Over at Between Naps on the Porch, Susan is celebrating 500 Tablescape Thursdays and 10 years of blogging. Imagine! That is dedication of no uncommon order. At three to four blogs a week, she’s like put together between 1500 and 2000 blogs over the years, to the delight of her readers. Thank you Susan, for all your hard work, and especially for hosting your blog parties.
For this week’s Tablescape Thursday, she’s asked fellow bloggers to contribute a blog highlighting their favourite 5 to 10 tables, and of course I was delighted to oblige. The difficult part for me was choosing. I managed to whittle it down to about 25 and then the really tough decisions had to be made. In the end, I thought about how much pleasure each one had given me, how reluctant I was to take the table down afterwards (always a good sign), or how much fun we had experienced at the event featured. I also reflected on how lucky I am to be part of this community of tableware fans, and all the people who contribute to making it such a special place. Thank you everyone!
Without further ado, drumroll please … starting at the upper left of the collage and moving clockwise, may we present:
Green and White Toile by 222 Fifth This was my first introduction to 222 Fifth’s wares, which my daughter Kirsten and her husband Mike had discovered at HomeSense (the Canadian HomeGoods). I love the vibrant apple green featuring a toile pattern with lush peonies, the square plates and bowls, and beautifully scalloped edge bowls. This table is from my early days of photography and blogging, and those little birds have nested on many a table since. Of course, parrot tulips remain an absolute favourite!
A Christmas Carol by Shenango It was very difficult to decide on a Christmas table, but I picked this one for a couple of reasons. The green and black plates were a challenge to style (and I love a challenge) and I had a blast doing the full length table “runner” with fruit, dried hydrangea and leaves. This table really was a communal effort. Mary at Home is Where the Boat is had generously given a tutorial in her blog on these kinds of runners and Mary Plumstead, the web designer at Creative Sidekicks for this site (and my partner in tableware crime) weighted in while I was struggling with it. Mary has a background in floral design and is a huge help on many fronts. Thank you both!
Apple Orchard by David Carter Brown This blog post featured several of my favourite things: a set David Carter Brown’s plates, the opportunity to bake and my front porch in Canada. Say no more!
Upland Game by Copeland Spode This table was truly a labour of love. I lugged the dining chairs I had inherited from my Grandfather outside on a warm fall day, and set the table with vintage Game Bird plates by Copeland Spode. A large goose tureen anchored the centrepiece which I created from very prickly beach plums (leather gloves required), oak leaves and fruit.
Hand Painted Cabinet Plates and Pink Moser Glass. Much loved and long coveted cabinet plates from Elise Abrams Antiques. Elise is a good friend and has provided tons of support and sound advice as I navigated the sometimes confusing and overwhelming world of antique tableware. I also really enjoyed assembling the centrepiece on this table.
Robert Burns Scotch Tasting Dinner An amazing evening with very good friends celebrating the famous Scottish Bard, Robert Burns. Scotch pairings, food, changes of tableware and bird tureens.
One of a series of cat plates by Minton, (1873-1891), hand painted. A full set is shown in the Servants’ Hall at Kingston Lacy, Dorset.
Minton Cat Plates Several things about this table are very memorable. From finding an actual Minton original on eBay (woot!), discovering that the National Trust in the UK had produced replicas of the original series which used to be on display at Kingston Lacy, one of the National Trust properties, and then styling the table with exuberant hydrangeas. It was enjoyable on so many levels. And the plates feature cats, of course!
Woodland Harvest by Spode for Williams Sonoma I fell for these plates at first sight. The set comprises four salad plates and a few serving pieces only. My favourite part was creating the centrepiece, choosing elements from the plates.
Rooster Français by Williams Sonoma This set is also by Williams Sonoma, featuring the work of Marc Lacaze, a French artist known for combining his passion for nature and travel. The vibrant colours, and sturdy usefulness of the pieces really appealed to me. The set has made its home with my son Adam and his wife, parents of Maddie and Juliana (the “duck lover”).
Toulouse Blue by Fitz & Floyd Springtime, birds, Easter, soft blue, smokey glasses. What more can I say? Such a fun table to set. I left it up for nearly a week, snapping photos in the day, at night, in the twilight. I’m especially fond of the “wooden” edge to the plates.
Thanks again, Susan for hosting this very special blog hop.
I’m sharing this post with Between Naps on the Porch. Of course!
What a good eye you have. Thank you for the delightful memories.
Thanks, Ro! It was fun putting it together, and I realized I’d done over 200 tablescapes myself, which was something of a shock…
and your fans appreciate your attention to every detail. I believe I bought my Toulouse after seeing your lovely design. Keep it up for your adoring fans!
You’re too kind, Becky! So very glad you enjoyed the post. Isn’t Toulouse lovely? So practical and at a very good price point!
Is this a hobby or labour of love. I’m sure both. They’re all sooo beautiful and I can’t pick a favourite but maybe it’s the Robert Burns table!! I wonder why. Always looking forward to the next tablescape. I’ll be sending this to a few of my friends who might even be copying some of your talented table settings. It might be tricky though to do the outside one in the UK with the unpredictable 4 seasons in one day. Happy spring.
Robert Burns made it into the mix immediately! What a great evening that was. We’ve still got a bit of the Scottish tart in the freezer for future whisky-moments. As to the unpredictable weather in the UK, does it not astonish you that the British have as many outdoor events as they do? As the Duke of Norfolk said of the Coronation when asked what they were to do if it rained, he responded “We will get wet.” About sums it up.
You have a fine eye for detail and I love your style!
Many thanks, Sandra. I’m so appreciative of the folks like you who take time to comment!
All so beautiful, but I have to say that Toulouse looks most striking with those electric-blue Fostoria glasses you showed in another setting. Those difficult blues are so striking together! I would kill for that swan. Will your next Burns table include a nod to the wee sleekit cow’rin tim’rous beastie hiding somewhere…wouldn’t he be a sweet reference? Unfortunately I hear that all the fancy narcissus have bloomed without me, so I have to console myself with rioting gardenias for the next few day until I can be reunited with the budding lilac and wisteria and what’s left of the The Bride. Thanks for the beautiful views.
I must give Toulouse and those electric blue glasses a try – great idea!
The “Wild Game” tureen is by Kaldun and Bogle and very reasonably priced. Believe it or not, $120 on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Kaldun-Bogle-Goose-Tureen-Multicolored/dp/B06XBF677R
We’ve had any number of wee sleekit covw’rin tim’rous beasties round here recently. Moxie is out in full force, terrorizing the neighbourhood rodent population. Yesterday I disposed of at least three corpses left outside the back door as trophies.
Rioting gardenias sound like a good consolation, and there is nothing to rival lilacs, in my view. The scent! Heavenly. Safe travels (and I’m sorry you missed the fancy narcissus). Next year!
Thanks for stopping by, Beatrice.
Wherever do u find those incredible tureens like the goose? Just fabulous.
Debbee, you’ll be pleased to know that the goose tureen is readily available and very reasonably priced. It’s by Kaldun and Bogle, and on Amazon for about $120. Check it out!
https://www.amazon.com/Kaldun-Bogle-Goose-Tureen-Multicolored/dp/B06XBF677R
You have the most amazing collection of dishes and you always put wonderful tablescapes together. Everyone of these are outstanding but the one you put ourdoors is a favorite. Those are fantastic chairs you inherited. Fun to see these collections everyone is posting for this TT 500!
Thanks, Liz. I loved all of the tables, and the Copeland Spode Game Birds was up near the top – memories of my grandfather, Thanksgiving, game birds…happy, happy.
Everyone is doing a wonderful job for the 500th Tablescape Thursday! What a marvellous community Susan has created.
Thank you again for stopping by and taking the time to comment. Have a great weekend.