Though I’m itching to start posting Christmas tables, Remembrance Day still lies before us. The unspoken rule (adopted from son Adam, who I suspect uses it as a convenient excuse, as he’s our family Grinch) is No Christmas Before November 11. So, one more autumn table it is!
Bring on Autumn Bounty by Inslee Fariss.
The set comprises four plates in her distinctive whimsical style. The Owls plate first caught my attention—the haughty expressions, especially on the unexpected blue one. I also love the little squirrel proffering a mushroom, looking like he’s hoping to be granted an audience with the Pope.
Also unexpected, the Owls plate is pale pink, whereas the rest in the collection are white. But it comes together nicely!
Inslee Fariss is now based in Raleigh, North Carolina, and as described on her website:
Inslee’s whimsical and playful creativity is an identifying thread woven throughout her artistry. Her brush brings lightness to everything she puts down on paper (or canvas).
Inslee began her life’s work as a professional artist while studying Art History at Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. Her career took her to New York City where she worked from her downtown studio for many years before returning to the south to raise her family and paint every darn plant, flower, insect and animal Raleigh has to offer.
She has worked with wonderful clients – both private individual commissions and for large companies. Inslee’s clients include Anthropologie, Lela Rose, Neely & Chloe, Pamela Munson, Baybala Women’s & Children’s Wear.
Her 12 Days of Christmas Menagerie set was a big hit with the grandgirls when we used it for the Christmas table in 2021.
I suspect Autumn Bounty will be equally popular. It has the same whacky animal-oriented exuberance. Just look at those Turkeys!
Drinking champagne, yet!
The Fox plate established the theme for the table with its cornucopia.
I was lucky enough to snag a grapevine version from one of the craft stores and filled it with Autumn Spice Cakelets. Yum—an edible centrepiece is always a bonus.
On the Pumpkin plate, the squirrel illustrations carry over the motif from the Owls plate.
The lovely border of orange sunflowers and whispy foliage gave me plenty of scope for accoutrements for the table.
Including a garland of bittersweet with sunflowers…
… and a grapevine pumpkin with similar adornment.
My owl salt & pepper shakers flew in to join the party.
…along with the Fitz & Floyd turkey candlesticks.
There is a dinner plate to match the Autumn Bounty collection, which has not yet made its way into my collection. It primarily features pumpkins with squirrels, so it might be a good “base” autumn plate, especially with the blush-coloured border. I’m still thinking about it.
In the meantime, my oft-used Wedgwood Williamsburg Green Shell-Edged dinner plate did the trick, providing a calming frame for the visual excitement.
Bordallo Pinheiro’s small leaf plates picked up on the leaves and grounded the green edge of the Wedgwood plate.
Combining Tiffin Franciscan Julia Amber-stemmed depression glasses with Williams Sonoma’s Amber Twist water goblets is a classic.
That’s it for outdoor tables now. We are back in Canada, and the weather has finally turned chilly after a glorious week of unseasonably warm weather. The last of the leaves are falling, and the final cleanup has begun.
I’m excited to begin decorating the house this week. The kitchen will get its china changeover, the porch will be transformed into a winter wonderland, and the faux trees will don their lights and decorations. We leave the real tree until closer to Christmas, in what Maddie calls “the special room” (with handy French doors to keep the cats from climbing and wreaking havoc).
Dear Helen, Wow…there’s a lot going on here. I backed up to your first picture and imagined the new dinner plate. Wouldn’t it be a bit too much of a much? The Bordallo plates provide a soothing note; they are the perfect green for the edging. Love the turkeys saying Skål! I await your Christmas decorating, and it doesn’t need to include tables. I could use some inspiration, as my 50 years of magpie decorations seem to lack coherence. I’ll start the day after Thanksgiving. OH demands the tree stay up until after Epiphany, so it makes for a long holiday period. I love the silent dark mornings with the tree lights on and candles all round. Looks like we may get some snow next week (!!)
Hi Beatrice,
I think you’re absolutely right and the dinner plate would disappear. Way too much of a muchness. If I were to use it, it would be with different salad plates.
As to Christmas decorations, thanks for the suggestion on showing some of those. I’ll take some shots of the trees and the decor that accompanies them, as I tend to have different themes for different rooms. The teddy tree in the basement for the grand girls uses all the teddies that featured in the Teddy Table several years ago. Our family room tree has a lot of bottle brush ornaments (animals, of course…), and the real tree in the living room is a more motley collection with delicate glass, gilded and Cloisonné ornaments I’ve picked up over the years. I also haul out china and Venetian glass to decorate various cabinets in the kitchen, dining room and living room.
Glenn would very much like us to leave everything up to Epiphany, also, but I draw the line earlier. I find the real tree is shedding needles like crazy by New Year, and I’m eager to get things boxed up and put away right after that (and earlier if we are going away).