Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Red, White, and Blue for Two


Election Day has always been a big holiday around our house.

Super Dad stayed home,
and the whole family descended on the polling place
 at 7:00 AM
making a red, white, and blue
spectacle of ourselves
before heading to school.

Later,
we would gather around
 a patriotic table
to wait for results. 


Not this year.
This year we had an empty nest
and early voting.
It's not nearly as fun.

So this week's tablescape is an 
election night table
 for two


We wanted the table to be red, white, and blue
without looking too much like the 4th of July.


We started with hand painted blue chargers
then sandwiched
red and blue Wedgewood
between everyday white stoneware called
 Tanglewood.


The Wedgewood
was a gift
 from some British friends.
The red ones are part of a commemorative set
 of Georgia history plates
 made in Coventry, England.  

This one
shows the story of Nancy Hart capturing
 a group of  Tories
by distracting them with a heavy meal
and snatching their muskets.

The blue Wedgewood has scenes of child's play.
This one is called 
See Saw.


We couldn't decide between red and blue stemware
so we used both. 

We've used the cobalt ones before. They just came from Walmart. The red ones were on sale recently at Belk. Among the three of us, we now have enough to feed a Christmas crowd.


Our table is bipartisan.

Decoupaged coasters for elephants...


And for donkeys...


Why, there's even a little tea partying
going on
with this little butter spreader.

The bread plate is from an antique set of Blue Willow.

For our centerpiece,
 we filled a transferware pitcher
 with carnations and ivy.


We gathered blue and white napkins
with napkin rings featuring Uncle Sam.


 Uncle Sam  showed up on the table again 
in the form of a nutcracker from the Duchess's collection.

He usually guards her patriotic tree.
I'll be yakking all about that...


Adding some red, white, and blue candles,
and we're just about done.


And there you have it.
An election night table... 


... the first meal in months
not interrupted by 
the telephone.

****
Sharing this with the Porch People
for

51 comments:

Denise said...

The election table turned out VERY cute. Uncle Sam looks quite happy guarding your table. Love those red and blue dishes. You have made our British friend proud using her gift.

SO glad to have my phone stop ringing too.

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Debbie, I love this tablescape! I had never thought of this, but I think I will borrow this idea for next year. I just love it. And I love your vintage plates.

You won't believe this, but I am related to Nancy Hart through marriage. While rusty on that line, one of her sons married one of my gggg aunts. I read that cnce years ago, someone dared to dispute the story, and a group of descendants and history buffs came out and nearly cut off his head with their gardening sheers! ;-) In truth, some road workers actually found the shallow grave with something like four or five skeletons near where the Hart cabin stood when they were building a highway in Georgia.

Thank you for sharing this wonderful idea with us, and I think this is a cute table to celebrate all patriotic holidays and events!

Happy Tablescape Thursday...

XO,

Sheila :-)

Sharon said...

Cute table, my friend!

Gotta love Nancy Hart. The way to a man's musket is through his stomach...

Cute coasters, too. Let me know if you figure out a way to "decoupage" a few of those politicians' mouths shut...OK?

Just sayin'... :)

Ann said...

I sure could have borrowed your table setting when we were overseas and told to entertain in a very American manner! Well, we did serve a lot of "Tex/Mex" and chili! LOL!

Gorgeous plates. I have three sets of dishes (two china sets, one stoneware set) and every single one is blue and white! Go figure. I want to be able to use red chargers at Christmas, but we can't help but look political! I need plain white plates ......

Another wonderful example of your imagination Debbie! Beautiful!

~Ann

FrouFrouBritches said...

I love all the red, white and blue!! The coasters are too cute! The see saw plate is gorgeous, as is the antique bread plate. Gorgeous! Love it! The nutcracker is precious!

I am so glad not to have my phone ringing every fifteen minutes today! Thank you Jesus!

Karen said...

I loved looking. You did a fabulous job. And not 4th of July looking.

http://bitsandpieces-sonja.blogspot.com/ said...

okay, so you not only write beautifully, but you also design and decorate!! oh, for sure, a gal right up my alley!! No wonder I love visiting here. LOVED your table!

Tricia said...

Debbie, what a wonderful Election Day tradition in your family! It never occurred to me to set a special table last night, but yours is perfect for the occasion. I love the red and blue transferware you featured! And, yes, thank goodness all those election phone calls are over!

Angel said...

This is beautiful Debbie, as always. But what I love most is how you are able to take an event that might seem so ordinary to most and turn it into something special. You are really amazing. God bless you!

Vanessa said...

Seriously! Can I please come hang out with you guys sometime? You just seem like my kind of family and I think that is so awesome that you really celebrate that we have the freedom's we do and I absolutely love your Georgia History plates! I think if I bought Oregon History plates it would just show lots of rain. I was thinking that this is a great idea for me to do with my kiddos as they get older so they really appreciate the privelege it is to vote!
Thanks for doing this Debbie!
Vanessa

Lynn said...

How fun to set a table for election day! I love red, white and blue and can never get enough of it! The plates are beautiful and I'm lovin' those red glasses:@)

Custom Comforts said...

What a great idea and I love your selection of plates!!! They are so lovely together. I hope you had a nice meal and enjoyed the election returns.
Cindy

Manda said...

If there is one thing I've always applauded about your country... it's your patriotism. Simply beautiful!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful patriotic table!

Slice of Pie said...

Love everything about this tablescape ... especially the Georgia plates. Well done!

Donna said...

Very cute "bi partisan" table. Love those candles!!
D

Debbie@Mountain Breaths said...

What a wonderful idea for election day! I voted, but never once thought of doing a tablescape for election day ;o) I might even have a party next year!

xinex said...

My blog does that sometimes, the comments run unto the photos but if you refresh the page, it will correct it. I don't know why it happens. Thanks for coming by, Debbie. I bought a chargers sometime last year from Dillard's. What a beautiful patriotic table you have set, so pretty. I love all your transferware and how you put everything together....Christine

Pattie @ Olla-Podrida said...

What a great idea! And a fun excuse to decorate in colors that are different from the seasonal hues. I'm going to keep this in mind next election day, though I doubt my table would be as pretty as yours. Lovely.

Marigene said...

Debbie, what a great table for election night. I love the transferware and the red stemware. What fun coasters!

Sue said...

What fun you must have at your house!! I am feeling very guilty for not celebrating election day as I should! And...I don't really do blue in my house, but I think you should pack up those blue dishes and send them to me!! How adorable are they? I hope you show us the rest of the plates some day soon. They are seriously cute.

Melissa Miller said...

Debbie what a creative idea for a tablesape. I love it. The warm glow from the red goblets is super. Gorgeous!

Happy week! ~Melissa :)

Chatty Crone said...

I love the red white and blue table scape design. So who ate with you? And did you get out and vote? I did. It's cold here - what about you?

sandie

Marlis said...

This is the most fun tablescape!!! I love every piece. OMG.. an uncle sam nutcracker.. We never had so much fun growing up, I should have done this for our kids.. but it's an empty nest now.. but next election!!

Amy Kinser said...

How neat that your family made such a holiday out of voting day. You certainly showed your girls the importance of exercising their rights to vote. Keith got to vote for the second time this time and loved it. He really gets excited about it and truly tries to be informed.

I love your table all fixed up for two.

THANK YOU so much for featuring my blog as your blog button of the week. You are very kind. It's because I'm your Tennessee friend who loves listening to all of your stories!

Jacqueline said...

Nancy is my kind of girl, distract them with goodies and grab their muskets. What a fun election day post. I loved all of the details and really loved the little "tea party" detail thrown in. Couldn't have been cuter.

Renée said...

Your collections are amazing and I love your idea of making voting day a celebration. It should be that, you're right. I especially like the Blue Willow plates and Uncle Sam. I appreciate your talents and that fact that you are multiplying them each week thrills me! Cheers from Idaho...

Chari at Happy To Design said...

Hi Debbie...

Ohhh...I just love your "election day" table, my friend! You're sooo good! Honey and I sat in front of the TV with our dinner...watching all the race results! Hehe! I just love your blue transferware pitcher and it's sooo pretty with the red, white, and blue florals!!! Your place settings...gorgeous! Love, love, LOVE all that red, white, and blue transferware! My favorite was the blue & white plate with the children on the see-saw...adorable! Well my friend, it looks like you had all the bases covered...the democrats, the republicans, and even the tea party candidates! Too cute! Thank you so much for sharing your fun and festive table with us....such a treat!!!

Warmest autumn wishes,
Chari @Happy To Design

Sami said...

The bipartisan coasters are a hoot! What a wonderful and fun table.

Sami G.

Maria said...

Wow! I'm so glad I didn't come across this idea when my kids were little or I would have been adding yet another tradition to our family repertoire! What an incredible idea! I like how you balanced the political parties, and I love the history behind your plates! Fantastic table!

Kathy said...

What a wonderful idea! love all your patriotic touches and the plates! I worked the elections that night - love our Country!!!
Kathy

Sue said...

Tammy, What a beautiful tablescape and what a wonderful idea for the election celebration. I also think it is very romantic too. Your dinner ware is simply beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
Hugs, Sue

Anonymous said...

That is a great idea!

Lindy said...

Oh my goodness, I have to bookmark this. You're tablescape is wonderful. I love it! And, I love the idea of celebrating election day!

we three dogs and me said...

clever you I didn't even think about an election night tablescape Love it all

Through My Red Door said...

Debbie~
I second, make that 30thish, everything everyone else has said, and they said it so well! I too love to visit you because I know I'll be thoroughly entertained and inspired. And I love it when you visit me, I look forward to it; no pressure!

You're some lady!
Sheila

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

Debbie, the whole table is just fabulous. Love the mixture of the transferware red plates and blue plates (that see saw plate is sooo precious). Those napkin rings are wonderful, and I love your bipartisan touches (love the way you even got the Tea Party into the scape -that made me laugh out loud). Great election night table (and I am SO glad we are not getting those calls any more!) laurie

Stephiejo@Inside the Barbie Craft Room said...

Very elegant tablescape. I had to laugh out loud at that last bit...not interrupted by the telephone..how very true! Stephanie

The Decorative Dreamer said...

Oh, what a wonderful idea to celebrate election night! I love your setting, especially those wonderful blue plates. I couldn't help but chuckle about the bipartisan coasters and including the "tea party" also. I just love this!

Jenny @ Simcoe Street said...

So patriotic!
Love the red goblets and your lovely dinnerware
Jenny
www.simcoestreet.blogspot.com

Dawn-Hydrangea Home said...

Great table. My mother-in-law would love this! I am always picking up anything patriotic for her.

A Perfect Setting said...

Love the election table. So clever, your dishes are just beautiful! Put together so well, I love it!

Barbara said...

I have never thought of setting a table for election day and it is such a wonderful idea! I will be borrowing that idea next year. I love the color combination and all your lovely details.

Anonymous said...

OK, first I have to say....this table is simply amazing. You are so creative and talented to have this theme.

Second, I love every single detail of your "work." My favorite is the layered plates with the God Bless America flags. Love it.

InMyOwnStyle said...

Love the way you layered the blue and red wedgewood on the white. Not only perfect for election day, but it creates such nice contast and interest. Really lovely table.
My best- Diane

Yellow Rose Arbor said...

This is great! I've never seen an election day tablescape before! How neat that you had a tradition with your children to go to the polls!

All those plates and glasses are beautiful!

I like the bipartisan theme, and how nice that you even added a bit of tea party!

Nice job!

Katherine

Dreamgoddess said...

What a cute table! I love the pitcher with the flowers and your plates are beautiful.

Sherry said...

What a fun thing to do. I had never thought of celebrating election day by doing something like this. Your table was just wonderful, beautiful dishes and the details are so creative. I enjoyed visiting you today.

Mid-Atlantic Martha said...

This was wonderful! You thought of everything (Even the Tea Party!) This looks so festive - win or lose! I have always voted in every election I could. Next year we'll all have to celebrate with you.

Manuela@A Cultivated Nest said...

This is such a cute idea! My daughter voted for the first time - wish I'd done something like this to celebrate!

Manuela

Tablescapes By Diane said...

Hi lovely lady~~~I did not see this Tablescape befour. I love the colors so Beautiful like all your tables sweet lady!!! Im your newest follower on this post. I hope you come see my Tablescapes. I also hope you have a nice weekend.
Diane

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