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Showing posts with label Samarra. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Samarra. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Ode to Avocado Green


When I was a young engaged bride-to-be, the “in” colors were Avocado Green and Harvest Gold (I will bet that some of you had those colors in your homes, too!). Before the wedding, my mother and I made a visit to the local jewelry store, which was the place in our small town to select all of the tableware. I have written about this trip in another blog and I confessed that I am still happy with all of the choices that I made that day. The Tablescape Times Three pattern for July is the one that I selected for my informal china, Royal Doulton’s “Samarra”.
Another confession that I must make is that I never actually used this beautiful china for informal meals. I realized quickly that it was too nice to use all of the time, so my mother gave me a set of white ironstone that my husband and I used for every day.
For my table setting this month, I decided to use almost all avocado green tableware to pay homage to that fabulous color.


I set a brunch table for four.


“Samarra” dinner plates were placed on top of ecru cotton placemats.


I added matching salad plates.


On top, I placed avocado Bia ramekins, which were a recent purchase from Tuesday Morning. These are the perfect size to use as fruit cups, before the entree is presented.


Coffee or tea can be poured into the “Samarra” teacups. Our family usually prefers hot coffee or iced tea, but we do entertain guests occasionally who want hot tea or cold coffee!


To serve the coffee, I set out my coffee pot, creamer and covered sugar. When I married, I did not receive the creamer and sugar as wedding gifts. However, many years later, my two children gave them to me one Christmas. They found them on Replacements and I was thrilled, since the pattern had been discontinued by then. The coffee pot is an even later addition to the collection, but I purchased it from Replacements, also.


The avocado green footed glasses are Fostoria in the “Mesa” pattern. These glasses were chosen at the same time as the china.


I managed to find avocado napkins and napkin rings and used them together.



The flowers on my grandmother’s “Presentation” silverplate flatware mimic the delicate flowers on the china.


I did decide at the last minute that I should add a little bit of additional color, so that the table would not resemble the Jolly Green Giant. I cut a few of my miniature roses and put them in silverplate creamers from Two’s Company.
I had fun creating this table. It brought back so many memories – I only wish that I taken the time to find photos of those extremely stylish Harvest Gold appliances that I had in my first two houses!!
Diane



Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Erin go Bragh



Erin go Bragh - Ireland Forever!!




March 17th! Leprechauns and Shamrocks await...




Saint Patrick’s Day – wearing of the green! After to traveling to Ireland, I understand why green is so important to the Irish people. I was there in the month of November and just look at how green the grass was at Blarney Castle.




It was just as green on the Dingle Peninsula, which was one of my favorite places in Ireland. My friend, Jane, who had visited there, told me not to miss it. I am eternally grateful.




Another of my favorite places was the Waterford glass factory in Waterford, Ireland. I carried back several treasures from my trip. One was a Waterford biscuit barrel for my mother-in-law.



Recently, my mother-in-law gave me several pieces of crystal that had been in her collection and, happily, the biscuit barrel was among them. I used it as a centerpiece on the table to hold the green and orange flowers (Irish flag colors!).




Waterford is not the only manufacturer of crystal in Ireland. The other crystal on my table is made by Galway. It is the old “Longford” pattern and I have had it for many years. The shapes of the pieces have changed a bit, since then, but I still love mine. I acquired it, when my mother gave me a surprise check and told me to buy myself something pretty. I used the money to order the footed iced teas and champagne/sherbets from Ireland. I never set my table with “Longford” that I do not think of my mother who died fourteen years ago.

Many thanks to my mother and mother-in-law for helping to make my table beautiful!



I was determined to have Belleek "Shamrock" salad plates for Saint Patrick’s Day this year. Some time ago, I ordered them from a company who does business in Ireland and America. Not only did I never receive them, but the company does not answer my e-mails! Fortunately, I have green dishes. They are the “Samarra” pattern by Royal Doulton. This china was one of the patterns that I chose, when I married.




The sterling flatware is “Strasbourg” by Gorham.




The green tablecloth was purchased at Ross and the napkins are ones that I have had for years. The napkin rings came from Dillard’s. I used several shades of green on the table - they remind me of all the greens of Ireland!




I found the shamrock place mats at Home Goods.




The pretty beaded coasters were bought at TJ Maxx, I think, and the darling etched shamrock Irish coffee mugs were an Ebay purchase.




Watching over the table are two Annalee Leprechaun elves.




Also, decorating the table are sprinkles of leprechaun and shamrock confetti. Hopefully, the Leprechauns left the gold coins for some lucky dinner guest!

While I do have some Irish heritage, I am afraid that my ancestors came from the northern end of the isle – the Scotch-Irish. However, on Saint Patrick’s Day, we can all be officially Irish. Who would not love a man who ran the snakes out of a country?



Instead of an Irish recipe, I am going to leave you with the lyrics to an old Irish song:

AN IRISHMAN'S DREAM 
Sure I've roamed this wide world over
But of all the lands I've seen
There's no spot I'd rather dwell in
Than my little isle of Green
Only last night I was dreamin'
Of a sight that thrilled me through
But what I saw I'll see no more
'twas too good to be true
Sure the shamrocks were growing on Broadway
Every girl was an Irish colleen
The town of New York was the county of Cork
All the buildings were painted green
Sure the Hudson looked just like the Shannon
Oh, how good and how real it did seem
I could hear me mother singin', sweet Shannon bells ringin'
'twas only an Irishman's dream


Happy Saint Patrick’s Day - may we all have the luck of the Irish!!!


-Diane




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