Wednesday, April 28, 2010

April Cornell and Vintage Noritake...

If you have not discovered April Cornell linens, and other lovely things, you are truly missing out on some of the most beautiful items for your home! For this Tablescape Thursday over at "Between Naps on the Porch" I thought I would share some of her gorgeous linens with a lovely vintage set of Noritake "Condoro."


I was browsing through ebay several months ago looking for  a salad plate with green. I stumbled on some odds and ends of this Noritake "Condoro" and fell in love. After I got the pieces, I intended to add to it buying pieces from replacements. However, one day I ran across a 110-piece estate set on ebay!!! To make a long story short, my mom bought the entire set. We are both beside ourselves because there is service for 16! So we figured we could split it in half then borrow the others when needed:-) Works for me! This beautiful pattern was discontinued around 1921, so it is old but in pristine, unused condition.

Then, I went on the quest for linens, etc. I searched April Cornell online for the perfect green napkin and found this "Poet Jacquard" napkin in forest green.  I only bought four hoping they would work. Then I found this "Daisy yellow" beaded napkin ring and knew I was on the right track. Knowing that my mom will do a really formal table, I decided to make mine a little more casual. Here is my inspiration photo below. This is a dining room in Spain, and I just loved the casual, rustic feel and thought that would work for me! This photo is from the incredibly lovely book, "Mediterranean Style" by Robert Fitzgerald and available from amazon.com HERE.


I used with this 100-year-old basket belonging to my grandfather and filled it with yellow Chrysanthemums.




I decided to pull out the amber color because of the napkin rings and used this glassware from Pier One...


Armed with the linens and a berry bowl, I headed to a local fabric and decor shop, "Vertigo" where I found the perfect fabric for my runner. I was so excited to find this because it just ties everything together so beautifully, don't you think? 



Here's a peek at the china...notice I reused the rattan chargers, and the Mikasa "Italian Countryside."


I added a touch of gold with my Oneida "Golden Julliard" stainless flatware.



The butter knives are vintage Landers/Frary/Clark sterling silver and mother of pearl...


Isn't this just the sweetest cup?? I am in love with this pattern:-)




Since I used the amber, I got out this L.E. Smith "Moon and Stars" decanter and glasses that my mom gave me for Christmas. I borrowed the amber candle sticks from her, which came from a local Kel-Save drugstore!


Look at this little tea pot! I thought it would look great on one of the serving platters.


There were two creamers and two sugar bowls, so that worked out nicely!


These will be going outside to the garden soon...






You know I have to include one of my chandelier shots, lol!!




I also left the bench instead of using two chairs because I thought it added to the more casual feel I was going for...


Notice the amber lantern? That is one of my finds from Turkey and I thought it would be perfect in this window.






I hope you are inspired to mix things up a bit! See, you can take a formal china and make it more casual and updated, I think.  Needless to say I have ordered more of these April Cornell napkins and napkin rings, along with some other incredible linens you'll be seeing soon. If you have not shopped her site, please go by. She has some wonderful things there:-) April Cornell.

Please go by Susan's "Tablescape Thursday" and seriously be inspired!

Thanks for stopping by! I always love your visits, and look forward to getting by to see you too:-)

Anita






Monday, April 26, 2010

Mediterranean Treasures...

Hi everyone! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. We are enjoying some much needed rain, which, of course means there will be even more weeds to pull! Despite the lack of good light for photo taking, I thought I would join in Marty's "Tabletop Tuesday"  over at "A Stroll Thru Life" and share a few of my treasures from the Mediterranean.


The cabinet I bought at Big Lots a few years back because I needed something to put a TV in for another house. I really liked the black, distressed finish and painted some other furniture to go with it. It is now in a corner of my dining room and will soon be replaced by the corner china cabinets my husband is building:-) 


Here is a closeup of some of the detail around the top...


Above it I placed this Moroccan handpainted shelf I bought at World Market also a few years ago. I actually had it hanging upside down before I figured out that it goes this way...


On it, I have put a few of my favorite things. My mom brought this doll to me from Greece in 1974. It has always been special! The large coffee pot is from India and just decorative.


The coffee pot is from Turkey and perfect for making a cup of Turkish coffee!


I thought I would show a couple different lighting options as I have this beautiful brass candle holder from Lebanon. My mom also brought this back from her Mediterranean cruise. It was made from brass shells. She keeps telling me to clean it but I really like the patina it has this way! 


The handpainted plate is one of three that I bought in Turkey. You can find them on ebay if you search for "Turkish plates." The blue glass came from Venice. I had toured one of the glass making places and couldn't pass this up. I love, love this color blue. The little wooden box, I bought in Bosnia.




That's my little corner of the Mediterranean! I'll have to show you what's inside the cabinet sometime! Then we can visit Japan and Germany! Until then, thanks for stopping by:-) Don't forget to go by Marty's and see some wonderful vignettes. Please leave a comment, if you like, so I can visit you!

Anita

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

The Accidental Lilac Table...

Hi everyone! I know I promised more Noritake, but when I saw how wonderful the lilacs were in my mother's yard, I had to use lilacs! I'll be participating in "Tablescape Thursday" over at "Between Naps on the Porch" so be sure to stop by there.


Now--I have nothing that remotely goes with lilacs. And I do mean nothing, except maybe in the master bedroom. As far as china, there was nothing. So I planned on using my "go-to" Mikasa "Italian Countryside. Then I started looking through some vintage linens, and came across the perfect topper...


(Remind me to show you all the vintage linens in here:-)

So I took it outside on the porch and got to work. It just wasn't coming together for me when it dawned on me that my grandmother had some beautiful old dishes with lilacs. Again, lovely to have mom living next door because I ran over and found these gorgeous dishes in my great grandmother's china cabinet.




There are several different colors and flowers on these. My great grandparents owned a store, and these dishes came with the sacks of flour. There are no markings on the back and no one has been able to identify them. They have been  called "Cone Premium dishes" but I cannot verify that. In any case, they are gorgeous and I love them:-)


Notice the edge on this plate is a little different than the other. 


I reused the Oneida "Meadowbrook" flatware and tarnished silverplate napkin rings with vintage napkins.




Too bad it's not a breakfast table, but I used the adorable egg cup for flowers...


This etched stemware came with a matching decanter in the late 1970s, but I don't remember the pattern or maker.


I arranged Dogwood blooms with Baby's Breath, "Snowballs" and Lilacs in an Italian vase. I proudly picked out that vase at a dime store for my mother one Christmas in the early 70s. I didn't realize until I looked at the bottom that it was made in Italy.




We're finally getting a little more green...


Just enough sun to warm us as we enjoy this early spring evening surrounded by the scent of lilacs...


I hope you enjoyed my vintage lilac table! Had I really planned out this table, I would have gotten some sheer lilac fabric to drape over the white, then done the same on the chairs with something tied around each chair back. But, there were three lovely little angels running around as I was working on this, and they were more important:-)


Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to visit Susan and please come back again! I always love your visits:-)
Anita

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

"I Love Lucy's" Franciscan Ivy...

I am a huge fan of "I Love Lucy," and I love her Franciscan Ivy (American)! I promised to share some of my new collection of the Ivy pattern so I'm starting with breakfast for two on the porch! I'll be participating in "Tablescape Thursday" at "Between Naps on the Porch" so be sure to go be there to see all the fabulous tables!

Now, come on out on the porch for breakfast...


As you can see we are still pretty far behind in the "greening up of the mountains" as they call it here. But, the weather has been so nice that we can enjoy our breakfast out here anyway.


Franciscan dinnerware was started in 1934 at the Gladding McBean plant in Glendale, Calif. My mom also has an extensive collection of the Franciscan "Apple" and the "Desert Rose" which is the most popular American dinnerware ever. She has since gifted my neice with her collection of "Desert Rose." What a way to start out as a Southern young lady! 
 You can read more about Franciscan and Gladding McBean HERE. 




I started with the same rattan chargers I have used several weeks now and the Mikasa "Italian Countryside." I bought luncheon plates in this pattern because I knew I wanted them mostly for breakfast and lunch. I added berry bowls in the "Ivy" pattern and reused the Fostoria "Argus" green for juice. 




I also reused the bamboo napkin rings from Bed, Bath and Beyond and added napkins from my collection. I really wanted to keep the organic feel of the ivy. I also used the Oneida "Meadowbrook" silverplated flatware. Notice I used the "grille" knives and forks. We have both kinds of forks and knives with this pattern, but I like the smaller "grille" version for breakfast. This pattern was discontinued in 1936. My grandmother had the pie server, and my mother added place settings for 16 plus many serving pieces. I think she must have about 100 pieces of it. It's so nice to live next door:-)


I thought the vine pattern on this flatware would work well with the ivy...




Remember Lucy and Ricky using these for coffee? I need to borrow my mom's percolator:-)


I love the creamer and sugar bowl. Some of the sugar bowls have a green trim on the lid, but I prefer this one.


It is so nice to enjoy the morning paper, a cup of coffee and a hearty breakfast outside on the porch after spending what seems like an eternity looking at snow!




Now that we have had a chat, I'll go get the coffee and serve our breakfast and enjoy this beautiful day! 


Thanks so much for stopping by to see the Franciscan "Ivy." The most important thing to remember is that you can use basic everyday settings and add to them a luncheon or salad plate in a different pattern for a quick change. 


I'll be doing a larger family table soon with the Ivy, but I think I might just feature our new find, Noritake "Condoro" which I'm sure you'll love if you like vintage china as much as I do:-)

Please come again because you are always welcome!!

Anita