I've been a little slow getting the green out for St. Patrick's Day this year. However, today is the day, and I thought I'd share a bit of my decorating talent with you!
Twiggy always loves it when I pull out a seasonal placemat for her, Frankie and Izzie. This one is made of plastic, so it's got that "easy care" aspect that I love!
If you've read my blog, you know I love vintage items. . . and so do our fur babies!!
Here you see Twiggy with the water bowl I keep on the seasonal placemat. It's a Corningware "Cornflowers" dish. . . my hubby and I received it for a wedding gift in 1968! Yes, it is VERY vintage!
Next, Twiggy is nibbling some of her yummy kitty food. Izzie, the grand dog, has her food in the other dish. We keep their food in little Corningware bowls I found at a thrift store. We like to use these kind of dishes because, first, they are made in the USA and, second, because they have some weight to them, the kitties and doggy can't scoot them across the floor while they're dining or drinking!
I sure wish the placemat was made in the USA, but I bought it at JO ANNE'S, so you know where it was made.....China.
OK, so you saw the "green on the floor", now you're in for some major eye candy as I dazzle you with my table setting expertise!!! ;)
This first photo shows you a place setting for one........all ready for me when I enjoy my breakfast on St. Pat's morning, right after the hubby goes off to work!! He usually has a protein shake each morning, so I won't waste my table setting efforts on him for breakfast.
As you can see, I started with another seasonal placemat. On top of that I placed a couple of my favorite dishes in the whole wide world. . . . basic white CORELLE!!! It, too, is made in the USA!
My mother bought us our first place setting for four in 1972 or 73....and we've used it since. Of course, over the years I've had to replace some pieces because the edges get a little beaten up looking after a while and I've increased the number of place settings to many more than four!
I have added a vintage cloth white napkin....secured with a string of green beads. The Irish coffee-type cup came from Old Thyme Pottery. I belief they are made by Libby.....so they are pretty likely to be a USA product. Sadly, the little coaster and other decorative shamrocks were from Michael's and Jo Annes....cheap, but made in China.
I will sidetrack a bit here. My goal for this Easter is to give my two grand kids Easter baskets that are totally composed of Made in the USA products. So far, I have located bio-degradable Easter grass and one little candy product. I've still got lots of time to complete that project.
Back to my exquisit table setting.....I just bought the Oneida flatware last November on Cyber Monday. Oneida was having a huge sale. I knew I wanted this pattern, called American Harmony, because my friend Bonnie has it and I've always loved it. I was pretty sure hers was stamped made in the USA. Not mine.....the forks say "Indonesia". :(
Frankie was watching me set my table. . . so I decided to give him a little green, too!
After breakfast, I will start planning on a table setting that does include my hubby when he comes home for St. Patrick's dinner.
Of course, we have to have green beer!!!
I have a placemat problem.......I just have one in a shamrock shape. So, I'll borrow the one that the fur babies use to put at my husband's spot!!
I'm sure he won't care!!
Heck, he probably won't even notice! :)
Do you think it's OK that they don't match? I've been watching a lot of The Nate Burkus Show (he's a cool decorator).....and he hates matchy, matchy stuff. I'm thinking if Nate likes mismatched items....that's good enough for me!
To make things a bit more festive, I tied little foil shamrocks (also imports, I'm sure) onto a couple of vintage napkins. I'm pretty certain my husband will wonder why I did that.
I tried to get one of those fancy "squat shots" of my table. Do you see THE STONE RABBIT in the distance?
He loves St. Pat's day, too. . . .especially the green beer!
It's OK if he has some. . . .he doesn't look it, but he is well over the legal drinking age!
Have a happy and safe St. Patrick's Day!!!
DANA
Why I love white CORELLE:
1. it's made in the USA
2. it's extremely break resistant
3. it rarely shows marks from eating utensils...so it always looks NEW!
4. it is ALWAYS "openstock"....unlike the two patterns of china I have.... :(
5. it's extremely reasonably priced if you purchase pieces new.
6. it's even more reasonably priced if you're lucky enough to find pieces at thrift stores or garage sales!!
7. WHITE never goes out of style.
8. WHITE goes with EVERYTHING!!
9. It stacks so compactly it hardly takes up any room in the cupboard! (Note: this reason was given by Nancy of MY CRAFTY LITTLE PAGE....and she's so right!!!! Good one, Nancy!)
