Holiday Tablescape With Books

My friend Kathy and I spent a weekend in Galena IL last summer. We stayed at the Steamboat Bed and Breakfast and toured many shops downtown. I got some ideas for the interior of my art studio--based on a really classy coffee shop we visited several times, but regarding our shopping experience in Galena, it was mostly tourista stuff.

We didn't buy much in Galena, but not far from there we found Cuba City IL. Wow--really had fun in one of the Cuba City antique/vintage shops. Purchased a 1929 Pal (hand crank) phonograph, and Kathy found for me this 4 place setting of dinnerware. The pattern is called Anniversary manufactured during the 1960s by the Jeanette-McKee Glass Company of Jeanette, Pennsylvania.



The truth is, I thought it was really pretty dinnerware and loved the color and knew it would pair well with clear amber candle sticks my mother Lorraine gave me. In the end I think all went well and it made a beautiful tablescape. I found the gold rimmed berry bowls (pattern is Sylvan, Fostoria Glass Co., ca. 1902) at a vintage/collectibles shop in Appleton WI, called Furniture Phases.


I had no idea what to put on the table to go with the dinner ware. Let's see, a gold and ribbon decoration purchased for $12 at Golden Country Gifts in Weyauwega, WI.

Added some old books, porcelain birds . . .

I looked through my pile of home-made cloth napkins, and added similar, but mis-matched florals.

In the end, the table looked good, throwing it all together in 30 minutes.

Then, Jon came home. I read him the menu as I'd written it on the kitchen blackboard. Ham, mashed potatoes, gravy, scalloped corn, green peas, raspberry jello loaded with fruit, crescent dinner rolls, cranberry sauce--all of Jon's favorites. After I read Jon the menu he said, "oh, ah, Mom can't make it today." My eyes got as big as the dinner plates. Sigh. So, I called my friend Kathy, and invited her, her son, and her sister-in-law to dinner . . . I delayed the 1:00p meal until 6:00p and we were back in business. Kathy kidded me, "oh I see--so I'm your second choice, eh?"