Red, White and Blue

Since I didn't get my 4th of July table ready in time to post last Thursday when everyone else was showing their All-American colors, I decided to post it this week. So please bear with me while I regress.

I wanted to use this old red and white quilt for my table cover. Since it wasn't big enough to use alone, I decided to layer it over a plain white tablecloth. This quilt use to be my everyday tablecloth on my kitchen table back when I had a red kitchen. Lately it's resided at the foot of the bed in one of my guest rooms. I thought it was perfect for the 4th of July.

The dishes are Italian Countryside by Mikasa, and the glasses are Argus by Fostoria in cobalt blue. I registered for these glasses when we got married in 1974, so they're practically antique. I seem to be getting lots of mileage out of the $1.00 napkins from World Market. This time I tied them with raffia, since my table was taking on a picnic look.

My flatware is a combination of two patterns that once belonged to my great aunt and uncle, Don and Dorothy Blanchard from Lewisville, Arkansas. They never had any children, so I inherited it because each piece is monogrammed with a "B." The more decorative pieces are inlaid silver in a pattern called Guest of Honor by Holmes and Edwards. The other pieces are sterling but have no other markings on them, so I have no clue about the pattern. I also used my pewter salt and pepper shakers.

All of the flowers came from my yard, and I "arranged" them in three quart-sized canning jars. I just went out and cut whatever was blooming—daisies, lantana, chaste tree, butterfly bush, Joe-Pye weed, ribbon grass and purple fountain grass.

Now for some serious eye candy be sure to visit Susan at Between Naps on the Porch. There you'll find her relaxing and hosting Tablescape Thursday, and you're sure to find links to other great tablescapes.