My Second Tablescape Tuesday...or...Plates and Pears

Welcome to...I cannot believe I am saying this...my second Tablescape Tuesday hosted by our Hostess with the Mostest Susan at Between Naps on the Porch. Please visit her wonderful blog and check out the participants for this week where you will find many inspirational and creative ideas for setting a beautiful table!

Before we begin our post, we have an important announcement from corporate headquarters. Baby Kitty has been selected from a field of thousands of applicants to fill our newly-created position of co-host for Tablescape Tuesday. You may recall that he was a guest for my first Tablescape Tuesday. His heretofore undiscovered affinity for tablescaping has earned him this spot in our staff lineup and he will now be a regular when these posts appear. His benefits package, it must be noted, is still under negotiations with management.

I am calling this week's tablescape Plates and Pears. The china that I am using is my wedding china from many moons ago called Kashmar by Wedgewood. It was discontinued about 10 years ago, but for me, it is still an elegant and unusual pattern. I have tucked the napkin between the salad and dinner plates to give the china more presence on the table.

I love the unexpected colors and the Oriental flair of the pattern. I used simple round black placemats to accent the black designs in the china and a votive candle at each place to create a little ambiance. I like the layered look of placemats on a tablecloth.

Don't you love the border on the plates? Kashmar is actually a town in ancient Persia...modern day Iran...known for its oriental rugs. The pattern in the plates was inspired by them. You can see that the salad plate is basically a smaller version of the dinner plate.

Here's a closer look at the dinner plate. Can you tell that the plates are not round, but have multiple sides? There is just a little hint of yellow in the floral design. I call the darker orange color persimmon.

I love the cups and saucers! The saucers are deep and I really like the shape of the handle. Now you can see a little more plainly that the china has multiple sides...varying according to the size of the piece.

This is the bread plate in Kashmar. Another reason I wanted to use this china is to be able to show you my mom's flatware. This is the only pattern in which I actually have bread plates to go with her individual butter knives!

I have been giving you little peeks at my centerpiece, hoping that you will warm up to it! I really had a difficult time with this one. I finally decided that I just wanted something simple so that it wouldn't detract from the china.

Then, when I stopped by Fresh Market, I spied these wonderful Bosc pears and knew I had found my centerpiece! I think they really pick up the colors in the china. I tied a gauzy black ribbon to each one of them for a little added effect.

Next, I placed them on this candle holder that I got from Southern Living rather than using candles. What do you think?

This is my mom's flatware Silver Flutes by Towle. I love the simplicity of the lines. It has that patina that old silver develops over time.

Here are the forks. I especially love the salad fork with its little cut-out in the center.

I wanted to show you my "new" wine glasses...90 cents each from Goodwill! I put them with my real crystal goblets and I think it helps them to look a little more elegant.

So that's my second tablescape! Once again, I have to say my hat's off to all of you tablescapers who do this every week! I jazzed up the award a little...added a border...if you would like to take it from my sidebar. You all deserve it! It has been a real learning experience for me and I hope to continue to improve with practice!

My co-host Baby Kitty and I would like to thank you for dropping by and we invite you to visit the other tablescapers listed at Susan's blog Between Naps on the Porch! You will be treated to a real variety of styles and ideas for creating a beautiful tablescape.

Wow! All this hard work is making me hungry! What can I.....hmmmm...... Now if you will excuse me...snarf...snarf...snarf...