French Ticking Christmas Table

I found some fun plastic plates at Pineapple Park, a new store in our town, and I just had to try my hand at a Christmas table with them.  I took only a few minutes to put this together, but it turns out that it is one of my favorite tablescapes that I have ever done. 

I have been wanting to use this wonderful antique log cabin in a tablescape for months and this turns out to be the perfect post for it.  My best friend and I once owned an antique business and this piece was purchased at auction for resale.  We both loved it so much that we placed a ridiculously high price on it so that it would not get out of our hands, but looked good on display.  Well, when we liquidated the business, it came home with me!!!  The little trees and animals are not old, they are just pieces that I have acquired to add to the "look".

In order to keep it simple and almost monochromatic, I used white pointsettias in place of arranged flowers.

I placed them in birchwood covered pots that I found  at the floral wholesaler.

Here are the new plates.  I think they are so charming with the French ticking and French graphics on them.  This is a close-up of the salad plate.  You can bet you that I'll be using these out in the garden come spring.

And the dinner plate is even better!

The tablecloth is a cream linen one, and I have used this light colored wooden flatware from Martha Stewart's line at K-mart.

The matching cream colored linen napkins are gathered in an antique celluloid napkin ring and I added just a bit of greenery.

This simple red goblet is the only shot of strong color.

These votives have the same feel as the pots with the poinsettias.

Christmas usually calls for lots of color and I usually go for it.  Maybe that's why I like this so much.  It is a bit of a departure for me, but these plates told me they wanted restraint for once!!!  Nothing here really says Christmas.  No candy canes, no Santa, and no twinkly lights.  It really is more seasonal than Christmas.

I'm linking up with Between Naps on the Porch for Susan's Tablescape Thursday blogparty.  Be sure to visit her and see a great selection of awesome tables.

http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com  

Please feel free to leave a comment.  I appreciate the time it takes, and I treasure every one of them.

Polka Dot Christmas

This morning I had a friend over for breakfast while we did the seating arrangements for an event we are working on. 

I did a super simple table setting in the breakfast room.

Tomato red with lime green makes a fresh color combo but still has a traditional feel.  The red scalloped plate is from Ballard's and the green salad plate is from Target.  We use these all the time.

These polka dotted cereal bowls were actually the inspiration for the table.  I found them at Old Time Pottery.  They came in a nest of three different sizes.

I used my dark lime linen tablecloth, but again, it doesn't photograph very true to color.  The flatware is my everyday set.  It's hand hammered and came from Williams Sonoma several years ago.

This red glassware is an inexpensive set I bought years ago.  I have lots of it since I have often used it for buffets. 

Look who's sitting in the bowl!  These are ornaments I put there just for smiles.  I think they are going to my mother for Christmas since she is crazy for chickens.

These ruby red glass bread and butter plates finish out the dishware choices.

For a while, I collected skaters and this small Victorian style pair is one of my favorite.  Where is the girls's other leg????  Weird!!!

Just for fun, I echoed the polka dots in the small floral arrangement.  These kermit mums came from the grocery store when I made a flying trip there last night.  I put them in a red cereal bowl that came from the red Ballard dish set that matches the plates I used.

These napkin rings are actually tree ornaments.  I wish I could say that I made them and they probably wouldn't be hard to do.  If any one of you copy this idea, send me the post, okay?  I thought that this fabric from Hancock's made up into some cute napkins.  See the peace signs?  Lime green and red!!!  Love it!!! 

I'll be posting this at Susan's Tablescape Thursday's blogparty.  Stop by to see lots of great table designs.

http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

Giddy-up!!!

These very special napkin rings have been in my buffet drawer waiting for just the right post.  Aren't they wonderful?  They are made by my friend's company, Rebecca Ray Designs.  More about her business later in this post.  These are reproductions of highly collectible antique bridal rosettes which have been made into napkin rings.

These are the four designs that come in a set.  They are all on this dark brown grosgrain ribbon with white stitching on the edges.

I wanted you to be able to see the way these are made.  This brass that surrounds the rosette has this loop in the back that holds the ribbon.  These are all handmade by traditional methods by the men and women in the Amish community in Ohio, as is most of Rebecca's wares.

I've set this table for four in our bar on a very dreary day.  The napkin rings were the inspiration, but this antique toy horse was the piece de resistance.  He is on loan from Patty Jones at Queen of Hearts Antiques in Alpharetta, Georgia.  It's a co-op shop with lots of great things, but I love her stuff the most.  I have some more photos of that later as well. 

Here's a placesetting.  I used the napkins across the bowl so that each element would stack upon the next.

The pottery is the "Stitches" pattern from European Ceramics and I got it at Old Time Pottery.  Do you see the stitches in the pottery, the napkin ring ribbon and the saddle on the napkin?  Great, huh?

The fabrics are all from Ralph Lauren.  Who does equestrian better than Ralph?  Hermes?  Well, yea, but I think I'll have to stick with Ralph.  The tablecloth plaid and this window pane check both came from Bocca Bargoons in Alpharetta.

Here's a close-up of this detail.

Glassware is from Bobby Flay's line at Kohl's.  I think I saw that they still have this in their current inventory.

This faux bone handled flatware is so versatile.  I especially like the metal detail on the banding.  The bone color echoed the cream in the napkin.

See the incredible handiwork on these?

This other star of the table is also handmade, but many moons ago.  The details are somewhat crude but to me, this just adds to the charm. 

Here's his sweet face head-on.

This leather saddle....

the hooves.....

and the tail are really nicely crafted.

I really didn't think this table called for flowers, but I wanted to soften the look of the middle.  I used stuff from my yard; kale, Leland cypress, and nandina berries.

This might be an unrealistic sized centerpiece for a meal, but you get the feeling I was going for. Guests might get a bit tired of gazing at this great guy, but he could be gently set on the counter nearby.

At Patty's booth, this is the way he waits for just the right home. Could it be mine after all?  Maybe! 

I really appreciate the loan!!!  He made the entire table special.

If you appreciate the sporting life, you really must check out Rebecca's unique company. She started out her American-made couture handbag line with whimsical fabric bags adorned with sporting images and antique or vintage brooches. She has since added greatly to her line with bags made from Hudson Bay blankets, antique French grain bags, and canvas feed sack images. Jewelry, dog collars, key fobs, placemats, belts and pillows are some of the other items that she has developed.

I've been so happy to see Becky start and grow this company.  She has shared her experiences, as well as her merchandise with me!!!!!!!!  Go, girl!

From the Estate Series of handbags

From Accessories

Cuffs from the Jewelry line

From Home Decor

A vignette photographed at their corporate office in Chagrin Falls, Ohio

Even their staff's children are equine-focused!

I'm linking up with Tablescape Thursdays.  Go see Susan's party with lots of great ideas.

http://betweennapsontheporch/

Happy to Design has a great blog party called Sunday Favorites that invites bloggers to post their old favorite posts.  I've chosen this one for tonight. Visit her blog at:

http://happytodesign.blogspot.com/