A Toile Tale: nandina

As I began to gather things for our New Year's Eve table for 2011, I realized that I wanted to re-create the table that I did last year. Sooooo.......I'm reposting that blog rather than photographing everything again. Our meal will be different this year, but I'm pretty sure that things will look the same. Wishing you a wonderful 2012!!!!!!!!!

After doing most of the prep work for dinner, I decided to try photographing the dining room table in the strong late afternoon light. I really didn't think I would like the shots, but some of them were very pretty. This one gives you a view of the table and I particularly like the reflection of the nadina berries in the salad plate. I put the place settings all at one end of the table, as there were only three of us and I wanted it to be intimate. We are stay-at-homers on New Year's Eve. All we need is a nice, quiet dinner and then we watch the neighbor's fireworks and call it a night!

I've used this cloth the last two years as my New Year's Eve choice. It is an organza overlay with a white hotel linen cloth under it. It's almost ethereal in it's silver and white lightness.

Here's a close-up of the detail that became the theme for the table.

Here's how I used Dollar Store glittered snowflakes to echo the detail.

I used the two different sizes for the Waterford water goblet and white wine. I also found silver snowflake place card holders at Kohl's last year. This place was for our honored guest, "The Queen", aka, my sweet mother. She is spending a couple of months with us to escape the cold up north. (Funny, on the day she arrived, we had snow!!!) She is responsible for my ~~obsession with~~ love of dishes and I'll have a partner in crime for a couple of months!

Here is my choice of dishes for the evening.

The silver leaf charger is from Pier One, many years ago. The dinner plate is made by Gibson. I bought the 20-pc. set for about $30 or $40 several years ago. It isn't fine china by a long shot, but it gives a good look for the price. I never worry about breakage, because you never break the icky stuff, just the precious, irreplaceable items. The silver salad plate came from Kroger this year. Who knew? Kroger!!! The flatware is my favorite collection of mis-matched silverplate. I just buy pieces I love and only try to have a common shape to the handles. In this case, I look for a keystone shape and it is very easy to find.

Last year, I found these dessert plates at Target and they looked great again.

If you've ever been at Homegoods and seen this Palm Restaurant line of linens, BUY it! It launders great! Here, I tied it with wired silver organdy ribbon and slipped a silver noise maker into the band.

Each placesetting had a silver bud vase filled with a Casa Blanca lilly and red nandina berries. The berries were the only color on the table and I loved it like that. The faux mercury glass votives came from Michael's last year and I put one of these at each place as well.

I was ready to put the rest of my Christmas decor away last week, but I hadn't tired of this vignette yet. It's a mixture of vintage and new items on a heavy silver tray. (Since the tray is sort of tarnished, I'll pretend I was going with the Shabby Chic look.) It made a great centerpiece, even though I turned it sideways to cozy up the end of the table. This was the side we saw as we were seated.....

And this was the "back" side of it.

This guy was on my breakfast table, all in white, for the "Ski and Snowshoe" table I did last week. You can see it here. It's just some greens and berries added to a white serving tray with mica snow.

Here's the rest of the bunch of lillies on a chest in the dining room. I usually dislike strongly scented flowers in the dining room, or on the table during dinner, but I make an exception for lillies or peonies!

Then, as darkness fell......

We sat down and brought in the new year.

Here's a peek at our salad course. It is a roasted pear salad with cranberries, almonds and Saga bleu cheese. After this course, I forgot all about pictures, as we were enjoying ourselves so much. Trust me, my mom and I outdid ourselves and the dinner was great! The menu is at the end of the post.

My wish for all of you is to experience the good fortune I felt that night. I was in a beautiful home with two of the most important people in my whole life, enjoying a good meal and their unending love. May you share these blessings as well. Happy New Year!

Menu:

Dr. Pete's Praline sauce

over block of Cream Cheese

Assorted Crackers

Roasted Pear Salad with

Saga Bleu Cheese

Jalepeno Cheese Grits

Grouper with Crab Stuffing

Dill Sauce

Pecan Pie

Note: As I read this menu, it sure sounds heavy on the CHEESE!!!! Didn't notice it at the time!

I am posting this at Between Naps on the Porch on Tablescape Thursday and the recipe for the salad on Gollum's Foodie Friday. Both of these special blogs are a wealth of inspiration.

http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/