Made In America Labor Day Table

This week's table is a tribute to the American laborer. Pat want to set the table using only American made items that we own - sounds easy, huh? Well, it turned out to be an extremely hard and lengthy experience. And it was an eye-opener to say the least.

Yes!!! It took a while but we found this little logo on a box. (It's Anchor Hocking glassware)

To start with: My plain, but versatile, maple farm table was custom made by a local furniture/cabinet maker

The table - yes, Fiesta, again, but definitely American made - good, solid, and reliable dinnerware.

The place setting - while we have literally dozens of patterns of stainless flatware that would look more appropriate, we could not find one that we were sure were "Made in America" - so, sterling silver "Grand Colonial" it is....

Poppy dinner plate, Lapis Luncheon Plate, White salad plate, and Poppy soup bowl

Pat had these vintage mason jars in her garage (these, for sure, were made in the USA - new jars are made elsewhere). Luckily for us, Pat's very old and neglected Hydrangea produced beautiful and huge flowers this year.

Made by local craftsmen, the blue candles are the perfect color. The only candle holders (other than our Depressionware holders) that we could guarantee being made in the USA were these vintage candle holders from Abingdon Potteries

Pat made the napkins and placemats from denim. Sad to say, since we could not find a single napkin ring from the dozens that we own that were definitely made in the USA, Pat just tied them.

From the other end of the table

Where it came from:
Dinnerware - Fiesta by Homer Laughlin from Macy's, Kohl's, and Replacements
Glassware - "Carousel" by Anchor Hocking from Ross
Flatware - "Grand Colonial" by Wallace Silversmiths (a gift from our Cousin)
Napkins and Placemats - Handmade by Pat
Vintage Mason Jars - from Pat's late Mother-in-Law's canning supplies
Candles - overpriced but handmade locally
Candle Holders - by Abingdon Potteries from eBay


We will be joining Christine's "Table It!" Blog Party at Rustic & Refined this Monday:  http://www.rustic-refined.com/
We will also be joining Susan for "Tablescape Thursday" at Between Naps on the Porch:  http://betweennapsontheporch.net/

Not strictly tablescaping stuff:

Originally, we wanted to use a white charger on our Labor Day table - guess what? We do not own a white one made in the USA that would look O.K. - Here's the table using the very popular charger from Pier 1 (made in Indonesia)

The following speaks for itself.......and this is only a very, very small example from dishes on one shelf in my "dishroom"...... 

Chocolate and Turquoise Fiesta Table

The idea for this week's table came about three years ago while Pat's daughter was here for a tablescaping weekend. We finally got around to completing it.

The table - chocolate and turquoise Fiesta dinnerware add color

The centerpiece is a collection of glass containers that will be filled with chocolate just before dinner (filled any sooner and "all bets are off"....I love candy.......it's anybody's guess if there would be any left.....)

The place setting - the color of the handmade napkin was the inspiration for the choice of dinnerware

Flatware is ceramic handled "Primary" by Noritake

Turquoise Fiesta Salad plate

Chocolate Fiesta Luncheon Plate

Turquoise Fiesta Dinner plate

The charger is from the Maryland China Company

Don't look too closely - I swear I ironed the tablecloth (Pat would kill me if I didn't) - that's just the crease from the fold and I wasn't about to haul out the ironing board again....)

The modern style glassware is from Pier 1.

Yes, the candle is still in the protective plastic wrapper - it is a scented candle and I can't stand the smell. They'll be replaced with unscented white ones for dinner.

From the other end of the table

Where it came from:
Chocolate Colored Tablecloth - Linentablecloth.com (our favorite mail order site for inexpensive linen)
White Charger - Maryland China Company (mail order)
Assorted Fiesta Dinnerware - Macy's, eBay, and Replacements
Glassware - Pier 1 two or three years ago
Napkin - Handmade by Pat
Napkin Ring - Pier 1 years ago
Ceramic Handled Flatware - "Primary" by Noritake (1972-1976) from eBay and Replacements
Assorted Glass Containers - Ross, TJMaxx, and Michael's
Candle Holders - Pier 1
Turquoise Candles - Ross


We will be joining Christine's "Table It!" blog party at Rustic & Refined this Monday: http://www.rustic-refined.com/
We will also be joining Susan for "Tablescape Thursday" at Between Naps on the Porch:  http://betweennapsontheporch.net/

Blue and White Table

Originally, Pat was going to set the table this week using some Jadeite pieces that we have as the inspiration, but "things happened" and it morphed into something totally different:

Over view of the table - set without our usual bread and butter plate

The place setting

First Pat used this blue metal charger alone, but found that the dinner plate looked "lost," so she then added a charger that matched the dinnerware pattern to fill in a bit.

Definitely out of Pat's "comfort zone" - she used this glitzy napkin ring to add a little zing to the table

Pat used these "lined" glasses because they reminded her of the "lines" on the dinnerware

Flatware is "20th Century Baroque" silverplate by Godinger Silver

Silk blue hydrangea (remember, it's California and we have been mandated to cut our water consumption by 25%, so we have no extra water for the real thing) in a silver bowl

 

From the other end of the table

Here's where it came from:
Tablecloth - Linentablecloth.com (I've said it before, but thanks to Tablescape Designer and Guru Alycia Nichols at "Tablescapes at Table Twenty One (https://tabletwentyone.wordpress.com/), I found this wonderful place to buy inexpensive linens of every color....a tablescaper's dream come true)
Lace Placemats - from Lentz Department Store in the Victorian village of Ferndale, CA (a fabulous local store with all kinds of neat stuff)
Chargers, Dinnerware, and Glassware - Pier 1 over the last several years ago
Flatware - "20th Century Baroque" by Godinger Silver from Horchow's
Assorted Candle Holders - from Ross and Tuesday Morning
Candles and Silk Flowers - Michael's
Napkins - Handmade by Pat to match the chargers
Napkin Rings - from Pier 1
Silver Bowl - from our collection


We will be joining Christine's "Table It!" at Rustic & Refined this Monday: http://www.rustic-refined.com/
We will also be joining Susan for "Tablescape Thursday" at Between Naps on the Porch: http://betweennapsontheporch.net/