Thursday, March 28, 2013

Precious Memories and Peeps Tables

Whew.....Easter snuck up on me this year!  Although I have been playing with my mantel and making some decorative eggs, I had not put out any Easter decor until yesterday!  So with the day fast approaching I put together a couple of tables.  Make sure to read all the way through the post for the story on Table 2, it is special to me.
 
Table 1 is in our eat in area of the kitchen and I am calling it "Gathering of Peeps" because this is where we gather to eat daily.  Since I wasn't adding anything new this table features the "Cherry Blossom Branches" I blogged about here and an old Easter bucket of Mini's as a centerpiece.


Has there ever been a better time to use colorful Fiesta plates?  I think not!  They are perfect with the brightly colored Easter eggs. 


We have been dragging the Easter bucket with the bunny and peep around for years while dying and hunting eggs.


The bright colors of these Fiesta glasses blend well with the fun colors of this table.  Love these....and they are special to us since they were a gift from our spare daughter Christmas before last.
 

Last year I made these adorable peep napkin rings and I love them!  They are just so darn cute...you can't help smiling when you take a seat and see this face.
 
 
Simple but serviceable and springy!
 
 
Now on to table 2.   This table was an excuse to drag out some pretty special dishes.  I recently inherited more of my grandmothers dishes.  These particular dishes sat in a corner china hutch in her kitchen my whole life.  On extra special occasions she would use these on the adult table....the kiddos could only view them from afar while we ate off mismatched dishes. 
 
This is a photo (circa 1975 or so) taken from behind the little table (that is what my grandmother called it) to the adult table. 

 
As you can see from the picture,  when sitting at the little table you can see those dishes in the hutch you can barely see in the left corner.  Below is a shot from the living room where you can better see the hutch (my grandmother is the lady nearest the hutch on the right of the pic) and you can see the dishes on the table.  This was my great grandmother's (forefront right) birthday so it was special enough for the dishes!
 

Fast forward many years and sadly both my grandmother and great grandmother have passed on.  I was fortunate to receive "the dishes" that I had looked at for so long. 
 
Before I show you the table, I wanted to share a little story.  I have NEVER been about brands.  If I like something I buy it.  Old, new, priceless or worthless it matters not if I like it.  Many times I will be using something and someone visiting will pick it up and be astounded when it is an expensive piece and I have no idea! 

Just a couple of years ago Wonder Hubby gave me several place settings of Fiestaware dishes for Christmas.  We/he became obsessed with collecting after that and now we have both old and new and continue to add to our collection.  He purchased it because he said it made him happy and thought I would like it.  He was right, I did like it and it does make me happy.
 
  We did a bit of research on Fiestaware and discovered Homer Laughlin Company.  I had no idea there were so many HLC patterns out there.  When my father delivered the dishes to me I flipped one over to see what they were.  They were HLC!  Wow, I knew I love HLC Fiestaware but I would have never dreamed I had been longingly staring at HLC china for years! 

The line of dishes is Skytone and had several patterns.  It appears that my grandmother had dishes for 12 in 1 pattern and additional serving pieces in the other patterns.  What I had loved about these dishes was the color.  It is such a pretty blue.  After a bit of research I discovered the color is not a color at all, it is the color of the clay.  After the piece is fired it is simply glazed. 
 
Any who....since I received these I have been stalking antique stores looking for more...so far no luck, but I am not giving up!  Here is a close up shot of one of the serving bowls.


This is my Easter table featuring my grandmother's special dishes. 


Last summer when car shopping for Mini in Lynchburg, I squeezed in a bit of antiquing and scored the tablecloth and gingham napkins.  I am amazed that it looks like it was made for these dishes! 


If you visit me on the blog you have seen these milk glass dishes often.  I can't help it I just love them.   They are always in use here for one thing or another and this time they are hard at work showcasing my dimensional eggs.
 

I used my blue Fostoria glasses from way back when Wonder Hubby and I were married and the Green Chantilly glasses he gave me for Christmas a couple of years ago.
 


I have been putting the Easter tree on our table since the kids were little...no matter what the color or decor it goes on without fail!


I added the little waving bunny (a recent GW score) to this Spring basket.  I think he likes it there, I certainly do.





The basket weave napkin rings were a GW steal for .99 and so versatile.
 
 
Dish detail.
 



 
I can't not show you some of the little houses and bunnies my mother has given the kids over the years.  They also always make it to the Easter table.  So sweet.
 

 


This sweet Easter tea set was a gift from my dad several years ago.  I love the soft coloring,
 

and this sweet little bunny atop the tea pot.

 
This is my Easter table, a table filled with wonderful, precious memories and mementos from special people in my life. 

 
Thank you for hopping along with me.  May you all enjoy a blessed Easter.


17 comments:

  1. This is absolutely beautiful! Love the soft blue and green....

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    1. Oh, thank you so much! I too love that color combo and find that I am using it more and more. Happy Easter.

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  2. I love this post, Shanee. (by the way, your name is my nickname). This two table settings are really pretty each in its own way but both filled with precious memories. I like that. The blue plates and glasses on the second table are lovely and how special that you have them. I hope you and your family have a blessed Easter! Shannon AKA Shanee

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    1. Thank you Shannon/Shanee! I have never actually met another Shanee! So glad you stopped by, Happy Easter.

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  3. I do love this table. First for the wonderful memories it must bring out! And then because it is really just so pretty. Those dishes are really wonderful pieces. Such a joy for you to be able to use. The tablecloth was surely made for you to find it for your dishes.. it's perfect. Have a beautiful evening and a blessed Easter. xo marlis

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    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    2. Thank you Marlis! Glad you stopped by, Happy Easter.

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  4. What a wonderful treasure to be able to have (and ENJOY) you're grandmother's china...I'm sure that she would be thrilled that she loved still brings her family joy as well. Happy Easter!

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    1. "*something* she loved"

      (publish first, proofread after)

      :)

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    2. Thank you Rebecca, so glad you stopped by.

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  5. Shanee, I really love both tables and love those dishes you got from your grandmother. I just typed another comment but lost it. That would be the THIRD comment I have lost this morning, and it's just barely 6:00AM.

    I love the story of you at the kiddie table looking from afar and then ending up OWNING the beautiful set. That makes them a double treasure to me. What really *makes* the table is the way you found the perfect linen and brought out both the blue AND the green. Just lovely all the way around!

    Trying again...

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    1. Thank you Debbie! I am just amazed I fell for the tablecloth almost a year ago and then these dishes showed up and they were perfect for each other...meant to be I do believe. Have a wonderful Easter.

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  6. Both of your tables are amazing! I just love them :)

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  7. How wonderful to have your grandmother's beautiful china set. I've never seen that pattern, and I was thinking what a pretty color it was when I read that it was the color of the clay! Amazing! You are right, the tablecloth is perfect with this china. You are also right that the pastel Fiesta on your kitchen table are perfect for Easter, and those napkin rings you made are so cute. laurie

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  8. It all looks so amazing, great job! I have some fiestaware from my mother (all different colors) and I never even thought to use them for Easter...so glad you did!

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