"I do not claim that I can tell a story as it ought to be told. I only claim to know how a story ought to be told." -Mark Twain









12.29.2010

Mad for Plaid.................

Plaid is one of my very favorite ways to decorate for the season. I am publishing one of my old tablescapes this week. Hopefully, by this time next week my house will be a clean, beautiful, Christmas wonderland!
My Christmas break has been full and BUSY!!  We managed to have five different Christmas celebrations by the time we were through. 
Our oldest son Fielding, and his new wife Kelly,
both had to work on Christmas (firefighter and nurse).
So we held an impromptu Christmas Eve brunch
inviting both sides of the family
so Fielding and Kelly could have a Christmas celebration
with the family.
 Because there were so many people, we served the brunch buffet style.  And since we decided at the last minute to have the brunch, I decorated very casually. (Excuse the pink ornaments on the end of the table. Those were a Christmas present that got opened that morning and were set there momentarily!)
 I threw together my collection of plaid tins.  Some are vintage, some are Target, some are Wally.  I added a couple of plaid ornaments I had (from Kohl's). I piled everything on a plaid piece of fabric that I folded under and used as a runner.
 I have four different plaid sets (of four each) placemats. I mixed and matched the placemats throughout the different tables.

 I got the green holly dishes at Nell Hill's about 6 or 7 years ago.  Then I found very similar ones at Target the next year.  I invested in those as well. I like to mix and match them together. They look like they were meant to be together. The biggest difference in the sets would be....$$$!
I also used my red (100 piece set!!) of dishes my husband got me for Christmas several years ago.
 I have written several times about my love for all things cardinals.  They make me think of my grandparents.  My daughter Taylor got me this tea set as well as a few cardinal plates for Christmas this year. She insisted I open them early (and I was glad to!!). She got the dishes at Cracker Barrel. 
They blended in perfectly with the different holly and reds!


 The red dishes are from my 100 piece set from JC Penney's. The first holly dish is from Target. The second holly dish is from Nell Hill's.  The charger is from Dollar General.  What a price variation these dishes are...Yet, they blended together beautifully!

 I filled three plaid mini gift bags with greenery and put them in the wire basket.  I added pinecones every chance I got as well.


 I had holly mugs for coffee, hot tea and hot chocolate, and I had red and crystal stemware for the brunch punch.







 By mixing and matching my  (cheap) holly, (expensive) holly, cardinal and red dishes, I had plenty of china for my large crowd.  I had a variety of cloth napkins in velvet, holly and different plaids as well, that all seemed to blend into my plaid and woodsy theme.
 I found these plaid letters that spelled out MERRY CHRISTMAS at Target for $3. I had already taken them down when I remembered to take the picture!
 A close up of some of my plaid placemats. I got them all at a garage sale this summer for $4. Total. Sixteen large, very nice, starched placemats for $4. I waited half the year to use them!
 
 I added red candles throughout the dining room as well.





Between a variety of plaids, holly, red birds and pinecones, I was able to pull off a Christmas brunch that looked like I had planned it for hours.  The food was good and the morning was great.  Isn't that what Christmas is all about?
I'm linking to Susan at Between Naps on the Porch. Go by and see the amazing tables.Also check out Centsational Girl and Holiday Tablescapes.

25 comments:

  1. Anonymous12/29/2010

    Hi Lori,
    I am mad for your plaid too:) Don't think I didn't notice the adorable bows on your chairs.

    xo
    LeAnn

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  2. Lori, I'm mad for plaid too! I looked in vain for some of the plaid everyone said they found at Target. I'm still looking to add plaid to my table. Every detail is a delight. Thanks for sharing! ~ Sarah

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  3. I also love plaid for the holidays, but I especially love those Cardinal dishes and tea set. They are too sweet. I also like the way you dressed your chairs - I may have to try that next year - so festive! Happy New Year!

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  4. Anonymous12/30/2010

    WOW love everything. I have the dishes from Target (purchased about 3 yrs. ago) and honestly think a tear would be shed if anything happened to them. I paired mine up with red KMart dinner plates that were so popular. You did a fantastic job. Now maybe it's time to look for plaid accessories too! ;)

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  5. Anonymous12/30/2010

    Wonderful table, Lori! LOve the plaid!

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  6. Beautiful! I loved scrolling through the pics!!
    Wishing I had some of the holly dishes. I love the colors.
    LY

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  7. Awesome job! You have a gift for mixing and matching plaids and china. Not only does it looks like you planned for hours, it looks like you worked for days! I also loved your educator quote. The crazy ones challenge us in the schoolhouse but they are the ones that need us the most. I bet you bring your gifted sense of style to the classroom as well. I'm your newest follower! Happy New Year!

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  8. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this table. I love all of that plaid AND the holly plates are amazing. They are a beautiful green (both of them) and they break the red wonderfully. I think it's great that you got them at Target (in addition to Nell Hill). How I'd love to go to her store. When I see shots people took of her store I want to buy everything, but I tend to not be as drawn to the items she sells on line. Great table!
    Happy New Year. I'd love to have you join us for Seasonal Sundays.

    - The Tablescaper

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  9. What a delightful setting, and to think you just pulled it together in a matter of minutes, amazing, this would have taken me days to come up with!

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  10. Well I had your plaid post on the brain when I left my house this morning! Went to Target, and was lucky enough to find 8 plaid dinner plates in the clearance section. WOO HOO

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  11. Anonymous12/31/2010

    Impromptu Christmas celebrations make me think of Mom, Lori. I love it that you don't stress out and worry, worry, worry.
    What'd you have to eat? (Did I miss that part?)
    Susan

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  12. What a pretty table. Your plaids are lovely. Happy New Year.

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  13. Love your plaids and mixtures! THis all looks perfectly coordinated -- love that!

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  14. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  15. Everything about your wonderful tablescape makes me really happy. I love the blending of plaids, greens, and reds....oh! and the cardinals. I spend hours sitting on my back porch watching the cardinals float from tree to tree. I love cardinals, too! Thank you for sharing your charming design. Happy New Year! Cherry Kay

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  16. The plaid makes me happy...I love it! What a beautiful impromptu arrangement you created for your family. I'm sure they felt honored by the love & attention to detail.

    ~Jen

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  17. I love love those green dishes they are stunning and wow do they look so wonderful with the amazing plaid just wonderful...love the tablescape

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  18. Anonymous11/30/2011

    Everything goes beautiful together. I love plaid and cardnals too. What a gorgeous table you will have with those dishes. Pat

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  19. Plaid, cardinals and pine cones, what is there not to like, especially for a Carolina girl? Gorgeous and I LOVE the little tam o'shanter!

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  20. Totally mad for plaid! What a fabulous table, I'm completely impressed. :-)

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  21. Lori, I'm happy you shared this one again. I loved it even more this year. I did finally get a few of the Target plaid dishes on eBay, but wish I could find more. I doubt they'll have them this year, but I need to check.
    Look forward to seeing what you do with your plaid this year. ~ Sarah

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  22. Anonymous12/01/2011

    love your dishes~

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  23. Very nice, I love plaids and cardinals. I have seen those dishes with the cardinals before and they just make my heart sing, they are so pretty.
    Centerpc. was lovely as well, and a great idea
    to have both families so they could spend the day with family since they had to work.
    My daughter is in the medical professsion and altho, she doesn't work in the hospital, she works at a clinic outside, so they do have to work on some holidays in the hospital to help out, so we have to work around her schedule, and now it is gonna be harder since she is married and has to juggle both families. So we might be
    trying that out too.

    Blessings for a Wonderful Christmas Season,
    Nellie

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  24. "Fielding." That is one of the coolest names ever! I am such a big fan of both plaid and cardinals, so this table speaks volumes to me. The cardinal dishes and tea set are so pretty!!! They are both reminiscent of traditional Christmases in "the good ol' days." I really, REALLY like the plaid ornaments. Very festive table!!!

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