set that we own was purchased at Antiques and Old Things - a wonderful antique shop in Fortuna, CA. I received them as a Christmas present from my dear friend, Sue, several years ago. Most of the fill-in pieces were found at Replacements.com (hard to image that they would have so many pieces of something that old but they did.) Green depression glass is used as chargers and to accent the table.

The lace tablecloth sits on top of a green liner.

Silverware belonged to our Mother.

Mayonnaise and liner was an eBay purchase. It matches the flower bowl.

Vintage luncheon napkins are beautiful but hard to fold evenly.

This cute butter dish was purchased on eBay.

Candle holders are part of Pat's collection. They are stunning on the table.

This is the only broken piece - not bad for as old as the pattern is.....

This is actually a Preserve and cover in the "Spiral" pattern.

Aren't these beautiful? Part of Pat's collection of salt and pepper shakers.

The "Spiral" sherbet sits on a saucer.

All the glassware is by Tiffin. Some of them are this pattern, some are diamond pattern. All of them are beautiful.

This is a gorgeous bowl used to hold flowers. It sits on top of a depression glass sandwich tray.

The salad plate is only 7 1/2 wide but it is beautiful.

This is actually a luncheon plate in this pattern - approximately 8 1/2" - smaller than most.

The green dinner plate ("Spiral" by Hocking Glass Company made from 1928 through 1930) was used as a charger. 

There you have it. Everything on the table is at least 60 years old. I think it looks pretty respectable. Who ever said things improve with age was right.

Tablecloths and vintage napkins - Part of our collection

Silverware - From our Mother

Green depressionware - local antique stores, eBay, family heirlooms

Dinnerware - "Bath" by Grindley of England from Antiques and Old Thingsin Fortuna,CA, and from Replacements

Candles, some flowers - Michael's