The Blue Willow Luncheon

Welcome!
Today marks a special occasion today for me.
I actually won a wonderful Giveaway drawing in celebration of the 200th Tablescape by The Quintessential Magpie!! I am one of those people who never win anything, so this was such a wonderful surprise. Thank you Sheila! 
I always find her posts to be fun and entertaining in addition to being beautiful - her personality just seems to jump off the screen.
I can't wait to share my prize with you!
And well, like the rest of the country I am also up to my ears in snow. I actually heard that there is snow on a mountain in Hawaii! Is there any better time to hunker down and do a tried and true, traditional tablescape? Is there any pattern more recognizable than Blue Willow? 
I consider this post my blogging rite of passage.
I have seen so many amazing posts featuring this china, so the task of putting together something that was at once original, reverent to the history, but also current and functional was somewhat daunting. However, I felt the need to include this setting in my catalog of tablescape posts.
I hope you like it!


The Blue Willow Luncheon

My collection of Blue Willow began over two decades ago

while I was living in Connecticut

The collection was readily available and was well suited

as a companion to my Colonial decor.

How else would you decorate an old

 center hall colonial home

in Connecticut?

Like any other avid collector,

I bought as much as I could find

One of the serving pieces in the collection

The butter dish -

so much detail on this one little piece

When I purchased this set of 12 settings complete

 I never paired it with anything but

Blue Willow - as you can see here -

I got a little carried away!

Under the Blue Willow cereal bowl

 which I used here instead of the soup bowls,

and the bread plate

is a white Mikasa stoneware called

English Counrtyside.

I thought the pairing was an appropriate one with the

English Staffordshire Blue Willow

The Dinner plate is shown here sitting

atop my favorite Home Essentials

Madison Collection Charger

The entire stack rests upon

 this really huge charger

 I just found this year in

HomeGoods

Edge view of the entire stack

I have to mention the little Pagoda Centerpiece

I just knew when I saw it, that it would be

 the perfect accent to this tablescape

What do you think?

The crystal pineapple was a gift from my first born

and its' symbolism in colonial times meant

'Welcome'

I recall that this was a very

inexpensive find that I just had to have.

Maybe next time I'll include some flowers in the little windows.

I included my Oneida silver plate for a

touch of formality

and a simply folded

napkin sans ring

Here is a better pic of the wine and water glasses

 purchased when I fell in love with

the Blue Willow so long ago

As always I try to include the buffet

in my settings

All ready for coffee and dessert!

The soup tureen featured here is obviously not

part of the Blue Willow Collection

however, it was blue and white and

has a plug in cord that keeps the

soup piping hot!

The little candle was from Bombay Co.

which we all miss dearly!

One last view

Okay, maybe one more -

I loved doing this table!

Thanks for visiting The Junction this week!

I am linking to

The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays

Happy to Design for Sunday Favorites 

and

Susan at Between Naps on the Porch

Please stop by to see other beautiful tablescapes and creative ideas

 by clicking on the links to the right

Have a wonderful day!

The Evesham Luncheon

One of my New Years resolutions this year is to connect on a deeper level with the friendships that matter to me the most. As many a working wife and mother can tell you, sometimes our friendships take a back seat to the demands of everyday life, so this year I have decided to make time, find time and make the most of my time with my friends.
As reported in Better Homes and Gardens this month, many of us think having a quiet dinner at home with a few friends is better then an evening out. However to a tablescaper, dinner in does not mean that it has to be a casual affair on the everyday dishes. Setting the stage for a casual, comforting dinner is what we do best!

Welcome friends to -
The Evesham Dinner

As an homage to friendship,

 I have to tell you that it was a long ago

meeting of a wonderful woman from England

 who one day while having dinner

at a beautifully set table

 shared with me her passion for collecting

 Royal Worcester Evesham dinnerware

I commented on the numerous fruit patterns

 and number of serving pieces

 to which she responded,

 You must collect!

And so it began.

Shown here is the complimenting

 color banded luncheon plate

'Peach and Blackberry'

Sans the Bordallo Pinheiro

green cabbage leaf soup bowl

Here I have suited the Evesham luncheon plate

with the Queens bone china salad plate called

Hookers Fruit

 This set also has several variations

of the fruit pattern

 that mix well with the Royal Worcester and I was happy to discover could be found at many of our favorite haunts

Tonight I decided to go with the Portuguese

cabbage leaf charger

instead of placemats and/or tablecloth

As mentioned before,

 there are many, many serving

pieces covered and open

each having a distinctive pattern 

View of the top of

the small covered casserole

in the Evesham Gold

This little gravy boat and plate was bought

during a trip to London several years ago.

I had to buy several pieces from the source!

The napkins were a Linens and Things purchase

 many years ago 

and are a perfect match

 to the dishes

The silk orchard has been around for a while

as it can move from room to room depending on need

The candlestick holders are new this year from TJ Maxx

Of course after dinner there is coffee, set on the buffet

The small platter is not part of either set

 but if it was a fruit pattern -

 it was going home with me!

Final view

Thanks for joining me today.

 I wish you beautiful friendships in 2011

 and beautiful tables at which to celebrate them

This week I will be joining

The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays

and Susan at

Between Naps on the Porch

Special thanks to you both

Click on their links on the sidebars for more ideas

 from those sharing their creativity this week.

New Years Eve at The Junction

New Years Eve here in The Junction is like most anywhere else in the country. We still have snow from the Christmas weekend storm, so winter feels as though it has taken hold. We are all tired from a Christmas that seemed to come too soon after Thanksgiving, and for those of us who returned to work for just the two or three days in between - and I speak from what I know - it came a little too fast.
 However like time, and the marking of time, the day approached and I geared up for another 'holiday'.

New Years is a time of reflection. We look back on the past year and review. The highlights, the good times, the 'what ifs', and try to put it all in perspective for the upcoming year.
Hmmmmm,  not unlike my Tablescaping adventures!

For New Years Eve, I thought of reflection - in the silver, white and crystal theme I chose.
 Also like my wishes for the New Year, I wanted it to shine even though there were only going to be the four of us, I wanted it to be special and meaningful.
 Again, so similar to what I think we all wish for in the coming year. 

Welcome to -
 New Years Eve at the Junction

This setting reminds me of a Winter 'snowscape'

An all white damask Ralph Lauren tablecloth sets the theme

A silver candelabra lights the setting

with white candles -

the only light in the room

Crystal D'Arques Longshamps wine, water

and champagne flutes lend sparkle

Silver chargers and Oneida silver plate

 provide the glow

While white napkins trimmed with a silver band

 and a snowflake ring for bling add additional shine

The china is Noritake Adagio

Our wedding china selection

Closeup of china pattern and platinum band

I love the shape of this tea cup

Buffet with champagne punch

Super easy and so yummy

(Recipe to follow)

Close up of water pitcher

 and a little more sparkle

A birds eye view of the entire table

Thanks for dropping by. I always enjoy your visits!

I wish you all a very Happy New Year

 filled with love, peace, joy, health, wealth and happiness.

This week I will be linking to 

Seasonal Sundays with The Tablescaper

and

Between Naps on the Porch with Susan

Join us for many more beautiful tablescaping inspirations by

clicking on the links in the sidebar

Champagne Punch Recipe

1 Ltr. Champagne (well chilled)

1 bottle of sprite or 7-Up (can be diet if you have a New Years Resolution)

1 can thawed frozen Minute Maid lemonade

1 cup sugar (again, you can try Splenda - let me know how it turns out) 

1 8oz package frozen strawberries

Enjoy!

Vintage Tablescape Inspirations

Every Christmas I find there is a standout gift or gifts that will be remembered for years to come. They are not remembered because of their size or cost, but mostly because of the feelings they evoke. We remember them vividly because of the setimentality attached. This was one of those years for me.
As those of you who are followers and visitors know, I am new to Tablescaping blogging. My family knows that this long time passion has finally found a means of expression. For Christmas, each one selected a gift that expressed their support. I don't know yet if they secretly planned it this way, but the result was awesome!

Today I am posting four "of my favorite things" - you'll see why! I made a cup of tea, and sat in the only quiet spot in the house to savor my treats - Oh and some homemade cookies too!
The Lenox Teapot, the first of my favs can be seen to the right is from my dear patient Hubby.

What's that sitting to the left you ask?

Well, that would be number two and three of my favorite things!

The first is a relatively new publication

 2007 by the publisher of Southern Lady magazine

 Phyllis Hoffman.

This beautifully photographed book not only has elegant and easily replicated tablescapes, but recipes for those, who like me,  finds themselves making the same things over and over.

There are settings and recipes for every occasion

 all displayed in large colorful detail.

 What Fun!!

I also liked that there were napkin folding tutorials, and guides that included all of the different elements of tablescaping design. A visual "How To" use all of those beautiful things we love and have collected through the years!

Now this third favorite thing really got me going.

 My younger daughter, an avid EBay shopper found this vintage, 1960 publication of Tiffany Table Settings.

 Who knew this was all the rage in 1956!!

 I didn't, but then again I'm usually late to the party. LOL

 Apparently in 1956 Tiffany & Co. selected different ladies of society and corporations to sponsor or create a Table Setting Design using Tiffany china, silver and crystal

 to be displayed in their store.

 The New York Times in turn ran a weekly article devoted to this genre in their Sunday arts section, and featured tables created by the likes of Mrs. William Randolph Hearst.

Be still my heart!

These were just too good not to share!

I did say four of my favorite things didn't I?

 Well, the last is small in size

 but found a big place in my heart.

From my dear, patient Hubby. Thanks love...

I hope you can find one, if not both of these beautiful examples of Tablescaping design

 to add to your library for inspiration. I know I will be! 

 Join me and others who share in the joy of elegant design at

 Between Naps on the Porch Tablescape Thursday

click on the link on the sidebar.

As always - Thanks Susan!

Sadly - this is all I can show you

 due to copyright infringement laws.