Coffee/Tea Pot Napkin Rings...This Week's Find

For someone who only used napkin rings at Christmas time (at least that I can recall), my mother sure had a lot of them. Today’s find is a recent unveiling of these darling teapot/coffee pot-shaped napkin rings. In looking at these, and setting them up to photograph, I wonder how many of you have napkin rings that you don’t use. I think we should all make a vow to remedy that.

I really like this cute set. Initially, I looked at them as tea pots, and something that I would use with tea, but the rather rustic finishing (the barn red speckled in white) made me think of them in another way, namely as something that you would use at a formal campsite. (Are there formal campsites? My guess is that today, there are!)

At any rate, I plan to use them in the fall. I particularly like the way they look with these black-checkered napkins. I need to go through my more primitive dinnerware, and come up with something suitable for a camp out in the woods. I can almost smell that coffee brewing over the crackling campfire.

To see last week’s unique find, click here.

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Dishes to Welcome Spring

I’ve always believed that there is good and bad in everything, and the good that I am finding in cleaning out dad’s house this week are these lovely dishes that my mother bought back in the ‘70s.

She was an avid bridge player, and played with any number of groups of women. They would alternate going to each other’s homes for lunch and card playing.

Lunch fair usually consisted of soup and a sandwich or soup and a salad, and ALWAYS dessert.

I still remember when my mom bought this cute snack set. I had forgotten all about it until I found it in one of the cabinets.

In a nearby drawer I found this set of darling napkin rings. I’m so glad to have both in my home. It will challenge me to work with an entirely new color scheme from what I'm used to. 

What would you serve in a set like this one?

Get the look.

This post is linked to:

Tablescape Thursday

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Lobster Linens...now what?

I will not be serving lobster for Father's Day.  This scenario is the creation of the clever decorating staff at Pottery Barn, but you know you want to dine here.

I fall in love very easily...with linens, tableware, decorative accessories, books, food...and men, but for today I need help with my new purchase of the wonderfully fun lobster linens at Pottery Barn to which I recently treated myself.

June is a month I refer to as "The Trifecta of Horror" because every Sunday involves a gift-giving holiday and people who have absolutely everything.  The 12th is my parents' anniversary (seriously after 63 years what more does a couple need?), the 19th is Father's Day (again, if he doesn't buy it, he makes it, has it, or doesn't need it), and the 26th is dad's birthday (see above comments).

So, every year I try to make the meal and table very special (even if the gifts are practical and routine).  This year, because I am absolutely aching to go to the shore, when I spotted these linens in the Pottery Barn catalog, I pounced.  So clever, fun, and unique, I just had to have them.  Then, as luck would have it, I found a set of napkin rings that work perfectly with this set.  The only problem I now have is what on earth to do with the center of the table.  So consider this blog post as a plea for advice.  Here are the pictures of what I have (photos from the Pottery Barn and Pine Hill websites), now give me your wildest ideas.

Here is a closer view.  I did not opt for the monogramming.

These napkin rings (and this photo) are from Pine Hill.  The rings should go perfectly with the linens from PB.

This is a view of the runner (that I did not get).  I include it as it offers yet another view of this fabulous fabric.

Okay, Tablescapers, start your engines!  What would you use as a centerpiece?  I'm looking for clever, fabulous, crazy, unique, and, oh, budget-minded (as I sort of blew my budget on this set and, of course, I will have to actually buy and serve some food!  When you invite people for dinner, they expect it.)

This is linked to

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm
Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life 
Open House at No Minimalist Here
French Country Cottage
My Romantic Home
At the Picket Fence
Funky  Junk Interiors
Under the Table and Dreaming
Between Naps on the Porch