IT'S ALMOST WINTER

'Tis the Season

It has been many months since I've posted.   I am in the process of selling my home, and plan to live near my daughter someday soon!   Because we've been showing the house, I have had to skip the elaborate dining room scapes.  I'm even going minimalist for Christmas.   I must say, I miss the fun and festive vignettes around our home.

In my search for festive decor on Pinterest, I came across this wonderful fireplace mantel decor.  

I find that the most appealing floral arrangements, are the ones that reach, arc, and stretch out from the base.   I also love a simple palette and prefer the rich tones of deep reds in the accessories, with the natural elements bringing in the greens. 

A MOMENTARY PAUSE

 Well hello!   It's been a couple months.  How fast time flies.   I set a Valentine's table, but we had dinner with friends at a local steak house that was fabulous.  Ceasar's salad, and a thick, juicy, cooked perfectly, porterhouse steak for four with asparagus, creamed spinach, and of all things, corn brulee.   Corn brulee? Yes!  It was fabulous.  Creamed corn cooked like creme brulee.  Delicious.  Was a fun night out.

I expanded my teapot collection.   Went with aqua to coordinate with my vintage fluted rim vase and Aunt Fran's aqua Italian pottery.   She gave us this set in the mid 90's when we were spending time in Montauk.  It's four plates, sugar, creamer, and a three-compartment condiment dish.  The tablecloth was my mom's.

We're having a mild winter in New York.  No snow to speak of, an inch here and there.   Today felt like spring, and I was in the mood to put out my spring door wreath.  With a quick trip to Michael's, I spruced it up by adding a few more flowers and refreshed the bow.   After Easter, I'll replace the bunny with a birdhouse.

FALLING IN LOVE AGAIN

Over the years, my taste, or preference, in everything home decor has changed or evolved.   In 1971, I purchased my first set of dishes, a blue and white pattern, Old English by Ridgeway.  I wish I still had them, they were beautiful.

Old English by Ridgeway (Photo credit: Pinterest)

 Nine years later, I moved and bought a set of stoneware that had a cobalt blue rim with small cobalt flowers on a grayish-blue background.  I used it for thirteen years, then gave it away when I moved to New York where I started a new life.  In New York, most of my home furnishings and decor were selected by my husband and me.   It was 1993, and at that time we were influenced by art deco and modern styles.  The dishware we chose was Currents, by Mikasa with a colorful geometric border pattern that I used when I entertained for the next twenty-two years. 

Currents by Mikasa (photo credit: Replacements.com)

During that time, my mother's china, Petit Point by Haviland, and some of my Grandmother's China, mostly Haviland and Limoge, were passed on to me, as well as several sets of dishes from my husband's mother. 

Petit Point by Haviland (photo credit: Replacements.com)

It happened suddenly and without warning that I became interested in creating tablescapes.   It was 2016, I turned 67 that year when I saw a table setting on Pinterest that filled me with joy.   I had to duplicate it or come close to duplicating it, and it was that journey that led me to view my table as a canvas for creativity.  This is the collection so far with my handpainted juice glasses, and napkin rings to coordinate with the bee dishes.

Honeycomb by Boston International

My handpainted juice glasses and embellished napkin rings

Seven years later, the muse continues to visit and inspire new tablescapes and I enjoy the infatuation.   My latest desire is to set a table using Currents.  I want to lighten the heaviness of the bold geometric pattern, so I found some salad plates that would lift the setting.   The salad plates are Japanese, and the maker's mark is a blackbird or crow.  As of yet, I haven't found the name of the manufacturer.  Below is a collage of items I plan to use in my setting.

 

A NEW YEAR

We made it!  2022 is over, and it's 2023, phew!  New Year's Eve was quiet, Vinnie, me, and Sadie with lots of good food, and a toast at midnight.

Not without drama, I had to call a plumber to replace a bleeder valve on one of the upstairs radiators.  He was efficient and fast.  Can't ask for more.

This was my table for New Year's Eve:

Below is my post-holiday table.  I kept the black velveteen tablecloth, used my Pfaltzgraff Chateau dinnerware, and accented the table with wood items: Olivewood cutting board and bowl, walnut salt and pepper, and a myrtle wood salad set that was my mother's. I believe the salad utensils are olive wood.

COMING UP!  A blast from the past:  My Mikasa Currents will be paired with some interesting additions.  Here's the storyboard.