Tablescape Thursday ~ August 27, 2009

Thank you for stopping by for this weeks Tablescape Thursday!
As we approach autumn, I like to take every opportunity to dine al fresco while the weather is still warm.

I have some authentic vintage tablecloths which are dear to me, but most are over 50 years old and I try to take good care of them. For outdoor dining (as under this Douglas Fir tree), I'm more comfortable using reproduction tablecloths like this one which don't require any special care.

I purchased this new reproduction on the internet a couple of years ago, very reasonably priced. Quite honestly when it arrived the colors were not what I expected.


Not my favorite combination of colors, so it has been in the drawer ever since.


But for today's Tablescape Thursday I decided to try to work with it to see if I could make it work, using dishes and accessories I already had.

I started with the chargers; a buttery yellow color to pick up the field color of the cloth. Next the apple green Fiestaware dinner plate, on top of that I pulled salad plates from the American Atelier set. Then individual covered casseroles by BIA.

By now I think everyone is familiar with the "Bee" flatware? *grin*

And the French "Bee" tumblers?

A little cherry platter.

These two shades of green don't coordinate well, but I chose them for strictly utilitarian reasons ~

The casserole was the right size for the recipe... :)

And the cast iron trivet ~

is actually a candle-warmer.

The hydrangeas in the garden are kaput for the summer ~ these are fakes. :)

I like to keep a candle lantern nearby in case the sun begins to set while we're still enjoying our time at the table. I love the ambiance the soft light brings, it invites us to linger and relax.

Well, these STILL aren't my favorite color combinations... but at least I gave the tablecloth a try!

A big thank you to Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for hosting us ~

(And for the incentive to pull that tablecloth out of storage!)

Please click the button above to visit Susan's wonderful blog and to see all of this weeks entrants!

~*~*~*~

Sources:

(Click highlighted links to read more, or to order )

Chargers: Pinzon Charger Plates, Set of 4 (link)

Dinner Plates: Fiestaware by Homer Laughlin

Salad Plates: American Atelier "Baroque"

Stainless Flatware: Neiman Marcus/Horchow

Bee Glasses: La Rochere Glass Bee Highball Glasses Set of 6 (link)

Cast Iron Candle warmer : Le Creuset*

Emile Henry 3 Quart Round Casserole

Le Creuset Jug (link)

Retro Tablecloth (link)


Cherry Platter : Harry and David Gift Store

Base tablecloth and napkins: April Cornell

Le Creuset Cast Iron Trivets *

*Note: These are the plain cast iron trivets ~ to locate information on the candle warmer version you may need to contact Le Creuset/USA.