Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Tablescape Thursday - Father's Day Dinner

I just love Tablescape Thursdays and playing with my dishes - thanks so much Susan (Between Naps On The Porch) - for inviting us to the dish party every week! Even more fun than just playing, is the opportunity to visit the tablescapes of all the other dish players too! I always learn so much from each of you.


Here we are approaching our Father's Day table. All the men in my life love the water (ocean, river, lake, probably even mud puddles. Me too - well everything except the mud puddles!) So I decided the sailboat/beach theme would be perfect to honor their special day.


Here's another look from a different angle -- I think you can see more of the full table this way. None of the dishes, glasses or flatwear I've used here are anything I haven't posted in other tablescapes. But hopefully they look "fresh" within a new themed tablescape. I know that it's unusual for me to tablescape without a tablecloth - but for the men, I thought the grain of the wood in this old oak table looks more masculine.


Here's a closer view of one of our place settings. You can see my china has shells on it and I thought that this large shell not only picked up the theme of the china - the colors on the shell are exactly the colors on the china. I don't even remember where I got these huge shells, but I had two of them in my Summer stash, so I've used them at two of the place settings.


For the other two place settings I've used two "skinny" starfish. The soft grey of these starfish also pick up the color of grey from the china. With these, you also get a better look at the ivory damask dinner napkins.


Here's a closer look at my china pattern - I loved it when I picked it and I still love it today. The shell flatwear is not my good silver, but it matches the theme of the day.


This particular china pattern has been discontinued, but you can see it's Noritake Stanford Court. I was able to find some deals several years ago on e-bay and managed to increase my place settings to twelve.


A close-up of the cup and saucer.


It looks like I'm showing you my flatware - but what I really wanted to show, were the vintage (of course) placemats. I got four linen placemats at the antique store for $2! Now I can't get plastic placemats from K-mart for that! And these are lovely for my "manscape" - they actually even remind me of a man's handkerchief (vintage of course!)


Here's a closer look at the sailboat centerpiece. I'm using a plate stand to hold the boat and they're sitting on a picture frame with shells completing the beach look.


For just a touch of whimsey -- I've added a Virginia blue crab to the scene.


On the other side of the sailboat we see an old bottle has washed on shore with a note inside.


When we were first married we spent a lot of our vacations at my in-law's river house. My husband would put on his hip boots and go out on the low tide searching for old bottles. We have several boxes of these treasures. One day we keep telling ourselves we would love to have a display of them, but right now we don't have the right place to do that. Anyway, this is an old wine bottle from the 1800's. The bottom is rounded and there is a flatness to the side so the bottle would lay flat and the cork wouldn't dry out. I just reached in one of our old boxes and this was the first one I pulled out. They're all quite interesting (to us anyway - especially knowing that he pulled each and every one of them out of the river himself)


Here's a picture of our table by tealight. Now, I probably wouldn't really serve our Dad's by candlelight. Have you ever noticed how many men really dislike eating by candlelight? I think it makes them nervous - like we're trying to slip something "healthy" into their diet or something, without them seeing it. I believe that my mother-in-law used to say that if she tried to serve a nice meal by candlelight my father-in-law would make a quip like, "What did you do? Forget to pay the light bill?" How about the men in your life? Do they like dining by candlelight? Or not so much?


One last look at our tablescape just for "us girls" -- before we turn the lights back on.

Be sure to check out all the other tablescapes at "Between Naps On The Porch" -- Tablescape Thursday is an event that just shouldn't be missed. You'll be amazed at what's on everybody's tables -- and there's a table set just for you!

See ya!

31 comments:

  1. Love the boat theme. What a pretty table. YOur shell dishes are stunning and the big shell and starfish really continue the theme. What a great idea to set the boat in a plate stand. I learn so much each week. I think the men in your family will really appreciate this lovely table. Gorgeous. BTW, I hope to see you at the "Cloche Party" on Friday. I will have Mr. Linky up before 8pm eastern time. See you then. Hugs, Marty

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  2. Wonderful nautical theme! (Very mid-Atlantic!) It is masculine but very warm and full of great details. Love the crab, shells and starfish!!!! :D Jewel

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  3. Great theme for a Father's day. I think your china is amazing and I am now going to be on a quest to find a set for myself. I have to say that I would love to be at your table for dinner:)
    Joyce

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  4. That is a great tablescape! Love your china:)

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  5. Evening, Martha! Oh, what a wonderful table. I'm sure the men in your life are going to love this! Love your nautical theme with the big ole sailboat along with all the sea creatures! Your china is so beautiful - love the shells around the edge! Great job, sweet friend.
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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  6. What a fabulous "manscape", Martha! Love the beach/water theme! and the little crab...great touch!
    Happy TT!
    ;-D

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  7. What a beautiful tablescape and perfect for Father's Day! That big shell is beautiful with your china and those vintage placemats do look like beautiful vintage men's hankies! lol
    What a sweet memory of your hubby collecting those glass bottles...and I love the fact that you didn't use a tablecloth...

    We don't eat by candlelight around here...Bill has always told me that if that was what I wanted it would be fine with him if it made me happy but he really would prefer to see what is going in his mouth! lol lol Plus knowing how my bunch comes by so often it'd be my luck just as we lighted the candles and turned out the lights they'd walk in and demand to know what we were doing up in here in the dark! lol lol Have a great week sweetie..beautiful post!

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  8. This is a wonderful tablescape and I know the fathers in your life will love it.

    Christi

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  9. Oh Girl this is just beautiful and when you got to the bottle the movie message in a bottle jumped into my head...love that china and your flatware...its all so preety love the tea lites in the shells...the boat...and what's with men and candle light...might doesn't like candle lite dinners either...says it's to dark to see his food...Hey maybe that's a good way to put him on a diet ha ha!! Thank you so much for sharing this beauty..May you have a great day...hugs and smiles Gl♥ria

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  10. Those are huge shells! Pretty nautical tablescape. Your crab looks so real...Christine

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  11. What a great Father's Day tablescape! Your china is just perfect. You used your shells in a great way.

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  12. The boat is the perfect centerpiece -- a great "man table"!

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  13. I love this! We were just at the beach the other day and the tide was right for starfish, I think- huge fat purple and orange ones!

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  14. Great tablescape. Sure hope they appreciate it, but if not, at least you get to enjoy it. Love the boat. Happy tablescaping; come visit - The Tablescaper

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  15. I love your "Manly" Tablescape! I like the lion paw shells and starfish at each setting! Very pretty!

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  16. Martha! Just perfect for a Father's Day celebration. Love your boat and the seashells. I like how you have different shells at each placesetting.

    Thx so much for sharing and inspiring us with this lovely table.

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  17. What a beautiful table! I just love the boat and shells!! :)

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  18. I bet the hubs would love that table, hands down! I love it and wish I can do it for my hubs this weekend!

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  19. What a great Father's Day table. That sailboat centerpiece is wonderful--right down to the bottle that washed ashore. I agree that the wood is more manly than a tablecloth. I bet the men in your life appreciated all the attention to detail.

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  20. Oh what a terrific Father's Day table! I love your centerpiece, and those beautiful placemats!

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  21. Hi Martha, love your pretty table. The boat in the centerpiece is just so right for your lovely table. I love it all.....great job!

    Barb

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  22. Hello Martha! What a great Father's Day table. I really like your theme and how you put it all together!!

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  23. What an awesome Fathers Day table! I love the boat in the middle! OMG! Everything looks so peaceful... you can almost imagine sailing across a calm lagoon!

    Have a great Thursday!
    ~Really Rainey

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  24. What a creative idea with the nautical theme for Father's Day!
    LOVE the sailboat and the gorgeous dishware. :)

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  25. Loved your Father's Day tablescape. And I love, love, love your plates. Too bad they are discontinued. I love all the beachy touches.

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  26. Great idea with the sailboat - it's very masculine! Linda

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  27. Great table. I know the men will love it. Have a great day!

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  28. This is fabulous! Love the sailboat, and that bottle is incredible! Your dishes are gorgeous, and I can't believe you even have "shell" flatware. What a deal on those pretty placemats. Loved this post, and your commentary about candlelight dinners! laurie

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  29. Dear Martha..I went on and on about your lovely tablescape and then it suddenly disappeared. Perhaps it was for the best as I was rambling on and on about the sea..my fear of it and my spending the weekend of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd of August aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA.
    I love that tablescape with the clipper ship and especially the old interesting bottle. The candle light is wonderful! You did a perfectly marvelous seaside tablescape!! I used to want one of those boats SO bad but I eventually got over it. You know how we do...:)
    Many hugs...(I said lots more but...it was not important..simply ramblings...)
    Mona

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