Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue ... Easter Tablescape

"For I remember it is Easter morn, and life and love and peace are all new born" ~ Alice Freeman Palmer.

As I was doing this Easter tablescape, I couldn't help but realize that it was coming together from things that were old, things that were new, things that were borrowed, and things that were blue - the traditional rhyme which details what a bride should wear on her wedding day for good luck.  The rhyme appears to originate in England, an 1898 compilation of English folklore.


It only takes a rhyme to occupy my thoughts today with memories of my long ago wedding day and the Easters of my childhood, the anticipation of this year's Easter celebration with my family, and happiness at the friendship I have with a neighbor who shares my enthusiasm for pretty china, glassware, flatware, and gardening.

Something Old...

When I was growing up, we often went to my grandparents' house for Easter.  My mother is from Pittsburgh, and her parents still lived in the house that she grew up in.  Her three sisters stayed in Pittsburgh, while she and her brother ended up in the Washington DC area.  Easter was always a great celebration with grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins.  I remember waking up Easter morning with my brother and sisters to look for our hidden Easter baskets before going to church.  It was a running joke that my sister Julie's basket was always hidden behind this cake saver that my grandmother kept on top of her refrigerator.


This is one of the Easter baskets from our childhood and was usually the one hidden behind the cake saver.


My grandmother always had an Easter egg tree in her front yard.  After the long trip from DC to Pittsburgh, we would get so excited when we made the final turn on to Canterbury Lane and all wanted to be the first to spot it.  The tree was hung with colorful plastic eggs filled with candy.  I made this miniature version from twigs found in the yard, craft store robin eggs, and a late 1800s era ironstone pitcher.


Something New...

The tableware is new and pieces were recently purchased from Williams Sonoma, Pier 1, and Horchow.


The silver sparkly charger is from Pier 1.


The white swirl dinner plate is also from Pier 1, borrowed from my friend Pat.


The Blue Damask bunny salad plates are from Williams Sonoma.  They were sold in sets of four, with a different bunny on each plate.  I only used two for this tablescape.




The matching Blue Damask bunny napkins are from Williams Sonoma, and the flatware is the Audubon pattern recently purchased from Horchow.  I have to read up on table setting etiquette LOL.  When my friend Pat came over to visit and check out the Easter tablescape, I asked her about the position of the flatware.  Oops... salad fork on the outside, dinner fork on the inside.  Oh well, pictures had already been taken.


The tumblers are the Elegant depression era glass Cambridge Rosepoint pattern, and I used the idea of filling it with colored Easter grass from Susan's "A Spring Table Setting with the Easter Bunny" at Between Naps on the Porch.


I also purchased the matching Blue Damask bunny serving tray from Williams Sonoma.  All the Blue Damask items were 50% off by the time I was shopping for Easter.

I wasn't going to have time to bake cookies, so I went to the local Wegman's to see what I could find in their bakery.  I only go to Wegman's when I am looking for specialty items, but my sister Julie does her weekly shopping there.  I ran in to her while she was getting the things for our Easter brunch celebration.  At the same time we ran in to my friend Laura.  Too funny.  We were trying to chat, but with our grocery carts at the prime narrow intersection where the bakery and the prepared foods aisles come together, we were SO in the way with the many Easter crowd shoppers..


Something Borrowed...

This pretty silver basket was borrowed from my friend Pat, as were the white swirl dinner plates shown previously.


Ideas themselves can also be borrowed, with inspiration coming from what you've seen others do and putting your own twist on it.  I used several borrowed ideas from tablescapes I've seen recently on some great blogs.

These jeweled eggs are a DIY craft project that I picked up from Jacqueline's "Jeweled French Script and Sheet Music Easter Eggs" tutorial at Purple Chocolat Home.



Tin letters in Mary's "In the Potting Shed with Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail" at Home is Where the Boat Is really caught my eye when I saw them.  When I was at Hobby Lobby looking for "jewels" for the jeweled eggs project, I passed by a tin letters display and remembered how nice it looked.  I decided to borrow the idea for mine, using a smaller version.


Something Blue ...

I love the blue in these craft store robin eggs.


and the blue in this hydrangea...


Ending with a general view of the overall tablescape.  Happy Easter!!!


Table Details:

Something Old ...
Grandmother's Cake Saver
Childhood White/Gold Easter Basket
Ironstone Pitcher
     Alfred Meakin, England
Clear Elegant Depression Era glass Tumblers:
     Cambridge Rose Point (Discontinued Actual: 1934-1958)

Something New ...
Silver Chargers:
     Pier 1
Bunny patterned Salad Plates, Napkins, and Serving Tray
     Blue Damask from Williams Sonoma
Flatware:
     Audubon from Horchow
Decor:
     Tall Antique White Bunny from Pier 1
     Rabbit Salt and Pepper Shakers from Pier 1
     Rabbit Egg Shaped Plate from Pier 1
     Light Blue Tulip Patterned Tablecloth from Thrift Store

Something Borrowed ...
White Dinner Plates:
     Pier 1, from my friend Pat
Silver Basket:
     unknown, from my friend Pat


7 comments:

  1. This tablescape is over the top! I love, love, love the wonderful details. I love the colors you have chosen. This is one of my favorite tablescapes I have seen.

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  2. So pretty in blue! Those rabbit plates are wonderful! I really enjoyed seeing this!

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  3. I am in love with all of the elements of this table...the blue and white, the egg tree, those plates...it is all gorgeous!

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  4. Terri, this table is just gorgeous. I love, love all of the blue and the precious memories that you shared with us. Pat is a sweetheart (hi, Pat!!) to loan you some of her lovely pieces and you used them in such special ways. Your photographs are wonderful, too. I really enjoyed this post!

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  5. I got to see it in person and it was awesome. To think that at our age we are still playing show and tell. Hi, Diane! Pat

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  6. This is just beautiful, such time and detail going in to it. Just love this. HollyAnnS

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