Day of the Dead Tablescape

"Our dead are never dead to us,

until we have forgotten them." 

- George Eliot 

This Tablescape Thursday is dedicated to my husband's grandmother. The theme for this tablescape is El Día de Muertos, or the Day of the Dead. The Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday that is celebrated from October 31st through November 2nd. Participants spend the holiday praying for and remembering their loved ones who have passed away.

I created a simple ofrenda on the buffet in honor of my husband's grandmother. Candles are lit to light the way for the spirits' return. Traditionally, yellow-orange marigolds are used because it is believed that their fragrance helps lead the spirits back to the ofrenda. 

I poured cool water into a crystal glass that once belonged to her. I placed my rose petal bracelet around the stem. This bracelet was constructed from roses used at her memorial service. Water is offered for the spirit's refreshment after a long journey from the Other Side. Salt symbolizes the continuance of life, since it is a preservative.

A photograph of the loved one is placed on the ofrenda. I placed her photograph in a beautiful silver butterfly frame. It is a fitting frame since she loved butterflies. Also, the Aztecs connected the return of the monarch butterfly to the returning of their loved ones' souls.

Religious emblems, such as crosses and Bibles, are also placed on the ofrenda along with flowers and candles.

Back to the table setting, I printed sugar skulls from a free online coloring book website onto brightly colored card stock paper. I then cut the skulls out and placed them in-between silver chargers and clear glass dinner plates. I layered "spooky fabric" on top of a lace table cloth for a spooky - yet festive - touch.

I picked up these yellow cotton napkins at a local thrift store. They were made in Spain. Yellow is symbolic of the sun, which gives life. I also picked up a set of these rose-carved Lucite napkin rings at another local thrift store. The napkins and napkin rings are the perfect touch to this table.

I gathered my crystal candle holders and placed them down the center of the table, along with two silver bud vases filled with bright pink roses, purple mums, and daylily grass. I placed pink, red, and shiny green tapers in the candle holders. The bright colors are lively, representing life.

I placed a few skeletons down the center of the table, propped against the candle holders. Skulls and skeletons are symbolic of death and the afterlife. This photo captures the symbols of death and life - the bright yellow napkin and the decorative skeleton.

I picked up these small purple frames at Micheal's in their dollar bin a few years ago. I used these as colorful place-card holders, using brightly colored card stock paper. I also scattered real rose petals down the center of the table to match the ofrenda (buffet).

On the menu is my husband's grandmother's banana bread, Mexican hot chocolate, candied pumpkin, drunken beans, and tomatillo chicken. We will enjoy a great dinner while remembering our loved one. El Día de Muertos is a holiday celebrating past lives as we remember to live our current lives to the fullest. That's my kind of holiday!

We are linking up at Between Naps on The Porch's Tablescape Thursdays

Fruits of Summer Tablescape

I love the sweet summertime! I enjoy the warmer weather and the fruits that it brings. The freshly picked raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries. The bright, colorful flowers. Summer is happiness!

I picked these zinnias from my mother-in-law's garden. I love their bright cheerful colors ... and they continually bloom all season long! They make for excellent cut flowers. I arranged the cut zinnias, along with hummingbird vine and gladioli leaves, in a silver-plated water pitcher that I found at an estate sale.

Here is a closer view of the beautiful zinnias in the intricately carved water pitcher. I love the softness that the hummingbird vine adds to the arrangement.

I've recently purchased these crystal strawberry plates, silver-plated napkin rings, and fruit napkins at the thrift stores. The set of 6 of made in France plates were $2. The set of 6 made in Japan napkin rings were $1 ... and the set of 6 Avon napkins were $3. I love finding good deals, especially on vintage things!

Here is a closer view of the crystal strawberry plate. You can see "France" inscribed on the bottom right, beneath one of the leaves. I haven't found any similar plates in my research. If you know what company produced these plates and in what year, please comment below. I'd love to know more about them!

Here is a snapshot of a butterfly on a zinnia in my mother-in-law's garden. I took this photo while I was cutting the flowers for my arrangement. Happy summer memories! Please share your happy summer memories by commenting below.

We are linking up at Between Naps on The Porch's Tablescape Thursdays

A Garden Teapot Bouquet

Welcome to our garden tea party!

Just follow the White Rabbit around the ...

... giant yellow coneflowers ...

... and then you'll see teapot mountain!

The antique silver teapot is filled with flowers and corn tassels.

A little bit of everything from around the farm!

So sit down with us and have a nice cuppa tea! 

Oh dear, we were late for Tuesday's tea! We are all mad here!

We are linking up at Rose Chintz Cottage's Anne of Green Gables Tea

And at Antiques and Teacups' Tuesday Cuppa Tea

1960's Arlen Maple Leaf China

I am surrounded by thrift stores. I visit them quite often, at least once a week. I found this complete set of 1960's Arlen Maple Leaf china at a local thrift for $39. There are 8 complete place settings that include a dinner plate, a curved salad plate, a curved dessert plate, a bread plate, and a teacup with saucer. The set also includes a sugar bowl and creamer. The set is in near mint condition, only having slight knife marks on the dinner plates from light use. We registered for some china for our wedding, so we didn't need another set. So we got this set for a dear family that grew up with my husband.

I couldn't miss sharing this gorgeous find with my blog friends, here it is:

I couldn't believe how these pieces filled up my table! It made my table feel small. I added candles to my pair of Gorham Queen Anne hurricanes that I found at another local thrift over a year ago for $7. I was so happy to find these, they match our Gorham Queen Anne cake serving pieces and toasting flutes from our wedding. The family that got this china also gifted us a Gorham Queen Anne lidded candy dish for our wedding, which I treasure. 

I placed the settings on top of inexpensive silver chargers that I found at Walmart a while ago. I think the chargers add a muted flair to the setting and shows off the gray/ slate blue tones in the china ...

The china is trimmed in gold, so I didn't want to use my gold chargers.

The teacups and saucers are gorgeous - and so dainty! That is the bread plate under the saucer. I was running out of table space!

I used my tatted napkin rings that I found at a local thrift. I also found these vintage white linen napkins at an estate sale, $1 for a set of 6. I love them, they go with anything. Look at that intricate leaf pattern!

I let the napkins slightly hang off the end of the table for drama. I also used my vintage silver-plated silverware that I found at a local thrift. I use this set for just about every table setting. I got my money's worth! 

Here's another shot of a place setting. I used our crystal drinking glasses that we received from my husband's grandmother at my bridal shower. They were hers and they mean so much to us! She unfortunately passed away 6 months after our wedding, but we are so glad that we got to share that special time with her. We miss her sweetness everyday. She was such a lovely lady, I am so glad that I got to meet her.

This china blows me away. I think it would look especially gorgeous in the fall. I am so happy that I got to get this for our sweet family. 

Here is the sugar bowl and creamer. I just love their shape!

We hope that you have a lovely weekend and thanks for stopping by!

We are linking up at Between Naps on The Porch's Tablescape Thursdays

A Pink & Lace Tea Time Tuesday

 Welcome to this week's Tea Time Tuesday post!

Leave your hat and gloves on the old 1924 Victor Victrola Talking Machine by the door ...

A colorful arrangement of gladioli will greet you there.

Or, just pull up a chair to the tea table ...

And hang your hat and coat on the back of your chair.

I've added a couple of daylilies to the teapot. 

The Cheshire cat greets you with his large toothy grin!

The peach colored daylily complements the table setting so well. The most beautiful colors are always found out in nature!

The pink cube depression glass sugar bowl and creamer are filled ...

The salmon pink napkins are snug in their tatted napkin rings ...

And the tea is ready to be drunk! 

We linked up at Rose Chintz Cottage's "Savour the Summer" Tea Party

And at Antiques and Teacups' Tuesday Cuppa Tea

And at Bernideen's Tea Time Blog's Tea in the Garden

Camelot: A Jacqueline Kennedy Inspired Tablescape

For this tablescape feature, I am linking up to the Summer Style Soiree.

This 2007 edition of Vanity Fair inspired my tablescape. I borrowed from the cover's silvers and golds. I don't own a set of black napkins, unfortunately. They would be so symbolic of her little black dress. Oh well, the white napkins will have to do. Don't you just love Jackie's hairstyle? So chic! I'm tempted to make a hair appointment!

I laid down a vintage lace tablecloth that I found at an estate sale. I added white crepe myrtle blooms, dark purple gladioli blooms, and hot poker leaves to a glass and chrome FTD vase that I found at a local thrift. I also added a small purple trimmed crystal bell to the table, since it matched the floral centerpiece. I'm sure that Jackie would've announced dinner by the ting of a crystal bell.

I love the contrast of the dark purple gladioli with the soft white crepe myrtle. It adds such a romantic touch to the table, so Jackie.

I used glass plates and silver painted chargers for the place settings. I added a gold foil dolly between the plates and chargers in keeping with my inspiration. In addition, I also placed a silver fortune cookie beside each place setting. I thought that this particular fortune was very suiting. Jackie was such a strong and brave first lady!

There is a good story behind this vintage star-etched crystal bar ware. I have a matching set: brandy (sorbet) glasses, daiquiri glasses, and small martini glasses. However, I didn't buy it all as a set. Me and my sister-in-law found the daiquiri and martini glasses at an estate sale. I bought the martini glasses and she bought the daiquiri glasses. We both got the 6-piece sets for only $1. She surprised me that Christmas by giving me the daiquiri glasses. Later, I went to another estate sale in another state and found the brandy (sorbet) glasses. I bought the 6-piece set for $3. I figured they could be used for more than just mixed drinks. I love adding more history to something that already has some!

I found these lucite Lillian Vernon napkin rings at my local thrift. They were $1 for the set! They are really neat because they have a built-in vase. The little water reservoir can hold little buds and keep them fresh. I used fresh peppermint leaf clippings for this table setting. They smell wonderful!

Here is another place setting shot. The vintage silverware was also found at my local thrift. I bought the whole set for $14. The only pieces missing are the dessert forks, but who really needs those? We only need the dessert spoons for our fancy sorbet dessert.

Jackie's ringing the dinner bell, don't be late!