Practicing for luncheon...Number 1

This is an experiment.  I am planning a luncheon (date to be determined, contingent on schedules of the guests).  So, I thought I'd practice some tables. There is a menu planned and I have been thinking of different possibilities for the table.  I am only doing two places for practicing.

Here is #1.  Now I am not much of a "blue" person (my dining room walls notwithstanding), but I love "Old Country Roses" and decided to find some dishes in "Moonlight Rose" which is the same pattern only in blue.  It really does look like OCR seen in the moonlight.

  

The menu is already decided...

We'll start with shrimp cocktail in the stemmed glasses and then a nice summer salad and something chilled to drink

For the main course, I found a great roasted onion tart in Tea Time magazine.  I've already tried it and it is just delicious!!

I thought maybe some nice little homemade cookies on the silver pedestal

...And it will be coffee instead of tea.  Of course, I will make placecards to go into the little holders.

What do you think?  More to come :-)

Now for the dish "scoop" ...

The "Moonlight Rose" is Royal Albert and I got a GREAT deal on ebay!!!
The luncheon plates are my stand-by Royal Alber Val D'Or (OCR with the flowers washed off)
Silverplate is Oneida Vanessa/Francesca (ebay)
Cups are Wedgwood Cream on Cream Queensware (ebay)
The stemmed glasses are from a friend and I am honored that she gave them to me
The iced beverage glasses are another ebay find
The place card holders were a Christmas gift
The table cloth and napkins were ebay (are you noticing a pattern here?????)
I have no idea where the silverplate pedestal is from, but I've had it for ages
The teapot (as vase) is from TJ Maxx

 Too Much Information????? :-)

Thank you for stopping by and I look forward to your comments!!!

Home Alone

My husband is now working second shift...and that means dinner alone. :-(   So it's dinner in front of the television.  I decided to make a pretty tray for myself. 

 

Let's see...a pink salad plate and white bread plate...and a pretty pink footed dish for a dessert.  The pink damask napkin is held by a pink flower napkin holder.  Does she like pink, you ask?  YESSSSS!

An etched iced beverage glass for something chilled to drink...

It's coming together for my dinner tray.  Perhaps a nice chicken caesar salad, a delicious roll, and some fruit in season for dessert.

...and finally a hot cup of decaf coffee!!

A lovely tray...for my "home alone" dinner (with my signature "crooked arrangement!)

Now for the pieces I used: 

• The tray was given to me by my sister Phyllis
• The pink plate is from Dillards (on-line 50% off)
• The bread plate and cup/saucer are Wedgwood Queensware from ebay-I love this cream on cream pattern
• The etched glass is also an ebay find (I have 10 of them!!)
• The pink footed dish is also an ebay find (I have a total of 6)
• The pink damask napkin is from ebay
• The napkin ring is "Old Country Roses" and I found 4 at TJ Maxx
• The silverplate is my favorite...it is Reed and Barton "Rathmore".  I bought these when we first got married (he indulged my fancy then; little did he know...) ;-)

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Come for Tea!!

Happy Tablescape Thursday.  I have a confession to make...this tablescape is from a while ago but since I am new to blogging, no one has seen it before.  My sister has a wonderful friend who is smart, gracious, and multi-talented (among other things, she paints, writes children's books and has an amazing approach to life).  I decided to invite my sister and her friend Janie for a real afternoon tea. 
Unfortunately, I didn't take many pictures and the pictures of the food aren't great!  So I guess I will just narrate and you'll have to use your imagination.  ;-)

The pink tablecloth was covered with a white lace one.  The food is in the picture...all except the scones which were still in the oven.  It was Ina Garten's recipe and they were easy AND delicious, warm from the oven (she is amazing!!!) .  They went onto a Victoriana Rose plate on the clear cake pedestal.

Ina's scones were served with "heavenshire cream" (recipe below) and strawberry jam pictured in the front center of this picture.  There were cucumber sandwiches on white bread and egg salad on wheat-no crusts, of course!  We also had mini lemon tea tarts and orange cake. 

Now for the big confession...none of us wanted tea (I know, I know) so we had coffee!  It was a delightful time and I am planning a luncheon on the patio!

Now for the "dish" on the dishes (etc)... 

• The luncheon plates are "Royal Albert Val D'Or"...they are great with several Royal Albert patterns because they are classic white.  They actually look like many of their floral patterns with the flowers washed off!!! 
• The dessert/bread plates and cups/saucers are Paragon "Victoriana Rose".  This is one of my favorite patterns and was most recently made by Royal Albert, but I believe that it is no longer being made at all.  Mine are from ebay over many years of collecting.
• The silverplated bride's basket was an ebay find as well.
• 
  
  The forks are Towle silverplate (don't know the pattern) from an apartment sale many years ago.  They were next to nothing and I wish I had a complete set!!
• The place card holders are "Old Country Roses" found at T.J. Maxx and I made place cards with a sweet rose background.
• Lots of other bits and pieces that I have in my collection. 

Hope you have enjoyed our afternoon tea!!!

Here is the easy recipe for "Heavenshire Cream".  I only made half a recipe and it was plenty.  I found this on line at Tea with Grace

Heavenshire Cream

Makes 12-14-servings

1 cup whipping cream

8 ounces of cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup of confectioner's sugar

8 ounces of dairy sour cream

In a medium bowl, beat the whipping cream until stiff peaks form.  In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth and fluffy.  Fold in whipped cream.  Refrigerate until serving time.

Happy 4th of July!!

Well...being an American-Anglo household, the 4th of July can be really tricky!  Of course, I am a patriotic american and lover of revolutionary history, of which we have much here in central New York.

 

But, since my husband is from England (and I'm an admitted anglophile!), we fly both flags.  The color scheme is perfect together ;-)

I do tease him about "losing" the colonies, but he doesn't say much...he takes it in stride, even though he is very competitive!

We are not doing anything special (I have to work tomorrow).  My sisters are not around since they are at their respective camps at the lakes.  It's 95 degrees here and humid...so I am attached to the air conditioner!  I admire you southern gals (and Bill!) who live with this weather all of the time and still function!!!

When I think of the amazing courage and determination that our founding fathers showed in declaring our independence from England and of that wonderful document that Thomas Jeffereson penned, I am awed and humbled.  And I'm sure everyone is thinking of our soldiers serving around the world and their dedication to the principles of those founding fathers!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!!