Tablescaping in Blue and White

I don't know what it is about a crisp, white, linen tablecloth and napkins...but I love 'em, especially with a blue and white tablescape.


Magnolias and wisteria...romantic and ooooh, so Southern! :-)

A couple of years ago, I begin to collect salt cellars to use in my table settings. It just seems like such a simple, yet wonderful way to spoil your dinner guest. It eliminates having to pass around a salt shaker and your guest will be able to salt their food to their individual taste.

Zipper cut, crystal salt cellars paired with salt spoons in the same pattern as the sterling...

And just to spoil my guest (and family) a little bit more, I'm using a special salt that melts easily when sprinkled over food.

This particular brand is highly rated and reasonably priced. Click on this article to see the names and ratings for many gourmet salts.

This french salt, Fleur de Sel, is another great salt to use. I had trouble locating it locally, but it's readily available online.

I liked pairing the crystal goblets with the crystal salt cellars in this tablescape.

Cloches are so versatile...so many fun ways to use them in tablescapes and vignettes!

This cloche came from a antique shoppe near my home. It's really nice and large so it worked well as a centerpiece in this tablescape.

I bought these cute, ceramic blue and white balls a couple of years ago to use as a decorative accent in my upstairs family room. I recently found out, they are actually called carpet balls and were often used in parlor games back in Victorian Days.

Every tablescape needs a little candlelight! Colonial Candle is my favorite source for beautiful candles and candle accessories.

Years ago I purchased a coffee type drink that came in these cobalt blue bottles. I thought the bottles were too pretty to throw away. So, I just kept saving them...having no idea how I might use them one day. I love how they look mixed in with this blue and white table setting.



I love using a sugar scuttle instead of a regular sugar bowl. You can find them for very reasonable prices on eBay. When you have a large party, they are great to put out where you have your coffee available for your guest.
Some times I fill the scuttle with sugar cubes and use little silver tongs instead of the scoop...

Blue and White...it will always be one of my very favorite combinations! :-)

Information about items used in the tablescape above: China is Churchill, Blue Willow, Crystal is Waterford, pattern Araglin, Sterling is Towle, King Richard. Chargers came from Neiman Marcus, online about a year ago...Horchow had them, too. I've had the napkin rings for years but apparently they still make them because I saw them in a Macy's about two weeks ago. Found the crystal salt cellars on eBay.

Don't forget to stop by A Stroll Thru Life to see all the wonderful uses for your cloche and Happy to Design on Sunday for some great posts you may have missed the first time around. Thanks, Marty, for our first ever cloche party! And, Chari, thank-you for hosting our favorite Sunday event each week!

Have a wonderful weekend...see you here on Sunday eve for Metamorphosis Monday!

Fireside Dining in the Library:... Welcome to the 38th Tablescape Thursday!

This week has been a fun, busy week, here on the porch.  I don't have a new tablescape to share so I'm re-posting one I put together in the family room a few months back. It's a cozy, romantic tablescape, just perfect for two. Hope you enjoy!

A while back I did a tongue-in-cheek post where I showed you this unbelievable dining room, pictured below. (To read that post, click HERE.)

When I came across this room in a magazine, the thing that really caught my eye, stopping me dead in my tracks, was the gorgeous tablecloth. It was just so over-the-top and impractical...which of course, was exactly why I loved it!  I started pricing lace tablecloths online and quickly realized I would not be buying one any time soon--some were over $1,000!




A few weeks ago when I visited my sister, Glenda, she offered me a pretty spread she had bought for her bed but had decided not to use. Well, the minute I saw it I had a plan.




Won't you join me for an intimate dinner for two in the library.

Ok, it's my family room, but for this evening, it's the library.  This side is "library like" so dream along with me. I've always thought the perfect dining room would be lined with shelves upon shelves of old musty, leather bound books...and of course a crackling hot fire.




So here's our fire, and how do you like our "lace" tablecloth. Notice how it sprawls across the floor like the inspiration photo.




We'll sink into our red velvet chairs at our lace covered table...a cozy dinner for just the two of us.




The "library" has a bit of a doggie/hunt theme, as you can see here...




and here...




and here above the sofa.




A closer view...

So, I've carried this theme right to our table...



Spode, Woodland seemed the perfect china for our evening in our cozy, hunt themed library...




The salad plate...




And the dinner plate...




We'll sip our red wine from crimson glasses, in front of a glowing, hot fire...




Crimson hock glasses are by Waterford.






Of course, there must be candlelight...always candlelight...




I love the warm glow of the candlelight.




In the library we are surrounded by incredible tales and beautifully written stories...




As we create our own story...








A perfect evening...




for a cozy dinner...so glad you could join me.







Please don't forget to visit all the links below to view lots of wonderfully creative and gorgeous tablescapes!

If you are participating in Tablescape Thursday, please be sure to add your permalink below, and not your general blog address. If you aren't sure how to obtain your permalink or have any questions about using Mr. Linky for this post, just click HERE for detailed instructions.

Please copy and paste the Tablescape Thursday logo button to your computer. Then you can upload it to your side bar and use it in your tablescape post so your visitors will know you are participating.

Please link back to the host blog, Between Naps on the Porch. This is important because it helps those who are visiting your blog, find the other wonderful tablescapes posted for this Tablescape Thursday.

Please do not add your link below, until your tablescape post is actually published to your blog.

The following blogs have lovely tablescapes awaiting your visit:

Tablescaping with Blue Willow... Welcome to the 37th Tablescape Thursday!

I can't help myself...when it's this nice outside, all my tablescapes end up here on the porch.



The trees are all dressed in their best spring-green...



I'm using my Churchill Blue Willow this evening...



Salad plates are by Gibson...it's part of a large set from Big Lots...



White chargers are from Horchow online...Neiman Marcus had them, also.



Ooops, forgot to take a pic of the Napoleon Bee flatware...so I snagged this pic from a previous tablescape.



Wine glasses were only a $1 each from Dollar Tree...that's 6 glasses for $6!



Crystal is Araglin by Waterford...if you didn't know better, would you have ever guessed the wine glasses were only a $1 each? They are proudly holding their own next to the Waterford.



Cock-a-doodle-doo! Found this darling pitcher at Marshalls...didn't buy it the first time through. When I went back a couple of weeks later, he was marked down to $10! He jumped right into my buggy! He was so happy someone finally bought him and took him home, he's been crowing ever since!



I filled him with irises from the garden and their sweet scent was wonderful on the porch this evening.






A final glance as the light begins to wane.



It's a little darker out now and the soft candlelight begins to give the table a look of enchantment. Won't be long before our froggy serenade begins.



Thanks so much for stopping by this evening!


If you are participating in Tablescape Thursday, please be sure to add your permalink below, and not your general blog address. If you aren't sure how to obtain your permalink or have any questions about using Mr. Linky for this post, just click HERE for detailed instructions.

Please copy and paste the Tablescape Thursday logo button to your computer. Then you can upload it to your side bar and use it in your tablescape post so your visitors will know you are participating.

Please link back to the host blog, Between Naps on the Porch. This is important because it helps those who are visiting your blog, find the other wonderful tablescapes posted for this Tablescape Thursday.

Please do not add your link below, until your tablescape post is actually published to your blog.

The following blogs have lovely tablescapes awaiting your visit: