Table for a 91st Birthday Dinner

When my father-in-law turned 90 last September, we had a big dinner party for his friends and our family at a restaurant, but for the 91st, we had a small family party at our house. Our daughter's family drove up from Houston, so we had four generations around the table -- always a treat!

I knew I wanted to use my late mother-in-law's Wedgwood Potpourri dishes, because I love the pattern, and it always brings a sweet remembrance of her to the gathering. Her collection includes these darling demitasse cups, which were perfect for serving the first course, a tiny serving of rich brie and crab bisque.  The demitasse spoons are also from her collection, in the Gorham Chantilly pattern.  My daughter and son have the rest of her silver, but I held onto the demitasse spoons for now, figuring they don't need them yet!

Here's a "diner's view" across the table.  The blue water goblet is Villeroy & Boch's My Garden pattern.

Dark red alstroemeria work well with the Potpourri pattern, and I used a single blossom in the bud vase napkin rings my daughter gave me for Christmas one year.  I use these a lot!  They are perfect for adding a little more color to the table.

I cut the flower stems short and arranged them in two julep cups.

Here's how the placesetting looked.  I think the dark blue hemstitched linen placemats make a good backdrop for these dishes.  The silver pattern is Lunt Belvedere, chosen 41 years ago -- now vintage, I guess!

Here's a look at the table, set for seven in the dining room.  The candelabra was a surprise from my husband earlier this year, and when the candles are all lit, it really looks pretty.  Alas, this bad blogger failed to get a photo!  Besides the bisque, the menu included ham, cheese grits, green beans, yeast rolls, and the birthday boy's favorite dessert, chocolate meringue pie.

Thank you for stopping by!  I will be joining the Let's Dish party at Cuisine Kathleen, so be sure to check there for all the pretty tablescapes.

Celebrating Mothers

Mother's Day offers the opportunity to reflect on all the mothers who have touched our lives, especially those in our own families.  I have been blessed with a wonderful mother, loving grandmothers,and a sweet mother-in-law, all of whom have taught me by their example.  This week, the Let's Dish party at Cuisine Kathleen centers around mothers -- and dishes, of course! 

My very first tablescape posted on my blog, more than two years ago, featured my paternal grandmother's wedding china, which she gave to me before she died.  The pattern is Admiral, by Heinrich H&C.  There are 24 placesettings and many wonderful serving pieces, including TWO gravy boats.  If this photo looks familiar, it's because I'm using in my blog header.

This was a spring tablesetting, but I often use this china for Thanksgiving, as I did last year.  I always think of Grandma Rachel when I use her pretty china.  Sadly, I don't have any dishes from my maternal grandmother.  She had 21 grandchildren, and there just weren't enough to go around!  I do remember her colorful Fiestaware and wish some of that had made its way into my cupboards.

My mother has given me many pretty things over the years, like her crystal punchbowl, but she is still enjoying her own china and crystal and silver, which will one day be passed down to her grandchildren.  Our family is gathering next week to celebrate her 80th birthday!  Since I began blogging, I have had fun playing with HER dishes when I visit.  She has two formal china patterns, both by Castleton.  Here's her Ma Lin pattern, shown for an autumn table, but I've also used it to set a spring table. 

I've also posted two tables set with Mama's other Castleton pattern, Mayfair.  Here's a placesetting from a fall table.  A spring table may be viewed here.  I think both of these patterns are elegant and look very fresh, especially when you consider Mama and Daddy will soon celebrate their 61st wedding anniversary!

My sweet mother-in-law, Jean, passed away four years ago, but she also loved china of all kinds.  After my father-in-law moved into an apartment, he gave me their set of Wedgwood Potpourri, the everyday dishes she chose in later life.  I've posted three tables with this pretty pattern, which lends itself to tables of many styles and colors.  I think this is my favorite version so far:

Jean's formal china, Rosalinde by Haviland, was handed down to my daughter.  Together we set a pretty modern table with it at her house.  Her Gorham Chantilly silver is also from Jean's collection, which was divided between my two children.  It's fun to think that one day my granddaughter -- or maybe a great-granddaughter! -- will be the caretaker of this pretty china!

As you can see, a love for dishes and a reverence for family heirlooms connect four generations of mothers in my family! Thanks, Kathleen, for inviting us to celebrate mothers this week for your Let's Dish party!  Be sure to visit her blog after 7:00 p.m. this Wednesday to see lots of pretty dishes.

Wedgwood Potpourri

This week's tablescape was inspired by some navy blue linen hemstitched placemats I found on final sale at Pottery Barn recently.  Navy is such a versatile color that I knew I'd find multiple uses for them.  For the placemats' dining room debut, I chose my mother-in-law's Wedgwood Potpourri, a pattern I just love.  Two years after she passed away, my father-in-law moved to an independent living apartment and gave me this beautiful set of dishes.  I've posted two other tables set with this pattern, a breakfast table and a dinner table highlighting the deep reds in the pattern. Here's the dinner plate in this pattern.

The pattern is very detailed, with fruit and flowers and birds. 

For the placesetting, I'm using the dinner plate and the cream soup and saucer, as well as blue water goblets. The flatware is my sterling with silverplate soup spoons from my in-laws' collection.

Here's another angle.

The blue goblets are a recent purchase, and they also go with my everyday dishes.

For the centerpiece, I'm using a silverplate candelabra with cream beeswax candles and silverplate mint julep cups filled with pink and white alstroemeria.

Here are a few more shots of this table.

The details:
China:  Wedgwood Queensware Potpourri
Glassware:  Villeroy & Boch My Garden in blue
Silver:  Lunt Belvedere

Silverplate:  William A Rogers Park Lane
Placemats:  Pottery Barn

Thank you for visiting my table this week!  I hope you will leave a comment before you leave to visit all the wonderful tablescapes at Susan's Between Naps on the Porch!

Wedgwood Potpourri Redux

For this week's contribution to Tablescape Thursday at Susan's Between Naps on the Porch, I decided to set another table with the Wedgwood Potpourri dishes recently passed along to me by my father-in-law.  In May, I posted a table highlighting this pattern with blue placemats, napkins, and other elements, so this time I decided to try it with deep red instead.

I really love the cream soup bowls, with the floral design inside.

I also like the shape of the plates against the deep red placemat. I'm using my silver, Lunt Belvedere, along with soup spoons from the silverplate my inlaws passed along to us a few years ago.  

Here's a view of the dinner plate by itself.  Fruit, flowers, birds, butterflies -- this pattern has them all!

The Georgian-Ruby water glasses have been featured in several previous tablescapes, and while I wasn't sure they were quite the right color for this china pattern, I think they work.

Here's a view of the whole table.  I would have preferred different flowers, but not enough to make a trip to HEB for them!  I decided the pink alstroemeria highlighted the lighter reds in the china pattern nicely.  Note the two kitties enjoying the late afternoon sunshine -- one on the floor to the right and one in the seat of the chair on the left.  They were most put out with me for trotting back and forth while they tried to nap.

My mother-in-law collected many wonderful pieces in the Potpourri pattern, and I've included a few on this table.  Here are closer views of the sugar and creamer, salt and pepper, and a vegetable bowl.

Here's one more view of the whole table, with the late afternoon shadows.

Thank you for stopping by!  I hope you will leave a comment before you leave to visit all the wonderful tablescapes at Between Naps on the Porch!

Wedgwood Potpourri

This week for Tablescape Thursday at Susan's Between Naps on the Porch I have set a breakfast table with Wedgwood's Potpourri pattern. My father-in-law recently moved into an independent living community and gave me (among many other beautiful things) these dishes I have admired for years. 

Today I've paired the Potpourri with my blue heart-shaped covered ramekins (found on clearance at the Le Creuset outlet in Destin last fall).  The blue-stemmed glasses are for juice, and I'm using dark blue placemats and blue-checked napkins, as well as my silver, Lunt's Belvedere.

Here's a close-up of the Potpourri pattern.  I love the shape of the plates, as well as the design.

Here's the host's view.  For a simple centerpiece, I placed pink and white alstroemeria in a mostly blue and white pitcher I blogged about last month for Table Top Tuesday at Marty's A Stroll Thru Life.  You can see the little floral design inside the coffee cup in this shot. 

Here's a better view of the sugar and creamer.

Here's one more view of the table, in which you can see the flowers a bit better.  I like the morning light in this photo.

Thanks for visiting my breakfast table!  Please also stop by Susan's Between Naps on the Porch to see some beautiful tablescapes.