Country French Breakfast Table

The sun has been shining in Oklahoma this past week and is coaxing our flowers to bloom.  The grass is turning that beautiful shade of spring green that I welcome after a drab winter.   My daffodils are blooming but not as vigorous as in past years but I'm happy to welcome them back.  
I cut a few to make a fragrant little bouquet for my table. 
 Yellow is my happy color!

All the sunshine inspired me to set our little breakfast table.  I found this wonderful french tablecloth at Whittaker's (one of my favorite shops in Carmel) on our recent trip.  I was so excited to find this pattern as I had already purchased the coordinating napkins and placemats several years ago while shopping in Wimberly Texas.   That's the fun of collecting things you love...finding a few coordinating pieces here and there, in little antique shops or while traveling instead of trying to purchase or find everything all at once!   

The tablecloth pattern is Blue Monaco and I just love the extra stripe of yellow flowers that runs through the pattern.   This fabric has a protective  finish and just cleans up with a damp rag.   It has a less glossy finish as an alternative to the traditional heavier oil cloths.  

I found these Wedgwood Etruria plates at a going-out of business sale at little consignment shop a couple years ago.  The pattern is Ranunculus and there were an odd number of nine plates (3 of each size) for less than $20!!   I just love the floral pattern and the textured edge on the plates.   I don't have the matching cups but used my transferware pieces from the Liberty Blue set.   

The egg holders were purchased in Solvang, California  and they are Delft Blue from Holland.  I think they are the cutest! 

The store only had two...wish they would have had
 a set of six!  I think they would be perfect for
 an Easter table too.

 

The coffee/tea server was a find at a local antique mall...and was on sale.  I really like the pretty floral pattern and shape.  
The pattern is from England and is Avondale,
 Royal Staffordshire.     

I collect little honeypots and found this sweet set in a gift shop near Solvang....I had purchased the tea bag
 holder in Carmel earlier in the week because of it's
 honeypot shape.  Such a nice surprise to find
 the matching honeypot and creamer! 














My little baby chicks are right at home on the table.  

The napkin holders are ceramic and I found a set of four at a charity thrift store. 

This is my favorite color combination for a tablescape.  
Hope you are enjoying sunshine and 
getting ready for spring!









I'm linking with 


House of Roses Show off your Cottage Monday
Smiling Sally's Blue Monday
Marty's Tabletop Tuesdays
Tea Time Tuesdays
Susan's BNOTP Tablescape Thursdays
Romantic Home's Show and Tell Friday
Fresh Cut Friday at Rose Vignettes
and 
Tablescaper's Seasonal Sundays


Go join in the parties!

English Briar Rose Table

I love pretty dishes and when I'm out bargain shopping I can't resist a great deal.   I'm usually attracted to floral patterns or interesting edges and borders around the plates and
 spotted these lovely English 

luncheon/salad plates in Goodwill.  I paid $3  for 4 plates..I thought they were so pretty and I'd be able to combine them with other dishes in my collection.

I looked up the pattern on the internet and found they were Churchill 'Briar Rose' china from Staffordshire England.

A few months later while shopping with a friend in an antique store in another town I found what seemed to be the rest of the set!  I was delighted as the dealer had it placed in a 50% off room because it was incomplete...and then gave me an additional discount because I was the only one who had been interested.   I must say I almost did a happy dance in the store!  

 In the end I had 5 cups and saucers, 5 dinner plates and four luncheon/salad plates all for
less than $ 25!!

The scalloped edges are so pretty and go nicely with my placemats which also are scalloped.  The colors are echoed and the flowers stamens even match! 

 I love when that happens!

Pink, yellow and lime green just make a soft and sweet color combination for a spring tea table.  The damask tablecloth was my mother-in-law's and is a peachy pink color.  It is a beautiful tablecloth when spread out on a larger table as well.

This teapot was also purchased in the same antique store although it is brand new.  I just love the shape and of course it will coordinate with almost any table setting.  It reminds me of  Mrs. Potts from 'Beauty and the Beast'.   I am using my flower petaled cake stand again for this table since the colors are perfect.   This little stand is definitely one of my favorite pieces in my

collection and was purchased in a

little store in Wimberly, Texas.  

The little egg cups were a bargain find at Tuesday morning several years ago.  I used the little pink rose dishes I bought for $1 at GW as saucers.

The napkins are from my Mom's linen collection and they are monogrammed with my maiden name initial and they also have a scalloped edge.  The napkin rings were another thrift store find and were only $1.  I love the sweet little birds perched on top of the crystal rings.  

The pink floral pitcher was another Goodwill  find and I like using it as a flower vase.

Setting a spring table was a nice reminder of the warm days ahead and roses that will soon be blooming in the garden.  The Oklahoma wind kept me in the house today...so I just played with dishes!

I'm linking with
Marty's Tabletop Tuesdays

Lady Katherine's Tea Time Tuesday

Linda's Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Martha's Tea Cup Tuesday

Susan's Tablescape Thursday

Cindy's Show and Tell Friday

Beverly's Pink Saturday

Laurie's Favorite Things

The Tablescaper's Seasonal Sunday
and
Cielo's Show off your Cottage Monday

Fall Tea Table

I know I've said it a lot lately ...but I just LOVE fall!!  The temperature has finally dropped down into the 50's at night and the sky is a beautiful blue hue that makes everything prettier! 

  One of my best friends surprised me with a package and to my delight it was a fall teapot!! 

Thanks Valerie!!

My little kitchen table is a perfect place for a  fall tea for two.  We love spiced chai tea and

it smells  so good!

I had found this pretty wire cloche for only $8 and just fell in love with the design and burgundy color!   Cloches just make me think of  Marty...the "cloche queen".  Marty is the reason I now love cloche's with all the weekly inspiration and ideas she shares!  I'm linking with her

Tabletop Tuesdays

this week.   Thanks Marty for being

such a  gracious hostess!! 

My table started with a yellow tablecloth that I purchased in a thrift store in Pacific Grove, California while on vacation.

The runner was clearance for $2 at Wal-Mart last year and I love the extra long length..I also use it on my large formal dining table as well. 

The pumpkin plates were purchased a few weeks ago at Wal-Mart for $3.00 each.   I layered them on

my favorite ivory Target plates for a fall look.

The scarecrow was on the 80% clearance aisle  at Hobby Lobby last year...I bought  several...after all ..they were almost free!!  I always buy holiday items off season..especially tablecloths..the savings are tremendous.  

The cups and saucers were purchased for 99 cents each at Goodwill.  They only had a set of two so into

my basket they went!

The small ceramic pumpkin was purchased at the Dollar Tree this year.

 I have collected lots of silk leaves and ornamental pumpkins and gourds over the years and accent with them all around my home.  I thought the windowsill needed a little something so I used a swag I made and just added some ornamentals.   

My flowers in the garden are revived with all this cool weather and are blooming again!  I love the view from my little kitchen window.  Someday (when all the kids are out of college) we plan on putting in a large bay window for an even better view of our garden ...a girl can dream but until then I enjoy my garden view.    

Enjoy your week and hope you take

 time to enjoy your favorite  cup of tea!

I'm also linking with

Katherine's Tea Time Tuesday

Linda's Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays
and
Susan's Tablescape Thursdays

Go by and join in all the parties!

An Evening at the Beach

I spent most of my childhood in Florida and Hawaii and near some of the most beautiful beaches in the world..I'm landlocked in Oklahoma now and miss the beautiful water colors of  Destin on the Gulf of Mexico as well as the deep blue waters of the Pacific.  

One of my best friends gave me this beautiful teapot  for my birthday..the colors remind of those gorgeous shades of blue at the beaches I used to

 live by.

I set a beached themed table this evening just to celebrate the last few days of summer.  Fall is just around the corner so I thought I'd enjoy an "evening at the beach" at my little kitchen table.

Deb also gave  me the matching plates and

I just love them!

I found that I already had a turquoise blue tablecloth in my mother-in-law's collection, this is my favorite color of water.  I used my round straw placemats in lime green I purchased on sale at Kohl's and started layering with my white

Pier One  plates.

My son gave me this cute little shell box for Mother's Day last year.   He attends college in Florida

It was perfect to put a variety of
teabags in.

    Deb also gave me these cute shell napkin rings and I just added my lime green napkins I bought on sale at Penney's several years ago.

Of course the accessories for this table were obvious..seashells and starfish!  I bought a small basket of shells at Dollar Tree and just added a voitive candle for a simple centerpiece.   I found the starfish in a little resale shop for a couple dollars.

I added more shells around the base of the tea warmer as well.

 I found a set of 4 "Bone white" Sheffield (made in the USA)  cups and saucers for $3.00 at Goodwill. 

I love the swirl design.  I also purchased six dinner plates that match for $2.50...but those I'm using on another table!  

I decided my new lime plates from TJ Max I used on my "hydrangea" table last week would also look wonderful layered under the beach plates.  

The tiny little seafood forks are from my mil's collection of sterling.  

A few more pictures of the completed table.

Hope you enjoyed our little "evening at the beach" and go join in all the parties!

Have a safe Labor Day!

I'm linking this week with:

Marty's Tabletop Tuesdays

Linda's Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Katherine's Tea Time Tuesday

Susan's Tablescape Thursdays
Cindy's Romantic Home Show and Tell Friday
Laurie's Favortie Things 
Tablescaper's Summer Sundays
 Chari's Sunday Favorites
and
Smiling Sally's Blue Monday