If you are like me, your china stays more in the cabinet than on the table. I’ve been trying to change that, but since china seems to lend itself to more formal settings, it is a real challenge to keep the table playful and fun.
For friends’ birthday lunch, I gave it a go mixing the rather girly floral patterned china with Feistaware. Each place had a different color plate serving as a charger.
Pink tinted glasses and pink and green napkins in a floral pattern finished each place setting.
As a centerpiece, decanters of colored water and candles were used. To vary the height, some of the decanters perched atop antique brass trivets.
To say this table had a little bit of a lot of things is an understatement, and each item has a story. The table runner I made from a piece of my handwoven fabric combined with purchased ones. The china once belonged to my mother, the soup spoons to my mother-in-law, the salad forks were a daughter’s castoffs. The decanters were from my great grandmother’s house and must be close to 100 years old. The trivets were a purchase at Round Top (Texas’s big antique festival) a number of years ago, and the candle holders ….well, who knows from where they came!
Putting this table together was lots of fun, and it looked good day
and night.
Lunch was fun, too. The fare was simple: roasted vegetables mixed with mesclun greens, butternut squash soup, crostini topped with roasted red pepper aioli.
Had it not been for dessert, a tasty coconut cake with lemon filling (recipe from Southern Living here), lunch would have been healthy and low calorie! But, hey, it was a birthday celebration so that makes it OK to indulge.
Joining Tablescape Thursday, Foodie Friday, Friday Food.
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Lulu's Musings 
Beautiful and creative table…love those gorgeous floral plates. Could you please pass me a piece of cake? 😉
Pretty table and your cake looks amazing! I’ll bet it was very tasty with the lemon filling too:@)
Absolutely that makes it okay to indulge. Great tablescape…I love the trivets and the decanters as your centerpiece. Thank you for inviting us for a peak. Cherry Kay
What a fun idea to change the color of the fiesta plate for each place setting but still keep the salad plates the same. Brings a cohesion to the table, but still keeps it vibrant. Thanks for sharing. ~CJ
That is a beautiful coconut cake …..just dreamy! You have created a fun table with lots of memories. How nice to have it written out for your children.
Delicious-looking cake — I adore coconut! I like the way you mixed the vintage china with the Fiesta to give a relaxed, modern feel. Love all the stories behind your pretty table elements, too!
That looks like a heart-shaped light on the artwork! Was that intentional for this time of year or did it happen by accident? It looks cool! I think you bought the trivets because they rock! I don’t remember ever seeing raised ones like that. They would be great for staging food as well as decorative pieces. Having a table with lots of items with a story behind them makes for a VERY interesting table laced with love and memories. As for your cake, my dear, there goes any hope I ever had of losing so much as an inch! I LOVE coconut cake!!! I haven’t had any in quite awhile, but now this reminds me that I must! Maybe I can hold off until Easter…maybe not! 🙂
Never noticed the way the light was heart like around the art. I’d like to tell you that was purposeful.
I was one of the fortunate recipients of that beautiful birthday luncheon, and I am here to tell you that it was true to Linda’s heartfelt style. The table was beautiful while welcoming, the food yummy, and friendship the best. As you all know, being a friend of Linda’s is a blessing. Sandy
Your table turned out so beautiful..what a great party you are graciously giving for your friend….love the table runner you made..and the cake..one of my favorites!!