Blue Danube Birthday Party

This week is our Birthday! It's been one year since we first started our blog. What a fantastic time it has been.....and have we learned a lot! It all started when I googled "how do you store dishware" two years ago and the sky burst opened. Good grief - first I found a site called "The Tablescaper " (http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com/) and all became well with the world. My addiction was validated. Alma showed the world her "stash" - she even has Limoges in her bathroom. She's my hero. Next I moved on to Alicia at Tablescapes at Twenty-One. She has nearly 50 chargers alone......what a dream come true. And that's just a start to the stuff she has. My heart still beats at the thought.

So many more tablescapers came forward to show us obviously novice dish hoarders how to store dishes. Cuisine Kathleen. Candy at the Little Round Table. Marlis at Creative Journeys. And the list goes on.

Then Alma hosted another "Where do I keep it all?" event the following year. Heaven above! You should see her tablecloth collection. And her napkins. And her napkin rings. And her placemats. And the list goes on......I do apologize to her for the hundreds of times my sister, my niece, my cousin, my friends, and I checked out her blog. It was just a severe case of tablescape envy.....

So, to all of you who have inspired us - we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We thank you for being so generous with your information and skill about tables. And we are grateful for all the tablescapes you have shared.

Over view of the table

The place setting

Pat started with a simple navy blue placemat covered with a gorgeous lace one

The coup shaped white charger is by Bernardaud (one of our favorites)

The second charger is a blue glass plate by Bormolio

The dish pattern is Blue Danube

Last layer is the Cream Soup and Liner

Blue water and wine goblet with a trumpet style Champagne flute

Flatware is Nobility "Wind Song"

Pat put two trays on the table

The gravy boat is quite large

Individual butter holders at each place setting

One last look at the table from the other end

 

Where it all comes from:

Tablecloth:  Gift from Pat

Blue Placemats:  Bed, Bath, and Beyond

Lace Placemats:  Lentz Department Store (local store in Ferndale, CA)

Blue Danube Dishware:  Gottschalk's (Department Store out of business) and Replacements.com after the 2009 Earthquake

Flatware:  Wind Song by Nobility from eBay

Water Glass:  Pier 1 last year

Wine Glass:  by Artland from Replacements.com

Champagne Glass:  "Selection" by Cris d'Arques from Ross Dress (and Set Your Table) for Less

Napkins:  Target

Silver Napkin Rings:  Art and Old Things (local Antique store in Fortuna, CA)

Candles:  Michael's


We will be joining Cuisine Kathleen's Let's Dish this Wednesday night: http://www.cuisinekathleen.com/

Before I end - a special thanks to Cuisine Kathleen for her help. I knew next to nothing about blogland or computers. You were so very patient.......and your tablescapes are wonderful.

Easter Brunch Tablescape

Every Easter, Pat and her husband host a Breakfast for family and friends. Pat bakes for days in advance. Jim brines a ham with his "secret" recipe in preparation for the meal. The day before, they pull out tables and place them throughout the kitchen and living room area. Pat sets the tables and gets ready for the crowd. However, she cheated this year because we wanted to post them on our blog prior to Easter. So - I went to her house today and took pictures. Then, I helped her break them down (so she could walk around the living room and use the kitchen table this week.)

The color theme is traditional Easter colors of pastel blues, greens, yellows, and pink. Pat accented them with some very non-traditional colors of bright Fiestaware Plum, Periwinkle, Shamrock, and Tangerine.

Over view of the kitchen table. (As most of you know, Pat's kitchen table was specially designed and built to double as a countertop. The chairs were imported from Canada.)

Pat usually uses round tables in the living room when she has a large party. She decided to change the look this year to match the kitchen table.

Pastel blue luncheon plate sits on top of a bright Fiestaware Tangerine dinner plate

Pink luncheon plate mixed with a Fiestaware Plum dinner plate (with matching bread and butter plate)

Pale lime green luncheon plate on top of a Fiestaware Shamrock dinner plate

Light yellow coupled with a Periwinkle Blue Fiestaware dinner plate

These whimsical napkin holders were from Kohl's last year

Individual "baskets" of Easter candy at each place setting. (Pat will not buy anything for the table unless she can figure out more than one use for it - including these frosted sundae dishes from a local animal rescue second hand store.)

First layer of the place setting

Next layer consists of a "Colorwheel" luncheon plate by 222 Fifth 

Then the very popular Fiestaware dinner plate (by Homer Laughlin)

The charger is from Maryland China Company

Flatware is "Image" by Spode

The five piece place setting

These cute salt and pepper shakers are from Pier 1

Egg candles sit in frosted bunny votives on a bed of Easter grass

Pat used marble Easter eggs in egg cups as the centerpiece with egg garland since the table is so narrow.

Cris d'Arques "Monterey" water goblet with a simple champagne flute

With matching mugs......

One last look

 

 

Where is all came from:

Tablecloths:  Bed,Bath and Beyond
Placemats:  Ross
White Chargers:  Maryland China Company
Fiestaware:  by Homer Laughlin from Replacements.com and Macy's
Luncheon Plates and Matching Mugs:  Colorwheel by 222 Fifth from Ross
Water Goblets:  Monterey by Cris d'Arques from Bed, Bath and Beyond
Champagne Flutes:  "Bubbles Galore" by Maxwell Williams from Tuesday Morning
Flatware:  "Image" by Spode from Tuesday Morning
Frosted Sundae Dishes:  from a local animal resue second hand store
Bunny Salt/Pepper Shakers and Egg Cups:  Pier 1
Napkin Holders:  Kohl's last year
Vintage Napkins:  From Art & Old Things (a fantastic local Antique Store)
Egg Candles, Egg Garland, Easter Grass:  Michael'l
Marble Eggs:  Dollar Store years ago

Pat's table/counter