An Unexpected Formal Thanksgiving

I was getting ready for Thanksgiving by getting out my beloved Johnson Bros. Friendly Village plates when my girlfriend called and invited me to an estate sale. While at the sale, I spied an exquisite Lenox dinnerware set sitting on a table. I noted that the pattern was called Tudor.  Everything about this set was calling my name: its cream-colored bone china;  its brushed gold edging; an intricate Greek Key-like pattern in deep blue dancing across the border; and, the fact that it was six complete place settings!  I walked away, however, because the Christmas shopping season is rapidly approaching and with a family that has grown to 4 married couples and 9 grandchildren,  my shopping attention is very diverted! I talked about it to my Hubby, just in casual conversation.

The next day when I got home, my Hubby asked me to check inside the dishwasher for something, and when I opened it up, lo and behold, the  Lenox dishes were perched in the washer ! Apparently, he had conspired with my girlfriend to go back to the estate sale and surprise me with the dishes! What a Sweetie Pie!!! I immediately decided that the Johnson Bros. were just going to have to wait another year, because I absolutely had to create a table with my new acquisition!

So, that was how my informal Thanksgiving table changed from one covered in fall leaves and shades of brown and orange to a rather elegant and sophisticated table.  My family will be surprised when they walk in this year! But, I just couldn't resist!

Here is how the table turned out:

Here is how the table was created:

I started with the beautiful tablecloth given to me by my dear friend. It is from France and the pattern reflects the ceiling of Versailles. You can read more about this tablecloth here.

I started my dish stack with a gold-brushed charger from HomeGoods.

Next came the star attraction of my dish stack: my lovely dinner plate. Sigh........

Then I added the salad plate.

Topping off the dish stack was the bread-and-butter plate. I love that the style and pattern of this set is just as pretty as a bread-and-butter plate, as well as a dinner plate.

I completed the place setting with the matching napkins to the tablecloth nestled in a gold and pearl napkin ring from my tablescaping stash! I also added the beautifully styled cup and saucer from my new set; the gold-plated flatware is on loan from my cousin, Karen (thank you!); and my Rogeska Gallia crystal wine glasses finish the place setting.

I actually had to go hunting for my centerpiece. Off to Hobby Lobby I went and discovered that Thanksgiving is truly the lost holiday in the stores!! Everything was about Christmas decorating!! I stumbled upon one aisle that had what was left from fall decorating (Thanksgiving hasn't gotten here yet, right? Or did I miss it?!) Anyway, I found just what I was looking for way in the back of a shelf! The colors were JUST RIGHT, and it looked sophisticated enough for a formal table, yet the pumpkins still whispered, "Fall".  I also found some pretty candle holders that I probably will always use when I set the table with this particular dinnerware. I completed the look with my battery-operated candles, and "Voila!" :

I know my "guests" will be surprised when they see I created something quite different for my Thanksgiving meal, but I was thrilled to use my new dinnerware set for such a special day when family is gathered together.  I have always wanted a dinnerware set of this quality and pattern and I'm very grateful to my Hubby and my girlfriend, Mary Beth, who made this wonderful surprise happen.

I'll be joining Susan at www.betweennapsontheporch.net for Tablescape Thursday. Thank you, Susan, for hosting this party especially during the Holiday season when so many beautiful spaces are created! Be sure and stop by for a visit and see what I mean.

"FALLing" Back In

I created a post in September, but have not done a tablescape since April ! I woke up today and decided that with temperatures in the 60's (a welcomed signal that fall has hit Southern CA) it was time to bite the bullet and FALL into tablescaping again!! Wow!! Am I rusty!! I must have stood in front of my dish storage closet for 30 minutes before an idea started to germinate. On our last RV trip we went antiquing and I found some plates that seemed just right for a fall table. So that was how this table began.  Much rummaging and many mutterings later, this is what I came up with to honor my new-to-me plates:


Here's the table:

Here's How It Was Created:


The table covering I chose was one I have used on previous Thanksgiving tables. I thought it would coordinate well with the rust-colored flowers so prevalent on the salad plate I was highlighting (sorry I didn't smooth out the wrinkles; I was busy re-orienting myself to my camera!)

The base of my plate stack was my faithful brown basketweave charger I have used for many Thanksgivings and other fall tablescapes. It's always nice to welcome back old "friends" when you haven't created something in a while!

The next layer is my yellow Metaceramica plate from HomeGoods. I wanted to pick up the yellow in my accent plate, so I felt this was just the right match!

And now for the main attraction! I found these salad plates hidden away in a bookcase of an antique store and immediately fell in love with the colorful pattern. It is labeled "Spode; Great Britain, Gainsborough" with a marking stating Copeland, which I believe is the pattern name. I feel very fortunate to have found them!

I completed my place setting with yellow linen napkins from HomeGoods, napkin rings from Pier One (which I thought mirrored the flower on the plate!) , amber-colored glasses from the Dollar Tree store, and my ever-faithful Treble Clef stemware from World Market.

For my centerpiece , I started with a strip of burlap to add texture to the table and break up the solid color of the tablecloth. I wanted to use a colorful flower arrangement I got last fall so I lined with napkins that match my tablecloth, one of the wooden boxes my neighbor, Gary, had made and stained for me . Next, I added the flower arrangement.  I completed the look with a couple of fall ceramic plates, and some pumpkins (one of which I got at the pumpkin patch I visited with my grandkids). Then I finished the look with a couple of fall-festooned votive candleholders.

And there you have it! I enjoyed my day of putting the table together, but it certainly took longer than in the past.  I want to keep up my momentum now that I'm back to tablescaping, so I'm looking forward to posting my upcoming Thanksgiving table in a couple of weeks.  How did the holidays get here so incredibly fast?!  I hope all of you are enjoying the change of seasons and gearing up for all the wonderful activities that make those memories we like to cherish.

I'll be linking up to Susan's Tablescape Thursday at www.betweennapsontheporch.net.   Please be sure to stop by and see all the creative entries that are shared! Thank you, Susan, for keeping the tradition of Tablescape Thursday!!

P.S. On a side-note, I want to let you know that sweet Alyssa Grace, our newest granddaughter is now home with her Mama, Dada and sister Gianna, and she is thriving! She's now up to 8 pounds, still having some feeding issues, but busy growing and making all around her smile!! Thank you for your continued prayers.