Ivy and Birds Tablescape with Spode Byron

Green and gold, new and old, real and faux.  There are lots of opposites coming together at this table.  Come, have a seat and let's wish for Spring together.

I realized after seeing my photos that I should have ironed the fold lines out of my tablecloth.  Umm... maybe it adds to the more relaxed feel. ;-)  Ah well.  I'm sorry.  This vintage tablecloth is hand embroidered with topiaries of yellow blooms.  This was just a few dollars on Ebay, and came with matching napkins.

I thought these oval covered dishes looked so nice with the border of my Spode Byron plates (other tablescapes with Spode Byron here and here).  They seem to be a perfect match.  I couldn't resist them for $2.49 a piece at Ross...plus I love just about anything with birds.

A recycled votive holder is filled with little wood slices and a tealight candle from Zest Candles. 

The wine glasses are some I found several months back.  They too were perfectly matched to my Spode Byron dishes.  I love the combination of brown, green and gold.  Napkins are doubled up and tucked inside the glasses.  The brown napkins are new, made from recycled fabrics by FloraDora, one of my sponsors.  This is an Etsy shop you'll have to check out for wonderfully created pillows and linens.  The white linen napkins have a pretty filet lace trim. 

The centerpiece is an ivy topiary in a planter made of tree bark.  It is decorated with yellow baby roses and mixed ivy around the base.  I chose a tall topiary so it could be left at the table for people to visit and not have something obstructing them from seeing the person across the table..  Around the base of the topiary is a real bird nest that I found last Spring.  

 

I am anxious for Spring to return again, aren't you?

I am hoping to find another nest, once it's been vacated of course.

Awake, thou wintry earth -
Fling off thy sadness!
Fair vernal flowers, laugh forth
Your ancient gladness!
~Thomas Blackburn~

Don't forget to go over to Mary's blog, Little Red House and then to her Review Blog and leave a comment for a chance to win a $50 gift certificate to my Etsy shop.

The winner of last weeks CSN giveaway is comment #143, Norma:

I will contact you at the email you provided.  Congratulations!

I'm joining Tablescape Thursday
Beyond the Picket Fence

Peeking into The Vintage Abode + Giveaways!

Come on in to The Vintage Abode and browse one of the country's largest collections of English transferware. 

Take a little stroll around the shop (you can shop online at my Etsy shop HERE,  but only a fraction of the inventory is listed online).

I am giving away a $50 gift certificate to my online shop, over at Little Red House.   I'm sure many of you are probably already familiar with Mary's blog and her weekly meme, Mosaic Monday where she and hundreds of bloggers link up photo mosaics each week.  Mary is an amazing photographer with her own Etsy shop full of some of her magnificent photos HERE, and author of a gorgeous blog who just  happens to have a fondness of transferware too.  She's doing a transferware mosaic this week so you'll want to check that out.   Visit he blog to enter the giveaway and get the details.  PLUS,  there's a discount coupon you can only get over at her blog, for my shop. 

Some of the blue Transferware in the shop:

 Below, Ashton is showing a huge wash basin and pitcher in the Charlotte pattern.  I have this in brown (not yet listed and a deep blue Calico, also not yet listed).

Teal Transferware

Brown Transferware
I love the wall color here.  It's called Antique Spice.  I used it in our gameroom at home.

Purple & Purple Polychrome Transferware

 

As you can see, I have transferware pieces displayed and stored from floor to ceiling

Brown Polychrome Transferware 

Polychrome pieces have a transfer and then hand painted touches of color are added over the transfer.  Both the transfer and the han painted touches are under glaze, making them permanent.

This cabinet holds nothing but brown Spode transferware

Red Transferware

(night time window shopping the red room)

Did I mention green transferware?

Below is Spode Byron...my favorite.  It's really a brown transfer but there is so much green in the pattern that I decided to put it here with the greens.

Black & Black Polychrome Transferware

And there is lots and lots more!

If you'd like to learn more about transferware, just peruse my blog.  To see how transferware is made click HERE
To learn about the invention of transferware click HERE


I am also hosting a CSN $50 giveaway HERE

I'm joining the following parties:
Between Naps On The Porch
The House In The Roses  
Pink Saturday 
Funky Junk Interiors
Tabletop Tuesdays 
Savvy Southern Style