Tablescape Thursday: A Homage to Wonderful William Morris

Tablescape Thursday, Hosted by Susan !                           

 Last year we toured Scotland and while we were at 

 Stirling Castle 

                 

 my daughter slipped off to the gift shop and purchased  for my birthday my first William Morris  decorative item..  a gorgeous   tapestry pillow  with the design called Strawberry Thief.

About a month ago  I found a whole  tablescape group of linens of the same  design at Amazon..  This  is  so wonderful  because  the price was  very reasonable  and the  quality was  very nice!!

So I have paired  the  linens with   my blue and white  English country  scene, Countryside pattern, by Enoch Wedgewood.

 Six placemats and a table runner were included in the set!

I was so excited to  step into my Discovery Shop and find  this pair of partridges  that  look sassy enough to go after those strawberries, as well!

My room is a light blue and  I love the  contrast of these  darker colors  for a late summer table..  But  I am, also, using  my  simple  green summer  glasses with my blue and green napkins that just seem to  punctuate my style of mixing the classic with the  unexpected!.

                                       

             Here you can get the overall effect  in the room!

I had  heard from  several  folks online that  these vintage  birds were   becoming  quite rare and hard to find.. It was such a  happy moment for me to  find them immediately I stepped into our vintage shop to find the pair for ten dollars!

Tablescape Thursday

             Hosted by                       

          

So this weekend is Memorial Day  and thus begins  the chain of  other  patriotic  holidays   where we celebrate  the founding of our nation.  our  freedom, our liberty, our  appreciation  to God  for His provision and his watch care over us through wars,  pestilence,  and  hard times  down through the centuries since   the landing of the Settlers at Jamestown in  1607. We are a blessed nation and  God still  cares for and loves us,  but we,  as nation, have drifted far from HIm.  It is my prayer every day that one by one ,each  American will  think  about all that God has done for  us and  will stop, think  repent or turn  back to Him and  that our nation  will stand strong   because  times are harder and by all accounts   worse times ahead.. but with God as our foundation  we can arise victoriously! God bless America!

My table today  reminds me to think of  God first in all areas of my life!

The center of the table  is  the Bible   turned to Matthew Chapter 6,  where we find the Lord's Prayer.   The red poppies  symbolize the blood that has been shed  not only by our Lord to save us from our sins,  but  from the thousands of soldiers who  have  been deeply injured or died to secure and  protect our nation's freedoms and liberties.

The white plates  just like the white stripes on the flag symbolize purity because the acts of bravery and sacrifice of  those  lives and well being  required a heart of purity.  I pray the idea of purity has not  been eradicated in our nation. There is certainly   less and less of it in government, in communities, on tv, in films,  on the news, in our schools.  Pray for purity to be re-established over our nation!

The blue symbolizes  freedom and liberty. We thought our liberties were secure under the Constitution,  but today  our Constitution is being vandalized and stripped of  it protection.  It is up to us to  stand up for the Constitution, because political parties will not!  

Our Lord and Saviour  stands for  freedom.  It is very important to Him.

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” “You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.” “For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.”

John 8:36

2 Chronicles 7:14

if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

We have seen so much evil in our world in the last  couple of months I fear  we  are becoming used to it.  It is not a common place thing, but it is trying to  overtake the world.

But Lord has a plan to eradicate it!

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Good Morning, Sunshine

It is a very good morning,  the rain has ceased for a spell, the sun is shining, and there are patches of blue.  So  when I walked into the dining room, I just had to bring all that color inside!   I  absolutely adore yellow and blue,  two of God's most  glorious  colors in nature!

The first thing I  did was go out after the rain and cut  the largest of the hrdrangea blooms that were  dragging the plant down..

Then I   put  my   Portland dinnerware  away and  brought forth  my    blue and white transferware. I think  blue and yellow look spectacular together..  each enhances the other!  I got a bit carried away with my  fleur-de-lis napkin folds.  I mean if one looks good,   why not  three in   coordinating  patterns.

I changed up the  order of each  napkin layout to make the most of the   pattern display,  it was  fun, and I think  even though they are a bit over the top,  they look terific!!!

I have various  patterns  of  blue and white  transferware  as I love to  shop for it in consignment  and anitque shops.  I have two  actual   matching sets for dining and today I am using  my Wedgewood   Pottery, entitled, Countryside, but I am not adverse to mix and matching  the   serving pieces  from other  patterns.  That adds a  lot of flair to the table  I love  coaching scene  patterns.  

And I only  purchase English scenes.  I love collecting dishes, and  I now have   it in blue, red, black, and green.  

Hydrangeas have always  reminded me of growing up, whether at  home or at Grandma's ... 

they  remind me of  country scenes,  bluebirds and  butterflies.  They speak the very best of God's creation.

Celebrating Green!

Yesterday I finally got around to  working on the sunroom.  There were  still  wintry  items    that needed to be  put away.  Sad to say  now that we have no one coming to see us  I  get  pretty  bad about keeping the house in  proper order.. The sunroom   just wasn't calling to me at all.  But the gorgeous greens from outside were..So many shades of green at this time of year!

No matter  which direction one looks...
 
As the trees  come out each one  is adorned in its own verdant hue!



So I can't help but    bring out the green transferware!

Johnson Brothers,  The Fruit Basket pattern.

Last year  I used it to celebrate St. Paddy's Day.  but this year,  we missed that  and  the opportunity to celebrate our wedding anniversary in March!

So  now  to celebrate 'Green"  
 I set the table for tea for two!




I am still looking for the scone recipe,    but Im definitely making scones   this afternoon!!  

Table Scape Thursday

Thursday Favorite Things

Spring Serenade

Please enjoy the spring serenade while  you  are here!

Everytime I  get this  tablecloth out to use  I  am reminded of a musical serenade..  the  ebb and flow of the notes of a page  mimicking the swirls and  twirls of the pattern in  tones of my favorite color...aqua blue!

This color better than anything I can think of  exemplifies the onset of spring..   I see this color in the beckoning morning sky,  and the rills of gathering  rain on the walk. The color  shimmers   in the air  as insects flitter by, and I definitely see it in the    prism of light gifted us in springtime rainbows! So it has  necessarily been a color that inspired my collection of   vessels to use  at this particular time of year!

Above  the plate is Johnson Brothers,  Vintage Charm , the gorgeous blue salad plate is  a Matceramica pottery  made in Portugal!  On the side settings the blue plate is actually Melamine  which is always good to have available  when young ones are dining  at the table.  All of the above I picked up for a song at Tuesday Morning... one of my favorite  shops!

I still love yellow for my accent color this time of year!

 and this plate I found at a flea market   is so reminsicient  of  our spring trip to Ireland a few years ago!

The springtime birdcage signals that the birds  have  mostly arrived from their southern climes..  and I will  be on the lookout for some birds to scatter around the room  as I dig through the  storage bins.

So I bid adieu to you for now  as  evening  draws in and the lights will go out..   and we  will look to the morrow for more  springtime in the air and  and perhaps a   lovely stroll to enjoy  the birds'    lovely songs!  For me it will be my first venture out  away  from home in a while..such a strange world  we live in lately,   but at home things go on as usual...  Praise God!

Table Scape Thursday

Thursday Favorite Things

Grace at Home

Winter's Bliss

I suppose we should be happy to  be enjoying  these   mild days  of winter..    days where we have no idea how to dress, what kind of wrap to choose.  The sun is  low on the horizon, and so bright  one can scarcely see to drive!  And  if driving, by mid afternoon is tempted to  roll down the window a bit to  clear the air in the car!

So what that a year ago today  this was the view out of my window!

Well, to tell the truth. I miss it!  Isn't this the way January is supposed 

to be?..  How it is in all the glorious  stories we love?  If I can't have it in reality I can pretend, can't I ?

I  want to build a snowman.. I'll plant him on the table!  And pile  the snow about him  like  the snow cloud Elsa  provided  dear Olaf!  And then the  a snow village  came into view!

It being such a cheerful room   as we continue to celebrate the full Twelve days of Christmas, candle light sheds its  glow  o'er it all to  illuminate   the town,reminiscient of a Light that glows from on high and in our hearts  during this season and every day!
"It snowed and snowed, the whole world over,
Snow swept the world from end to end.
A candle burned on the table;
A candle burned."
-  Boris Pasternak, Dr. Zhivago  

    

                 

 Winter is best for me...   it is the  solitude.  the quiet hours... the chance to get alone with myself and with God..

"There is a privacy about it which no other season gives you .....  In spring, summer and fall people sort of have an open season on each other; only in the winter, in the country, can you have longer, quiet stretches when you can savor belonging to yourself."
-  Ruth Stout

 I love the word "savor".  Whether it is food or an idea, God's perfect Word...savoring takes time  and   it does require a solitary   climate..  I love winter!

So I will create  winter in my home.. a chance, an excuse, to hang on to more of the season!

Those bowls are  crying out for soup or stew  to warm and  strengthen  both body and spirit!

So for me now,  I   can  sit and enjoy a bit of wintry bliss  even if just for a while.  

"Winter, a lingering season, "as it should be" is a time to gather golden moments, embark upon a sentimental journey, and enjoy every idle hour. "

                             -  John Boswell

Even as I hear my neighbor outside mowing up his leaves!  Sigh!

I am joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for  Tablescape Thursday  Grace at Home    with  Richella. 

English Country

Yesterday  all  patriotic   themes  were  put away and    summery  country cottage  came out  in the dining room!

Inspired by  my  fresh garden flowers  I   decided on a  summery, yet cool  yellow and blue    theme.

I collect blue and white transfer ware   and which helps when I only have a set of  napkins or  place mats..  you can mix and match those, as well.. I put  use one color  at the heads of the table and use the others on the sides  when I am setting for 6.

This is  such a cheerful combination...  It is  a  happy  setting for  morning breakfast    when the family comes to visit.. it is, also, most suitable for a ladie's luncheon which I  have  planned for next week!  The   pewter tea pot,  shakers and  candlesticks  look  so nice  and add a bit of bling to the whole aspect!

Since the  transfer ware   sports  English country living,  I thought   my collection  of sheep would  look right at home    with the arrangement..  I, also, love the  April Cornell linen napkins ...not only do they  look fabulous,  but they  laundry up    so  fast  and  delightfully.. no ironing  necessary!
I am joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for  Tablescape Thursday  Grace at Home    with  Richella.