THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER PLATE

My Valentine's Table was first inspired by this plate:

At Christmas, my stepdaughter very generously presented me with a box full of dishes she had gathered  to assist me in my hobby of tablescaping!  You'll see them throughout the year.  When I saw this red and white plate decorated with cherries, I immediately thought, "Valentine's Day"!  There was only one plate, so I thought I'd just get three other red and white plates with different patterns, and complete my table that way. And so the hunt began. Do you remember the movie "The Hunt for Red October"?  I might not have been Alec Baldwin and the US Navy seeking Sean Connery and his Russian submarine, but at least THEY were able to find each other! I looked everywhere to find red and white patterned plates and was NOT successful.  I was hoping for maybe red and white polka dots, or red and white plaid or red and white stripes; but was thwarted no matter what antique store I searched, or the usual haunts of Home Goods, TJ Maxx, Kohl's, etc..... I think maybe I started too close to Valentine's Day or something, but I had to use what I found, and this is what I came up with:

Here's How It Was Created:

I started with placemats I had found at Home Goods this past summer.  I toyed with the idea of beginning with a white lace tablecloth, but I decided I liked the look of the dark wood of my table against the colors of the tablescape.

I started with my white chargers from the Maryland China Co.


Then I added the plates I had found:

When I got to the fourth place setting, and hadn't yet found a red and white patterned plate to use,  I was desperate.  So, I confess to the following deception:  I took one of my white Metaceramica plates from Home Goods, found ladybug stickers at Walmart and created my own red and white patterned plate! I share this with you in case you run into the frustration of not finding what you want, to create a "look".  You might want to consider this compromise.  I won't be using this table setting for a real meal, so there's no harm of anyone ingesting a labybug sticker!  And as they say, "Necessity is the Mother of Invention!"

Next came my Castleware (manufactured by Tabletops Lifestyles) plate from Home Goods.  I wanted some texture on the dish stack, and I LOVE these plates for creating this.

These heart-shaped ramekins from Michael's complete the stack.

Here is the completed place setting.  Hopefully, if this were for a real meal, the ramekins would be moved to the side of the place setting once the salad was served, and the conversation heart candies would be nibbled on AFTER the meal!  I found the flatware at Walmart while I was looking for the ladybug stickers.  The red goblets came from Home Goods. I've had the red and white gingham napkins for many years, but the porcelain napkin rings came from an antiquing adventure. I felt the white roses on these napkin rings would be quite suitable for a Valentine's table!

The main component of the centerpiece is a Princess House glass chimney that was my Mom's.  There were two, but, sadly, one was broken over the years.  I love the delicate engraving on the globe. I've surrounded the candle holder with a wooden Valentine's wreath of red hearts, found at Hobby Lobby. The red heart bouquets were unexpectedly found at the CVS pharmacy, along with the "LOVE" sign!  One never knows where a pretty design element will present itself!  I completed the centerpiece with a heart garland also from Hobby Lobby.

The accent piece is a heart-shaped dish I've had for many years from Home Goods.  And what would Valentine's Day be without chocolate candy? I found the "kissing lips" placemat at Michael's.  Afterall, what would Valentine's Day be without some kisses?

Here are some additional photos of the table:

Have a wonderful Valentine's Day, surrounded by those whom you love and who love you in return.       May your day be filled with hearts, kisses and chocolate!


I'll be linking up to Laurie's Valentine Par-Tay at http://bargainhuntingwithlaurie.blogspot.com, Susan's Tablescape Thursday at  www.betweennapsontheporch.net and Seasonal Sundays at http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com Be sure and visit these blogs  and see all the pretty tables to be shared.  Thank you Laurie and Susan and Alma for hosting!!

I love reading your comments when you have time to stop by and share your thoughts!!

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Stop The Presses!

In preparation for Valentine's Day I have been actively hunting down components for my Valentine's table, not really concentrating on anything else.   On Saturday, my sister-in-law came to visit and presented my husband with a bouquet of gorgeous tangerine-colored roses (he had had a very frightening medical issue two weeks prior and had the whole family concerned!).  She mentioned that this particular shade of rose had been a favorite of their mother.  When she left, I kept looking at the bouquet and suddenly thought, "Those flowers would be a perfect match for the dishes that belonged to my husband's grandmother!"  I've had these plates in my possession for a few months.  When I started tablescaping, a dear cousin had shared them with me in the hopes they would find their way into a tablescape. So-----there went the plans for Valentine's Day!  I immediately changed gears (I felt like an editor at a newspaper yelling, "Hold the Presses!") and decided to start, before the roses began to wilt, the process of developing a table with Grandma Mora's dishes!

Here's the Final Product:

Here's How It Was Created:

 I started with a pale yellow tablecloth that I covered with a lace tablecloth.  The pale yellow doesn't show through very well, but somehow I couldn't eliminate lace when the tablescape is dedicated to a Grandmother.  Lace and Grandmas go together.  I know, because I am one!!

My dish stack starts with a gold charger from Big Lots.  Grandma Mora's plates are edged in gold, and this charger should work well.

Here is Grandma Mora's dinner plate.  It is labeled Golden Ware, manufactured by Sebring in Sebring, Ohio.  It is also marked Warranted 22 Carat Pure Gold! Imagine that!  The family story goes that there were 9 children in the family, living in Bakersfield, CA.  The oldest of these children was Cora (my husband's Mom and my Mother-in-law.)  When Cora got her first "real" job she used one of her first paychecks to purchase her Mom a set of dinnerware.  This gesture shows the kind, generous heart of my late Mother-in-law, as well as her tremendous affection and gratitude for her Mom, Isabelle.  All that is left of the set are four dinner plates and a serving bowl.

I LOVE the floral pattern on the plates. I'm not well-versed on flower types, so I'd appreciate knowing what type of flowers they are.  Could they be a type of tulip?  No matter what they are, they sure look lovely dancing in the breeze!  The gold trim is still very much intact and it is bright and shiny. Beautiful!  If you "google" "Sebring", the historical society in Sebring, Ohio has chronicled the history of this pottery company.  There are some examples of their "Golden Ware" and lovely floral patterns seem to be a favorite theme.

The individual place settings look like this.  I wanted to keep the linens neutral in color so that the plates would stand out.  I had a couple of choices of napkin rings, but went with the butterfly (from Pier 1) because it seemed appropriate next to a field of flowers!  The gold flatware on loan from my cousin completed the setting.  I decided this place setting would be for a tea/coffee party, so alongside a simple Mikasa water goblet, I perused my teacup collection to find four teacups that mirrored the colors of the flowers. I had to add coffee because Grandma Mora was a serious coffee lover, and, after all, this is HER party!

Here are the additional settings with the different teacups:

The centerpiece is highlighted by the gorgeous tangerine-colored roses that were the inspiration for this table.  They are seated in a Lenox Woodland patterned vase and accompanied by crystal candle holders (a wedding gift from a very special friend) with cream-colored tapers from Williams-Sonoma.

Here is the surviving bowl from the set.  It is in perfect condition and would be just the thing for some tasty muffins at the party.

The Lenox Butterfly Meadow creamer and sugar bowl add to the the garden/butterfly theme that this table seems to be taking!

I had to add the Butterfly Meadow salt and pepper shakers simply for decoration.  Aren't they sweet?

This precious Burton + Burton teapot (Morning Meadow) was a gift from my hubby six years ago when I was hosting a tea for my daughter who was having her second little girl! (she later would have one more little girl; three bright lights in my world!)

A special accent to this table may seem out of place, but had to be included, regardless.  This coffee mug was a World War II Corningware mug brought home from the war by the family's beloved, Uncle Chris.  He thankfully made it home safely from New Guinea, when so many others, didn't. Uncle Chris was rumored to be the "favorite son" of Grandma Mora, and my husband felt she would be smiling by the presence of his mug on her table.

Once again, I am astounded by the power of plates, crystal and linens when arranged together.  They have the power to bring to life the memories of the people who sat together at everyday meals and special celebratory gatherings.  These plates will be passed down to the great-granddaughters of Isabelle Mora, and they will pass them down to their own children....and so the thread continues.  We tablescapers share the secret of knowing how powerful a dinner table can be and what it represents, and how happy we are when all the components come together in a pretty way to honor those who once surrounded a table and used the plates we now admire.


I'll be joining Susan for  Tablescape Thursday at www.betweennapsontheporch.net

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