B is for Blue & white

I have decided to set myself a challenge.

 I am going to go through the alphabet and create a tablescape which is linked in some way to the letters of the alphabet. Not for any fancy reason, but simply because I have been struggling to come up with new ideas each week. I thought this would help to narrow down my choices and give me some boundaries to work from.

Last weekend I sat with my daughter and we made a list of all the colours that we could think of that began with the letter "A", then "B" and "C" etc. That gave some colour choices. Then we went back over the list and did the same with subjects. For example The letter "A" gave us Autumn and Asian. So you see how it works. We came up with so many things that I must confess that I probably have enough subject matter for about three years. HURRAY!!! Bless my daughters heart she was trying to watch the TV and I just kept nagging her to help me.......I mean she is a teenager and anything to do with me is totally not cool at the moment (unless she wants something lol). I'm all for exploiting them when it suits me too! wink wink. Anyway she helped this poor old, uncool Mum more than she knows. Thank you my sweet. So away we go into

B

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B is for Blue & White
~~~

You know how sometimes you want to throw caution to the wind, have colours that shout at you and say look at me and yet other times you wish to be all girlie and pretty? Well today I was definitely in the mood for something very pretty but not necessarily too girlie. I had managed to get some new salad plates in blue and white, which I knew would just go really well with my blue and white dinner service. So above you can see my selection for week two of my challenge, Blue and white!

This particular diner set I bought ages a go and has been used very recently as my everyday set. But darling hubby who is a tad clumsy (sorry darling) managed to break and chip a few pieces last year while enjoying time off work to be at home. Now I'm not moaning as most of the time it was when he was unloading the dishwasher. So I am definitely happy for him to continue that little task as it is one of my pet hates. But after the loss of several plates I decided that it was time to save it from any more damage. It now has pride of place, being displayed on my new kitchen shelf (which I will show you in another post). So that said I am using it today and just making sure that all willing parties who load and unload the dishwasher do so with great care.  When I say "willing" I think when the teenagers go "Oh GODDA!! Why do I have to do it? You always ask me..... Why can't he (she) do it!!...You love them more than you love me and so on........" I personally believe it is their own little way of doing such lovely things for me, with a song in their hearts and is probably code for

"Of course I will do it Mummy, you know I love you right?"

So On we go.....
Here you can see the dish, Not my favourite shaped dish. I definitely prefer Coup or soup shape bowls. They are far more practical.  This set just has the word "Haven" on the back, no other details apart from the usual washing instructions etc. I bought a set for ten, which was on clearance about four yeas ago. Ive only got 6 plates left now... Boo Hoo

Next my newly acquired Crown Lynn "Chelsea"
salad plates or as we call them in the UK and New Zealand "lunch plates". I just had to have them. I think they are so pretty don't you? Thank you Hospice shop Glenfield and big thank you to the gorgeous little man who followed me round on that day carrying my basket as I was loading it up so much and couldn't carry it all. Woops!! I do get carried away sometimes. (Just don't tell the darling hubby).

Here is the dinner plate!

Next my newest brainwave, my glass chargers. I have managed to buy two more this week. You can read all about them on my last post or my next one.

Underneath the chargers came the old place mats. A present from a friend and employee about 18 years a go! (Woo how times fly)

As I have said so often before, it is virtually impossible to buy decent cutlery in the Op-shops here. So I decided to go out to all the warehouse stores and see what was out there. Did you know that apart from Thrift shops there is a whole other world of stuff out there.......huh!....who'd have thought?

Well onwards and upwards......I found, on special, two boxes of Flatware. 16 pieces in each. Now I know that they are not Amazing, but they do have a very Maori symbol on them and thought they would represent New Zealand and I could take them with me, if I was ever to leave here. (This is a strong possibility as my husbands work can take him all over the place). The symbol is the "Koru". It is a fern which is still curled up tightly and it means.....
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"The koru shape is a scroll shape and is linked to the New Zealand fern plant. The shoot of the fern has a curled-over tip which unfurls and becomes a fern leaf. The koru reaches towards the light, striving for perfection, encouraging new positive beginnings... The koru, represents the unfolding of new life, that everything is reborn and continues. It represents renewal and hope for the future. Spiral, geometry of life, sacred creation"
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A closer view!

Here we have the napkins and rings.

I bought two packs of these napkin rings, still new for about $6nz or $4us or 3 pounds...(sorry I don't have the pound logo on my computer any more). There are six in each pack.

Next the candlesticks, I bought these a while ago to go with a particular table cloth I had seen, but didn't buy. STUPID, STUPID STUPID!!!! "See it, love it, buy it!!"  My very own mantra and I ignored it! AAARRRGGGHHHH!!!!

I went back to the Op-shop for it and GONE! What's wrong with these people didn't they know I was coming back for it! So I was left with two new candlesticks and not much to go with them....Oh no......that means I will have to go out shopping again.......SHAME!! wink wink

So here they are anyway,

The glasses are crystal.

And to the Vignette on the Sideboard. Whoops I forgot to take the runner off from another tablescape.

A wee bit closer.....

And so to the evening.....always better by candlelight!

And again.......See I have changed the placng of the flowers? I moved them into the middle rather than being in the outside of the candlesticks. Now why didn't I do that earlier before I took the pictures?

And again......

The Vignette by candlelight too....

So Week two of my challenge

B

is for

Blue and White

I hope you enjoyed your tour around my table!

I will be following the link parties below

 http://debbie-debbiedoos.blogspot.com/

http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/p/table-top-tuesday-info.html

http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/2011/07/wow-us-wednesdays-21.html

http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/2011/07/coastal-summer-table-setting-welcome-to.html#more

http://lbratina.blogspot.com/2011/07/thrifty-thursday-122-plus-tablescape.html

http://coloradolady.blogspot.com/2011/07/welcome-everyone-to-vintage-thingies.html

http://romantichome.blogspot.com/2011/07/show-and-tell-friday_14.html

http://www.atthepicketfence.com/2011/07/welcome-to-inspiration-friday-no-23.html

http://niftythriftythings.blogspot.com/