Wednesday, August 11, 2010

I've Got the Colonial Blues


It’s time for another Tablescaping Adventure.
And this time, we’re even using real dishes.
And it’s decoupage free.
I know… I’m as shocked as you are.

The inspiration for our table came from this cup and saucer.


It’s from the set of everyday stoneware
which I chose when I got married 26 years ago
during the 1980’s revival of colonial blue.
The pattern is Kilkee by Noritake.
It’s the set we most often use for our family meals.
It’s also The Practical Daughter’s favorite set of dishes.
I yakked all about that HERE.


This table is all about her,
and we wanted it to look like her.
There will be no whimsy.
Just simplicity.
We’re using only two colors, ivory and colonial blue.
And flowers, well of course.

*******

In keeping with the colonial theme,
we moved my grandmother's table in front of the fireplace.



The sister gathered ivory and ivy from her lawn,
 and we they  The Duchess arranged it in a
simple iron basket.

The blue candles usually live
in The Practical One’s room.
They came downstairs for the party.
The floral votive candles were compliments of the sister.
We floated them in a blossom napkin
for no good reason at all.



Now, usually, I use solids with this pattern,
but the Duchess suggested a little
vintage tablecloth exploration instead.
She has two antique trunks full of old family linens. 
My great-grandmother passed them to my grandmother,
who passed them to my mother,
who will pass them to my sisters and me.
(Just checking to see if  the sister is reading...)


Just about everything else on this table
 was a wedding or shower gift
all those years ago.
You might call this my “blue phase”.
The stemware is Aurora Blue by Denby.


I have enough of this stuff to serve the colonial army.

The flatware is, appropriately,
 American Colonial
 by Oneida.
The invisible people are having shrimp cocktail.


We included my Kilkee coffee service on the table too.
Just because I like it.


A colonial table... 


by candlelight


Pretty good, huh?



In full disclosure, I’ll be serving visible people this time.
The Practical One is home from her summer internship this week,
but she’s packing to head back to school over the weekend.
We have a window of opportunity to sit down and enjoy
the last family dinner
until my two girls return home for a first weekend.

A different kind of blue phase, I guess... 

Now, the visible people are not having shrimp cocktail.
And it’s way too hot in Georgia for a heavy dinner.
Instead, they will be enjoying fruit and a great grilled chicken salad
from Gnee at Singing with the Birds

Their table will look like this.


But for now, let’s gather around this colonial blue table
with the invisible people

and play a game of Let’s Pretend.


Thanks for playing along.
I'll be posting this with Susan at Between Naps on the Porch
for Tablescape Thursday






36 comments:

Denise said...

You know I HATE to be the first comment but...those tablecloths are NOT all yours. Maybe we could do 50/50 and not tell the older sister?

Hope you enjoy some great (long overdue) family time tonight. Give hugs to the practical one from her "favorite" aunt.

Hugs,
Denise

PS I'll try to help get you out of your pending blues. Maybe a little more tablescaping?

A very blessed lady! said...

Blue is soooo back, love it all!! You did a wonderful job and that is the best lookin' bunch of invisible people ever: )Have fun with your family...how neat!

Ann said...

My wedding china would look very good with your glasses. I got Noritake also, white china with a pale blue floral patter on the wide rim, and then rimmed in silver.
I am JEALOUS of your trunks of old linens!! I have maybe 3 of my grandmother's old table linens. But that's about it. I really wish I had more!
Your mom, sister and you are all quite talented! I am looking forward to see what you'll do next!

Renée said...

Since we're pretending here, everything was just lovely! If you set this table in 2050 it will still be just as classy, southern chic, by the brick fireplace, love it. The tasty shrimp cocktail, with lots of crunchy celery, is my favorite. Such pretty candles tucked in napkins, "for no reason," along with fresh flowers. The only thing missing was a few cows...and don't be blue. If you set the table, I'll be here. Love this new talent you, sis and The Duchess are showing off!

Have a great time with the girls. Please tell them your blog buddy in Idaho thinks they need a part-time Mercer job so you can save faster for your trip out west!

Lynn said...

Two antique trunks full of family linens... how fun is that!!! Your table is very pretty, I love the way you folded the napkins! Enjoy your dinner!

FrouFrouBritches said...

That is sooo pretty! I am in love with the vintage tablecloths! They are gorgeous!!! The blue one and the green/yellow one - to die for! BEAUTIFUL!

Enjoy your dinner with your girls!

Sarah said...

Blue and white is always a winner, no matter what the decade. I say you are one fortunate individual to have all those beautiful table linens passed down the line ~ even if you do have to share with the sisters. LOL
This is a beautiful table! ~ Sarah

Jennie said...

You do a fabulous job, Mrs. Debbie! And I absolutely love that you make it a family affair. :) Do enjoy your family dinner. And as always, our door is open if you find yourselves nearby!

Here's another confession (I seem to do that a lot in my comments on your blog): I had no idea of the importance of choosing wedding dishes until I met Sam and got married...down here. And I'm so grateful I found out! Now I just need to figure out something to do with those beautiful dishes that are hanging out in our china hutch. (First, though, I might need a dining room table...ha!)

Donna@Conghaile Cottage said...

LOVE,LOVE,LOVED it!!! and especially when you lit it up by candlelight, WOW!!! Don't you just adore all those old linens. I only have one of the vintage tablecloths from my Mom, a few years back I bought her a new tablecloth and snatched it "RIGHT off her table", I didn't even ask... I'm NEVER that bold, BUT... there comes a time when you just have to do, what you have to do! HUGS, Donna

Sue said...

Such a pretty table Debbie. Makes me wish I still had my wedding dishes, although I must have married earlier than you as they were in shades of brown! {blue came next, if I remember correctly}
How fun that your whole family gets involved, you are all very talented and so lucky to have that trunk or two of linens to *share*. Keep the tables coming, you are on a roll!

The Tablescaper said...

Love that shade of blue - fabulous tablecloth and great stemware!

I host a weekly meme called "Summer Sundays". It's all about what summer means to YOU. I'd love to have you come and join us.

- The Tablescaper

Chatty Crone said...

You out did yourelf - that was gorgeous. I loved the different ways the napkins were folded - your dishes - and your candle holders - I've never seen anything like them.

Loved it.
sandie

Dayle ~ A Collection of Days said...

I'm tee-totally impressed with that table, girlfriend. Tee-totally! Magazine ready. And those old linens? Love, love 'em!

Rettabug said...

So soft & beautiful....I think the subtle colors you used are very soothing.
I laughed out loud at "We floated them in a blossom napkin for no good reason at all." I can sooooooo relate!! LOL
Very pretty table!

Gayle said...

You know I'm chuckling over here, girlfriend. I am loving every inch of the tablescape. I'm envisioning myself sitting there, relaxed and at peace with the world, waiting on my scrumptious shrimp cocktail that the hired help will be serving to me soon.

The Duchess knows her vintage linens. This went perfectly together.

Later. Here comes my shrimp cocktail.

Barbara said...

Loving your commentary! Makes me think of mine. Love that tablecloth and it looks great with everything else. Love that color.

The Decorative Dreamer said...

Oh this is beautiful! I think my favorite this week so far! I love so much about this setting! The tablecloth, the glasses the centerpiece and candles, did I leave anything out? Of course and those beautiful dishes too! What can I say, it's all gorgeous! Great job!

Grace on the Narrow Path said...

So very lovely!!! Thank you for sharing.
Blessings,
Bren

Signing Out said...

Beautiful! Colonial blue and ivory are so elegant together.

Sharon said...

Here's my RSVP:

I, one of the invisible people, will be honored to attend your family dinner. I'll be the one dressed in blue jeans...bringing the shrimp cocktail!

p.s. I missed the decoupage...I'm just sayin'

Kathleen said...

I love that tablecloth! And those blue glasses are gorgeous! The whole table is just lovely!

Table Escapes said...

Love colonial blue...Thanks for sharing your pretty and serene scape. sharon

CAL said...

Beautiful Debbie, wow, to have a trunk of vintage linens - WOW! Think about all the wonderful meals that have been served using those cloths. They truly are the canvas to our painting of tablescapes.

My taste in china/flatware changed dramatically from when I was first married some 37 years ago. I have a simple white lace rim pattern edged with a platinum band. I love color so I use it in my glassware. The blue phase is what I am in right now and I have various pieces of stemware in cobolt blue to a hint of blue glass. So I happily join you in your blue phase.

Celly B said...

That's a beautiful table of blue and cream! What a wonderful treasure chest of heirloom linens!

craftyles said...

Great table. I love the blue. All your pieces look very nice together. I wish I had the trunk full iof linens! Great job.

niartist said...

What do I NOT love about this?? It's blue and white, MY FAVE!!! So you could wrap this up and fed ex it right to me! :) LOL! J/k - but not really! Just a reminder - my Friday Vignette's post is tomorrow, and I'd love it if you'd link up! Even pictures from this post - the vignettes are great! :) Hope you join in! :) Artie

Marigene said...

Beautiful table...there is nothing quite like a blue and white table...gorgeous tablecloth.

Entertaining Women said...

As far as I'm concerned, blue is always in...way in...we live well with blue at our house. Love your tablescape and adore an apparently priceless relationship that you share with your sister. Sounds like that is plenty of the Noritake for both of you. Thank you for sharing your charming design for the Practical One. Cherry kay

Dream Mom said...

Very pretty! I would have loved to see some better pictures of your centerpiece-you really did a nice job with the flowers, candles and the colors so a close up of that so I could see all of that would help. Regardless, very well done.

Bab's Kitchen said...

blue and delicate

Custom Comforts said...

So beautiful! So glad to find your blogsite and another fellow follower of Christ!
Cindy

Kate Dickerson, C'est si Bon! La Joie de Vivre! said...

You have a wonderful collection of vintage tablecloths, and I just LOVE this blue and white on. Lovely setting!

Tablescapes By Diane said...

Hi lovely lady. I love your vintage linens my Mother was always putting them on her table as I was a little child. So now I use them on my Tablescapes and all the lovely dinnerware to go with it.come see my new Tablescapes for my Husband and his buddies if you can. I hope you like it.

Luncheons at the Junction said...

How nice to revisit that "Colonial Blue" phase. I was also had that very same color in my home in the 80's, and had forgotten how sweetly comforting it is. This is a lovely table.

Anonymous said...

What a truly beautiful tablescape! I love all of the blues. So glad I popped in for a visit here. You have a wonderful blog.

Zuni, Chickadee Home Nest said...

Hi, Debbie. Extending my visit at your beautiful blog...and immediately gravitated to the blue and white/cream. This is a beautiful table! I love blue and white and blue and cream (the more Colonial match). I simply love your flatware. It so....well, Colonial. Perfect!! I hope you get email notices of comments so you'll see this one on an older post, because you mention the Duchess. Did you notice my Duchess pattern in the post you just commented on?! :) Love it! ~Zuni

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