Tablescape: Awesome Aqua - Version Two

 

Last week I presented an aqua and white tablescape HERE.  I like to use the same table elements back to back when the occasion works.  Today I am using some of last week's tablescape -- the tablecloth, napkin rings -- to make a different version of aqua.  This week's theme is Hyacinths -- both real and metal. I love metal flowers, especially old ones, and love collecting them as they are so "permanent".

Today's aquas are:

1) Kim Seybert capiz shell round placemat. It is actually aqua but the camera reads it as a deeper shade of green; 2) charger in sage by Mikasa in their Color Spectrum series; 3) dinner plate by Royal Worcester with a date code of 1950. That color was popular then. I don't know the pattern name; and 4) shell-shaped French Limoges hand painted dish that I am using for dessert service.

Here is what the sage Mikasa charger looks like. They were made in many colors in the late 1980's and 1990's. You've probably seen them many times or own them.  That is not a mark on the charger, it is just a wierd light situation.

But starting the dinner off are these hand painted French Limoges bird plates for appetizers. I love them for their blues and greens and birds in the Spring seems a natural element.  Each of the plates has a different pair of birds.  The French artist's signature is there but I can't read it easily as I am not familiar with French last names - L. S ----; need to research that more.

The species of bird is not marked on the back so on some of them I would just have to guess. These are probably Quail.

A collage for you.

More cute birds.

Pheasants on this plate.

The bird appetizer plates go directly on top of the chargers. Often I show you photos of the plates stacked up, but I don't like them stacked when the guest is sitting there.  It is cumbersome and awkward for them. Use only one plate on top of the charger at a time.

For the center of the table, I am using fresh Hyacinths from the grocery store.  In our area we only have three florists left still in business in a 30 minute drive from my house. The cut flower business has gone to all the grocery stores and I can find upper end cut flowers at two of them but one has outrageous prices.  I wanted white Hyacinths for this table because I have the white metal ones and luck so had it that Fresh Market grocery store had them this week in both white and pink. Usually you can find the purple ones in pots.  When I buy them in the pots, after the bloom has ended I plant the bulbs in my front yard in the sunniest spot so they come up first thing in the spring.

I purchased three bundles and placed them in three clear glass footed vases.  You can imagine the great aroma these three bundles makes in the house.

Here you can see the metal ones clearer.  I purchased quite a few of these for a photo shoot I did previously and have some small, medium and large ones for sale still in the original boxes.  I am going to open an eBay account this week to sell the extra ones. They take spray paint well if you want different colors. Above you see light blue, aqua and white ones.

I am always intrigued with the line up of plate edges.  You can see the Martha Stewart Home aqua quilted tablecloth here and the Yves Delorme napkin with Kim Seybert aqua beaded napkin ring.  I chose antique Gorham in the St. Cloud pattern.  It used to be very hard to find, but I've seen alot of it come on the market lately.  Old Gorham patterns were hand tooled and very well made and many have romantic patterns popular at the turn of the century.

I've also added nests with birds' eggs which I enjoy doing only in the Spring.

And blue eggs.

Here is what the pattern looks like on the Royal Worcester dinner plates.

And how they look on the table.

The French shell plates came in four colors, pink, yellow, pale blue and aqua.  I like the aqua ones best.  I found mine in San Francisco about 15 years ago and I added a couple more that I found in the French section of Canada.

All the dessert shell plates have different florals on them.

It is about 5:00PM so the low sun is coming through the plantation shutters.

I am using clear glass today because I forgot to go upstairs and bring down my aqua bubble glass goblets. I have not had any luck finding aqua toned crystal stemware.  This is etched Zodax on the left and the Edward pattern by Williams-Sonoma on the right.

I wanted you to see the close up of this Martha tablecloth.  It has what I would call vermicelli style stitching in the quilting and then has tone-on-tone embroidered flower clusters all over it. The color actually is aqua in person but the camera is reading it as almost white which is a shame since it is truly a lovely color.  It also has a scalloped hemline. I purchased it at Macy's about four years ago.

Collage of the Yves Delorme napkin and Kim Seybert napkin ring.

Above is a close up of the metal flowers. They are quite sturdy and well made with alot of detail work to cut the petals in the metal and attach them.

I'll leave you with this last photo so you can take a deep breath of this tremendous aroma.  Can you smell them???

I am participating in Tablescape Thursday this week on the blog Between Naps on the Porch. To see all the entries, after 10:00AM Eastern on Thursdays, go here:

http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

Summer

Photos: Swede

 

Comments

[Alycia Nichols]

Oh, wow....this is so pretty! Aqua is such a soothing color, and you have really brought it to the fore here. I could just wrap that napkin ring around my body and wear it all day!!! Gorgeous!!! I love all the intricate detailing of it. LOVE the white hyacinth! I don't see it in white so often, so it makes it a special treat. Hyacinth is a favorite flower of mine. I walk into the grocery store around February or so and get my first whiff of that wonderful fragrance, and I know Spring is not far off. It's the best smell and the best feeling! You were so smart to get those beautiful chargers when you did. It's tough to find colors in china chargers these days. Beautiful table! Have a great weekend!

[Zuni]

Oh....this is MY kind of table!! It's just gorgeous!! The dishes are to die for, especially the Limoges...be still my heart. The napkins and napkin rings are also gorgeous, as are the metal flowers--I love their rustic base against all the lighter elements. And the 3 vases with the hyacinths make a perfect, fresh centerpiece. I an following you, and I invite you to visit me; I think we have lots of common interests and likes. I hope you'll follow back. ~Zuni
PS - I now also saw your previous aqua post--gorgeous too!

[Al Vignolini]

I like the sunshine in the pictures, it increases the overall beauty of the tablescape!

[Pat]

Oh my goodness! That table is beautiful and I absolutely love those bird plates and the Limoge dishes and the hyacinths! Your table is just lovely.

[Cindy]

Your china is always so exquisite! I love coming here to see what goodies you have in store! Always a treat!
XO Cindy

[Entertaining Women]

I love every detail...and your color choices are on the money. The metal hyacinths are wonderful. How many do you have that you plan to sell...what colors...price? I may be interested. Thanks for inviting us for a peak. Cherry Kay

[envoyette]

There's so many favorite things....I can't pick one!

[All the Pretty Dishes]

This tablescape is absolutely gorgeous!

[Carolyn]

An amazingly gorgeous table and I definitely got a lot of inspiration from your post. BTW, those metal pieces, I have the same ones that I found years ago and I loved the way you used them. I have several similar ones, a collection of sorts. I thoroughly enjoyed your post.

Carolyn/A Southerners Notebook

[marlis]

This is a fabulously dreamy table! I love those seybert napkin rings.. well love love the dishes. The color is so soothing and pretty. It's stippling on the quilted tablecover, and it looks great as a backdrop for the pretty dishes. Your table is airy and light and is making me wish that we were deep into spring already! xo marlis

[Maggie]

This is truly one of your more marvelous tablescapes for spring! It's so vibrant and has just the right touch of bling. Aqua seems to be the new "now" color and it certainly looks wonderful on your table (even if one has to imagine the color due to the picture). Just beautiful!

[maureen]

Oh, the aroma is penetrating from my computer screen! Love your arrangement of flowers real and metal! My fave plate is the French shell plate. Just love them...I don't own any of that shape but must be on the look-out for them in my haunts. Spring has sprung for you but I'm anticipating its arrival here in NYC. Can't wait for your ebay listings. Good luck!