Schumann Spring Time Challenge

We are joining Cuisine Kathleen's "Let's Dish" Springtime challenge this Wednesday night (  http://www.cuisinekathleen.com/  ). The theme is Spring, birds, bees, flowers, or trees. Our tablescape this week is near and dear to my heart. Pat is using my "good china" for the dishware. I have collected Schumann "Wild Rose" since I was in High School (remember Hope Chests?) Of course, it seems the week I started to buy it, the company stopped manufacturing it, but I forged ahead and now, after more than 40 plus years, I have many, many pieces thanks to Replacements.com, eBay, and every antique store I get to. I am still looking for bone dishes.....but as all dish hounds know, it is the thrill of the hunt.

Many people mistake the pattern for apple or cherry blossoms. With that in mind, Pat used apple blossom branches in a simple vase as the centerpiece since the dish pattern is so busy.

Over view of the table

Pat and I went back and forth over the chargers. We tried pale lavender, gold, light green, a deep burgundy - all looked good but we finally settled on this beautiful rose color.

The place setting

The first layer of the place setting. The reason I fell in love with this pattern is the cream soup bowl. Naturally, this was the first piece that Schumann stopped producing. (Alicia, now you know my secret.  http://tabletwentyone.wordpress.com/  )

The next layer is the cream soup bowl liner.

Earlier versions of this pattern had the roses a bit larger. As time went on, Schumann used this size.

The color is horrible (it's overcast and dark outside) but this charger is a lovely shade of rose pink.

Pat chose gold flatware to enhance the gold painted rim of the plate

The five piece place setting

I love it when tablescapers show the back of the plate (another little thing that I picked up from Alma at the Tablescaper  [ http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com/ ].) You can learn so much from a plate "mark" or label.

Glassware is from Pier 1 last year

Individual salt and pepper shakers are from Shannon Crystal by Godinger

Pat mixed crystal candle holders

The stack

One last look

Where is came from:

Tablecloth - gift from Pat
Pink Charger - Rose Color Spectrum by Mikasa from Replacements.com
Wild Rose Dishware - by Schumann from Walsh's (a local store long out of business), Replacements.com and eBay (along with several antique store from here to everywhere I ever went.)
Glassware - Pier 1
Gold Flatware - eBay (pattern unknown)
Candle Holders - Pat's personal collection
Stems and candles - Michael's
Individual Salt/Pepper Shakers - gift to Pat

Not really tablescape stuff:

I looked for over 40 years for a soup tureen in the Wild Rose pattern. (Pat reminded me about the tattered picture of it that I had hung upon my wall for years.....If I couldn't have it, at least I could dream.) The family knew they could say good-bye to any inheritance if I ever found it. Or it may be beans and rice for the rest of their lives. I didn't care how much it cost. And then on September 23, 2012, it happened. EBay. There it was. And I was the only bidder. And it was cheap. Life it a miracle. (The family can eat...and they are getting lots and lots and lots of beautiful dishes as their inheritance. Sorry, girls. Oh, remember when you argued over who was going to get "stuck" with the ugly green and pink dishes???)

Not everyone's choice....but it makes my heart flutter.

Pat replaced the blossoms with this cute couple as a centerpiece after the pictures for the blog were taken to use the table for an anniversary celebration for friends. (I told you that she makes everything do double duty - including the tablescape.)

Please join us Wednesday night at Cuisine Kathleen's "Let's Dish" challenge - http://www.cuisinekathleen.com/