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Thursday, December 17, 2009

Blue Willow Table Setting for Thanksgiving


Rows of table settings to serve 35 guests.











Thanksgiving 2009 using Allertons Blue Willow. Hopefully the hastily taken pictures convey the beauty of a Blue Willow table setting.

The Blue Willow belonged to my aunt who served my family on it every Thanksgiving for decades. She inherited it from her mother-in-law who collected it during the war when many pieces were brought to the states or sent to her by her daughter who was serving in England. Near the end of my aunt's life, having just lost her devoted husband six months earlier, she made the painful decision to turn it over to an antiques dealer since it seemed no one in the family wanted it and she was no longer able to prepare such a huge feast for so many people. She was heartbroken as she and my uncle had tenderly cared for it and cheerfully and with great affection for the china, the memories surrounding it, and the holiday, served Thanksgiving dinner on it for so many years. When she learned I wanted to buy one piece as a keepsake we came up with a way for me to keep it in the family. She was so relieved and cried tears of joy that it wouldn't end up being sold off in bits and pieces to strangers. Now I have the wonderful privilege of caring for it and continuing the tradition she and my uncle started by serving Thanksgiving to our large and growing family each year. She was able to attend one Thanksgiving dinner at my house before she died. The Blue Willow is daily reminder of my sweet aunt (and my uncle) as I have many pieces on display throughout the house and I am also one of those people who uses my fine things every day. Having my early morning coffee in my Blue Willow china when I'm the only one up and the house is still peaceful is a gentle reminder of Aunt Louise.

For this tablescape, I used simple silver chargers and simple blue goblets to provide a bit of shimmer. Finding a centerpiece to bridge the deep red walls and the blue willow is difficult so I chose pink and red roses. They were almost past their prime when I rescued them just before the first hard frost. They were a beautiful complement to the blue willow and a way to soften the backdrop of the red walls.

Since this is my first post on a new blog, please forgive the lack of character. I hope you enjoy my first blog post as much as I enjoyed learning how to put one together.

I'm linking to Between Naps on the Porch Tablescape Thursday blog party. Thanks Susan for this opportunity to show my cherished blue willow.
















11 comments:

  1. Angela, Welcome to the wonderful world of blogging, and Tablescape Thursday. I have been blogging for 3 months now and I have learned so much and have found this community to be so warm, and friendly and fun!!! I am so happy you are with us!
    You have done a beautiful job with this post. The blue willow is gorgeous and you presented it in a pleasant and elegant way. I love the dark tablecloth. It really shows off the blue willow!
    Oh, the roses are a real treat. They look lovely with the china.
    Angela, keep on learning and participating. Now you have a follower, me!
    Yvonne

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  2. Hi Angela, welcome to blogging, love the dishes they are just so beautiful, I love it all and I look forward to visiting again soon, i am a new follower of yours, come for a visit...

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  3. Beautiful table! I love blue and white, so classic and classy. Thanks for sharing. Happy Holidays.

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  4. Angela, I too have just joined the land of blog - it is so much fun. Please call and visit me. Suzy

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  5. Welcome to blogging...it's wonderful...and blue is my very favorite...

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  6. Blue Willow is so classy and classic! That's what my mother had for her everyday dishes -- I didn't get those, but seeing them is always a bit nostalgic for me. Very pretty table.

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  7. Welcome to blogging and I love your blue and white tablescape.
    Merry Christmas,
    Carolyn

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  8. Hi Angela, LOVE this tablescape...one of my favorite patterns ever...Blue Willow! You have some really lovely pieces and I really like the placement of the napkins. Plenty of character in your wonderful photos...nothing to apologize for here! You should have seen my first post...I think I had one pic in it that I'd actually taken. Thirty-five people...now that's a quite a crowd to feed! Thanks for the giggle about your Thanksgiving dinner party/playlist...tooooo funny. Those are the things we laugh over for years, aren't they?!
    Happy New Year...2010 is going to awesome!
    Susan

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  9. Oh, you mentioned wanting to enlarge pics...here's a link to a post I did a while back...and in it is a link to a post I did about how to enlarge pics...in case that is helpful. http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/2009/09/blogging-secretsshhhhhhh.html

    Also, Live Writer is supposed to be a good bit easier to use, although I've not really tried it yet...hope to do so soon.

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  10. Hey, I read your article several times, just love it. Love the blue dishes too. I have too many! Great choice..

    Blue Willow China

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I enjoy all fussy comments.