Sisters’ Birthday Teacups

Tea Cup Tuesday, is co-hosted by Martha at Martha’s Favorites and Terri at Artful Affirmations.
Tea Party Tuesday is hosted by Trish at Sweetology. Please visit each of these lovely ladies for their fun Tuesday events.

I have three sisters and we have a sisters club, established in 2003 during the weekend celebration for our mother’s 85th birthday.

We gift each other throughout the year with a variety of lovely items, books, frames, tops, inspirational cards, tree ornaments, magazine subscription, etc. Most of the time the same gift is given to all four, though with some variety relating to each one’s favorite color (blue, purple, green and yellow) or some other personal preference.

One of the gifts I gave was the birthday month cup from Royal Albert’s Flower of the Month series. Each month has a beautiful flower gracing the teacup and saucer. My birthday was a couple week before last and here is my August cup and saucer: The flower is the Poppy:

One sister was born on Christmas Day so her cup is the December one, depicting the Christmas Rose.

I found full-size and miniature cups and saucers for both August and December:

I am still seeking the January (Snowdrops) and February(Violets) mini cups for my other two sisters.

Do you have a flower-of-the-month cup for your birthday month?

Sharing Books on Blue and White

I haven’t posted to Sally’s Blue Monday for quite a while, so thought I’d squeeze in a short post today. While awaiting help to try fitting my new living room drawer chest in the dining room, I thought I would at least set up a quick vignette on my new piece of furniture. See yesterday’s post for information on this new item.
This blue and white vase has been used in my living room most of the time over the years since 1983 when I got new furniture and drapes for my apartment living room. The faux flowers are faded now, butSharing Books on Blue and White since the colors go with the drapes, I still use them. For a balanced composition I’m adding two glass pears made in Italy. I’ve had these for many years, having bought them at an Ethan Allen store in the 1990’s.

I then added some books by Alexandra Stoddard and one by Chris Casson Madden.

Then, I thought, "Ohh, wait…this is Blue Monday.!" So I pulled out some of my
books on décor with blues and whites and placed them with the vase and pears.



The first three books I got from my book club, Paperback Swap.com where you get to swap your unwanted books for those you want. I hve really enjoyed these books, especially Carolyne Roehm's title:

A Passion for Blue and White By Carolyne Roehm
The Blue and White Room by Mary Gilliatt
Blue and White Rooms for Your Home by Ann Rooney Heuer

The other two books are from my many books on blue and white, which include titles on blue and white china and pottery, and about which I will share another time.

Blue and White Living By Stephanie Hoppen
Decorating in Blue & White: Creative Ideas for the Home Decorator by Lynda Burgess


I am linking today’s post for Blue Monday at Smiling Sally.

I will also link to Table Top Tuesday hosted by Marty at A Stroll Thru Life .

Fabulous Craigslist Find Yields In-Progress Change

"This is a great buy…five people called about it!" So said the delivery man as he and a younger man brought in my new piece of furniture last Friday. On Monday I was looking through the furniture section of Craigslist.com and saw this listing (with this spelling):

"$60.00 Moheganoy 5 drawer desk. Very nice and clean. Has glass top and pull out writing shelf. Will deliver for small fee."

I emailed right away asking for the dimensions and for cost of delivery to my town. Tuesday came and went and no reply. On Wednesday I wrote again asking if it was still available and got the reply, yes, and shipping would be $40. I wrote again asking for the dimensions. You see, I was looking for a piece to serve as a small buffet in my dining room; I’m tired of serving from the nearby kitchen counter and or stove.
On Thursday I got the measurements, and I quote:

"42 inches wide,19 deep,34 high.like new condition,not a scratch.come take a look."

I called, said I wanted it, and set up delivery for the next day at 3 pm.
Meanwhile I had measured the space but it was just too small. [My dining room is just 11’ x 12’ and I have a large-scaled Drexel table and eight chairs, plus a large breakfront cabinet.] Now, when I spoke to him on the phone he had reiterated that it was is great condition, and worth at least $300. I could not let it go at such a great price -- $60 plus $40 was just $100 for a fine piece of mahagony furniture (even though I had only seen the following not too clear photos in the Craigslist ad.

Anyway, I cleared a space in the Living Room between two chairs in front of the windows. Previously, I had had this 22" round skirted table between the two chairs (Not having planned all this, I didn’t think to take pictures while the table was still in place in the living room.):

The doorbell rang about 1:20 pm (he had called to move up the delivery time) and there was a small truck with two men who brought in the "desk," all wrapped in quilted padding. Unwrapped, it looked brand new. The seller showed me the Century Furniture tag in the left top drawer.

I was amazed at the beauty and quality and newness of the piece. Also, that it would work perfectly as a serving piece in the dining room – if only I could make room somehow. Indeed it was not a desk at all, despite the slide out shelf! What exactly was the piece – a console, a chest of drawers….??? Here are some pics I took of the details, including the glass top shaped to the curves:

Here it is in place between the chairs:

Well, as someone who loves researching things, I soon got online to determine what the piece is designated as by the manufacturer. After some futile searching of the Century Furniture industries website, I finally found a store that listed and pictured my piece. Now I knew just what it is:

Century Furniture Living Room Drawer Chest 679-704, from their Traditional Classics collection. This is the catalog photo I found on a furniture store website: The Product Description read:
"Features chamfered corners with decorative fret overlays. The serpentine drawer fronts are trimmed in beaded molding and accented with brass drop-bail pulls. Pull-out tray at top provides additional display space."

Yes, this excellent piece would be perfect for my dining room.… As soon as my brother, nephew, or brother-in-law comes by here, I’ll try to squeeze it in. In the meantime, it looks nice in the living room --

As the seller indicated, the piece fits in and looks great with the other mahagony and cherry furniture in my living and dining rooms. Here is a mosaic I've made of the furniture in the two rooms.

I plan to store some flatware in the two smaller drawers, and place mats, napkinsas well. However, I have not put anything in it in case I do move it to the dining room. So this change is still very much in progress!

Visit Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for more Metamorphosis Monday posts.
Also, visit Mary at Little Red House to see the mosaics prepared by other participants, and Rhoda at Southern Hospitality for more Thrifty Treasures.

Shell Tablescape in Aqua and Cream

I have been wanting to do a table setting based on a shell motif for a long time. What finally go me to do this table was finding a pair of tall candlesticks with shell motif in Home Goods last month, July 2011. My youngest sister and I were doing a quick run-thru the store when she spotted them and pointed them out to me. I snapped them up right away!

Back at home the following week, I shopped around the house for shell items to use and started to place things on the dining room table. The color scheme of natural colors, white and aqua came into focus with Metlox "Lotus" dinner plates in a bright aqua hue. Metlox is a California pottery, and I have long enjoyed California ceramics. The "Lotus" pattern is a lovely evocation of the flower. The plates sent me after pale blu- green woven place mats. To separate the aqua plate from the pale blue-green placemat I added crisp white chargers.

The first shell items are shell-shaped bowls from the J.C. Penney "Water" dinnerware.

For bread and butter plates I used the "Water" canape plates. A large "Water" serving bowl took its place at the edge of the table.

Next came Fitz and Floyd "Oceanea" items as accent pieces -- salt and pepper sets, open serving dishes, canape server plate and sauce boat.

Towle stainless flatware in the "English Shell" pattern and silverplate shell-shaped place card holders also contributed to the shell theme. Vintage silverplated butter spreaders were addded on each b&b plate.

Bright aqua napkins display ceramic shell napkin rings.


Pale Spanish Green Libbey goblets complete the setting.

The centerpiece consists of a crystal vase with hydrangeas from my garden. On either side is the tall candlestick. Three balls encrusted with shells contribute to the vignette.

I should mention that in taking the photos this evening I had to deal with somewhat drooping blooms (and some dust), since this table was set several days ago -- and was used for two family meals on two different days, one on Saturday and one on Monday. So the tablesetting is a bit ragged. I just couldn't seem to get around to taking photos.

Here are a couple shots taken when the flowers were fresher. As soon as my brother, who was visiting from New Hampshire, came into the dining room, he took out his cell phone and took photos. I pointed out the place card with his name so he took a closeup of his place setting!

I am glad to be joining the fabulous weekly blog event, Tablescape Thursday, graciously hosted by Susan. I haven’t been able to participate for the past few months, but am glad to join in this week. Visit Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for more Tablescape Thursday posts.

Resources:
Placemats: Light aqua woven, TJ Maxx 2008
Chargers: white lacquer - online, 2 years ago
Dinner Plates: Metlox Poppytrail "Lotus" in aqua, June 2011
Salad Plates: J C Penney "Water" canape plates
Glassware: Libbey Gibraltar goblets in Spanish Green – thrift shop find 2008
Flatware: Towle Supreme Stainless "English shell; vintage silverplate Butter Spreaders
Napkins: Marshalls, about 19 years ago
Napkin Rings: off-white ceramic shell design – Ebay
Salt and Pepper Shakers: Fitz and Floyd "Oceanea"
Shell motif Tall Candlesticks – Home Goods, July 2011
Ecru Pillar Candles: Walmart, August 2011
3 Shell Balls – Walmart, summer 2009
Shells: various sources over the years
Silverplate shell Place Card Holders – have had for several years

Happy New Year

This New Year’s Eve I wish to

thank all my blogger friends

for your inspiration and good will thoughout 2010

All my best wishes to you for a prosperous and Happy New Year!

Holiday Tablesetting

Well, this is nearly the last Thursday of 2010, and I am glad to participate in Tablescape Thursday, ably hosted by Susan at Between Naps on the Porch. I have been so presed for time that I have not been able to post since before Thanksgiving.

As I do every year, I took out my Lenox “Holiday” china and the coordinating “Holiday” linens to set the dining room table for the Christmas holidays.

The place settings are framed by graceful chargers and gold flatware embossed with a floral motif. At the end place settings the napkin is placed across the bowl. The napkin ring is also Lenox “Holiday.”

I also used the clear stemmed green goblets to pick up the green in the holly trimmed plates.

The centerpiece is a crystal nativity set elevated slightly, and then surrounded with gold and silver beaded garlands and green ribbon and green glass ornaments.

On each side is a silver plated candlestick with gold candles and holly rings.

I usually use the Lenox "China Jewels" nativity set, but decided on the Gorham lead crystal set since it was easily retrieved from the curio cabinet. The China Jewels set is packed away in many boxes, and I did not have the energy for so much unwrapping. See the post in my nativity gallery blog for more about the Gorham nativity set.

The place settings at the side feature cream soup bowls and stands and napkins on the side, while the settings on the two ends have rimmed soup bowls, and napkins on top.

Dessert plates are at hand at the edge of the table:

Please visit Susan Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for links to many more festive holiday tablescapes, and to join in this beautiful weekly blog event.