Dishes, dishes everywhere!

I love peeking into everyone's cupboards to see where all of you store your treasures!  I plucked up the courage to show my slightly disorganized storage spaces (which are certainly not enough!).  I don't have the magnificent collections that others have, but mine collection still requires more storage than I have!!  My family is very small so I don't need a lot of place settings.  I have mostly service for 4-8 and that is plenty.  I do have one set for sixteen, but have never needed that many.
I hope you  enjoy my little tour...let's go!

We'll start with our dining room buffet...

(Our dining room is much darker than these walls look in photos)

Some placemats and napkins

Napkin rings and cake cutters

Candles of all sorts

More drawers of table cloths and napkins

All of the silver serving pieces are in the side sections of the buffet

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Like others, I keep my favorite treasures on display in the dining room china cabinet

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And underneath the display area is the majority of my china with some serving pieces (and please ignore the dust...it's apparent I have!!!!)

This china cabinet drawer holds my favorite silverplate by Reed & Barton, as well as several service pieces

 (Pssst...peek here in the pantry...those three boxes are sets of silver flatware...among other stuff in the pantry)

The other center buffet drawer has more linens

Our dining room has two corner cabinets...this lower part of the cupboard also holds my cake stands which are out on loan right now

China, place card holders, tea and coffee pots in the other corner cabinet

Now on to the cabinet in the living room...this holds my teacup collection

This is not the end of it...I have a set of Polish china in quilted cases in the attic.  The Christmas dishes are in a box up there along with seasonal decorations.  There is also crystal from Poland that isn't even unpacked from our move 5 years ago!!!  But I have nowhere to put it!!

Thank for taking this tour...after seeing beautifully organized storage, I think I have some work to do!!!  And MANY thanks to The Tablescaper for her anniversary "party"!  Please visit her great blog!!

Tess

Mother's Day

I know Mother's Day is over, but I decided to blog about it anyway.  First of all, I am not a mother (unless you want to count three unruly cats!), and my mother passed away nearly 23 years ago (at too early an age).  None of my sisters are mothers either.  Seems we are pretty underqualified for this holiday!  Actually, my own mother didn't like Mother's Day.  She always said that there shouldn't have to be an official day where people are "expected" to celebrate their mothers.  But if she were here, I would have afternoon tea with her.

She had a wonderful teacup collection (which I now have) and I started my collection right along with her.  We each used to pick out a cup from her collection and have tea together (though I am not big tea drinker).  She made great soda biscuits and there was always raspberry jam that her best friend made (DELICIOUS!!). 

My mother was an anglophile AND a francophile. . .so the apple doesn't fall far from the tree with the anglophilia!  I would make her scones, tea sandwiches, and some sweets,  Perhaps she would have liked fruit tarts because she loved fruit.

I would set the table with my Old Country Roses, though our taste in china was different.  If she could have chosen a fine china pattern, it would have been something like Lenox Tuxedo Platinum. . .classic and elegant.  She wasn't a flowery person.  But I'm sure she would be delighted to have tea set with my floral china (which is mostly what I have).

She came from very humble beginnings, but was intelligent, well-read, and gracious (my favorite word to describe her).  She was warm and had wonderful manners and was gracious (there is that word again) in all situations.   I know that she would have loved having the internet so she could explore the world.  Her curiosity was vast and she was a voracious reader, a love of reading that she handed down to all four of her daughters.   It is very interesting when we all talk to each other about her...we always learn so much about her from each other.  Since we are so different, she interacted with each of us differently.

My mother never met my husband but I know that if she could have picked out a husband for me, Peter would be exactly the one she would choose.  She would have adored him! 

I miss her and wish I could share all of the changes that have happened in my life since she passed away.

Miss you Mom!!!

Tess

P.S. Not to leave out my Dad...there will be a post about him as well.

Dinner

I've been thinking about a dinner to make for my wonderful Brit...something new for him.  So I decided to make macaroni and cheese.  He's never had it before but he LOVES cheese.  I am going to try to make a lighter version.   Then I thought I'd make some oven baked pork chops.  I love almost any vegetable, but peas are the only green things on his VERY short vegetable list.   So peas it is.  This is the table I'm planning for dinner.

Here's the table for our first foray into mac and cheese, light style.  Oh dear, red AGAIN????

Believe it or not...these are the same flowers I used

 for Easter... with a little tweaking... 

I love these white dishes...I thought they'd could be used as plates OR platters (and who can't use more platters!). 

Won't this be perfect for the planned menu?

The edge on these plates is so pretty...it's what caught my eye in the store

 I am going to make the mac and cheese in this cute ramekin.  They come with lids and are oven-safe

 This little server will be great for custard...one of my husband's favorites!

This is the side view of the square dish...

...which matches the little ramkin

Close up of the silverplate flatware

If he ends up liking the mac and cheese...it may become a staple at our house.  Wish me luck!

Now for the dish on the dishes:

• Those white platters/plates were a find at TJMaxx...I should have bought more!!
• The ramekins and square dish are Temp-tations "Old World" in cranberry.  I have several pieces and it is WONDERFUL to use (got them on QVC)
• Red placemats from TJM
• Damask napkins from ebay
• Silverplate flatware was my mother's
• Glasses are Waterford's Marquis line
• The flowers are in a Paul Revere silverplate bowl...love that shape

Thank you for dropping in...please visit all of the gorgeous and creative tables at Susan's Tablescape Thursday.  Just click on the button up on the right! 

Love to hear from you!!!

Tess

Easter Brunch

My small but wonderful family comes to our house for Easter brunch every year (our youngest sister lives in New Mexico and wasn't here) .  We have hosted brunch since we moved back to Utica, where I grew up.  The weather is always "if-ey" here in upstate New York at this time of year.   Sunday it was pretty nice...not really too warm but nice.  It takes spring a long time to get here!

So here is Easter brunch at our house.  I love pink and white, but especially in springtime.  The table is pink and white and floral.  Is that a real theme???

I apologize for the pictures...they were done quickly as my sisters were arriving and these didn't turn out very well...

There were five of us at brunch so we had the
table opened up

The table setting for the brunch was pretty simple since the menu was....well....brunch

Here's a closer look...

Pink place cards

 This round centerpiece leaves plenty of room for brunch.  We had fresh fruit salad, spinach-egg casserole, parmesan potatoes, bacon and sausage, bagels, asparagus,

and desserts.

I was in a hurry so my pictures leave a lot to be desired!!  I apologize...and I missed out on a few things I wanted to photograph (for instance, the meal!!!).  This little silver butter dish actually held cream cheese for bagels.  Every Easter when we were young, friends of my parents gave them a butter lamb.  It's a Polish tradition and we have one every year for brunch. 
Unfortunately, I didn't take a picture of it  :-(

I love putting desserts out on the sideboard...there's plenty of room to spread out sweet treats!  We had small rose-shaped lemon cakes with lemon glaze, a small lemon bundt cake, macadamia nut cookies and lots of easter candy...

Let's start with the little rose cakes

This is the bundt cake with a story (of course-I have to explain all of the little bloopers).  I put it in a container to glaze it and when I moved it to this cake pedestal, some of it stayed in the container...that explains that little chunk out of the front.  I COULD have put that part to the back, but I didn't see it until AFTER the pictures!

I found this cookie recipe in Tea Time magazine.  These macadamia nut cookies are dipped in melted white chocolate when cooled.  I thought it would be fun to make the white chocolate in pastel colors

The basket is filled with all sorts of chocolate goodies

These bunnies are keeping an eye on the jelly beans. 
We had a great meal, great conversation,  AND great Mimosas!

 I  HOPE EVERYONE HAD A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS!

Now for the dish on the dishes:

On the table

• The rose dinnerware is from Iron Accents...the pattern is called "Lily Red" and I fell in love with it after seeing it in "Victoria" magazine
• The silverplate is "Vanessa/Francesca which I got on ebay
• The pink table cloth and pink napkins are both from ebay as well.  I always find wonderful linens there
• The round butter server is from TJMaxx YEARS ago in Chicago
• I found the ceramic bunny center piece container at Big Lots...love the pastel colors
• The tall glasses are Waterford Marquis from TJMaxx from my friend Joanne at work
• Waterford flutes were our t oasting glasses;a wedding gift from my friend Bill in Chicago. The pattern: Araglin; I use them whenever I can.  The other flutes are from ebay.  We had Mimosas!!!
• Etched glasses were used for fruit salad and are from ebay
• The place card holders are Old Country Roses that I found at TJMaxx a few years ago...I made the place cards on the computer

On the sideboard 

• The little rose cakes are set on a Royal Albert "English Garden " plate set on a silverplate server.  I bought this over twenty years ago at the Oneida outlet store in the factory town about 20 miles from here...they had such GREAT deals!!
• The bundt cake is on a cake pedestal I found at TJMaxx.  I love that you can change the ribbon woven through it.  I thought the green looked very pretty
• The cookies are on a silverplate tray from ebay
• The easter candy is in a silverplate bride's basket, also from ebay (you just find the best stuff there!)
• The bunnies holding the jelly beans and the blue ceramic basket with the m&ms are from Big Lots last year.
• Fresh cut flowers from my favorite florist...their flowers always last so long!

So there you have it...I am about to go "table hopping" at Tablescape Thursday on "Between Naps on the Porch".  The link is up to the right so you can hop over there and see Susan's wonderful blog and some of the prettiest tables you've ever seen

Thank you for stopping by...I love hearing from you!

Tess

St. Patrick's Day

St Patrick's Day has changed a lot for me over the years.  First of all, I am not Irish (as far as I know) so growing up, we did the usual school things for St. Patrick's Day and that's about all. 

In my mid-twenties, I moved to Chicago where there is a HUGE Irish presence.  I met my friend Bill there in the mid 80s (he is still one of my best friends).  He is first generation Irish so we went to the many Irish pubs, festivals, and music venues.  I adore traditional Irish music and have a huge collection.  Anyway, celebrating St. Patrick's Day with Bill was always a great time (though I rarely drink alcohol...I was right there with everyone who does!).  For those who don't know, the Chicago River is dyed green every year (using orange dye) and they paint shamrocks on Dearborn St. where the parade route is.  Now THAT'S a city with lots of Irish in it's blood!!!

Green Chicago River

 Fast forward to today...boy, things do change.  I am back living in the upstate NY city where I grew up, with my English husband, and those days of going out to the pubs til all hours are long gone!  I think I will  have some tea and a treat and listen to some traditional music.  I have a book of Irish mysteries or maybe I'll pop in the "Riverdance" dvd and watch it...it's so wonderful!  Bill and I went to see it in Chicago in 1996!! 

I don't have much in the way of St. Patrick's Day table things, but I was able to find enough  to have my little St. Patrick's time.

 

Just a little set up for tea.  Mostly, I am a coffee drinker, but will sometimes drink raspberry herbal tea in the evening.  I love this shamrock scarf but since I am working at home, I won't be wearing it on SPD this year

I have had this cup for a looooooong time and love the sweet shamrocks dancing around it

 

Here's a closer look at those shamrocks

 

 How about some green frosted cookies to go with tea...yummy!

These roses have been seen on a few tables lately...they certainly did last!!  I added a few green carnations and put them in an Irish glass with shamrocks all around the bottom

I love murder mysteries....and here is a WHOLE book of them.  This should make for a great evening!

 

...especially with some of my favorite music playing

Here's a little peak at the underside of the sauce.  This is "Royal Tara" made in...where else?

Ireland!

So I'm planning to have a quiet but wonderful St. Paddy's Day at home!  Hope you enjoy your celebrations!!

Now for the dish on the dishes:

• The cup and saucer are Royal Tara (made in Ireland) from my teacup collection
• The plate is my "Val D'Or" which shows up frequently here
• The teapot and cookie tray are from "Tea with Grace"
• The teaspoon is Reed and Barton "Rathmore"
• I have had the shamrock scarf for years
• The Waterford Marquis glass makes a great little vase for the roses and green carnations
• That green napkin with the gold thread and the shamrock garland around the vase are both from Dollar Tree
• The lace tablecloth is from my collection of tablecloths
• Those cookies are NOT homemade...I am sorry to say

 Thank you for stopping by.  Be sure to visit Susan at "Between Naps on the Porch" and see all of the gorgeous tablescapes there. (click on the button up on the right)

HAPPY ST. PADDY'S DAY!

Tess