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

Anniversary Tea Party

We drove up to the family farm to celebrate our second wedding anniversary. I incorporated cotton elements into our table decor, since cotton is the traditional second wedding anniversary gift. For dinner, we had herb-encrusted sirloin tip arm roast, sweet creamed corn, garlic mashed potatoes, and cheesy Red Lobster style rolls. For dessert, we had strawberry sorbet topped with chocolate-covered strawberries. We also had an unbirthday cake and white chocolate blueberry scones with lemon curd. To drink, we had Bentley's Mad Hatter Tea Party Tea. We went a little over the top, you see ...

I love this old barn with the cow weathervane at the top! We got married outside in the cove on this farm. We have so many wonderful memories here. It is a very beautiful and serene place.

 

It turned out to be picture-perfect. Mr. Sew Southern bought me rows of flowers with roots for our first wedding anniversary. So we dined among them for our second. Flowers with roots keep coming back year after year. Hopefully, we'll be coming back year after year to dine here.

I found this white rabbit at the local thrift for $3! I fell in love at first sight, so she joined us for tea. She is decorated in her finest tea-party attire, holding onto a wooden spool of cotton thread.

This gold resin "S" was used as part of our wedding decor. I also included some playing cards and a looking glass to complete the look. Mr. Sew Southern is very lucky and is always finding 4-leaf clovers, so one was placed on the looking glass. I used dollies and a crocheted table runner in keeping with the "cotton" theme.

We borrowed some silver from my mother-in-law. These are the white chocolate blueberry scones with lemon curd. They were delightful. I loved how the silver shined in the fading evening sunlight!

The Gold-encrusted Noritake Chocolate Pot (c. 1906) served as the centerpiece, holding raw cotton that was harvested last fall. We scattered vintage wooden spools of cotton thread down the center of the table. Everything sat atop a vintage crocheted table runner that I found in a local junk store. 

We used crystal salt and pepper shakers, iced tea glasses, and sorbet glasses that I found at box sales. The glass dinner plates were found at Dollar Tree. We used them to show-off the gold monogrammed chargers that we received as a wedding gift. The vintage silverware was found at a local thrift.

Who doesn't like Scrabble? 

We borrowed these silver candelabras from my mother-in-law. My talented sister-in-law snagged them up at an estate sale as a sweet Christmas gift. They added the perfect touch to our tablescape, with my whimsically mismatched crystal bobeches. 

A 10-second self-timer and a tripod made this photograph possible. Here's to our second wedding anniversary and to many more to come! Thanks for stopping by!

We linked up at Between Naps On The Porch's Tablescape Thursdays

And 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