We are now past Halloween, and inside the house I’m busily engaged in changing over the kitchen to Christmas mode. This involves hauling containers of Christmas china up from the basement and switching out the autumn themed tableware. Yes, I know. Insane. But I love it, and Christmas is one of my favourite seasons with soooooo much tableware from which to choose.

After my labours, I was delighted to find that it was warm enough to sit on the porch with a cup of tea (in a jacket, with a blanket, but none the less)…  It’s November. In Ontario!!  I was inspired to sneak in one more setting on the porch. I used a green paisley wool throw for the tablecloth, which I picked up years ago at Country Dining Room Antiques. It’s reversible, and the other side has the opposite light to dark colours. 

The dinner plate is Oxford Gold by Royal Doulton and the salad plate is Chatham Green Ivory by Minton, both from Replacements.com. I have only the salad plate in Chatham Green, but am quite smitten with the pattern with its soft colours and deep band of decoration on the shoulder of the plate. Lucious.

The stemware is antique Venetian from Elise Abrams Antiques. Unusually for Venetian goblets, the bowls are clear, and they’re wonderful for mixing and matching with coloured Venetian Glass. (I get the hairy eyeball from Glenn when I try to put red wine in a coloured glass.) The Dubost flatware is from Sur Le Table. I love the feel of the olive wood – so smooth and well balanced in the hand.

The napkin rings are from Chintz & Co. in Victoria, B.C. from a few years back. There are matching place card holders in the shape of small trees, and I often use those for more formal dinners.

The open salts are vintage from Etsy. They’re one offs, but check out the site if you’re interested in acquiring some similar ones. They have quite a good selection at present.