Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Noritake for St. Patrick's Day and Japan

It is a dreary rainy day here in Western North Carolina, but we are safe and sound and thankful for everything we have. I already had this table set for St. Patrick's Day, and even though I had wished I had some pretty Irish china for the occasion, was glad in the end that I used my Noritake "Condoro."


This beautiful china was made in Japan, and the pattern was discontinued around 1921. I had gotten a few pieces of it, then my mom stumbled upon an entire set with place settings for about 16 and many serving pieces. We share it between us.  The beautiful green is perfect for Saint Patrick's Day.


I have chosen a very simple green and yellow runner that I made last year. With that, I have used April Cornell "Poet Jacquard" napkins in forest green with an April Cornell napkin ring.  I used my mom's vintage Anchor Hocking "Boopie" water glasses. The flatware is Oneida "Golden Julliard."



As you can see, I used the same dried hydrangeas in my grandfather's basket and large candle sticks that I used last week. Again, my goal is to show you how to use the same things week to week with a few changes to set a whole different mood.





I love this beautiful, delicate pattern...


It is such a dark day, I went ahead and added votive candles to the table...





I hope you enjoyed my Noritake "Condoro" table for St. Patrick's Day. It is a lovely thing to think about my Irish ancestors on my mother's side of the family. They withstood many hardships to come here and start a new life.

They are not unlike the many Japanese people who will be trying to put their lives back together in the wake of this horrible tragedy. My thoughts and so many prayers are for them now and will be in the coming days. They are so strong and resilient. When I was in Japan, the thing that really struck me about them was how polite and kind they were. They are so considerate of others without fault.
Americans could learn a lot from them. Watching them so calmly deal with this horrific situation with such incredible dignity is an amazing testimony to their strength and character. I trust that we will all be doing whatever we can to not only help them, but also help those in our own communities in need. When I hear people ask "where is your God now," my response is that He is there in the many rescue workers on the ground, people sending and delivering food and water, and so many others who will answer the call to do whatever is needed. He works through us when we let Him. Please remember Japan as you go about your daily lives filled with so many blessings.

Thank so much for stopping by! I do love each and every one of your visits:-)

I'll be participating in Kathleen's St. Patrick's Day Blog Crawl and in Tablescape Thursday at "Between Naps on the Porch." Be sure to stop by and visit those ladies!!

Anita


Tuesday, March 8, 2011

J & G Meakin Romantic England...

Hello everyone! As promised, I am bringing out more English transferware.  Today it's J & G Meakin "Romantic England" in red!


I am so excited about this pattern! Seeing them is like stepping back in time to another place. And I can tell you that the men in my life, my husband and father absolutely love these plates. My dad's ancestry is very English, so I can see why he likes it. My Puerto Rican husband, however, I'm not sure about!


You can read about Meakin pottery HERE. The dinner plates feature "Haddon Hall." Below is a newer plate, which is a bit different than the older one below it. 






I just love these delicate coffee/tea cups! The cups feature "Ann Hathaway's cottage" Shottery, while the saucer features the "Holy Trinity Church" Stratford-on-Avon.



I used the same double runners I made for the Spode Woodland table a few weeks ago.  I really think the large candlesticks and vintage basket keep it modern. The hydrangeas are from this summer.


The crystal is Durand Cristal D'Arques "Longchamp" and the flatware is my Wallace "Louvre." I thought the floral pattern would go well with the china. I used my Landers/Frary/Clark mother of pearl and sterling knives for something different.

You will also notice the Mikasa "Italian Countryside" dinner plates I used as chargers. The beautiful thing about these plates is that they are large enough to use under older, smaller dinner plates. I use them a lot as chargers.


The napkins I picked up on ebay last year. These are the only ones I have like this. I usually borrow from my mom's extensive collection of beautiful vintage linens. 



A few night shots during the "blue hour."








You might have noticed the corner looks different! We have been working on the china cabinet Luis is making. It still does not have doors, but we needed to fit it, and it is too large to go back out! I will be doing all the finishing in the house. I cannot wait for it to be done! He used reclaimed wood, a tree (really) and chestnut mouldings from my great grandfather's house here. In the meantime, I am using it as extra storage.

Thanks so much for stopping by. I appreciate so much all of your well wishes and prayers for my mom. She is doing really well, and is already planning her garden for summer!

I hope you enjoyed my red transferware table this week! I hope to have a St. Patrick's table with mother's Noritake "Condoro" for next week. Take care and thanks so much for your visit!!

Anita

I'll be joining Rednesday at It's a Very Cherry World  for the first time and  Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch, so be sure to go by and visit!




Monday, March 7, 2011

Blue transferware

Hi everyone! I am continuing to use more of my blue and white English transferware throughout my house as spring seems to be in the air, and it just seems so fresh and light.  This is my walnut sideboard given to my mom by a relative with a very English background. The print was also a gift from the same relative. 



I have added some books belonging to my grandfather. His mother is in the top photo and was the aunt of the lady who gave us the sideboard. She is pictured again in the bottom photo with three of her children. My dad and his mother are in the photo on the right. I love to use things that mean something to me and have significance to my family and my husband's. In the coming weeks, you'll see a lot more English influence.


I bought this large Blue Willow platter in Japan several years ago.


I brought these plates out of the china cabinet and displayed them on this $4 plate rack I got at Christian Ministries. It was brass, and I painted it black. The top plate is Churchill "Brook" blue. The next is 17th Century England Ironstone "Red River," and the last is English Ironstone "EIT5." All of these plates were purchased at TJ Maxx at different times at least 8-9 years ago. They are all made in England. A lot of English tableware was sold at grocery stores here throughout the years. My grandmother got most of my Churchill "Blue Willow" a setting at a time at a local grocery.


The sideboard has been like this...


and this...


this way...


then one step closer...



to this...all of these changes were made with things I already had, or borrowed from my mother.


I'm thinking I will change the palm tree to an ivy topiary. I seem to do pretty well with ivy unless it's a topiary. I cannot keep them alive. If anyone has any tips on upkeep of an ivy topiary, please let me know!!

I'll be joining Marty at "A Stroll Through Life" for Tabletop Tuesday, so be sure to go by there. 

Thanks for stopping by! Come back Wednesday...I'm using a new/old transferware pattern with the floral and plaid runner from a couple weeks ago. 

Anita

http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/