Thimbleanna

The Bluebird Table

Well, that was a little unplanned blog break! A special thank you to all of you who took the time to send me an e-mail when you came here to leave a comment and found a bunch of gobbledygook. My webhost has been migrating to new servers for months now and I think it occasionally causes problems. Hopefully it’s over now, but I have my reservations — my site hasn’t been migrated to the new servers yet, so there may be rough patches ahead. Happily, I’m on travel this week, so that helped with the blog withdrawal LOL!

Anyhoo, when I made the aforementioned hot cross buns on Easter, I took the dough over to MeMums to rise and bake, as no one else in my family will eat them. While I was there, MeMum was setting the table for Easter dinner and she decided to use some new bluebird dishes that she got last year. Along with the tablecloth and napkins that I made her for Christmas. (I got the linen from Gray Line Linen in Manhattan — I love that place! It’s hard to find linen wide enough for a tablecloth, but they have several options.)

Bluebird Table

Oops! I never finished the binding on those napkins. (Oh, come on — tell me you’ve never given a partially finished present in the heat of battle!) So, while the hot cross bun dough was doing its thing, I worked on napkin bindings. I got them done just in the nick of time.

Bluebird Table

A few posts back I mentioned that if you only know one thing about MeMum, it’s that she’s a perfectionist. Well, another thing is that she LOVES dishes. Of all kinds. But especially if they’re blue. (Gurney! Avert your eyes! (Gurney doesn’t like birds — I think they creep her out — was it too many viewings of The Birds, Gurney?))

Bluebird Table

I thought I’d show you MeMum’s lovely table setting. Our dinner was divine and very traditional: Ham, cheesy potatoes, green beans almondine and salad. To be truly traditional for us, it should have been a jello salad, but MeMum opted for a tomato-vinagrette salad. I missed my spring jello, but the tomatoes were delicious. And fresh coconut (BigDaddy grates the coconut for MeMum) cake for dessert. Yum!

Have a good week!

XOXO,
Anna

40 thoughts on “The Bluebird Table”

  1. That is a beautiful table. Those napkins are so pretty. What fabric is the white?? linen?? I love them. And those dishes……………LOVE THEM!!! Glad your blog is up and running again.

  2. Oh wow, that is all so pretty together – talk about perfect! Those plates are beautiful, and with the glasses and the napkins…….. definitely perfect.

    (Speaking of “The Birds,” we had this unbelievably huge flock of birds (starlings?) in the back yard and adjoining field. It was weird. I was sure I was in a scene from the movie. Of course the boys had no clue what I was talking about. Also found out this weekend they have no idea who Mr.Spock is. I obviously have some work to do with them.)

  3. Yay! I can comment now :) Oh those plates..those napkins…those glasses soooo cute! OMG the times I have given a gift just to take it back “cause I just have to finish…fill in the blank!!lol!!

  4. Wow, I’ve gotten way behind on your blog! First of all gorgeous place settings- those napkins are to die for! How do I place an order? ;-)

  5. What’s jello salad and what’s almondine?????? Those place settings look gorgeous but I hate to think how many things I have started for my mum and not finished (or given to her!!!)

    Lucy x

  6. Oh my goodness – that table is beautiful. Looks like MeMum knows how to set a table, of course with the addition of a little Anna bling :). My mother tother (that’s what we call my Mom) loves loves dishes and her house is mostly blue and white – she would LOVE those dishes. Hey it’s another thing we have in common and it goes beyond us, how’s about that sister.

    Hey those buns look yummy also. Never had a tasty bite of anything like that. Sounds like I could be missing something.

    Hugs – Karen

  7. The table really does look beautiful and your napkins complement those plates perfectly :)

    Glad you had a lovely time with your family and glad you are back in the land of blog!!

    xx

  8. Hello Anna,

    I too love the dishes and napkin fabric! So unique and “springy.” Where did your mum get the dishes? And was the napkin fabric also from the Manhattan store?

    You sure seem to travel for work alot!

  9. I love, love, love the plates. Your napkins are the ‘perfect touch’ for the table. Your mom probably enjoyed having you there while you sat and sewed the napkins rather then having them done at home.
    Moms are like that… aren’t you??

    Thanks for the tulips on canvas idea. I’ll have to see if I can find some 4×4 canvases (I have several) but I’ll need 15 or so. I’m also going to try and order tulip bulbs to tie in little bags. Some places advertise “Buy now for Fall delivery”.
    Hugs to you,
    Joni

  10. Those napkins… those plates… that blue… what a beautiful table!!! And it all looks so extra pretty on your blue blog. Eyecandy, eyecandy, eyecandy! I just want to crawl into the photos.

  11. I’m so glad your blog is sorted out.

    What great napkins and I love the whole blue theme. Your mother’s dishes are fabulous. As an avid birdwatcher, I adore birds and think her dishes are a delight. And I also have a thing about having different dishes, too, so your mom isn’t alone in this little habit. I also love what appears to be a cut-crystal blue glass in one part of your pretty photo.

  12. I’m not a blue person but that table looks so clean and fresh! Talk me through green beans almondine and jello salad will you..they sound like puddings to me!

    Gorgeous photos again.

    Mums’ are special aren’t they? Loved your comment on Ali’s blog :^)

  13. Yay I hope its fixed?

    The table is so incredible. The dishes devine. The napkins – priceless!! I love the blue and white. Its so clean and pristine looking. What a lovely dinner. Your family is so great Anna.

  14. The table setting is gorgeous and yes I’ve finished things at the last moment.

    I was wondering why I couldn’t post on the hot cross buns post. They looked so yummy.

  15. The table setting is fabulous! I love your napkins and I think I might just have to try those hot cross buns. I think the kids will truly enjoy them.

  16. Oh my dear – those napkins are really fine. I might have to try that now that I am less afraid of stupid bias tape and/or making it myself. Big plans!

    BTW: I think I read something about Your Beets on my blog. Just sayin is all.

  17. Another thing we have in common. I think I’m a forth generation dish addict. We all have blue ones as or everyday dishes too. My mom has my grandmother’s flow blue dishes and they are incredible.

    Memums Easter table looks beautiful. You must have inherited your good taste from her.

  18. Oh, I do love dishes with blue, too. They’re so crisp and pretty . . . and they look so good with food on them!

    And those linens are gorgeous. It makes me want to go sew some of my own. Gray Line Linen, you say? Thanks!

  19. I am a sucker for dishes too…what a cute table scape this turned out to be. :) You could do a magazine feature of the whole piece, just lovely. :) I like the birds.

  20. What a lovely table setting Anna. those plates are very pretty, love too the napkins and the blue glass, very spring like!
    Kimx
    So happy to be able to comment again!

  21. I hope all is fixed with your blog – nothing is more frustrating when you can’t communicate with your bloggy peeps!
    The napkins are lovely, the dishes are beautiful (I want them!!!!) – everything IS perfect!! The menu sounds scrumptious – what a wonderful Easter you all had!

  22. the table looks beautiful – those plates are wonderful and the napkins set them off perfectly – I have a affection for blue and white china too! The dinner sounds delicious – especially the fresh coconut cake – mmmm!

  23. Who even cares if the food was good when you have such a lovely table setting and napkins! I would have eaten pickled pigs feet! (ok, maybe not)

  24. My Mother is mad for a gorgeous table setting too. I’ll have to show her this – it’s stunning! More good reasons to be a part of that gorgeous family of yours! We enjoyed our traditional lamb roast with loads of veggies and a yummy chocolate cake.

  25. Gorgeous table setting! I just love it. Hot cross buns are my father’s favorite Easter treat. He asks for them all the time, but I have never tried making them. Great idea.

  26. Anna-
    I, too, love blue dishes and a nicely set table. You all looked to have enjoyed one of the loveliest I’ve seen in a while, made all the lovelier by sharing it with family!

    So glad to see your blog is back…was going through Thimbleanna withdrawals!

  27. Blue and white is always so crisp and clean looking. Lovely table! At a recent quilt show, south of here,I saw a beautiful quilt in blue and white, inspired by the book “Dutch Treat” by Judy Garden. I could hardly wait to get home to go to Amazon to order it! Blue and white—irresistible!

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