Herend…a Leaner Sleeker Look

I hope you all good holidays. Whewwwww…I don’t know about you, but I personally don’t need to eat anything that couldn’t fit on the end of a toothpick—and just one of those :). I am joining Susan At Between Naps on the Porch with the tablescape I first told you about here using my daughter’s new Herend china.

This was our Sunshine’s first time to host a family gathering or use her new china since her wedding in June. She asked for a little help setting her first formal table. Like a good mother, I agreed to help. (read: I have been dying to get my hands on this and jumped at the chance :)! The result was a symphony of gold and silver, crystal and linen!

The dinner plate is Gwendolyn by Herend. She loves the slightly scalloped edges and the fourteen karat gold accents. The salad plate is Chinese Bouquet in green also by Herend. The green is actually a deeper, truer green in person. It also comes in blue and I was rooting for that….alas, it is not my china :).

She had to have a little help with a few things. The silver is Burgundy by Reed and Barton. Although, this is her chosen pattern, most of it is mine. She will be getting a little here and there on special occasions for quite some time. The Battenburg placemats are mine also, but the beautiful linen hemstitch napkins were a wedding gift from one of her friends. I loved them so much I inquired where they came from. You can find them here—great prices. I think I need some too. You have seen the napkin rings—mine, for a dollar each at Old Time Pottery.

The younger generation seems to like a little less fuss—a leaner, sleeker look. (I think partly because they don’t have as much “stuff” as we do :). We used an inexpensive clear square vase with Kroger flowers. I love my Kroger florist! She knows me from the half price bin, but is always willing to save or special order something for me. We thought the white roses and green hydrangeas would be perfect with the china. I used clear marbles and the hydrangea leaves to hide the stems. The candlesticks and water goblets are Lismore by Waterford and also wedding gifts.

Another folding table was needed for guests. Here we used a tablecloth and gold chargers. I love to use my mint juleps as flower containers for smaller tables. Alone or in a group they still make an impact. We had so much fun with our first mother/daughter playdate with dishes!

I want to take just a minute to wish you all a new year filled with far more joy and love than you can imagine….that is exactly what you have brought me this year. My one year blogaversary is coming up and I couldn’t have ever dreamed or imagined how much my first year with you would mean….thank you.

Click on the Tablescape Thursday button on the sidebar for a quick cab ride back to Susan’s on Thursday!

Birthday Tablescape…Where the Deer and the Antelope Play

Susan, our gracious hostess at Between Naps on the Porch has invited us once again. As someone else pointed out: I don’t really think she naps :)! I know everyone is neck deep in Thanksgiving plans…cleaning, cooking, or a lucky few packing. But we are have a double celebration before the big holiday. First Born and our new son in law (hereafter known as Shug and pronounced like the first half of sugar :) are both celebrating birthdays! First Born is celebrating a milestone one and it is Shug’s first as a member of our family. He proposed to Sunshine on his birthday last year. It calls for a celebration—and a manly one!

This antelope started it all. A friend had it left over from a garage sale. He was originally an ash blonde color. The tablescape wheels starting turning in my head and with a can of gold spray paint he became my centerpiece.

We are usually an informal family more prone to barbecue on the deck than formal sit down meals—but this one is special and required a special table setting.

Glenda at A Dab of This and That tipped me off on these large faux acorns at Cracker Barrel. Perfect and 40% off to boot—thanks Glenda!

It’s hard for me to set a table without flowers no matter how manly it is. Since I had a gold theme going, I spray painted these Dollar Tree candle holders with the same gold spray paint. The roses (always from Kroger) are yellowish with burnt orange tips to pull out the colors in the china.

I used my grandmother’s Lancaster by Haviland—a great pattern for autumn. One of the things that I love most about this china is what it represents to me. This china was not a wedding gift to my grandparents. My grandmother, a career woman, bought every single piece on layaway—that thing people used before credit cards. She had a great appreciation for beautiful things and was willing to work for them. I found these great gold napkin rings at Old Time Pottery recently for $1 each. The sterling is Burgundy by Reed and Barton.

I dressed up the Lismore by Waterford with wired gold ribbon. Each person will have their own little crystal salt and pepper set.

No one but my grandmother would have ever dared to wash this covered dish…we were all afraid we’d break it :)

I am serving Rett’s (from The Gazebo House) individual beef Wellingtons and the gravy boat will be perfect for a horseradish sauce or bearnaise

Butter pats for the rolls will hide inside here. I usually use this china for Thanksgiving, but this year we will be eating with my daughter—my first time to be a guest in over twenty five years. The Thanksgiving torch passed directly from my paternal grandmother to me…so I had to get out her china….I hope you’ll enjoy sharing it with me.

Click on the TT button on the sidebar for more tablescape with Susan! Don’t forget Deck the Halls will be on Tuesdays beginning December 1. I hope you’ll join in the fun and grab a button! For details click here