« February 2013 | Main | April 2013 »
Our Easter Sunday today was cold and rainy. Between showers I went out and took some photos of the blooming shrubs.
This lovely gal is a peach Quince. Has tears all over her face.
In my garden, I have red Quince and peach ones. Probaby have about 10-12 of these peach ones. I really love how delicate the blooms are and look forward to seeing them each spring.
Hope you enjoyed your day even if you also had rain.
Summer
Photos: Swede
Just for you,
A few decorations on my dining room console table.
This wreath is on a black iron stand from Williams-Sonoma.
Love the color of this cup full of candy eggs.
A mix of vintage goblets.
Hope the Easter Bunny comes to your house.
Summer
Photos: Swede
I am participating in:
Tablescape Thursday on Between Naps On The Porch.
http://betweennapsontheporch.net/
Centerpiece Wednesday on The Style Sisters. http://thestylesisters.blogspot.com/
This week I decided to do a very simple white table. Just simple. Just white - no real color other than gold trim. Nothing over the top.
When I was at the Fresh Market grocery store last week, I spied these small four inch pots of White Robe Hydrangeas and they stole my heart.
There are three four-inch pots in this large Raj Party Bucket from Pottery Barn. It would have taken four of them but the store only had three. I like the gold etching on the outside of this cachepot.
There is no easier centerpiece than plopping a plant inside a planter or cachepot. Something you can do on short notice when company is coming. I like collecting a variety of these pots so I have a choice of which one goes best with the color of flower I purchase.
White Robe is the first macrophylla Hydrangea I had seen, so I was enthralled with it. I have white Annabelle's but only pink and blue macros. When the blooms croak, I am going to plant them in my shade garden.
On the Swede Collection console table, I placed a white French Haviland porcelain tureen and some white candles in an old black iron candlestand with my standby coral and Pottery Barn candlesticks.
For the table items line up, I started with this Anna Weatherley white charger. The rim has a slight ruffle and it is a great size. When I use white, I always reach for my vintage and antique mother of pearl flatware. Also using Durgin's Empire and Iris patterns to fill in. Don't know why I've never come across antique tablespoons in mother of pearl.
The dinner plate is from a porcelain maker in Poland called Wawel Recznie Malowane. That's a mouthful to pronounce, but I think their quality is awesome. Just as nice as Haviland. I had never seen Polish porcelain dinnerware before and was very impressed by the quality and I liked the gold pattern.
Here is the covered vegetable bowl. I was fortunate to find platters and bowls as well as all the plates in one set in mint condition.
For dessert, I am using these monogrammed French Haviland plates.
French vintage monogrammed huge lapkins with Mr. Swede's initials that I purchased from a favorite seller in western France.
A place setting.
For stemware, on the left is Waterford's Colleen wine glass and on the right is French white opaline water goblet by Portieux Vallerysthal.
I like the opaque glass on this white table. It does add something as all clear stemware would not give the same look.
Another view.
The cutwork tablecloth was made in China but I bought two of them in Canada. It is a bit more formal than my personal style is now as I have grown out of this look. I have layered it on top of a beige canvas cloth.
A wider view.
This week, I am linking to:
http://thestylesisters.blogspot.com/
and http://betweennapsontheporch.net/
Summer
Photos: Swede
I love when Spring Tulips are in the market at the end of February and first weeks of March.
This Tulip centerpiece is four packages of Tulips in a clear vase inserted inside the grey Napa Home cachepot to hide the green stems.
For this dinner, I chose to use my antique French Limoges fish plates by Delinieres & Co. which are hand painted and signed Albert.
Here is a wider view of the table with the six placesettings.
The dinner plates are vintage Minton. I do not know the pattern name. If anybody recognizes it, please let me know. They are in mint condition.
On the bottom, the charger is JL Coquet's Hemisphere Gold pattern.
The green hand woven placemats are from Pottery Barn made from the fibers of the Abaca tree. Although very casual compared to the plates, I decided to use them rather than fabric placemats.
Green napkins are from le Jacquard Francais. Napkin rings beaded in green and navy are from Dillard's. On the right, you can see the line up of the plates. Gold plated flatware is from Ricci of Italy. I like how the fish scales on the pattern of the handles keep the fish theme of the Limoges plates.
I purchased the bone handled knives in Paris at a brocante in the Marais district last May.
Hi-lo drinkware here is Varga's Amelia pattern matched up with tumblers from Target.
If you are a regular follower, you know I have a thing about collecting French fish plates and game plates as I think they add so much color and style to the placesettings when they are hand painted. Certainly a thing from the past. I just don't see these produced anymore. These have a navy border with gold embossed design.
Fish services generally have 12 plates, a sauce boat and large platter. The platter had been separated from this set when I purchased it and it only had 10 plates.
I designed this vitruvian scroll wave table for Swede Collection. Carrot layer cake is waiting. The aqua glass demijohns are from northern France.
Above is a wider view of the Minton dinner plates.
I really enjoyed having these Tulips in the house. Just what I needed when Mother Nature was spitting snow and raining.
I am participating in:
Tablescape Thursday on Between Naps On The Porch.
http://betweennapsontheporch.net/
Centerpiece Wednesday on The Style Sisters. http://thestylesisters.blogspot.com/
Summer
Photos: Swede
Today's Daily Thing of Beauty: Hyacinths
Spring wouldn't be spring without these fabulous bulbs in the house.
Summer
Photo: Swede
