Friday, May 13, 2011

DESTINATION: Dinner

I love these dishes so much that I decided to pull them out again and use them for the Mother's Day dinner that I hosted, and share the setting with Tablescape Thursday.  The first time I used them (here) I focused on pale sage green tones, and it worked beautifully.  This time I decided to go with blue, matching the napkins to the plates, and I liked it equally as well.  It's surprising, really, just how many color combinations work with these very dramatic plates.
It was pure serendipity that I was able to match my mother's gift wrapping to the table setting (I bought her the DVD of the first season of Downton Abbey, and for those of you who watched it and loved it as I did, you just know she's going to swoon!)  I was actually in the process of taking apart a floral arrangement that mother used for years, then I used for years, and eventually the colors just didn't match anything that either of us had. Any time I take apart a floral arrangement, I remove the flowers and greenery and bag them up to reuse as a package decoration.
Here's the gift up close.  It really is a breeze (if you own a glue gun) to whip up a fabulously wrapped gift in no time if you set aside such flotsam and jetsam.  Honestly, I think I used to spend more time hunting for ribbon and bows than I do now just hot gluing a few flowers into place, and look how much prettier it is.  But, back to the table...
Here's the place setting without the gift covering up the design  Don't these just want to make you book a trip somewhere?
I had no idea what I was going to do with the center of the table and then I remembered the apothecary jars that I had purchased back in December and used as a part of my Boxing Day Dinner table setting.  I filled these with candles and more of the flowers and greenery from the disassembled arrangement.
I was thrilled to have scored this set of candles from Pottery Barn, that worked perfectly with the dishes.  I just happened to see them while shopping in the store one day and grabbed them.  The sales clerk told me that they had been flying off of the table ever since they arrived in the shop and, sure enough, by the time they reached the catalog they had sold out. 
Didn't this arrangement work out perfectly?  The passport is expired, but since it is loaded with stampings I kept it as a remembrance of our trips.  It, and a few scattered foreign coins, completed the table.

Old World Maps dinnerware - Omnibus by Fitz & Floyd
Flatware - Oneida
Placemats and runners - Pottery Barn
Apothecary Jars (medium size) - Crate & Barrel
Apothecary jar (tall) - Pier One
Candles - Pottery Barn
Passport - U.S. Government
Coins - British Government

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13 comments:

Marlis said...

An absolutely fabulous table. I love those dishes. Wow. I could see using them over and over and over again. I think the blue brings out the rims on them. Your centerpiece is perfect with this!

Diane said...

Great minds think alike! We both went with a world traveler theme in browns and blues!

I think those dishes are amazing,m as are the candles. Might have to try to track those down!

Mary said...

I love your dishes...they DO make me want to pack my bags & pull out my passport! Love your candles with them, how fun!

Babs said...

I love your world traveler theme for your Mother's Day tablescape! I like the twig placemants with the your china. Great idea to use a flower on the present. That makes it so special. Your mentioned Downton Abbey,, I loved that program too.The casting and costumes were absolutely perfect and the script so well written. I wish there had been more episodes, but I understand there is a sequel to follow.
Thanks for stopping by with a nice comment.Have a great weekend.
Babs

~~louise~~ said...

I don't need a passport for this excursion Pattie. You've successfully whizzed me off to never never land with this fabulous tablescape right to the last detail. The candles round out things just perfectly. Now, I'm trying to imagine where I would like to dine. Paris, perhaps?

Thank you so much for sharing. It looks lovely. I'm off to check out that Starbucks Coffee Cake now:)

FABBY'S LIVING said...

Wow, I just love those dishes...gorgeous table setting to the last detail! Great job. The candles go so very pretty and I feel like packing with all those maps! I'm also at BNOTP.
Hugs
FABBY

~~louise~~ said...

I just realized why you were asking about Lavesta. It seems I must have singed in using twitter. Didn't think I did but blogger sure was acting weird for a while there.

Anyway, love the setting! Hope you got my comment. Enjoy your weekend, Louise:)

Chari at Happy To Design said...

Hi Pattie...

Ohhh...I love the Old World Maps dinnerware, my friend! I bet they make for a wonderful conversation during dinner! Wow...and how perfect...to find those beautiful candles with old world maps as well! I love how you used them in the apothecary jars for your table centerpiece...just gorgeous! Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful table with us!!!

Have a wonderful weekend, my friend!
Chari

scribbler said...

I love your table! This is so clever and well put together.

Marigene said...

I love your table with the blue accents, it really brings out the blue in the plates. Those dishes are fabulous!

Courtney ~ French Country Cottage said...

Your table is beautiful~ I love the colors and the map dishes are just lovely! Thanks for sharing at FNF :)

~ ~ Ahrisha ~ ~ said...

Great looking table. The dishes and candles matching, what luck!

FABBY'S LIVING said...

I love this china with old world maps...so very unique! You have candles to match too?! Wow, I'm in love with this! I can just see my granddaughter Victoria who's going to be 7 in June 19...she loves looking at countries in her big, musical ball map! I will show her your dishes. Have a nice week.
Hugs
FABBY