Red Lantern Tablescape

Last week our family was vacationing in Pennsylvania. Amid days spent in historical Philadelphia, Gettysburg, Amish Country, and Hershey, I managed a trip to a store that I spotted that looked familiar. I had seen it discussed on some blogs during the Tablescape Thursday meme. That shop was Christmas Tree Hill! I am so jealous of those of you who live near one of these havens of home decor! I managed to score a few purchases, one of which became the centerpiece of this week's tablescape.

This beautiful red lantern was half off! I think it will be so versatile, especially around the holidays, and I'm looking forward to using it in future tablescapes. For this one, though, it took center stage on top of an off-white placemat. The dark red matched nicely with my woven straw placemats and Queen's Rooster dinner plates.

The flatware is my everyday workhorse, Easton by Oneida. Off-white fringed napkins pick up the color from the candle in the lantern and the background of the plates.

The water goblet is Fostoria's Jamestown in Ruby. My mother had this pattern in pink (to match her Franciscan Desert Rose) in juice glasses, water goblets, iced tea goblets, and sherbets. I have such fond memories of this pattern, and I love its swirl and shape. My mom and dad retired to the beach several years ago and downsized quite a bit. She told me this week that her Jamestown was sold at her church's yard sale for $1 a piece. I was sick to hear that, but someone certainly got a deal! I recently found some Jamestown iced tea glasses in amber on ebay, so keep an eye out for them in future tablescapes, along with some April Cornell linens from Christmas Tree Hill!

Join Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for lots of tablescape inspiration, and those fellow tablescapers who live in Pennsylvania and Delaware, take a trip to Christmas Tree Hill for me!

Blue Willow Teapots

These napkin rings were the inspiration for today's tablescape. I first encountered them at our breakfast setting at the wonderful inn where Joel & I spent our tenth anniversary, Abingdon Manor. I very highly recommend them for dinner and/or an overnight stay if you are traveling along I-95. Besides the inn's beauty and the delicious food, I fell in love with the charm of these Blue Willow teapot napkin rings.

I found some of them on ebay and, upon receiving them, decided that a Blue Willow tea for one was in order. I thought this corner of the living room would make a cozy spot for tea.

I added one of my favorite pillows (a gift from my sister) to the wing-backed chair. I thought it was appropriate to the theme.

Of course, the Blue Willow teapot lamp was perfect for lighting. I also added a bud vase of Emily roses.

One of my favorite things to do when I have a rare cup of tea to myself is to peruse books about tea. These are some of my favorites.

You can't get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me. --C. S. Lewis

With a stack of books at the ready, I prepared the tea tray with a pot of Harney & Sons Chocolate Mint.

I added a teacup and saucer, teaspoon, and butter knife.

The final touch was a salad plate topped with a white linen hem-stitched napkin tucked into a Blue Willow teapot ring!
Enjoy lots of table-setting inspiration at Susan's Tablescape Thursday.